IP Library Granted Patent US 10,416,731
Granted Patent B2
US 10,416,731 · App. 15/933,571 · Granted Sep 17, 2019

Data storage drive module carrier assembly

Inventors: Andrew Rudolph Heyd (Longmont, CO); Brenden Michael Rust (Loveland, CO); Seth Walsh (Superior, CO); Jason Breakstone (Broomfield, CO); Christopher R. Long (Colorado Springs, CO)
Assignee: Liqid Inc.
G06F1/187G11B33/128H05K7/1487
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,416,731
App. No.
15/933,571
Granted
Sep 17, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A data storage sled is provided. The data storage sled includes a circuit card assembly comprising connectors for coupling to drive modules and a host connector for coupling the data storage sled to an external connector, an enclosure comprising apertures in the enclosure through which individual ones of the drive modules can be inserted into an associated connector on the circuit card assembly. The data storage sled also includes drive module mounting assembles configured to hold the individual ones of the drive modules into the associated connector by at least including movable mounting features to accommodate varying lengths among the individual ones of the drive modules.

Claims (45)

1. A data storage sled, comprising:

a circuit card assembly comprising a plurality of connectors for coupling to drive modules and a host connector for coupling the data storage sled to an external connector;

drive module mounting assembles configured to hold the individual ones of the drive modules into the associated connector by at least including adjustable mounting features to accommodate lengths of the individual ones of the drive modules.

2. The data storage sled of claim 1 , wherein the drive modules each comprise M.2 solid state drive (SSD) modules, and wherein the mounting assemblies are configured to accommodate M.2 SSD modules of the varying lengths at least comprising 60 millimeters, 80 millimeters, and 110 millimeters.

3. The data storage sled of claim 1 , comprising:

the drive module mounting assembles comprising a coarse adjustment features and fine adjustment features, the coarse adjustment features configured to select among standardized lengths of the drive modules and the fine adjustment features configured to hold an associated drive module in the associated connector and compensate for variability in the standardized lengths of the drive modules.

4. The data storage sled of claim 3 , wherein the fine adjustment features are configured to hold the associated drive module in the associated connector using a spring-loaded end mount which engages an end of the associated drive module opposite of the connector and holds the associated drive module into the connector.

5. The data storage sled of claim 3 , comprising:

an enclosure comprising apertures in the enclosure through which individual ones of the drive modules can be inserted into an associated connector on the circuit card assembly; and

wherein the coarse adjustment features comprise arms on the drive module mounting assembles which locate into side channels of the enclosure to select among the standardized lengths of the drive modules.

6. The data storage sled of claim 5 , wherein the side channels of the enclosure comprise a plurality of widened slot features to accommodate the arms at predetermined locations corresponding to the standardized lengths of the drive modules.

7. The data storage sled of claim 1 , further comprising:

an enclosure comprising apertures in the enclosure through which individual ones of the drive modules can be inserted into an associated connector on the circuit card assembly; and

an ejection spring within the enclosure configured to engage a pin of a storage assembly upon insertion of the data storage sled into the storage assembly, wherein the ejection spring is compressed due to the insertion of the data storage sled into the storage assembly;

a channel in the enclosure that allows the pin of the storage assembly clearance to engage the ejection spring and prevent insertion of the data storage sled in an incorrect orientation into the storage assembly.

8. The data storage sled of claim 7 , further comprising:

an ejection button configured to eject the data storage sled from the storage assembly using compression of the ejection spring to disengage the data storage sled from the storage assembly, the ejection button coupled to a latch feature of the data storage sled that engages a slot in the storage assembly to hold the data storage sled in the storage assembly while the ejection spring remains compressed.

9. The data storage sled of claim 8 , further comprising:

an indicator light coupled to the ejection button and configured to indicate at least an ejection status of the data storage sled.

10. The data storage sled of claim 1 , wherein the drive modules each comprise a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) interface which couples to the associated connector of the circuit card assembly; and further comprising:

a PCIe switch coupled to the circuit card assembly and configured to communicatively couple associated PCIe interfaces of the drive modules over the host connector comprising at least one PCIe interface.

