Hard disk hot plug installation device and server cabinet

Abstract

The invention discloses a hard disk hot plug installation device and a server cabinet, and relates to the technical field of servers, and the hard disk hot plug installation device comprises a plug positioning mechanism, a hard disk tray and a hot plug protection mechanism. Wherein the plugging positioning mechanism comprises a moving plate and a plugging positioning assembly, the moving plate is movably connected to the server cabinet, the moving plate is used for moving relative to the slot in the first direction, the plugging positioning assembly is arranged on the moving plate, and the plugging positioning assembly is used for positioning the hard disk at the plugging position of the corresponding slot; the hard disk tray is rotatably connected to the moving plate, and the hard disk tray is used for rotating around the axis in the first direction relative to the moving plate and installing a hard disk; the hot plug protection mechanism is installed on the hard disk tray and used for controlling current change when the hard disk is inserted into the slot or pulled out of the slot so as to protect the hard disk and the server. According to the hard disk hot plug installation device, the hard disk can be quickly, accurately and safely inserted into the backboard slot.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of servers, and in particular to a hard disk hot-plug installation device and a server cabinet. Background Art

[0002] At present, hard disk hot-swap means that during the operation of a computer or server, the hard disk can be directly inserted or removed without shutting down the system, without affecting the normal operation of the system. This technology allows users to replace or add storage devices without interrupting services, improving the flexibility and availability of the system. However, the current hot-swap installation of hard disks is mainly done by manual visual inspection, that is, manual visual inspection of the position of the backplane slot, and manual adjustment of the hard disk's posture before inserting it into the backplane slot. The disadvantages of this installation method are as follows:

[0003] First, manually plugging in and out hard disks takes a certain amount of time, especially when multiple hard disks need to be plugged in, which significantly reduces work efficiency;

[0004] Second, manual operation relies on the operator's sight and feel, which can easily lead to problems such as inaccurate alignment of the hard disk and the backplane slot, misoperation, etc., resulting in damage to the hard disk or backplane slot;

[0005] Third, it is difficult to achieve unified operating standards through manual operation. The force, angle and speed of each plugging and unplugging may not be consistent, affecting the service life of the hard drive and the security of the data.

[0006] Therefore, it is necessary for those skilled in the art to provide a hard disk hot-swap installation device that can insert a hard disk into a backplane slot quickly, accurately and safely. Summary of the invention

[0007] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a hard disk hot-swap installation device and a server cabinet, which can realize the fast, accurate and safe insertion of the hard disk into the backplane slot.

[0008] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a hard disk hot-swap installation device, which is used to be arranged on a server cabinet so that the hard disk can be installed in a slot of a backplane. The hard disk hot-swap installation device includes:

[0009] A plug-in positioning mechanism, the plug-in positioning mechanism comprises a moving plate and a plug-in positioning assembly, the moving plate is movably connected to the server cabinet, the moving plate is used to move relative to the slot along a first direction, the plug-in positioning assembly is arranged on the moving plate, and the plug-in positioning assembly is used to position the hard disk at a position plugged with the corresponding slot;

[0010] A hard disk tray, the hard disk tray is rotatably connected to the movable plate, the hard disk tray is used to rotate relative to the movable plate around an axis in the first direction, and is used to fix the hard disk;

[0011] A hot-swap protection mechanism is installed on the hard disk tray and is used to control current changes when the hard disk is inserted into or removed from the slot to protect the hard disk and a server connected to the hard disk.

[0012] In some embodiments, the plug-in positioning assembly includes a base plate and a plug-in positioning module, the plug-in positioning module is installed on the base plate, and the plug-in positioning module is used to generate an interaction force with the hard disk tray so that the hard disk tray is positioned at a preset plug-in position.

[0013] In some embodiments, the plug-in positioning module includes:

[0014] A friction plate, the friction plate being fixed on the bottom plate;

[0015] A damping block is movably connected to the friction plate, and is used to generate friction with the hard disk tray and the friction plate, so that the hard disk tray stops at the preset plug-in position after reducing its rotation speed under the action of the friction force.

[0016] In some embodiments, the plug-in positioning module further includes an elastic member, which is connected to the friction plate and sleeved on the damping block. Both the elastic member and the damping block are used to provide damping to the hard disk tray.

[0017] In some embodiments, a rotating shaft is provided on the movable plate, one end of the rotating shaft is fixedly connected to the hard disk tray, and the other end is connected to a bearing, the outer ring of the bearing is connected to the movable plate, and the inner ring of the bearing is connected to the rotating shaft.

[0018] In some embodiments, the number of the plug-in positioning components is two, and the two plug-in positioning components are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the rotating shaft.

