Abstract:
A solid state drive (SSD) assembly and an assembly method for solid state drives, which does not require using screws. The assembly method includes aligning a printed circuit board with a first cover and a second cover, the first cover having pre-installed standoffs on an inner surface thereof. The printed circuit board and the second cover respectively having a first set of through-holes, and the first set of through-holes correspond to the standoffs. The assembly method further includes placing the printed circuit board between the first and second covers, thereby exposing an end portion of each of the standoffs in the through-holes of the second cover, and deforming the end portion of each of the standoffs about the through-holes, thereby fastening the first and second covers with one another.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a solid state drive assembly and an assembly method for solid state drives, and, more specifically, to a solid state drive assembly and an assembly method for solid state drives that does not require screws. 
     Discussion of the Related Art 
     A solid-state drive (SSD) is a data storage device that utilizes solid-state memory (e.g., non-volatile memory or synchronous dynamic access memory (SDRAM) volatile memory) to store data. A SSD is also known as a solid-state drive, even though it does not contain an electromechanical magnetic ‘disk’ or motors to ‘drive’ disks like a conventional hard disk drive (HDD). 
     As the conventional HDDs have mechanical moving parts, the conventional HDDs have slower memory data access. In contrast, SSDs have no moving mechanical components. Compared to the conventional HDDs, SSDs typically are more resistant to physical shock, run more quietly, have lower access time, have improved electro-magnetic-interference (EMI), and have less latency. 
     A SSD generally includes a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) within a metallic housing.  FIG. 1  is an exploded illustration of a SSD according to the related art. In  FIG. 1 , a SSD  10  according to the related art includes a PCBA  12 , which is inside a housing. The housing comprises an upper cover  14   a  and a lower cover  14   b . The upper cover  14   a , the bottom cover  14   b  and the PCBA  12  respectively have a first set of corresponding through-holes  15   a . Further, the lower cover  14   b  and the PCBA  12  respectively have a second set of corresponding through-holes  15   b.    
     Memories  16  are provided on the PCBA  12 . The PCBA  12  is affixed onto the lower cover  14   b  by tightening screws  18   a  into the second set of through-holes  15   b . With the PCBA  12  affixed onto the lower cover  14   b , the housing is then closed by affixing together the upper and lower covers  14   a  and  14   b  by tightening screws  18   b  into the first set of through-holes  15   a . Therefore, the assembly of the SSD according to the related art requires a large number of screws and labors for tightening the screws. 
     Moreover, the screws inside the SSD housing according to the related art occupy space. The resulting SSD according to the related art therefore is not thin. Thus, there exists a need for an assembly method that avoids the use of screws and remains simple, effective and efficient to securely hold the PCBA within a housing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, embodiments of the invention are directed to an assembly method for solid state drives that can substantially obviate one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. 
     An object of embodiments of the invention is to provide an assembly method for solid state drives that does not require screws for tightening the housing. 
     Additional features and advantages of embodiments of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of embodiments of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the embodiments of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings. 
     To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of embodiments of the invention, as embodied and broadly described, a method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes installing standoffs protruding from an inner surface of a first cover, aligning a printed circuit board with the first cover and a second cover, the printed circuit board and the second cover respectively having a first set of through-holes, and the first set of through-holes correspond to the standoffs, placing the printed circuit board between the first and second covers, thereby exposing an end portion of each of the standoffs in the through-holes of the second cover, and deforming the exposed portion of each of the standoffs about the through-holes, thereby fastening the first and second covers with one another and securing the printed circuit board therein. 
     A method according to another embodiment of the present invention includes aligning a printed circuit board with a first cover and a second cover, the first cover having standoffs on an inner surface thereof, the printed circuit board and the second cover respectively having a first set of through-holes, and the first set of through-holes correspond to the standoffs, placing the printed circuit board between the first and second covers, thereby exposing an end portion of each of the standoffs in the through-holes of the second cover, and deforming the end portion of each of the standoffs about the through-holes, thereby fastening the first and second covers with one another. 
