Shock isolated portable mass storage device.

摘要

A portable mass storage device (16) (e.g., a hard disk drive) is shock-isolated at all times; (a) within the chassis of a computer and (b) during its removal and transport to a location remote from the computer chassis. The mass storage device (16) is housed within a canister (14) which is removably mountable within the chassis. A bracket (44) is attached to each lateral side of the mass storage device (10) and a pair of suitable elastomeric shock-isolators (50) extend between each respective one of the brackets (44) and its adjacent canister sidewall (26, 28) so as to mount it in spaced relation to the canister (14). Power supply to the mass storage device (16) (or any other electrical component) may be disabled/enabled automatically in response to relative separation/closing movement between a pair of connectors (36, 38). In this manner, "arcing" and other problems which might occur with such a removable unit are automatically avoided in a fail-safe and cost effective manner.