JP2004192686A - Storage device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve ventilation in a storage device while securing an area for setting up a signal line connecting a hard disk drive to a motherboard. <P>SOLUTION: The storage device is provided with a plurality of hard disk drives 100 capable of being inserted and pulled out, and a connecting board 200 connected to a motherboard 20 provided for each of the plurality of the hard disk drives 100, and set up parallel to a direction of insert/pullout. The connecting board 200 is set up nearly parallel to the direction of insert/pullout of the hard disk drive 100, and has a hard disk connector 210 connecting to the hard disk drive 100 and a motherboard connector 220 connecting to the motherboard at position where respective connecting directions become nearly right-angled mutually. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a storage device including a plurality of hard disk devices that can be inserted and removed. In particular, the present invention relates to a storage device in which internal ventilation is improved and heat is easily radiated from a hard disk device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
There is a storage device having a plurality of insertable and removable hard disk devices. This storage device may include a board for connecting the hard disk device to a motherboard inside the storage device. On this board, a connector for connecting to the hard disk device and a signal line for connecting the connector to the motherboard are provided.
Since a known document indicating this structure is not recognized at this time, the description regarding the prior art document is omitted.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Since the storage medium inside the hard disk device rotates at a high speed, the bearing portion of the storage medium generates heat. Therefore, it is necessary to let cooling air flow around the hard disk drive to release heat.
A plurality of connectors for connecting to a plurality of hard disk devices are provided on one board. And since the board | substrate was provided in perpendicular | vertical to the insertion / extraction direction of a hard disk drive, the ventilation inside the memory | storage device was bad. For this reason, in order to allow sufficient cooling air to flow, it is necessary to use a high-performance air cooling fan.
It is also conceivable to provide ventilation holes in the substrate in order to improve ventilation. However, since the signal lines need to be properly wired, it is not possible to provide ventilation holes of a size and number necessary to secure sufficient ventilation.
[0004]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a storage device that can solve the above-described problems. This object is achieved by a combination of features described in the independent claims. The dependent claims define further advantageous embodiments of the present invention.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
That is, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of hard disk devices that can be inserted and withdrawn, and a plurality of hard disk devices provided for each of the plurality of hard disk devices, and the inserted hard disk devices are provided in parallel with the insertion and removal direction. A connection board for connecting to the motherboard, wherein the connection board is provided substantially in parallel with the insertion / removal direction of the hard disk device, and a connector for the hard disk to be connected to the hard disk device and a connector for the motherboard to be connected to the motherboard are connected in the respective connection directions. Are provided at positions substantially perpendicular to each other.
[0006]
The storage device according to the first embodiment may further include a positioning portion that is provided before the motherboard connector in the insertion direction of the hard disk device and contacts the connection board to position the connection board.
In this case, the positioning portion has a storage device-side protrusion provided on the main body of the storage device, and a contact portion provided on the connection board and coming into contact with the storage device-side protrusion from the direction in which the hard disk device is inserted. May be.
[0007]
Further, the apparatus may further include a hard disk position restricting portion for restricting the inserted hard disk device from moving in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction.
The connection board may alternately have a plurality of signal lines and ground lines for connecting the hard disk connector and the motherboard connector.
The housing of the storage device may include an insertion port for inserting and removing the connection board in a direction perpendicular to the direction of insertion and extraction of the hard disk device.
The hard disk device may be provided with an air cooling fan that is inserted and removed from one surface of the housing of the storage device and exhausts air inside the housing from a surface facing the one surface of the housing.
[0008]
Note that the above summary of the present invention does not list all of the necessary features of the present invention, and a sub-combination of these features may also be an invention.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the present invention. However, the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and all of the combinations of the features described in the embodiments are not limited thereto. It is not always essential to the solution of the invention.
[0010]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a storage device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The storage device 10 includes a plurality of hard disk devices 100 inside a substantially rectangular housing 11. The user inserts and removes a plurality of hard disk devices 100 from the front of the housing 11. At this time, a connection board provided inside connects the hard disk device 100 and the motherboard of the storage device 10.
The end face of the hard disk device 100 has a ventilation port 101 for passing air. Further, a gap 11a is provided between the plurality of hard disk devices 100 to allow air to pass therethrough.
[0011]
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a connection structure between the hard disk device 100 and the motherboard 20 provided in the storage device 10. The storage device 10 has a connection board 200 for each of the plurality of hard disk devices 100. The motherboard 20 is located below the lower surface of the hard disk device 100.
[0012]
The connection board 200 has a substantially rectangular shape, and is installed substantially parallel to the insertion / removal direction of the hard disk device 100. A hard disk connector 210 connected to the hard disk device 100 is provided on a side of the vertical side opposite to the inserted hard disk device 100. Further, a motherboard connector 220 connected to the motherboard 20 is provided on a lower side intersecting the side having the hard disk connector 210. The motherboard 20 has a motherboard connector 22 that is connected to the motherboard connector 220.
[0013]
There is a gap between the plurality of connection boards 200. For this reason, even if the connection board 200 is arranged, the wind can pass through in the insertion and removal direction of the hard disk device 100.
