US5691879A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Locking apparatus including key actuated movable locking bar for disk drive carriers
Assignee: Dell USA LP
•
Filing: 1996-11-14
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Granted: 1997-11-25
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Expires: 2016-11-14
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides a simple, compact and cost effective locking device that simultaneously secures a multiple of hard disk drive carriers or cartridges in a disk drive housing. The disk drive housing includes at least two disk drive carrier bays in a disk drive carrier opening for housing associated disk drive carriers. The locking device of the present invention secures the disk drive carriers into the disk drive carrier bays and therefore into the disk drive housing. The locking device includes a moveable locking bar assembly located inside the disk drive housing and spanning the disk drive carrier bays and comprises a locking bar and at least two locking pins projecting from the locking bar, one locking pin for each of the disk drive carriers, wherein the locking bar is moveable to either a locked or an unlocked position. A cam mechanism is positioned for engaging and camming the locking bar assembly so as to move the locking bar assembly to either the locked position or the unlocked position and a key lock assembly actuates the cam mechanism. The key lock assembly is attached to the disk drive housing and is accessible from the exterior of the disk drive housing. In the first embodiment of the present invention, the locking bar is a substantially flat, rectangular-shaped bar and the locking pins are planar with the locking bar, and in the second embodiment of the present invention, the locking bar is a substantially flat, rectangular-shaped bar and the locking pins project perpendicular of the locking bar.
Inventors
- 👤 Arthur Lopez
- 👤 Steven L. Sands
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 09:57
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B33/00; G11B33/12; G11B33/125; G11B33/127; G11B33/128; E; E05; E05B; E05B63/00; E05B63/14; E05B63/143; E05C; E05C1/00; E05C1/02; E05C1/06; G06; G06F; G06F1/00; G06F1/16; G06F1/18; G06F1/181; G06F1/183; G06F1/184; G06F1/187; G11B33/005; G11B33/14; G11B33/1493; H; H05; H05K; H05K7/00; H05K7/14; H05K7/1401; H05K7/1402; H05K7/1408; H05K9/00; H05K9/0007; H05K9/0015; H05K9/0016; E05B65/00; E05B65/46; E05B65/462; E05B65/467; E05B73/00; E05B73/0082; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T70/00; Y10T70/50; Y10T70/5093; Y10T70/5097; Y10T70/5111; Y10T70/5115; Y10T70/5128; Y10T70/5133; Y10T70/554; Y10T70/5562
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
192 words
In a disk drive housing having at least two disk drive carrier bays in a disk drive carrier opening housing one or more corresponding disk drive carriers, a locking device for securing said disk drive carriers into said disk drive carrier bays, comprising: a moveable locking bar assembly located inside said disk drive housing and spanning the disk drive carrier bays and comprising a locking bar and at least two locking pins projecting from said locking bar, one locking pin for each of said disk drive carriers bays, wherein said locking bar is moveable to either a locked or an unlocked position; a key lock assembly attached to said disk drive housing and accessible from the exterior of said disk drive housing; and a cam mechanism positioned for engaging and camming the locking bar assembly so as to move said locking bar assembly to either the locked position or the unlocked position, said cam mechanism actuated by said key lock assembly wherein, when said locking bar assembly is in the locked position, said locking pins engage the corresponding disk drive carriers securing the disk drive carriers into the disk drive carrier bays.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
192 words
In a disk drive housing having at least two disk drive carrier bays in a disk drive carrier opening housing one or more corresponding disk drive carriers, a locking device for securing said disk drive carriers into said disk drive carrier bays, comprising: a moveable locking bar assembly located inside said disk drive housing and spanning the disk drive carrier bays and comprising a locking bar and at least two locking pins projecting from said locking bar, one locking pin for each of said disk drive carriers bays, wherein said locking bar is moveable to either a locked or an unlocked position; a key lock assembly attached to said disk drive housing and accessible from the exterior of said disk drive housing; and a cam mechanism positioned for engaging and camming the locking bar assembly so as to move said locking bar assembly to either the locked position or the unlocked position, said cam mechanism actuated by said key lock assembly wherein, when said locking bar assembly is in the locked position, said locking pins engage the corresponding disk drive carriers securing the disk drive carriers into the disk drive carrier bays.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
The locking device of claim 1 further comprising: a slot in each disk drive carrier wherein, when said locking bar assembly is in a locked position, said locking pins engage said slots of the corresponding disk drive carriers securing the disk drive carriers into the disk drive carrier bays.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The locking device of claim 1 wherein, when said locking bar assembly is in a locked position, said locking pins are disposed in front of the corresponding disk drive carriers wherein said disk drive carriers are engaged and secured into the disk drive carrier bays.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The locking device of claim 1 wherein said locking bar is a substantially flat, rectangular-shaped bar and wherein said locking pins are planar with said locking bar.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The locking device of claim 1 wherein said locking bar is a substantially flat, rectangular-shaped bar and wherein said locking pins project perpendicular of said locking bar.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
62 words
