Xyratex Technology Limited

David John Orriss

Andrew William Atkins

Alexander Stephen Kay

David Ronald Bain Farquhar

Matthew Roy Hill

Steve Andrew Bailey

Kevin Richardson

An apparatus for controlling the temperature of a disk drive during manufacture of the disk drive has a cell having a mounting arrangement to which a disk drive can be mounted and having walls defining a volume in which the disk drive is received when mounted to the mounting arrangement during manufacture of the disk drive. At least one wall of the cell adjacent said volume is heat conductive and is arranged such that a disk drive when received in the volume does not touch said at least one wall. An air-agitating device agitates air between the at least one wall and a disk drive when received in the volume to encourage heat transfer between said at least one wall and a disk drive when inserted into the volume. The air-agitating device is mounted so as to be vibrationally isolated from a said disk drive when mounted in the cell.

Method and apparatus for controlling the temperature of a disk drive during manufacture

Apparatus for supporting a disk drive with a rotating disk about a disk axis and an arm which pivots over the disk about an arm axis. The disk axis and the arm axis are perpendicular to the plane of the disk. The apparatus includes a disk drive carrier having a disk drive receiving portion where disk drive can be received, and a housing in which the carrier can be received. A mounting arrangement is provided for supporting the carrier within the housing such that the center of rotation of the carrier is outside the disk drive receiving portion of the carrier. Additionally, a mounting arrangement is provided for supporting the carrier within the housing, comprising a forced pivot at or towards the opposite end of the disk drive carrier, and about which the carrier is fixed for pivotal movement in the housing.

Apparatus for supporting a disk drive about a rotation centre which is outside a disk drive receiving portion for reducing vibrations and a disk drive test apparatus using same

A disk drive test apparatus has a plurality of bays each for receiving a respective disk drive to be tested. A plurality of card slots are provided each for receiving a test card via which a disk drive can be tested. Each of the test cards is either an environment test card or an interface test card. The card slots and the test cards are arranged such that each card slot () can selectively receive an environment test card or an interface test card. Other arrangements for disk drive test apparatus or disk drive mounting apparatus are disclosed.

Housings and devices for disk drives

A mounting for a disk drive unit includes a carrier for carrying a disk drive unit during required movement of the disk drive unit. The carrier defines a space into which the disk drive unit can be inserted, and the carrier is adapted to be inserted with the disk drive unit into a receiving frame for operational use. At least two resilient devices are mounted on the carrier for securing the disk drive unit in the receiving frame when the carrier is inserted into the frame, at least one resilient device being mounted on each side of the carrier. Each resilient device is movably mounted on the carrier to allow movement of the device as a whole relative to the carrier and the resilient device is arranged to secure the disk drive unit in the receiving frame by acting between the disk drive unit and the receiving frame. A method of handling the disk drive unit includes placing the disk drive unit into the carrier engaging a robotic device with a coupling structure projecting from the front of the carrier. The method then includes lifting the carrier by the robotic device and inserting the carrier into a receiving frame by a substantially horizontal movement.

Mounting for disk drive unit and method of handling

A mounting for a disk drive unit includes a carrier for carrying a disk drive unit during required movement of the disk drive unit. The carrier defines a space into which the disk drive unit can be inserted, and the carrier is adapted to be inserted with the disk drive unit into a receiving frame for operational use. At least two resilient devices are mounted on the carrier for securing the disk drive unit in the receiving frame when the carrier is inserted into the frame, at least one resilient device being mounted on each side of the carrier to allow movement of the device as a whole relative to the carrier, and the resilient device is arranged to secure the disk drive unit in the receiving frame by acting between the disk drive unit and the receiving frame. A method of handling the disk drive unit includes placing the disk drive unit into the carrier engaging a robotic device with a coupling structure projecting from the front of the carrier. The method then includes lifting the carrier by the robotic device and inserting the carrier into a receiving frame by a substantially horizontal movement.

Growing community of inventors

Southampton, United Kingdom

David John Orriss