TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] As computer systems and networks grow in numbers and capability, there is a need for more and more storage system capacity. Cloud computing and large-scale data processing further increase the need for digital data storage systems that are capable of transferring and holding immense amounts of data.

[0002] One approach to providing sufficient data storage is the use of arrays of independent hard disk drives. A number of hard disk drives can be held in a container, sometimes referred to as a sled. The hard disk drives are held and operated in close proximity within the sled, so that many hard disk drives can be fit into a defined volume. Rackmount enclosures typically hold multiple sleds. Rackmount enclosures can be used to hold very large amounts of data.

[0003] Hard disk drives include spinning disks that are typically rotated at high speeds, such as a speed of 7,200 RPM, for example. A read head is moved inward or outward from the center of the spinning disks in order to read and write data on the disk. These moving components can generate vibrations in the hard disk drive. Hard disk drives include traditional hard disk drives and hybrid drives (combination of traditional rotating storage and solid state storage). [0004] When a number of hard disk drives are included within a sled, the vibrations generated by one hard disk drive can be transferred to other hard disk drives within the sled. The transferred vibrations can interfere with operations of the affected hard disk drive or hard disk drives. The transferred vibrations can cause decreased performance or possible damage to components of the hard disk drive. OVERVIEW

[0005] A vibration-isolating hard disk drive carrier for isolating the transfer of vibration from one hard disk drive to another comprising a carrier body and one or more isolation hangers is disclosed. The carrier has a first surface configured to couple to inherent features of a first external surface of a hard disk drive, and a second surface configured to couple to inherent features of a second external surface hard disk drive. One or more isolation hangers configured to support the hard disk drive in a vertical orientation are coupled to the carrier body.

[0006] In one implementation, a flexible-mount electrical connection comprises a mating connector configured to physically couple with a hard drive connector and a plurality of electrical pins having a connector portion positioned within the mating connector configured to electrically couple with hard drive connector pins positioned within the hard drive connector. Each electrical pin has an extended portion extending away from the mating connector. The extended portion has an attachment portion configured to electrically couple the respective electrical pin to a printed circuit board, and the extended portion has a shape formed therein configured to reduce transmission of vibrations in the connector portion along each axis of a three-dimensional space to the attachment portion.

[0007] In another implementation, a vibration-isolating hard disk drive carrier comprises a carrier body having a first surface configured to couple to inherent features of a first external surface of a hard disk drive. The carrier body has a second surface configured to couple to inherent features of a second external surface hard disk drive. One or more isolation hangers are configured to support the hard disk drive in a vertical orientation coupled to the carrier body. A flexible-mount electrical connection comprises an electrical connector configured to physically couple with a hard drive connector of the hard disk drive and comprises a plurality of electrical pins having a connector portion positioned within the electrical connector configured to electrically couple with hard drive connector pins positioned within the hard drive connector. Each electrical pin has an extended portion extending away from the electrical connector. The extended portion has an attachment portion configured to electrically couple the respective electrical pin to a printed circuit board, and the extended portion has a shape formed therein configured to reduce transmission of vibrations in the connector portion along each axis of a three- dimensional space to the attachment portion. [0008] In another implementation, a hanging mounting system for a vibration-isolating hard disk drive carrier comprises a carrier body having a first surface configured to couple to inherent features of a first external surface of a hard disk drive. The carrier body has a second surface configured to couple to inherent features of a second external surface hard disk drive. One or more isolation hangers are configured to support the hard disk drive in a vertical orientation coupled to the carrier body, and one or more drive dividers comprising one or more engagement elements are configured to couple with the one or more isolation hangers of the carrier. A flexible-mount electrical connection comprises a mating connector configured to physically couple with a hard drive connector of the hard disk drive and comprises a plurality of electrical pins having a first portion positioned within the mating connector configured to electrically couple with hard drive connector pins positioned within the hard drive connector, each electrical pin having an extended portion extending away from the mating connector. The extended portion has an attachment end configured to electrically couple the respective electrical pin to a printed circuit board, and the extended portion has a shape formed therein configured to reduce transmission of vibrations in the first portion along each of three orthogonal axes to the attachment end. [0009] This Overview is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Technical Disclosure. It should be understood that this Overview is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1 illustrates a carrier assembly in relation to a hard disk drive.

[0011] Figure 2 illustrates a carrier assembly and two drive dividers.

[0012] Figure 3 illustrates a drive divider configured to hold multiple carrier assemblies.

