Sun Microsystems, Inc.

William L Grouell

Fay Chong, Jr

Glenn Patrick Charest

David M Bradley

Ronald L Barnes

Thomas E Stewart

Clifford B Willis

Robert J Lajara

Steven J Furuta

Vincent P Hileman

Nagaraj P Mitty

Lawrence E Piercey

John A Harada

Michael McCormick

Loren R Davidson

Joseph A Tombari

Craig M Leveralt

A component device carrier system includes a component device frame, a component device collar, and a clocked gear assembly providing motion in at least two directions. The component device collar is disposed around a component device. The component device collar is received in the component device frame to guide and position the component device. Gears on the component device frame mesh with the clocked gear assembly to enable motion in the at least two directions for positioning and securing the component device and for connecting and disconnecting the component device. A component carrier blade supports and arranges a plurality of component devices in at least one linear array.

Device carrier system

An interconnecting device for a data processing system. The interconnecting device comprises a first plurality of connection ports for connecting to first components of the data processing system. The interconnecting device further comprises a second plurality of connection ports for connecting to second components of the data processing system. And, a cover is affixed over the first plurality of connection ports to restrict access to the first plurality of connection ports.

Apparatuses and methods of physically restricting access to a connecting device for use with a data processing system

An ejector mechanism. The ejector mechanism includes an ejector pair, pivotally mounted on a surface of the carrier. Each ejector of the ejector pair comprises an ejector slot that is engageable with an ejector pin that is located on a chassis, which accommodates the carrier. A plurality of gear teeth are configured into each ejector wherein the gear teeth on one ejector engage or disengage with the gear teeth on another ejector as the ejector pair pivotally rotates about a point on the carrier. A handle is affixed to one ejector to facilitate the moving of the ejector pair.

Ejector mechanism and a carrier including same

A light guide for an interconnecting device. The light guide comprises a first section having a Fiber Channel connector disposed therein and a second section having a Fiber Channel receptacle disposed therein. The second section is coupled to the first section. A mirror section is disposed within either the second section or the first section to direct light out the Fiber Channel receptacle.

Interconnecting device for a data processing system

An adapter for an interconnecting device. The adapter comprises a backboard having a first end and a second end. A connector having first conductive elements is coupled to the first end. A receptacle having second conductive elements is coupled to the second end. A plurality of conductive lines is coupled to the backboard. The plurality of conductive lines electrically connects the first conductive elements to the second conductive elements.

Interconnecting device that allows for connections in small space

An alignment device includes a crossbar and two brackets. Each one of the two brackets includes at least one guide hole, with each guide hole having a front opening. The crossbar couples the two brackets and defines a connector opening. The alignment device also includes two connector alignment posts. Each one of the two connector alignment posts has a first end coupled to the crossbar and an opposing end protruding into the connector opening. A method of connecting a circuit card to a mid plane and a computer including the alignment device also are described.

Alignment device and method of connecting a circuit card to a mid plane

A variably positionable electrical connector provides a direct interface for a disk drive or other electrical device to a printed circuit board (PCB), backplane or motherboard of a computer system. The connector has a base (which may comprise a PCB or backplane) and a housing that slides relative to the base to allow the housing to be positioned according to the spacing between the electrical device's power and signal connectors. The housing includes multiple electrical contacts that receive or engage corresponding contacts of the device. Conductors that are electrically coupled to the computer system extend from the base and include portions that are aligned substantially parallel to a direction in which the housing can slide. The housing contacts slidably engage the parallel portions of the conductors and, as the housing is moved, the housing contacts slidably maintain electrical contact with the conductors. Either or both of the computer system's power and signal connectors that engage the device's connectors may be variably positionable, with the conductors of the variably positionable connector being coupled either to a power supply or a signal source (e.g., processor, bus, memory) as appropriate.

