Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-13
2002-07-16
Schuberg, Darren (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S724000, C361S727000, C312S223100, C439S155000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06421243
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention pertains to methods and apparatus for routing signals and power in a device having removable components.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention pertains to methods and apparatus for providing routing of signals and power in a device. The methods and apparatus provide for convenient removal and replacement of various components which make up the device. The invention includes methods and apparatus for providing redundant signal and power routing between the various components.
Often, prior art equipment is comprised of various components which are supported on a common structural support such as a chassis, or frame, or the like. For example, a large prior art computer unit is often comprised of various modular sub-components. These modular sub-components, or modules, can be one of any number of different devices. For example, in a unit of electrical equipment such as a computer, or the like, these modular components can include disk drives, controllers, power supplies, or cooling fans, etc. Generally, routing paths are provided to the modules so that signals and power can be routed, or distributed, to the various modules from other devices and between the modules themselves. These routing paths can be in many forms, including electrical, fiber-optic, pneumatic, and hydraulic. For illustrative purposes, the primary form of routing discussed herein will be that of electrical routing, although it is understood that the principles set forth can be applied to any form of signal and power routing.
In prior art configurations for electronic equipment, for example, the electrical routing to the modules, which are included in the equipment, is often achieved through the use of printed circuit boards, or printed circuit assemblies, which can be referred to as “planes.” These planes are typically configured as flat boards with integral electrical circuits which are configured to provide electrical routing to the modules. From the standpoint of the end-user of such electronic equipment, a highly desirable feature is the reliable operation of the equipment with minimum down-time. To this end, the modules are often configured so that each is easily removable from the unit. The easily removable nature of each of the modules facilitates the replacement of a failed or malfunctioning module which, in turn, helps to decrease the down-time of the equipment.
FIGS. 1
,
2
, and
3
illustrate the configuration of a typical prior art unit of electronic equipment.
FIG. 1
is an exploded perspective view of a prior art unit
10
. As shown in
FIG. 1
, a prior art unit
10
can include a front chassis
12
and a rear chassis
14
. The unit
10
also includes a plane
16
. As can be seen from
FIG. 1
, the front and rear chassis
12
,
14
and the plane
16
are configured to be supported within a shroud
18
. As is further revealed by
FIG. 1
, the plane
16
is configured to be located within the shroud
18
and between the front and rear chassis
12
,
14
. The shroud
18
can serve both as an enclosure and a structural support for the front and rear chassis
12
,
14
and the plane
16
.
FIG. 2
is another exploded view of the prior art unit
10
. As shown in
FIG. 2
, the front chassis
12
is installed within the shroud
18
. Likewise, the rear chassis
14
has been installed within the shroud, but is not visible in FIG.
2
. As further shown in
FIG. 2
, the prior art unit
10
includes a plurality of modules
20
. A portion of the modules
20
are configured to be supported in the front chassis
12
as shown in FIG.
2
. The remaining modules
20
are configured to be supported in the rear chassis
14
which is not visible in
FIG. 2
, but which is shown in FIG.
1
. As can be seen from
FIG. 2
, the modules are configured to be removable from the unit
10
.
FIG. 3
is a side view of the prior art unit
10
with a portion of the shroud
18
cutaway to show the interior components thereof. As can be seen in
FIG. 3
, the plane
16
is fastened in place within the shroud
18
with fasteners
19
, or other suitable fastening means. It should be evident from
FIG. 3
that the plane
16
is fastened to the shroud
18
between the front and rear chassis
12
,
14
which are also fastened in place within the shroud. As also shown in
FIG. 3
, the modules
20
are located within the shroud
18
and are supported within each of the respective front and rear chassis
12
,
14
. However, as shown in
FIG. 3
, a replacement module
21
is shown slightly out of position as it is slid into the front chassis
12
.
As previously discussed, the plane
16
provides electrical routing to the various modules
20
when the modules are installed within the respective chassis
12
,
14
shown in FIG.
3
. In other words, the plane
16
is configured to provide predetermined electrical path, in the form of electrical circuits (not shown), for the transfer of electrical signals and electrical power to the various modules
20
. As further shown in
FIG. 3
, a plurality of first electrical connector portions
25
are supported on the plane
16
. The first electrical connector portions
25
form terminals for various legs of the electrical circuits (not shown) which are on the plane
16
.
Also, as can be seen in
FIG. 3
, a second connector portion
26
is supported on each of the modules
20
and the replacement module
21
. The first and second electrical connector portions
25
,
26
are configured to electrically connect with one another so as to pass electrical signals and electrical power there between as shown in FIG.
3
. It is evident that the location of the plane
16
between the front and rear chassis
12
,
14
allows the plane to be connected to both the modules which are supported in the front chassis
12
and the modules which are supported in the rear chassis
14
. It is also evident from
FIG. 3
that the electrical connection between each of the modules
20
,
21
and the plane
16
occurs when the modules are fully inserted into the respective front and rear chassis
12
,
14
. As is further evident from
FIG. 3
, the modules
20
,
21
can be configured so as to be electrically connected to the plane
16
by way of the first and second electrical connector portions
25
,
26
. Thus, the various modules
20
,
21
are configured to be electrically connected to the plane
16
in a predetermined manner by way of the first and second electrical connector portions
25
,
26
and the electrical circuits (not shown) which are on the plane. Electrical connectors such as those described above are well known in the art.
Referring now to
FIG. 2
, the removable configuration of the individual prior art modules
20
from the shroud
18
facilitates the reduction of undesirable down-time of the prior art unit of equipment
10
. That is, each of the modules
20
can be relatively easily removed and replaced should such removal and replacement become necessary due to failure or malfunction of a module. It is evident that a failure or malfunction of the plane
16
is also possible. It is equally evident that such failure or malfunction of the plane
16
is also highly undesirable because such failure or malfunction can prevent the passage of electrical signals and power to the various modules
20
.
However, as can be seen by a study of
FIG. 3
, removal and replacement of the plane
16
can be a relatively complex and time consuming task compared to the removal and replacement of a module
20
. Specifically, as is evident, the removal of the plane
16
requires the complete removal of the entire front chassis
12
and associated modules
20
,
21
, or in the alternative, the complete removal of the rear chassis
14
and associated modules
20
. Additionally, removal of the plane
16
requires removal of the various fasteners
19
which fasten the plane to the shroud
18
. Thus, failure or malfunction of the plane
16
can result in considerable down-time of the prior art unit
10
while the plane is removed and replaced.
What is needed, then, is a method and an apparatus for
Ives Thomas W
Poulter Darrel
Duong Hung Van
Hewlett--Packard Company
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