[0019] In some embodiments, the hard disk tray includes at least two hard disk mounting seats, the hard disk mounting seats are used to fix the hard disk, the hard disk mounting seats include a first side wall and two second side walls, the two second side walls are arranged opposite to each other, the first side wall connects the two second side walls, and the first side wall is used to contact and abut against the plug-in positioning assembly during the rotation of the hard disk tray;

[0020] The hard disk mounting seat is provided with a spring sheet, the spring sheet is provided on the inner wall of the second side wall close to the inner side, the spring sheet includes a convex bridge structure located in the middle, the convex bridge structure is adapted to fit with the groove on the hard disk, so as to limit the hard disk along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;

[0021] A limit plate and a slide rail are further provided in the hard disk mounting seat, wherein the limit plate is provided on the opposite side of the spring sheet, the slide rail extends along the second direction, the limit plate is slidably provided on the slide rail, and the limit plate is used to slide relative to the spring sheet along the second direction;

[0022] The limiting plate is provided with a positioning post, and the positioning post is used to be inserted into the positioning hole on the hard disk to position the hard disk between the limiting plate and the spring sheet;

[0023] A connecting groove is provided on the side of the limit plate facing away from the spring sheet, a connecting plate is connected in the connecting groove, a fixing pin is provided on the connecting plate, and the fixing pin is movably embedded in the connecting plate. The fixing pin is used to abut the inner surface of the hard disk mounting seat after the limit plate slides to a specified position to fix the limit plate to the hard disk mounting seat.

[0024] In some embodiments, the hot-swap protection mechanism includes a pre-charging circuit, the pre-charging circuit includes a pre-charging resistor, and the pre-charging resistor is configured to gradually charge a capacitor of the hard disk when the hard disk is inserted into the slot, or to gradually discharge the capacitor of the hard disk when the hard disk is removed from the slot, so as to prevent a sudden change in current;

[0025] The hot-swap protection mechanism also includes an interface, which is arranged on the hard disk tray and is used to contact and connect with the gold finger of the hard disk to achieve circuit connection with the hard disk.

[0026] In some embodiments, the hot-swap protection mechanism further includes a surge protection mechanism, which includes a metal oxide varistor to direct current to ground when the hard disk is inserted into or removed from the slot and the current exceeds a safety threshold to prevent a sudden change in current.

[0027] The present invention also provides a server cabinet, comprising any one of the hard disk hot-swap installation devices described above.

[0028] With respect to the above-mentioned background technology, the hard disk hot-swap installation device provided in the embodiment of the present invention is used to be arranged on the server cabinet so that the hard disk can be installed in the slot of the backplane. The hard disk hot-swap installation device includes a plug-in positioning mechanism, a hard disk tray and a hot-swap protection mechanism. Among them, the plug-in positioning mechanism includes a moving plate and a plug-in positioning component. The moving plate is movably connected to the server cabinet, and the moving plate is used to move relative to the slot along a first direction. The plug-in positioning component is arranged on the moving plate, and the plug-in positioning component is used to position the hard disk at a position plugged in with the corresponding slot; the hard disk tray is rotatably connected to the moving plate, and the hard disk tray is used to rotate relative to the moving plate around the axis of the first direction, and is used to install the hard disk; the hot-swap protection mechanism is installed on the hard disk tray, and the hot-swap protection mechanism is used to control the current change when the hard disk is inserted into or removed from the slot, so as to protect the hard disk and the server connected to the hard disk.

[0029] It can be seen that when the hard disk is plugged into the slot, first, the hard disk is fixed on the hard disk tray, and then the hard disk tray is rotated to a preset position. During the rotation of the hard disk tray relative to the movable plate, the plug-in positioning assembly on the movable plate positions the hard disk at a position plugged into the corresponding slot. After that, by pushing the movable plate, the movable plate drives the hard disk tray and the hard disk to move toward the corresponding slot until the hard disk and the slot are stably plugged. During the process of inserting the hard disk into the slot, the hot-swap protection mechanism is used to control the current change so that the current gradually increases or decreases instead of suddenly changes, thereby reducing the impact on the hard disk and the server, and achieving the purpose of protecting the hard disk and the server.

[0030] The hot-swap installation device for a hard disk thus provided has the following beneficial effects:

[0031] Firstly, the hard disk hot-swap installation device of the present invention allows the hard disk to be plugged and unplugged without shutting down the system during operation, which greatly improves the operation and maintenance efficiency of data centers and enterprise servers and reduces the system downtime caused by replacing hard disks. At the same time, the peak current is controlled through the hot-swap protection mechanism, thereby reducing the impact on the hard disk and the server, thereby achieving the purpose of protecting the hard disk and the server.

[0032] Secondly, during the process of plugging the hard disk into the slot, firstly, the hard disk is fixed by the hard disk tray to ensure that the hard disk is in a stable position after being rotated into place, to prevent loosening or falling off due to vibration or external force, thereby ensuring the safety of the hard disk during operation; secondly, during the process of the hard disk tray driving the hard disk to rotate, the hard disk tray and the plug-in positioning assembly cooperate to make the hard disk tray and the hard disk accurately positioned at the position for plugging into the corresponding slot, thereby ensuring that the hard disk and the slot are stably plugged in after the movable plate is pushed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or related technologies, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or related technical descriptions are briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without paying creative work.

