Ast Research, Inc.

Gateway, Inc.

Bao Gia Le

Derek T Nguyen

David R Davis

Allan L Klink

Victor R Reiter

Lisa Luong

Gregory V Kabenjian

Randall S Welch

Frederick James Nemec

Reza E Daftari

Greg G Kabenjian

An apparatus and method for supporting a circuit board within a computer chassis is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a standoff support mounted in a channel so that the standoff can be positioned along the length of the channel by moving or sliding the standoff within the channel. This movable standoff facilitates the mounting of a variety of circuit boards within the same computer chassis.

Movable standoff for mounting a circuit board

A string with conductive filaments is placed across an opening of an electronic cage at a point between two devices to be installed in the electronic cage. A cage for a personal computer is positioned within the personal computer and the string is positioned at a point to fill a gap between two drives when installed in the cage. The string comprises a twisted metal wire with multiple conductive filaments woven into the wire. The filaments are of sufficient length to contact both drives.

EMI/RFI shield for adjacent devices

The present invention is directed to a device retention apparatus. A method of retaining an electronic device in a housing may include engaging a first device side of an information handling system device against a first housing side of a housing suitable for retaining an information handling system device. The housing includes the first housing side, a second housing side, and a third housing side, wherein the second housing side is oriented generally opposing the first housing side, and the third housing side oriented is generally perpendicular to the first housing side and the second housing side. The information handling system device includes a first device side, a second device side, and a third device side. The information handling system device is rotated about the engaged portion of the information handling system device with the housing, so that the information handling system device is secured to the first housing side, second housing side and third housing side.

Device retention apparatus

A spring-loaded disk drive retention tray comprises a first and a second plate moveably engaged to each other. The plates are kept in a closed position relative to each other via tension from a spring. A hard disk drive housing can be inserted into a first edge of the tray, and pressure to insert a second edge results in the opening of the first and second plate relative to each other such that the disk drive housing can be fully inserted into the retention tray. Once fully inserted, the two plates return to their closed position, and posts integral to the retention tray mechanically lock the hard disk drive housing to the retention tray via insertion of the posts into screw holes located on the hard disk drive housing. The disk drive assembly comprising the disk drive housing and the retention tray can then be inserted into receiving rails in a computer system chassis, and locked into place via mechanical abutments. The disk drive assembly can be removed from the computer system chassis be manually overriding the mechanical abutments, and the disk drive housing can be removed from the retention tray by manually separating the two plates into the open position. All of the above-described steps can be accomplished without the use of tools or screws.

Computer component retention tray

A hinge engages a cam such that the hinge first rotates relative to the cam, then linearly engages the cam. Preferably, the hinge includes a guiding post that rides along a raised arched surface on the cam during the rotary motion of the hinge. Linear motion between the hinge and the cam preferably begins when the guiding post rides off the end of the arched surface. The rotary motion of the hinge is constrained by one or more engagement assemblies. In a preferred embodiment, one or more cams are mounted on a receiving structure and one or more hinges are mounted in corresponding locations on a detaching structure, where said detaching structure is physically separable from the receiving structure. Engagement between the one or more cams and the one or more corresponding hinges allows the detaching structure to first rotate relative to, then linearly engage, the receiving structure, providing for reliable blind mating between connectors on the detaching structure and connectors on the receiving structure.

Cam and hinge mechanism for angular insertion

A circuit card guide comprising a base defining at least one base slot for placement in alignment over a corresponding expansion slot on a computer system motherboard, incorporates one or more insert guides positioned in cooperation with the base slot such that when a user attempts to insert a circuit card by feel, due to partial or complete visual obstruction of the expansion slot by other computer system components, a connector edge of the circuit card can be received by the circuit card guide within a greater range of tolerance than the width of the expansion slot alone, and the connector edge can be guided by the one or more insert guides through the base slot and into the desired expansion slot.

Circuit card guide

A device cage assembly for retaining a device such as a drive or the like within the chassis of an information handling system is described. The device cage assembly includes a device cage disposed within the chassis so as to be capable of being moved between a retracted or closed position, wherein the device cage is fully contained within the chassis, and an extended or open position wherein the device cage assembly is positioned at least partially outside of the chassis. A device retention assembly is attached to the device cage for retaining the device in the device cage. The device retention assembly is comprised of a body suitable for attachment to the device cage within the chassis of the information handling system. An appendage, such as an appendage, post, or the like is mounted to the body and extends into the device cage for engaging the device. A latching assembly secures the body to the device cage so that the retaining device is held in engagement with the device to retain the device in the device cage.

