US20230312216A1 - Tray and packaging assembly for data storage devices - Google Patents
Tray and packaging assembly for data storage devices Download PDFInfo
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- US20230312216A1 US20230312216A1 US17/708,663 US202217708663A US2023312216A1 US 20230312216 A1 US20230312216 A1 US 20230312216A1 US 202217708663 A US202217708663 A US 202217708663A US 2023312216 A1 US2023312216 A1 US 2023312216A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- tray
- extension
- sidewalls
- wall
- walls
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Links
- 238000004806 packaging method and process Methods 0.000 title claims description 27
- 238000013500 data storage Methods 0.000 title description 4
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 42
- 238000003856 thermoforming Methods 0.000 claims description 16
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 12
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 claims description 11
- 229920001903 high density polyethylene Polymers 0.000 claims description 7
- 239000004700 high-density polyethylene Substances 0.000 claims description 7
- 229920005669 high impact polystyrene Polymers 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000004797 high-impact polystyrene Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- 229920000139 polyethylene terephthalate Polymers 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000005020 polyethylene terephthalate Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- 229920002397 thermoplastic olefin Polymers 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000004676 acrylonitrile butadiene styrene Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- -1 polyethylene terephthalate Polymers 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000004800 polyvinyl chloride Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000009966 trimming Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000010521 absorption reaction Methods 0.000 description 18
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 9
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 9
- 230000006870 function Effects 0.000 description 4
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000035939 shock Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000012360 testing method Methods 0.000 description 2
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 230000009977 dual effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000001746 injection moulding Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001681 protective effect Effects 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
- B65D81/02—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents specially adapted to protect contents from mechanical damage
- B65D81/05—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents specially adapted to protect contents from mechanical damage maintaining contents at spaced relation from package walls, or from other contents
- B65D81/127—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents specially adapted to protect contents from mechanical damage maintaining contents at spaced relation from package walls, or from other contents using rigid or semi-rigid sheets of shock-absorbing material
- B65D81/133—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents specially adapted to protect contents from mechanical damage maintaining contents at spaced relation from package walls, or from other contents using rigid or semi-rigid sheets of shock-absorbing material of a shape specially adapted to accommodate contents, e.g. trays
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C51/00—Shaping by thermoforming, i.e. shaping sheets or sheet like preforms after heating, e.g. shaping sheets in matched moulds or by deep-drawing; Apparatus therefor
- B29C51/08—Deep drawing or matched-mould forming, i.e. using mechanical means only
- B29C51/082—Deep drawing or matched-mould forming, i.e. using mechanical means only by shaping between complementary mould parts
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
- B65D85/68—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for machines, engines or vehicles in assembled or dismantled form
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D2585/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted for particular articles or materials
- B65D2585/68—Containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted for particular articles or materials for machines, engines, or vehicles in assembled or dismantled form
- B65D2585/86—Containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted for particular articles or materials for machines, engines, or vehicles in assembled or dismantled form for electrical components
Definitions
- the disclosure relates, in some embodiments, to apparatuses for packaging and shipping data storage devices. More specifically, but not exclusively, the disclosure relates to a tray having multiple impact absorption layers, and configured to form a packaging assembly with another identical tray such that the assembly partially encloses one or more data storage devices for shipping.
- HDD and SSD storage devices or drives Hard disk drives and solid-state data storage devices (hereafter referred to as HDD and SSD storage devices or drives) are shipped to customers in boxes or containers. Packaging that fits within the container is used to protect storage devices against damage from vibration of the container or external shock impact on the container that may occur during transportation.
- the tray comprises a sheet of material having a thickness and formed to include: a plurality of tray sidewalls, each having a top edge and a bottom edge; a plurality of tray ends walls arranged relative to the plurality of tray sidewalls to define a plurality of corner regions, each tray end wall having a top edge and a bottom edge; at least one side extension included in each of the tray sidewalls; at least one corner extension included in a corner region; and a tray top spanning the tray sidewalls and the tray ends walls.
- the tray top comprises a pair of top-side surfaces that extend inward from the top edge of a respective one of the tray sidewalls, and a central slotted structure spanning the top-side surfaces, the central slotted structure forming a plurality of slots, each slot configured to receive one of the plurality of storage drives.
- the plurality of tray sidewalls, the plurality of tray ends walls, the at least one side extension, the at least one corner extension, and the tray top have a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the sheet of material.
- One embodiment of the disclosure provides a packaging assembly that includes a pair of identical trays.
- Each tray comprises a plurality of tray sidewalls, each having a top edge and a bottom edge; a plurality of tray ends walls arranged relative to the plurality of tray sidewalls to define a plurality of corner regions, each tray end wall having a top edge and a bottom edge; at least one side extension included in each of the tray sidewalls; at least one corner extension included in a corner region; and a tray top spanning the tray sidewalls and the tray ends walls.
- the tray top comprises a pair of top-side surfaces that extend inward from the top edge of a respective one of the tray sidewalls, and a central slotted structure spanning the top-side surfaces, the central slotted structure forming a plurality of slots, each slot configured to receive one of a plurality of storage drives.
- the pair of identical trays are configured to at least partially enclose one or more storage drives for shipping.
- One embodiment of the disclosure provides a method of fabricating a tray.
- the method comprises providing a material configured to be molded; providing a mold; and forming the material with the mold.
- the material is formed to include: a plurality of tray sidewalls, each having a top edge and a bottom edge; a plurality of tray ends walls arranged relative to the plurality of tray sidewalls to define a plurality of corner regions, each tray end wall having a top edge and a bottom edge; at least one side extension included in each of the tray sidewalls; at least one corner extension included in a corner region; and a tray top spanning the tray sidewalls and the tray ends walls.
- the tray top comprises a pair of top-side surfaces that extend inward from the top edge of a respective one of the tray sidewalls, and a central slotted structure spanning the top-side surfaces, the central slotted structure forming a plurality of slots, each slot configured to receive a storage drive.
- FIG. 1 is a top perspective illustration of a tray having a number of side extensions and corner extensions that provide a first layer of impact absorption and a tray top and tray sidewalls having portions that provide a second layer of impact absorption in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.
- FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective illustration of the tray of FIG. 1 in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.
- FIG. 3 is a top view of the tray of FIG. 1 in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.
- FIG. 4 is a side view of the tray of FIG. 1 in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.
- FIG. 5 is an end view of the tray of FIG. 1 in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.
- FIG. 6 is a top view of the tray of FIG. 1 highlighting a first layer of impact absorption provided by the side extensions and corner extensions and including a cross-section illustration through a side extension in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.
- FIG. 7 is a top view of the tray of FIG. 1 highlighting a second layer of impact absorption provided by portions of the tray top and the tray sidewalls and including a cross-section illustration through these portions in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.
- FIG. 8 is a top perspective illustration of a half of the tray of FIG. 1 sectioned along the length of the tray in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.
- FIG. 9 is a side view of the tray half of FIG. 8 and illustrating areas of upper compression and lower compression provided by the tray top in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.
- FIG. 10 is a top perspective illustration of a half of the tray of FIG. 1 sectioned along the width of the tray in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.
- FIG. 11 is an end view of the tray half of FIG. 10 and illustrating the different widths of the slots formed by the tray top in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.
- FIG. 12 is a top perspective illustration of the tray of FIG. 1 with storage drives inserted in the slots in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.
- FIG. 13 is a side view of the tray of FIG. 12 in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.
- FIG. 14 is a cross-section illustration through the width of the tray of FIG. 12 showing a fit of a storage drive inserted in a slot in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.
- FIG. 15 is a top perspective illustration of a packaging assembly including a pair of identical trays of FIG. 1 with storage drives inserted in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.
- FIG. 16 is a side view of the packaging assembly of FIG. 15 in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.
- FIG. 17 is a cross-section illustration through the width of the packaging assembly of FIG. 15 showing a fit of a storage drive inserted in a respective slot of each of a pair of identical trays in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.
- FIG. 18 is a flowchart of a method of manufacturing the tray of FIG. 1 in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.
- FIG. 19 is a graph showing the drop test results for storage drives packaged in a box using the packaging assembly of FIG. 15 .
- a packaging assembly disclosed herein includes a pair of identical trays configured to at least partially enclose one or more storage drives for shipping within a box.
- Each tray includes tray sidewalls and tray ends walls arranged relative to the tray sidewalls to define a plurality of corner regions. At number of side extensions are included in each of the tray sidewalls, and a corner extension is included in each corner region. These side and corner extensions provide a first layer of impact absorption for the packaging assembly.
- a tray top spans the tray sidewalls and the tray ends walls.
- the tray top includes a pair of top-side surfaces that extend inward from a top edge of a respective one of the tray sidewalls, and a central slotted structure that spans the top-side surfaces. The arrangement of top-side surfaces relative to the tray sidewalls and central slotted structure provides a second layer of impact absorption for the packaging assembly.
- FIG. 19 is a graph showing the G-values as a function of drop orientations, wherein all G-values are below the 150 G limit.
- FIGS. 1 - 11 illustrate one embodiment of a tray 100 in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.
- FIG. 1 is a top perspective illustration of a tray having a number of side extensions and corner extensions that provide a first layer of impact absorption and a tray top and tray sidewalls having portions that provide a second layer of impact absorption.
- FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective illustration of the tray of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 3 is a top view of the tray of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 4 is a side view of the tray of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 5 is an end view of the tray of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 6 is a top view of the tray of FIG. 1 highlighting a first layer of impact absorption provided by the side extensions and corner extensions and including a cross-section illustration through a side extension.
- FIG. 7 is a top view of the tray of FIG. 1 highlighting a second layer of impact absorption provided by portions of the tray top and the tray sidewalls and including a cross-section illustration through these portions.
- FIG. 8 is a top perspective illustration of a half of the tray of FIG. 1 sectioned along the length of the tray.
- FIG. 9 is a side view of the tray half of FIG. 8 and illustrating areas of upper compression and lower compression provided by the tray top.
- FIG. 10 is a top perspective illustration of a half of the tray of FIG. 1 sectioned along the width of the tray.
- FIG. 11 is an end view of the tray half of FIG. 10 and illustrating the different widths of the slots formed by the tray top.
- a tray 100 for holding storage drives includes a sheet of material formed to include a plurality of tray sidewalls 102 a , 102 b and a plurality of tray ends walls 108 a , 108 b .
- the sheet of material may be a thermoforming material having a gauge in the range of 0.9 mm to 1.5 mm (0.039 to 0.059 inches).
- the sheet of thermoforming material may be for example, one or more of: high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO).
- the sheet of thermoforming material may be a recyclable material, such as HDPE.
- the sheet of material may be a thermoforming material that has a Shore D hardness in the range of 55 to 100 when cooled down after forming.
- each of the plurality of tray sidewalls 102 a , 102 b has a top edge 104 a , 104 b and a bottom edge 106 a , 106 b .
- Each of the plurality of tray ends walls 108 a , 108 b has a top edge 110 a , 110 b and a bottom edge 112 a , 112 b .
- the plurality of tray ends walls 108 a , 108 b are arranged relative to the plurality of tray sidewalls 102 a , 102 b to define a plurality of corner regions 114 .
- two tray sidewalls 102 a , 102 b and two tray ends walls 108 a , 108 b define a tray 100 having four corner regions 114 .
- the sheet of material is also formed to include: 1) at least one side extension 116 in each of the tray sidewalls 102 a , 102 b, 2) at least one corner extension 118 in a corner region 114 , and 3) a tray top 120 that spans the tray sidewalls 102 a , 102 b and the tray ends walls 108 a , 108 b .
- the tray 100 includes two side extensions 116 in each tray sidewalls 102 a , 102 b and one corner extension 118 in each corner region 114 .
- the tray top 120 includes a pair of top-side surfaces 122 a , 122 b that extend inward from the top edge 104 a , 104 b of a respective one of the tray sidewalls 102 a , 102 b , and a central slotted structure 124 that spans the top-side surfaces 122 a , 122 b .
