Storage unit combining module capable of loading several storage units, storage unit moving suit and related server apparatus having several storage unit combining modules

Abstract

A storage unit combining module capable of loading a plurality of storage units, and a storage unit moving suit having several storage unit combining modules and a related server apparatus are disclosed. The storage unit combining module includes a base, a circuit backboard and a signal adapter. The base has several positioning zones and an open zone. The circuit backboard includes a first section and a second section bent from each other. The circuit backboard further includes a plurality of connectors respectively disposed on the corresponding positioning zones. The signal adapter is disposed on the open zone and electrically connected to the second section. Two storage units are respectively loaded into two positioning zones on a right side of the base in a first inserting direction, and one storage unit is further loaded into a single positioning zone on a left side of the base in a second inserting direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A storage unit combining module capable of simultaneously adapted to loading a plurality of storage units comprising a first storage unit, a second storage unit and a third storage unit, the storage unit combining module comprising:
 a base, the base having a base surface comprising a first positioning zone, a second positioning zone and a third positioning zone both on the base surface and defining a first inserting direction and a second inserting direction crossed each other and parallel to the base surface, stretching directions of the first positioning zone and the second positioning zone being parallel to the first inserting direction and the first positioning zone being neighbored with the second positioning zone in the second inserting direction, a stretching direction of the third positioning zone being parallel to the second inserting direction and neighbored with identical lateral sides of the first positioning zone and the second positioning zone in the first inserting direction, wherein the first inserting direction is substantially perpendicular to the second inserting direction the first positioning zone being adapted to receive the first storage unit in the first inserting direction and the third positioning zone being adapted to receive the third storage unit in the second inserting direction, so that the first storage unit and the third storage unit are integrated with the base as a combining module in a planar manner, wherein the first inserting direction is substantially perpendicular to the second inserting direction; and 
 a circuit backboard disposed on the base, the circuit backboard comprising a first section and a second section connected to each other, the first section being located between the third positioning zone and the identical lateral sides of the first positioning zoneand the second positioning zone and stretching toward a direction opposite to the second inserting direction, the second section stretching toward the first inserting direction and being neighbored with a side of the third positioning zone, the circuit backboard comprising:
 a first connector disposed on a position of the first section neighbored with and facing the first positioning zone to connect with the first storage unit in the first inserting direction; 
 a second connector disposed on a position of the first section neighbored with and facing the second positioning zone; 
 a third connector disposed on a position of the second section neighbored with and facing the third positioning zone to connect with the third storage unit in the second inserting direction; and 
 a signal adapterfor connecting with a pass-through interface card; 
 wherein, the first storage unit is adapted to connect with the first connector in the first inserting direction through the first positioning zone, the second storage unit is adapted to connect with the second connector in the first inserting direction through the second positioning zone, and the third storage unit is adapted to connect with the third connector in the second inserting direction through the third positioning zone, wherein each of the first storage unit, the second storage unit and the third storage unit comprises a storing component having same size and form factor; disposed on the circuit backboard and electrically coupled to the first connector and the third connector; 
 wherein each of the first storage unit and the third storage unit comprises a storing component having same size and form factor. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The storage unit combining module of claim  1  32, wherein the base comprises a plurality of constraining components respectively disposed on two opposite lateral sides of the first positioning zone, the second positioning zone and the third positioning zone, to constrain movements of the first storage unit, the second storage unit and the third storage unit except moving in the first inserting direction and the second inserting direction respectively. 
     
     
       3. The storage unit combining module of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first storage unit and the third storage unit comprises a supporting component, the a storing component and a detaching component, the storing component and the detaching component are disposed on the supporting component, the supporting component slides relative to the base via the constraining components and is engaged with the base by the detaching component to constrain a relative movement between the supporting component and the constraining components. 
     
     
       4. The storage unit combining module of claim  1  32, wherein the circuit backboard is a L-shaped slab component, the first section is a long section of the L-shaped slab component, and the second section is a short another section of the L-shaped slab component, and the first section is disposed between the first positioning zone and the third positioning zone. 
     
     
       5. The storage unit combining module of  claim 1 , wherein the first connector, the second connector and the third connected are mid-mount connectors. 
     
     
       6. A storage unit moving suit, comprising:
 a carrying frame, having an accommodating space; 
 a pass-through interface card disposed on a side of the carrying frame; and 
 at least one storage unit combining module disposed inside the accommodating space of the carrying frame and capable of simultaneously adapted to loading a plurality of storage units comprising a first storage unit, a second storage unit and a third storage unit, the at least one storage unit combining module comprising:
 a base, the base having a base surface comprising a first positioning zone, a second positioning zone and a third positioning zone both on the base surface and defining a first inserting direction and a second inserting direction crossed each other and parallel to the base surface, stretching directions of the first positioning zone and the second positioning zone being parallel to the first inserting direction and the first positioning zone being neighbored with the second positioning zone in the second inserting direction, a stretching direction of the third positioning zone being parallel to the second inserting direction and neighbored with identical lateral sides of the first positioning zone and the second positioning zone in the first inserting direction, wherein the first inserting direction is substantially perpendicular to the second inserting direction the first positioning zone being adapted to receive the first storage unit in the first inserting direction and the third positioning zone being adapted to receive the third storage unit in the second inserting direction, so that the first storage unit and the third storage unit are integrated with the base as a combining module in a planar manner, wherein the first inserting direction is substantially perpendicular to the second inserting direction, the first positioning zone and the third positioning zone are in the same level of the base; and 
 a circuit backboard disposed on the base, the circuit backboard comprising a first section and a second section connected to each other, the first section being located between the third positioning zone and the identical lateral sides of the first positioning zone and the second positioning zone and stretching toward a direction opposite to the second inserting direction, the second section stretching toward the first inserting direction and being neighbored with a side of the third positioning zone, the circuit backboard comprising:
 a first connector disposed on a position of the first section neighbored with and facing the first positioning zone to connect with the first storage unit in the first inserting direction; 
 a second connector disposed on a position of the first section neighbored with and facing the second positioning zone; 
 a third connector disposed on a position of the second section neighbored with and facing the third positioning zone to connect with the third storage unit in the second inserting direction; and 
 a signal adapter for connecting disposed on the circuit backboard and electrically coupled to the first connector and the third connector and adapted to connect with the pass-through interface card; 
 
 wherein, the first storage unit is adapted to connect with the first connector in the first inserting direction through the first positioning zone, the second storage unit is adapted to connect with the second connector in the first inserting direction through the second positioning zone, and the third storage unit is adapted to connect with the third connector in the second inserting direction through the third positioning zone, wherein each of the first storage unit, the second storage unit and the third storage unit comprises a storing component having same size and form factor 
 wherein each of the first storage unit, the second storage unit and the third storage unit comprises a storing component having same size and form factor. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The storage unit moving suit of  claim 6 , wherein the base comprises a plurality of constraining components respectively disposed on two opposite lateral sides of the first positioning zone, the second positioning zone and the third positioning zone, to constrain movements of the first storage unit, the second storage unit and the third storage unit except moving in the first inserting direction and the second inserting direction respectively. 
     
     
       8. The storage unit moving suit of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first storage unit and the third storage unit comprises a supporting component, the a storing component and a detaching component, the storing component and the detaching component are disposed on the supporting component, the supporting component slides relative to the base via the constraining components and is engaged with the base by the detaching component to constrain a relative movement between the supporting component and the constraining components. 
     
     
       9. The storage unit moving suit of claim  6  33, wherein the circuit backboard is a L-shaped slab component, the first section is a long section of the L-shaped slab component, and the second section is a short section of the L-shaped slab component, and the first section is disposed between the first positioning zone and the third positioning zone. 
     
     
       10. The storage unit moving suit of  claim 6 , wherein the first connector, the second connector and the third connected are mid-mount connectors. 
     
     
       11. The storage unit moving suit of  claim 6 , wherein the carrying frame comprises at least one guiding slot, configured for the at least one storage unit combining module utilizes the at least one guiding slot to slidably dispose inside the accommodating space of the carrying frame. 
     
     
       12. The storage unit moving suit of  claim 11 , wherein the carrying frame further comprises a bottom slab, two lateral slabs and two blocking slabs, the two lateral slabs are respectively connected to two sides of the bottom slab, the two blocking slabs are respectively crossed between the two lateral slabs, the at least one guiding slot is disposed on the bottom slab and/or one of the two blocking slabs. 
     
     
       13. The storage unit moving suit of  claim 12 , wherein a plurality of heat dissipating holes is respectively formed on the two blocking slabs and/or the bottom slab. 
     
     
       14. The storage unit moving suit of  claim 6 , wherein the carrying frame further comprises a handling component. 
     
     
       15. The storage unit moving suit of  claim 6 , wherein a plurality of sockets at least one socket is disposed on a surface of the pass-through interface card for connecting with the signal adapter, an amount of the socket corresponds to an amount of the storage unit combining module. 
     
     
       16. The storage unit moving suit of  claim 6 , wherein the pass-through interface card is a RAID (redundant array of independent disks) card. 
     
     
       17. The storage unit moving suit of  claim 6 , wherein the pass-through interface card further comprises a power connector and a signal connector electrically connected to a mainboard of a server apparatus via a flexible cable. 
     
     
       18. A server apparatus, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a mainboard disposed inside the housing; and 
 at least one storage unit moving suit disposed inside the housing and capable of adapted to being pulled or pushed relative to the housing, the at least one storage unit moving suit comprising:
 a carrying frame, having an accommodating space; 
 a pass-through interface card disposed on a side of the carrying frame; and 
 at least one storage unit combining module disposed inside the accommodating space of the carrying frame and capable of simultaneously adapted to loading a plurality of storage units comprising a first storage unit, a second storage unit and a third storage unit, the at least one storage unit combining module comprising:
 a base, the base having a base surface comprising a first positioning zone, a second positioning zone and a third positioning zone both on the base surface and defining a first inserting direction and a second inserting direction crossed each other and parallel to the base surface, stretching directions of the first positioning zone and the second positioning zone being parallel to the first inserting direction and the first positioning zone being neighbored with the second positioning zone in the second inserting direction, a stretching direction of the third positioning zone being parallel to the second inserting direction and neighbored with identical lateral sides of the first positioning zone and the second positioning zone in the first inserting direction, wherein the first inserting direction is substantially perpendicular to the second inserting direction the first positioning zone being adapted to receive the first storage unit in the first inserting direction and the third positioning zone being adapted to receive the third storage unit in the second inserting direction, so that the first storage unit and the third storage unit are integrated with the base as a combining module in a planar manner, wherein the first inserting direction is substantially perpendicular to the second inserting direction, the first positioning zone and the third positioning zone are in the same level of the base; and 
 a circuit backboard disposed on the base, the circuit backboard comprising a first section and a second section connected to each other, the first section being located between the third positioning zone and the identical lateral sides of the first positioning zoneand the second positioning zone and stretching toward a direction opposite to the second inserting direction, the second section stretching toward the first inserting direction and being neighbored with a side of the third positioning zone, the circuit backboard comprising:
 a first connector disposed on a position of the first section neighbored with and facing the first positioning zone to connect with the first storage unit in the first inserting direction; 
 a second connector disposed on a position of the first section neighbored with and facing the second positioning zone; 
 a third connector disposed on a position of the second section neighbored with and facing the third positioning zone to connect with the third storage unit in the second inserting direction; and 
 a signal adapter for connecting disposed on the circuit backboard and electrically coupled to the first connector and the third connector and adapted to connect with the pass-through interface card; 
 
 wherein, the first storage unit is adapted to connect with the first connector in the first inserting direction through the first positioning zone, the second storage unit is adapted to connect with the second connector in the first inserting direction through the second positioning zone, and the third storage unit is adapted to connect with the third connector in the second inserting direction through the third positioning zone, wherein each of the first storage unit, the second storage unit and the third storage unit comprises a storing component having same size and form factor 
 wherein each of the first storage unit, the second storage unit and the third storage unit comprises a storing component having same size and form factor. 
 
 
 
     
     
       19. The server apparatus of claim  18  34, wherein the base comprises a plurality of constraining components respectively disposed on two opposite lateral sides of the first positioning zone, the second positioning zone and the third positioning zone, to constrain movements of the first storage unit, the second storage unit and the third storage unit except moving in the first inserting direction and the second inserting direction respectively. 
     