Variably positionable electrical connector

A method and apparatus may be employed for maintaining cooling efficiency during air mover failure. An electrical enclosure may include a heat-generating thermal load, multiple air movers configured to remove heat from the thermal load, and a backward-airflow reducing device configured to reduce the amount of air that can be drawn backwards through one of the air movers if that air mover fails. The backward-airflow reducing device may be a valve configured to open while the air mover if functioning and to close when the air mover is not functioning.

Maintaining cooling efficiency during air mover failure

Various methods and systems for cooling high-density arrangements of disk drives are disclosed. A disk drive enclosure includes several stacked layers of disk drives and one or more air movers. Some of the air movers are configured to cool the disk drives by creating an airflow. The disk drives are configured to operate as a network or computer storage system. Instead of being arranged in a traditional, aligned arrangement, the disk drives are arranged in an offset or staggered arrangement so that at least one disk drive in a first layer is offset from an overlapping disk drive in a second layer. The offset is in a direction parallel to the plane that includes the first layer. As a result, at least part of one of the disk drives in the arrangement is exposed to more of the airflow than it would be exposed to in an aligned arrangement.

Storage device arrangement for increased cooling

An apparatus and methods are provided for interfacing a disk drive to a computer system without requiring conventional power and signal cables between the apparatus and the disk drive. An interface assembly comprises a set of power connectors and a set of signal connectors for receiving corresponding connectors of a disk drive. One or more of the assembly connectors (e.g., the power connectors) are translatable in at least one dimension so that the assembly is not limited to disk drives having a particular spacing between their power and signal connectors. The interface assembly may comprise two printed circuit boards (PCB) or backplanes&mdash;one for the power connectors and one for the signal connectors. In this configuration one of the PCBs defines a set of apertures through which the connectors of the other PCB protrude, and the other PCB is slidably or otherwise translatable along a portion of the length of the first PCB so that the protruding connectors are movable within the apertures. The two PCBs may be interconnected to provide a single connection point to the host computer system or, alternatively, each PCB may connect separately. An assembly may include power and signal connectors for interfacing one disk drive or multiple disk drives and may, additionally, be configured to accept multiple disk drives having multiple different spacings between their power and signal connectors.

Disk drive interface with variably spaceable connectors

An enclosure is assembled from metal-plated rigid structural foam plastic components to house in minimal space in many hard disk drives. Major components, including the power supply, plug directly to a motherboard at the rear of the enclosure, eliminating internal cables. The parts fit together in snap-in fashion in such manner that the back will not close if parts are not installed properly. For ventilation, slots are formed in the sides and a central partition which permit air from fans on one side to flow laterally across all the disk drives and then out through slots in the opposite side. A side facing door permits easy access to all drives simultaneously for service and upgrade.

Multiple disk drive storage enclosure with ventilation

A plate formed with louvers and a depression to heat engage a hard disk drive motor is attached to such a drive. Heat from the motor is transferred to the plate. The louvers dissipate heat especially if they are in the path of a blower. The plate also protects the user from contact with drive components if touched during installation or removal of the drive while the drive is connected to a computer while electrically energized.

Hard disk drive heat sink

The present invention is a computer housing with a low noise cooling system. The computer housing is comprised of two principal members, a cover and a base. Both a left surface and a right surface of the cover are perforated with vents to allowing the passage of air through the housing. The base additionally incorporates two air intake holes with a power source for the computer disposed over these air intake holes. The passage of air through the housing is facilitated through the use of three fans. These three fans are attached directly to the power source, and each of these fans operates at a different fan speed. The fan speeds are additionally adjusted in response to the outside ambient temperature. In operation, air enters the computer housing of the present invention through the vent array on the left surface of the cover, and the air intake holes in the base. The air is then channeled under the power source, dissipating the heat generated by the power source, blown across the components in the housing, and passed out of the housing through the vent array disposed on the left surface of the cover. The flow of air from one of the fans is advantageously deflected and channeled with a deflector.

Growing community of inventors

San Ramon, CA, United States of America

William L Grouell