US 2025/0237257 A1
Dell Technologies · 2025
Flexible Fastener for Tool-less Installation
A flexible fastener mechanism enabling tool-less installation of hard drive carriers — reducing insertion time from 30s to 5s.
Developed during a Hardware Engineering Internship at Dell, this patent covers a flexible fastener mechanism that enables tool-less installation of hard drive carriers. The design aligns customer requirements with engineering constraints and manufacturability, and was validated through FEA and simulation in Creo. The finalized concept reduced hard drive carrier insertion time from 30 seconds to 5 seconds, saving an estimated $52,566 per year in labor.