Storage Blade Rail Dampening Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing blade computing designs face challenges in handling storage blades with hard drives, as they require careful handling to prevent damage during insertion and removal, and current solutions are costly due to redundancy in providing reliability and uptime.

Innovation Solution

A blade system with a chassis and rails that engage the blade along its sides, using slider and rack portions for stability and pinions for dampening, along with a motorized mechanism for smooth movement, and a handle with status indicators for safe handling and operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional blade handling mechanisms are used, then reliability and uptime are enhanced, but the cost increases due to redundancy and expensive components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability and uptimeVSAvoidcost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs inexpensive rubber bumpers and elastomeric materials for shock absorption and damping functions. These low-cost components provide adequate protection for hard drive blades during insertion and removal, eliminating the need for expensive specialized handling mechanisms while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical parameters of the blade edges by adding rubber bumpers and elastomeric coatings. This modifies the mechanical properties (cushioning, friction, dampening) of the blade-chassis interface, providing reliable handling without requiring complex or expensive mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If careful handling mechanisms are provided for hard drives, then damage during insertion and removal is prevented, but the system becomes more expensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandling safetyVSAvoidcost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies rubber bumpers to the edges of hard drive blades before insertion into the chassis. These bumpers provide pre-positioned cushioning that absorbs shock and prevents damage during the insertion and removal processes, eliminating the need for expensive specialized handling mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces rubber bumpers and elastomeric materials as intermediary elements between the hard drive blade and the chassis. These intermediaries absorb mechanical stress and prevent direct contact that could cause damage, providing safe handling without complex mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If redundant services are provided by the chassis, then reliability and uptime are enhanced, but unnecessary redundancy increases cost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability and uptimeVSAvoidredundancy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the essential protective functions (shock absorption, dampening, friction control) from expensive redundant chassis mechanisms and implements them through simple rubber bumpers and elastomeric materials on the blade itself, eliminating unnecessary redundancy while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 provides stable and reliable insertion and removal of storage blades, preventing damage and reducing costs by enhancing handling safety and efficiency while maintaining system reliability and uptime.

Implementation Method 1

At least one pinion engages the rack portion of at least one of the two rails, and provides dampening to the relative movement between the blade and the chassis

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDamping: Damping

Implementation Method 2

two glides disposed along the entire length of the two sides of the blade, where each of the two glides engage the slider portion of each of the two rails, and provide stability to the blade during relative movement between the blade and the chassis

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentUS8014156B2Storage blade

Publication Date: 2011.09.06 NETAPP INC

AI summary

A blade-system computer component with a chassis and a blade. The chassis has a housing for a blade, chassis electrical contacts for making electrical connections to the blade, and two rails for engaging the blade along two sides of a length of the blade. Each of the two rails has a slider portion and a rack portion that both engage the blade, and are both disposed along an entire length of the two rails. The blade has blade electrical contacts for making electrical connections to the chassis, two glides disposed along the entire length of the two sides of the blade, where each of the two glides engage the slider portion of each of the two rails, and provide stability to the blade during relative movement between the blade and the chassis. At least one pinion engages the rack portion of at least one of the two rails, and provides dampening to the relative movement between the blade and the chassis.