IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,957,361
Granted Patent B2
US 10,957,361 · App. 16/127,131 · Granted Mar 23, 2021

Tool-less storage device adaptor tray with slider mechanism

Inventors: Richard Chen (San Jose, CA); Lawrence H. Liang (San Jose, CA); Che-ming Yang (Palo Alto, CA)
Assignee: Super Micro Computer, Inc.
G11B33/022G06F1/187G11B33/124F16M13/02H05K7/1417
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,957,361
App. No.
16/127,131
Granted
Mar 23, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A storage device tray has a form factor designed to support a larger storage device, and is configured to secure a small storage device, thereby acting as an adapter between storage device sizes. The storage device tray includes a sliding mechanism configured with pegs that may couple to screw holes in the storage device. The sliding mechanism also exerts a force against the storage device to secure that storage device, and may be locked to further secure that storage device. At least one advantage of this approach is that a storage device can be coupled to a storage device tray without using screws.

Claims (26)

1. A storage device tray, comprising:

a sideplate;

a baseplate;

a sliding mechanism that is coupled to the baseplate, slides laterally relative to the sideplate, and secures a storage device against the sideplate, wherein the sliding mechanism includes a locking mechanism that restricts lateral displacement of the sliding mechanism relative to the sideplate.

2. The storage device tray of claim 1 , wherein the sliding mechanism includes a first threadless peg configured to be introduced into a first screw hole within the storage device when the sliding mechanism secures the storage device against the sideplate.

3. The storage device tray of claim 1 , wherein the sideplate includes a second threadless peg configured to be introduced into a second screw hole within the storage device when the sliding mechanism secures the storage device against the sideplate.

4. The storage device tray of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism restricts lateral travel of the sliding mechanism upon being locked.

5. The storage device tray of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism exerts a force on the sliding mechanism upon being locked to secure the storage device against the sideplate.

6. The storage device tray of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a lever that, when closed in a locked position, forces the sliding mechanism against the storage device.

7. The storage device tray of claim 1 , wherein the sliding mechanism is coupled to the baseplate via at least one screw.

8. The storage device tray of claim 7 , wherein the at least one screw allows the sliding mechanism to slide laterally towards the sideplate and imposes a mechanical limit on the sliding mechanism.

9. The storage device tray of claim 1 , wherein the storage device tray has a form factor capable of housing a 3.5-inch storage device, and wherein the storage device comprises a 2.5-inch storage device.

10. The storage device tray of claim 1 , wherein the storage device comprises at least one of a hard disk drive or a solid-state drive.

11. A sliding mechanism, comprising:

a first surface coupled to a baseplate of a storage device tray, wherein the sliding mechanism slides laterally relative to a sideplate of the storage device tray;

a second surface that secures a storage device against the sideplate of the storage device tray; and

a locking mechanism that restricts lateral displacement of the sliding mechanism relative to the sideplate.

12. The sliding mechanism of claim 11 , wherein the second surface includes a first threadless peg configured to be introduced into a first screw hole within the storage device when the second surface secures the storage device against the sideplate of the storage device tray.

13. The sliding mechanism of claim 11 , wherein the sideplate includes a second threadless peg configured to be introduced into a second screw hole within the storage device when the second surface secures the storage device against the sideplate of the storage device tray.

14. The sliding mechanism of claim 11 , wherein the locking mechanism restricts lateral travel of the sliding mechanism upon being locked.

15. The sliding mechanism of claim 11 , wherein the locking mechanism exerts a force on the sliding mechanism upon being locked to secure the storage device against the sideplate.

16. The sliding mechanism of claim 11 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a lever that, when closed in a locked position, forces the sliding mechanism against the storage device.

17. The sliding mechanism of claim 11 , wherein the first surface is coupled to the baseplate of the storage device tray via at least one screw.

18. The sliding mechanism of claim 17 , wherein the at least one screw allows the sliding mechanism to slide laterally towards the sideplate of the storage device tray and imposes a mechanical limit on the sliding mechanism.

19. The sliding mechanism of claim 11 , wherein the storage device tray has a form factor capable of housing a 3.5-inch storage device, and wherein the storage device comprises a 2.5-inch storage device.

20. The sliding mechanism of claim 11 , wherein the storage device comprises at least one of a hard disk drive or a solid-state drive.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 20, 2026
From: SUPER MICRO COMPUTER, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 074447/0643 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 5, 2018
From: CHEN, RICHARD; LIANG, LAWRENCE H.; YANG, CHE-MING
To: SUPER MICRO COMPUTER, INC.
Reel/Frame 047080/0193 →
Continuity (2)
Division 14802961 · Jul 17, 2015
Related Publication 20190005988A1 · Jan 3, 2019