JP2008522338A - Fire-resistant and / or water-resistant enclosure for operable digital data storage device of computer - Google Patents

Abstract

A fireproof and / or housing for storing an operable digital data storage device is provided. This housing is an inexpensive, preferably molded housing with various embodiments for imparting fire resistance and / or water resistance. In one embodiment, the ventilator cooperates with one or more hatchless exhaust passages to cool the digital data storage device. The passageway is sized sufficiently small to prevent movement of heat through the passageway, sufficiently prevent damage to the data storage device, and sufficiently prevent loss of data stored therein. Yes. Other embodiments enclose the data storage device and provide a water resistant pouch consisting of a flexible foil or a relatively strong and inflexible finned heat transfer body. In some embodiments, the housing uses a ventilator, and in some embodiments, it operates within the ventilator. Similarly, some embodiments use movable hatches and some embodiments are designed without hatches.

Description

  This application is a continuation-in-part of US patent application Ser. No. 11 / 112,552, filed Apr. 22, 2005. This application is filed in U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 60 / 630,696, filed Nov. 24, 2004, and U.S. Provisional Applications No. 60 / 704,745, filed Aug. 2, 2005, and Aug. 2005. US Provisional Application No. 60 / 704,746 filed on the 2nd and US Provisional Application No. 60 / 704,763 filed on 2nd August 2005 and the US Provisional Application filed on 23rd August 2005. Claims benefit and priority from application 60 / 710,400.

  The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for protecting a digital data storage device of an operable computer from damage and loss of data due to exposure to flames or water, and more particularly, for the first time in an operable computer. A small, inexpensive, fire and / or water resistant housing for digital data storage devices is provided. Typical computer digital data storage devices are computer hard drives, optical disk drives, solid state storage devices, tape drives, computers, or actively reading digital data to store and retrieve digitized digital data and Includes other devices that can be written to.

  As enormous amounts of data can be stored in digital data storage devices, the loss of data in digital data storage devices in disasters such as fires and floods has become increasingly devastating. Clearly, there is a need to provide a small and reliable fire and / or water resistant enclosure for digital data storage devices in operation.

  The present invention provides a small and inexpensive fire and / or water resistant enclosure for an operable computer digital data storage device. The present invention includes several alternative embodiments, all of which are intended to provide an inexpensive and reliable enclosure for running hard drives. Embodiments include, for example, a chassis without a hatch, with or without a ventilator, with a movable hatch or without a movable hatch, a water-resistant casing, with a movable hatch or without a movable hatch, A free convection housing, an inexpensive housing molded with gypsum integrated with a structural support, or a passage that is used to cool a data storage device during normal times, shuts off when there is a flame, Such as a housing having a soluble material.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, no movable hatch is used as shown and depicted in US patent application Ser. No. 11 / 112,552 referenced above (which application is incorporated herein by reference). Also, the housing without the hatch of the present invention does not require any flame or smoke detectors. By eliminating these components, the device is greatly reduced in cost. The key to the preferred embodiment is that it has been discovered that a sufficiently small vent prevents damage from the flame while at the same time allowing sufficient forced ventilation to cool the active storage device. We exposed the prototype and tested this concept, and no data was lost and no serious damage was seen to the hard drive storage device. We believe that as the flame begins and the internal air temperature begins to rise, the internal air expands and flows out through a small vent. (A ventilator or a blower that sends air into the vent hole loses its output due to the occurrence of a flame and stops its operation.) The outflow of expanded air reaches the inside of the container through a small vent hole, and the outside from the flame causes Reduce the inflow of heat. In order to reduce the amount of heat from the outside due to the flame flowing into the container, one or more small vents can be designed as tortuous or labyrinthic passages.

Our findings are supported by the following calculations. Assuming that the atmospheric pressure is constant, according to the ideal gas theory and Boyle's law [(P ₁ V ₁ ) / T1 = (P ₂ V ₂ ) / T2], the internal volume of the air is the absolute temperature [T (K) = T (° C.) + 273.15]. Assuming an initial temperature of 298 K (25 ° C.) and a final temperature of 373 K (100 ° C.), the volume of air in the container is considered to increase by about 25%. Therefore, it is considered that as the temperature inside the container gradually rises to 75 ° C., 25% of the air volume inside the container slowly flows out through one or more vent holes. With proper sizing of the container interior and vents, we can see that insulated and ventilated containers can have sufficient fire resistance to prevent loss of data from most flames. Discovered.

  We do not know a refractory housing for an active data storage device according to the prior art, in which the wall vents remain open, both in the absence and presence of a flame. The prior art also includes US Pat. No. 6,153,720 to Olzak et al. Which teaches recorders for aircraft. The recorder housing is normally closed and includes a vent that opens when a flame occurs. When the situation changes, the heat absorption layer melts and flows out through the vent hole. Even if the recorder sinks into the sea, the vents keep the pressure constant. The Orzac et al. Housing does not teach or suggest forced ventilation (or any ventilation) for an active digital data storage device that generates a large amount of heat. This device is simply not suitable for the purposes of the present invention.

  A second preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a "pouch" (or covering) that encloses a data storage device that is water resistant and heat conductive. Both the “pouch” and the data storage device are provided inside a fireproof housing. Heat generated from the data storage device is conducted through a “pouch” (preferably a metal) and then released to the outside of the refractory housing using various techniques. This “pouch” is fully submersible and protects hard drives and data up to 30 feet deep.

  The prior art includes a water and fire resistant housing for paper documents (see US Pat. No. 4,992,310 to Gelb et al.). However, these enclosures are not at all suitable for a working hard drive. The prior art also includes a cooling jacket for data storage devices, which is not water resistant (see Cheon US Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0190255).

  The prior art includes a relatively large housing for an operational digital data storage device, such as, for example, the invention described in US Pat. No. 6,158,833 to Engler, This device dissipates the heat generated by the digital data storage device by heat transfer through the insulating wall of the container. The Engler design requires a relatively large enclosure because it does not have any active or ventilator driven cooling system. The present invention, in contrast, provides a small housing that is a fraction of the size of Engeler's designed housing. In one embodiment of the present invention, miniaturization is achieved by a forced air cooling system that is not present primarily in Engeler designed devices.

  The prior art includes other housings for digital data storage devices having a “passive” cooling system, such as the invention described in US Pat. No. 5,479,341 to Pihl et al. The device designed by Pill et al. Is cooled by convection through a partially open vent door. This technique is called “natural convection” because it uses no aerators or other active elements to generate convection. The invention described in US Pat. No. 5,623,597 to Kikinis utilizes a rather complex passive heat exchanger having a larger heat dissipation structure. This design requires a cumbersome insulation injection mechanism to fill the heat dissipation space when the threshold temperature is detected. The present invention includes “natural convection” embodiments that have a much simpler and more robust structure than the prior art.

  Prior art also includes US Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0064631, dated April 1, 2004 to Kishon et al. Designed devices such as Kishon utilize passive heat conduction in which heat generated by the data storage device is transferred through externally threaded screws through the device cover (see paragraph 0021). This technique is limited because the amount of heat that can be moved through the metal screw is relatively small. Active ventilator driven cooling according to the present invention achieves much greater cooling capacity.

  The prior art also includes a forced air cooling system for operable digital data storage devices, but it has not been used with a small refractory enclosure.

  It is a first object of the present invention to provide a fire and / or water resistant enclosure for an operational computer digital data storage device that is robust in construction and inexpensive to produce.

  A further object of the present invention is to provide a fireproof and water resistant housing for a data storage device in operation that does not require any flame or smoke detectors and has a hatchless housing. That is.

  The next objective of the present invention is to utilize a sufficiently small vent to allow sufficient forced ventilation to cool the active storage device when no flame is present, while at the same time preventing flame damage. Another object of the present invention is to provide a fireproof housing for an operable digital data storage device.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a refractory housing for an active data storage device in which vents open in the housing wall continue to open when no flame is present or present. That is.

  A further object of the present invention is for an active data storage device made of gypsum or other suitable molding material and the fixture or component itself integrated into a housing mold. It is to provide a fireproof and water resistant housing.