     A hardware assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a housing, and a non-volatile solid state drive having an Input/Output interface within the housing, wherein the housing is affixed together by rivets. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory, which are intended to provide further explanation of embodiments of the invention as claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of embodiments of the invention and are incorporated herein constituting a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of embodiments of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded illustration of a SSD according to the related art. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded illustration of a SSD according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an illustration of the lower cover and standoffs shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4 a    is an exploded cross-sectional illustration of one of the standoff&#39;s protruding through the through-hole in the upper cover shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4 b    is a detailed illustration of standoffs used in an assembly method for a SSD according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4 c    is a detailed illustration of deformed standoffs in an assembly method for a SSD according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating the steps of an assembly method for a SSD according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded illustration of a SSD according to an embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 2 , a SSD  100  includes a PCBA  112  and a housing. The housing includes an upper cover  114   a  and a lower cover  114   b . The upper cover  114   a  and the PCBA  112  respectively have a set of corresponding through-holes  115   a  and  115   b . The through-holes  115   b  in the PCBA  112  may be flush or uniform through-holes. On the other hand, the through-holes  115   a  in the upper cover  114   a  preferably are not flush or uniform through-holes but rather step-down ridges on the exterior surface of the upper cover  114   a.    
     The lower cover  114   b  includes a set of standoffs  116  at locations corresponding to the set of through-holes  115   a  and  115   b  in the upper cover  114   a  and the PCBA  112 . The height of the standoffs  116  is high enough to protrude through the through-holes  115   a  and  115   b  in the upper cover  114   a  and the PCBA  112 . Further, the height of the standoffs  116  preferably to substantially align with the middle ridge of the through-hole  115   a  in the upper cover  114   a  and not be higher than or extend beyond the exterior surface of the upper cover  114   a.    
     The upper cover  114   a  may include SPCC (cold rolled steel), SECC (steel, electrogalvanized, cold-rolled, coil) or aluminum and have the same material as the lower cover  114   b . For example, the material of the upper cover  114   a  has density range of about 2.68-8 g/cc and has an electrical resistivity between about 0.00000499˜0.000170 ohm-cm. The upper cover  114   a  may be formed using a stamping processing. 
     Alternatively, the upper cover  114   a  may include acylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic or polycarbonate (PC) plastic. The plastic material of the upper cover  114   a  has density range of about 0.35-1.54 g/cc and has an electrical resistivity between about 1.00e+5˜1.0e+1.8 ohm-cm. The upper cover  114   a  may be formed using a molding processing. 
     The lower cover  114   b  may include SPCC (cold rolled steel), SECC (steel, electrogalvanized, cold-rolled, coil) or aluminum. Preferably, the material of the lower cover  114   b  has density range of about 2.68-8 glee and has an electrical resistivity between about 0.00000499˜0.000170 ohm-cm. The lower cover  114   b  may be formed using a stamping processing. 
     The standoffs  116  may include a malleable metallic material, such as steel, aluminum, iron, titanium or an alloy thereof. Preferably, the material of the standoffs  116  has the same or substantially the same density range and electric resistivity as the lower cover  114   b . For example, the material of the standoffs  116  may have density range of about 2.68-8 g/cc and has an electrical resistivity between 0.00000499˜0.000170 ohm-cm. The standoffs  116  may have varying diameters and the smallest diameter may be about 0.5 mm. 
