Patent Publication Number: US-8536454-B2

Title: Housing system for receptacles

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to electrical receptacles and more particularly to a housing system for covering an electrical receptacle while not in use. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Large-scale storage systems typically include one or more cabinets housing a number of disk array enclosures, power supplies and electronics to enable the communication of data between a host and the disk drives in the disk array enclosures. In such systems, each disk array enclosure (“DAE”) which houses a number of disk drives, is mounted within the cabinet to enable access to the disk drives of the enclosure from the front of the cabinet and access to components such as power supplies of the enclosure from the rear of the cabinet. The DAEs are mounted within the cabinet in a stacked configuration, which enables a large number of disk drives to be included in each cabinet. 
     A DAE may include a plurality of connectors for electrically coupling a plurality of disk drives to the DAE. For example, the DAE may include a plurality of Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface (SAS) connectors for electrically coupling a plurality of SAS disk drives to the DAE. SAS is a data transfer technology designed to move data between a computer and computer storage devices, such as hard disk drives. Each disk drive is inserted into a disk carrier. Each disk carrier may have a PCB paddle card acting as an interposer between the disk drive and a circuit board. The circuit board may be arranged in a plane substantially orthogonal to the plane of the plurality of disk carriers, wherein the circuit board provides electrical interconnections within the plurality of disk carriers, and from the circuit board to other portions of the storage system or vice versa. 
     As is known in the art, electrical connectors are often used in electrical components, such as disk drive units, to connect the drives to a printed circuit board (“PCB”). The electrical connecter generally includes dielectric housing having therein an array of electrical terminals extending through the housing. One end of the connector is configured to have inserted therein the disk drive unit, with electrical contacts of the unit making electrical contact with the electrical terminals. The terminals are adapted to be soldered to electrical contacts disposed on a surface of the PCB with the terminals extending perpendicularly outwardly from the surface of the PCB. Thus, the electrical connector has a base adapted to mount to the planar surface of the PCB with sidewalls of the PCB extending perpendicular to the surface of the PCB. 
     The coupling of these electrical components to the electrical connectors can raise a number of issues. In certain environments, pin contacts of the electrical connectors may rub or scrape against the contact pads of a SAS connector (also referred to as a SAS receptacle). This rubbing and scraping can degrade physical contact between the SAS receptacle and the electrical connectors, producing metal debris that can be deposited within the data storage system. Additionally, metal debris may also be generated by friction between disk carriers and disk drive units. Further, when disk drive units are arranged in a vertical configuration within a DAE, such that the SAS receptacles are mounted to horizontal PCBs and facing upwards, there is a risk of such metal debris falling into a SAS receptacle. When metal debris come in contact with the pins of the SAS receptacle, it may cause electrical shortening. 
     SUMMARY 
     A housing system for covering a receptacle mounted on a circuit board is disclosed, which provides protection for the receptacle from debris that may otherwise come into contact with the receptacle. The housing system includes a base with two flaps mounted thereto. The base has two opposing sidewalls that define an interior space there between. Each of the two flaps is mounted between the opposing walls of the base at a connection point with each of the opposing walls. Additionally, each of the two flaps pivotally move about the connection points between an open and a close position. In the open position, the housing system allows a paddle card of a disk drive to enter the interior space for connecting to the receptacle. In the closed position, both flaps cover the interior space and protect the receptacle from metal debris that may be generated in a disk array enclosure and may fall into the interior space. In the closed position, the flaps allow metal debris to fall through apertures in each of the flaps, thus preventing the debris from falling into the receptacle when the paddle card is inserted. 
