Low cost rugged portable data storage device and docking station
View Patent ↗A low cost, water resistant, rugged and enclosed portable digital data storage device is provided. A two piece enclosure includes a monolithic housing and a cover, both preferably metallic. A passageway is formed in a side wall of the enclosure for plugging an external power and data line into an internal connector which extends into or adjacent the passageway. A liquid water resistant epoxy is applied over the internal connector and adjacent the passageway prior to applying the cover. The result is a low cost, water resistant enclosure with water resistant passageway for power and data lines that remains water resistant whether the external power and data lines are connected to the digital data storage device or not. A fire resistant docking station is also provided, into which the portable data storage device may be easily connected to a primary computer for transferring data.
1. A low cost, rugged and enclosed portable digital data storage device comprising:
a two piece enclosure including a housing having a floor and side walls, and a cover,
said housing being a monolithic piece
a water resistant seal between said housing and said cover
connecting means for joining said housing and said cover of said enclosure,
a digital data storage device positioned inside said two piece enclosure,
a passageway formed in a side wall of said housing
an internal data and power connection for said digital data storage device extending from said device to said passageway for connection to external power and data lines, and
water resistant sealing means within said housing and adjacent said passageway for preventing intrusion of water into said enclosure through said passageway regardless of whether said digital data storage device is connected to said external data and power lines or not
wherein said water resistant seal between said housing and said cover, together with said water resistant sealing means within said enclosure and adjacent said single passageway forms a hermetic seal for said digital data storage means, whereby sea level or low elevational atmospheric pressures are maintained even if said device is in an airplane or on a mountain top.
2. The device of claim 1 further comprising:
a fire resistant docking station for connecting said portable digital data storage device to a primary computer to transfer data from said primary computer to said portable digital data storage device, comprising:
a primary computer
a fire resistant enclosure having fire resistant walls and a fire resistant movable door,
a docking port carried by one of said walls, said docking port being connected to said primary computer,
wherein said digital data storage device has a data connection removably attachable to said docking port for transferring data from said primary computer to said portable digital data storage device,
said walls of said fire resistant enclosure forming a chamber into which said portable digital data storage device fits,
said movable door being movable between an open position in which said data connection of said portable digital data storage device may be readily connected to said docking port, and a closed position in which said movable door forms a fire resistant enclosure surrounding said portable digital data storage device with said fire resistant walls,
fire sensing means for sensing the presence of fire, and
door closure means for closing said movable door in response to the sensing of fire by said fire sensing means.
3. A fire resistant docking station for connecting a portable digital data storage device to a primary computer to transfer data from said primary computer to said portable digital data storage device, comprising:
a primary computer
a fire resistant enclosure having fire resistant walls and a fire resistant movable door,
a docking port carried by one of said walls, said docking port being connected to said primary computer,
wherein said digital data storage device has a data connection removably attachable to said docking port for transferring data from said primary computer to said portable digital data storage device,
said walls of said fire resistant enclosure forming a chamber into which said portable digital data storage device fits,
said movable door being movable between an open position in which said data connection of said portable digital data storage device may be readily connected to said docking port, and a closed position in which said movable door forms a fire resistant enclosure surrounding said portable digital data storage device with said fire resistant walls,
fire sensing means for sensing the presence of fire, and
door closure means for closing said movable door in response to the sensing of fire by said fire sensing means.