- the central slotted structure 124 forms a plurality of slots 126 , each configured to receive a storage drive.
- the tray 100 includes ten slots 126 arranged parallel to each other in a single row.
- At least one of the plurality of tray sidewalls 102 a , 102 b , the plurality of tray ends walls 108 a , 108 b , the at least one side extension 116 , the at least one corner extension 118 , and the tray top 120 have a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the sheet of material. Substantially equal to may mean for example, that the thickness of these features of the tray 100 are within +/ ⁇ 0.5 mm (+/ ⁇ 0.020 inches) of the thickness of the sheet of material.
- the side extensions 116 of the tray 100 include an extension top wall 128 , an extension impact wall 130 , and a pair of extension side walls 132 .
- the extension top wall 128 extends outward from a planar portion 129 of the tray sidewall 102 a , 102 b .
- the extension impact wall 130 extends downward from the extension top wall 128 to the bottom edge 106 a , 106 b of the tray sidewall 102 a , 102 b .
- the pair of extension side walls 132 extend outward from the planar portion 129 of the tray sidewall 102 a , 102 b to the extension impact wall 130 .
- the extension top wall 128 lies in a plane at an angle ⁇ relative to the planar portion 129 of the tray sidewall 102 a , 102 b .
- the angle ⁇ may be for example, between 130 and 150 degrees.
- the extension impact wall 130 lies in a plane substantially parallel with the planar portion 129 of the tray sidewall 102 a , 102 b . “Substantially parallel” as used herein means the extension impact wall 130 may be in a plane up to 10 percent off of parallel with respect to the planar portion 129 .
- the space 131 bounded by the extension top wall 128 , the extension impact wall 130 , and the extension side walls 132 of the at least one side extension 116 is an empty space.
- the empty space 131 defined by the side extensions 116 of the tray 100 provides a first layer of impact absorption to the tray 100 .
- the corner extensions 118 include a tray sidewall portion 134 , a tray end wall portion 142 , and an angled side wall 149 .
- the tray sidewall portion 134 includes an extension top wall 136 that extends outward from a planar portion 129 of the tray sidewall 102 a , 102 b , an extension impact wall 138 that extends downward from the extension top wall 136 to the bottom edge 106 a , 106 b of the tray sidewall 102 a , 102 b , and an extension side wall 140 that extends outward from the planar portion 129 of the tray sidewall 102 a , 102 b to the extension impact wall 138 .
- the tray end wall portion 142 includes an extension top wall 144 that extends outward from a planar portion 133 of the tray end wall 108 a , 108 b , an extension impact wall 146 that extends downward from the extension top wall 144 to the bottom edge 106 a , 106 b of the tray end wall 108 a , 108 b , and an extension side wall 148 extending outward from the planar portion 133 of the tray end wall 108 a , 108 b to the extension impact wall 146 .
- the angled side wall 149 spans the extension impact wall 138 of the tray sidewall 102 a , 102 b and the extension impact wall 146 of the tray end wall 108 a , 108 b.
- the space 131 bounded by the extension top walls 136 , 144 , the extension impacts walls 138 , 146 , the extension side walls 40 , 148 , and the angled side wall 149 of the corner extension 118 is an empty space.
- the empty space 131 defined by the corner extensions 118 of the tray 100 provides a first layer of impact absorption to the tray.
- the side extensions 116 and the corner extensions 118 around the perimeter of the tray 100 provide a first line or layer of impact absorption around the tray.
- the thin-walled construction of the side extensions 116 and the corner extensions 118 and the open spaces 131 associated with the extensions 116 , 118 improve the flexibility of the tray sidewalls 102 a , 102 b and tray end walls 108 a , 108 b and allow the tray 100 to compress upon impact of a force F 1 to an extension impact wall 130 , 138 , 146 . This increases the duration of impact of the force F 1 to the content of the tray 100 and thereby generates a lower G value than would occur for a tray without such a feature.
- the tray top 120 includes a plurality of slot sidewalls 150 that extend downward from a respective one of the top-side surfaces 122 a , 122 b .
- the space 152 between the plurality of slot sidewalls 150 and the respective one of the tray sidewalls 102 a , 102 b is an empty space 152 .
- the empty space 152 defined by the slot sidewalls 150 , the top-side surfaces 122 a , 122 b , and the tray sidewalls 102 a , 102 b of the tray 100 provides a second line or layer of impact absorption along the length l of the tray. From the cross-sectional view in FIG.
- the thin-walled construction of the slot sidewalls 150 , the top-side surfaces 122 a , 122 b , and the tray sidewalls 102 a , 102 b of the tray 100 and the open spaces 152 associated with these features improve the flexibility of the upper portions of the tray sidewalls 102 a , 102 b and allow the tray 100 to compress upon impact of a force F 2 to an upper portion of a tray sidewall 102 a , 102 b . This increases the duration of impact of the force F 2 to the content of the tray 100 and thereby generates a lower G value than would occur for a tray without such a feature.
- the central slotted structure 124 of the tray top 120 includes a plurality of divider walls 154 , a plurality of divider tops 160 , a plurality of slot bottoms 162 , and a plurality of slot sidewalls 150 .
- Each divider wall 154 has a rounded top edge 156 , a rounded bottom edge 158 .
- the central slotted structure 124 also has rounded side edges 164 that extend between the ends of each divider top 160 and a respective one of the top-side surfaces 122 a , 122 b .
- Each divider top 160 spans the rounded top edges 156 of an adjacent pair of the divider walls 154 .
- Each slot bottom 162 spans the bottom edges 158 of an adjacent pairs of the divider walls 154 .
- the space 153 between the divider walls 154 of each adjacent pair of the divider walls 154 spanned by a divider top 160 is an empty space.
- the space 155 between the divider walls 154 of each adjacent pairs of the divider walls 154 spanned by a slot bottom 162 forms part of one of the plurality of slots 126 .
- each empty space 155 or slot 126 of the tray 100 has an upper compression region near the rounded top edges 156 that provides impact absorption upon impact of an upper compression force F 3 , and a lower compression region near the rounded bottom edges 158 that provides impact absorption upon impact of an lower compression force F 4 .
