Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Technical Field  
           [0002]    This invention relates generally to disk drives and more particularly to a micro hard drive caddy for connecting a micro hard drive to an electronic system or device.  
           [0003]    2. Background  
           [0004]    Until now, the hard disk drive size has been a limiting factor in reducing overall size of electronic devices. Miniature hard disk drives or micro hard drives have recently become available such as those manufactured by International Business Machines (IBM™) identified as the Microdrive™. The IBM® Microdrive® has three modes of access, memory, I/O or IDE. Currently, the Microdrive™ is available including 170, 340, 512 and 1024 megabytes (MB) of hard disk storage in a package the size of a compact flash memory device, which is on the order of one inch square. This product is designed as a low cost alternative to compact flash memory. While hard disk operation is slower than compact flash memory, it is less expensive and non-volatile.  
           [0005]    There exists a need to provide a micro hard drive caddy for receiving and attaching a micro hard drive to a substrate such as a printed circuit board. Alternately, there may be advantage found in providing a micro hard drive caddy for receiving and mounting the micro hard drive directly to a bus interface socket such as the Integrated Device Electronics (IDE) ribbon cable connector or a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) slot, both located directly on the processor&#39;s motherboard.  
           [0006]    There is also concern that excessive vibration may lead to decreased micro hard drive performance. Generally speaking, disk drives, regardless of their physical size, are susceptible to problems arising from shock and vibration during handling, shipping, installation, and operation. Displacement of the hard disk or other drive component parts during operation may damage to the drive. Additionally, displacement of the hard disk or other drive component parts during operation may impede performance. This may be evidenced by a variety of performance malfunctions including increased seek, read and write access times, write inhibits and micro hard drive failures that may not be repairable including damaged disks or heads, wear on micro hard drive components, and uncorrectable data defects. Therefore, a need exists to reduce system vibration caused by any of a variety of sources.  
           [0007]    In proposing solutions to reduction or elimination of vibration in an micro hard drive, concern must be given to the fact that most often a primary design objective, as evidenced by the choice of an micro hard drive in the first instance, is the reduction of overall device size. Therefore, in proposing such solutions for reduction or elimination of vibration in an micro hard drive there is desire to achieve this objective substantially within the footprint of the frame.  
           [0008]    There also exists a need to provide a means for providing conductive connection of the micro hard drive to the device or system in which the micro hard drive is installed. Due to the miniature size and concealability of the micro hard drive, there is also reasonable concern that the micro hard drive may become a target for unauthorized removal and theft. Therefore, there is also a need for providing a means to secure the micro hard drive within a device in a manner that deters unauthorized removal.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0009]    The present invention is directed to a micro hard drive caddy for connecting a micro hard drive to an electronic device or system. The micro hard drive caddy includes a micro hard drive frame for supporting and retaining the micro hard drive and a conductive connector for conductively connecting the micro hard drive to an electronic device or system.  
           [0010]    The micro hard drive frame includes a support frame portion and a retainer frame portion. The support frame portion supports the micro hard drive in position in relationship to the substrate and the drive socket. The retainer frame portion retains the micro hard drive in the support frame portion. The component parts of the frame work in conjunction to limit movement of the micro hard drive in a “Y” and a “Z” axis. In the first preferred embodiment of the invention, the component parts of the frame work in conjunction to limit movement of the micro hard drive in an “X”, a “Y” and a “Z” axis. The micro hard drive frame may be attached directly to a substrate or printed circuit board, for instance by soldering or by mechanical connection.  
           [0011]    The micro hard drive may be removably insertable within the frame or, in the alternative, the micro hard drive may be installed semi-permanently within the frame. Removal of the micro hard drive from the frame in this instance may be achieved by use of a tool provided specifically to effect removal by authorized personnel and deter removal by unauthorized personnel.  
           [0012]    The micro hard drive caddy also includes a conductive connector for conductively connecting the micro hard drive to an electronic device or system. In a first preferred embodiment of the invention, the conductive connector includes a drive socket conductively connected to an adapter connector. The adapter connector is conductively connectable to a board mounted conductor. The conductive connector may include a vibration isolating conductive ribbon.  