     The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description when read together with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a housing system for an electrical receptacle in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2A  is a side view of the housing system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 2B  is a cross-sectional view of the housing system; 
         FIG. 2C  is a partial perspective diagram of the housing system; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective cross-sectional view of the housing system; and 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing the housing system according to the present invention and a connector over which the housing system is mounted; 
         FIGS. 5-7  are perspective views showing a paddle card being inserted into the housing system and connected with the connector; and 
         FIGS. 8-10  are perspective views showing a disk drive carrier mounted to a paddle card being inserted into the housing system and connected with the connector. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a housing system  10  for an electrical receptacle or connector. Housing system  10  includes a base portion  12  having opposing side walls  14   a  and  14   b  mounted at each end of spaced longitudinal rails  16   a  and  16   b , and a pair of flaps  20   a  and  20   b  mounted to the side walls  14   a  and  14   b . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , flaps  20   a  and  20   b  are mounted to side walls  14   a  and  14   b  by a post-and-hole configuration. Specifically, flap  20   a  includes a post  32   a  which is rotatably mounted in hole  28   a  of sidewall  14   a  and a post  32   b  which is rotatably mounted in hole  28   b  of sidewall  14   b . Likewise, flap  20   b  includes a post  33   a  which is rotatably mounted in hole  26   a  of sidewall  14   a  and a post  33   b  ( FIG. 2B ) which is rotatably mounted in a hole (not shown) of sidewall  14   b . A spring  54  is mounted between posts  32   a  and  32   b  of flap  20   a  and rail  16   a  of base  12 , which, as further described below, biases flap  20   a  in a closed position. Likewise, a spring  56  ( FIG. 2B ) is mounted between posts  33   a  and  33   b  of flap  20   b  and rail  16   b  of base  12 , which, as further described below, biases flap  20   b  in a closed position. Base portion  12  and flaps  20   a  and  20   b  may be formed from any dielectric material, such as plastic. 
     Flaps  20   a  and  20   b  further include a number of apertures along the upper portion thereof. Specifically, flap  20   a  includes apertures  44   a ,  44   b ,  44   c  and  44   d  between a midpoint of the flap and upper portion  36   a  and flap  20   b  includes apertures  46   a ,  46   b ,  46   c  and  46   d  between a midpoint of the flap and upper portion  36   b.    
     Side walls  14   a  and  14   b , longitudinal rails  16   a  and  16   b  and flaps  20   a  and  20   b  cooperate to define an interior space  18  for housing a connector or receptacle, as described in further detail below. 
       FIG. 2B  is a cross-sectional diagram of housing  10 , taken along lines B-B of  FIG. 2A . As shown in  FIG. 2B , in addition to post  33   b  and spring  56 , stops  35   a  and  35   b , which protrude inwardly from sidewall  14   b , act to prevent flaps  20   a  and  20   b  from being biased beyond a center point of the housing  10 .  FIG. 2C , which is a partial perspective view of housing  12 , shows stops  35   a  and  35   b  in greater detail. Although not shown, side wall  14   a  includes similar stops. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional perspective view of housing  10 , taken along lines A-A of  FIG. 2A . As shown in  FIG. 3 , when flaps  20   a  and  20   b  are in the “closed” position, such that they are both biased by their respective springs,  54  and  56 , against their respective stops on side walls  14   a  and  14   b , midpoints of each flap contact each other along a contact region  34  in a longitudinal plane of the housing  10 . Apertures  44   a  and  46   a  are defined at a lower end by a bevels  72   a  in flap  20   a  and  72   b  in flap  20   b . Bevels  72   a  and  72   b  of each aperture  44  and  46  meet to form a pointed edge  40  along flaps  20   a  and  20   b . The sections of flaps  20   a  and  20   b  extending from edge  40  to upper portions  36   a  and  36   b  define an insertion region  52  there between. 
     Bevels  72   a  and  72   b , as well as edge  40  are formed such that, when debris falls in to insertion region  52 , as shown by arrow  55 , the debris is deflected away from interior space  18 , as shown by arrows  57   a  and  57   b . As is described below, when a plug of a paddle card in inserted into insertion region  52  to open the housing  10 , since any debris that has fallen into insertion region  52  has been deflected outside of the insertion region  52 , no debris will fall into interior space  18  when the plug is inserted therein. 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the housing  10  and a connector  80 , which is mounted to a circuit board  100 . In use, housing  10  is also mounted to circuit board  100 , with connector  80  housed within interior space  18 . 
