Storage canister with multiple storage device mounting elements

{
  "publication_number": "US10067542B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Storage canister with multiple storage device mounting elements",
  "abstract": "A storage canister is provided. The storage canister in one example includes an enclosure, multiple Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) located within the enclosure, a plurality of mounting elements configured to receive the multiple HDDs, wherein each mounting element of the plurality of mounting elements is configured to receive a HDD, a plurality of suspension elements supporting the plurality of mounting elements, with each suspension element of the plurality of suspension elements supporting and providing vibration isolation to a corresponding HDD of the multiple HDDs, and an external connector configured to be externally accessible, with the external connector being electrically coupled to the plurality of mounting elements.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A storage canister, comprising: an enclosure having an inner surface; a plurality of mounting elements configured to receive multiple hard drives, wherein each mounting element of the plurality of mounting elements comprises a hard drive connector for electrically coupling to a respective hard drive; a plurality of suspension elements coupled to the plurality of mounting elements, wherein each suspension element of the plurality of suspension elements is configured to; suspend a respective mounting element of the plurality of mounting elements on the inner surface of the enclosure; and isolate vibrations in the respective mounting element from vibrations in the enclosure; an external connector configured to be externally accessible, wherein the external connector is electrically coupled to the plurality of mounting elements; and flexible connector elements extending between and electrically coupled to adjacent mounting elements of the plurality of mounting elements, wherein the flexible connector elements enable electrical signals to be exchanged between the external connector and each hard drive.",
    "2. The storage canister of claim 1, wherein the flexible connector elements enable independent movement of the adjacent mounting elements.",
    "3. The storage canister of claim 1, wherein: the flexible connector elements include slack portions; and the flexible connector elements enable independent movement of the adjacent mounting elements.",
    "4. The storage canister of claim 1, wherein a first mounting element of the plurality of mounting elements is electrically coupled to the external connector by a feed-through installed in an aperture in the enclosure.",
    "5. The storage canister of claim 1, wherein a first mounting element of the plurality of mounting elements is electrically coupled to the external connector by a feed-through sealingly installed in an aperture in the enclosure.",
    "6. The storage canister of claim 1, wherein a hard drive of the multiple hard drives comprises a digital storage device including one or more disk storage media.",
    "7. The storage canister of claim 1, wherein a hard drive of the multiple hard drives comprises a digital storage device including at least one disk storage media and at least one solid-state storage device.",
    "8. The storage canister of claim 1, wherein a hard drive of the multiple hard drives comprises a sealed hard drive or an unsealed hard drive.",
    "9. The storage canister of claim 1, wherein: the multiple hard drives comprise an elastic layer formed on portions of one or more sides of the multiple hard drives; and the elastic layer is configured to contact and be at least partially compressed against one or more inner surfaces of the enclosure.",
    "10. The storage canister of claim 1, wherein: the multiple hard drives comprise a thermally-conductive layer formed on portions of one or more sides of the multiple hard drives; and the thermally-conductive layer is configured to contact and be at least partially compressed against one or more inner surfaces of the enclosure and is configured to conduct heat from the multiple hard drives to the enclosure.",
    "11. The storage canister of claim 1, wherein the storage canister is configured to fit into a hard drive sled configured to receive multiple storage canisters.",
    "12. The storage canister of claim 1, wherein: the enclosure comprises a sealed enclosure configured to be substantially airtight or substantially gas tight for retaining a predetermined gas or gas mixture; and the multiple hard drives comprise multiple hard drives not substantially gas tight.",
    "13. The storage canister of claim 1, wherein: the enclosure comprises a sealed enclosure configured to be substantially airtight or substantially gas tight for retaining a predetermined gas or gas mixture; the predetermined gas or gas mixture comprises dry air, nitrogen, or helium; and the multiple hard drives comprise multiple hard drives not substantially hermetically sealed.",