The hard disk device 100 is substantially rectangular parallelepiped, and there is a gap between each other. Therefore, even when a plurality of hard disk devices 100 are inserted, the wind can pass through in the insertion / extraction direction.
Therefore, according to the connection structure shown in FIG. 2, the cooling air easily flows around the hard disk device 100 in the insertion / removal direction.
[0014]
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the storage device 10 as viewed from the upper rear side, and illustrates the storage device 10 with a part of the upper surface of the storage device 10 removed to show the internal structure.
The storage device 10 includes a plurality of hard disk devices 100 and a plurality of connection boards 200 in order from the front to the back of the housing 11. On the back surface of the connection board 200, there are two hard disk air-cooling fans 12 and two power supply units 14. The hard disk device 100 is not shown in the figure because it is hidden inside the housing 11.
[0015]
The two power supply units 14 are arranged in parallel, and each has a built-in power supply-side air cooling fan. The exhaust ports 16 of the respective power supply units 14 are exposed at the back of the storage device 10 and exhaust the air inside the power supply units 14 from the back of the housing 11.
The two air-cooling fans 12 for hard disks are respectively arranged at corners on the rear side of the housing 11 with the two power supply units 14 interposed therebetween. Then, each of the hard disk cooling fans 12 exhausts the air inside the housing 11 from the back surface of the housing 11.
[0016]
For this reason, by the operation of the hard disk air cooling fan 12 and the power supply side air cooling fan of the power supply unit 14, air passes from the front of the storage device 10 through the gaps between the plurality of hard disk devices 100 and the ventilation holes 101 shown in FIG. And is sucked into the housing 11. Then, the air passes through the connection board 200 and is exhausted from the back.
Therefore, cooling air flows around the hard disk device 100. Therefore, the hard disk device 100 is efficiently cooled. Therefore, it is not necessary to use a high-power fan as the cooling fan 12.
[0017]
FIG. 4 is a front view of the hard disk device 100. The hard disk device 100 has a disk-side connector 110 on an end face inserted into the housing 11. The disk connector 110 connects to the hard disk connector 210 of the connection board 200 when the hard disk device 100 is inserted into the housing 11.
In addition, the hard disk device 100 has a sliding plate 120 on the lower surface and a sliding plate 122 on the upper surface. The sliding plates 120 and 122 allow the hard disk device 100 to slide smoothly inside the housing 11.
[0018]
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a structure of an inner wall of a portion of the housing 11 into which the hard disk device 100 is inserted. The housing 11 has a plurality of position regulating projections 32 for guiding the hard disk device 100 in the insertion / removal direction on each of the lower surface and the upper surface of the portion where the hard disk device 100 is inserted. Each of the position regulating protrusions 32 is elongated from the near side in the insertion direction toward the back and is interrupted at regular intervals. Note that the intervals between breaks do not need to be constant, and may not be breaks. In addition, the plurality of position regulating projections 32 are parallel to each other, and the interval between them is the same as the width of every other sliding plate 120 on the lower surface and the width of every other sliding plate 122 on the upper surface. Is the same.
[0019]
Then, the sliding plate 120 and the sliding plate 122 of the hard disk device 100 are inserted into the portion having the same width as the width of the sliding plate 120 and the sliding plate 122 among the position regulating protrusions 32. At this time, the slide plate 120 and the slide plate 122 are guided by the position regulating projection 32 in the insertion and removal direction of the hard disk device 100.
Therefore, when the hard disk device 100 is inserted, the disk connector 110 is securely inserted into the hard disk connector 210. At this time, since the hard disk device 100 does not move in the direction other than the insertion / removal direction, the connection board 200 does not receive a force other than the direction of the insertion / removal.
[0020]
In addition, the lower surface of a portion of the housing 11 into which the hard disk device 100 is inserted has a storage device side protrusion 40 that protrudes vertically. The storage device side protrusion 40 is fitted on the lower side of the connection board 200 and receives a force in the insertion direction applied to the vertical board 200.
Therefore, when the hard disk device 100 is inserted, the connection board 200 does not move in the insertion / extraction direction.
[0021]
Therefore, when the hard disk device 100 is inserted, a mechanical load is less likely to be applied to the motherboard connector 22 and the motherboard connector 220.
[0022]
FIG. 6 is a front view of the connection board 200. The connection substrate 200 has a protrusion 240 on the lower side. The protrusion 240 is located between the hard disk connector 210 and the motherboard connector 220 in the insertion / removal direction. The protrusion 240 comes into contact with the storage device side protrusion 40 in the insertion direction.
For this reason, the force applied to the vertical board in the insertion / removal direction when the hard disk device 100 is inserted is received by the protrusion 240 and the storage device side protrusion 40 and is not transmitted to the motherboard connector 220 and the motherboard connector 22.
[0023]
The connection board 200 has a wiring 230 for connecting the hard disk connector 210 and the motherboard connector 220.