           [0013]    An alternate preferred embodiment of the micro hard drive caddy includes a frame for supporting and retaining the micro hard drive and a conductive connector for conductively connecting the micro hard drive to an electronic device. In the alternate preferred embodiment the conductive connector includes a drive socket conductively connected to an adapter connector. The drive socket may be conductively connected to the adapter connector through a printed circuit board. In this embodiment, the adapter connector includes a bus interface socket. The drive socket and the adapter connector are conductively connected by a printed circuit board. The bus interface socket may include an Integrated Device Electronics (IDE) ribbon cable connector or a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) slot. Depending upon the type of drive and type of bus it may be possible to mount multiple drives on the same adapter mount. If the drive can only operate as a master drive, only one drive can be mounted per IDE connector, limiting the number of miniature drives to two per standard motherboard, i.e. a motherboard having two IDE connectors controlled by an on-board controller. However, employing different drives, different controllers and/or different bus architectures may allow daisy chaining of more than one drive per connector.  
           [0014]    The micro hard drive caddy may also include a vibration isolation and dampening member preferably, although not necessarily, disposed between the interior of the frame and the exterior the micro hard drive, within the footprint of the micro hard drive frame.  
           [0015]    The micro hard drive caddy may include a micro drive ejector to facilitate removal of the disk drive from the drive mount adapter. The micro hard drive caddy may be oriented on a plane that lies substantially perpendicular to the plane of the motherboard. The orientation of the substrate and therefor the micro hard drive may be changed. For instance, in a PCI bus implementation it may be desirable to have the printed circuit board in a vertical orientation so as to not interfere with other expansion cards or slots. The micro hard drive caddy may include a voltage regulator or other electrical circuitry as desired or required for operation. 
       
    
    
       [0016]    The present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a representative perspective view of a micro hard drive caddy according to the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a representative perspective view of a micro hard drive caddy according to the present invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a representative top view of a micro hard drive caddy according to the present invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is a representative top view of a micro hard drive caddy according to the present invention;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 is a representative perspective view of a vibration isolation and dampening member according to the present invention;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 is a representative exploded perspective view of a frame and a vibration isolation and dampening member according to the present invention;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7 is a representative perspective view of a vibration isolation and dampening member according to the present invention;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 8 is a representative perspective view of a vibration isolation and dampening member according to the present invention;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 9 is a representative perspective view of a vibration isolation and dampening member according to the present invention;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 10 is a representative perspective view of a vibration isolation and dampening member according to the present invention;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 11 is a circuit schematic of a vibration isolating conductor;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 12 is a circuit schematic of circuitry according to the present invention;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 13 is a representative side view of a micro hard drive caddy including a computer bus interface socket according to one embodiment of the invention;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 14 is a representative side view of a micro hard drive caddy including a computer bus interface socket according to one embodiment of the invention;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 15 is a representative side view of a micro hard drive caddy including a computer bus interface socket according to one embodiment of the invention;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 16 is a representative side view of a micro hard drive caddy including a computer bus interface socket according to one embodiment of the invention; and  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 17 is a circuit schematic of circuitry according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0034]    [0034]FIGS. 1 through 12 illustrate a first preferred embodiment of micro hard drive caddy  10  according to the present invention. As shown at FIGS. 1 through 4, micro hard drive caddy  10  includes frame  15 , vibration isolating connector  30  and vibration isolation and dampening member  40  shown in FIGS. 5 through 10. Micro hard drive M is supported within frame  15 .  
         [0035]    As shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, vibration isolating conductor  30  includes drive socket  31  which, in this instance is a  50  pin connector, conductively connected to a board mounted conductor, in this case, snap connector  32  by conductor ribbon  33 . Snap connector  32  is connected to printed circuit board P, shown at FIGS. 2 and 4. Vibration isolating connector  30  includes cutouts  34  which permit a unique flexibility along the length of conductor ribbon  33 . In compression, the ribbon deflects laterally permitting a vibration isolating function between a substrate and the micro hard drive M.  