The locking device of claim 1 further comprising: two guides, one guide located at each end of said locking bar and each guide having a channel therein wherein each end of said locking bar is slideably disposed within the corresponding channel and said guides maintain said locking bar assembly in positional alignment during movement to either the locked or the unlocked position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
The locking device of claim 1 further comprising: two or more resilient members disposed on two or more locking pins for facilitating movement and preventing the locking bar assembly from binding while said locking bar assembly is moved to either the locked or the unlocked position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The locking device of claim 7 wherein said resilient members are springs.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The locking device of claim 1 wherein said locking bar and said locking pins are plastic molded together.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The locking device of claim 1 wherein said locking bar and said locking pins are manufactured of a metal material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The locking device of claim 1 wherein said cam mechanism is an integral part of the key lock assembly.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
258 words
In a disk drive housing having at least two disk drive carrier bays in a disk drive carrier opening housing one or more corresponding disk drive carriers, a locking device for securing said disk drive carriers into said disk drive carrier bays, comprising: a moveable locking bar assembly located inside said disk drive housing and spanning the disk drive carrier bays, and comprising a substantially flat, rectangular-shaped locking bar and at least two locking pins projecting from and planar with said locking bar, one locking pin for each of said disk drive carrier bays, wherein said locking bar is moveable to either a locked or an unlocked position; two guides, one guide located at each end of said locking bar and each guide having a channel therein wherein each end of said locking bar is slideably disposed within the corresponding channel and said guides maintain said locking bar assembly in positional alignment during movement to either the locked or the unlocked position; a cam mechanism positioned for engaging and camming the locking bar assembly so as to move said locking bar assembly to either the locked position or the unlocked position; a key lock assembly attached to said disk drive housing and accessible from the exterior of said disk drive housing for actuating said cam mechanism; and a slot in each disk drive carrier wherein, when said locking bar assembly is in the locked position, said locking pins engage the slots of the corresponding disk drive carriers securing the disk drive carriers into the disk drive carrier bays.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
258 words
In a disk drive housing having at least two disk drive carrier bays in a disk drive carrier opening housing one or more corresponding disk drive carriers, a locking device for securing said disk drive carriers into said disk drive carrier bays, comprising: a moveable locking bar assembly located inside said disk drive housing and spanning the disk drive carrier bays, and comprising a substantially flat, rectangular-shaped locking bar and at least two locking pins projecting from and planar with said locking bar, one locking pin for each of said disk drive carrier bays, wherein said locking bar is moveable to either a locked or an unlocked position; two guides, one guide located at each end of said locking bar and each guide having a channel therein wherein each end of said locking bar is slideably disposed within the corresponding channel and said guides maintain said locking bar assembly in positional alignment during movement to either the locked or the unlocked position; a cam mechanism positioned for engaging and camming the locking bar assembly so as to move said locking bar assembly to either the locked position or the unlocked position; a key lock assembly attached to said disk drive housing and accessible from the exterior of said disk drive housing for actuating said cam mechanism; and a slot in each disk drive carrier wherein, when said locking bar assembly is in the locked position, said locking pins engage the slots of the corresponding disk drive carriers securing the disk drive carriers into the disk drive carrier bays.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
45 words
The locking device of claim 12 further comprising: two or more springs disposed on two or more locking pins for facilitating movement and preventing the locking bar assembly from binding while said locking bar assembly is moved to either the locked or the unlocked position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
204 words
In a disk drive housing having at least two disk drive carrier bays in a disk drive carrier opening housing one or more corresponding disk drive carriers, a locking device for securing said disk drive carriers into said disk drive carrier bays, comprising: a moveable locking bar assembly located inside said disk drive housing and spanning the disk drive carrier bays and comprising a substantially flat, rectangular-shaped locking bar and at least two locking pins projecting from and perpendicular of said locking bar, one locking pin for each of said disk drive carrier bays, wherein said locking bar is moveable to either a locked or an unlocked position; a cam mechanism positioned for engaging and camming the locking bar assembly so as to move said locking bar assembly to either the locked position or the unlocked position; a key lock assembly attached to said disk drive housing and accessible from the exterior of said disk drive housing for actuating said cam mechanism; and a slot in each disk drive carrier wherein, when said locking bar assembly is in the locked position, said locking pins engage the slots of the corresponding disk drive carriers securing the disk drive carriers into the disk drive carrier openings.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
204 words
