Docking apparatus for PC card devices

1. An assembly, comprising:

a docking assembly configured to be fixed in a bay of a computer, the docking assembly including a docking assembly plug, wherein the docking assembly is adapted to connect with an interface in the computer;

a carrier including a PC card device, a fan mounted in the carrier for cooling the carrier, and a carrier plug, wherein the carrier plug removeably interconnects with the docking assembly plug to enable the PC card device to communicate with the interface; and

adapter circuitry configured to couple the PC card device with the carrier plug, wherein the adapter circuitry includes a ribbon cable extending from a pin connector to the carrier plug.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the docking assembly further comprises a power connector and a cable connector.

3. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the cable connector enables the docking assembly to connect with the interface.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the docking assembly comprises a lock for holding the carrier within the docking assembly.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the PC card device comprises at least one PC card slot.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the PC card device is capable of receiving a Compact Flash, ATA Flash, or a PCMCIA card.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the PC card device comprises at least two slots configured to be used simultaneously.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the PC card device comprises a plurality of PC card slots having different sizes for receiving a plurality of cards having different sizes.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the interface comprises an IDE or SCSI interface.

10. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the carrier comprises a folding handle mounted to a front of the carrier.

11. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the carrier has a handle for removing the carrier from the docking assembly and for carrying the carrier.

12. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the carrier and docking assembly have rails for aligning the carrier with the docking assembly.

13. A combination, comprising:

a rack configured to be fixed in a bay of a memory storage device, the rack including a first connector, wherein the rack is adapted to connect with an interface in the memory storage device;

a carrier including a PC card device, a fan mounted in the carrier for cooling the carrier, and a second connector, wherein the second connector removeably interconnects with the first connector to enable the PC card device to communicate with the; and

adapter circuitry configured to couple the PC card device with the second connector, wherein the adapter circuitry includes a ribbon cable extending from a pin connector to the second connector.

14. The combination of claim 13 , wherein the rack further comprises a power connector and a cable connector.

15. The combination of claim 14 , wherein the cable connector enables the rack to connect with the interface.

16. The combination of claim 13 , wherein the rack comprises a lock for holding the carrier within the rack.

17. An assembly, comprising:

means for fixing a docking assembly in a bay of a computer;

means for connecting the docking assembly with an interface in the computer;

means for removeably interconnecting a carrier with the docking assembly, wherein the carrier comprises a PC card device, the carrier being removeably interconnected with the docking assembly such that the PC card device communicates with the interface;

means for coupling the PC card device to the docking assembly, the means for coupling including a ribbon cable coupling the PC card device to the docking assembly; and

means for cooling the carrier.