- the combination of the upper and lower upper compression regions provides additional protection for each storage drive in a slot 126 defined by the empty space 155 .
- each slot sidewall 150 spans the side edges 164 of an adjacent pair of the divider walls 154 .
- Each slot bottom 162 spans the rounded bottom edges 158 of an adjacent pair of the divider walls 154 .
- Each pair of adjacent divider walls 154 spanned by a pair of slot sidewalls 150 and a slot bottom 162 form a slot 126 of the plurality of slots 126 .
- Each of the plurality of slots 126 includes an upper portion 168 having a width 170 and a depth 172 sized to receive the width and thickness of the storage drive 202 .
- the plurality of slots 126 further comprise a lower portion 174 having a width 176 less than the width of the storage drive 202 .
- a tray in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure is directed to the embodiment of a tray 100 shown FIGS. 1 - 11 , other embodiments of a tray are contemplated.
- a tray may be formed to include more or less than ten slots 126 , or to include two or more side-by-side rows of slots, or to include a different sized slot or slots of various sizes, or to accommodate objects with form factors different from a storage drive.
- FIGS. 12 - 14 illustrate the tray 100 of FIGS. 1 - 11 with storage drives 202 inserted in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.
- FIG. 12 is a top perspective illustration of the tray 100 of FIG. 1 with storage drives 202 inserted in the slots 126 .
- FIG. 13 is a side view of the tray 100 of FIG. 12 .
- FIG. 14 is a cross-section illustration through the width of the tray 100 of FIG. 12 showing a fit of a storage drive 202 inserted in a slot 126 .
- the connector 204 of a storage drive 202 protrudes slightly out from the drive casing 206 .
- the connector 204 may break upon impact of the tray 100 by an external force if the connector is in direct contact with a surface of the tray 100 .
- the varying widths 170 , 176 of the slots 126 provide an open space 180 beneath the connector 204 such that the connector 204 does not contact a surface of the tray 100 .
- the tray 100 provides open space 180 around the connector 204 area in a way that no matter which direction the impact originated from, the connector does not contact any surface of the tray.
- FIGS. 15 - 17 illustrate a packaging assembly 300 comprising a pair of trays 100 , 200 of FIGS. 1 - 11 in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.
- FIG. 15 is a top perspective illustration of a packaging assembly 300 including a pair of identical trays of FIG. 1 with storage drives 202 inserted in slots 126 .
- FIG. 16 is a side view of the packaging assembly 300 of FIG. 15 .
- FIG. 17 is a cross-section illustration through the width of the packaging assembly 300 of FIG. 15 showing a fit of a storage drive 202 inserted in a respective slot 126 of each of a pair of identical trays 100 , 200 .
- a packaging assembly 300 includes a pair of identical trays 100 , 200 configured as described above with reference to FIGS. 1 - 11 .
- the pair of identical trays 100 , 200 are configured to at least partially enclose one or more storage drives 202 for shipping.
- a first tray 100 may be oriented to function as a bottom tray 100 .
- Storage drives 202 are placed in the slots 126 of the bottom tray 100 .
- a second tray 200 is oriented to function as a top tray 200 having it slots 126 facing toward and aligned to receive the exposed ends of the storage drives 202 placed in the slots 126 of the bottom tray 100 .
- the top tray 200 is then lowered such that each slot 126 of the top tray 200 receives an exposed end of a storage drive 202 .
- the combination of the bottom tray 100 and the top tray 200 have a form factor that fits inside a shipping box or container and thus function as protective packaging for the storage drives 202 during transportation.
- the design of the tray 100 allows it to be used as a bottom tray and a top tray. This dual use tray 100 eliminates the need for different top and bottom trays and thus reduces production costs.
- the universal tray 100 also removes folding processes as required in some current packaging designs, including the design disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0079538.
- slots 126 of a packaging assembly 300 may be configured to accommodate storage drives 202 of various widths and thicknesses.
- the width 170 of the slots 126 is 72 mm while the depth of the slots 126 is 40 mm.
- the packaging assembly 300 may accommodate is storage drives 202 of various heights.
- a storage drive 202 having a height of 102 mm is secured between the bottom tray 100 and the top tray 200 , with a gap 179 present between surfaces of the trays 100 , 200 .
- a method of fabricating a tray 100 includes, at block 1802 , providing a material configured to be molded.
- the method of fabricating a tray 100 also includes providing a mold.
- the mold can be fabricated from aluminum plate block and machined to the specific shape and dimensions.
- the method of fabricating a tray 100 also includes forming the material with the mold to include the features of the tray as described above with reference to FIGS. 1 - 11 .
- the material comprises a sheet of thermoforming material having a pliable forming temperature
- forming the material with the mold includes heating the sheet of thermoforming material to the pliable forming temperature, allowing the sheet of thermoforming material to conform to the mold and to cool to a temperature less than the pliable forming temperature, and trimming the formed sheet of thermoforming material.
- the sheet of thermoforming material comprises at least one of: high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO).
- HDPE high-density polyethylene
- PVC polyvinyl chloride
- ABS acrylonitrile butadiene styrene
- HIPS high-impact polystyrene
- PET polyethylene terephthalate
- TPO thermoplastic polyolefin
- a tray in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure includes details directed to thermoforming, other manufacturing techniques are contemplated.
- a tray may be fabricated through injection molding as well.
- any reference to an element herein using a designation such as “first,” “second,” and so forth does not generally limit the quantity or order of those elements. Rather, these designations may be used herein as a convenient method of distinguishing between two or more elements or instances of an element. Thus, a reference to first and second elements does not mean that only two elements may be used there or that the first element must precede the second element in some manner. Also, unless stated otherwise a set of elements may include one or more elements.
- terminology of the form “at least one of a, b, or c” or “a, b, c, or any combination thereof” used in the description or the claims means “a or b or c or any combination of these elements.”
- this terminology may include a, or b, or c, or a and b, or a and c, or a and b and c, or 2 a , or 2 b , or 2 c , or 2 a and b , and so on.
