Abstract:
A storage server includes a case, an adapter board, a control board module, a power supply module, a plurality of hard disk units, a plurality of dividing boards, and a case cover. The adapter board divides the case into a first space and a second space. The control board module and the power supply module are disposed in the first space and electrically connected to the adapter board. The hard disk units are disposed in the second space, and the hard disk backboards thereof are connected to the adapter board via cables. The dividing boards are used to separate the hard disk units. The second space and the hard disk units disposed therein are covered with the case cover.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a data storing apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a storage using multiple hard disk modules. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    As the network advances continuously, the server of the network device must have higher performance. Depending on more abundant network resources, the storage specifically for storing data is required higher. The storage is an apparatus specifically for storing the network data, and it is usually applied with the server together because the storage and the server are necessarily configured together on a rack. The storage, which has a very similar appearance to the server, includes a case and a front panel on a front end thereof. When the case is assembled on the rack, the front panel is exposed on the front end for providing a user to operate. Hard disks are the most important components of the storage. Storing capacity of the storage, which is defined as the numbers of the hard disks inserted into the storage, is the most important indicator of the storage in technology. In general, the hard disks of the storage are hot-plug, and the hot-plug interfaces of hard disks are disposed on the front panel for convenient operation. However, the numbers of the hard disks are limited due to the narrow space of the front panel. 
         [0005]    With respect to the storage, there is a need of a storage with large capacity, which can receive more hard disks, as well as reasonable and convenient configuration of respective components. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is to provide a storage for configuring more hard disks therein. 
         [0007]    Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a storage having redundant mechanism. 
         [0008]    A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a storage for configuring the respective components. 
         [0009]    According to an embodiment, the present invention discloses a storage, which includes a case, an adapter board, a control board module, a power supply module, a plurality of hard disk units, a plurality of dividing boards, and a case cover. The case has a bottom plate and two parallel side plates. The adapter board is disposed between and vertical to the side plates, so as to divide the case into a first space and a second space. The control board module is disposed in the first space and electrically connected to the adapter board. The power supply module is disposed in the first space and electrically connected to the adapter board. The hard disk units is disposed in the second space, and each of the hard disk units includes a hard disk back board disposed on the bottom plate, a plurality of hard discs vertically inserted into an upper surface of the hard disk back board, and a cable set connecting between the hard disk back board and the adapter board. The dividing boards are disposed between the side plates, so as to separate the hard disk units. The second space and the hard disk units disposed therein are covered with the case cover. 
         [0010]    The dividing boards are substantially vertical to the side plates. The control board module comprises a first control board and a second control board redundantly with each other. The first control board and the second control board are slidely disposed in the first space, parallel to the bottom plate and vertically connected to the adapter board. Each of the hard disk array units comprises a hard disk expansion card module, in which the hard disk expansion card module is inserted vertically into the upper surface of the corresponding hard disk back board, so as to expand a hard disk interface of the hard disk backboard. Each of the hard disk expansion card module comprises a first hard disk expansion card and a second hard disk expansion card redundantly with each other, the first control board controls the first hard disk expansion card, and the second control board controls the second hard disk expansion card. The hard disk expansion card module is disposed on a side of the cable set. The storage further comprises a fan module that is slidely disposed in the first space, parallel to the bottom plate and vertically connected to the adapter board. The power supply module comprises a first power supply and a second power supply redundantly with each other, in which the first power supply and the second power supply are slidely disposed in the first space, parallel to the bottom plate and vertically connected to the adapter board. Each of the dividing boards has a guiding pore disposed therein, and the cable set of each of the hard disk units passes through the guiding pore for connecting the adapter board with the corresponding hard disk back board. The storage further comprises a strengthening beam, in which the strengthening beam is disposed parallel to the side plates and lodged in each notch above each guiding pore of each of the dividing boards. The strengthening beam has the same distance substantially apart from the two side plates. Each folded edge on two sides of the notch of each of the dividing boards has a protrusion disposed thereon, and a plurality of trenches of the strengthening beam have openings toward the bottom plate and lodged in the corresponding protrusions. The storage further comprises a front panel, a switch circuit board and a power controlling wire, in which the front panel is disposed on a front end of the second space, the switch circuit board is disposed in an inner side of the front panel, and a power controlling wire passes through the guiding pores of the dividing boards and electrically connects between the switch circuit board and the adapter board. A plurality of guiding tracks are formed between the adjacent two dividing boards and vertical to the bottom plate, and the hard disks are inserted among the guiding tracks. 
