US6434000B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Environmental system for rugged disk drive
Assignee: IV Phoenix Group Inc
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Filing: 2000-07-05
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Granted: 2002-08-13
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Expires: 2020-07-05
Abstract
Abstract An arrangement for supplementing passive heat transfer from a hard disk drive housing to a surrounding environmental housing includes active heat transfer devices and an arrangement biasing the disk drive housing into heat conducting contact with the environmental housing. The environmental housing includes a heat conducting outer shell and an internal heat conducting plate spaced from the shell, with the active heat transfer devices positioned in the space. In one embodiment, lifting devices having relatively moveable wedge members are actuatable to lift the disk drive housing into firm contact with the heat conducting plate. In another embodiment, the hard disk drive is moved into heat conducting contact by the cooperation of pins on the disk drive housing and inclined surfaces in the environmental housing, along with wedge members on a door of the environmental housing. The active heat transfer devices can be Peltier effect devices or heat pipes.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard Pandolfi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 06:57
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B33/00; G11B33/02; G11B33/08; F; F25; F25B; F25B21/00; F25B21/02; F25B23/00; F25B23/006; G11B33/14; G11B33/1406
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
In a ruggedized hard disk system in which a hard disk, its motor drive, and its flying head are enclosed and shock mounted in a disk drive housing, and the disk drive housing is mounted in an environmental housing having an interior and an exterior, the improvement comprising: an arrangement supplementing passive heat transfer from the disk drive housing to the environmental housing, the arrangement including an active heat transfer device positioned between the disk drive housing and the exterior of the environmental housing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
84 words
In a ruggedized hard disk system in which a hard disk, its motor drive, and its flying head are enclosed and shock mounted in a disk drive housing, and the disk drive housing is mounted in an environmental housing having an interior and an exterior, the improvement comprising: an arrangement supplementing passive heat transfer from the disk drive housing to the environmental housing, the arrangement including an active heat transfer device positioned between the disk drive housing and the exterior of the environmental housing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
In a ruggedized hard disk system as in claim 1 , further comprising a heat conducting structure of heat conducting material positioned between the disk drive housing and the active heat transfer device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
In a ruggedized hard disk system as in claim 1 , wherein said active heat transfer device is a solid state heat pump.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
80 words
In a ruggedized hard disk system as in claim 1 , wherein said environmental housing includes an external shell made of heat conducting material and an internal enclosure made of heat insulating material, the internal enclosure having a through opening in which a heat conducting structure of heat conducting material is positioned, and wherein said active heat transfer device has a first portion in contact with the heat conducting structure and a second portion in contact with the external shell.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
91 words
In a ruggedized hard disk system as in claim 1 , wherein the arrangement supplementing passive heat transfer from the disk housing comprises a plurality of solid state heat pumps positioned between the disk housing and the exterior of the environmental housing, the solid state heat pumps together having a cooling capacity significantly greater than necessary to cool the disk housing, each of said solid state heat pumps operating significantly below its cooling capacity but at a capacity sufficient, with the other solid state heat pump, to cool the disk housing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
In a ruggedized hard disk system as in claim 1 , wherein said environmental housing is an aluminum enclosure having fins for heat transfer enhancement.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
In a ruggedized hard disk system as in claim 2 , wherein the heat conducting structure is a metal plate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
In a ruggedized hard disk system as in claim 2 , wherein the active heat transfer device and the heat conducting structure are fixed in the environmental housing, and the heat conducting structure is engaged by the disk drive housing in heat transferring contact.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
In a ruggedized hard disk system as in claim 2 , wherein said solid state heat pump is a Peltier effect device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
In a ruggedized hard disk system as in claim 3 , wherein said active heat transfer device is a heat pipe.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
In a ruggedized hard disk system as in claim 4 , further comprising means for biasing said disk drive housing into heat transferring contact with said heat conducting structure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