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Abstract
Description
- The disclosure relates, in some embodiments, to apparatuses for packaging and shipping data storage devices. More specifically, but not exclusively, the disclosure relates to a tray having multiple impact absorption layers, and configured to form a packaging assembly with another identical tray such that the assembly partially encloses one or more data storage devices for shipping.
- Hard disk drives and solid-state data storage devices (hereafter referred to as HDD and SSD storage devices or drives) are shipped to customers in boxes or containers. Packaging that fits within the container is used to protect storage devices against damage from vibration of the container or external shock impact on the container that may occur during transportation.
- The following presents a simplified summary of some aspects of the disclosure to provide a basic understanding of such aspects. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated features of the disclosure, and is intended neither to identify key or critical elements of all aspects of the disclosure nor to delineate the scope of any or all aspects of the disclosure. Its sole purpose is to present various concepts of some aspects of the disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
- One embodiment of the disclosure provides a tray for holding a plurality of storage drives. The tray comprises a sheet of material having a thickness and formed to include: a plurality of tray sidewalls, each having a top edge and a bottom edge; a plurality of tray ends walls arranged relative to the plurality of tray sidewalls to define a plurality of corner regions, each tray end wall having a top edge and a bottom edge; at least one side extension included in each of the tray sidewalls; at least one corner extension included in a corner region; and a tray top spanning the tray sidewalls and the tray ends walls. The tray top comprises a pair of top-side surfaces that extend inward from the top edge of a respective one of the tray sidewalls, and a central slotted structure spanning the top-side surfaces, the central slotted structure forming a plurality of slots, each slot configured to receive one of the plurality of storage drives. The plurality of tray sidewalls, the plurality of tray ends walls, the at least one side extension, the at least one corner extension, and the tray top have a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the sheet of material.
- One embodiment of the disclosure provides a packaging assembly that includes a pair of identical trays. Each tray comprises a plurality of tray sidewalls, each having a top edge and a bottom edge; a plurality of tray ends walls arranged relative to the plurality of tray sidewalls to define a plurality of corner regions, each tray end wall having a top edge and a bottom edge; at least one side extension included in each of the tray sidewalls; at least one corner extension included in a corner region; and a tray top spanning the tray sidewalls and the tray ends walls. The tray top comprises a pair of top-side surfaces that extend inward from the top edge of a respective one of the tray sidewalls, and a central slotted structure spanning the top-side surfaces, the central slotted structure forming a plurality of slots, each slot configured to receive one of a plurality of storage drives. The pair of identical trays are configured to at least partially enclose one or more storage drives for shipping.
- One embodiment of the disclosure provides a method of fabricating a tray. The method comprises providing a material configured to be molded; providing a mold; and forming the material with the mold. The material is formed to include: a plurality of tray sidewalls, each having a top edge and a bottom edge; a plurality of tray ends walls arranged relative to the plurality of tray sidewalls to define a plurality of corner regions, each tray end wall having a top edge and a bottom edge; at least one side extension included in each of the tray sidewalls; at least one corner extension included in a corner region; and a tray top spanning the tray sidewalls and the tray ends walls. The tray top comprises a pair of top-side surfaces that extend inward from the top edge of a respective one of the tray sidewalls, and a central slotted structure spanning the top-side surfaces, the central slotted structure forming a plurality of slots, each slot configured to receive a storage drive.
- These and other aspects of the disclosure will become more fully understood upon a review of the detailed description, which follows. Other aspects, features, and implementations of the disclosure will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, upon reviewing the following description of specific implementations of the disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying figures. While features of the disclosure may be discussed relative to certain implementations and figures below, all implementations of the disclosure can include one or more of the advantageous features discussed herein. In other words, while one or more implementations may be discussed as having certain advantageous features, one or more of such features may also be used in accordance with the various implementations of the disclosure discussed herein. In similar fashion, while certain implementations may be discussed below as device, system, or method implementations it should be understood that such implementations can be implemented in various devices, systems, and methods.
- A more particular description is included below with reference to specific embodiments illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only certain embodiments of the disclosure and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the disclosure is described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:
-
FIG. 1 is a top perspective illustration of a tray having a number of side extensions and corner extensions that provide a first layer of impact absorption and a tray top and tray sidewalls having portions that provide a second layer of impact absorption in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. -
FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective illustration of the tray ofFIG. 1 in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. -
FIG. 3 is a top view of the tray ofFIG. 1 in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. -
FIG. 4 is a side view of the tray ofFIG. 1 in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. -
FIG. 5 is an end view of the tray ofFIG. 1 in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. -
FIG. 6 is a top view of the tray ofFIG. 1 highlighting a first layer of impact absorption provided by the side extensions and corner extensions and including a cross-section illustration through a side extension in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. -
FIG. 7 is a top view of the tray ofFIG. 1 highlighting a second layer of impact absorption provided by portions of the tray top and the tray sidewalls and including a cross-section illustration through these portions in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. -
FIG. 8 is a top perspective illustration of a half of the tray ofFIG. 1 sectioned along the length of the tray in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. -
FIG. 9 is a side view of the tray half ofFIG. 8 and illustrating areas of upper compression and lower compression provided by the tray top in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. -
FIG. 10 is a top perspective illustration of a half of the tray ofFIG. 1 sectioned along the width of the tray in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. -
FIG. 11 is an end view of the tray half ofFIG. 10 and illustrating the different widths of the slots formed by the tray top in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. -
FIG. 12 is a top perspective illustration of the tray ofFIG. 1 with storage drives inserted in the slots in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. -
FIG. 13 is a side view of the tray ofFIG. 12 in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. -
FIG. 14 is a cross-section illustration through the width of the tray ofFIG. 12 showing a fit of a storage drive inserted in a slot in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. -
FIG. 15 is a top perspective illustration of a packaging assembly including a pair of identical trays ofFIG. 1 with storage drives inserted in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. -
FIG. 16 is a side view of the packaging assembly ofFIG. 15 in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. -
FIG. 17 is a cross-section illustration through the width of the packaging assembly ofFIG. 15 showing a fit of a storage drive inserted in a respective slot of each of a pair of identical trays in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. -
FIG. 18 is a flowchart of a method of manufacturing the tray ofFIG. 1 in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. -
FIG. 19 is a graph showing the drop test results for storage drives packaged in a box using the packaging assembly ofFIG. 15 . - In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description. The description of elements in each figure may refer to elements of proceeding figures. Like numbers may refer to like elements in the figures, including alternate embodiments of like elements.