    "14. A storage sled adapted for use in a mass storage system, comprising: a sled tray configured to receive a plurality of storage canisters; a sled head coupled to the sled tray and configured to provide electrical power and electrical signals to individual canisters of the plurality of storage canisters; and at least one storage canister installed in the sled tray and coupled to the sled head, wherein the at least one storage canister comprises: an enclosure having an inner surface; a plurality of mounting elements configured to receive a plurality of hard drives, wherein each mounting element of the plurality of mounting elements comprises a hard drive connector for connecting to a respective hard drive of the plurality of hard drives; an external connector configured to be externally accessible, to couple to a corresponding canister connector of the sled head, and to electrically couple to the plurality of mounting elements; a plurality of suspension elements suspending the plurality of mounting elements on the inner surface of the enclosure, wherein each suspension element of the plurality of suspension elements is configured to support a corresponding hard drive of the plurality of hard drives and to vibrationally isolate the corresponding hard drive from the other hard drives located within the enclosure; and flexible connector elements extending between and electrically coupled to adjacent mounting elements of the plurality of mounting elements, wherein the flexible connector elements enable electrical signals to be exchanged between the external connector and each hard drive.",
    "15. The storage sled of claim 14, wherein the flexible connector elements enable independent movement of the adjacent mounting elements.",
    "16. The storage sled of claim 14, wherein: the flexible connector elements include slack portions; and the flexible connector elements enable independent movement of the adjacent mounting elements.",
    "17. The storage sled of claim 14, wherein a first mounting element of the plurality of mounting elements is electrically coupled to the external connector by a feed-through installed in an aperture in the enclosure.",
    "18. The storage sled of claim 14, wherein a first mounting element of the plurality of mounting elements is electrically coupled to the external connector by a feed-through sealingly installed in an aperture in the enclosure.",
    "19. The storage sled of claim 14, wherein: the enclosure comprises a sealed enclosure configured to be substantially airtight or substantially gas tight for retaining a predetermined gas or gas mixture; and the plurality of hard drives comprise multiple hard drives not substantially gas tight.",
    "20. The storage sled of claim 14, further comprising the plurality of hard drives."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Aspects of the disclosure are related to the field of data storage systems, and in particular, to a storage canister for use in a mass storage system.\n\nMass storage systems are used for storing enormous quantities of digital data. As computer systems and networks grow in numbers and capability, there is a need for more and more storage system capacity. Cloud computing and large-scale data processing have further increase the need for digital data storage systems that are capable of transferring and holding immense amounts of data.\n\nMass storage systems are typically formed from a number of mass storage devices. The mass storage devices comprise very high capacity storage devices and may be themselves formed of multiple sub-units, sometimes referred to as sleds. A sled is a modular unit that can be added to or removed from a mass storage system. A mass storage system includes a rack or other receiving system that can receive a number of sleds. By forming a mass storage system using a number of sleds, any desired storage capacity can be attained.\n\nA canister is a modular unit that can be added to or removed from a sled. A number of canisters can be held in a sled. Each canister can hold and operate one or more Hard Disk Drives (HDDs). The HDDs are held and operated in close proximity within a canister, so that as many HDDs as possible can be received in the defined volume of the canister. Consequently, the storage capacity of the sled can be increased in increments by the installation of an additional canister or canisters.",
  "cpc": [
    "G06F 1/187",
    "G06F 1/181",
    "G11B 33/08",
    "G11B 33/126",
    "G11B 33/128",
    "G11B 33/148"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G06F 1/18",
    "G11B 33/08",
    "G11B 33/12",
    "G11B 33/14"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Western Digital Technologies Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Darya AMIN-SHAHIDI",
    "Michael Stephen Bell",
    "Toshiki Hirano",
    "Vipin Ayanoor Vitikkate"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-11-02",
  "publication_date": "2018-09-04",
  "grant_date": "2018-09-04",
  "priority_date": "2014-06-05",
  "application_number": "US-201715801677-A",
  "family_id": "54770717",
  "cited_by_count": 1,
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}