Surrounding-Buckle Hard Drive Rack for Tool-Free Mounting and Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hard drive racks require the use of tools for assembly and disassembly, making it time-consuming to replace multiple hard drives, and they do not efficiently dissipate heat, which can limit storage capacity and increase costs.
Innovation Solution
A surrounding-buckle type mobile hard drive rack that uses a frame, actuator assembly with an elastic element and latch arm, and a buckle arm to securely hold hard drives without tools, allowing for quick assembly and disassembly, and features a pierced design for improved ventilation and heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If screws and hand tools are used to fasten hard drive trays, then the hard drive can be securely fixed, but the assembly and disassembly process becomes time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening system is divided into multiple buckle arms (first buckle arm, second buckle arm, third buckle arm) that can independently engage with corresponding buckle recesses on different sides of the hard drive tray, allowing simultaneous multi-point fixation without requiring sequential tool operations
Solution Approach 2:
The buckle arms are designed to be movable relative to the frame, enabling them to flexibly adapt to the hard drive tray insertion and provide secure fixation through elastic deformation rather than rigid constraint, facilitating tool-free assembly and disassembly
2Device complexity
If conventional fastening methods are used, then the structure can be simple, but the operation complexity increases due to tool requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The buckle arms automatically engage with the buckle recesses on the hard drive tray through elastic deformation and geometric interlocking, without requiring external tools or complex adjustment mechanisms, making the operation simple and intuitive
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic element changes its deformation parameter to enable the buckle arm to transition between engaged and disengaged states, providing a simple binary operation (insert/remove) without requiring tool-based parameter adjustments
3Strength
If solid frame structure is used, then mechanical strength is sufficient, but heat dissipation efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is designed with a pierced structure containing multiple through-holes distributed across the plate surfaces, creating a porous configuration that maintains mechanical strength through optimized material distribution while significantly improving air circulation and heat dissipation efficiency
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables easy tool-free replacement of hard drives and enhances heat dissipation efficiency, reducing the physical space required and improving the practicality and convenience of storage solutions.
Implementation Method 1
The actuator assembly includes an elastic element and a latch arm; one end of the latch arm is formed with a first buckle part
Data Source
AI summary
A hard drive rack includes a frame. The frame includes a plurality of plates surrounding to form an accommodating space and at least one insertion opening. The plates include a bottom plate, a cover plate, and a supporting plate. The latch arm of the actuator assembly includes a first buckle part and is pivotally connected to the frame. The buckle arm includes a pivotal end and a hooking end, the buckle arm connects to the bottom plate through the pivotal end and is able to pivotally rotate. The hooking end is formed with a second buckle part which is selectively blocked by the first buckle part to encircle the insertion opening.