Abstract:
A data storage cartridge includes a first housing and a second housing forming an inner chamber with an open front end and an open rear end. An information storage device is positioned within the chamber. A pair of intermediate strips are positioned lengthwise between the first housing and the second housing which hold together the first and second housing. A front end cap is positioned in the open front end to close the chamber. A rear end cap is positioned in the open rear end to close the chamber.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to enclosures for protecting an information storage device from mechanical shock and, more particularly, to an enclosure for a hard drive mechanism which is removable and space efficient.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Information storage devices, especially hard disk drive mechanisms, are very sensitive to vibration and mechanical shock. When such a hard disk drive mechanism is incorporated into removable cartridge it can be easily dropped and damaged when it is removed or transported. Significant mechanical shock or vibration could damage either read/write head mechanism and/or the rotatable disk of the hard disk drive mechanism.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     It can be appreciated that a need exists for a removable cartridge for an information storage device which provides a high level of protection from shock and vibration.  
         [0004]     It can also be appreciated that a need exists for a removable cartridge enclosing an information storage device in which the information storage device can be removed from the cartridge without tools.  
         [0005]     In one aspect of the invention, a data storage cartridge includes a first housing and a second housing forming an inner chamber with an open front end and an open rear end. An information storage device is positioned within the chamber. A pair of intermediate strips are positioned lengthwise between the first housing and the second housing which hold together the first and second housing. A front end cap is positioned in the open front end to close the chamber. A rear end cap is positioned in the open rear end to close the chamber.  
         [0006]     In another aspect to the invention, a method of assembling a data storage cartridge includes attaching a front end cap to an assembled base, attaching a rear end cap to the assembled base, positioning an information storage device in the assembled base, and sliding strips onto the top and the assembled base.  
         [0007]     In yet another aspect of the invention, a data storage cartridge product assembled includes attaching a front end cap to an assembled base, attaching a rear end cap to the assembled base, positioning an information storage device in the assembled base, and sliding strips onto the top and the assembled base.  
         [0008]     Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein the preferred embodiments of the invention are shown and described, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description thereof are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, wherein elements having the same reference numeral designations represent like elements throughout and wherein:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of the enclosure housing the hard disk drive according to the invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of the enclosure of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective rear view of the rear end cap of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the enclosure housing the hard drive according to the invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of the completed pre-assembly of the base before a hard drive is installed;  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the hard drive and bottom cover before assembly;  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the assembled bottom cover and hard drive of  FIG. 6  with shock protectors;  
         [0017]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view illustrating the assembled hard drive and bottom cover of  FIG. 7  being placed into the completed base pre-assembly of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 9  is a top perspective view of the completed based pre-assembly, the top and the side strips before assembly;  
         [0019]      FIG. 10  is a top perspective view of the top assembled to the completed base pre-assembly with the strips partially pushed into place;  
         [0020]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the rear cap and the side locks of the strips; and  
         [0021]      FIG. 11A  is an enlarged sectional view of the dashed lines labeled  11 A in  FIG. 4  illustrating a strip holding a top housing to a bottom housing. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0022]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of an information storage device enclosure  10  according to the invention. It is to be understood that terms used herein such as “left”, “right”, “top” and “bottom” should be used in the relative sense. The information storage device enclosure  10  includes a cartridge  12  into which a hard disk drive or any other type of information storage device  14  (FIG.  4 ) is placed. The information storage device  14  can be a hard drive or any other type of information storage device. The information storage device  14  can be a hard drive or the information storage device enclosure  10  can be coupled by a cable (not shown) to a host computer system that is not illustrated.  
         [0023]     The removable hard drive enclosure  10  includes the hard drive  14  mounted in the cartridge  12 . The cartridge  12  can be a stand-alone product or slid into a sleeve which is housed in a computer or other system. The sleeve is fully disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (HP Docket No. 200315993-1), entitled “Removable Expansion Module Latch System”, filed on May 3, 2004, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (HP Docket No. 200400070), entitled “Removable Expansion Module Usable as Internal and External Device”, filed on May 3, 2004, each assigned to the present assignee, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety, and all of which are being filed concurrently herewith.  
