Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Oracle America, Inc.

Brett C Ong

Timothy W Olesiewicz

William A De Meulenaere

Michael T Milo

Russell K Brovald

An-Sheng Anson Zheng

Kenneth D Shaul

David W Hartwell

Clifford B Willis

Andrew P Tosh

Robert S Antonuccio

Hyun Soo Kim

Robert J Lajara

Barry Marshall

Michael White

William W Ruckman

Anthony N Eberhardt

Keith G Newman

David K Kim

Frank M Miyahira

Mark Hong Chen

Donggyu Kim

Stephen Lindquist

Leslie N Keller

Quyen T Vu

Brian Benstead

Patrick T Conlon

Jay Cisneroz

A mezzanine board alignment and mounting device includes a multi-stage pin connected to a main board near a mezzanine board connector disposed on the main board. The multistage pin includes a base adapted to connect to the main board, a point distal to the base adapted to pass through an opening on a mezzanine board, and a support disposed between the base and the point. A diameter of the point widens towards the support. A diameter of the support is wider than a diameter of the opening. When the point is fully inserted through the opening in the mezzanine board, the mezzanine board is aligned properly to connect with the mezzanine board connector on the main board.

Multi-function mezzanine board alignment and mounting device, with integrated handle

A fan module for use with fan trays or decks within a computer chassis for forced-air cooling. The fan tray typically includes an elongated mounting post, and the fan module is configured to facilitate installation, retention, and removal such as with a single pinch release. The fan module includes first and second fan supports or frames housing cooling fans. The fan supports are spaced apart, and a bridge or living hinge member is positioned between the fan supports and acts to join the frames, e.g., in a resilient and pivotal/hinge manner. The bridge includes a body that is formed of an elastomeric material such as rubber. A retention groove is provided along one side of the bridge body and is configured for receiving and mating with the mounting post of the fan tray with its beveled or inward sloping sidewalls applying a spring or retaining force against the post sidewalls.

Computer chassis fan modules providing vibration isolation and pinch release

A board extraction device with integrated mounting includes a base portion configured to be disposed on an opening of a circuit board, a rivet extending from a surface of the base portion and configured to pass through the opening, a handle flexibly connected to the base portion, and a pin flexibly connected to the base portion. The rivet has a hole extending therethrough. The pin engages the hole so as to fix the base portion to the circuit board.

Low-profile tool-less board extraction device and method of using the same

A securing device for retaining a power cord in a connected relationship with the power supply includes a substantially planar body having a first end and a second end. The first end is configured to engage the power supply. The second end is configured to engage the power cord. The body is made from a substantially rigid material.

Power supply unit/AC power cord coupler securing device

A storage rack for supporting a server chassis in a storage cabinet. The storage rack includes vertical supports and outer rails attached to the vertical supports. The storage rack includes first and second middle rails supported by the first and second outer rails such that the middle rails may slide upon the outer rails. First and second inner rails slidably engage with the first and second outer rails and are typically attached the sides of the chassis. The storage rack further includes first and second magnetic guide assemblies that are each attached to an exposed end of one of the first and second inner rails. Each of the magnetic guide assemblies includes first and second magnetic alignment elements extending outward an alignment distance from the exposed end of the corresponding one of the inner rails such that magnetic forces assist both in initial alignment and in engagement.

Server chassis rack rail with self-aligning, magnetic guide assembly for positioning servers in storage rack

A storage rack for supporting a server chassis in a storage cabinet. The storage rack includes front and rear vertical support members and one or more rack mount kits for slidably supporting one or more computing devices (e.g., servers). Each rack mount kit may include a pair of rail assemblies, each rail assembly including outer, middle and inner rail assemblies. The outer rail assembly may include first and second outer rail members that are slidable relative to each other and one or more locking mechanisms that may be operable to selectively limit sliding or translation of the first and second outer rail members relative to each other. In one arrangement, a locking mechanism may include a ratchet assembly that may allow the first and second outer rail members to slide in a first direction when the locking mechanism is engaged and in the first direction and an opposite second direction when the locking mechanism is released.

Ratcheting rack-mount kit reinforcement mechanism for storage rack

A brace for a circuit board vertically mounted on a motherboard includes a first attachment member capable of attaching to an edge of the circuit board distal from the motherboard; a second attachment member capable of attaching to a side edge of the motherboard; and a rigid support connecting the first attachment member and the second attachment member. The rigid support is shaped such that the circuit board is held substantially perpendicular to the motherboard when the brace is attached. An interference minimization device for minimizing the interference of a circuit board vertically mounted on a motherboard includes an attachment member capable of attaching to the circuit board at an end distal from the motherboard; a mating wall that is substantially parallel to the circuit board and abuts the circuit board when the interference minimization device is attached to the circuit board; and a tapered wall that widens from the distal end of the circuit board towards the motherboard.

Tool-less vertical PCBA insulator and support/shipping brace

A multi-stage mezzanine board mounting assembly within a computer chassis includes a mezzanine tray and mezzanine mounting brackets. The mezzanine tray includes a clamping mechanism. The mezzanine mounting brackets are disposed within the computer chassis and configured to engage with the mezzanine tray when the mezzanine tray is mounted thereon. The clamping mechanism is configured to clamp the mezzanine tray against the mezzanine mounting brackets such that the mezzanine tray is locked in place on the mezzanine mounting brackets. A method of installing a mezzanine board includes disposing mezzanine mounting brackets within a computer chassis; mounting a mezzanine tray onto the mezzanine mounting brackets such that insertion alignment members of the mezzanine tray engage with an engaging portion of the mezzanine mounting brackets; rotating rotatable clamping levers such that the mezzanine tray is locked in place on the mezzanine mounting brackets when the rotatable clamping levers are fully engaged.

