Patent ID: 7517231
Filing Date: 2009-04-14
Classification: H05K

Abstract:
1. A solid state drive (SSD) device for providing persistent memory in a host system having an internal rack frame, the SSD device comprising: a printed-circuit board assembly (PCBA) including a circuit board having opposing first and second surfaces; a plurality of memory chips mounted to at least one of the first and second surfaces of the circuit board; a controller chip mounted to one of the first and second surfaces of the circuit board, the controller chip having a input/output interface circuit for interfacing with the host system, and a processing unit for accessing the plurality of memory chips in response to commands from the host system received by the input/output interface circuit; a connector mounted on the circuit board for connecting the controller chip to the host system; and an open-frame support-type housing including first and second parallel elongated brackets extending along opposing peripheral edges of said circuit board, each of said first and second brackets including a first connecting structure disposed within said housing for securing said circuit board to said housing, and a second connecting structure disposed on an outside of said housing for connecting to said internal rack frame of said host system, wherein said open-frame support type housing does not include a top cover and a bottom cover, whereby both of said opposing first and second surfaces are exposed by first and second openings, respectively, that extend between said first and second elongated brackets, and wherein the connector is disposed in one of said first and second openings, wherein said first and second parallel elongated brackets comprise substantially identical structures, wherein each said first connecting structure comprises a plurality of screw holes defined in said first and second brackets, wherein said PCBA defines second screw holes, wherein said PCBA is mounted on said support posts of each of said first and second parallel elongated brackets such that each first screw hole is aligned with a corresponding one of said second screw holes, wherein the SSD device further comprises a plurality of first screws, each first screw extending through a corresponding one of said second screw holes and into its corresponding first screw hole, whereby said first and second parallel elongated brackets are connected solely by said PCBA and said first screws, wherein each of said first and second parallel elongated brackets comprises a lower clamp structure and an upper clamp structure, wherein each said first connecting structure comprises said first screw holes defined through said lower clamp structure of each of said first and second parallel elongated brackets, and third screw holes defined through said upper clamp structure of each of said first and second parallel elongated brackets, and wherein each of said first screws extends through an associated third screw hole, through an associated second screw hole, and into an associated first screw hole, whereby said PCBA is clamped between said upper clamp structure and said lower clamp structure of each of said first and second parallel elongated brackets.