Removable Hard Drive Casing with Elastic Retention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional removable hard drive storage devices require complete removal of casings from housings for replacing hard drives, leading to time consumption and potential component loss or damage, due to complex sliding rail and latch device structures and the use of screws for fixing hard drives.

Innovation Solution

A removable hard drive storage device design featuring parallel partition boards with guiding units and expansion units that allow hard drive casings to be slidably positioned without screws, using elastic expansion units to prevent downward movement and a cover plate with engagement portions for secure fixation at the top, enabling easy replacement without complete disassembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional latch devices and sliding rails are used to enable quick removal of removable hard drive casings, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity and production cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequick removal of removable hard drive casingVSAvoidstructure complexity of sliding rails and latch devices

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the complex latch device and sliding rail structures from the removable hard drive casing. Instead, it uses a simple sliding mechanism where the casing is directly inserted into and removed from the accommodating slot through guiding grooves, achieving quick removal without complex components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using complex latch mechanisms to secure the casing, the patent inverts the approach by using friction-based retention where the casing is held in place by its position within the housing and guiding grooves, allowing simple push-to-eject removal without active locking mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If screws are used to fix hard drives in removable hard drive casings, then the reliability of hard drive fixation is improved, but the time consumption for replacing hard drives increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefixation reliability of hard drive in casingVSAvoidtime for screwing and unscrewing hard drives

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the screw-based mechanical fixation system with a spring-based elastic retention mechanism. The elastic piece automatically holds the hard drive in place through elastic force and releases it when the casing is removed, eliminating the need for manual screwing and unscrewing operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of operation

If complete removal of removable hard drive casing from housing is required to access hard drive, then the ease of operation for casing removal is improved, but the risk of component loss or damage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility of hard drive for replacementVSAvoidrisk of component loss or damage during removal and reinsertion

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the access mechanism by allowing the removable hard drive casing to be partially extracted from the housing while maintaining connection through the guiding grooves. This enables users to access and replace hard drives without completely separating the casing from the housing, reducing the risk of component loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The removable hard drive casing is designed to nest within the housing structure, with the casing partially contained within the housing boundaries during operation. This nested configuration allows access to the hard drive while maintaining structural support and preventing complete separation that could lead to component damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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

Facilitates quick and secure replacement of hard drives without the need for screws, reducing time and risk of component loss or damage, while maintaining secure fixation and preventing accidental separation of hard drive casings from the housing.

Implementation Method 1

A plurality of elastic pieces are disposed at inner faces of the first side plate and the second side plate... Each of the elastic pieces has a fixing protrusion... for fixing the hard drive in the hard drive accommodating slot

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS9064511B1Removable hard drive storage device

Publication Date: 2015.06.23 ECHOSTREAMS INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS LLC

AI summary

A removable hard drive storage device comprises: a housing having a first and second partition board each formed with a plurality of guiding grooves; a plurality of hard drive casings accommodated between the first and second partition boards. Each of the hard drive casings has a first side plate and a second side plate whose surfaces are each formed with a plurality of guiding units slidably disposed in the guiding grooves. Upper ends of the first and second side plates are each formed with an expansion unit for engaging the upper edges of the first and second partition boards, fixing the hard drive casing at a raised position in the accommodating space. Through the above structure, the hard drive casing can be fixed at the raised position in the accommodating space without separating from the housing for facilitating replacement of the hard drive and without using screws.