- A packaging assembly disclosed herein includes a pair of identical trays configured to at least partially enclose one or more storage drives for shipping within a box. Each tray includes tray sidewalls and tray ends walls arranged relative to the tray sidewalls to define a plurality of corner regions. At number of side extensions are included in each of the tray sidewalls, and a corner extension is included in each corner region. These side and corner extensions provide a first layer of impact absorption for the packaging assembly.
- A tray top spans the tray sidewalls and the tray ends walls. The tray top includes a pair of top-side surfaces that extend inward from a top edge of a respective one of the tray sidewalls, and a central slotted structure that spans the top-side surfaces. The arrangement of top-side surfaces relative to the tray sidewalls and central slotted structure provides a second layer of impact absorption for the packaging assembly.
- Drop testing of storage drives packed in a box using the packaging assembly disclosed herein resulted in shock values that did not exceed 150 G (e.g., where 1 G is the same as 1 g-force) throughout all drop orientations.
FIG. 19 is a graph showing the G-values as a function of drop orientations, wherein all G-values are below the 150 G limit. - Having generally described a packaging assembly in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure, following are detailed descriptions of the tray, the packaging assembly, and a method of fabricating a tray.
- Tray
-
FIGS. 1-11 illustrate one embodiment of atray 100 in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.FIG. 1 is a top perspective illustration of a tray having a number of side extensions and corner extensions that provide a first layer of impact absorption and a tray top and tray sidewalls having portions that provide a second layer of impact absorption.FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective illustration of the tray ofFIG. 1 .FIG. 3 is a top view of the tray ofFIG. 1 .FIG. 4 is a side view of the tray ofFIG. 1 .FIG. 5 is an end view of the tray ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 6 is a top view of the tray ofFIG. 1 highlighting a first layer of impact absorption provided by the side extensions and corner extensions and including a cross-section illustration through a side extension.FIG. 7 is a top view of the tray ofFIG. 1 highlighting a second layer of impact absorption provided by portions of the tray top and the tray sidewalls and including a cross-section illustration through these portions. -
FIG. 8 is a top perspective illustration of a half of the tray ofFIG. 1 sectioned along the length of the tray.FIG. 9 is a side view of the tray half ofFIG. 8 and illustrating areas of upper compression and lower compression provided by the tray top.FIG. 10 is a top perspective illustration of a half of the tray ofFIG. 1 sectioned along the width of the tray.FIG. 11 is an end view of the tray half ofFIG. 10 and illustrating the different widths of the slots formed by the tray top. - Continuing with reference to
FIGS. 1-11 , in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein atray 100 for holding storage drives includes a sheet of material formed to include a plurality oftray sidewalls walls - With continued reference to
FIGS. 1-11 , each of the plurality oftray sidewalls top edge bottom edge walls top edge bottom edge walls tray sidewalls corner regions 114. In the example embodiment ofFIGS. 1-11 , twotray sidewalls walls tray 100 having fourcorner regions 114. - The sheet of material is also formed to include: 1) at least one
side extension 116 in each of the tray sidewalls 102 a, 102 b, 2) at least onecorner extension 118 in acorner region 114, and 3) atray top 120 that spans the tray sidewalls 102 a, 102 b and the tray endswalls FIGS. 1-11 , thetray 100 includes twoside extensions 116 in each tray sidewalls 102 a, 102 b and onecorner extension 118 in eachcorner region 114. Thetray top 120 includes a pair of top-side surfaces top edge structure 124 that spans the top-side surfaces structure 124 forms a plurality ofslots 126, each configured to receive a storage drive. In the example embodiment ofFIGS. 1-11 , thetray 100 includes tenslots 126 arranged parallel to each other in a single row. - At least one of the plurality of
tray sidewalls walls side extension 116, the at least onecorner extension 118, and thetray top 120 have a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the sheet of material. Substantially equal to may mean for example, that the thickness of these features of thetray 100 are within +/−0.5 mm (+/−0.020 inches) of the thickness of the sheet of material. - With reference to the embodiment of
FIGS. 1-11 , theside extensions 116 of thetray 100 include an extensiontop wall 128, anextension impact wall 130, and a pair ofextension side walls 132. The extensiontop wall 128 extends outward from aplanar portion 129 of thetray sidewall extension impact wall 130 extends downward from the extensiontop wall 128 to thebottom edge tray sidewall extension side walls 132 extend outward from theplanar portion 129 of thetray sidewall extension impact wall 130. - In the embodiment of
FIGS. 1-11 , the extensiontop wall 128 lies in a plane at an angle θ relative to theplanar portion 129 of thetray sidewall extension impact wall 130 lies in a plane substantially parallel with theplanar portion 129 of thetray sidewall extension impact wall 130 may be in a plane up to 10 percent off of parallel with respect to theplanar portion 129. - With reference to
FIG. 6 , thespace 131 bounded by the extensiontop wall 128, theextension impact wall 130, and theextension side walls 132 of the at least oneside extension 116 is an empty space. As described later below, theempty space 131 defined by theside extensions 116 of thetray 100 provides a first layer of impact absorption to thetray 100. - With reference to
FIGS. 1-11 , thecorner extensions 118 include atray sidewall portion 134, a trayend wall portion 142, and anangled side wall 149. Thetray sidewall portion 134 includes an extensiontop wall 136 that extends outward from aplanar portion 129 of thetray sidewall extension impact wall 138 that extends downward from the extensiontop wall 136 to thebottom edge tray sidewall extension side wall 140 that extends outward from theplanar portion 129 of thetray sidewall extension impact wall 138. - The tray
end wall portion 142 includes an extensiontop wall 144 that extends outward from aplanar portion 133 of thetray end wall extension impact wall 146 that extends downward from the extensiontop wall 144 to thebottom edge tray end wall extension side wall 148 extending outward from theplanar portion 133 of thetray end wall extension impact wall 146. Theangled side wall 149 spans theextension impact wall 138 of thetray sidewall extension impact wall 146 of thetray end wall - With reference to
