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EP0632455A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
A method and apparatus for assembly of a multi-disk pack unit
Assignee: Sun Microsystems Inc
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Filing: 1994-04-13
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-04-13
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method are disclosed for minimizing the space required for a disk drive housing by mounting a disk drive unit in an enclosure of minimum size, using only a connection on one side of the disk drive and a drive belly plate, which is mounted on the bottom side of the disk drive, connected to an engaging surface on the bottom or intermediate cross-member of the super-structure, whereby the disk drive is held securely. The apparatus may accommodate four 3.5 inch form factor full height disk drives or six 3.5 inch form factor one inch high disk drive units. Additional space savings in the housing are achieved by the use of a unique electrical-connector attachment plate for connecting the cable connector terminals to the housing without the use of the normal connectors such as screws, bolts, etc.
Inventors
- 👤 Tuan T. Vu
- 👤 Mario N. Palmeri
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 22:35
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B23/00; G11B23/02; G11B23/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
56 words
A disk drive housing apparatus comprising: a super-structure situated within said disk drive housing in which a disk drive unit can be mounted, said disk drive unit being connected to said super-structure by connector mechanisms on one side of said disk drive unit and by a connector plate on the bottom of said disk drive unit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
78 words
The disk drive housing apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said super-structure comprises: a top cross-member; a bottom cross-member and one or more intermediate cross-members, said bottom and intermediate cross-members being substantially parallel to said top cross-member,and said bottom and intermediate cross-members having connecting mechanisms for demountably engaging a disk drive unit; and side members connected to said top, bottom and intermediate cross-members and said side members being substantially perpendicular to said top, bottom and intermediate cross-members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The disk drive housing apparatus set forth in claim 2 further comprising a drive belly plate for demountably engaging one of said cross-member connecting mechanisms, said drive belly plate being demountably connected to a disk drive unit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
73 words
The disk drive housing apparatus set forth in claim 3 further comprising connecting devices for demountably connecting a disk drive unit to one of said side members after said disk disk drive unit has been inserted into said super-structure with said drive belly plate engaged to one of said cross-member connecting mechanisms, whereby said disk drive is held securely in said enclosure being secured only by said connecting devices and said belly p!ate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The disk drive housing apparatus set forth in claim 4 wherein said super-structure can hold up to four disk drive units.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The disk drive housing apparatus set forth in claim 5 wherein said four disk drive units are 3.5 inch form factor full height disk units.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The disk drive housing apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said super-structure comprises two intermediate cross-members and can hold up to six disk drive units.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The disk drive housing apparatus set forth in claim 7 wherein said six disk drive units are 3.5 inch form factor one inch high disk units.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The disk drive housing apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said super-structure is fabricated from zinc plated CRS material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
66 words
The disk drive housing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an electrical-connector attachment plate assembly connected to said disk drive housing without the use of screws to make said connection to said disk drive housing, and with said disk drive unit being attached to wiring cables, said cables being attached to electrical-connectors and said electricaI-connectors being attached to said electricaI-connector attachment plate assembly.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
The disk drive housing apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said electrical-connector attachment plate assembly comprises: an electrical-connector attachment plate comprising a vertical member having apertures into which said electrical-connectors can be attached, said vertical member also having a clip finger and seating restraint tabs on a top edge and having holding tabs on a bottom edge.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
98 words
The disk drive housing apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said electrical-connector attachment plate assembly further comprises an electrical connector attachment plate holder which is connected to a back end section of said disk drive housing apparatus, said electrical-connector attachment plate holder having an aperture into which said holding tabs on a bottom edge of said vertical member may be inserted and seated on a bottom edge of said aperture, and wherein said clip finger on a top edge of said vertical member may be seated on a top edge of said electrical-connector attachment plate holder.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
98 words
The disk drive housing apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein a top member of said disk drive housing contains a pair of locking tabs located on an inside face of a rear portion of said top member of said disk drive housing, said locking tabs providing abutting contact with said seating restraint tabs on a top edge of said electrical-connector attachment plate to lock said electrical-connector attachment plate in place when said top member of said disk drive housing is affixed to a bottom member of said disk drive housing containing said electrical-connector attachment plate assembly.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
176 words
A disk drive housing apparatus comprising: a disk drive enclosure having a top member and a bottom member; a super-structure situated within said enclosure, having a top cross-member, a bottom cross-member, one or more intermediate cross-members, said top, bottom and intermediate cross-members being parallel to each other and being connected to side members which are substantially perpendicular to said top, bottom and intermediate cross-members, for receiving and supporting a disk drive unit therein, each of said bottom and intermediate cross-members having mounting brackets for holding said disk drive unit; a drive belly plate for demountably engaging one of said mounting brackets, said drive belly plate being demountably connected to said disk drive unit; and connecting mechanisms for demountably connecting said disk drive unit to one of said side members after said disk drive has been inserted into said support structure with said drive belly plate engaged to one of said mounting brackets, whereby said disk drive is held securely in said super-structure being secured only by said connecting mechanisms on one side and said belly plate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
265 words
A disk drive housing apparatus comprising: an electrical-connector attachment plate assembly connected to said disk drive housing without the use of screws to make said connection to said disk drive housing, and with said disk drive unit being attached to wiring cables, said cables being attached to electrical-connectors and said electrical-connectors being attached to said electrical-connector attachment plate assembly; an electrical-connector attachment plate comprising a vertical member having apertures into which said electrical-connectors can be attached, said vertical member also having a clip finger and seating restraint tabs on a top edge and having holding tabs on a bottom edge; an electrical-connector attachment plate holder which is connected to a back end section of said disk drive housing apparatus, said electrical-connector attachment plate holder having an aperture into which said holding tabs on a bottom edge of said vertical member may be inserted and seated on a bottom edge of said aperture, and wherein said clip finger on a top edge of said vertical member may be seated on a top edge of said electrical-connector attachment plate holder; and a top member of said disk drive housing containing a pair of locking tabs located on an inside face of a rear portion of said top member of said disk drive housing, said locking tabs providing abutting contact with said seating restraint tabs on a top edge of said electrical-connector attachment plate to lock said electrical-connector attachment plate in place when said top member of said disk drive housing is affixed to a bottom member of said disk drive housing containing said electrical-connector attachment plate assembly.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
183 words
A method for mounting a plurality of disk drive units in a computer disk drive enclosure, comprising the following steps: providing a super-structure which can be situated within said enclosure, said superstructure having a top cross-member, a bottom cross-member, one or more intermediate cross-members, said top, bottom and intermediate cross-members being parallel to each other and being connected to side members which are substantially perpendicular to said top, bottom and intermediate cross-members, said super-structure being designed for receiving mid supporting a plurality of disk drive units therein, said bottom and intermediate crossmembers having mounting brackets for holding said disk drive units; connecting a drive belly plate to a disk drive unit, said drive belly plate designed for demountably engaging one of said mounting brackets; inserting said disk drive into said super-structure with said drive belly plate demountably engaging one of said mounting brackets; and connecting one side of said disk drive unit to one of said side members, whereby said disk drive is held securely in said enclosure being secured only by one connection to said side member and by said belly plate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as set forth in claim 16 wherein said enclosure can hold up to four disk drive units.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as set forth in claim 17 wherein said four disk drive units are 3.5 inch form factor full height disk units.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as set forth in claim 16 wherein said super-structure comprises two intermediate cross-members and can hold up to six disk drive units.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as set forth in claim 19 wherein said six disk drive units are 3.5 inch form factor one inch high disk units.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method as set forth in claim 16 wherein said super-structure is fabricated from zinc plated CRS material.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
129 words
A method for mounting a plurality of disk drive units in a disk drive enclosure comprising the steps of: positioning a super-structure within said disk drive enclosure in which a plurality of disk drive units call be mounted, each of said disk drive units being connected to said superstructure by screws on one side of said disk drive unit and by a connector plate on the bottom of each of said disk drive units; and connecting an electrical-connector attachment plate assembly to said disk drive enclosure without the use of screws to make said connection to said disk drive enclosure, and with said disk drive units being attached to wiring cables, said cables being attached to electrical connectors and said electrical-connectors being attached to said electrical-connector attachment plate assembly.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method for mounting a plurality of disk drive units in a disk drive enclosure as set forth in claim 22 wherein said electrical-connector attachment plate assembly comprises: an electrical-connector attachment plate comprising a vertical member having apertures into which said electrical-connectors can be attached, said vertical member also having a clip finger and seating restraint tabs on a top edge and having holding tabs on a bottom edge.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
123 words
The method for mounting a plurality of disk drive units in a disk drive enclosure as set forth in claim 23 wherein said electrical-connector attachment plate assembly further comprises an electrical-connector attachment plate holder and comprising the following additional steps: connecting said electrical-connector attachment plate holder to a back end section of said disk drive enclosure, said electrical-connector attachment plate holder having an aperture; inserting said holding tabs on a bottom edge of said vertical member into said aperture on said electrical-connector attachment plate holder, such that said holding tabs may be seated on a bottom edge of said aperture; and seating said clip finger on a top edge of said vertical member on a top edge of said electrical-connector attachment plate holder.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
99 words
The method for mounting a plurality of disk drive units in a disk drive enclosure as set forth in claim 24 comprising the following additional steps: providing a pair of locking tabs located on an inside face of a rear portion of a top member of said disk drive enclosure; and attaching said top member of said disk drive enclosure to a bottom member of said disk drive enclosure such that said locking tabs provide abutting contact with said seating restraint tabs on a top edge of said electrical-connector attachment plate to lock said electrical-connector attachment plate in place.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
63 words
A disk drive mounting apparatus for mounting disk drive units side-by-side, comprising a drive belly plate removably connected to each of said disk drive units, said drive belly plate allowing said disk drive units to be removably retained relative to one major surface and there being no constraint on said disk drive units on the adjacent inner sides of said disk drive units.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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