[0034] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a hard disk hot-swap installation device and a backplane slot in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of a plug-in positioning mechanism in the hard disk hot-swap installation device shown in FIG1 ;

[0036] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the connection between the plug-in positioning mechanism and the hard disk tray in the hard disk hot-swap installation device shown in FIG1 ;

[0037] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the limit plate in the hard disk tray shown in FIG3 ;

[0038] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a slide rail in the hard disk tray shown in FIG3 ;

[0039] FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of a hot-swap protection mechanism in the hard disk hot-swap installation device shown in FIG. 1 .

[0040] in:

[0041] 10-plug-in positioning mechanism, 11-moving plate, 111-rotating shaft, 112-bearing, 12-plug-in positioning assembly, 121-bottom plate, 122-plug-in positioning module, 1221-friction plate, 1222-damping block, 1223-elastic member;

[0042] 20-hard disk tray, 21-hard disk mounting seat, 211-first side wall, 212-second side wall, 22-spring, 221-convex bridge structure, 23-limiting plate, 231-positioning column, 232-connecting groove, 24-slide rail, 25-connecting plate, 26-fixing pin;

[0043] 30-hot-swap protection mechanism, 31-interface;

[0044] 40-slots. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0046] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the scheme of the present invention, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0047] The hard disk hot-swap installation device provided in the embodiment of the present invention is used to be arranged on a server cabinet so that the hard disk can be installed in the slot 40 of the backplane.

[0048] Among them, the backplane plays a vital role in the server. The backplane is not only the physical support structure of the hard disk, but also responsible for data transmission and power supply between the hard disk and the server motherboard. The backplane is usually made of metal or plastic material, with slots 40 for fixing the hard disk, which can accommodate multiple hard disks. The number and type of slots 40 vary according to the server model and specifications. The slots 40 are used to firmly fix the hard disk in the server chassis to prevent data loss or hardware damage caused by loosening or falling of the hard disk. In addition, the data transmission interface on the backplane ensures high-speed data transmission between the hard disk and the motherboard, while the power interface is responsible for providing the necessary power to the hard disk.

[0049] Please refer to FIG. 1 , the hard disk hot-swap installation device provided in the embodiment of the present invention includes a plug-in positioning mechanism 10 , a hard disk tray 20 and a hot-swap protection mechanism 30 .

[0050] Please refer to Figure 2 as well. The plug-in positioning mechanism 10 includes a moving plate 11 and a plug-in positioning component 12. The moving plate 11 is movably connected to the server cabinet. The moving plate 11 is used to move relative to the slot 40 along a first direction. For example, the moving plate 11 can be arranged in the server cabinet through a mechanism in which a pulley and a slide rail cooperate. In this way, by utilizing the cooperation of the pulley and the slide rail, the moving plate 11 can be pushed in and pulled out relative to the server cabinet. When pushed in, the hard disk is connected to the slot 40, and when pulled out, the hard disk is pulled out of the slot 40. The plug-in positioning component 12 is arranged on the moving plate 11, and the plug-in positioning component 12 is used to position the hard disk at a position for plugging with the corresponding slot 40.

[0051] The hard disk tray 20 is rotatably connected to the movable plate 11, and is used to rotate relative to the movable plate 11 around an axis in a first direction and to install a hard disk. The hard disk tray 20 may be provided with at least two hard disk mounting seats 21, and the hard disk mounting seats 21 are used to fix the hard disk.

[0052] The so-called first direction may be the X-axis direction as shown in FIG. 1 .

[0053] It should be noted that the hard disk tray 20, the backplane and the hard disk are closely connected, and the three together constitute the core part of the server. The hard disk tray 20 generally refers to the mounting bracket of the hard disk, which provides physical support and fixation for the hard disk to ensure that the hard disk is stable and safe during operation.

[0054] The hot-swap protection mechanism 30 is installed on the hard disk tray 20 . The hot-swap protection mechanism 30 is used to control the current change when the hard disk is inserted into the slot 40 or removed from the slot 40 , so as to protect the hard disk and the server.

[0055] It can be seen that when the hard disk is plugged into the slot 40, first, the hard disk is fixed on the hard disk tray 20, and then the hard disk tray 20 is rotated to a preset position. During the rotation of the hard disk tray 20 relative to the movable plate 11, the plug-in positioning component 12 on the movable plate 11 positions the hard disk at a position for plugging into the corresponding slot 40. After that, by pushing the movable plate 11, the movable plate 11 drives the hard disk tray 20 and the hard disk to move toward the corresponding slot 40 until the hard disk and the slot 40 are stably plugged. During the process of inserting the hard disk into the slot 40, the hot-swap protection mechanism 30 is used to control the current change so that the current gradually increases or decreases instead of suddenly changes, thereby reducing the impact on the hard disk and the server, and achieving the purpose of protecting the hard disk and the server.

