Retractable Storage Sleds With Flex Circuits for Hot Swap

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing mass storage systems lack the ability to hot swap individual storage devices while maintaining the enclosure in a powered, operational condition, limiting maintenance and upgrade operations.

Innovation Solution

The use of retractable and extendable sleds within a multi-device enclosure, supported by flex circuits that maintain continuous electrical and mechanical connections, allowing individual storage devices to be replaced without powering down the system, enabling hot swapping and reducing the need for offline operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If storage devices are fixed in the enclosure, then system stability is maintained, but device replacement requires system shutdown

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice replacement capabilityVSAvoidsystem availability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The storage system is segmented into modular sleds that can be independently extended and retracted. Each sled contains storage devices that can be accessed and replaced individually without affecting the entire system, enabling hot-swapping capability while maintaining overall system availability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sleds are designed to be dynamically extendable and retractable between the enclosure and external position. This dynamic mechanism allows storage devices to be accessed and replaced when the sled is extended, while the sled can be retracted to maintain system integrity and stability during operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If sleds are extended for device access, then maintenance efficiency improves, but electrical connection reliability may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance efficiencyVSAvoidelectrical connection stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Flex circuits are used to provide electrical connections between the control board and storage devices on extended sleds. These flexible printed circuit boards can bend and flex as the sled moves between retracted and extended positions, maintaining continuous electrical connectivity without compromising connection reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The flex circuits act as intermediaries that bridge the fixed control board and the movable storage devices. They accommodate the mechanical movement of the sled while maintaining stable electrical connections, solving the contradiction between sled extendability and connection reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9468126B2Multi-device storage enclosure with extendable device support sleds

Publication Date: 2016.10.11 SEAGATE TECH LLC

AI summary

Apparatus for retracting and extending sets of operational processing devices in a multi-device enclosure. In accordance with some embodiments, an enclosed housing is provided with opposing first and second ends. Sleds are individually movable between a retracted position within the enclosed housing and an extended position in which the sled projects from the first end. Each sled supports a group of processing devices. A control board is disposed within the enclosed housing adjacent the second end. A plurality of flex circuits contactingly engage the processing devices to provide communication paths between the processing devices and the control board in both the retracted and extended positions of the sleds.