         [0011]    The storage can use the hard disk expansion card module to expand the quantity of the hard disk interfaces controlled by the control board module as possible. In addition, the components like the hard disk expansion card module, the power supply module and the control board module all have the redundant scheme, thereby keeping the storage to operate normally even when any one of the aforementioned components is destroyed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The invention can be more fully understood by reading the following detailed description of the embodiment, with reference made to the accompanying drawings as follows: 
           [0013]      FIGS. 1A and 18  depict an explored diagram and a stereo diagram of a storage according to a first embodiment of the present invention, respectively; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  depicts a stereo diagram of the hard disk units disposed among the dividing boards of  FIG. 1A  according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  depicts a stereo diagram of the dividing boards of  FIG. 18 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  depicts an explored diagram of the storage according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  depicts an explored diagram of the storage according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    In view of the below disclosure and drawings, it is intended that the present invention covers modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims. The skilled artisan in the art can readily understand the invention by reading the detailed description of the embodiment in the below, with reference made to the accompanying drawings as follows. In view of the following, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims. 
         [0019]    Reference is made to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , which depict an explored diagram and a stereo diagram of a storage  10  according to a first embodiment of the present invention, respectively. The storage  10  includes a case  100 , an adapter board  110 , a control board module  120 , a power supply module  130 , and a plurality of dividing boards  150 . The case  100  includes a bottom plate  102  and two parallel side plates  104 , and the side plates  104  are vertically disposed on two opposite edges of the bottom plate  102 , respectively. The adapter board  110  is disposed between and vertical to the side plates  104 , so as to divide the case  100  into a first space  106  and a second space  108 , resulting in the first space  106  and the second space  108  disposed on two opposite sides of the adapter board  110 . Two sliding tracks (not shown) can be disposed on external sides of the two side plates  104 , respectively, for assembling the storage  10  onto a rack, in which the first space  106  is located in a back side of the rack, and the second space  108  is located in a front side of the rack. The control board module  120  is disposed in the first space  106  and electrically connected to the adapter board  110 . The control board module  120  comprises a first control board  122  and a second control board  124  redundantly with each other. The first control board  122  and the second control board  124  are slidely disposed in the first space  106 , parallel to the bottom plate  102  and vertically connected to the adapter board  110 . When the storage  10  is assembled on the rack, the first control board  122  or the second control board  124  can be hot-plugged from the back side of the rack. 
         [0020]    The power supply module  130  is disposed in the first space  106  and electrically connected with the adapter board  110 . The power supply module  130  comprises a first power supply  132  and a second power supply  134  redundantly with each other, in which the first power supply  132  and the second power supply  132  are slidely disposed in the first space  106 , parallel to the bottom plate  102  and vertically connected to the adapter board  110 . When the storage  10  is assembled on the rack, the first power supply  132  or the second power supply  132  can be hot-plugged from the backside of the rack. 
         [0021]    The dividing boards  150  are disposed in the second space  108  and vertical to the side plates  104 , so as to divide the second space  108  into several partitions for receiving the hard disk units (not shown). The storage  10  further comprises a fan module  170  that is slidely disposed in the first space  106 , parallel to the bottom plate  102  and vertically connected to the adapter board  110 . When the storage  10  is assembled on the rack, the fan module  170  can be hot-plugged from the backside of the rack. 
         [0022]    Next, reference is made to  FIGS. 1A and 2 , in which  FIG. 2  depicts a stereo diagram of the hard disk units  140  disposed among the dividing boards  150  of  FIG. 1A  according to an embodiment of the present invention. Each of the hard disk units  140  includes a hard disk back board  142 , a plurality of hard discs  144  vertically inserted into the hard disk back board  142 , a cable set  146  connecting between the hard disk back board  142  and the adapter board  110 , and a hard disk expansion card module  148  disposed on the hard disk back board  142 . The hard discs  144  and the hard disk expansion card module  148  are inserted vertically into the hard disk backboard  142 . The hard disk expansion card module  148  is disposed on a side of the cable set  146 . The cable set  146  comprises power cables and signal cables. 
         [0023]    The hard disk expansion card module  148  can expand the hard disk controlling interfaces of the hard disk backboard  142 . The hard disk expansion card module  148  comprises a first control board  147  and a second control board  149  redundantly with each other. The first control board  147  and the second control board  149  can control all hard disks  144  of the corresponding the hard disk units  140 , respectively. The first control board  122  of  FIG. 1A  controls the first hard disk expansion card  147 , and the second control board  124  controls the second hard disk expansion card  149 . 
         [0024]    The control board module  120  of the storage  10  controls the hard disk expansion card module  148  of the hard disk units  140 , the individual hard disk expansion card module  148  controls the hard disks  144  of the corresponding the hard disk units  140 . Hence, the storage  10  can efficiently increase the quantity of the hard disks  144  controlled by the control board module  120  via the hard disk expansion card module  148 . 
