Compaq Computer Corporation, Inc.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.p.

Compaq Information Technologies Group, L.p.

David F Bolognia

Keith J Kuehn

John Robert Grady

Kevin B Leigh

Everett R Salinas

Ghassan R Gebara

William D Lobato

Peter B Barron

David A McAfee

Sung-Hsia Kuo

Gregory L Gibson

A hot-pluggable disk drive is supported on a carrier structure that is slidably and removably insertable rearwardly into a sheet metal cage portion of a computer system to releasably couple an SCA connector on the rear end of the drive to a corresponding electrical connector on a backplane structure within a rear interior portion of the cage. The carrier structure includes a base wall upon which the disk drive rests, and a pair of transverse side walls disposed on opposite side edge portions of the base wall. To substantially reduce self-induced, performance degrading operational vibration of the inserted drive about the rotational axis of its platter section, outward projections are formed on the opposite side wall portions of the carrier in a forwardly offset relationship with the rotational axis of the drive. As the drive is inserted into the cage, these projections slidingly engage and form an interference fit with inwardly bent opposing side wall portions of the cage. This interference fit between the carrier and the cage substantially reduces the performance degrading vibration about its rotational axis that the disk drive is capable of generating during its operation.

Hot-pluggable disk drive carrier having enhanced rotational drive vibration control capability

A retractable display module system for use with a processor-based device, such as a server. The retractable module may comprise an LCD module that is movable between a retracted position within the chassis of the device and an open position. The system utilizes a guide housing disposed within the chassis of the device for receiving and storing the display module in a retracted, space-saving position. A resilient member, such as a spring, may be deployed in the guide housing to bias the display module into the guide housing. For use, the display module is removed from the guide housing and pivoted to the open position at a front of the device.

Retractable display module

An assembly that permits the compact packaging of PCI cards within a low profile chassis of, for example, a server. The assembly includes a framework having a central portion along which a PCI riser card is mounted in a generally vertical orientation. A pair of PCI cards are coupled to the centrally located PCI riser card in a generally perpendicular and opposing orientation. A lever system also is connected to the framework to permit the entire assembly to be lowered into a relatively small footprint and then levered laterally for connection into the overall device.

System for mounting PCI cards

A densely packaged processor-based device, such as a server. The server includes a server chassis divided into two different cooling zones, a first pressure zone and a second pressure zone. A high output fan directs air across tightly packaged, heat producing components disposed in the higher pressure zone. The higher pressure permits sufficient airflow to adequately cool the components. This zone is separated from the second zone by a baffle to prevent the high pressure air from interfering with the cooling of components in the lower pressure zone.

Dense packaging and cooling system for use with a server or other processor-based device

A system for facilitating airflow in a processor-based device, such as a server. The system is particularly amendable for use in low profile devices that inherently have reduced space for airflow. The system utilizes a tray deployed along a base wall or other wall of the device chassis. The tray is utilized to secure a cable or cables that would otherwise inhibit airflow.

System for reducing airflow obstruction in a low profile processor-based device

An identification system for a processor-based device. The identification system is readily utilized with rack-mounted devices, such as servers. The system includes an actuator, such as a pair of pushbuttons located at the front and the rear of the device. The system also includes an indicator, such as a pair of lights at the front and the rear of the device that are illuminated upon actuation of the actuator. Thus, a clear indicator is visible from the front and from the rear of the device to permit service or replacement without inadvertent disconnection of an adjacent device.

Server system having front and rear identification

Hot-pluggable disk carrier having enhanced rotational drive vibration control capability

Single connector attachment drive tray

A cable management system is provided for use with rack mounted devices, such as servers. The cable management system for each device mounted in the rack includes a retainer, typically mounted to the rack, and fixed to the cable. The system also includes a tension device, such as a tension reel having an extensible member, connected to the cable intermediate the retainer and the device. As the device is moved towards the retainer, the tension member pulls the cable laterally and folds the cable at the rear of the device.