[0056] The hot-swap installation device for a hard disk thus provided has the following beneficial effects:

[0057] First, the hard disk hot-swap installation device of the present invention allows the hard disk to be plugged in and out without shutting down the system during operation, which greatly improves the operation and maintenance efficiency of data centers and enterprise servers and reduces system downtime caused by replacing hard disks. At the same time, the peak current is controlled through the hot-swap protection mechanism 30, thereby reducing the impact on the hard disk and the server, thereby achieving the purpose of protecting the hard disk and the server.

[0058] Secondly, during the process of plugging the hard disk into the slot 40, firstly, the hard disk is fixed by the hard disk tray 20 to ensure that the hard disk is in a stable position after being rotated into place, to prevent loosening or falling off due to vibration or external force, thereby ensuring the safety of the hard disk during operation; secondly, during the process of the hard disk tray 20 driving the hard disk to rotate, the hard disk tray 20 and the plug-in positioning assembly 12 cooperate to enable the hard disk tray 20 and the hard disk to be accurately positioned at the position for plugging into the corresponding slot 40, thereby ensuring that the hard disk and the slot 40 are stably plugged in after the movable plate 11 is pushed.

[0059] In general, the design of the present invention can ensure the stability of the hard disk circuit connection and protect the data line and circuit from damage during operation, which improves the operation and maintenance efficiency of data centers and enterprise servers, reduces system downtime caused by hard disk replacement, enhances the reliability of system operation, and reduces the adverse consequences caused by improper human operation (failure to insert the hard disk into place at once, misalignment of the position, slow speed, etc.).

[0060] In order to facilitate the positioning of the hard disk in the position where it is plugged into the corresponding slot 40, the plug-in positioning assembly 12 includes a base plate 121 and a plug-in positioning module 122. The plug-in positioning module 122 is installed on the base plate 121. The plug-in positioning module 122 is used to generate an interaction force with the hard disk tray 20 so that the hard disk tray 20 is positioned at a preset plug-in position.

[0061] It should be noted that the above-mentioned interaction force includes but is not limited to the friction force generated between the plug-in positioning module 122 and the hard disk tray 20, or the magnetic attraction force between the plug-in positioning module 122 and the hard disk tray 20. The friction force is generated by the microscopic unevenness between the contact surfaces between the plug-in positioning module 122 and the hard disk tray 20 and the adhesion of the materials, while the magnetic attraction force can be generated by the interaction of the magnetic fields generated by the magnets provided on the plug-in positioning module 122 and the hard disk tray 20.

[0062] In some embodiments, the plug-in positioning module 122 is used to generate friction with the hard disk tray 20 so that the hard disk tray 20 is positioned at a preset plug-in position.

[0063] In this embodiment, the plug-in positioning module 122 may be a damping module, and the damping module includes a friction plate 1221 and a damping block 1222. The friction plate 1221 is fixed on the bottom plate 121, and the damping block 1222 is movably connected to the friction plate 1221. The damping block 1222 is used to generate friction with the hard disk tray 20 and the friction plate 1221, so that the hard disk tray 20 reduces the rotation speed under the action of the friction force and stops at the preset plug-in position.

[0064] It is understandable that the damping block 1222 can be movably connected to the friction plate 1221 in a direction horizontally and perpendicular to the movement of the movable plate 11, that is, the damping block 1222 can slide relative to the friction plate 1221 along the length direction of the movable plate 11. During the sliding process, the damping block 1222 and the friction plate 1221 contact and generate friction. Compared with the process of the hard disk tray 20 rotating, only the damping block 1222 and the hard disk tray 20 contact and generate friction. In the present invention, the friction is generated by the two ends of the damping block 1222, which can further ensure the damping force during the rotation of the hard disk tray 20.

[0065] Specifically, the bottom plate 121 is the base part of the fixed damping module, and the bottom plate 121 is installed on the movable plate 11. The design of the bottom plate 121 ensures that the damping module is stable and can withstand the force generated when the hard disk tray 20 rotates; the damping block 1222 is a component that directly contacts the hard disk tray 20. The damping block 1222 is usually made of rubber material. The damping block 1222 plays a buffering role in the structure. The damping block 1222 can absorb the impact force of the hard disk tray 20 and reduce vibration and noise. When the hard disk tray 20 contacts the damping block 1222, the damping block 1222 will deform, thereby generating a damping force. In this way, when the hard disk tray 20 rotates, the damping block 1222 generates friction through contact with the hard disk tray 20. At the same time, the damping block 1222 contacts the friction plate 1221 (the friction plate 1221 is usually made of wear-resistant material) to generate friction, thereby offsetting part of the kinetic energy and slowing down the movement of the hard disk tray 20.