         [0036]    The component parts of frame  15  of the first preferred embodiment of micro hard drive caddy  10  are shown to advantage in FIG. 5. Frame  15  includes retainer frame portion  16  and support frame portion  20 . Support frame portion  20  includes first side member  21  and second side member  22  connected by end member  23 . First face tab  24  and second face tab  25  are attached to first side member  21  and second side member  22  at opposing corners of support frame portion  20 . Support feet  29 A,  29 B,  29 C and  29 D connect to support frame portion  20  at each of the four corresponding frame corners  26 A,  26 B,  26 C, and  26 D. Support frame portion  20  with its support feet  29 A,  29 B,  29 C and  29 D supports micro hard drive M in frame  15 . Tangs  27 A,  27 B,  27 C and  27 D are formed in opposing first side member  21  and second side member  22  respectively and cooperate with retainer frame portion  16  as described below.  
         [0037]    Retainer frame portion  16  includes opposing angular edge members  17 A and  17 B which are interconnected by first spanning member  18  and second spanning member  19 . Retainer frame portion  16  retains the micro hard drive in support frame portion  20 .  
         [0038]    [0038]FIGS. 5 and 6 shows a first embodiment of a vibration isolation and dampening member  40  according to the present invention. Vibration isolation and dampening member  40  as shown in FIG. 6 includes dampening members  50 A,  50 B,  50 C and  50 D each individually attachable over a corner of micro hard drive M. As shown in FIG. 6, each dampening member  50 A,  50 B,  50 C and  50 D includes foot pad  41 , first side pad  42 , second side pad  43  and cap pad  44 .  
         [0039]    Dampening members  50 A,  50 B,  50 C and  50 D fit at each of the four corners of micro hard drive M. Micro hard drive M is supported within vibration isolation and dampening member  40  which in turn is supportable within support frame portion  20 . Retainer frame portion  16  includes a close clearance fit over support frame portion  20  and tangs  27 A,  27 B,  27 C and  27 D engage with corresponding tang receivers  28 A,  28 B,  28 C and  28 D attaching retainer frame portion  16  to support frame portion  20  and providing a relatively low cost deterrent to unauthorized removal of micro hard drive M form hard drive adapter system  10 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention, vibration isolation and dampening member  40  is formed of an thermoplastic rubber identified by the trademark Santoprene® furnished by the Ebbtide Polymers Corporation. Santoprene® exhibits an elongation of 450% and a modulus of elasticity, GPa, on the order of 0.001.  
         [0040]    Drop test results employing micro hard drive caddy  10  including vibration isolation and dampening member  40  mounted to a substrate supporting micro hard drive M, wherein micro hard drive caddy  10  is dropped a vertical distance of 1 meter onto a concrete floor results in a peak force to printed circuit board P on the order of 5000-8525 g&#39;s while micro hard drive M experiences a peak force on the order of 1670-193  5 g&#39;s. Similarly, drop test results employing micro hard drive caddy  10  including vibration isolation and dampening member  40  mounted to a substrate supporting micro hard drive M, wherein micro hard drive caddy  10  is dropped a vertical distance of 1 meter onto a concrete floor results in a peak force to printed circuit board P on the order of five time that experienced by micro hard drive M.  
         [0041]    Frame  15  is sized such that dampening members  50 A,  50 B,  50 C and  50 D and micro hard drive M fit within a footprint F of frame  15  with a zero clearance between the outer faces of dampening members  50 A,  50 B,  50 C and  50 D and the corresponding inner faces of frame corners  26 A,  26 B,  26 C, and  26 D. Opposing first side member  21  and second side member  22  serve together as an X axis movement limiter, limiting movement of micro hard drive M and vibration isolation and dampening member  40  in an X axis. Similarly, end member  23  opposes first face tab  24  and second face tab  25  serve together as a Y axis movement limiter, limiting movement of micro hard drive M and vibration isolation and dampening member  40  in a Y axis. Finally, retainer frame portion  16  opposes support frame portion  20  serve together as a Z axis movement limiter, limiting movement of micro hard drive M and vibration isolation and dampening member  40  in a Z axis.  
         [0042]    As shown, support frame portion  20  also includes ears  14 A,  14 B and  14 C for mechanical attachment to printed circuit board P, as illustrated in FIG. 2 through  4 , by fasteners  12 . Alternately, ears  14 A and  14 B may be configured to project through a PCB for soldered attachment.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIGS. 7 through 10 depict various embodiments of a vibration isolation and dampening member  40  according to the present invention. Vibration isolation and dampening member  40  includes dampening members  50 A,  50 B,  50 C and  50 D. Each dampening member  50 A,  50 B,  50 C and  50 D includes foot pad  41 , first side pad  42 , second side pad  43  and cap pad  44 . In the embodiments depicted at FIGS. 8 through 10, each dampening member  50 A,  50 B,  50 C and  50 D also includes pad connector member  45  which attaches dampening members  50 A,  50 B,  50 C and  50 D one to another for ease of installation and added dampening.  
