Hard Drive Carrier Vibration Isolation via Elastomer Pad
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hard drive carriers fail to effectively isolate vibrations between the hard drive and the chassis, leading to reduced performance due to transmission of vibrations from cooling fans and other sources, and lack versatility in vibration dampening design.
Innovation Solution
A hard drive carrier with pins surrounded by an over-molded elastomer pad that spans openings in the substrate, providing a diaphragm-like window for vibration dampening, allowing for adjustable size and shape to optimize vibration isolation, and using protruding features for additional contact with the hard drive, allowing for loose fit pins that reduce vibration transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional hard drive carriers use rigid mounting structures, then structural strength is improved, but vibration isolation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite mounting structure combining rigid substrate material with overmolded elastomer material. The rigid substrate provides structural strength and positioning, while the elastomer layer provides vibration isolation. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by integrating both strong and vibration-dampening properties in a single mounting structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomer material is applied locally at the mounting contact points where vibration isolation is most needed, rather than throughout the entire carrier structure. This localized application provides vibration dampening exactly where the hard drive contacts the carrier, while maintaining overall structural rigidity of the carrier framework.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If vibration isolation components are added to hard drive carriers, then vibration dampening is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vibration isolation function is merged with the mounting structure itself. The elastomer is overmolded directly onto the substrate to form an integrated mounting component that combines positioning, securing, and vibration isolation functions in a single element, eliminating the need for separate vibration dampening components.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomer-mounted substrate serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical mounting of the hard drive, vibration isolation, and shock absorption. This multi-functionality reduces device complexity by consolidating what would otherwise require multiple separate components into a single universal mounting structure.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If elastomer pads are overmolded around pins, then vibration isolation is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomer is overmolded onto the substrate pins during the manufacturing process itself, forming the vibration isolation structure as an integral part of the carrier. This preliminary integration of the elastomer layer eliminates the need for separate assembly steps where vibration isolation components would be added after carrier fabrication.
Solution Approach 2:
The manufacturing process merges substrate fabrication with elastomer application in a single integrated operation. The elastomer is applied and cured directly onto the substrate pins during molding, combining what would otherwise be separate manufacturing steps into one unified process.
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
The solution effectively isolates the hard drive from vibrations, improving performance by reducing adverse vibration energy transmission, while also simplifying assembly and reducing material and labor costs through injection molding and snap-fit design.
Implementation Method 1
an over-molded elastomer pad... to act as a diaphragm-like window... effectively isolates the hard drive from vibrations, improving performance by reducing adverse vibration energy transmission
Data Source
AI summary
A hard drive carrier includes a substrate and an elastomer pad. The substrate includes a pin and an opening. The opening has a perimeter, and the pin is dimensioned to fit inside of a mounting hole of a hard drive. The elastomer pad is molded over or around the pin, or may be place anywhere convenient for dampening vibration in the direction of the pin axis. The elastomer pad spans the opening. The elastomer is attached to the perimeter of the opening, and the elastomer pad has a protruding feature within the perimeter of the opening.