[0066] That is to say, the hard disk tray 20 contacts the damping block 1222 of the damping module during rotation. After the contact, the damping block 1222 is subjected to pressure, and friction is generated between the damping block 1222 and the hard disk tray 20, the friction plate 1221, etc. Under the action of the friction, the rotation speed of the hard disk tray 20 is reduced to prevent the hard disk tray 20 from rotating too much, so that the hard disk tray 20 and the hard disk are positioned at the position where they are plugged into the corresponding slot 40.

[0067] Moreover, the plug-in positioning module 122 further includes an elastic member 1223 , which is connected to the friction plate 1221 and sleeved on the damping block 1222 . The elastic member 1223 and the damping block 1222 are both used to provide damping to the hard disk tray 20 .

[0068] It can be seen that the elastic member 1223 plays a regulating role in the damping module. The elastic member 1223 can provide appropriate elastic force as needed. The stiffness of the elastic member 1223 determines the contact force of the damping block 1222 on the hard disk tray 20, thereby affecting the damping effect. The elastic member 1223 can be a compression spring, and the specific model depends on the design requirements.

[0069] In order to facilitate the hard disk tray 20 to be rotatably connected to the movable plate 11, a rotating shaft 111 is provided on the movable plate 11. One end of the rotating shaft 111 is fixedly connected to the hard disk tray 20, and the other end is connected to a bearing 112. The outer ring of the bearing 112 is connected to the movable plate 11, and the inner ring of the bearing 112 is connected to the rotating shaft 111. The rotating body between the outer ring and the inner ring of the bearing 112 can ensure the rotational movement of both the hard disk tray 20 and the rotating shaft 111 relative to the movable plate 11.

[0070] In some embodiments, the number of the plug-in positioning components 12 is two, and the two plug-in positioning components 12 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the rotating shaft 111 .

[0071] It can be understood that the two plug-in positioning components 12 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the rotating shaft 111. During the rotation of the hard disk tray 20, the symmetrical plug-in positioning components 12 help to reduce the eccentric force. This force is caused by uneven mass distribution or eccentricity of the shaft, which will cause additional wear and vibration, and help to maintain the balance of the system. Especially in the rotational movement of the hard disk tray 20, the balanced design can evenly provide the damping force to the hard disk tray 20, reduce the vibration and instability caused by the center of gravity offset, and ensure the precise positioning of the hard disk tray 20 during the rotational movement.

[0072] Please refer to FIG. 3 , the hard disk tray 20 includes at least two hard disk mounting seats 21, and the hard disk mounting seats 21 are used to fix the hard disk. Any hard disk mounting seat 21 includes a first side wall 211 and two second side walls 212, and the two second side walls 212 are arranged opposite to each other, and the first side wall 211 connects the two second side walls 212. The first side wall 211 and the two second side walls 212 form a U-shaped mounting seat, and the U-shaped mounting seat has a U-shaped mounting groove, and the hard disk is accommodated in the corresponding U-shaped mounting groove. Of course, the hard disk mounting seat 21 also includes a base, and the first side wall 211 and the two second side walls 212 are both arranged on the base, so as to form the main structure of the hard disk mounting seat 21.

[0073] The first side wall 211 is perpendicular to the two parallel second side walls 212, and the first side wall 211 is used to contact and abut against the plug-in positioning assembly 12 during the rotation of the hard disk tray 20. In other words, during the rotation of the hard disk tray 20, the first side wall 211 contacts the damping block 1222 and generates a damping force, thereby facilitating the hard disk tray 20 to be accurately positioned at the position for plugging into the corresponding slot 40.

[0074] Of course, according to actual needs, two hard disk mounting seats 21 are provided on the hard disk tray 20, and correspondingly, two slots 40 are also provided on the back panel, so that two hard disks can be installed on one hard disk tray 20, and the two hard disks are respectively plugged into the two slots 40. For example, when the hard disk tray 20 rotates, the two plug-in positioning modules 122 are frictionally matched with the hard disk tray 20, so that the hard disk tray 20 can stop at any position, so that the hard disk tray 20 can be accurately positioned at the position where the hard disk is plugged into the corresponding slot 40 according to the orientation of the two slots 40.

[0075] Furthermore, in order to facilitate the fixation of the hard disk, a spring piece 22 is provided in the hard disk mounting seat 21. The spring piece 22 is arranged on the inner wall of the second side wall 212 close to the inner side. The spring piece 22 includes a convex bridge structure 221 located in the middle. The convex bridge structure 221 is used to adapt to the groove on the hard disk to limit the hard disk along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0076] The so-called second direction may be the Y-axis direction as shown in FIG. 1 .

[0077] Specifically, the spring piece 22 can be set to a bow-shaped structure, one end of the spring piece 22 can be movably connected to the second side wall 212, and the convex bridge structure 221 in the middle of the spring piece 22 has a certain elasticity. In this way, when the hard disk is installed in the hard disk mounting seat 21, the convex bridge structure 221 of the spring piece 22 can be appropriately elastically deformed to facilitate the installation of the hard disk in the hard disk mounting seat 21, and the elastically deformed spring piece 22 has a tendency to restore to its original state. Therefore, it can provide elastic force to the hard disk, thereby ensuring that the hard disk is stably and securely installed in the hard disk mounting seat 21.

[0078] In addition, please refer to Figures 4 and 5. A limit plate 23 and a slide rail 24 are also provided in the hard disk mounting seat 21. The limit plate 23 is provided on the opposite side of the spring sheet 22. The slide rail 24 extends along the second direction. The limit plate 23 is slidably provided on the slide rail 24. The limit plate 23 is used to slide relative to the spring sheet 22 along the second direction.

[0079] It can be seen that by sliding the limit plate 23 along the slide rail 24, the hard disk mounting seat 21 can adapt to different models of hard disks. When the installed hard disk model is larger, the limit plate 23 is slid in the direction away from the corresponding spring piece 22 to increase the space of the U-shaped mounting groove. When the installed hard disk model is smaller, the limit plate 23 is slid in the direction close to the corresponding spring piece 22 to reduce the space of the U-shaped mounting groove.

[0080] Furthermore, a positioning post 231 is provided on the limiting plate 23 , and the positioning post 231 is used to be inserted into a positioning hole on the hard disk to position the hard disk between the limiting plate 23 and the spring piece 22 .

[0081] That is to say, the hard disk is positioned between the limiting plate 23 and the spring sheet 22 by means of the positioning column 231 on one side and the convex bridge structure 221 on the other side of the spring sheet 22, thereby ensuring the stability and reliability of the hard disk installation. In addition, it can ensure that the hard disk is firmly connected after being rotated into place, preventing the hard disk from loosening or falling off from the hard disk tray 20 due to vibration or external force, thereby ensuring the safety of the hard disk during operation.

[0082] To facilitate the fixing of the limit plate 23 on the hard disk mounting seat 21, a connecting groove 232 is provided on the side of the limit plate 23 facing away from the spring sheet 22, and a connecting plate 25 is connected in the connecting groove 232. A fixing pin 26 is provided on the connecting plate 25, and the fixing pin 26 is movably embedded in the connecting plate 25. The fixing pin 26 is used to abut the inner surface of the hard disk mounting seat 21 after the limit plate 23 slides to the specified position, so as to fix the limit plate 23 to the hard disk mounting seat 21.

[0083] Specifically, the fixing pin 26 can be a fastening screw, and a screw hole along the vertical direction is provided on the connecting plate 25, and the fastening screw is threadedly connected to the screw hole. In this way, after the limiting plate 23 slides to the specified position, the fastening screw is tightened so that the fastening screw abuts against the inner surface of the hard disk mounting seat 21, thereby fixing the limiting plate 23 to the hard disk mounting seat 21.

[0084] Of course, the fastening screw can also serve as a handle. The fastening screw extends upward from the connecting plate 25. By holding the fastening screw, the limit plate 23 is pushed down to slide along the slide rail 24. After the limit plate 23 slides to the specified position, the fastening screw can be tightened.

[0085] In some embodiments, the hot-swap protection mechanism 30 includes a pre-charging circuit, which includes a pre-charging resistor. The pre-charging resistor is configured to gradually charge the capacitor of the hard disk when the hard disk is inserted into the slot 40, or to gradually discharge the capacitor of the hard disk when the hard disk is removed from the slot 40 to prevent a sudden change in current.

[0086] The hot-swap function of the backplane is achieved through specific hardware design and circuit protection measures. When the hard disk is inserted into or removed from the slot 40, the pre-charging circuit detects the voltage change and starts the pre-charging process. In this process, the current is gradually increased or decreased through the pre-charging resistor instead of changing the current suddenly, thereby reducing the impact on the hard disk and the server. Its main purpose is to gradually charge or discharge the capacitor of the hard disk through the pre-charging resistor when the hard disk is inserted into or removed from the slot 40, control the current spike, and avoid damage to the hard disk and the server caused by sudden current changes.

[0087] Specifically, when the hard drive is inserted, the power pin of the pre-charge circuit first contacts the power supply through a pre-charge resistor, which limits the charging current and prevents a sudden increase in current. Subsequently, the data signal pin is connected to the server, and the pre-charge resistor has been bypassed, providing a normal power path for the hard drive. When the hard drive is unplugged, the process is reversed, and the power pin is disconnected last, gradually reducing the current through the pre-charge resistor to protect the hard drive and the system from damage.

[0088] This design is critical to the protection of the hard drive and the system by preventing current spikes and voltage surges that could damage sensitive electronic components. In this way, hot-swap technology ensures that hard drives can be safely added or removed without restarting the system. Hot-swap technology allows users to instantly access and remove hard drives without cutting off power or shutting down the system, increasing the flexibility of computer peripheral expansion.

[0089] In some embodiments, the hot-swap protection mechanism 30 further includes a surge protection mechanism, which includes a metal oxide varistor to direct current to the ground when the hard disk is inserted into or removed from the slot 40 and the current exceeds a safety threshold to prevent a sudden change in current.