In a disk drive housing having at least two disk drive carrier bays in a disk drive carrier opening housing one or more corresponding disk drive carriers, a locking device for securing said disk drive carriers into said disk drive carrier bays, comprising: a moveable locking bar assembly located inside said disk drive housing and spanning the disk drive carrier bays and comprising a substantially flat, rectangular-shaped locking bar and at least two locking pins projecting from and perpendicular of said locking bar, one locking pin for each of said disk drive carrier bays, wherein said locking bar is moveable to either a locked or an unlocked position; a cam mechanism positioned for engaging and camming the locking bar assembly so as to move said locking bar assembly to either the locked position or the unlocked position; a key lock assembly attached to said disk drive housing and accessible from the exterior of said disk drive housing for actuating said cam mechanism; and a slot in each disk drive carrier wherein, when said locking bar assembly is in the locked position, said locking pins engage the slots of the corresponding disk drive carriers securing the disk drive carriers into the disk drive carrier openings.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
45 words
The locking device of claim 14 further comprising: two or more springs disposed on two or more locking pins for facilitating movement and preventing the locking bar assembly from binding while said locking bar assembly is moved to either the locked or the unlocked position.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
212 words
A computer system including a central processing unit, associated memory and associated input and output devices and including a housing unit having at least two disk drive carrier bays in a disk drive carrier opening housing one or more corresponding disk drive carriers and a locking device for securing said disk drive carriers into said disk drive carrier bays, said locking device comprising: a moveable locking bar assembly located inside said disk drive housing and spanning the disk drive carrier bays and comprising a locking bar and at least two locking pins projecting from said locking bar, one locking pin for each of said disk drive carrier bays, wherein said locking bar is moveable to either a locked or an unlocked position; a key lock assembly attached to said disk drive housing and accessible from the exterior of said disk drive housing; and a cam mechanism positioned for engaging and camming the locking bar assembly so as to move said locking bar assembly to either the locked position or the unlocked position, said cam mechanism actuated by said key lock assembly wherein, when said locking bar assembly is in the locked position, said locking pins engage the corresponding disk drive carriers securing the disk drive carriers into the disk drive carrier bays.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
212 words
A computer system including a central processing unit, associated memory and associated input and output devices and including a housing unit having at least two disk drive carrier bays in a disk drive carrier opening housing one or more corresponding disk drive carriers and a locking device for securing said disk drive carriers into said disk drive carrier bays, said locking device comprising: a moveable locking bar assembly located inside said disk drive housing and spanning the disk drive carrier bays and comprising a locking bar and at least two locking pins projecting from said locking bar, one locking pin for each of said disk drive carrier bays, wherein said locking bar is moveable to either a locked or an unlocked position; a key lock assembly attached to said disk drive housing and accessible from the exterior of said disk drive housing; and a cam mechanism positioned for engaging and camming the locking bar assembly so as to move said locking bar assembly to either the locked position or the unlocked position, said cam mechanism actuated by said key lock assembly wherein, when said locking bar assembly is in the locked position, said locking pins engage the corresponding disk drive carriers securing the disk drive carriers into the disk drive carrier bays.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
49 words
The computer system of claim 16 further comprising: a slot in each disk drive carrier wherein, when said locking bar assembly is in a locked position, said locking pins engage said slots of the corresponding disk drive carriers securing the disk drive carriers into the disk drive carrier bays.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
45 words
The computer system of claim 16 wherein, when said locking bar assembly is in a locked position, said locking pins are disposed in front of the corresponding disk drive carriers wherein said disk drive carriers are engaged and secured into the disk drive carrier bays.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer system of claim 16 wherein said locking bar is a substantially flat, rectangular-shaped bar and wherein said locking pins are planar with said locking bar.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer system of claim 16 wherein said locking bar is a substantially flat, rectangular-shaped bar and wherein said locking pins project perpendicular of said locking bar.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
62 words
The computer system of claim 16 further comprising: two guides, one guide located at each end of said locking bar and each guide having a channel therein wherein each end of said locking bar is slideably disposed within the corresponding channel and said guides maintain said locking bar assembly in positional alignment during movement to either the locked or the unlocked position.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
45 words
The computer system of claim 16 further comprising: two or more springs disposed on two or more locking pins for facilitating movement and preventing the locking bar assembly from binding while said locking bar assembly is moved to either the locked or the unlocked position.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-11-24 | 2001-05-26 | 2001-11-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-11-24 | 2005-05-26 | 2005-11-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-11-24 | 2009-05-26 | 2009-11-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |