Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-23
2001-07-10
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C360S097010, C312S332100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06259599
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention pertains to computer systems and other information handling systems and, more particularly, to a resilient foot that provides shock protection for a disk drive or other computer system component.
Hard disk drives are highly susceptible to shock induced damage. Damage due to shock is particularly problematic when the disk drive is removed from the computer system. For example, removing a disk drive from a “drive bay” in a computer system and placing it on a horizontal surface, such as a table, can produce a shock in excess of 150 g's with a duration of 2 to 3 ms, which can cause damage to the drive.
Obviously, the level of shock protection built into the drive's carrier, the speed at which the drive strikes the horizontal surface, and the hardness of that surface are all factors that will determine the resulting shock and damage to the drive.
The prior art solution to this problem is to use injection molded shock absorbing feet, which are attached to the underside of the drive's carrier using an adhesive. These injection molded feet will absorb some of the shock that results when the drive is placed on a hard surface. However, injection molded, shock absorbing feet are expensive and can cost in the range of $0.20 per part. Furthermore, the use of an adhesive to attach the feet to the carrier is problematic in the manufacturing process.
Accordingly, the invention described below includes an elastomeric or polymeric shock foot that is extruded, rather than injection molded. The extrusion process not only lowers the cost of each part from approximately $0.20 to only $0.01 per part, but the tooling cost (when compared to injection molding) is also reduced by 75% or more. The reduction in the piece part price is even more significant when one considers that four shock absorbing feet are typically used underneath each disk drive carrier. Furthermore, the invention uses an attaching tab that is inserted through a central hole in each foot to attach the foot to the drive carrier, thereby eliminating the adhesive problem associated with the prior art injection molded parts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, the invention is a disk drive or other computer system suitable for placement on a resting surface, such as a table. The system includes a disk drive or other electronic component and a carrier or housing supporting the drive or component.
Three substantially coplanar tabs, each tabs having first and second opposing ends, are attached to the carrier or housing at the first end of each tab. The second end of each tab extends out from the carrier or housing in a direction substantially parallel to the resting surface when said system is placed on the resting surface. Three extruded, resilient feet, each having first and second opposing ends and a hole extruded through each of the feet are attached to a unique one of the tabs by sliding the feet over the tabs so that the tabs are inserted into the holes in each of the feet. The feet contact the resting surface when system is placed on the resting surface.
In another embodiment, the invention is a method for manufacturing and attaching shock absorbing feet to a carrier. The carrier has a plurality of tabs, wherein each of the tabs includes first and second opposing ends. The first end of each tab is attached to the carrier, and the second end of each tab extends out from the carrier. In a first step, a resilient, extrudable, elastomeric or polymeric material is provided. Next, the resilient material is extruded into an elongated shape having an interior hole extending in the direction of extrusion. This elongated shape is then cut into a plurality of individual feet, such that each foot has two opposing ends formed at the cutting plane. Finally, the feet are attached to the carrier by sliding one end of each foot over a unique one of the tabs, such that each tab is positioned in the interior hole of each foot when the feet are attached to the carrier.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5760998 (1998-06-01), Berberich et al.
patent: 5892747 (1999-04-01), Okada et al.
patent: 5978212 (1999-11-01), Boulay et al.
patent: 6002658 (1999-12-01), Aso et al.
patent: 6108163 (2000-08-01), Boutaghou
Gamble Eric Thomas
McNulty Edward John
Duong Hung Van
International Business Machines - Corporation
McKinley Martin J.
Picard Leo P.
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