         [0024]     The cartridge  12  includes a housing base  16  and housing top  18 . The housing  16  forms a base into which the disk drive  14  is placed. Each of the housings  16 ,  18  has a C-shaped cross section and is preferably an aluminum extrusion. It is also envisioned that the housings  16 ,  18  can be made in an injection mold or die cast from aluminum. Each of the housings  16 ,  18  is preferably made of aluminum. The extruded aluminum housing  18  forms a top and extruded aluminum housing  16  forms a base. Each of the housings extrusions  16 ,  18  has two lip portions  1124  (shown in  FIG. 11A ) held together by strip  28 . A front cap  30  and rear cap  32  complete the cartridge  12 . Aluminum is preferred to form a thermally conductive path to the outside air.  
         [0025]      FIG. 2  illustrates four feet  22  on each of the front cap  30  and rear cap  32  lining up with a ramp  34  in the housing base  16 .  
         [0026]      FIG. 3  illustrates the rear end cap  32  with connections to the computer and a fan outlet  36 .  
         [0027]     As depicted in  FIG. 4 , the aluminum extruded housings  16 ,  18  when held together with strips  28  form an inner chamber within. Each end, front and rear, of the assembled extruded aluminum housings  16 ,  18  has the front cap  30  and the rear cap  32 , respectively connected to the assembled housing  16 ,  18  with the protected information storage device therein. The front end cap  30  can include latches (not shown) that assist in securing the cartridge  12  when slid into a sleeve which is fully disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. ______ (HP Docket Nos. 200315993-1 and 200400070-1). The front end cap  30  also has two LEDs  402 ,  404  that show power on status and disk activity status. The rear end cap  32  includes a printed circuit board (PCB)  410  that acts as an interface between the IDE 412 and USB  512  buses (see  FIG. 5 ). A sheet metal shield  420  is positioned between PCB  410  and rear cap  32  to provide electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. A decal  1078  is placed on an outer surface of rear cap  60 . A plurality of screws (not shown) hold together rear cap  32 , sheet metal shield  420 , and PCB  410  and screw into the rear of bracket  450 .  
         [0028]     Rear cap  32  has a shelf  440  which has a corresponding shape to the housing  16 ,  18 . In this manner, the cartridge  12  has a continuous outer surface. The front cap  30  has a similar shape to conform to a front surface of the assembled housing.  
         [0029]     A sheet metal bracket  450  has U shape and has a left rearwardly extending portion  452  and a right rearwardly extending portion  454  connected by a connecting portion  456 . Rear foam  458  is for shock protection and is mounted on rear tabs extending from  452 ,  454 . Dimples  460  extend inwardly from portions  452 ,  454  to retain the hard drive  14 . Advantageously, the hard drive is retained without screws and can be removed without special tools. Side foam portions  468  are placed between the bracket  450  and the hard drive  14 . The side portions  468  are placed on left  452  and right  454  sides of the bracket  450 , respectively. Foam portions  468  are also placed between the connecting portion  456  and the hard drive  14 . Foam strips  472  are placed on top of the hard drive  14  to provide cushioning between the hard drive  14  and the top housing  18 . Foam strips  474  are placed between the hard drive  14  and the base housing  16 .  
         [0030]     The base pre-assembly  500  is assembled as follows as depicted in  FIG. 5 . The bracket  450  is placed into the base housing  16 . The rear end cap  32  is assembled including the sheet metal bracket  420  and PCB  410 . Screws (not shown) connect the assembled rear end cap  32  to the bracket  450 . The front end cap  30  is connected by screws to the central  456  of the bracket  450 . Six silicone shock mounts  468  are placed inside the bracket  450 . The hard disk drive  14  and foam pieces are then placed into the base  16 . The top housing  18  is then placed upon the base  16  and the strips  28  but are slid onto lip portions  1124  preferably from the rear through grooves  1032 . The strips can also be slid in from the front if grooves are placed in the front cap  30 .  