In a ruggedized hard disk system as in claim 4 , wherein said internal receptacle has a plurality of sides, said through opening is defined through one of said sides of said receptacle, and the other sides of the receptacle are made of the heat insulating material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
In a ruggedized hard disk system as in claim 6 , wherein said active heat transfer device is a heat pipe, said heat pipe being flexible between said first and second portions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
In a ruggedized hard disk system as in claim 11 , wherein said means for biasing comprises wedge members interacting with one another to move said disk drive housing into heat transferring contact with said heat conducting structure.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
84 words
In a ruggedized hard disk system as in claim 11 , wherein said means for biasing comprises a) pins extending laterally from one of said disk drive housing and the environmental housing and b) grooves defined in the other of said disk drive housing and the environmental housing, said pins being received in and cooperating with said grooves to move said hard disk housing toward heat transferring contact with said heat conducting structure as said disk drive housing is inserted into said environmental housing.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The hard disk system of claim 13 , wherein the heat pipe comprises a shell containing a low vapor-point liquid.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The hard disk system of claim 13 , wherein the heat pipe has a flexible bellows portion between the first portion and the opposite portion.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
90 words
In a ruggedized hard disk system as in claim 14 , wherein said means for biasing further comprises an actuating mechanism connected to the wedge members to move at least one wedge member relative to at least one other wedge member to move said disk drive housing from a first position, in which said disk drive housing is not in firm heat transfer contact with said heat conducting structure, to a second position, in which said disk drive housing is in firm heat transfer contact with said heat conducting structure.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
65 words
In a ruggedized hard disk system as in claim 15 , further comprising an opening in said environmental housing for receiving the hard disk housing, a door mounted to selectively cover said opening in said environmental housing, and a wedge structure connected with said door for moving said hard disk housing into heat transferring contact with said heat conducting structure as said door is closed.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
80 words
In a ruggedized hard disk system as in claim 18 , wherein said environmental housing has a receiving opening sized to permit said disk drive housing to pass through, and a door for covering said receiving opening, and wherein, in the first position of the disk drive housing, said actuating mechanism blocks said door from covering the receiving opening, and, in the second position of the disk drive housing, said actuating mechanism permits said door to cover the receiving opening.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
56 words
In a ruggedized hard disk system as in claim 18 , wherein said environmental housing has a receiving opening sized to permit said disk drive housing to pass through, and said actuating mechanism is movable to engage the environmental housing and thereby eject at least a portion of the disk drive housing from the environmental housing.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
43 words
In a ruggedized hard disk system as in claim 18 , wherein a pin connector holds the disk drive housing in the environmental housing, and said actuating mechanism comprises means for ejecting the disk drive housing from the hold of the pin connector.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
In a ruggedized hard disk system as in claim 19 , wherein said wedge structure engages said pins.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
55 words
A method for supplementing passive heat transfer in a ruggedized hard disk system from a disk drive housing to an environmental housing containing the disk drive housing and having an interior and an exterior, comprising: positioning a plurality of solid state heat pumps between the disk drive housing and the exterior of the environmental housing.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
55 words
A method for supplementing passive heat transfer in a ruggedized hard disk system from a disk drive housing to an environmental housing containing the disk drive housing and having an interior and an exterior, comprising: positioning a plurality of solid state heat pumps between the disk drive housing and the exterior of the environmental housing.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
86 words
The method of claim 24 , wherein the solid state heat pumps together having a heat transfer capacity that is greater than the supplemental heat transfer needs of the ruggedized hard disk system, and each of the solid state heat pumps is operated at significantly less than half of its individual heat transfer capacity, by which operation the solid state heat pumps still satisfy said supplemental heat transfer needs, whereby the solid state heat pumps operate at a greater efficiency than at their heat transfer capacity.
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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) | 2005-08-12 | 2006-02-11 | 2006-08-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-08-12 | 2010-02-11 | 2010-08-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-08-12 | 2014-02-11 | 2014-08-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |