Apparatus and method for inhibiting high-frequency, electromagnetic interference from non-metallic hard disk drive carriers
A high-frequency energy absorbing member is used with a disk drive carrier to attenuate high-frequency electromagnetic radiation emitted from a hard disk drive housed within the disk drive carrier. The use of the high-frequency energy absorbing member allows various other components of the disk drive carrier to be manufactured from less expensive materials which are ineffective at attenuating high-frequency electromagnetic radiation.
1. A disk drive carrier which houses a hard disk drive and which has improved shielding for electromagnetic interference (EMI) emitted by the hard disk drive, comprising:
a disk drive tray which receives the hard disk drive within the disk drive carrier, the disk drive tray comprising a non-conductive material and a layer of conductive material attached to the disk drive tray to shield a portion of the EMI emitted by the hard disk drive;
a handle and a handle housing connected to a front side of the disk drive tray, the handle pivotally connected to the handle housing for moving the disk drive carrier into and out of a position in which the disk drive carrier is normally retained during use, the handle and the handle housing formed substantially of material which is substantially incapable of absorbing electromagnetic radiation; and
a high-frequency energy absorbing member located at the handle housing, the high-frequency energy absorbing member absorbing EMI emitted at the handle housing.
2. A disk drive carrier as defined in claim 1 , wherein the high-frequency energy absorbing member comprises radiation-absorbing material attached to the handle housing.
3. A disk drive carrier as defined in claim 2 , wherein the radiation-absorbing material is attached to a lateral side of the handle housing.
4. A disk drive carrier as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:
a conduction unit connected to the front side of the disk drive tray for connecting the disk drive trays of adjacent disk drive carriers when in use positions adjacent to one another, the conduction unit including a plurality of fingers which extend forward from the disk drive tray and arch over at least one lateral side of the handle housing; and wherein:
the high-frequency energy absorbing member comprises radiation-absorbing material positioned between the plurality of fingers and a lateral side of the handle housing over which the fingers arch.
5. A disk drive carrier as defined in claim 4 , wherein the high-frequency energy absorbing member comprises a strip of silicon ferrite.
6. A disk drive carrier as defined in claim 4 , wherein the high-frequency energy absorbing member comprises a layer of metal attached to the handle housing.
7. A disk drive carrier as defined in claim 6 , wherein the metal is a nickel-zinc alloy.
8. A disk drive carrier as defined in claim 4 , wherein the high-frequency energy absorbing member comprises a layer of metal attached to the handle.
9. A disk drive carrier as defined in claim 8 , wherein the metal of the layer is a nickel-zinc alloy.
10. A disk drive carrier as defined in claim 1 , wherein the layer of conductive material is a nickel-zinc alloy.
11. A disk drive carrier as defined in claim 1 , wherein the high-frequency energy absorbing member comprises silicon ferrite.
12. A disk drive carrier as defined in claim 1 , wherein the high-frequency energy absorbing member comprises nickel-zinc alloy.
13. A method of reducing electromagnetic interference (EMI) emitted from hard disk drives housed within disk drive carriers in use positions on a disk storage shelf, comprising:
using the disk drive carriers each of which has a disk drive tray for housing a hard disk drive, a handle housing connected to a front side of the disk drive tray, a handle pivotally connected to the handle housing for moving the disk drive carrier into and out of a position in which the disk drive carrier is normally retained during use on the disk storage shelf, the handle housing formed substantially of material which is substantially incapable of absorbing electromagnetic radiation;
locating a high-frequency energy absorbing member at the handle housing to absorb the EMI emitted from the disk drive at the handle and handle housing; and wherein:
the disk drive tray comprises a non-conductive material, and a layer of conductive material is attached to the disk drive tray to shield a portion of the EMI emitted by the hard disk drive.
14. A method as defined in claim 13 , wherein the high-frequency energy absorbing member comprises radiation-absorbing material attached to the handle housing.
15. A method as defined in claim 14 , wherein the radiation-absorbing material is attached to a lateral side of the handle housing.
16. A method as defined in claim 13 , wherein the high-frequency energy absorbing member comprises radiation-absorbing material, further comprising:
using a disk drive carrier which further includes a conduction unit connected to the front side of the disk drive tray for connecting the disk drive trays of adjacent disk drive carriers in the disk storage shelf in use positions adjacent to one another, the conduction unit including a plurality of fingers which extend forward from the disk drive tray and arch over at least one lateral side of the handle housing; and
locating the radiation-absorbing material between the plurality of fingers and a lateral side of the handle housing over which the fingers arch.
17. A method as defined in claim 16 , wherein the high-frequency energy absorbing member comprises a strip of silicon ferrite.
18. A method as defined in claim 16 , wherein the high-frequency energy absorbing member comprises a layer of metal attached to the handle housing.
19. A method as defined in claim 18 , wherein the metal is a nickel-zinc alloy.
20. A method as defined in claim 16 , wherein the high-frequency energy absorbing member comprises a layer of metal attached to the handle.
21. A method as defined in claim 20 , wherein the metal is a nickel-zinc alloy.
22. A method as defined in claim 13 , wherein the layer of conductive material is a nickel-zinc alloy.
23. A method as defined in claim 13 , wherein the high-frequency energy absorbing member comprises silicon ferrite.
24. A method as defined in claim 13 , wherein the high-frequency energy absorbing member comprises nickel-zinc alloy.
25. A method as defined in claim 13 , further comprising:
filling the use positions of the disk storage shelf with disk drive carriers without regard to whether hard disk drives are housed in the disk drive trays of those carriers.