Each of the connection boards 200 is provided substantially parallel to the direction of insertion and removal of the hard disk device 100. Therefore, even if the density of the hard disk device 100 is increased, it is not necessary to reduce the width of the connection substrate 200. Therefore, the area of the region where the wiring 230 is provided can be maintained.
For this reason, even if the density of the hard disk device 100 is increased, it is not necessary to multi-layer the connection substrate 200 for the purpose of providing the wiring 230 and the like. Therefore, even if the number of hard disk devices 100 is increased, the cost for providing the wiring 230 can be maintained.
[0024]
In the wiring 230, signal lines and ground lines can be provided alternately. Therefore, the impedance of the wiring 230 decreases.
[0025]
Further, the connection board 200 has a connection board fixing part 250 on the upper side for fixing the connection board 200 to the housing 11 of the storage device 10. The connection board fixing part 250 is configured such that one end 251 of the elongated metal plate is folded upward in a substantially U-shape, one side 252 is bent downward in a substantially L-shape, and the other side 253 is formed. It has a shape bent upward. A part of the side measurement part 253 is folded in a substantially U-shape to make it easier to hold the connection board fixing part 250. The length of the connection board fixing part 250 is substantially equal to the width of the connection board 200.
Then, the side portion 252 bent downward is assembled to the connection board 200. At this time, the one end 251 faces in the same direction as the hard disk connector 210.
[0026]
One end 251 has an opening 255 and the other end 254 has a screw hole 256 for fixing the connection board fixing part 250. The fixing structure will be described with reference to FIG.
[0027]
FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a part of the upper surface of the housing 11 of the storage device 10. The housing 11 has an insertion port 35 that is open on the upper surface for inserting and removing the connection board 200. The insertion port 35 is provided at a position overlapping the motherboard connector 22 in the horizontal direction.
The insertion port 35 has, at the edge on the hard disk device 100 side, a convex portion 36 that protrudes horizontally in the direction in which the hard disk device 100 is inserted. Further, a screw hole 38 is provided on an edge facing the convex portion 36.
[0028]
The connection board 200 is inserted into the housing 11 from the insertion port 35 and connected to the motherboard connector 22. At this time, the protrusion 36 is inserted into the opening 255 of the connection board fixing part 250, and the screw hole 256 is overlapped with the screw hole 38 of the connection board fixing part 250. Then, screws are inserted into the screw holes 256 and the screw holes 38.
Therefore, the force applied to the connection board 200 when the hard disk device 100 is inserted is also received by the connection board fixing portion 250 and the screw holes 38.
[0029]
As described above, the present invention has been described using the embodiment. However, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the embodiment. Various changes or improvements can be added to the above embodiment. It is apparent from the description of the appended claims that embodiments with such changes or improvements can be included in the technical scope of the present invention.
[0030]
【The invention's effect】
As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, it is possible to improve the ventilation in the storage device while securing an area for providing a signal line connecting the hard disk device and the motherboard.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a storage device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a connection structure between a hard disk device 100 and a motherboard 20 provided in a storage device 10.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the storage device 10 as viewed from the upper rear side.
FIG. 4 is a front view of the hard disk device 100.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a structure of an inner wall of a portion of the housing 11 into which the hard disk device 100 is inserted.
FIG. 6 is a front view of the connection board 200.
FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a part of the upper surface of a housing 11 of the storage device 10.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 10 storage device 32 hard disk position regulating unit 40 storage device side convex portion 100 hard disk device 200 connection board 210 hard disk connector 220 motherboard connector 230 wiring (signal line and ground line)
240 convex part (contact part)

Claims (7)

A plurality of removable hard disk drives,
A connection board that is provided for each of the plurality of hard disk devices and that connects the inserted hard disk device to a motherboard provided in parallel with the insertion and removal direction;
The connection board,
It is provided substantially parallel to the insertion and removal direction of the hard disk device,
A storage device, comprising: a hard disk connector connected to the hard disk device; and a motherboard connector connected to the motherboard, at positions where their connection directions are substantially perpendicular to each other. 2. The storage device according to claim 1, further comprising a positioning portion provided before the motherboard connector in the insertion direction of the hard disk device, and positioned to contact the connection board and position the connection board. 3. The positioning unit,
A storage device side protrusion provided on a main body of the storage device,
3. The storage device according to claim 2, wherein the storage device has a contact portion provided on the connection substrate, the contact portion being in contact with the storage device side protrusion from a direction in which the hard disk device is inserted. The storage device according to claim 1, further comprising a hard disk position restriction unit that restricts the inserted hard disk device from moving in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction. 2. The storage device according to claim 1, wherein the connection board includes a plurality of signal lines and a plurality of ground lines that connect the hard disk connector and the motherboard connector alternately. 3. 2. The storage device according to claim 1, wherein the housing of the storage device includes an insertion port for inserting and removing the connection board in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the hard disk device is inserted and removed. The hard disk device is inserted and removed from one surface of a housing of the storage device,
The storage device according to claim 1, further comprising an air cooling fan that exhausts air inside the housing from a surface of the housing facing the one surface.

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