         [0031]      FIG. 6  illustrates the hard disk drive  14  and a cover  602  having holes  610  for ventilation.  
         [0032]      FIG. 7  illustrates the foam strips  474  being positioned on the assembled hard disk drive  14  and cover  602 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 8  illustrates the LED  402 ,  404  cables routed from the rear cap  32  to the front cap  30 . The assembled hard drive  14  and cover  602  are connected to the HDD power connector and IDE connector at an angle and rotated into a flat position against the base housing  16  with the strips  474  in between.  
         [0034]      FIG. 9  illustrates the hard disk drive  14  of  FIG. 8  properly positioned in the pre-assembled base assembly. The cover  18  has the foam strips  472  attached thereto.  
         [0035]      FIG. 10  illustrates the cover  18  placed on the pre-assembled base assembly with the hard drive  14  placed therein as illustrated in  FIG. 9 . The strips  28  are inserted through grooves  1032  (see  FIG. 4 ) in end cap  32  and hold together the top housing  18  and the base housing  16 .  
         [0036]      FIG. 11  illustrates the strip  28  having side locks  1110 . The side locks snap and lock into the grooves  1032  to prevent the strips  28  from coming out.  
         [0037]     The side locks snap into place and are covered by a rear label that acts as a security label as well, due to the fact that the user would have to damage the rear label to remove it to gain access to the side locks for disassembly, thereby signaling that someone tried to get into the cartridge.  
         [0038]     Due to the top and bottom foam strips, the top housing  18  should be pressed downward while the strips  28  are inserted. A rear label is then placed over the ends of the side locks  1110  to cover them and the rear screw holes.  
         [0039]     As illustrated in  FIG. 11A , lip portions  1120 ,  1122  are located in recessed portions  1130  of housings  16 ,  18 . Lip portions  1120 ,  1122  each include a lip  1124  spaced outwardly from housings  16 ,  18  within recessed portions  1130 . Each lip  1124  forms a substantially continuous outer surface of the housing top  16  and the housing base  18 , respectively lips  1124  extend in opposite directions as illustrated in  FIG. 11A . The C-shaped strip  28  is slid onto lips  1124  when housings  16 ,  18  are placed one on top of another to hold housings  16 ,  18  together. C-shaped strip  28  has a central section  1130  and connecting portions  1132  connected to projections  1134 . As illustrated in  FIG. 11A , C-shaped strip  28  is placed into the lip portions  1120 ,  1122  from the front thereof and the lips  1124  are positioned between central section  1130 , the connection portions  1132  and the projections  1134 . Strips  28  can be sheet metal stampings, plastic, or aluminum extrusion parts. Advantageously, housings  16 ,  18  are held together without screws. Advantageously, as illustrated in  FIG. 11A , strip  28  forms an essentially continuous outer surface of the cartridge  12  when holding together housings  16 ,  18 . The outer surface of a strip  28  is substantially flush with the outer surfaces of housings  16 ,  18 .  
         [0040]     The present invention provides a number of technical advantages. One such technical advantage is that a hard disk drive mechanism within the removable cartridge is provided with excellent protection from physical shocks. In this regard, resilient elements which support the disk drive and bracket provide levels of resilience in different directions. Another advantage is that the hard disk drive can be removed from the cartridge without any special tools.  
         [0041]     It will be readily seen by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention fulfills all of the objects set forth above. After reading the foregoing specification, one of ordinary skill will be able to affect various changes, substitutions of equivalents and various other aspects of the invention as broadly disclosed herein. It is therefore intended that the protection granted hereon be limited only by the definition contained in the appended claims and equivalents thereof.