Abstract: Provided herein are systems and apparatus for reducing vibration interaction between hard drives. In one implementation, a flexible mount electrical connection comprises a mating connector configured to physically couple with a hard drive connector and a plurality of electrical pins having a connector portion positioned within the mating connector configured to electrically couple with hard drive connector pins positioned within the hard drive connector. Each electrical pin has an extended portion extending away from the mating connector. The extended portion has an attachment portion configured to electrically couple the respective electrical pin to a printed circuit board, and the extended portion has a shape formed therein configured to reduce transmission of vibrations in the connector portion along each axis of a three-dimensional space to the attachment portion.

Abstract: To provide enhanced operation of data storage devices and systems, various systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein. In a first example, a backflow assembly includes a backflow stopper comprising a frame configured to structurally support a fin array when coupled to a fan, the fin array comprising a plurality of flexural deformation elements and associated fin elements arrayed in a radial arrangement to establish a pathway for airflow, each of the flexural deformation elements configured to move an attached fin element responsive to airflow impacting the attached fin element. An acoustic barrier assembly is positioned adjacently to the backflow stopper and configured to attenuate acoustic waves emanating from the fan.

Abstract: A system assembly includes a hermetically-sealed enclosure, a double-barrier sealing system comprising first and second sealing members spaced from each other, and a vacuum source that operates in the space between sealing members to generate a lower pressure in the space than in the enclosure. A lighter-than-air gas may be enclosed in the enclosure, and a plurality of non-hermetically-sealed data storage devices may be housed within the enclosure. Air, humidity, and other contaminants may be intercepted by the vacuum system rather than leak into and pollute the sealed internal environment of the storage system enclosure.

Abstract: A data storage device involves inner surfaces of sidewalls of a second cover overlapping with and adhesively bonded with the outer surfaces of sidewalls of an enclosure base having an uppermost top surface, where the second cover or an underlying first cover are removably adhered to the uppermost top surface of the base. The removable adhesive bond may comprise a pressure-sensitive adhesive, which can provide for reworkability during the manufacturing and testing process. The second cover-to-base sidewall bond may form a hermetic seal between the second cover and the base. Hence, a thinner base sidewall adjacent to the recording disks is enabled, leaving more space available for larger-diameter recording disks within a standard form factor, hermetically-sealed storage device, which may be filled with a lighter-than-air gas.

Abstract: A data storage system assembly includes a rigid central plate with multiple data storage devices (DSDs) mounted on the central plate, where a first row of DSDs is coupled with a first side of the central plate, and a second row of DSDs is coupled with a second side of the central plate, both in a side-by-side arrangement. A plurality of flexible mounting grommets may be fastened to each DSD and coupled to the central plate, such as in an arrangement in which an even number of grommets are fastened to one side and an odd number of grommets are fastened to an opposing side of the DSD. Each respective DSD may be fastened to a corresponding adaptor plate, where each adaptor plate is coupled with the central plate. Flexible mounting grommets may be fastened to each adaptor plate and coupled to the central plate.

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.

Abstract: A compact back-flow stopper using an elastic flexure mechanism for a cooling fan is shown and described. The backflow stopper assembly comprises a frame configured to structurally support a fin array when coupled to a fan. The fin array comprises a plurality of flexural deformation elements and associated fin elements arrayed in a radial arrangement to establish a pathway for airflow, each of the flexural deformation elements configured to move an attached fin element responsive to airflow impacting the attached fin element. Flex limiter elements are coupled to the frame and configured to limit flexure of the fin elements beyond a predetermined flexure in relation to the frame to stop backflow of air through the fin array. A fan assembly with a backflow stopper is shown and described. Also, a data storage assembly using fan assemblies with backflow stoppers is also shown and described.

Abstract: A system assembly includes a hermetically-sealed enclosure, a double-barrier sealing system comprising first and second sealing members spaced from each other, and a vacuum source that operates in the space between sealing members to generate a lower pressure in the space than in the enclosure. A lighter-than-air gas may be enclosed in the enclosure, and a plurality of non-hermetically-sealed data storage devices may be housed within the enclosure. Air, humidity, and other contaminants may be intercepted by the vacuum system rather than leak into and pollute the sealed internal environment of the storage system enclosure.

Abstract: A data storage system assembly includes a rigid central plate with multiple data storage devices (DSDs) mounted on the central plate, where a first row of DSDs is coupled with a first side of the central plate, and a second row of DSDs is coupled with a second side of the central plate, both in a side-by-side arrangement. A plurality of flexible mounting grommets may be fastened to each DSD and coupled to the central plate, such as in an arrangement in which an even number of grommets are fastened to one side and an odd number of grommets are fastened to an opposing side of the DSD. Each respective DSD may be fastened to a corresponding adaptor plate, where each adaptor plate is coupled with the central plate. Flexible mounting grommets may be fastened to each adaptor plate and coupled to the central plate.

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.

