Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-07
2002-01-01
Gandhi, Jayprakash N. (Department: 2841)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S727000, C361S753000, C361S801000, C361S802000, C361S804000, C312S223200, C220S004020
Reexamination Certificate
active
06335868
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an enhanced enclosure arrangement for a computer, such as a deskside personal computer, and in particular, to an enhanced enclosure arrangement that accommodates therein a backplane, processor cards, input/output cards, memory riser cards, cooling devices and a power supply, for example.
2. Background Information
Computer systems typically have internal components that are disposed within a cage. For example, it is known to place an assembly, including a backplane and various circuit boards, such as a processor card, an input-output card and a so-called memory riser card, within an open cage. This forms a so-called central electronics complex (CEC) of a computer system. The cage is subsequently fixed within a computer housing.
The cage serves to position the circuit boards within the computer housing, and acts as an EMC (electromagnetic compatible) shield. An EMC shield allows operation in an electromagnetic environment at an optimal level of efficiency, and allows static charges to be drained to a frame ground. Moreover, the cage helps to protect the components contained therein from environmental damage, for example, vibrations, which could cause the components to fail.
Conventionally, the backplane, which is wiring board, is typically provided with card slots for the various circuit boards. The respective circuit boards may be removably coupled to the backplane by inserting a corresponding plug connector on the circuit board into the associated backplane card slot. The circuit boards are then held in place using various known means. For example, the circuit boards may be provided with latches disposed on their respective edges, which engage with catches disposed on the walls of the cage.
In order to allow the circuit boards to be connected to the backplane, it is also typical to position the backplane at a rear of the cage, and in a vertical position. This allows the circuit boards to be plugged into the card slots of the backplane through the open front, for example, of the cage. However, due to the weight of the circuit boards, this arrangement may create a rotational force at the card slot of the backplane, stressing the respective connections. Moreover, vibrations or other environmental forces may cause the respective circuit boards to disengage with the associated card slots of the backplane, causing the circuit board to become non-functional. Thus, there is a need for an arrangement that will prevent or hinder the circuit boards from inadvertently disengaging with the backplane.
Further, it is often desirable to place various ones of the circuit boards, for example the memory riser cards, in different orientations within the cage. For example, in one configuration, respective first and second memory riser cards may be disposed immediately adjacent to the opposite faces of an input/output (i.o.) card, for example. However, the typical memory riser card is provided with a plurality of removable Dual In-Line Memory Modules (DIMMs), which can be inserted into electrical slots provided on a front surface of the card. Since the DIMMs project away from the front surface, the DlMMs prevent the front surface from being placed immediately adjacent to the respective face of the i.o. card. On the other hand, the rear surface of the memory riser card is usually free of such projecting components. By positioning the rear surface of the memory riser card adjacent to the face of the i.o. card, the memory riser card can be placed closer thereto, thus saving desirable space and increasing performance by reducing signal path lengths, for example.
As such, since the rear surface of the memory riser card is the preferred surface to be disposed adjacent to the i.o. card, it is conventional to arrange the first and second memory riser cards in orientations that are 180° opposite to each other. That is, one memory riser card must be rotated 180° relative to the other memory riser card, so that the rear surfaces of the respective memory riser cards face each other, for example, and face the adjacent i.o. card.
However, in the conventional arrangements, if the same type of memory riser card is used for both orientations, the plugs on the memory riser cards, and the card slots in the backplane must be symmetrically configured. That is, the card slots must be centered from the front of the cage to the back of the cage. This would allow the same type of memory riser card to be used regardless of the required orientation of the card.
However, due to wiring arrangements on the backplane, for example, it may not always be possible to symmetrically locate the card slots for the memory riser cards. Thus, it also known to provide so-called right- and left-hand memory riser cards. These cards have their card plugs offset between a front edge and a rear edge of the card, to match an offset of the card slots in the backplane. For example, the right-hand card has the card plug offset toward a front of the card, and the left-hand card has its card plug offset toward a rear thereof. Thus, the right-hand memory riser card can be utilized on a right-hand side of the i.o. card, for example, and the left-hand card can be used on the left-hand side of the i.o. card.
As will be appreciated, by requiring two different types of memory riser cards, the total number of different parts that need to be manufactured is increased, thus increasing tooling times and costs, and increasing inventory. Thus, there is a need for an arrangement that will allow the same type of circuit board, for example a memory riser card, to be utilized in either a left-hand or a right-hand orientation, with a backplane that has offset card slots.
Additionally, the cage is typically fixed within a so-called system chassis, which is a frame that provides further support for the cage, and which is removably stacked upon other system chassises within a system rack. The chassis may contain other components and sub-systems, such as power supplies and cooling fans, for example, which are connected to the components within the cage using cables, for instance.
When the cage is removed from the chassis for service, typically the connections between the cage components and the other components within the system chassis must be manually disconnected and reconnected. This is a relatively time consuming process. Thus, there is a need for an arrangement that will allow for the removal of the cage for servicing, for example, which does not require manually connecting and disconnecting various electrical connectors.
Further, typically the circuit boards have an elongated, rectangular configuration, with a height (from a top edge of the board to a bottom edge of the board) that is greater than their depth (from a rear edge of the board to a front (card slot) edge of the board). In order to accommodate the circuit boards, the cage has a height (i.e., the direction in which the circuit boards longitudinally extend) that is dictated by the height of the circuit boards. Thus, the cage typically has a height that is greater than its depth. This likewise requires that the system chassis have a height that is sufficient to accommodate the cage. However, the system rack usually determines the overall height of the computer. Since it is also typical to stack the system chassises on top of each other, the system rack can thus only accommodate therein a set number of system chassises. Thus, there is a need for an arrangement that will accommodate an increased number of system chassises without increasing a height of the system rack.
The system chassis typically has an opening that allows access into an interior thereof. The opening is conventionally positioned at a top of the chassis, within a horizontal plane. However, and as previously mentioned, since it is also typical to stack the system chassises on top of each other, the opening may be inaccessible. Thus, when a component within the system chassis needs to be accessed, for repair or upgrading, for example, the chassis is conventionally
Babcock Raymond Floyd
Bachman Wesley H.
Butterbaugh Matthew Allen
Good Michael Scott
Green Todd Douglas
Berdo, Jr. Robert H.
Gandhi Jayprakash N.
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