[0090] It should be noted that a metal oxide varistor is a variable resistor whose resistance automatically changes according to its voltage. When the voltage increases, the resistance of the metal oxide varistor decreases, thereby conducting more current and absorbing surge energy.

[0091] The working principle of the surge protection mechanism is as follows: the metal oxide varistor of the surge protection mechanism can be quickly turned on when the current exceeds the safety threshold, directing the excess current to the ground, thereby protecting the hard disk and server. Its function is to protect the electrical connection when the hard disk is plugged in and out, and prevent damage caused by sudden current changes.

[0092] Please refer to FIG. 6 , the hot-swap protection mechanism 30 further includes an interface 31 , which is disposed on the hard disk tray 20 , and is used to contact and connect with the gold finger of the hard disk to achieve circuit connection with the hard disk.

[0093] That is to say, the interface 31 of the hot-swap protection mechanism 30 is arranged between the hard disk and the hard disk tray 20, and the interface 31 is connected to the pre-charging circuit and the surge protection mechanism through a built-in wire. The PIN pin of the interface 31 is an elastic contact type connector. When the hard disk is installed on the hard disk tray 20, the PIN pin of the interface 31 is connected by contact with the gold finger of the corresponding hard disk, thereby achieving connection with the hard disk circuit.

[0094] With this arrangement, the pre-charging circuit and the surge protection mechanism are used together. The pre-charging circuit is responsible for controlling the smooth transition of the current, while the surge protection mechanism provides additional protection when the current suddenly changes. This combination can effectively reduce the damage caused by sudden current changes during the plug-in and unplug process of the hard disk and extend the service life of the hard disk.

[0095] In addition, the hot-swap protection mechanism 30 can also be made of high-strength materials, which can effectively protect the hard disk and the interface 31 from external damage during the rotation and plugging process, thereby extending the service life of the device.

[0096] In some embodiments, the hot-swap protection mechanism 30 may also use a dedicated hot-swap control chip, which may provide overvoltage and undervoltage protection, and use a constant current source to achieve active current limiting when overloaded.

[0097] In this embodiment, the hot-swap control chip can further control the rate of increase or decrease of the current and monitor the current intensity when the hard disk is inserted into or removed from the slot 40, thereby improving the reliability of the server.

[0098] For example, the hot-swap control chip can set up a dual-level overcurrent protection mechanism to provide protection through two current limiting comparators. When the detected current exceeds the preset safety threshold, the control chip will respond quickly and reduce the current supply to protect the hard disk and server from damage.

[0099] In addition, some hot-swap control chips can also be set with an automatic retry function. After detecting an abnormal situation, they can automatically try to reconnect after a preset time. At the same time, the hot-swap control chip will also provide a fault indication to help maintenance personnel quickly identify the problem and stop the corresponding action in time to avoid causing more serious damage.

[0100] Of course, when performing hot-swap operations, a series of strict steps must be followed to ensure the safety of the operation and the integrity of the data. This includes uninstalling the hard disk in the operating system before physically unplugging it, and plugging and unplugging the hard disk when there is no read or write operation to reduce the risk of data damage.

[0101] In some embodiments, the hot-swappable hard disk backplane can also be equipped with a design that facilitates fast and safe plugging and unplugging during operation, such as a magnetic lock or a buckle mechanism, and a hard disk status indicator light, such as a green power light and a white hard disk read / write indicator light. In this way, the hard disk can be inserted or unplugged at any time when the server is running without restarting the server, thereby reducing system downtime and improving system availability and flexibility.

[0102] In summary, the hot-swap function adopted by the present invention allows the hard disk to be safely inserted or removed without turning off the server power supply. This feature significantly improves the reliability, redundancy, rapid maintenance capability and timely disaster recovery capability of the server.

[0103] In addition, during the process of plugging the hard disk into the slot 40, the hard disk is fixed by the hard disk tray 20 to ensure that the hard disk is in a stable position after being rotated into place, to prevent loosening or falling off due to vibration or external force, thereby ensuring the safety of the hard disk during operation, and during the process of the hard disk tray 20 driving the hard disk to rotate, the hard disk tray 20 and the plug-in positioning assembly 12 cooperate to enable the hard disk tray 20 and the hard disk to be accurately positioned at the position for plugging into the corresponding slot 40, thereby ensuring that the hard disk and the slot 40 are stably plugged in after the movable plate 11 is pushed.

[0104] The design of the present invention can ensure the stability of the hard disk circuit connection and protect the data line and circuit from damage during operation, which improves the operation and maintenance efficiency of data centers and enterprise servers, reduces the system downtime caused by replacing hard disks, enhances the reliability of system operation, and reduces the adverse consequences caused by improper human operation (failure to insert it into place at once, misalignment of the position, slow speed, etc.).

[0105] A server cabinet provided by the present invention includes the hard disk hot-swap installation device described in the above specific embodiment; other parts of the server cabinet can refer to related technologies and will not be expanded in this article.