Abstract: A data storage device involves a plurality of continuous sidewalls and corner portions of a tub cover overlapping with and hermetically sealed with a corresponding plurality of sidewalls and corners of an enclosure base using an epoxy adhesive. Base protrusions and/or cover dimples may be used to set a suitable gap between the parts. A robust hermetic seal provides for filling the HDD with a lighter-than-air gas. A tub cover may include pleated corners, and a base may include corners having a constant-radius outer surface and sidewalls having a sloped upper surface, whereby an assembly interference fit between the base and the tub cover is formed by forcing outward each sidewall of the tub cover while forcing inward at least a portion of each corner of the tub cover.

Abstract: A method of assembling a data storage device comprises forming an enclosure by overlapping each of a plurality of sidewalls of a cover with a corresponding sidewall of a base part, dispensing a liquid adhesive between the respective sidewalls of the cover and base part in such a quantity at each of a plurality of locations to promote capillary flow of the liquid adhesive to form a continuous film of liquid adhesive between the sidewalls, and curing the continuous film of liquid adhesive to form a hermetic seal between the cover and the base part. Embodiments may include surface treating the sidewall surface(s), which can help promote the capillary flow of the liquid adhesive. The hermetic seal provides for a lighter-than-air gas to be held therein.

Abstract: A data storage device involves a plurality of sidewalls of a bent sheet metal cover, either pre-formed or shaped-in-place, overlapping with and hermetically sealed with a corresponding plurality of sidewalls of an enclosure base, using an applied epoxy adhesive. Base protrusions and/or cover dimples may be used to set a suitable gap between the parts. A robust hermetic seal provides for filling the data storage device with a lighter-than-air gas.

Abstract: A compact back-flow stopper using an elastic flexure mechanism for a cooling fan is shown and described. The backflow stopper assembly comprises a frame configured to structurally support a fin array when coupled to a fan. The fin array comprises a plurality of flexural deformation elements and associated fin elements arrayed in a radial arrangement to establish a pathway for airflow, each of the flexural deformation elements configured to move an attached fin element responsive to airflow impacting the attached fin element. Flex limiter elements are coupled to the frame and configured to limit flexure of the fin elements beyond a predetermined flexure in relation to the frame to stop backflow of air through the fin array. A fan assembly with a backflow stopper is shown and described. Also, a data storage assembly using fan assemblies with backflow stoppers is also shown and described.

Abstract: A data storage system assembly includes a hermetically-sealed enclosure, a double-barrier sealing system comprising first and second sealing members spaced from each other, and a vacuum source that operates in the space between sealing members to generate a lower pressure in the space than in the enclosure. A lighter-than-air gas may be enclosed in the enclosure, and a plurality of non-hermetically-sealed data storage devices may be housed within the enclosure. Air, humidity, and other contaminants may be intercepted by the vacuum system rather than leak into and pollute the sealed internal environment of the storage system enclosure.

Abstract: A data storage device involves inner surfaces of sidewalls of a second cover overlapping with and adhesively bonded with the outer surfaces of sidewalls of an enclosure base having an uppermost top surface, where the second cover or an underlying first cover are removably adhered to the uppermost top surface of the base. The removable adhesive bond may comprise a pressure-sensitive adhesive, which can provide for reworkability during the manufacturing and testing process. The second cover-to-base sidewall bond may form a hermetic seal between the second cover and the base. Hence, a thinner base sidewall adjacent to the recording disks is enabled, leaving more space available for larger-diameter recording disks within a standard form factor, hermetically-sealed storage device, which may be filled with a lighter-than-air gas.

Abstract: A data storage device involves a plurality of continuous sidewalls and corner portions of a tub cover overlapping with and hermetically sealed with a corresponding plurality of sidewalls and corners of an enclosure base using an epoxy adhesive. Base protrusions and/or cover dimples may be used to set a suitable gap between the parts. A robust hermetic seal provides for filling the HDD with a lighter-than-air gas. A tub cover may include corners having a tapered radius that decreases from the top to the bottom edge, and a base may include corners having a constant-radius outer surface and sidewalls having a sloped upper surface, whereby an assembly interference fit between the base and the tub cover is formed by forcing outward each sidewall of the tub cover while forcing inward at least a portion of each corner of the tub cover.

Abstract: Systems, software, devices, and methods of distributing a workload among available data storage devices in a thermal aware manner are described herein. More specifically, the examples herein discuss distributing the workload among the available data storage devices in a thermal aware manner that optimizes collective IOPs of the data storage devices in an enclosure. The thermal aware distribution of the storage operations is determined by a thermal model that predicts thermal characteristics of the data storage system based on inlet air characteristics of the enclosure, performance characteristics and thermal constraints of the data storage devices, and constraints of the workload.

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.

Abstract: A data storage device involves inner surfaces of sidewalls of a second cover overlapping with and adhesively bonded with the outer surfaces of sidewalls of an enclosure base having an uppermost top surface, where the second cover or an underlying first cover are removably adhered to the uppermost top surface of the base. The removable adhesive bond may comprise a pressure-sensitive adhesive, which can provide for reworkability during the manufacturing and testing process. The second cover-to-base sidewall bond may form a hermetic seal between the second cover and the base. Hence, a thinner base sidewall adjacent to the recording disks is enabled, leaving more space available for larger-diameter recording disks within a standard form factor, hermetically-sealed storage device, which may be filled with a lighter-than-air gas.