[0013] Figure 4 illustrates a hard disk drive carrier, drive dividers and a flexible-mount electrical connection according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0014] Figures 5-8 illustrate the flexible-mount electrical connection of Figure 4 according to an embodiment of the invention. [0015] Figures 9-11 illustrate flexure of connector pins of flexible- mount electrical connection of Figure 4 in three-dimensional space according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0016] Figures 12A-12C illustrate the installation of a hard disk drive to a PCB backplane. [0017] Figures 13-14 illustrate sleds containing multiple carrier assemblies and hard disk drives. [0018] Figure 15 illustrates a rackmount enclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Figure 1 illustrates carrier assembly 102 for hard disk drive 104. Carrier assembly 102 comprises carrier body 106 and isolation hanger 108. Hard disk drive 104 and electrical connector are used as a reference to show how carrier assembly 102 functions. Carrier assembly 102 couples to hard disk drive 104. The shape of carrier body 106 may vary depending upon the type of hard disk drive 104 carrier assembly 102 is configured to secure. In one example, carrier assembly 102 may secure hard disk drive 104 by mating with features inherent to the external surfaces of hard disk drive 104. The external surfaces of hard disk drive 104 are not typically smooth. The inherent features discussed herein comprise variations in surface height, recesses, indentations, cavities, impressions, bulges, protrusions, or screw holes among other features. Carrier body 106 when configured to secure hard disk drive 104 by mating with features inherent to the extemal surfaces of hard disk drive 104 can negate the need for mechanical fasteners (e.g., screws) to secure hard disk drive 104 and thereby negate the need for tools to secure carrier assembly 102 to hard disk drive 104. In another example, carrier assembly 102 may comprise two parts attached by a hinge that open and close in a clamshell fashion encapsulating hard disk drive 104. In another example, carrier body 106 may comprise two independent halves that snap together via interlocking features. [0020] Another inherent feature found on hard disk drive 104 are screw holes. Screw holes are included as part of hard disk drive 104 for traditional mounting. Screw holes are robust and predictable inherent features of hard disk drive 104 because they are often defined by a form factor standard. Fasteners (e.g., screws, bolts) may be used to couple the carrier body 106 to hard disk drive 104 using the inherent screw holes. Alternatively, a plastic dowel may be used to couple hard disk drive 104 to carrier body 106 by press- fitting the dowel into the inherent screw holes. Hard disk drive 104 can be secured by only two screw holes allowing hard disk drive 104 freedom of motion about the axis of the screws. [0021] Carrier assembly 102 comprises one or more isolation hangers 108. Isolation hanger 108 works in conjunction with drive divider 202, 204 of Figure 2. Isolation hanger 108 isolates hard disk drive 104 from vibration and orients hard disk drive 104 vertically in space against the force of gravity. Hard disk drive 104 has a plane substantially parallel to spinning disk platters contained within. Additionally, hard disk drive 104 has electrical connector 110 at one end in this example. In this context, when hard disk drive 104 is said to be hung vertically, the plane substantially parallel to the spinning disk platters is vertical, or perpendicular to the plane of the horizon. On many, but not all hard disk drive 104 examples, electrical connector 110 will face downward when in a vertical orientation.

[0022] Figure 2 illustrates how carrier assembly 102, isolation hanger 108, and drive dividers 202,204 work together to hang hard disk drive 104 in a vertical orientation against the force of gravity. It should be noted that in this example, engagement element 302 does not prevent carrier assembly 102 coupled to hard disk drive 104 from moving in up and down in the vertical direction against gravity, thereby helping to isolate vibration. In some examples, drive dividers 202, 204 feature one or more engagement elements 302 configured to mate with isolation hanger 108. In some examples, drive dividers 202,204 have more than one engagement element 302 providing the capability for drive dividers 202,204 to hold more than one carrier assembly 102 and hard disk drive 104.

[0023] Figure 3 illustrates another exemplary configuration for drive dividers 202,204. Drive dividers 202,204 comprise multiple engagement elements 302 enabling drive dividers 202,204 to support a plurality of carrier assemblies 102 and hard disk drives 104. In one example, drive dividers 202,204 are integral to the wall of a sled. In another example, drive dividers 202,204 are contained within a rackmount enclosure without the need for a sled. In yet another example, drive dividers 202,204 may be configured to hang carrier assembly 102 and hard disk drive 104 in a room without a sled or a rackmount enclosure. Drive dividers 202,204 and carrier assembly 102 may be used independently of any other structure or technology to hold a large array of independent hard disk drives 104. Drive dividers 202,204 may be very large and capable of holding hundreds of hard disk drives 104. [0024] Figure 4 illustrates carrier assembly 102, hard disk drive 104, engagement element 302 and drive dividers 202,204 configured to couple hard disk drive 104 with. Figure 4 further illustrates by way of example how drive dividers 202,204 and carrier assembly 102 may be designed to hold hard disk drive 104 in a position convenient to couple electrical connector 110 to flexible- mount electrical connection 404. Vibration transmission between multiple hard disk drives 104 is prevented by a combination of isolation hangers 108 and flexible-mount electrical connection 404. Flexible-mount electrical connection 404 is flexible enough to prevent the transfer of vibration to and from nearby hard disk drives 104.