     
       20. The server apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein at least one of the first storage unit and the third storage unit comprises a supporting component, the a storing component and a detaching component, the storing component and the detaching component are disposed on the supporting component, the supporting component slides relative to the base via the constraining components and is engaged with the base by the detaching component to constrain a relative movement between the supporting component and the constraining components. 
     
     
       21. The server apparatus of claim  18  34, wherein the circuit backboard is a L-shaped slab component, the first section is a long section of the L-shaped slab component, and the second section is a short another section of the L-shaped slab component, and the first section is disposed between the first positioning zone and the third positioning zone. 
     
     
       22. The server apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the first connector, the second connector and the third connected are mid-mount connectors. 
     
     
       23. The server apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the carrying frame comprises at least one guiding slot, configured for the at least one storage unit combining module utilizes the at least one guiding slot to slidably dispose inside the accommodating space of the carrying frame. 
     
     
       24. The server apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the carrying frame further comprises a bottom slab, two lateral slabs and two blocking slabs, the two lateral slabs are respectively connected to two sides of the bottom slab, the two blocking slabs are respectively crossed between the two lateral slabs, the at least one guiding slot is disposed on the bottom slab and/or one of the two blocking slabs. 
     
     
       25. The server apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein a plurality of heat dissipating holes is respectively formed on the two blocking slabs and/or the bottom slab. 
     
     
       26. The server apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the carrying frame further comprises a handling component. 
     
     
       27. The server apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein a plurality of sockets at least one socket is disposed on a surface of the pass-through interface card for connecting with the signal adapter, an amount of the socket corresponds to an amount of the storage unit combining module. 
     
     
       28. The server apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the pass-through interface card further comprises a power connector and a signal connector electrically connected to the mainboard via a flexible cable. 
     
     
       29. The server apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the pass-through interface card is a RAID (redundant array of independent disks) card. 
     
     
       30. The server apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a bridging frame disposed inside the housing, a plurality of storage unit moving suits being detachably loaded inside the bridging frame. 
 
     
     
       31. The server apparatus of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 a slide rail structure disposed between the carrying frame and the bridging frame, the plurality of storage unit moving suits being pulled or pushed relative to the housing via the slide rail structure. 
 
     
     
       32. The storage unit combining module of claim 1, wherein the base further comprises a second positioning zone neighbored with the first positioning zone in the second direction and configured to receive a second storage unit in the first inserting direction, and the circuit backboard further comprises a second connector disposed on a position of the first section that is neighbored with and facing the second positioning zone to connect with the second storage unit in the first inserting direction. 
     
     
       33. The storage unit combining module of claim 32, wherein the circuit backboard is a L-shaped slab component, the first section is a section of the L-shaped slab component, the second section is another section of the L-shaped slab component, and the first section is disposed between same sides of the first positioning zone and the second positioning zone and a side of the third positioning zone. 
     
     
       34. The storage unit moving suit of claim 6, wherein the base further comprises a second positioning zone neighbored with the first positioning zone in the second direction and configured to receive a second storage unit in the first inserting direction, and the circuit backboard further comprises a second connector disposed on a position of the first section that is neighbored with and facing the second positioning zone to connect with the second storage unit in the first inserting direction. 
     
     
       35. The storage unit moving suit of claim 34, wherein the circuit backboard is a L-shaped slab component, the first section is a section of the L-shaped slab component, the second section is another section of the L-shaped slab component, and the first section is disposed between same sides of the first positioning zone and the second positioning zone and a side of the third positioning zone. 
     
     
       36. The server apparatus of claim 18, wherein the base further comprises a second positioning zone neighbored with the first positioning zone in the second direction and configured to receive a second storage unit in the first inserting direction, and the circuit backboard further comprises a second connector disposed on a position of the first section that is neighbored with and facing the second positioning zone to connect with the second storage unit in the first inserting direction. 
     
     
       37. The server apparatus of claim 36, wherein the circuit backboard is a L-shaped slab component, the first section is a section of the L-shaped slab component, the second section is another section of the L-shaped slab component, and the first section is disposed between same sides of the first positioning zone and the second positioning zone and a side of the third positioning zone.