  Another object of the present invention is an operable hard drive in which a thermally expandable or dissolvable material is utilized to block the passageway or otherwise provide ventilation for the hard drive. It is to provide a fireproof housing for.

  A further object of the present invention is a housing for an operating hard drive in which a thermally conductive “pouch” encloses the hard drive, is submersible, and protects the hard drive and data storage at depths up to 30 feet. Is to provide a body.

  Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings. FIG. 1-26 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention where the enclosure does not have a hatch and an aerator is utilized to send air over the data storage device. 27-32 shows an embodiment of the present invention where the housing does not have a hatch and the ventilator is not utilized. Figures 33-44 illustrate an embodiment of the present invention in which a "pouch" encloses a data storage device to provide water resistance. FIGS. 43-46 illustrate a housing made by mold from gypsum or other refractory moldable material. Figures 47-66 show a "free convection" embodiment of the present invention where no ventilator is utilized. Figures 67-70 show a multi-mixed housing with various components.

A) A housing without a hatch, having a passage using a hole and a ventilator FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. A data storage device, most commonly a computer hard drive, is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10. The storage device 10 is connected to the data and power connection 80 that extends through the bottom wall 21 of the housing 20. The side walls 23 and 24 each have a slit or passage 31 or 32 for realizing the flow of inflow air through the passage 31 and the flow of exhaust air through the passage 32, as indicated by arrows in FIG. Have. The ventilator 40 is mounted on the interior 24 of the wall in the vicinity of the intake passage or intake hole 31 and is driven through the data and power connection 80 by wires omitted here for clarity. . Note that the housing 20 includes a bottom wall 21, a top wall 22, side walls 23 and 24, and end walls omitted here. The housing 20 also includes a doorway or access cover, which is omitted here, for gaining access to the storage device 10. In each embodiment shown below, the doorway or access cover which implement | achieves access to a data storage device is provided. Although not repeated here, see US patent application Ser. No. 11 / 112,552, which includes a detailed description of the housing 20.

FIG. 2A is a schematic view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 when exposed to a flame, generally designated 90. When a flame occurs, the data and power connections are typically damaged or melted and the ventilator 40 simply stops spinning. The flame 90 typically reaches a temperature of 900 ° C to 950 ° C. The temperature inside the container 29 of the casing 20 is approximately 25 ° C. to 30 ° C. during normal operation. The temperature inside the container reaches approximately 90 ° C. to 95 ° C. without causing data loss in the storage device 10. As described above, as the temperature of the air inside the container inside 29 of the housing 20 gradually increases due to the influence of the flame, the air inside the container inside 29 expands as shown by the arrows in FIG. Outflow through 31 and 32. This expanded air flow suppresses and minimizes the amount of heat transferred from the flame 90 to the container interior 29 through the passages 31 and 32. The passages or vents 31 and 32 are typically rectangular in shape as shown in FIG. 2B, with a container interior 29 volume of approximately 120 cubic inches (1966 cm ³ ) and a height H of approximately 0.1 inches ( 0.254 cm) and the width is approximately 0.5 inches (1.27 cm).

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the single ventilator 40 sucks air through the intake holes or slits 31 and exhausts the air to the outside through the exhaust holes 32 through the storage device 10. The intake holes and the exhaust holes are provided on the side surfaces of the opposite side walls 23 and 24 of the housing 20 that face each other with the storage device 10 interposed therebetween.

  3 and 4, the case 120 is the same as the case 20 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 except that the intake passage 131 and the exhaust passage 132 are both provided on the same side wall 123. The 2nd Embodiment of this invention is shown. As shown by arrows in FIG. 3, the ventilator 140 sends inflow air from the lower part of the storage device 110 to the outside through the upper part of the storage device 110 and the exhaust passage or the exhaust hole 132.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the ventilator 140 stops rotating when the data and power connection 180 is cut off by the flame when the flame occurs. As the flame gradually raises the temperature of the air inside the container 129, the air inside the container 129 expands and flows out through the vent holes 131 and 132 as indicated by arrows in FIG.

  5 and 6, the third embodiment of the present invention in which the housing 220 stores the storage device 210, and a winding path provided on the wall surfaces 223 and 224 as an intake hole 231 and an exhaust passage is used. The embodiment of is shown. The ventilator 240 draws air through the winding intake passage 231 and flows air to the outside through the winding exhaust passage 232 passing through the storage device 210. As shown in FIG. 5, the intake passage includes a single turn in the 180 ° direction at 231a. The exhaust passage includes three consecutive 180 ° turns of 232a, 232b, 232c. The tortuous path may have a cylindrical or rectangular cross section. When the side walls 223 and 224 are initially molded from gypsum or other refractory material, these passages are provided integrally with the side walls.

  FIG. 6 shows the occurrence of flame, the state where the ventilator 240 stops, and the state where the air expanded from the container interior 229 flows out through the passages 231 and 232 as the internal temperature gradually rises.

  7 and 8 include a fourth embodiment in which the housing 320 stores the data storage device 310. In this embodiment, the single rectangular slit 331 is provided in the back wall (omitted here) of the housing 320. The slit, that is, the air hole 331 functions as an intake hole and an exhaust hole. As indicated by arrows in FIG. 7, the ventilator 340 sucks external air from the lower part of the vent hole 331 and exhausts it from the upper part of the vent hole 331.

  FIG. 8 shows the apparatus of FIG. 7 being exposed to a flame. The ventilator 340 stops operating. As indicated by arrows in FIG. 8, the expanded air flows into the passage 331 as the air inside the container interior 329 is gradually warmed by the flame.

B) A housing without a hatch with a thermally expandable or soluble material and a ventilator Figure 9-26 utilized a thermally expandable or soluble material to seal the housing in the event of a fire. Embodiment of this invention is shown.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the operable data storage device 410 is supported within the housing 420 and receives power supply and data input through a line 480 that is incorporated into the bottom wall 424 of the housing 420. The housing 420 includes side walls 421 and 422, an upper plate 423, a bottom plate 424, and end walls that are omitted here. By a ventilator 440 that sucks external air through an intake passage 431 provided on the side wall 421 of the housing 420 and exhausts the air to the outside through the exhaust passage 432 provided on the side wall 422 of the housing 420 through the data storage device 410. Data storage device 410 is cooled. In accordance with the present invention, passages 431 and 432 are lined with thermally expandable linings 441 and 442, respectively. Thermally expandable linings 441 and 442 completely cover the surfaces of the passages 431 and 432.

  As shown in FIG. 10, in the event of a fire, the data and power line 480 will melt or become unusable. The data storage device 410 stops and the ventilator 440 stops operating. The thermally expandable linings 441 and 442 expand and completely block the intake and exhaust passages 431 and 432. The passages 431 and 432 may have a rectangular, circular, or other shaped cross section. The passages 431 and 432 may also include a mesh or perforated opening having a thermally expandable coating. The cross-sectional shape of the passages 431 and 432 is important only in that sufficient cooling air can be passed by the ventilator (or other ventilation means) 440 and only in the event of a fire the thermally expandable lining completely blocks the passage. .

  The fire resistant housing 420 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 is preferably made of gypsum or other fire resistant material. The housing 420 may include an access panel or door (not shown here) that allows the data storage device 410 and the ventilator 440 to be attached and removed.

  11 and 12, a housing 520 (preferably made of gypsum or other refractory material) stores a data storage device 510 having a power supply and data input line 580 incorporated in the bottom wall 524. An embodiment is shown. The ventilator 540 is supported by an outer end of the heat insulating tube 561 that extends through the intake passage 531 provided in the side wall 521 of the housing 520. The insulated tube can be an iron, aluminum or ceramic tube that can withstand the temperatures in question. The insulating tube 561 must be able to support a thermally expandable lining 541 that completely covers its inner surface. The longer the length of the tube 561, the more reliably the thermally expandable material 541 can completely block the internal space of the tube 561. The relatively short tube can be used for applications that do not require excessive fire resistance. Similarly, the second tube 562 extending through the wall surface 522 of the housing 520 is supported by the exhaust passage 532. As shown in FIG. 12, in the event of a fire, the thermally expandable lining 541 in the tube 561 and the thermally expandable lining 542 in the tube 562 expand, completely closing the intake tube 561 and the exhaust tube 562, and the housing 520 The heat of the flame is prevented from flowing into the internal space of the housing 520 through the passages 531 and 532 from the outside.

  FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 show a further embodiment of the present invention in which a plurality of data storage devices 610 having six housings 620 are stored. The plurality of ventilators 640 sucks air through the intake passage 631, passes through the data storage device 640, and exhausts the air through the exhaust passage 632. A bead of thermally expandable material 641 is supported in the vicinity of the periphery of the intake passage 631. Similarly, the bead of the second thermally expandable material 642 is supported near the periphery of the exhaust passage 632. As shown in FIG. 14, in the event of a fire, the thermally expandable material 641 and 642 expands and closes the intake and exhaust passages 631 and 632, thereby mounting the data storage device 610 in the housing. Prevent high temperature air from flowing into the container containing 620.

  15 and 16, a molded fire-resistant housing 720 includes a molded bottom 724, molded side walls 721 and 722, a molded top wall 723, and a molded end wall omitted in the drawings. , All of which are lined with a continuous lining 741 of a thermally expandable material. Data storage device 740 receives data and power over line 780. The ventilator 740 sucks air through the intake passage 731, passes over the hard drive 710, and exhausts it to the outside through the exhaust passage 732.

  As shown in FIG. 16, in the event of a fire, the thermally expandable lining 741 a lining the entire surface of the intake passage 731 and the lining 741 b lining the entire surface of the exhaust passage 732 cover the outer surface of the housing 720. It expands with the lining 741, blocks the passages 731 and 732, adds a thermal expansion layer over the entire exterior of the housing 720, and enhances the flame resistance of the device.

  17 and 18, the housing 820 includes an internal “film” 825 made of iron or other relatively high strength metal, ceramic, or other material that can withstand high temperatures, and is made of a thermally expandable material 841. FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention in which the housing 820 is covered with a continuous lining. The ventilator 840 draws air through the intake passage 831, exhausts it through the data storage device 810, and exhausts it through the exhaust passage 832. In the event of a fire, the thermal expansion layer 841 expands and extends over the passages 831 and 832 to form a continuous layer 841a that closes the intake and exhaust holes 831 and 832, thereby causing high temperatures due to the flame inside the container of the housing 820. Prevent inflow of air.

  19 and 20 illustrate an embodiment of the present invention where the housing 920 is desirably made from molding gypsum or other molding refractory material. An intake passage, generally indicated by reference numeral 931, allows air to be drawn into the housing 920 by the ventilator 940 to cool the data storage device 910. Cooling air circulates around the data storage device 910 and exits through an exhaust passage generally indicated by reference numeral 932. This embodiment includes perforated metal plates 961 and 962 that fit within passages 931 and 932, respectively. Plates 961 and 962 are perforated to allow air to circulate, and both plates 961 and 962 are lined with a thermally expandable material 941 indicated by a small “X”. In the event of a fire, the thermal expansion layer 941 expands and blocks the passages on the perforated plates 961 and 962. The expanded thermally expandable material closing the intake passage 931 is indicated by reference numeral 941a, and the expanded thermally expandable material closing the exhaust passage 932 is indicated by reference numeral 941b.

  21 and 22 show an embodiment in which the housing 1020 houses the data storage device 1010 and the intake passage 1031 supports an elongated fireproof tube 1051. FIG. The tube 1051 is preferably metallic and is lined with a dissolvable material 1041 that melts and / or solidifies in the presence of a flame to form a mass of material that plugs the elongated tube 1051. Similarly, an exhaust hole or passage 1032 supports an elongated tube 1052 lined with a soluble material 1042. In normal operation, the ventilator 1040 sucks external air through the intake passage 1031, exhausts it through the data storage device 1010, and exhausts it through the exhaust passage 1032. As shown in FIG. 22, when a flame is generated, the soluble materials 1041 and 1042 are melted to form lumps 1041a and 1042a that block the tubes 1051 and 1052, respectively.

  23 and 24 show a further embodiment in which the housing 1120 stores the data storage device 1110. In this embodiment, the plurality of refractory tubes 1151-1154 extend through the side wall 1122 and together form an intake passage 1131. The ventilator 1140 is supported by the outermost ends of the tubes 1151 to 1154, sends external air into the housing 1120, passes through the data storage device 1110, and exhausts through the exhaust passage 1132. The exhaust passage 1132 is formed by a row of four elongated refractory tubes 1161-1164. Tubes 1151-1154 and 1161-1164 are each lined with a soluble material. As shown in FIG. 24, in the event of a fire, the soluble material solidifies to form a mass indicated as 1141a-1114d in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, the elongated tubes 1152, 1153 and 1162, 1163 are not shown on the cross-sectional view, so that the solidified mass therein is not visible in FIG.

  25 and 26 show a housing 1220 in which the data storage device 1210 is stored. This embodiment is a modification of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 23 and 24 in two respects. First, the ventilator 1240 is provided in the housing 1220. The second point is that the row of fire-resistant tubes 1251-1255 is inclined downward and protrudes outside the side wall 1223 of the housing 1220. Similarly, a row of refractory tubes 1261-1265 extending through the side wall 1222 is bent at the outer end of the side wall 1222, is tilted downward, and protrudes from the wall surface 1222. The downward slope of the tubes 1251-1255 and 1261-1265 is intended to improve the durability of the embodiment against the inflow of heat from the flame through the inclined tube. Each tube 1251-1254 and 1261-1265 is lined with a soluble material that forms by solidifying one or more masses that completely occlude the tube when a flame is present. These masses are designated by reference numerals 1241a and 1241b and block the tubes 1251 and 1255. Similarly, the masses 1241c and 1241d block the exhaust tubes 1261 and 1265. Although not visible in the cross-sectional views of FIGS. 25 and 26, the remaining tubes are similarly closed and completely closed when a flame is present.

c) Enclosure without ventilator and vent passage and without hatch FIG. 27-32 shows the present invention in which a housing without ventilator and vent passage and without hatch is used. The embodiment of is shown.

  A data storage device 1310 in a housing 1320 without a hatch is shown. A Peltier device 1350 is attached to the top surface and is in thermal contact with the data storage device 1310. Although not shown in FIG. 27, the Peltier device 1350 extends through the side wall of the housing 1320. As is known in the art, an operating Peltier device is a thermoelectric heat pump that conducts heat only in one direction, ie, from the inside of the housing 1320 to the outside atmosphere. The external temperature sensor omitted here detects the external limit temperature and stops the operation of the Peltier device 1350 when a flame is present. The data storage device 1380 is also turned off when the data and power line 1380 melts or by an external temperature sensor when a flame is present. FIG. 28 shows the loss of line 1380 through which data and power are present when a flame is present. Similarly, when the Peltier device is stopped by an external temperature sensor, it does not conduct heat in either direction, and the data storage device 1350 is protected from thermal damage by the fire resistance of the housing 1320. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 27 and 28 is water resistant because there are no moving parts and no ventilation passages. Data and power lines 1380 are rendered water resistant by covering them with silicon or other water resistant material.

  29 and 30 show an embodiment in which a data storage device 1410 is stored in a housing 1420 that has no hatch and no vent. In this embodiment, an external print board 1430 controls power to the data storage device 1410. The temperature sensor 1460 is supported in the housing 1420. The temperature sensor 1460 is electrically connected to the printed circuit board 1430 through the wiring 1461. When the critical temperature is sensed by the sensor 1460, the printed circuit board 1430 stops power to the data storage device 1410. Further, during normal operation when no flame is present, the print board temporarily turns off power to the data storage device 1410 whenever it is not in use. By minimizing the supply of power to the data storage device when the data storage device 1410 is in use, the heat generated from the data storage device 1410 within the housing 1420 is dramatically reduced. In the embodiment of FIGS. 29 and 30, the movable part is not used. Since there is no hatch and there is no passage provided in the side wall for the purpose of ventilation, the housing 1420 is water resistant. Therefore, the housing 1420 is essentially water resistant. The power line between the printed board 1430 and the interior of the housing 1420 is water resistant due to the use of silicon or other water resistant material.