11. A data storage assembly comprising a plurality of removable data storage sleds, comprising:

partition features configured to divide the data storage assembly into a plurality of bays each configured to hold an associated data storage sled;

compression pins included in each of the plurality of bays to engage ejection springs of the data storage sleds;

each of the plurality of data storage sleds comprising:

a circuit card assembly comprising a plurality of connectors for coupling to drive modules and a host connector for coupling the data storage sled to an external connector;

drive module mounting assembles configured to hold the individual ones of the drive modules into the associated connector by at least including adjustable mounting features to accommodate lengths of the individual ones of the drive modules.

12. The data storage assembly of claim 11 , wherein the drive modules each comprise M.2 solid state drive (SSD) modules, and wherein the mounting assemblies are configured to accommodate M.2 SSD modules of the varying lengths at least comprising 60 millimeters, 80 millimeters, and 110 millimeters.

13. The data storage assembly of claim 11 , each of the plurality of data storage sleds comprising:

the drive module mounting assembles comprising a coarse adjustment features and fine adjustment features, the coarse adjustment features configured to select among standardized lengths of the drive modules and the fine adjustment features configured to hold an associated drive module in the associated connector and compensate for variability in the standardized lengths of the drive modules.

14. The data storage assembly of claim 13 , wherein the fine adjustment features are configured to hold the associated drive module in the associated connector using a spring-loaded end mount which engages an end of the associated drive module opposite of the connector and holds the associated drive module into the connector.

15. The data storage assembly of claim 13 , each of the plurality of data storage sleds further comprising:

an enclosure comprising a plurality of apertures in the enclosure through which individual ones of the drive modules can be inserted into an associated connector on the circuit card assembly;

wherein the coarse adjustment features comprise arms on the drive module mounting assembles which locate into side channels of the enclosure to select among the standardized lengths of the drive modules.

16. The data storage assembly of claim 15 , wherein the side channels of the enclosure comprise a plurality of widened slot features to accommodate the arms at predetermined locations corresponding to the standardized lengths of the drive modules.

17. The data storage assembly of claim 11 , each of the plurality of data storage sleds further comprising:

an enclosure comprising a plurality of apertures in the enclosure through which individual ones of the drive modules can be inserted into an associated connector on the circuit card assembly;

an ejection spring within the enclosure configured to engage an associated one of the compression pins of the storage assembly upon insertion of the data storage sled into the data storage assembly, wherein the ejection spring is compressed due to the insertion of the data storage sled into the data storage assembly;

a channel in the enclosure that allows the associated one of the compression pins of the data storage assembly clearance to engage the ejection spring and prevent insertion of the data storage sled in an incorrect orientation into the data storage assembly.

18. The data storage assembly of claim 17 , each of the plurality of data storage sleds further comprising:

an ejection button configured to eject the data storage sled from the data storage assembly using compression of the ejection spring to disengage the data storage sled from the data storage assembly, the ejection button coupled to a latch feature of the data storage sled that engages an associated slot in the data storage assembly to hold the data storage sled in the data storage assembly while the ejection spring remains compressed.

19. The data storage assembly of claim 18 , each of the plurality of data storage sleds further comprising:

an indicator light coupled to the ejection button and configured to indicate at least an ejection status of the data storage sled.

20. The data storage assembly of claim 11 , wherein the drive modules each comprise a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) interface which couples to the associated connector of the circuit card assembly; and each of the plurality of data storage sleds further comprising:

a PCIe switch coupled to the circuit card assembly and configured to communicatively couple associated PCIe interfaces of the drive modules over the host connector comprising at least one PCIe interface.

Assignments (4)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 16, 2021
From: CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE
To: LIQID INC.
Reel/Frame 055953/0860 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 5, 2021
From: LIQID INC.
To: HORIZON TECHNOLOGY FINANCE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054900/0539 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 3, 2019
From: LIQID INC.
To: CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE
Reel/Frame 050630/0636 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 23, 2018
From: HEYD, ANDREW RUDOLPH; RUST, BRENDEN MICHAEL; WALSH, SETH; BREAKSTONE, JASON; LONG, CHRISTOPHER R.
To: LIQID INC.
Reel/Frame 045324/0035 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 15334285 · Oct 25, 2016
Continuation 14732448 · Jun 5, 2015
Provisional Application 62008289 · Jun 5, 2014
Related Publication 20180210519A1 · Jul 26, 2018
Cited By (2)
US 12,219,721 US 12,349,304