Method and apparatus of packaging disk drives in a data storage system
View Patent ↗A high density storage device packaging apparatus in which storage devices are oriented to have lateral faces parallel to each other and to edges of a module in which the storage devices are mounted. The storage devices are connected to a board contained in the module by a plug-in action. The board contains a controller to control the operation of the storage devices including the READ and WRITE operations. The RSM is capable of holding a large number of storage devices and capable of being inserted into a cabinet by a plug-in connection. The RSM includes a housing that covers and protects the storage devices and includes air channels to allow the storage devices to cool. The invention provides a solution for high density packaging of the storage devices and allows for easy access to the storage devices and allows for replacement of failed storage devices without disruption of the remainder of storage devices in the RSM or in the cabinet.
1. A storage device comprising:
a cabinet capable of holding a plurality of modules capable of containing a plurality of storage devices, said cabinet having a docking port being configured to electrically connect to said modules;
each module of said plurality of modules including: a board having a plurality of ports, each port of said plurality of ports being capable of electrically coupling to a storage device, and said plurality of ports being arranged in two rows, one row of ports along each of two lengthwise edges of the board and one row of ports being staggered with respect to the other row of ports so that ports of one row are not transversely aligned with ports of the other row, wherein a coupling direction of the ports is outward from the board so that a plurality of storage devices when coupled to the ports are arranged in rows with component sides of the storage devices facing away from each other and with non-component sides of the storage devices facing each other.
2. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein each module further includes a side housing member having raised portions and lowered portions, said raised portions providing a channel to allow airflow through said module.
3. The storage device of claim 2 , wherein each module further includes a top housing member having lateral raised portions and lateral lowered portions, said lateral raised portions providing a channel to allow airflow through said module.
4. The storage device of claim 3 , wherein said top housing member includes a plurality of individually removable segments.
5. The storage device of claim 2 , wherein each module further includes a bottom housing portion having raised bottom portions and lowered bottom portions, said raised bottom portions providing a channel to allow placement of interconnections to said plurality of ports.
6. The storage device of claim 5 , wherein lowered bottom portions provide mechanical support to said board.
7. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein said board further includes an electrical connector capable of electrically coupling said module to said docking port in said cabinet.
8. The storage device of claim 7 , wherein said board further includes a latching mechanism capable of mechanically connecting said module to said docking port in said cabinet.
9. The storage device of claim 8 , wherein each module of said plurality of modules is configured to be electrically disconnected and mechanically removed from a docking port within said cabinet by a single operation, and to allow a single disk drive of said plurality of disk drives to be removed without disturbing a connection of other disk drives connected to the board of the module.
10. A storage apparatus comprising:
a board having a plurality of ports, each port of said plurality of ports being capable of electrically coupling to a storage device, and said plurality of ports being arranged in two rows, one row of ports along each of two lengthwise edges of the board and one row of ports being staggered with respect to the other row of ports so that ports of one row are not transversely aligned with ports of the other row, wherein a coupling direction of the ports is outward from the board so that a plurality of storage devices when coupled to the ports are arranged in rows with component sides of the storage devices facing away from each other and with non-component sides of the storage devices facing each other; and
a housing holding said board and configured to hold a plurality of devices in rows with a lateral surface of said storage devices facing parallel to a lateral edge of said board when said plurality of devices are coupled to said board.
11. The storage apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said housing further includes a side housing member having raised portions and lowered portions, said raised portions providing a channel to allow airflow through said module.
12. The storage apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said housing further includes a top housing member having lateral raised portions and lateral lowered portions, said lateral raised portions providing a channel to allow airflow through said module.
13. The storage apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said top housing member includes a plurality of individually removable segments.
14. The storage apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said housing further includes a bottom housing portion having raised bottom portions and lowered bottom portions, said raised bottom portions providing a channel to allow placement of interconnections to said plurality of ports.
15. The storage apparatus of claim 14 , wherein lowered bottom portions provide mechanical support to said board.
16. The storage apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said board further includes an electrical connector capable of receiving a signal.
17. The storage apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising:
a latching mechanism.
18. The storage apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the storage apparatus is configured to be electrically disconnected and mechanically removed from a docking port within said cabinet by a single operation, and to allow a single disk drive of said plurality of disk drives to be removed without disturbing a connection of other disk drives coupled to the board.
19. The storage apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said housing is made of thermally conductive material.
20. A method of packaging storage devices having a control connector on an end surface at an edge of each storage device, wherein each storage device also has a component side on a surface adjacent to the control connector and parallel with a direction of coupling of the end connector, wherein each storage device also has a non-component side on a surface facing opposite to the component side, the method comprising the steps of:
A) orienting a first storage device so that an end having a first storage device control connector faces a board and a lateral surface of the first storage device is parallel to a first lateral edge of said board and said board has a plurality of ports arranged in rows, each port of said plurality of ports being capable of electrically connecting to a control connector and one row of ports being staggered with respect to the another row of ports so that ports of one row are not transversely aligned with ports of the other row;
B) pushing the first storage device on to said board so that the first storage device control connector becomes electrically connected to a first port on said board;
C) orienting a second storage device so that an end having a second storage device control connector faces the board and the non-component side of the first storage device is adjacent to the non-component side of the second storage device and a lateral surface of the second storage device is parallel to a second lateral edge of said board, and an opposite lateral surface of the second storage device is parallel to another lateral surface of said first storage device, said second lateral edge of said board being opposite to the first lateral edge of said board; and
D) pushing the second storage device on to said board so that the second storage device control connector becomes electrically connected to a second port on said board.
21. The method of packaging storage devices according to claim 20 , further comprising the step of:
repeating steps A through D until all of the plurality of ports are attached to a storage device.
22. The method of packaging storage devices according to claim 20 , further comprising the step of:
covering said board, said first storage device and said second storage device with a housing, said housing having side housing member having raised portions and lowered portions, said raised portions providing a channel to allow airflow through said module.
23. The method of packaging storage devices according to claim 22 , wherein said housing further includes a bottom housing portion having raised bottom portions and lowered bottom portions, said raised bottom portions providing a channel to allow placement of interconnections to said plurality of ports.
24. The method of packaging storage devices according to claim 22 , wherein said board further includes an electrical connector, the method further comprising the step of inserting said housing in a cabinet suited for holding a plurality of housings having a plurality of storage devices and electrically connecting the electrical connector to a docking port in the cabinet.
25. The method of packaging storage devices according to claim 24 , wherein said board further includes a latching mechanism.
26. The method of packaging storage devices according to claim 25 , wherein the steps of latching the latching mechanism and electrically connecting the electrical connector occur by the same action of an operator.
27. The method of packaging storage devices according to claim 25 , further comprising the steps of unlatching the latching mechanism and disconnecting the electrical connector occur by the same action of an operator.
28. The method of packaging storage devices according to claim 20 , wherein the action of pushing the first storage device in step B electrically connects and mechanically connects the first storage device to the board in a single operation.
29. The method of packaging storage devices according to claim 28 , wherein the action of pushing the second storage device in step D electrically connects and mechanically connects the second storage device to the board in a single operation.
30. The storage device of claim 1 wherein each row of ports is longitudinally aligned and ports in each row are equally spaced from each other.
31. The storage device of claim 30 wherein each of said ports comprises a shoulder.
32. The storage apparatus of claim 10 wherein each row of ports is longitudinally aligned and ports in each row are equally spaced from each other.
33. The storage apparatus of claim 32 wherein each of said ports comprises a shoulder.