  The embodiment shown in FIGS. 31 and 32 includes a housing 1520 that does not have a ventilation passage through a wall surface and does not have a hatch. Data storage device 1510 is driven by receiving data through power line 1580. A small hole in the housing 1520, through which the power line 1580 extends, is filled with silicon or other water resistant material. In this way, the housing 1520 is fire and water resistant. As shown in FIG. 31, excess heat generated from the data storage device 1510 is transferred by heat conduction between the internal heat radiating plate 1530 and the external heat radiating plate 1531 through the highly heat-conducting soluble or liquid heat conductor 1540. The The melt connection 1540 is preferably made of a thermally conductive metal having a known melting point selected between 200 and 300 degrees Fahrenheit. When the data storage device 1510 is in operation, heat generated from the apparatus is transferred to the outside air through the internal heat dissipation plate 1530, the heat conductive melting connection 1540, and the external heat dissipation plate 1531. As shown in FIG. 32, when a flame is present, the soluble material 1540 melts and flows out through the passage 1560 leaving behind a cavity 1570 containing only air. The cavity 1570 is completely sealed by the internal heat sink 1530 and the external heat sink 1531. The heat generated from the external flame is restricted from moving into the housing 1520 by the air chamber 1570 formed after the soluble material 1540 flows out through the passage 1560. Since the only passage through the wall of the housing 1520 is the passage of the power line 1580 that has been rendered water resistant by the use of silicon or other water resistant material, the housing 1520 is water resistant. The air cavity 1570 is water resistant because the inside is covered with the internal heat sink 1530 and the outer surface is completely covered with the external heat sink 1531.

D) Water-resistant housing with a pouch that encloses a digital data storage device Figure 33-40 shows a water-resistant pouch that wraps and stores a data storage device, whether or not the housing has a movable hatch. Including embodiments of the present invention. The pouch is installed inside a fireproof housing.

  33 and 34 show a housing 1620 for storing the data storage device 1610. The housing 1620 includes an intake passage 1631 provided in the side wall 1621 that causes outside air to flow into the housing 1620 from the outside of the housing 1620. The exhaust passage 1632 is provided in the opposite side wall 1622. The ventilator 1640 is mounted close to the exhaust passage 1632 and sucks air through the intake passage 1631 and exhausts it through the data storage device 1610 and through the exhaust passage 1632 as indicated by arrows in FIG. The movable hatches 1651 and 1652 are installed close to the intake passage 1631 and the exhaust passage 1632 respectively. Hatch 1651 and 1652 block passages 1631 and 1632 when a flame is present. A more detailed description of movable hatches 1651 and 1652 is included in US patent application Ser. No. 11 / 112,552 and will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

  A “pouch” 1670 completely wraps and stores the data storage device 1610. The pouch 1670 is water resistant and heat conductive, and is preferably made of aluminum foil or a non-metallic material with a sufficient amount of metal pieces embedded to provide heat transfer. The pouch 1670 must have sufficient heat transfer so that heat generated from the storage device 1610 can be easily transferred through the pouch 1670 and finally dissipated through the exhaust holes 1632. The term “pouch” as used in this specification and claims includes a wide range of, for example, thermally conductive foils, containers made by extrusion, die casting, injection molding, machining, and sheet metal containers. Includes meaning. For the sake of brevity, another view showing where the hatches 1651 and 1652 are closed when a flame is present is not shown here.

  FIG. 34 shows a housing 1720 for storing the data storage device 1710. The intake passage 1731 and the exhaust passage 1732 provide an inflow of cooling air driven by the ventilator 1740, similar to the embodiment shown above in FIG. Similarly, hatches 1751 and 1752 are installed proximate to passages 1731 and 1732 and block them when flames are present. Compared with FIG. 33, FIG. 34 is different in that the foil pouch 1770 is covered with an elastic or water-resistant coating 1775. The coating 1775 is obtained by immersing the data storage device 1710 and the foil pouch 1770 in a bat filled with an elastic or water resistant coating material. Alternatively, the pouch 1770 may be provided with an elastic or water resistant coating by spraying or other means known in the art.

  35 and 36 illustrate an important embodiment of the present invention in which the enclosure 1820 stores a plurality of data storage devices 1810a-1810e. The housing 1820 includes an intake passage 1831 provided in the side wall 1821 and an exhaust passage 1832 provided in the side wall 1822. The movable hatches 1851 and 1852 are hinged in close proximity to the passages 1831 and 1832. The plurality of ventilators 1840a to 1840c are attached in the vicinity of the exhaust passage 1832 and cause an air flow through the intake passage 1831, through the inside of the housing 1820, and through the exhaust passage 1832 to the outside. The plurality of data storage devices 1810 a-1810 e are housed within a water-resistant and heat-conductive “pouch” or housing 1870. The pouch 1870 can be made of a flexible foil, or it can be made of a harder metal box that otherwise forms a sturdy and highly water resistant housing for the data storage devices 1810a-1810e. An optional second row of ventilators 1890a-1890c is mounted inside the pouch 1870 to circulate air around the data storage devices 1810a-1810e within the pouch 1870. As shown in FIG. 36, when a flame is present, the solenoids 1891 and 1892 cooperate with temperature sensors 1895 and 1896 attached to the exterior of the housing 1820 to close the hatches 1851 and 1852, and the data storage devices 1810a- It provides fire resistance to 1810e and protects the data stored thereon.

  FIG. 37 illustrates an alternative embodiment in which the housing 1920 stores a data storage device 1910. External air is circulated in the housing 1920 in cooperation with the intake passage 1931 and the exhaust passage 1932 and the ventilator 1940. The movable hatches 1951 and 1952 are installed close to the passages 1931 and 1932 and close the passages in the event of a fire as described above. The embodiment of FIG. 37 is important in that a fin-like heat sink 1975 is mounted on the data storage device 1910 and is in thermal contact. Further, a fin-like heat sink 1975 forms part of a water-resistant housing 1970 that encloses the data storage device 1910 in the interior space of the fire-resistant housing 1920. The boundary between the fin-shaped heat dissipation plate 1975 and the pouch 1970 can be sealed with various water-resistant adhesives or ultrasonic welding. The metallic pouch 1970 is desirably covered with an elastic coating 1971.

  The embodiment shown in FIG. 38 includes a fire resistant housing 2020 that stores a data storage device 2010. Here, the water-resistant pouch 2070 for storing the data storage device 2010 is a hard metal container, and includes an upper portion 2071, a lower portion 2072, and a gasket 2073 protruding around the metal container 2070, compared to the above-described embodiment. Are very different. The embodiment shown in FIG. 38 is data storage that is water resistant, can release heat generated from the data storage device 2010 to the outside, and can provide sufficient water resistance even at extremely deep water depths of the order of 1000 feet deep. It includes a sturdy metal container that encloses the device 2010.

  FIG. 39 shows another housing 2120 for storing the data storage device 2110. Here, the pouch 2170 forming the water-resistant casing for the data storage device 2110 is the same as the above-described embodiment except that the pouch 2170 is a fin-like extruded metal casing including the upper part 2171 and the lower part 2172. It is. The gasket 2175 protrudes from the outer periphery of the pouch or container 2170 and provides a strength comparable to a fin-like water-resistant housing for the data storage device 2110. By using the ventilator 2140, the intake passage 2131, and the exhaust passage 2132 as described above, the efficiency of heat transfer from the data storage device to the internal space of the housing 2120 and the outside air outside the container is improved by using the fins 2180.