       FIGS. 5-7  are perspective diagrams showing how a paddle card is inserted into the housing to connect a disk drive coupled to the paddle card to the connector in the interior space of the housing. Shown in  FIG. 5  is a paddle card  60 , which includes a plug  62  for connecting the paddle card to the connector  80 , and a disk drive terminal  64  for connecting the paddle card to a disk drive (not shown). For simplicity, in  FIGS. 5-7 , the disk drive is not shown. It is, however, shown in  FIGS. 8-10  below. Connector  80  is mounted to circuit board  100  within interior space  18  of housing  10 , which is also mounted to circuit board  100 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , paddle card  62  is positioned above housing  10 , with the leading end of plug  62  within insertion region  52 . Flaps  20   a  and  20   b  are biased against one another by springs  54  and  56 , respectively. In  FIG. 5 , housing  10  is in the “closed” position, preventing debris from falling into connector  80 . 
     In  FIG. 6 , as plug  62  is pushed into housing  10 , flaps  20   a  and  20   b  are pushed away from each other by plug  62 , in the directions shown by arrows  68   a  and  68   b . This enables plug  62  to enter interior space  18  of housing  10 , for insertion into connector  80 . 
       FIG. 7  shows plug  62  of paddle card  60  fully inserted into housing  10 , with plug  62  mounted in connector  80 . While flaps  20   a  and  20   b  are shown wide open, this is for illustrative purposes only to show the connection between plug  62  and connector  80  in interior space  18  of housing  10 . It will be understood that flaps  20   a  and  20   b  would be biased against paddle card  60  by springs  54  and  56 , respectively. 
     When the paddle card is disconnected from the connector  80  by removing the plug from the connector and the interior space  18 , the flaps  20   a  and  20   b  are returned to the closed position by the force of springs  54  and  56 . 
       FIGS. 8-10  are cross-sectional views of a connector  80  mounted to a circuit board  100  within the interior space  18  of a housing  10 . Paddle card  60 , including plug  62 , shown within dotted lines, is mounted to a disk drive carrier  90 , via disk drive terminal  64 . Disk drive carrier  90  includes a disk drive  92  mounted thereon. In  FIG. 8 , paddle card  62  is positioned above housing  10 , with the leading end of plug  62  within insertion region  52 . Flaps  20   a  and  20   b  are biased against one another by springs  54  and  56 , respectively. In  FIG. 8 , housing  10  is in the “closed” position, preventing debris from falling into connector  80 . 
     In  FIG. 9 , as plug  62  is pushed into housing  10 , flaps  20   a  and  20   b  are pushed away from each other by plug  62  and disk drive carrier  90 . This enables plug  62  to enter interior space  18  of housing  10 , for insertion into connector  80 . 
       FIG. 10  shows plug  62  of paddle card  60  fully inserted into housing  10 , with plug  62  fully mounted in connector  80 .  FIG. 10  shows the housing  10  in the “open” position. 
     In an alternative embodiment, housing  10  may be constructed from a single component, wherein base portion  12  and flaps  20   a  and  20   b  are formed as a single piece. In such an embodiment, housing  10  would be formed of a flexible material such that flaps  20   a  and  20   b  are normally positioned in the closed position, but are able to flex at the connection points between flaps  20   a  and  20   b  and side walls  14   a  and  14   b  when the plug portion of the paddle card is inserted through the insertion region into the interior space. This embodiment would eliminate the need for the springs to bias the flaps in the closed position. 
     Accordingly, a housing for an electrical connector is disclosed which covers the connector when the connector is not in use, to protect it from debris that would otherwise fall into the connector. When the connector is to be connected to a paddle card, a portion of the paddle card is able to open the housing to enable access to the connector by the paddle card without any extra actions required to open the housing. 
     The system may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. For example, while flaps  20   a  and  20   b  are shown as being curved and concave, they may be any shape that enables them to operate as described. Furthermore, although the system has been described in connection with a data storage system, it will be understood that the system may be sized and utilized for housing any type of electronic components in any type of electronic system. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope thereof being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of the equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.