[0106] It should be noted that, in this specification, relational terms such as first and second are merely used to distinguish one entity from other entities, but do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities.

[0107] The above is a detailed introduction to the hard disk hot-swap installation device and server cabinet provided by the present invention. This article uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the scheme of the present invention and its core idea. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, without departing from the principle of the present invention, the present invention can also be improved and modified, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A hard disk hot-swap installation device, used to be arranged on a server cabinet so that the hard disk can be installed in a slot of a backplane, characterized in that: The hard disk hot-swap installation device comprises: A plug-in positioning mechanism, the plug-in positioning mechanism comprises a moving plate and a plug-in positioning assembly, the moving plate is movably connected to the server cabinet, the moving plate is used to move relative to the slot along a first direction, the plug-in positioning assembly is arranged on the moving plate, and the plug-in positioning assembly is used to position the hard disk at a position plugged with the corresponding slot; A hard disk tray, the hard disk tray is rotatably connected to the movable plate, the hard disk tray is used to rotate relative to the movable plate around an axis in the first direction, and is used to fix the hard disk; A hot-swap protection mechanism is installed on the hard disk tray and is used to control current changes when the hard disk is inserted into or removed from the slot to protect the hard disk and a server connected to the hard disk.

2. The hard disk hot-swap installation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plug-in positioning assembly includes a base plate and a plug-in positioning module. The plug-in positioning module is installed on the base plate. The plug-in positioning module is used to generate an interaction force with the hard disk tray so that the hard disk tray is positioned at a preset plug-in position.

3. The hard disk hot-swap installation device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The plug-in positioning module comprises: A friction plate, wherein the friction plate is fixed to the bottom plate; A damping block is movably connected to the friction plate, and is used to generate friction with the hard disk tray and the friction plate, so that the hard disk tray stops at the preset plug-in position after reducing its rotation speed under the action of the friction force.

4. The hard disk hot-swap installation device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The plug-in positioning module also includes an elastic member, which is connected to the friction plate and sleeved on the damping block. The elastic member and the damping block are both used to provide damping for the hard disk tray.

5. The hard disk hot-swap installation device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The movable plate is provided with a rotating shaft, one end of the rotating shaft is fixedly connected to the hard disk tray, and the other end is connected to a bearing, the outer ring of the bearing is connected to the movable plate, and the inner ring of the bearing is connected to the rotating shaft.

6. The hard disk hot-swap installation device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The number of the plug-in positioning components is two, and the two plug-in positioning components are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the rotating shaft.

7. The hard disk hot-swap installation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The hard disk tray comprises at least two hard disk mounting seats, the hard disk mounting seats are used to fix the hard disk, the hard disk mounting seats comprise a first side wall and two second side walls, the two second side walls are arranged opposite to each other, the first side wall connects the two second side walls, and the first side wall is used to contact and abut against the plug-in positioning assembly during the rotation of the hard disk tray; The hard disk mounting seat is provided with a spring sheet, the spring sheet is provided on the inner wall of the second side wall close to the inner side, the spring sheet includes a convex bridge structure located in the middle, the convex bridge structure is adapted to fit with the groove on the hard disk, so as to limit the hard disk along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; A limit plate and a slide rail are further provided in the hard disk mounting seat, wherein the limit plate is provided on the opposite side of the spring sheet, the slide rail extends along the second direction, the limit plate is slidably provided on the slide rail, and the limit plate is used to slide relative to the spring sheet along the second direction; The limiting plate is provided with a positioning post, and the positioning post is used to be inserted into the positioning hole on the hard disk to position the hard disk between the limiting plate and the spring sheet; A connecting groove is provided on the side of the limit plate facing away from the spring sheet, a connecting plate is connected in the connecting groove, a fixing pin is provided on the connecting plate, and the fixing pin is movably embedded in the connecting plate. The fixing pin is used to abut the inner surface of the hard disk mounting seat after the limit plate slides to a specified position to fix the limit plate to the hard disk mounting seat.

8. The hard disk hot-swap installation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The hot-swap protection mechanism includes a pre-charging circuit, the pre-charging circuit includes a pre-charging resistor, and the pre-charging resistor is configured to gradually charge a capacitor of the hard disk when the hard disk is inserted into the slot, or to gradually discharge the capacitor of the hard disk when the hard disk is removed from the slot, so as to prevent a sudden change in current; The hot-swap protection mechanism also includes an interface, which is arranged on the hard disk tray and is used to contact and connect with the gold finger of the hard disk to achieve circuit connection with the hard disk.

9. The hard disk hot-swap installation device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The hot-swap protection mechanism also includes a surge protection mechanism, which includes a metal oxide varistor to guide current to the ground when the hard disk is inserted into or removed from the slot and the current exceeds a safety threshold to prevent a sudden change in current.

10. A server cabinet, characterized in that: It comprises a hard disk hot-swap installation device as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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