         [0025]    And then, reference is made to  FIGS. 1B and 3 , in which  FIG. 3  depicts a stereo diagram of the dividing boards  150  of  FIG. 1B . A plurality of dividing boards  150  are disposed vertically to the side plates  104 , for separating the hard disk units  140  in the second space  108  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ). Each of the dividing boards  150  has a guiding pore  152  disposed therein, and the guiding pore  152  is substantially in a center of each dividing board  150 . The cable set  146  passes through the guiding pores  152  for connecting the adapter board  110  with the hard disk backboard  142  of the corresponding cable set  146 . A plurality of guiding tracks  155  can be disposed between the adjacent two dividing boards  150  and vertical to the bottom plate  102 , and the hard disks  144  of  FIG. 2  are inserted among the guiding tracks  155 . 
         [0026]    When the storage  10  is assembled on the rack, if any one hard disk  144  is necessarily hot-plugged, the storage  10  is firstly drawn out from the front side of the rack for exposing the second space  108 , and the hard disk  144  is hot-plugged along the direction vertical to the hard disk back board  142 . In other words, the hot-plugged direction of the hard disk  144  is vertical to the direction of the storage  10  hot-plugged from the rack. In comparison with the conventional hot-plugged interface of the hard disks disposed in the front panel, the structure disclosed herein can provide more space for configuring the hard disks, and the storage  10  has a storing space much larger than the conventional storage. 
         [0027]    The case  100  has a specific width, and each dividing board  150  has a longer span, so that the central region of the dividing boards  150  are easily deformed, resulting in the derailment of the hard disk  144  during hot-plugging the hard disk  144 . Accordingly, the dividing boards  150  of the storage  10  can be further strengthened in another embodiment. 
         [0028]    Reference is made to  FIG. 4 , which depicts an explored diagram of the storage  10  according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The storage  10  further comprises a strengthening beam  180 . In order to lodge the dividing boards  150  better, the strengthening beams  180  are disposed parallel to the side plates  104  respectively, and the strengthening beam  180  has the same distance substantially apart from the two side plates  104 . Each of the dividing boards  150  has a guiding pore  152  is disposed below the strengthening beam  180 . Each notch  154  is disposed above each guiding pore  152  of each of the dividing boards  150 , and the strengthening beam  180  is lodged in notches  154  of the dividing boards  150 . 
         [0029]    Two folded edges  156  are respectively disposed on two sides of the notch  154  of the dividing boards  150 , and each folded edge  156  has a protrusion  158  disposed thereon. The strengthening beam  180  has a plurality of trenches  182  corresponding to the protrusions  158 . The trenches  182  have openings toward the bottom plate  102 . The trenches  182  of the strengthening beam  180  are lodged in the corresponding protrusions  158  of the dividing boards  150 , so as to fixing the strengthening beam  180  on the dividing boards  150 . The strengthening beam  180  lodged on the dividing boards  150  can effectively supplement the structural strength of the central region of the dividing boards  150 . 
         [0030]    The storage  10  further comprises a front panel  192  and a switch circuit board  194 , in which the front panel  192  is disposed on a front end of the second space  108 , and the switch circuit board  194  is disposed in an inner side of the front panel  192 . The switch circuit board  194  is signally connected to the front panel  192 , in which the front panel  192  shows the state of the storage  10  thereon, and the storage  10  is turned on or off by operating the front panel  192 . The storage  10  further comprises a power controlling wire  196 , and the power controlling wire  196  passes through the guiding pores  152  of the dividing boards  150  and electrically connects between the switch circuit board  194  and the adapter board  110 , thereby connecting the switch circuit board  194  with the hard disk back board  142 . 
         [0031]    Reference is made to  FIG. 5 , which depicts an explored diagram of the storage  10  according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The hard disk units  140  are among the dividing boards  150 , each hard disc  144  is inserted in a hot-plug way into the hard disk backboard  142  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ). The strengthening beam  180  is lodged on the dividing boards  150 , the cable set  146  and the hard disk expansion card module  148  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ) are substantially disposed below the dividing boards  150 . The cable set  146  passes through the guiding pores  152  of the dividing boards  150  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ) for connecting the adapter board  110  with the corresponding hard disk backboard  142 . The storage  10  further comprises a case cover  190  for covering and protecting the second space  108  and the hard disk units  140  disposed therein. 
         [0032]    According to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the aforementioned storage has the hard disk expansion card module beneficially to expand the quantity of the hard disk interfaces controlled by the control board module. In addition, the components like the hard disk expansion card module, the power supply module and the control board module all have the redundant scheme, thereby keeping the storage to operate normally even when any one of the aforementioned components is destroyed. 
         [0033]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims.