Elastic Shock-Mount Cartridge for Portable Disc Drive Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Standard disc drives are not modular or durable, making them unsuitable for portable data storage devices, as they lack protection against external environments and mechanical forces, which can lead to damage and data loss.

Innovation Solution

A disc drive cartridge with an elastic shock mount and flexible interconnects that mechanically decouples the disc drive from the housing, providing shock absorption and protection against dust, moisture, and mechanical forces, while maintaining electrical connectivity through iVDR and SATA connectors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If standard disc drives are used in portable devices, then data storage capacity and transfer rate are achieved, but durability and protection against mechanical forces are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovedurabilityVSAvoidmechanical shock damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies beforehand cushioning by incorporating an elastic shock mount that transfers shock forces to durable portions of the disc drive before the forces can cause damage. The shock mount body with protrusions is pre-configured to receive and distribute shock forces during drop events, preventing direct transmission of harmful mechanical forces to vulnerable components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The elastic shock mount serves as an intermediary between the cartridge housing and the disc drive. It mediates the transmission of shock forces by selectively transferring forces to durable portions of the disc drive while isolating vulnerable components, thus protecting the overall system integrity during portable device operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If disc drives are directly mounted in housing, then device complexity is reduced, but protection against environmental factors and mechanical forces is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental protectionVSAvoidcartridge structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the system into distinct modules: a cartridge housing, an elastic shock mount, and a disc drive. This segmentation allows the disc drive to be protected within a dedicated cartridge structure that provides environmental protection and shock absorption, while maintaining modular assembly that simplifies manufacturing and replacement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements nesting by placing the disc drive within the elastic shock mount, which is in turn housed within the cartridge housing. This nested structure provides multiple layers of protection against environmental factors and mechanical forces while maintaining a compact form factor suitable for portable devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Strength

If shock forces are directly transmitted to disc drive, then structural simplicity is maintained, but damage to vulnerable components occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshock resistanceVSAvoidshock mount structure

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by designing the elastic shock mount with specific protrusions that target durable portions of the disc drive for force transmission. Rather than uniformly distributing shock forces, the mount selectively engages with robust areas of the disc drive housing, providing enhanced shock resistance where structural strength is greatest while avoiding vulnerable components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 enhances the durability and portability of disc drives by absorbing shock forces, preventing damage from mechanical stress and environmental factors, ensuring reliable data storage and transfer.

Implementation Method 1

a set of elastic shock mount protrusions extending outward from the shock mount body. The elastic shock mount protrusions are configured to transfer shock forces experienced by the cartridge housing to durable portions of the mass data storage device

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS8120902B2Durable mass data storage device cartridge

Publication Date: 2012.02.21 SEAGATE TECH LLC

AI summary

This disclosure includes an elastic shock mount for a mass data storage device cartridge comprising a shock mount body forming a void configured to receive a mass data storage device; and a set of elastic shock mount protrusions extending outward from the shock mount body. The elastic shock mount protrusions are configured to transfer shock forces experienced by the cartridge housing to durable portions of the mass data storage device.