         [0044]    [0044]FIGS. 11 and 12 are a circuit schematics depicting pin location and a function for vibration isolating conductor  30  including drive socket  31 , shown at FIG. 11, conductively connected to snap connector  32  shown at FIG. 12.  
         [0045]    In the embodiment of the invention shown at FIGS. 13 through 17, micro hard drive caddy  110  includes frame  115  and drive mount adapter  130  for mounting micro hard drive M to a bus slot.  
         [0046]    Referring to FIG. 13 and  16 , drive mount adapter  130 , includes bus connector  132  conductively connected to drive socket  133  through printed circuit board  131 . In one embodiment, bus connector  132  is a  40  pin socket plug such as a Speedtech® B069-402201A6, 40 pin IDE connector. Bus connector  132  may be removably coupled to IDE connector  151  located on device substrate  150 . While bus connector  132  is an IDE adapter plug, other bus architectures can be accommodated, such as a PCI bus. Also attached to printed circuit board  131  is drive socket  133 . In one preferred embodiment, drive socket  133  is a Speedtech® N016-0100-004, which is a 50 pin 1.27 mm CF Type II reverse key receptacle.  
         [0047]    Printed circuit board  131  provides a mechanical platform for supporting bus connector  132 , drive socket  133 , frame  115 , micro hard drive M and associated electronics. In addition, printed circuit board  131  provides electrical connections or an interface circuit between various component parts of the micro hard drive caddy  110 . In one embodiment of the invention, bus connector  132  and drive socket  133  are electrically connected, one to the other, by traces within printed circuit board  119 . Drive mount adapter  134  is attached directly substrate  150  such as a motherboard. In one embodiment of the invention, drive mount adapter  134  includes voltage regulator  135 . In one embodiment of the invention, voltage regulator  135  is a low dropout voltage regulator manufactured by National Semiconductor, part number LM1117mp-3.3V and conductively connected to printed circuit board  131 . Power connector socket  136  as shown is a Molex® 15-24-4157 four pin power connector, generally compatible with personal computer power supply disk drive power cables.  
         [0048]    Referring to FIGS. 15 and 16, frame  115  includes retainer frame portion  116  and a disk support member  120  including first side member  117  and second side member  118  interconnected by spanning member  119 . Disk support member  120  includes first support rail  121  formed on an inner surface of first side member  117  and second support rail  122  formed on an inner surface of second side member  118 . First support rail  121  and second support rail  122  act as a slide engagement member and cooperate with first receiving channel (not shown) and second receiving channel  125  of micro hard drive M to facilitate the sliding engagement of micro hard drive M in frame  115  along the Y axis.  
         [0049]    As seen in FIGS. 13 through 16, micro hard drive M fits within frame  115  with a sliding clearance between the outer surfaces of micro hard drive M and the corresponding inner faces of first side member  117 , second side member  118 , spanning member  119  and printed circuit board  131 . Opposing inner faces of first side member  117  and second side member  118  serve together as an X axis movement limiter, limiting movement of micro hard drive M in an X axis. The opposing inner face of spanning member  119  and the upper surface of printed circuit board  131  serve together as a Y axis movement limiter, limiting movement of micro hard drive M in a Z axis. To the extent that movement is limited in the Y axis, such limitation is provided by the resistance to pull out provided by drive mount adapter  134 .  
         [0050]    [0050]FIG. 17 shows a schematic depicting the circuit drive mount adapter  130  including bus connector  132 , drive socket  133 , voltage regulator  134  and four pin power connector  135 . This particular schematic is configured to access the drive in IDE mode by setting inputs OE and CSEL active (low) and RESET high.  
         [0051]    While this invention has been described with reference to the detailed embodiments, this is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications to the described embodiments, as well as additional embodiments of the invention, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to this description. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments as fall within the true scope of the invention.

Technology Category: 3