  FIG. 40 shows a housing 2220 in which the data storage device 2210 is stored. In this embodiment, the fin-like, water-resistant, extruded pouch or housing 2270 includes an upper portion and a lower portion 2271 and 2272, respectively. The gasket 2275 protrudes around the pouch or container 2270 and provides a rugged and effective water-resistant housing for the housing data storage device 2210, all within the interior space of the fire-resistant housing 2220. . Perforated plate 2290 forms the upper surface of housing 2220 and includes a series of punched holes 2291. A perforated plate 2290 covered with a thermally expandable coating 2295 is applied to the surface of the perforated plate 2290 and expands and seals the punched holes 2291 when exposed to flame, thereby providing a highly fire resistant housing. I can have a body. The ventilator 2240 is mounted in proximity to the top surface of the fin-like pouch 2270 and allows air to flow out through the perforated plate 2290 to improve heat transport from the data storage device 2210 to the outside air. An optional internal ventilator 2245 is provided within the water resistant pouch or container 2270 to enhance heat transport from the data storage device 2210 through the pouch 2270.

  41 and 42 show a fire resistant housing 2320 for storing a data storage device 2310. FIG. The ventilation passage 2331 is provided in the side wall 2321. The ventilation passage 2331 has a conical shape with a tapered structure, and an inner diameter is larger than a diameter at an outer end of the housing 2320. The movable hatch 2351 supports an O-ring 2381 extending around the hatch 2351. As shown in FIG. 42, the O-ring 2381 becomes a water-resistant seal against the ventilation passage 2331 when the hatch 2351 is seated on the passage 2331 when there is a flame or water.

E) Enclosure made of molding gypsum and integrally molded configuration support FIGS. 43-46 show a casing molded with gypsum (or other fire-resistant molding material) having an integral molded configuration support. . As described below, low cost housings can be obtained by molding from gypsum or other inexpensive molding refractory materials. The housing is preferably molded into two separate parts. The support for the hard drive, all air flow passage portions, and the ventilator for ventilation are preferably integrally formed in a molding gypsum part that forms the final housing. Optionally, the hatch support and the hatch drive spring are also integrally formed in the housing. In addition, any fixed vent passages that are ultimately used in the finished product that allows air to flow through the outer wall of the housing are made in one piece within the molding gypsum part. Molding with gypsum together with these integral supports eliminates the need to provide separate accessory parts that support the various components within the completed housing. By reducing the need for these separate parts, parts costs and labor costs are greatly reduced. Therefore, the use of the present invention enables an inexpensive housing with a small number of parts.

  FIG. 43 shows a “disaster prevention” housing 2420 in a fully assembled state molded in accordance with the present invention. The hard drive 2410 is supported in the housing. The ventilation air flows into the housing through the intake passage 2431 provided in the side wall 2421 and flows out through the exhaust passage 2432 provided in the side wall 2421 of the housing 2420. As described in greater detail in the aforementioned US patent application Ser. No. 11 / 112,552, hatch 2451 is mounted proximate to exhaust passage 2432 and is driven to a closed position by spring 2471. The ventilator 2440 actively sucks outside air through the passage 2431, circulates on the operating data storage device 2410, and flows out through the exhaust passage 2432.

  FIG. 44 shows two sections 2420a and 2420b forming a molded housing 2420. The two parts 2420a and 2420b include molded configuration supports for the hard drive 2410, the ventilator 2440, and the hatch drive spring 2471, all shown in FIG. A molded support generally indicated by reference numeral 2490 supports the hard drive 2410. The support 2490 includes a generally C-shaped first section that includes an upper molded jaw 2491 and a lower molded jaw 2492. The jaws 2491 and 2492 are divided by an elongated passage 2493 to provide a degree of elasticity. The resiliency between jaws 2491 and 2492 is utilized to protect hard drive 2410 in the assembled position from small pressures. Molded support 2490 also includes a generally C-shaped second support that includes an upper jaw 2495 and a lower jaw 2496. The jaws 2495 and 2496 are divided by an elongated slit 2497 and elasticity is provided between the jaws 2495 and 2496. Alternatively, although not shown here, the jaws can be stiffened and the hard drive can be made of an elastic gasket type material to absorb impact loads and stabilize the position of the drive 2410.

  The ventilator support, generally designated by reference numeral 2400, includes four sets of molded jaws 2401-2404. The jaw portions 2401 and 2402 are provided on the upper surface of the jaw portion 2491 and used. The upper molding section 2420a has jaws 2403 and 2404 provided to face the ventilator support protrusions 2401 and 2402. Although all best shown in FIG. 43, the use of the jaws 2401-2404 is to slide and fix the ventilator 2440 into the storage (not explicitly shown here).

  Upper molded part 2420a also includes a molded hatch and a hatch spring support, generally indicated by reference numeral 2460. The support 2460 includes a downwardly projecting component 2461 with an embedded spring seat 2462 provided therein. The spring seat 2462 is simply a cylindrical embedded portion and supports a spring 2471 (see FIG. 43) for closing the hatch 2451 when a flame is detected.

  The important point of integrally molding the hard drive support 2490, the ventilator support 2400, and the hatch and hatch spring support 2460 as a part of the housing is an adhesive component for the hard drive, the ventilator, the hatch and the hatch spring. Is no longer needed. Such adhesive parts are shown and described in US patent application Ser. No. 11 / 112,552. The generally inverted V-shaped dividing lines 2428 and 2429 that are inserted between the upper part and the lower part of the molded product may be provided at a location other than the position close to the upper wall 2421 as shown in FIG.

  A further feature of the present invention is that vent passages such as an intake passage 2431 and an exhaust passage 2432 can also be provided integrally in the lower molded part 2420b. By integrally molding the vent passages, the time and cost of creating those passages in the solid molded wall can be avoided, and even the use of fairly tortuous passages as shown by the intake passage 2431 is possible. It is relatively difficult to process a winding path into a solid molded wall.

  45 and 46 show an embodiment in which a hard drive 2510 is attached in a molded housing 2520. FIG. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 45 and 46 uses natural convection to cool the hard drive 2510 and the like, and does not use the ventilator as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 43 and 44. The housing 2520 includes an upper molded part 2520a and a lower molded part 2520b. The intake passage 2531 allows air to flow toward the hard drive 2510. Air flows from the hard drive 2510 to the outside through the exhaust passage 2532 only by convection. The movable hatches 2551 and 2552 are supported by solenoids 2571 and 2572, respectively. As described in more detail in the above-mentioned US patent application Ser. No. 11 / 112,552, when a flame is sensed, solenoids 2571 and 2572 are activated and hatches 2551 and 2552 are closed.

  FIG. 46 shows molding gypsum (or other refractory material) parts 2520a and 2520b. The dividing lines between the parts are generally inverted V-shaped lines 2528 and 2529 located near the top wall 2521. The ventilation passages 2531 and 2532 are circular holes formed in the parts 2520a and 2520b, respectively. The molding solenoid and exhaust hatch support 2539 is molded as an integral part with the upper part 2520a. A circular upper protruding lip 2533 protrudes around the exhaust opening 2532. The lip 2533 creates a tortuous path for exhaust. The support arm 2538 is integrally molded as part of the lower part 2520b and has two purposes. Support arm 2538 supports hard drive 2510 on its upper surface 2538a and supports intake hatch 2551 and solenoid 2571 on its lower surface 2538b. The support arm 2538 flows air around the hard drive 2510 to absorb and remove the maximum heat generated from the hard drive 2510. The hatches 2551 and 2552 not shown in FIG. 46 are molded separately from gypsum or other refractory material.

F) Enclosure Utilizing Natural Convection to Cool Data Storage Devices FIGS. 47-66 illustrate embodiments of the present invention that utilize “natural convection” to cool digital data storage devices. In other words, a ventilator is not used.

  FIG. 47 shows a housing 2620 having a hinged top plate 2623 that is secured in an open state as shown in FIG. 47 by a fusible part 2671 when no flame is present. When a flame is present, the dissolvable part 2671 melts and the cover 2623 closes. The hard drive 2610 is mounted in the housing 2620. The ventilation intake passage 2631 is provided in the bottom wall 2624 of the housing 2620. The movable hatch 2651 is positioned in the vicinity of the opening 2631 and is fixed in an open state by the soluble component 2672. When there is no flame, by “natural convection”, outside air flows upward through the ventilation passage 2631, flows out from the bottom of the upper plate or the cover 2623 lifted up of the housing 2620 through the inside of the housing 2620. When a flame is present, the meltable parts 2671 and 2672 melt, the cover 2623 and hatch 2651 close, block the top of the housing 2620 and the intake passage 2631, and high fire resistance for the hard drive 2610 and the data stored therein. The case of sex is made.

