Storage drive carrier for high-density storage solution

Abstract

A high density storage housing includes a housing and a plurality of drive carriers. The housing includes a storage area and a motherboard. The storage area extends across at least a portion of a width and at least a portion of a depth of the housing. The motherboard extends across the storage area and includes a plurality of first connectors. The plurality of drive carriers each include a second connector configured to mate directly with one of the plurality of first connectors. Moreover, the second connector of each drive carrier of the plurality of drive carriers is disposed on a long side of its drive carrier so that the plurality of drive carriers mount storage drives to the housing in a sideways orientation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A storage apparatus comprising:
 a housing including a bottom that is bounded by a front, a back, and two sides;   a motherboard that is disposed atop the bottom and is parallel to the bottom; and   a plurality of drive slots that are each sized to receive a drive carrier in a position that aligns a long edge of the drive carrier with the motherboard.   
     
     
         2 . The storage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the drive carrier comprises:
 a connector that is configured to connect to the motherboard and that is disposed along the long edge so that the drive carrier is installable into the storage apparatus with a single, linear motion.   
     
     
         3 . The storage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the drive carrier is configured to receive a 2.5 inch small form factor (SFF) storage drive and the housing further comprises:
 exterior dimensions configured to fit within a two rack unit (2U) of a chassis.   
     
     
         4 . The storage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises:
 a storage area that defines the plurality of drive slots, the motherboard being disposed at bottom of the storage area.   
     
     
         5 . The storage apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of drive slots orient the drive carrier so that the long edge extends in a front-to-back direction within the storage area. 
     
     
         6 . The storage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the long edge of the drive carrier provides a base for sideways orientation. 
     
     
         7 . The storage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises:
 a plurality of lateral stanchions that span a width of a storage area that defines the plurality of drive slots; and   a plurality of longitudinal stanchions that span a depth of the storage area.   
     
     
         8 . The storage apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of lateral stanchions include openings that are substantially aligned with the plurality of longitudinal stanchions so as to provide airflow and cool a plurality of driver carriers installed in the plurality of drive slots. 
     
     
         9 . A system comprising:
 a storage apparatus comprising:
 a housing including a bottom that is bounded by a front, a back, and two sides; 
 a motherboard that is disposed atop the bottom and is parallel to the bottom; and 
 a plurality of drive slots that are each sized to receive a drive carrier in a position that aligns a long edge of the drive carrier with the motherboard; and 
   a plurality of drive carriers that mount in the plurality of drive slots in a sideways orientation.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the storage apparatus further comprises a connector that is configured to connect to the motherboard and that is disposed along the long edge so that the drive carrier is installable into the storage apparatus with a single, linear motion. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of drive carrier are each configured to receive a 2.5 inch small form factor (SFF) storage drive and wherein the housing of the storage apparatus further comprises exterior dimensions configured to fit within a two rack unit (2U) of a chassis. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the housing of the storage apparatus further comprises a storage area that defines the plurality of drive slots, the motherboard being disposed at bottom of the storage area. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of drive slots of the storage apparatus orient the drive carrier so that the long edge extends in a front-to-back direction within the storage area. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the long edge of the drive carrier provides a base for sideways orientation. 
     
     
         15 . A storage apparatus comprising:
 a housing including a bottom that is bounded by a front, a back, and two sides;   a motherboard that is disposed atop the bottom and is parallel to the bottom; and   a plurality of drive slots that are each sized to receive a drive carrier of a plurality drive carrier in a position that aligns a long edge of the drive carrier with the motherboard and align a first connector on the drive carrier with a second connector included on the motherboard.   
     
     
         16 . The storage apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the drive carrier is configured to receive a 2.5 inch small form factor (SFF) storage drive and the housing further comprises exterior dimensions configured to fit within a two rack unit (2U) of a chassis. 
     
     
         17 . The storage apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the housing further comprises a storage area that defines the plurality of drive slots, the motherboard being disposed at bottom of the storage area. 
     
     
         18 . The storage apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of drive slots orient the drive carrier so that the long edge extends in a front-to-back direction within the storage area. 
     
     
         19 . The storage apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the long edge of the drive carrier provides a base for sideways orientation. 
     
     
         20 . The storage apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the housing further comprises:
 a plurality of lateral stanchions that span a width of a storage area that defines the plurality of drive slots; and   a plurality of longitudinal stanchions that span a depth of the storage area.