[0025] Figure 4 illustrates an example of carrier assembly 102, hard disk drive 104, engagement element 302, and drive dividers 202, 204 configured to couple hard disk drive 104 to a printed circuit board (PCB) backplane 402. In the example provided in Figure 4, a flexible-mount electrical connection 404 is attached to PCB backplane 402 adjacently to a removed section or void 406, which allows a connector 408 of flexible-mount electrical connection 404 to be suspended over the void 406 in the PCB backplane 402. In one embodiment, connector 408 is a SAS connector (i.e., Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface connector). However, other configurations of connector 408 is contemplated herein for allowing connections to the type of electrical connector 110 used by the hard disk drives 104 to be used. Carrier assembly 102, isolation hanger 108, and drive dividers 202,204 may be configured to position hard disk drive 104 in relation to PCB backplane 402 such that hard disk drive 104 can mechanically couple to flexible- mount electrical connection 404. PCB backplane 402 may comprise a plurality of flexible- mount electrical connections 404, a plurality of drive dividers 202,204 and a plurality of carrier assemblies 102 to mount an array of independent hard disk drives 104. [0026] The example in Figure 4 illustrates carrier assembly 102 and hard disk drive 104 having only three points of contact. Carrier body 106 contacts two different points: one point of contact to first drive divider 202 and a second point of contact to second drive divider 204. Vibration transmission to these contact points is mitigated by isolation hangers 108. The contact with flexible-mount electrical connection 404 by hard disk drive 104 makes the third point of contact. As described herein, vibration transmission between the PCB backplane 402 and the hard disk drive 104 is isolated by the unique design of the flexible-mount electrical connection 404.

[0027] In this example, the flexible-mount electrical connection 404 flexes, thereby preventing hard disk drive 104 from transmitting vibration through connector 408 to PCB backplane 402. Alternatively, flexible-mount electrical connection 404 prevents vibration transmission from PCB backplane 402 through electrical connector 408 to hard disk drive 104.

[0028] Figures 5-8 illustrate the flexible-mount electrical connection 404 and portions thereof. As shown in Figure 5, connector 408 is attached via pins 410 to PCB backplane 402. On one end. a portion of pins 410 extends into a cavity 412 of pin 410 into which electrical connector 110 is inserted. Pins 410 are thus allowed to be electrically connected to the pins in electrical connector 110. A portion of pins 410 extending from connector 408 extends toward the PCB backplane 402, and an end of the extending portion is electrically attached to contact pads 414 of PCB backplane 402 in one embodiment. In this manner, pins 410 are physically and electrically coupled with the PCB backplane 402, and connector 408 is suspended over the void 406 in the PCB backplane 402. As such, connector 408 is coupled to PCB backplane 402 via pins 410, but it does not physically touch the PCB backplane 402. [0029] Referring to Figures 5 and 6, pins 410 are formed to be sufficiently rigid to suspend connector over void 406 and to also be flexible enough to allow connector 408 to flex and have some movement in three-dimensional space to isolate vibrations in connector 408 from PCB backplane 402. As illustrated, pins 410 have a shape formed therein to allow the flexibility in each of the three dimensions. In the example shown, an inverted "S" shape is formed therein. The shape illustrated is, however, by way of example only, and other shapes that allow three-dimensional flexibility are within the scope of embodiments of the disclosure herein.

[0030] Figures 9-11 illustrate flexure of pins 410 along a first ("X") axis, a second ("Y") axis, and a third ("Z") axis, the axes being orthogonal to each other. The shape and form of pin 410 allows movement of connector 408 at one end of pin 410 (caused by vibrations of the hard disk drive 104 to which it attached) along any single or multiple combination of these axes to have a reduced effect of such movement at the other end of the pin 410. In this manner, isolation of a portion of the vibrations of hard disk drive 104 is achieved. [0031] Referring back to Figure 5, pin separator or collimator 416 is attached to PCB backplane 402 and positioned to separate pins 410 and to help prevent two or more pins 410 from coming into electrical contact with each other as movement of the connector 408 bends and flexes pins 410. The collimator 416 is preferably formed of an electrically resistive material to prevent electrical connection of pins 410 together through physical contact with the collimator 416 Referring as well to Figures 7 and 8, collimator 416 includes a plurality of teeth 418 positioned to be aligned with gaps between pins 410. In one embodiment, teeth 418 have side walls 420 to allow some freedom of sideways movement of the pins 418 (e.g., along the X axis shown in Figure 9) before coming into contact with the teeth 418. In this manner, slight movements of pins 410 toward teeth 418 allow pins 410 to flex normally while a much larger movement that causes pins 410 to come into contact with teeth 418 may cause an undesirable deformation to the shape of the pins 410 such as a crease or bend. In one embodiment, the side walls 420 are tapered such that a thinner end 422 of the tooth 418 extends toward connector 408 while a base of the tooth 418 adjacent to a body 424 of collimator 416 is thicker than end 422.