  48, a housing 2720 similar to the housing 2620 shown in FIG. 47, except that the spring 2781 is connected to the cover 2723 of the housing 2720 and pulls the cover 2723 downward when the soluble component 2771 is melted. Indicates.

  49 and 50 show another “natural convection” housing 2820 for storing the data storage device 2810. In this embodiment, the cover or lid 2823 is lifted and fixed by a solenoid 2871 and functions as a single intake and exhaust vent passage. Air freely flows into the interior space of the housing 2820 and carries heat generated from the data storage device 2810 first upward and then from the bottom of the lifted cover or lid 2823 to the outside. The temperature sensor 2880 contracts the solenoid 2871 when a flame is present, and closes the cover or lid 2823 to form a highly fire resistant housing, as shown in FIG.

  51 and 52 show a further “natural convection” variation in which the housing 2920 includes an intake passage 2931 provided in the side wall 2921 and an exhaust passage 2932 provided in the side wall 2921. Sliding hatches 2951 and 2952 are mounted proximate to the intake and exhaust passages and are secured open above the passages by soluble parts 2971 and 2972, respectively. When a flame is present, parts 2971 and 2972 melt, allowing hatches 2951 and 2952 to move to a closed state only by gravity, and as shown in FIG. 52, passages 2931 and 2932 are blocked, and data storage devices A fireproof housing is formed to protect 2910 and its stored data.

  53 and 54 illustrate a housing 3020 having an intake passage 3031 provided in the side wall 3021 and an exhaust passage 3032 provided in the upper wall or cover 3024 of the housing 3020. Cooling air flows only through “natural convection” through the intake passage 3031, passes through the data storage device 3010, and flows out through the exhaust passage 3032. The hatches 3051 and 3052 are attached in close proximity to the passages 3031 and 3032. As shown in FIG. 53, the soluble parts 3071 and 3072 are fixed in a state where the hatch is opened. When the flame is present, the fusible parts 3071 and 3072 begin to melt, and the hatch actuators 3061 and 3062 drive the hatches 3051 and 3052 to a closed state. The hatch actuator is driven by gravity by counterweights 3063 and 3064, which are pivotally mounted to keep the hatches 3051 and 3052 closed at all times. When a flame is present, the counterweights 3063 and 3064 move downward, closing hatches 3051 and 3052, respectively, as shown in FIG.

  55 and 56 show an embodiment in which the housing 3120 includes an intake passage 3131 provided in the bottom wall 31224 and an exhaust passage 3132 provided in the upper wall 3123. Air flows in through the intake passage 3131 only by “natural convection”, passes through the data storage device 3110, and flows out through the exhaust passage 3132. The movable hatches 3151 and 3152 are attached close to the passages 3131 and 3132, and are fixed in an open state by the soluble parts 3171 and 3172. When the flame is present, as shown in FIG. 56, the meltable parts 3171 and 3172 are melted and the hatches 3151 and 3152 are closed by the springs 3161 and 3162.

  57 and 58 show a housing 3220 having a row of intake passages 3231a-3231f provided along the bottoms of the side walls 3221 and 3222 and the end wall 3226. FIG. Similarly, exhaust passages 3232a-3232f are provided in the side walls and end walls in the vicinity of the upper and upper walls 3221 of the intake passages 3231a-3231f. Cooling air flows only through “natural convection” through the intake passage, passes over the data storage device 3210, and flows out through the exhaust passage. Each intake and exhaust passage is lined with a temperature active coating, clearly shown only in passages 3231a, 3231f, 3232a and 3232f, and shown as 3241. When a flame is present, as shown in FIG. 58, the temperature active coating expands or foams upward and outward, each sealing the vent.

  59 and 60 show a housing 3320 including a movable top part 3320a and a non-moving bottom part 3320b. Upper part 3320a is movable between the initial positions shown in FIG. 59 such that intake passages 3331a-3331f are open and air flows in and passes over data storage device 3310. Similarly, the intake passages 3332a-3332f are open at the initial position of the two parts 3320a and 3320b. The first part 3320a of the housing 3320 is fixed to the first or raised position shown in FIG. 59 by soluble parts 3371 and 3372. When the flame is present, the soluble parts 3371 and 3372 are not melted, the upper part moves to the second position shown in FIG. 60, and all intake and exhaust passages 3331a-f and 3332a-f are closed. Once soluble parts 3371 and 3372 begin to melt when a flame is present, upper part 3320a moves to the second or closed position shown in FIG. 60 by gravity alone.

  61 and 62 show a housing 3420 having an intake passage 3431 provided in the lower wall 3423 and an exhaust passage 3432 provided in the cover or upper wall 3424. Only by “natural convection”, the cooling air flows upward through the intake passage 3431, passes over the data storage device 3410, and flows out through the exhaust passage 3432 at the head of the housing 3420. The movable hatches 3451 and 3452 are positioned close to the upper sides of the intake and exhaust passages 3431 and 3432, respectively, and are fixed open by solenoids 3471 and 3472. As shown in FIG. 62, the temperature sensor 3480 drives both solenoids 3471 and 3472 at a predetermined temperature to close the hatch. Hatch 3552 is attached to the outside of housing 3420, and hatch 3451 is attached to the inside of housing 3420.

  63 and 64 show another embodiment of a housing 3520 that includes an intake passage 3531 provided in the lower or bottom wall 3523 and an exhaust passage 3532 provided in the upper or top wall 3524. In this embodiment, hatches 3551 and 3552 are attached within housing 3520 and proximate to passages 3531 and 3532, respectively. Both hatches are fixed open by soluble parts 3571 and 3572. When the flame is present, the fusible parts 3571 and 3572 are no longer melted and the hatch moves to a closed state. The hatch 3551 is closed by gravity, and the hatch 3552 is moved to a closed state by a spring 3561.

  65 and 66, a housing 3620 having an intake passage 3631 provided in the lower wall or bottom wall 3623 of the housing 3620 and an exhaust passage 3632 provided in the top wall or upper wall 3624 of the housing 3620 is shown. Show. The movable hatches 3651 and 3652 are attached close to the upper side of the openings 3631 and 3632. In this embodiment, both hatches 3651 and 3652 are secured open by dissolvable parts 3671 and 3672, respectively. When the flame is generated, the soluble parts 3671 and 3672 are not melted, and the hatch is closed to the position shown in FIG. 66 only by gravity.

G) Other Embodiments FIGS. 67 and 68 show a housing including various characteristics of the housing described above. The intake air passage 3731 is provided in the lower wall or the bottom wall 3723 of the housing 3720. The plurality of exhaust passages 3732 are provided in a perforated plate 3770 that forms the top or cover of the housing 3720. A row of punched holes 3771 on the plate 3770 exhausts air that has passed over the data storage device 3710. The ventilator 3740 attached to the inside of the housing 3720 in the vicinity of the data storage device 3710 forcibly sucks air through the intake holes 3731 and is punched on the plate 3770 through the data storage device 3710 and provided in the exhaust passage. Exhaust through 3732. The plate 3770 is covered with a thermally expandable film. When the flame is present, the thermally expandable coating expands and seals the punched holes 3771 on the plate 3770. Similarly, the dissolvable part 3773 that fixes the hatch 3751 in the open state shown in FIG. 67 is melted, and the hatch 3751 is closed to form the fire-resistant housing shown in FIG.

  69 and 70 show a housing 3820 for storing a digital data storage device 3810. An important aspect of this embodiment is that the housing includes a third passage 3833 through which a cable 3880 for transmitting and receiving power and data to and from the data storage device 3810 in addition to the intake passage 3831 and the exhaust passage 3832. is there. The perforated plates 3770a, 3770b, and 3770c extend over the vent passages 3831 and 3832 and the cable passage 3833, respectively. Each of the perforated plates 3770a-c is covered with a thermally expandable lining not explicitly shown in FIG. When exposed to flame, the thermally expandable lining on the perforated plates 3770a-c expands and seals the openings 3831, 3832, and 3833 as shown in FIG.

