Injection molded disk drive carrier with integral latch and wire form retention

Abstract

An injection molded carrier for a disk drive or other electronic component includes two rails for slidable insertion into a chassis. Each rail includes a flexible end portion, which are joined to opposite ends of a flexible handle. Each flexible end portion includes a latch for engaging a detent in the chassis when the carrier is fully inserted into the chassis, thereby locking the carrier in the chassis. To withdraw the carrier from the chassis, the user applies an outward force to the center of the handle. This force causes the handle to bend outward which, in turn, causes the flexible end portions to bend inward, thereby disengaging the latches from the detents to permit the removal of the carrier from the chassis. A wire form includes a body portion and two legs that are angled outward from opposite ends of the body portion. To attach the disk drive to the carrier, the two legs are inserted through holes in the rails and into holes in the disk drive. When removed from the chassis, the body of the wire form is arched, and forces the legs against the distal walls of the disk drive holes. When the carrier is inserted into the chassis, the arch in the wire form is compressed, thereby increasing the retaining force of the legs in the disk drive holes. Feet are molded into the bottoms of the rails and are offset from the holes in the rails and the disk drive. If the carrier and disk drive assembly is dropped on a horizontal surface such that the feet strike the surface, the rails flex to absorb some of the shock caused by the drop.