FIG. 6 , thespace 131 bounded by the extensiontop walls walls extension side walls 40, 148, and theangled side wall 149 of thecorner extension 118 is an empty space. As described immediately below, theempty space 131 defined by thecorner extensions 118 of thetray 100 provides a first layer of impact absorption to the tray. - With reference to
FIG. 6 , theside extensions 116 and thecorner extensions 118 around the perimeter of thetray 100 provide a first line or layer of impact absorption around the tray. From the cross-sectional view inFIG. 6 , the thin-walled construction of theside extensions 116 and thecorner extensions 118 and theopen spaces 131 associated with theextensions walls tray 100 to compress upon impact of a force F1 to anextension impact wall tray 100 and thereby generates a lower G value than would occur for a tray without such a feature. - With reference to
FIGS. 1-11 , thetray top 120 includes a plurality ofslot sidewalls 150 that extend downward from a respective one of the top-side surfaces FIG. 7 , thespace 152 between the plurality ofslot sidewalls 150 and the respective one of the tray sidewalls 102 a, 102 b is anempty space 152. As described below, theempty space 152 defined by the slot sidewalls 150, the top-side surfaces tray 100 provides a second line or layer of impact absorption along the length l of the tray. From the cross-sectional view inFIG. 7 , the thin-walled construction of the slot sidewalls 150, the top-side surfaces tray 100 and theopen spaces 152 associated with these features improve the flexibility of the upper portions of the tray sidewalls 102 a, 102 b and allow thetray 100 to compress upon impact of a force F2 to an upper portion of atray sidewall tray 100 and thereby generates a lower G value than would occur for a tray without such a feature. - With reference to
FIGS. 8-10 , the central slottedstructure 124 of thetray top 120 includes a plurality ofdivider walls 154, a plurality of divider tops 160, a plurality ofslot bottoms 162, and a plurality ofslot sidewalls 150. Eachdivider wall 154 has a roundedtop edge 156, a roundedbottom edge 158. The central slottedstructure 124 also has rounded side edges 164 that extend between the ends of eachdivider top 160 and a respective one of the top-side surfaces divider top 160 spans the roundedtop edges 156 of an adjacent pair of thedivider walls 154. Eachslot bottom 162 spans thebottom edges 158 of an adjacent pairs of thedivider walls 154. - As shown in
FIG. 8 , thespace 153 between thedivider walls 154 of each adjacent pair of thedivider walls 154 spanned by adivider top 160 is an empty space. Thespace 155 between thedivider walls 154 of each adjacent pairs of thedivider walls 154 spanned by aslot bottom 162 forms part of one of the plurality ofslots 126. - With reference to
FIGS. 8 and 9 , the thin-walled construction of the central slottedstructure 124 and the continuous, alternating roundedtop edges 156 and roundedbottom edges 158 in the region of the center of the central slottedstructure 124 andempty spaces tray 100. As shown inFIG. 9 , eachempty space 155 or slot 126 of thetray 100 has an upper compression region near the roundedtop edges 156 that provides impact absorption upon impact of an upper compression force F3, and a lower compression region near the roundedbottom edges 158 that provides impact absorption upon impact of an lower compression force F4. The combination of the upper and lower upper compression regions provides additional protection for each storage drive in aslot 126 defined by theempty space 155. - With reference to
FIGS. 8-11 , eachslot sidewall 150 spans the side edges 164 of an adjacent pair of thedivider walls 154. Eachslot bottom 162 spans the roundedbottom edges 158 of an adjacent pair of thedivider walls 154. Each pair ofadjacent divider walls 154 spanned by a pair ofslot sidewalls 150 and aslot bottom 162 form aslot 126 of the plurality ofslots 126. - Each of the plurality of
slots 126 includes anupper portion 168 having awidth 170 and adepth 172 sized to receive the width and thickness of thestorage drive 202. The plurality ofslots 126 further comprise alower portion 174 having awidth 176 less than the width of thestorage drive 202. - While the foregoing description of a tray in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure is directed to the embodiment of a
tray 100 shownFIGS. 1-11 , other embodiments of a tray are contemplated. For example, a tray may be formed to include more or less than tenslots 126, or to include two or more side-by-side rows of slots, or to include a different sized slot or slots of various sizes, or to accommodate objects with form factors different from a storage drive. - Tray with Storage Drives
-
FIGS. 12-14 illustrate thetray 100 ofFIGS. 1-11 with storage drives 202 inserted in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.FIG. 12 is a top perspective illustration of thetray 100 ofFIG. 1 with storage drives 202 inserted in theslots 126.FIG. 13 is a side view of thetray 100 ofFIG. 12 .FIG. 14 is a cross-section illustration through the width of thetray 100 ofFIG. 12 showing a fit of astorage drive 202 inserted in aslot 126. - With further reference to
FIG. 14 , in some configurations theconnector 204 of astorage drive 202 protrudes slightly out from thedrive casing 206. For these configurations, theconnector 204 may break upon impact of thetray 100 by an external force if the connector is in direct contact with a surface of thetray 100. In accordance with embodiments disclosed herein, the varyingwidths slots 126 provide anopen space 180 beneath theconnector 204 such that theconnector 204 does not contact a surface of thetray 100. Thus, thetray 100 providesopen space 180 around theconnector 204 area in a way that no matter which direction the impact originated from, the connector does not contact any surface of the tray. - Packaging Assembly
-
FIGS. 15-17 illustrate apackaging assembly 300 comprising a pair oftrays FIGS. 1-11 in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure.FIG. 15 is a top perspective illustration of apackaging assembly 300 including a pair of identical trays ofFIG. 1 with storage drives 202 inserted inslots 126.FIG. 16 is a side view of thepackaging assembly 300 ofFIG. 15 .FIG. 17 is a cross-section illustration through the width of thepackaging assembly 300 ofFIG. 15 showing a fit of astorage drive 202 inserted in arespective slot 126 of each of a pair ofidentical trays - With continued reference to