     The standoffs  116  may be pre-installed onto the lower cover  114   b . As shown in  FIG. 3 , prior to the standoffs  116  installed onto the lower cover  114   b , the lower cover  114   b  may include through-holes  117 . The standoffs  116  are formed separately from the lower cover  114   b . The standoffs  116  may have spiked surfaces in its base. With the exterior surface of the lower cover  114   b  facing up, the standoffs  116  are aligned to the through-holes  117  and pushed into the through-holes  117 . For example, the lower cover  114   b  may be placed onto a stamping or punching station and the standoffs  116  may be loosely placed in the through-holes  117 . Subsequently, the stamping or punching station can push even the widest portion of the standoffs  116  into the through-holes  117 . In particular, due to the force and speed of the stamping punching station and the spiked surface of the standoffs  116  base, the lower cover  114   b  may be forced to be deformed and the spiked surface of the standoffs  116  base are wedged around the through-holes  117 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the PCBA  112  further has a set of cut-away  118 . The cut-away  118  may be along edges of the PCBA  112 . The cut-away  118  correspond to a set of holes  120  in the lower cover  114   b . During operation, the assembled SSD  100  may be mounted onto a host platform. The cut-away  118  and the holes  120  in the lower cover  114   b  provide the clearance for mounting means to be mounted onto a host platform. Some of the holes  120  may be on the side surface of the lower cover  114   b.    
     One or more memory modules and other electronic components  122  are on the PCBA  112 . Also, an input/output (I/O) interface  124  for ultimately interfacing with a host device (not shown) is on the PCBA  112 . The I/O interface  124  may be a SATA connector, another standardized connector, or a propriety connector designed for a particular host device (not shown). 
     To assemble the SSD  100 , the PCBA  112  is placed inside the upper and lower covers  114   a  and  114   b . The PCBA  112  is positioned so that the through-holes  115   a  and  115   b  in the upper cover  114   a  and the PCBA  112  are aligned and the standoffs  116  protrude through the through-holes  115   a  and  115   b . Also, the cut-away  118  and the holes  120  in the lower cover  114   b  are aligned. By doing so, the standoffs  116  would protrude through the through-holes  115   a  and  115   b  in the upper cover  114   a  and the PCBA  112 , and over the exterior surface of the upper cover  114   a.    
     After the PCBA  112  is properly placed inside the upper and lower covers  114   a  and  114   b , it may be placed with the upper cover  114   a  facing up on a punching station. The punching station (not shown) includes a number of punching posts. The number of the punching posts preferably matches the number of the standoffs  116 . The ends of the punching posts are tiered. During operation, the punching station lowers the punching posts with certain predetermined force to punch and deform the standoffs  116 . The pressure or force range of the punching onto the standoffs  116  preferably is about 200-300 kg per punch. Further, the punching may be rotational or include a torque. 
     Due to the tiered ends of the punching posts and/or the torque in the punching, the previously protruded portion of the standoffs  116  deforms around the ridges of the through-hole  115   a  in the upper cover  114   a . The deformed standoffs  116 ′ therefore function as rivets. Alternatively, the punching of the standoffs  116  may be performed manually. 
       FIG. 4 a    is an exploded cross-sectional illustration of the standoff protruding through the through-hole in the upper cover shown in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 41 ) is a detailed illustration of standoffs used in an assembly method for a SSD according to an embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 4 c    is a detailed illustration of deformed standoffs in an assembly method for a SSD according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIGS. 4 a  and 4 b   , the standoffs  116  protrude through the through-holes  115   a  in the upper cover  114   a . More specifically, the height of the standoffs  116  preferably to substantially align with the middle ridge of the through-hole  115   a  in the upper cover  114   a  and not be higher than or extend beyond the exterior surface of the upper cover  114   a.    
     As shown in  FIG. 4 c   , after punching, the previously protruded portion of the standoffs  116  deforms around the ridges of the through-hole  115   a  in the upper cover  114   a . The deformed standoffs  116 ′ therefore function as rivets. 
       FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating the steps of an assembly method for a SSD according to an embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 5 , an assembly method for SSDs includes forming or pre-installing standoffs on an inner surface of a first cover. The assembly method further includes the step of aligning through-holes in a printed circuit board over the standoffs. One or more non-volatile memory modules and other electronic components may be on the printed circuit board. Subsequently, the assembly method includes the step of aligning through-holes in a second cover over the standoffs. Then, the method includes the step of deforming an exposed portion of the standoffs around the through-holes in the second cover. The step of deforming may include applying uniaxial compression onto an end surface of each of the standoffs while torquing the pressing posts. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the SSD assembly and an assembly method for SSDs of embodiments of the invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that embodiments of the invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.