Cable management system for use with rack mounted devices

A hot-pluggable disk drive is supported on a carrier structure which is slidably and removably insertable rearwardly into a sheet metal cage portion of a computer system in a manner releasably coupling an SCA connector on a rear end of the drive to a corresponding electrical connector on a backplane structure within a rear interior portion of the cage. Heat generated by the operation of the disk drive is removed by forced convection via a flow of air forced through the cage by a suitable cooling fan. This convective cooling is conductively augmented by a pair of finned metal heat sink portions of the carrier which are movably carried by a base wall portion thereof, clamped against opposite sides of the supported disk drive, and positioned in the cooling air flow through the cage. Resilient thermal interface pad members are compressed between the finned heat sinks to improve the efficiency of heat conduction from the disk drive sides to the heat sinks.

Hard drive cooling using finned heat sink and thermally conductive interface pad

A manually operable ejector assembly is mounted on the front side of a carrier that supports a hot-pluggable disk drive for removable slidable insertion into a sheet metal cage structure portion of a computer system. The ejector assembly includes a main ejector lever which is pivotally spring-biased in a forward direction outwardly from the front side of the carrier, and is releasably held in a pivotally retracted position by a slide bar member that is spring-biased toward a retaining position in which it overlies a free end of the ejector lever. To remove the carrier from the cage, the slide bar member is slid away from the free ejector lever end, thereby permitting the lever to be spring-driven outwardly to an intermediate open position in which it conveniently forms a pull-handle but does not disconnect the drive from the backplane connector. The lever may be then pivoted further outwardly to exert a mechanically advantaged force on the cage to disconnect the drive from the backplane connector and permit the carrier to be pulled forwardly out of the cage. To reinstall the drive, the carrier is slidingly reinserted into the cage and the lever is pivoted inwardly to its retracted position to reconnect the drive to the backplane connector. As the lever reaches its retracted position it cammingly displaces the slide bar member which then snaps back over the free lever end to releasably hold the lever in its retracted position.

Slide-activated, spring-loaded ejector for hot-pluggable disk drive carrier

A computer system includes a chassis, a tray and a motherboard. The tray is configured to form a detachable connection with the chassis, and the motherboard is mounted to the tray.

Configuring a computer system

A carrier assembly is provided for supporting a hot-pluggable hard disk drive and is slidably and removably insertable into a sheet metal cage structure to operatively mount the disk drive therein and releasably mate an SCA connector on the drive to a corresponding electrical backplane connector within the cage. The carrier assembly includes a base wall upon which a pair of upstanding side wall structures are captively retained for pivotal movement toward and away from opposite side edge portions of the base wall. Each of the pivotal side wall structures captively retains a pair of mounting screws. With the side wall structures in their outwardly pivoted orientations, the disk drive is placed atop the base wall, the side wall structures are pivoted inwardly against corresponding opposite side walls of the disk drive, and the mounting screws are tightened into aligned threaded openings in the opposing disk drive side walls. To remove the disk drive, the mounting screws are unscrewed from the disk drive, the carrier side wall structures are swung outwardly from the disk drive, and the disk drive is lifted off the base wall. Due to the captive retention of the carrier side wall structures and mounting screws, no assembly and disassembly of the carrier is required, and it has no loose parts that can be misplaced, damaged or incorrectly installed.

Hot-pluggable disk drive carrier assembly with no loose parts

A hot-pluggable hard disk drive is supported on a carrier structure for removable insertion into a sheet metal cage structure in a manner such that an SCA connector on the rear end of the drive is releasably mateable with a corresponding backplane connector within the cage. The carrier has a bottom side with opposite side edge portions from which resilient shock-absorbing foot members downwardly project to protect the carrier-supported disk drive from non-operational shock when the bottom of the carrier is inadvertently permitted to downwardly strike a horizontal support surface such as a table or workbench. Upwardly projecting side wall portions of the carrier are positioned generally over the protective feet, on opposite sides of the supported disk drive, and have top side edges downwardly offset from the top side of the disk drive. The downward offsets of the upper side wall portion edges of the carrier form nesting areas for receiving the protective shock-absorbing feet of a second drive carrier placed upwardly adjacent and in horizontal alignment with the first carrier. In this manner no additional shock-absorbing foot space is required between adjacent stacked pairs of disk drive carriers.

Growing community of inventors

Spring, TX, United States of America

David F Bolognia