FIGS. 15-17 , in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein apackaging assembly 300 includes a pair ofidentical trays FIGS. 1-11 . The pair ofidentical trays first tray 100 may be oriented to function as abottom tray 100. Storage drives 202 are placed in theslots 126 of thebottom tray 100. Asecond tray 200 is oriented to function as atop tray 200 having itslots 126 facing toward and aligned to receive the exposed ends of the storage drives 202 placed in theslots 126 of thebottom tray 100. Thetop tray 200 is then lowered such that eachslot 126 of thetop tray 200 receives an exposed end of astorage drive 202. The combination of thebottom tray 100 and thetop tray 200 have a form factor that fits inside a shipping box or container and thus function as protective packaging for the storage drives 202 during transportation. - The design of the
tray 100 allows it to be used as a bottom tray and a top tray. Thisdual use tray 100 eliminates the need for different top and bottom trays and thus reduces production costs. Theuniversal tray 100 also removes folding processes as required in some current packaging designs, including the design disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0079538. - With further reference to
FIG. 17 ,slots 126 of apackaging assembly 300 may be configured to accommodate storage drives 202 of various widths and thicknesses. In one example configuration, thewidth 170 of theslots 126 is 72 mm while the depth of theslots 126 is 40 mm. Thepackaging assembly 300 may accommodate is storage drives 202 of various heights. In theexample packaging assembly 300 ofFIG. 17 , astorage drive 202 having a height of 102 mm is secured between thebottom tray 100 and thetop tray 200, with agap 179 present between surfaces of thetrays - Method of Fabrication
- With reference to
FIG. 18 , in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein a method of fabricating atray 100 includes, atblock 1802, providing a material configured to be molded. - At
block 1804, the method of fabricating atray 100 also includes providing a mold. The mold can be fabricated from aluminum plate block and machined to the specific shape and dimensions. - At
block 1806, the method of fabricating atray 100 also includes forming the material with the mold to include the features of the tray as described above with reference toFIGS. 1-11 . - In some embodiments, the material comprises a sheet of thermoforming material having a pliable forming temperature, and forming the material with the mold includes heating the sheet of thermoforming material to the pliable forming temperature, allowing the sheet of thermoforming material to conform to the mold and to cool to a temperature less than the pliable forming temperature, and trimming the formed sheet of thermoforming material.
- The sheet of thermoforming material comprises at least one of: high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO).
- While the foregoing description of the manufacturing of a tray in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure includes details directed to thermoforming, other manufacturing techniques are contemplated. For example, a tray may be fabricated through injection molding as well.
- The examples set forth herein are provided to illustrate certain concepts of the disclosure. The apparatuses, devices, or components illustrated above may be configured to perform one or more of the methods, features, or steps described herein. Those of ordinary skill in the art will comprehend that these are merely illustrative in nature, and other examples may fall within the scope of the disclosure and the appended claims. Based on the teachings herein those skilled in the art should appreciate that an aspect disclosed herein may be implemented independently of any other aspects and that two or more of these aspects may be combined in various ways. For example, an apparatus may be implemented, or a method may be practiced using any number of the aspects set forth herein. In addition, such an apparatus may be implemented, or such a method may be practiced using other structure, functionality, or structure and functionality in addition to or other than one or more of the aspects set forth herein.
- While the above descriptions contain many specific embodiments of the invention, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as examples of specific embodiments thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their equivalents. Moreover, reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment, but mean “one or more but not all embodiments” unless expressly specified otherwise.
- Any reference to an element herein using a designation such as “first,” “second,” and so forth does not generally limit the quantity or order of those elements. Rather, these designations may be used herein as a convenient method of distinguishing between two or more elements or instances of an element. Thus, a reference to first and second elements does not mean that only two elements may be used there or that the first element must precede the second element in some manner. Also, unless stated otherwise a set of elements may include one or more elements. In addition, terminology of the form “at least one of a, b, or c” or “a, b, c, or any combination thereof” used in the description or the claims means “a or b or c or any combination of these elements.” For example, this terminology may include a, or b, or c, or a and b, or a and c, or a and b and c, or 2 a, or 2 b, or 2 c, or 2 a and b, and so on.
Claims (21)
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Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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US5794796A (en) * | 1994-12-20 | 1998-08-18 | Alpha Enterprises, Inc. | Storage rack for retaining software devices having multiple configurations |
US7533770B2 (en) * | 2005-08-30 | 2009-05-19 | Hung-Yu Lan | Data disc storage arrangement |
US7810639B2 (en) * | 2006-02-10 | 2010-10-12 | Seagate Technology Llc | Container for consumer electronics |
Family Cites Families (6)
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US6786334B2 (en) | 2002-09-20 | 2004-09-07 | Forrest Smith | Protective packaging structure for shock sensitive products and co-packaged accessories therefor |
US7584851B2 (en) | 2004-10-08 | 2009-09-08 | Seagate Technology Llc | Container for disk drives |
JP2006273333A (en) | 2005-03-25 | 2006-10-12 | Sekisui Plastics Co Ltd | Tray for packing |
TWI272221B (en) | 2005-10-04 | 2007-02-01 | Lite On It Corp | Container |
US7891494B2 (en) | 2007-08-14 | 2011-02-22 | Reflex Packaging, Inc. | Light weight product cushioning device |
TW200915307A (en) | 2007-09-21 | 2009-04-01 | Quanta Storage Inc | Container for disk drives |
-
2022
- 2022-03-30 US US17/708,663 patent/US11753232B1/en active Active
Patent Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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US5794796A (en) * | 1994-12-20 | 1998-08-18 | Alpha Enterprises, Inc. | Storage rack for retaining software devices having multiple configurations |
US7533770B2 (en) * | 2005-08-30 | 2009-05-19 | Hung-Yu Lan | Data disc storage arrangement |
US7810639B2 (en) * | 2006-02-10 | 2010-10-12 | Seagate Technology Llc | Container for consumer electronics |
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