Device retention assembly

In an integrated circuit socket an integrating capacitor filter carried on a mylar film or integral with said socket incorporated into the top of an integrated circuit socket electrically connected to the voltage and ground connecting pins or electrodes of the integrated circuit in as close as proximity to the entry point into the integrated circuit as is possible. This reduces the lead distance between the entry point in the integrated circuit including CPU integrated circuits at both the voltage and ground connection and the capacitive element to a minimum and minimizes interference in the power source by minimizing inductance in capacitor leads experienced in high speed electrical circuits. It is particular useful in minimizing electrical interference in the voltage applied to CPU by incorporating the capacitive element directly into the CPU socket so that it is electrically coupled between the voltage pin and the ground pin of the CPU in close proximity to the entry point in the CPU.

Socket integrating high frequency capacitor assembly

A computer system chassis, including a base and a cover, implements an improved grounding system by integrally forming a plurality of flexible protruding contacts into predetermined contact regions throughout the base during the metal punching manufacturing phase of the chassis base blank. In this way, when the base and cover are attached to each other, the size of any gaps which may form in these contact regions, as a result of warpage or design tolerances, are reduced. This is due to the number of mechanical contacts being made by the plurality of flexible contacts which protrude and extend across these gaps and connect the base to the cover. In addition to reducing the size of these gaps, the flexible contacts provide an improved electrical grounding to the cover by increasing metal-to-metal contact between the cover and the base, both of which reduce EMI emissions from the computer system chassis.

Integrate flexible contacts grounding system for a computer system

A shielding panel for shielding circuit card slots on a computer chassis, and particularly a shielding panel for use with printed circuit board brackets and/or blank brackets to shield circuit card slots provides an arrangement for reducing the leakage of electromagnetic waves and/or radio frequency waves through a computer chassis by providing protrusions around circuit card slots in the slot frame. The design of the present shielding panel includes a tab which wraps around an edge of the circuit card slot to help place and hold the shielding panel in position while substantially eliminating the potential interference between neighboring panels and/or panels and neighboring slots and inhibits the formation of a gap between the shielding panel and the computer chassis slot frame, therefore, substantially eliminating the chance of a bracket tip catching in such a gap. The present shielding panel also provides protrusions which are bent such that they extend above the surface of the shielding panel but the ends of which extend below the surface of the shielding panel or at least close enough to the surface of the shielding panel to thereby substantially eliminate the chance of a bracket snagging on the protrusions.

Shielding panel

An improved cooling system for a computer system includes a ventilated backplane for a disk drive cage. The backplane is rigidly secured to the rear of the disk drive cage and includes a plurality of apertures therein to permit convective heat transfer between the inner cavity of the drive cage and the main enclosure of the computer system. A fan assembly is attached to the backplane on the side opposite the drive cage to further enhance heat transfer through the ventilation apertures. In one embodiment, the fan assembly includes a plenum attached to the backplane and a fan attached to the plenum. In another embodiment, a fan housing is attached to the backplane and incorporates one or more fans therein.

Ventilated backplane for mounting disk drives in computer systems

An improved computer chassis having a backplane with ground pads thereon for contacting fingers formed in channels in the chassis. The backplane is secured in the chassis without the use of screws. The fingers are defined within channels formed by a structure at the rear of a disk drive cage. The computer system further includes a plurality of disk drives mounted on trays which have rear pins that engage guide apertures formed in the backplane. The backplane is inserted within the channels and held therein by a pair of levers on outer corners which engage with catch members on the computer chassis. The engagement between the levers and the catch members ensures the backplane will remain in position during assembly and shipping. The backplane includes ground pads connected to a ground plane within the backplane. The ground pads engage the fingers on the channels to provide a secure electrical interconnection between the chassis and the backplane. After the backplane is inserted, the disk drives are pushed into place such that the rear pins of the trays secure the backplane in position, and such that the respective electrical connectors engage.

Computer system backplane having ground tabs for interconnecting the

A circuit card retainer for securing a circuit card within a circuit card receiving channel to mitigate the possibility of a circuit card connector jarring loose from a motherboard slot during transit or other vibration or shock causing activity. The circuit card retainer securely retains an inner edge of the circuit card upon insertion of the circuit card, and allows the circuit card to be extracted only if the groove abutment is flexed away from the inner edge of the circuit card, thereby removing the obstruction caused by the groove abutment.

Circuit card retainer

A hard-disk drive tray assembly includes an adapter, a tray, and a bezel. The adapter and tray are designed with slots and protrusions such that the adapter can be secured to the tray without the use of tools, screws, or nuts. The bezel pivots horizontally about the tray and comprises at least one incorporated inserter/extractor lever thereby allowing a user to insert and extract the hard-disk drive tray assembly using just one hand. The bezel has a built-in handle which allows a user to securely grasp onto the hard-disk drive tray assembly during transportation from one location to another. Furthermore, the bezel comprises a translucent or transparent LED display window for providing an external means of visually monitoring the typical LED status indication light which is integral to the hard-disk drive without having to run additional wiring from the hard-disk drive to an externally mounted LED light.

Growing community of inventors

Orange, CA, United States of America

Bao Gia Le