Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-20
2001-07-31
Tolin, Gerald (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C165S080300, C248S510000, C361S719000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06269001
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
This invention relates in general to the integrated cooling and handling of pluggable electronic components, and in particular to the improved cooling and latching of a pluggable processor cartridge. Still more particularly, the invention relates to an improved system for enhancing the cooling and rapid release/retention of a pluggable processor cartridge.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In computer equipment, the need to upgrade and/or replace electrical components is more prevalent than ever. Many different solutions for installing new components or removing existing components are known in the prior art. However, not all devices or methods allow technicians to perform the work efficiently and reliably. This is particularly true for components that require fasteners such as screws for mounting purposes, or those that require latching or retention mechanisms for enhanced retention capability. Moreover, some new components are not compatible with the existing retention mechanisms that were used with the previous components that they are replacing.
This problem is exacerbated by the enhanced cooling needs of today's high speed computer processors. Processor manufacturers now require computer manufacturing companies to accommodate lower junction temperatures while allowing for greater power dissipation. These requirements demand enhanced thermal design solutions. To maintain adequate heat sink efficiencies, some cooling systems need to incorporate aggressive “passive” and/or “active” cooling solutions. Passive heat sinks allow airflow generated external to the heat sink to pass over the heat sink to permit redundant cooling. Some computer systems that do not require cooling redundancy may require more active heat sink cooling. These advanced thermal design solutions are very difficult if not impossible to incorporate into current retention mechanism designs. Thus, a need exists for an improved system for reliably installing and removing an electrical component, such as a processor, with a retention mechanism that is capable of incorporating an enhanced cooling system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An integrated cooling and retention bracket is detachably coupled to a computer processor cartridge having a heatsink mounted thereto. The bracket is U-shaped with a cross-bar and a short, perpendicular arm on each end of the cross-bar. The lower end of each arm acts as a hinge for an upward-turned extension on the outer side of each arm. Each extension has a rounded knob at its tip and an outward protruding tooth therebelow. An integrally formed, cooling fan mounting structure is located on top of the cross-bar. The mounting structure has two side panels with a central opening therebetween for holding a conventional cooling fan, which is snap mounted inside the central opening. A concave surfaced end wall and baffle are located between the fan and the processor cartridge on the bracket.
The cartridge and bracket assembly is installed in a retention mechanism on a printed circuit board. The teeth on the bracket snap into holes in the posts in the retention mechanism to electrically interconnect the processor cartridge to the circuit board. With the assembly installed in the retention mechanism, the fan is located directly adjacent to the cartridge for cooling the processor. The concave surfaces of the end wall and the baffle direct airflow from the fan along the entire width heatsink to maximize the cooling capability of the fan. The assembly is removed from the retention mechanism by pushing the knobs on the bracket inward and lifting the assembly out of the retention mechanism.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide integrated cooling and handling of pluggable electronic components.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide improved cooling and latching of a pluggable processor cartridge.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved system for enhancing the cooling and rapid release/retention of a pluggable processor cartridge.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in view of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the appended claims and the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5835347 (1998-11-01), Chu
patent: 5841633 (1998-11-01), Huang
patent: 5854738 (1998-12-01), Bowler
patent: 5966289 (1999-10-01), Hastings
patent: 5973921 (1999-10-01), Lin
patent: 6084774 (2000-07-01), Talbot
patent: 6115250 (2000-09-01), Schmitt
patent: 6116566 (2000-09-01), Brown
patent: 6155433 (2000-12-01), Anderson
Dittus Karl Klaus
Gamble Eric Thomas
Matteson Jason Aaron
Trumbo Brian Alan
Bracewell & Patterson LLP
International Business Machines - Corporation
Tolin Gerald
LandOfFree
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