Light-weight solid state drive with rivet sets

1. A Solid State Drive (SSD) device comprising:

a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) including a printed circuit board (PCB) defining a plurality of rivet holes that are disposed adjacent to opposing side edges thereof, a connector mounted on a front edge of the PCB, and a plurality of integrated circuit (IC) devices mounted onto one or more surfaces of the PCB;

a support structure including first and second parallel side frame rails defining a front end opening therebetween, each of the first and second side frame rails defining a plurality of rivet openings and support platforms for receiving and supporting the side edges of the PCB; and

a plurality of rivet sets, each rivet set including an associated female rivet portion having a first end cap and an elongated first body defining a central opening, and an associated male rivet portion having a second end cap and an elongated second body,

wherein the PCBA is mounted onto the support structure such that the plug connector is exposed through the front end opening, and such that each rivet hole of the plurality of rivet holes is aligned with a corresponding rivet opening of the plurality of rivet openings, and

wherein each rivet set extends through an associated rivet hole and its corresponding rivet opening such that the elongated second body of the associated male rivet portion is fixedly engaged in the central opening of the associated female rivet portion, and such that the PCBA and the support structure are held between the first and second end caps.

2. The SSD device of claim 1 ,

wherein the opposing side edges of the PCB further define one or more alignment notches,

wherein the first and second parallel side frame rails further comprise one or more alignment structures disposed such that, when the PCB is mounted onto the support structure with each said alignment structure received inside a corresponding said alignment notch, each said rivet hole is aligned with its corresponding rivet opening.

3. The SSD device of claim 1 ,

wherein the PCBA further comprises ground conductors connected to each of said a plurality of IC devices, and at least one metal ground ring surrounding at least one of said rivet holes, and

wherein at least one of said plurality of rivet sets is mounted against said at least one metal ground ring such that an electrical connection is formed by said rivet set between said at least one metal ground ring and at least one of said first and second side frame rails.

4. The SSD device of claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of rivet sets comprises one of a compression rivet structure and a blind rivet structure.

5. The SSD device of claim 1 , wherein said support structure comprises first and second bracket arms respectively including said first and second parallel side frame rails, wherein the first and second bracket arms are connected solely by said PCBA.

6. The SSD device of claim 1 , wherein said support structure further comprises a rear end frame rail integrally connected between respective rear end portions of said first and second parallel side frame rails.

7. The SSD device of claim 6 , wherein said support structure further comprises a front end frame rail integrally connected between respective front end portions of said first and second parallel side frame rails, wherein said front frame rail defines said front opening.

8. The SSD device of claim 6 ,

wherein said support structure further comprises a bottom plate integrally connected between lower edge portions of said rear end frame rail and said first and second parallel side frame rails, and

wherein the plurality of rivet holes, extend through bottom plate 141 .

9. The SSD device of claim 8 , further comprises a cover mounted onto upper edges of the first and second frame rails, said cover having an top plate disposed over an upper surface of the PCBA,

wherein the top plate defines a plurality of upper rivet holes, and

wherein each of said plurality of rivet sets extends through a corresponding one of said plurality of upper rivet holes such that the cover is secured to the support structure and the PCBA by said plurality of rivet sets, whereby the cover and the support structure form a housing that operably encloses the PCBA.

10. The SSD device of claim 6 ,

wherein the support structure comprises plastic,

wherein the SSD device further comprises a metal bottom panel mounted against lower edge portions of said rear end frame rail and said first and second parallel side frame rails, said bottom panel defining a plurality of rivet holes, and

wherein each of said plurality of rivet sets extends through a corresponding one of said plurality of lower rivet holes such that the bottom panel is secured to the support structure and the PCBA by said plurality of rivet sets.

11. The SSD device of claim 10 , further comprises a metal top panel mounted against upper edge portions of said rear end frame rail and said first and second parallel side frame rails, said top panel defining a plurality of upper rivet holes, and

wherein each of said plurality of rivet sets extends through a corresponding one of said plurality of upper rivet holes such that the top panel is secured to the bottom panel, the support structure and the PCBA by said plurality of rivet sets, whereby the top panel, the support structure and the bottom panel form a housing that operably encloses the PCBA.

12. The flash hard drive according to claim 1 , wherein the SSD device is substantially the same form factor as one of a 2.5″ Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) hard-disk drive (HDD) device, and a 1.8″ Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) hard-disk drive (HDD) device.

13. The flash hard drive according to claim 1 , wherein the flash hard drive comprises one of a Thin Small Outline Package (TSOP) form factor, a Very Very Small Outline Package (WSOP) form factor, a Ball Grid Array (BGA) form factor, and a Chip-on-Board (COB) form factor.

14. The flash hard drive according to claim 1 , wherein the connector complies with one of Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) specifications, Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) specifications, and Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI) specifications.

15. A method for manufacturing a Solid State Drive (SSD) device comprising:

mounting a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) onto a support structure, the PCBA including a printed circuit board (PCB) defining a plurality of rivet holes that are disposed adjacent to opposing side edges thereof, a connector mounted on a front edge of the PCB, and a plurality of integrated circuit (IC) devices mounted onto one or more surfaces of the PCB, the support structure including first and second parallel side frame rails defining a front end opening therebetween, each of the first and second side frame rails defining a plurality of rivet openings and support platforms for receiving and supporting the side edges of the PCB, wherein mounting the PCBA comprises disposing the plug connector through front end opening, and aligning each rivet hole of the plurality of rivet holes with a corresponding rivet opening of the plurality of rivet openings; and

connecting the PCBA to the support structure using a plurality of rivet sets, each rivet set including an associated female rivet portion having a first end cap and an elongated first body defining a central opening, and an associated male rivet portion having a second end cap and an elongated second body, wherein connecting each rivet set comprises extending the associated female rivet portion and the associated male rivet portion through an associated rivet hole and its corresponding rivet opening such that the elongated second body of the associated male rivet portion is fixedly engaged in the central opening of the associated female rivet portion, and such that the PCBA and the support structure are held between the first and second end caps.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein connecting the PCBA comprises utilizing an automated riveting tool.