Supplemental storage tray for increasing storage capacity within an information handling system

1. An information handling system comprising:

a chassis having walls defining an interior cavity within the chassis and a bottom wall defining a backplane on which one or more processors are physically connected;

at least one first storage device connected to the chassis and communicatively coupled to the processor from another location within the chassis;

a supplemental storage tray having perimeter plates defining at least one bay within the supplemental storage tray for receiving a supplemental storage device that is communicatively coupled to the processor and provides additional storage capacity to the information handling system, the supplemental storage tray being physically located above the processor and in a different location from the first storage device, each of the at least one bay having a plurality of retention features formed therein in the form of an opening in a bottom plate with a groove that extends partially towards a front plate for receiving an L-shaped hook that extends from a bottom surface of a storage device carrier frame.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the chassis further comprises:

a first side wall and a second side wall connected to the bottom wall, the bottom wall, the first side wall and the second side wall defining the interior cavity; and

a cover mounted to the first and second side walls.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the supplemental storage tray further comprises:

a first side plate and a second side plate connected to a bottom plate; a front plate and a rear plate connected to the bottom plate;

the bottom plate, the first side plate, the second side plate, the front plate and the rear plate defining the bay.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the supplemental storage tray further comprises:

at least one rail extending from at least one side plate, the rail extending over a wall of the chassis such that the supplemental storage tray is suspended from the wall.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the supplemental storage tray further comprises:

at least one retention mechanism connected to the supplemental storage tray, the retention mechanism configured to selectively hold and release the supplemental storage device, wherein the at least one retention mechanism is affixed to the bottom plate and comprises a bracket, a handle, and a lock having a spring-loaded latch that engages a tab latch on an inner side of the front plate when the handle is rotated to a closed position.

6. The information handling system of claim 5 , further comprising:

the supplemental storage device, wherein the supplemental storage device comprises a carrier affixed to the supplemental storage device, the carrier engaged with the retention mechanism such that the carrier is retained to the bottom plate.

7. The information handling system of claim 5 , wherein the retention mechanism further comprises:

a bracket affixed to the supplemental storage tray;

a handle connected to the bracket; and

a lock mounted to the handle, the lock retaining the handle in a closed position.

8. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the supplemental storage tray further comprises:

a printed circuit board connected to a rear plate of the supplemental storage tray;

at least one connector affixed to the printed circuit board; and

a cable connected between the printed circuit board and the backplane.

9. The information handling system of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one airflow movement device coupled to the chassis for moving air across the processor and the at least one first storage device.

10. The information handling system of claim 9 , wherein a gap is formed between a bottom surface of the supplemental storage tray and a top of the one or more processors, wherein air generated by the air flow movement device is directed to flow through the gap.

11. A supplemental storage tray for use with an information handling system, the information handling system having at least one first storage device connected to a chassis and communicatively coupled to a processor, the supplemental storage tray comprising:

a plurality of perimeter plates defining at least one bay within the supplemental storage tray, the supplemental storage tray connected to a chassis of the information handling system in a position that is located physically above the processor and separate from the at least one first storage device, the supplemental storage tray configured to receive a supplemental storage device that provides additional storage capacity to the information handling system, each of the at least one bay having a plurality of retention features formed therein in the form of an opening in a bottom plate with a groove that extends partially towards a front plate for receiving an L-shaped hook that extends from a bottom surface of a storage device carrier frame.

12. The supplemental storage tray of claim 11 , further comprising:

a first and a second side plate connected to a bottom plate;

a front plate and a rear plate connected to the bottom plate;

the bottom plate, the first side plate, the second side plate, the front plate and the rear plate defining the bay; and

at least one retention feature formed in the bottom plate.

13. The supplemental storage tray of claim 11 , further comprising:

at least one rail extending from at least one side plate of the supplemental storage tray, the rail extending over the chassis such that the supplemental storage tray is suspended from the chassis.

14. The supplemental storage tray of claim 11 , further comprising:

a retention mechanism connected to the supplemental storage tray, the retention mechanism configured to selectively hold and release the supplemental storage device, wherein the retention mechanism further comprises:

a bracket affixed to the supplemental storage tray;

a handle connected to the bracket; and

a lock mounted to the handle, the lock retaining the handle in a closed position.

15. The supplemental storage tray of claim 14 , wherein the supplemental storage device further comprises:

a carrier affixed to the supplemental storage device, the carrier engaged with the retention mechanism such that the carrier is retained to the bottom plate.

16. The supplemental storage tray of claim 10 , wherein the chassis further comprises:

at least one airflow movement device coupled to the chassis for moving air across the processor and the at least one first storage device; and

a gap formed between a bottom surface of the supplemental storage tray and a top of the processor, wherein air generated by the air flow movement device is directed to flow through the gap.

17. A method for increasing storage within an electronic enclosure having at least one first storage device, the method comprising:

mounting a supplemental storage tray into a non-essential area within a cavity above a processor within an information handling system chassis, such that the supplemental storage tray is suspended above the processor and other functional components affixed to a backplane, the supplemental storage tray having perimeter plates defining at least one bay, each of the at least one bay having a plurality of retention features formed therein in the form of an opening in a bottom plate with a groove that extends partially towards a front plate for receiving an L-shaped hook that extends from a bottom surface of a storage device carrier frame; and

securing at least one supplemental storage device in the bay using a retention mechanism attached to the supplemental storage tray, the supplemental storage device being a different storage device from the at least one first storage device and physically located in a different location of the information handling system chassis; and

communicatively coupling the at least one supplemental storage device with the processor to provide additional storage capacity within the electronic enclosure beyond a storage capacity of the at least one first storage device.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

forming the supplemental storage tray with a bottom plate, a first side plate, a second side plate, a front plate and a rear plate; and

attaching the retention mechanism to the supplemental storage tray, the retention mechanism configured to selectively hold and release the supplemental storage device via a carrier affixed to the supplemental storage device that engages with the retention feature.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

forming at least one rail that extends from at least one side plate;

positioning the rails relative to the chassis such that the supplemental storage tray is suspended from the chassis.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

affixing a bracket to the supplemental storage tray;

connecting a handle to the bracket; and

mounting a lock to the handle, the lock retaining the handle in a closed position.