  The foregoing description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Improvements and applications are possible in view of the above teachings. Each embodiment has been chosen to best illustrate the principles and practical applications of the present invention and, therefore, those skilled in the art will best utilize and schedule the present invention in various embodiments. The various modifications adapted to the particular method of use to be used have been chosen for use in addition to the present invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims.

Fig. 4 shows an embodiment without the hatch of the present invention having an operable data storage device with vent passages provided in opposing wall surfaces. Figure 2 shows the housing of Figure 1 when a flame is present. 2A shows the intake opening 31 of the housing shown in FIG. 2A. Fig. 5 shows another embodiment where the housing has intake and exhaust passages on the same wall. Fig. 4 shows the embodiment of Fig. 3 when a flame is present. FIG. 4 illustrates a further embodiment in which the housing utilizes a tortuous path as an intake and exhaust passage. FIG. 6 shows the embodiment of FIG. 5 when a flame is present. Fig. 4 shows a further embodiment in which the housing has only one elongate passage functioning as both intake and exhaust passages. FIG. 8 shows the embodiment of FIG. 7 when a flame is present. 3 shows an embodiment in which intake and exhaust passages are provided on opposing wall surfaces and lined with a thermally expandable material. FIG. 10 shows the embodiment of FIG. 9 when a flame is present. FIG. 6 illustrates a further embodiment in which an elongated tube is provided in the vent passage and is lined with a thermally expandable material. FIG. 12 shows the embodiment of FIG. 11 when a flame is present. 1 illustrates a housing that stores a plurality of data storage devices and has a vent opening lined with a thermally expandable material. FIG. 14 illustrates the embodiment of FIG. 13 when a flame is present. The housing has intake and exhaust passages provided on one side wall, both the intake and exhaust passages are lined with a thermally expandable material, and the outside of the case is also lined with a thermally expandable material Figure 6 shows a further embodiment. FIG. 16 shows the embodiment of FIG. 15 when a flame is present. FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment where the housing has a wall made of metal or other high strength material and the entire exterior of the housing is lined with a thermally expandable material. FIG. 18 shows the embodiment of FIG. 17 when a flame is present. FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment in which the housing intake and exhaust passages straddle over the passage openings and are lined with a thermally expandable material and have perforated plates. FIG. 20 shows the embodiment of FIG. 19 where the thermally expandable material expands when a flame is present, blocking the punched holes on the plate. FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment where the housing has elongated tubes for use as intake and exhaust passages, the tubes being lined with a soluble material. FIG. 22 shows the embodiment of FIG. 21 where the soluble material solidifies after exposure to a flame, forming a mass that blocks or completely seals the tube. FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment where the intake and exhaust passages of the housing are formed from a number of hollow tubes lined with a soluble material. FIG. 24 shows the embodiment of FIG. 23 after exposure to flame. FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment where the intake and exhaust passages are formed from a number of tubes that are inclined downwardly at the outer end of the housing. FIG. 26 shows the embodiment of FIG. 25 after exposure to flame. Enclosure FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment where the housing has no hatch, no vent passages, and utilizes a Peltier device for cooling the data storage device. FIG. 28 shows the embodiment of FIG. 27 after exposure to flame. FIG. 6 shows a housing that has no hatches, no vent passages, and an external printed circuit board that minimizes the output of the storage device and stops output when the temperature detected inside the housing becomes too high. FIG. 30 shows the embodiment of FIG. 29 after exposure to flame. The housing | casing which does not have a hatch and does not have a ventilation | gas_flowing path, and the external and internal heat sink is thermally connected to the soluble connection part is shown. FIG. 32 shows the embodiment of FIG. 31 after exposure to flame. A housing having a flexible foil bag is shown as a “pouch” that encloses a data storage device and provides water resistance. FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment in which a foil bag with an elastic or waterproof coating forms a “pouch” that encloses a data storage device. 1 illustrates a housing that stores a plurality of data storage devices, the data storage devices being encased in a thermally conductive “pouch” that provides water resistance. 36 shows the housing of FIG. 35 after the device has been exposed to flame. 1 shows a housing in which a water-resistant “pouch” that encloses a data storage device includes a fin-like heat sink, together with a foil bag with an elastic or waterproof coating. A water-resistant “pouch” shows a housing, which is a relatively stiff, rigid container with two parts having a boundary gasket. 1 illustrates an embodiment where the water-resistant “pouch” is a metal container that encloses a fin-like heat sink and a data storage device. 1 shows an embodiment where the water-resistant “pouch” includes a heat sink with fins inside and outside. Fig. 5 shows an embodiment where the movable hatch has a water-resistant O-ring. FIG. 42 illustrates the embodiment of FIG. 41 after exposure to flame or water. Enclosure Fig. 5 shows a mold-made enclosure with components at appropriate locations within the enclosure. The housing of FIG. 43 is shown with each component removed to emphasize the nature of the mold. Fig. 5 shows a housing made of another mold with the components in place. FIG. 46 shows the housing of FIG. 45 with the components removed. Fig. 5 shows a housing with an intake hatch provided on the bottom wall and a hinged top plate or top wall. 48 shows the housing of FIG. 47 with a detachable spring attached to the cover. Fig. 5 shows a housing actuated by a solenoid, with a hinged cover or top wall providing the only ventilation. FIG. 50 shows the housing of FIG. 49 after exposure to flame. The housing | casing which has an intake passage on one side wall and has an exhaust passage on the opposite side wall by a movable hatch is shown. FIG. 52 shows the housing of FIG. 51 after being exposed to flame. FIG. 2 shows a “free convection” housing with an intake passage on the side wall and an exhaust passage on the cover or top wall. FIG. 56 shows the housing of FIG. 53 with the movable hatch closed after being exposed to flame. FIG. 6 shows a “free convection” housing with an intake hole in the bottom wall, an exhaust hole in the cover or top wall, and a movable hatch close to the opening. FIG. 56 shows the housing of FIG. 55 after being exposed to flame. It has a large number of intake passages provided in the side walls and end walls near the bottom wall of the housing, and a plurality of exhaust passages provided in the side walls and end walls near the cover or the top wall. Shows the housing, lined with a thermoactive material. FIG. 58 shows the housing of FIG. 57 after being exposed to flame. The first or upper part is in a first or upper position and shows a two-part housing with the vent passage open. FIG. 60 shows the housing of FIG. 59 with the first or upper part of the housing moving downward due to gravity and closing the vent passage after exposure to the flame. FIG. 6 shows a “free convection” housing with an intake hole in the bottom wall and an exhaust hole in the cover or top wall. FIG. 62 shows the housing of FIG. 61 after being exposed to flame. FIG. 6 shows a “free convection” housing with an internal hatch close to the bottom wall intake holes and an exhaust passage provided in the cover or top wall. FIG. 64 shows the housing of FIG. 63 after being exposed to flame. Fig. 4 shows a "free convection" housing with an external hatch positioned close to the intake passage. FIG. 66 shows the housing of FIG. 65 after exposure to flame. Enclosure A ventilator that has a perforated plate lined with fireproof paint as a cover or top wall of the housing, has an intake passage provided in the bottom wall, and forcibly drives cooling air on the data storage device The housing | casing which has is shown. FIG. 68 shows the housing of FIG. 67 after being exposed to flame. FIG. 6 illustrates a housing having a third passage with a perforated plate lined with a thermally expandable material for the power and data cables to reach the data storage device. FIG. 70 shows the housing of FIG. 69 after being exposed to flame.