[0032] As shown in Figure 8, a plurality of grooves 426 may also be formed in a bottom of collimator 416 to allow the end of pins 410 attached to PCB backplane 402 to pass therethrough and to be further physically supported in their mechanical and electrical attachments to PCB backplane 402. One or more alignment pins 428 may also be formed in collimator 416 to position the collimator 416 in its predetermined position on the PCB backplane 402 with respect to alignment holes 430.

[0033] Figure 12 illustrates, by way of example, how hard disk drive 104 and carrier assembly 102 are installed onto PCB backplane 402. Figure 12A illustrates the initial insertion of carrier assembly 102 and hard disk drive 104 between two drive dividers 202, 204. In this example, flexible-mount electrical connection 404 is coupled to PCB backplane 402 as described herein. Figure 12B further illustrates the insertion process of carrier assembly 102 and hard disk drive 104. Figure 12C illustrates hard disk drive 104 installed to PCB backplane 402 and electrically coupled to flexible-mount electrical connection 404.

[0034] Figure 13 illustrates an example of sled 802 comprising PCB backplane 402, a wall 804, a top cover 806, a sled electrical connector 808, carrier assembly 102, hard disk drive 104 and a plurality of hard disk drives. Sled 802 is a modular unit that holds and operates an array of independent hard disk drives 104. Sled 802 holds a plurality of hard disk drives 104 in close proximity, so that many hard disk drives 104 can be fit into a defined volume. Sled electrical connector 808 electrically couples multiple hard disk drives 104 via PCB backplane 402 a rackmount enclosure. Sled 802 comprises fans or other cooling devices. Multiple sled enclosures 802 may be installed in rackmount enclosures or other support structures. In some examples, as illustrated in Figure 13, hard disk drives 104 may be mounted parallel to wall 804 of sled 802.

[0035] Figure 14 illustrates an alternate example of sled 802 comprising wall 804, top cov er 806, sled electrical connector, carrier assembly 102 and a plurality of hard disk drives 104. In this example, hard disk drives 104 are mounted perpendicular to wall 804 of sled 802. This example is particularly suitable for the example of drive divider 202 illustrated in Figure 3. In one example, drive dividers 202,204 can be integral to wall 804 of sled 802. In another example, drive dividers 202,204 can be independent of wall 804. Sled 802 has sled electrical connector 808 capable of connecting sled to external devices such as rackmount enclosures. [0036] Figure 15 illustrates one example of a rackmount enclosure 1002 comprising sleds 802, sled electrical connectors 808, a rackmount electrical connector 1004, and a plurality of hard disk drives. Rackmount enclosure 1002 may electrically couple to a plurality of sleds 802 via sled electrical connectors 808. Sleds 802 may be quickly and easily installed to (or removed from) rackmount enclosure 1002. Rackmount enclosure 1002 may electrically couple to other devices via rackmount electrical connector 1004. In another example, rackmount enclosure 1002 comprises drive dividers 202,204 carrier assembly 102 and hard disk drive 104 without sleds 802. In one example, rackmount enclosure 1002 holds ninety-eight hard disk drives 104, although a different number is possible. Rackmount enclosure 1002 may contain additional items, including but not limited to electronics, power supply systems and cooling systems.

[0037] In most examples, carrier assemblies 102, drive dividers 202,204 and hard disk drives 104 will used by the hundreds or thousands. The more hard disk drives 104 that are operating in close proximity to one another, the more vibration is generated and potentially transferred. In many examples, carrier assemblies 102, drive dividers 202,204 and hard disk drives are contained in a sled 802. In other examples, rackmount enclosure 1002 contains multiple sleds 802 containing multiple carrier assemblies 102, drive dividers 202,204, and hard disk drives 104. Other examples comprise hundreds or thousands of carrier assemblies 102, drive dividers 202,204 and hard disk drives 104 may be contained in rackmount enclosure 1002 that does not include sleds 802.

[0038] While the examples provided herein have been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred implementations, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the idea. For example, the main idea is for each hard disk drive 104 to float within an enclosure. This is accomplished by attaching electrical connectors 110 of hard disk drives 104 to flexible-mount electrical connections 404 in PCB backplane 402. The hard disk drives 104 are enclosed by carrier assembly 102 that hangs from drive dividers 202,204. Hard disk drives 104 will have linear and rotational vibration that will be damped by flexible-mount electrical connections 404 and isolation hangers 108 integral to carrier assembly 102. Accordingly, the examples provided herein are to be considered merely as illustrative and limited in scope only as specified in the appended claims.