Tool-less multi-stage insertion and securing mechanism for electronic mezzanine assemblies

A carrier for supporting an expansion card is disclosed herein. The expansion card is configured for connection to a server. The carrier includes a module that is configured to receive and removably retain the expansion card. The module is further configured to support the expansion card in a position that aligns the expansion card with a receiver in the server. The module is further configured to move with respect to the receiver to facilitate connection of the expansion card to the receiver.

Tool-less modular expansion card carrier

An apparatus for applying a uniform retention and extraction force to a computer expansion board. The apparatus includes a body with upper and lower retaining members that define a retention channel between them sized to receive an edge of an expansion board. At each end of the catch body pins are provided that extend into a support structure, which is mounted to the computer chassis adjacent a mounting surface for the expansion board. A handle assembly is provided with arms pivotally mounted to the support structure. Each arm includes a dowel that extends into a groove in the catch body. During operation of the mechanism, a handle attached to the arms is moved to pivot the arms and force the catch body from an open position to a closed position with the side pins riding in the guide slots and the dowels riding in the grooves of the catch body.

Expansion board retention and extraction mechanism

A bracket device for securing a mezzanine board assembly includes a brace including a rigid bar and a plurality of connector portions connected to the bar. Each of the plurality of connector portions has a hole. A plurality of pins each configured to respectively pass through the hole in each of the plurality of connector portions and engage an attachment part of the mezzanine board assembly. The bracket device also includes a plurality of mounting brackets movably attached to the plurality of connector portions, each having a guide configured to engage a holder for the mezzanine board assembly. A method for securing a mezzanine board assembly includes inserting a pin into a hole at a connector portion of a brace and movably attaching a mounting bracket to the connector portion. The pin passes through an opening of the connector portion. The method also includes installing a guide of the mezzanine board assembly to a holder for the mezzanine board assembly, engaging a pin with attachment part of the mezzanine board assembly, and extracting the mezzanine board assembly using a bar of the brace.

Non-positional high-load securing method for mezzanine board assemblies

A mounting assembly includes two side rails that mechanically couple to at least two sides on an exterior of a device, where a given side rail includes one or more circumferential edges that define one or more holes on a surface and into an interior of the given side rail, and the surface is approximately parallel to one of the at least two sides on the exterior of the device. Moreover, the mounting assembly includes mechanical collars that mechanically couple to mechanical couplers that mechanically couple the mounting assembly to a chassis in a computer system, where a given mechanical collar is included in a given hole in the given side rail. Additionally, the mounting assembly includes energy-absorbing material encapsulating the mechanical collars, where the energy-absorbing material is positioned between an outer surface of the given mechanical collar and an inner surface of the given hole.

Mounting assembly for a storage device

A mounting assembly is provided for use in mounting a printed circuit board to a computer chassis. The mounting assembly includes standoffs attached to the chassis wall to extend outward into the chassis. Each standoff includes an elongated body and a neck extending from the body and having a smaller diameter than outer dimensions of the body. Each standoff includes a head extending from the neck. The mounting assembly includes retention assemblies that are mounted to the printed circuit board. Each retention assembly includes a spring-force retention member (such as a single coil of a ring spring) with an inner passageway with an at rest diameter smaller than the head. The printed circuit board is mounted to the chassis wall by pressing the printed circuit board onto the standoff elements, which are clasped by a spring force applied by each of the spring-force retention members on the standoff necks.

PCBA mounting assembly for tool-less attachment and release

A vent for a computer apparatus having first and second groups of components. The vent has an air inlet that receives air from a location adjacent to the first group of components and an air outlet that provides air into a space defined between the first and second components. Air flows from the air inlet to the air outlet through a channel that circumvents the first group of components. The computer apparatus may be a server having a plurality of disk drives disposed in a front section of a cabinet. A fan in the back section of the cabinet draws air through a first airflow path across the disk drives. A snorkel defines a second airflow path that circumvents the disk drives in the front section to provide air to the second group of components in the back section.

Air flow snorkel for computer system

In a hard disk drive (HDD) vibration control device disposed on a HDD bracket including a HDD, the HDD vibration control device includes a main body portion, a rear clip, a front clip, a left rail spring, and a right rail spring. The main body portion includes a front bar, a rear bar, left bar, and right bar. The rear clip extends down from the rear bar clamped onto the HDD. The front clip extends down from the front bar clamped onto the HDD. The left rail spring includes a first flat portion extending outwards from the left bar and including a first spring portion extending from the first flat portion. The right rail spring includes a second flat portion extending outwards from the right bar and including a second spring portion extending from the second flat portion. The first and second flat portions of the left rail spring the right rail spring rest, respectively, on top surfaces of a left side bracket and right side bracket of the HDD bracket. The first and second spring portions of the left rail spring and the right rail spring arc above the top surfaces of the left side bracket and the right side bracket, and are configured to flex downwards when a force is applied from above.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Brett C Ong