Claims (39)

An apparatus for protecting an operable computer digital data storage device from data damage and loss due to a flame, comprising:
An operable digital data storage device;
A fireproof housing for the operable digital data storage device;
First and second vent passages provided in the housing for causing an air flow in the housing to cool the digital data storage device;
Ventilation means for actively driving outside air to cool the data storage device through the first and second passages;
Means for inhibiting heat transfer through the passage when a flame is present.   The means for suppressing the movement of heat through the passage has a predetermined cross-sectional area and a length that are sufficiently smaller than the internal volume of the housing when the flame is present. 2. The amount of heat generated from the flame entering into the interior through the first and second passages in time is suppressed to a level that prevents loss of data stored in the digital data storage device. The device described.   When a flame is present, the air inside the housing expands, flows out through the first and second passages, and suppresses the amount of heat flowing from the flame into the inside through the first and second passages. The apparatus of claim 2.   The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first and second passages are serpentine.   The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for limiting heat transfer through the passage comprises a thermally expandable material that expands in the presence of a flame to block the passage.   The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for limiting heat transfer through the passage comprises a soluble material that melts in the presence of a flame to block the passage.   The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a water resistant metal pouch enclosing the digital data storage device.   The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the pouch is a flexible metal foil.   The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing, the passageway, and the means for attaching the ventilation means comprise molding gypsum or other moldable refractory material. In an apparatus for protecting an operable computer digital data storage device from flame damage and loss of data,
An operable digital data storage device;
A fire-resistant housing for the operable digital data storage device;
And means for suppressing heat transfer through the housing when a flame is present.   The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the means for suppressing heat transfer through the housing when a flame is present is a Peltier element.   The means for suppressing heat transfer when a flame is present is a PC board that minimizes power to the digital data storage device and shuts off power to the digital data storage device when a flame is present. Item 10. The apparatus according to Item 10.   When the flame is not present, the means for suppressing the movement of the flame moves the heat from the casing to the outside, and when the flame is present, the flame dissolves and does not transmit the heat from the flame to the inside of the casing The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the connection is a soluble and highly thermally conductive connection.   The means for suppressing heat transfer is a perforated panel provided on the wall surface of the casing, and when the panel is lined with a thermally expandable material and there is no flame, warm air inside the casing 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a gas flows out through the perforated panel and the thermally expandable material expands and blocks the hole when a flame is present.   The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the refractory housing does not have a vent passage. In an apparatus for protecting an operable computer digital data storage device from data damage and loss due to fire and water,
An operable digital data storage device;
A fireproof housing for the operable digital data storage device;
An opening provided in the housing;
A fire-resistant movable hatch located close to the opening, wherein the hatch is in a closed state where the hatch blocks the opening and an open state where outside air can pass through the opening. A movable hatch that is movable between,
A water-resistant gasket supported by the hatch;
Ventilation means for actively driving outside air through the opening for cooling the data storage device;
Hatch closing means for automatically closing the hatch when the limit temperature is reached, the hatch closing means is normally held in the state where the hatch is opened, and is driven when the limit temperature is reached, And a hatch including a temperature sensing element that moves the hatch to the closed state.   The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a second opening in the housing and a fire resistant second movable hatch that supports a water resistant gasket located proximate to the second opening. The movable hatch is
A body portion slidably fitted into the opening in the closed state;
A cap supported by the main body, the cap being adapted to close with respect to the housing in a closed state;
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the temperature sensing element includes a plurality of planar claws. In an apparatus for protecting an operable computer digital data storage device from data damage and loss due to fire and water,
An operable digital data storage device;
A fire-resistant and hatch-free housing for the operable digital data storage device;
Means for suppressing heat transfer through the housing when a flame is present;
An apparatus comprising: waterproof means for protecting the digital data storage device from water damage.   The means for suppressing heat transfer through the housing when a flame is present is a heat conductive housing made of metal or heat conductive plastic, and the housing is covered with a thermally expandable material. The apparatus of claim 19.   20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the waterproof means includes a metal pouch that stores the digital data storage device.   20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the waterproof means includes a heat sink that is coupled with a waterproof resin to store the digital data storage device. First and second C-shaped or S-shaped housing ventilation tubes extending through the wall of the housing;
Ventilating means for actively sending outside air through the first and second ventilation tubes to cool the data storage device;
20. An apparatus according to claim 19, comprising water detection means for interrupting power to the ventilation means when water is present. In an apparatus for protecting an operable computer digital data storage device from flame damage and loss of data,
An operable digital data storage device;
An inexpensive and fire resistant housing for the operable digital data storage device, the fire resistant housing comprising a molding gypsum or other moldable fire resistant material; and
And means for suppressing heat transfer through the housing when a flame is present. In an apparatus for protecting an operable computer digital data storage device from damage and loss of data due to fire and / or water,
An operable digital data storage device;
A fireproof housing for the operable digital data storage device;
An opening provided in the housing is a fire-resistant movable hatch positioned in proximity to the opening, the hatch being in a closed state in which the hatch covers the opening, and outside air being in the opening A hatch that is movable between open states that can be passed through the section;
Ventilation means for actively driving outside air through the opening to cool the data storage device;
Hatch closing means for automatically closing the hatch when the limit temperature is reached, the hatch closing means being kept open in the normal state and being driven when the limit temperature is reached, the hatch A hatch closing means including a temperature sensing element for moving the closed position to the closed state;
The casing is made of molding gypsum, the molding casing includes an integrally molded support for the ventilation means and an integrally molded support for the hatch closing means, and the opening is an integral part of the molding casing. An apparatus comprising a housing provided as a component. In an apparatus for protecting an operable computer digital data storage device from flame damage and loss of data,
An operable digital data storage device;
A fireproof housing for the operable digital data storage device;
An opening provided in the housing, the opening adapted to cause free convection of outside air to cool the data storage device;
A fire-resistant movable hatch located close to the opening, wherein the hatch is in a closed state where the hatch blocks the opening and an open state where outside air can pass through the opening. A hatch that is movable between,
Hatch closing means for automatically closing the hatch when the limit temperature is reached, the hatch closing means is normally held in the state where the hatch is opened, and is driven when the limit temperature is reached, And a hatch closing means including a temperature sensing element for moving the hatch to the closed state.   The housing further includes a second opening and a fire-resistant second movable hatch positioned proximate to the second opening, wherein the opening cools the data storage device by free convection. 27. The apparatus of claim 26, adapted to provide. The movable hatch is
A body portion slidably fitted into the opening in the closed state;
A cap supported by the main body, the cap being adapted to close with respect to the housing in a closed state;
27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the temperature sensing element includes a plurality of planar claws.   29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein when a flame is present, the temperature sensing element melts and forms a seal between the movable hatch and the housing.   27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the hatch closing means further comprises a spring connected to the hatch, the spring pressing the hatch into the closed state.   27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the hatch closing means comprises a solenoid. In an apparatus for protecting an operable computer digital data storage device from flame damage and loss of data,
An operable digital data storage device;
A fireproof housing for the operable digital data storage device;
One or more free convection openings provided in the housing;
Means for inhibiting heat transfer through the one or more free convection openings when a flame is present.   The one or more free convection openings include first and second passages, and means for suppressing heat transfer through the one or more free convection openings when a flame is present includes: Each of the first and second passages having a sufficiently small cross-sectional area and a sufficient length as compared to an internal volume, the first and second passages within a specified time when a flame is present. 33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the amount of heat generated from the flame penetrating into the interior through is suppressed to a level that prevents loss of data stored in the digital data storage device.   When a flame is present, the air inside the housing expands, flows out through the first and second passages, and suppresses the amount of heat flowing from the flame into the interior through the first and second passages. 34. The apparatus of claim 33.   34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the first and second passages are serpentine.   35. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the means for suppressing heat transfer through the one or more free convection openings comprises a thermally expandable material that expands in the presence of a flame.   37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the free convection opening is a perforated plate lined with the thermally expandable material. In an apparatus for protecting an operable computer digital data storage device from flame damage and loss of data,
An operable digital data storage device, and a fireproof housing for the operable digital data storage device;
First and second vent passages provided in the housing for causing an air flow in the housing to cool the digital data storage device;
Ventilation means for actively sending outside air through the first and second passages to cool the data storage device;
Means for inhibiting heat transfer through the first and second passages when a flame is present;
A third passage provided in the housing for passing a cable for transmitting and receiving data and power to and from the data storage device;
A perforated plate covered with a thermally expandable lining supported by the third passage, the lining comprising a plate that expands when a flame is present and blocks the third passage. Equipment.   40. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the means for inhibiting heat transfer through the first and second passages comprises a perforated plate having a thermally expandable lining.

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