International Business Machines Corporation

John R Dewitt

Kevin K Cooke

Jay H Neer

Paul J Galinis

Ronald V Davidge

Francis A Kuchar, Jr

Thomas H Newsom

Paul A Kerezman

Myron F Davis

John E McCloskey

Dennis Crompton

Walter B Koteff

Todd A McClurg

Orlando Pimienta

Michael Sven Miller

Mark Evan Cohen

Robert D Wysong

Thomas A Anzelone

Victor V Zaderej

Eddie M Reid

J Scott Womble

Thomas H Newson

Terry M Espersen

Lau H Nguyen

Samuel T Cheung

An assembly for removably connecting data storage devices is provided for coupling a plurality of such devices within a computer or file server. The assembly comprises a plurality of trays each having a data storage device and a first electrical connector mounted thereto. Each tray contains an adapter assembly, having a second electrical connector, for consolidating the plurality of signals between the computer and the device. The trays are removably inserted within a housing having a plurality of printed circuit boards for connecting to the first electrical connectors of the inserted trays. A plurality of locking and actuating assemblies mounted within the housing govern insertion and removal of the trays into and out of the housing and passage of signals between the electrical connectors.

Assembly for removably connecting data storage devices

A personal computer includes a frame unit and a top cover mounted to pivot upward and outward to the rear of the system, or alternately, upward to the side. One or more DASD storage devices may be mounted to extend downward from the top cover. A planar board is attached atop the lower side of the frame unit, where flexible mounting hardware allows the attachment of one of several types of planar boards. A central support structure includes a riser card plugged into a connector of the planar board, and a number of card connectors into which option cards can be plugged for electrical connection with the planar board. The central support structure also includes a bracket extending along the rear of the computer, having slots through which port connectors of the option cards can extend. The central support structure is held in engagement with the connector of the planar board by the top cover when this cover is closed. When the top cover is open, the DASD storage devices may be easily replaced, the central support structure may be unplugged from the planar board, and the planar board can be easily replaced or serviced. A front surface of the computer includes a door, which is opened by rotation outward and downward, to be slid inward, providing access for the replacement of media in the storage devices. This door and the top cover are separately lockable using a multi-function lock.

Personal computer with configurational flexibility and service features

Cover assemblies, capable of being locked and unlocked by means of a key, are configured to be placed over the connectors at each end of an external computer system cable. When these cover assemblies are locked in place, the cable cannot be unplugged from the connector ports of the system devices. When these cover assemblies are unlocked, they can be removed from the cable, and the cable can then be unplugged from the connector ports. A first type of cover assembly is designed to operate with a connector which is fastened in place in its plugged position by means of a pair of screws, while a second type of cover assembly is designed to operate with a connector which is fastened in place by means of a pair of rotatable wire bails. These cover assemblies may also be used to prevent access to connector ports to which cables are not attached by locking in place terminators commonly used on such ports, or by locking in place shells configured for this purpose, if such terminators are otherwise not required.

Cable locking covers

Computer housing

Lockable covers are used to cover either of two types of shield blocks to prevent access to circuits within either of two types of external ports on computing devices. Each such shield block covers the port contacts associated with these circuits, includes locking surfaces for holding the lockable cover in place, and is itself held in place by the attachment features provided on the external port for holding an external cable in place. One such shield block is held in place by a pair of screws extending into threaded holes in the external port, while the other such shield block is held in place by a pair of flexible wire bails rotatably mounted in the external port.

Device-port locking covers

Cover assemblies, capable of being locked and unlocked by means of a key, are configured to be placed over the connectors at each end of an external computer system cable. When these cover assemblies are locked in place, the cable cannot be unplugged from the connector ports of the system devices. When these cover assemblies are unlocked, they can be removed from the cable, and the cable can then be unplugged from the connector ports. A first type of cover assembly is designed to operate with a connector which is fastened in place in its plugged position by means of a pair of screws, while a second type of cover assembly is designed to operate with a connector which is fastened in placed by means of a pair of rotatable wire bails. These cover assemblies may also be used to prevent access to connector ports to which cables are not attached by locking in place terminators commonly used on such ports, or by locking in place shells configured for this purpose, if such terminators are otherwise not required.

A cable connector, terminator, or shield is fastened in place over a port connector in a unit having a lockable cover, by fastening means which can only be accessed when the cover is unlocked and opened or removed. In a first version, the cable connector, terminator, or shield includes a pair of tabs extending into the unit through a slot at each end of the port connector, with each tab having a notch which forms a latching surface. A rotatable bracket, engaging these latching surfaces, prevents the removal of the connector, terminator, or shield. With the cover opened or removed, this bracket can be rotated into a position in which the latching surfaces are released. In a second version, a locking bracket is provided to extend around an outer portion of the cable connector, terminator, or shield. This locking bracket includes a shaft extending through a hole into the unit, to be fastened in place by a nut engaging a threaded portion of the shaft. The nut can be accessed to release the shaft from within the unit only when the lockable cover is opened or removed. In a third version, the connector, terminator, or shield includes a pair of slidably mounted shafts, which extend through holes at each end of the port connector to engage holes within a latching bar. When the lockable cover is opened or removed, the latching bar can be manually slid from a locked position in which these shafts are held in place, to an unlocked position, in which they are released. Thus, in all versions, physical access to electronic circuits within the port connector is prevented as long as a cable connector, terminator, or shield is held in place with the lockable cover locked in its closed position.

Means for locking cables and connector ports

A personal computer system unit has a planar card upon which is mounted a processor card. The processor has mounted thereon those components, except for system memory, which are most likely to be replaced for a system upgrade. The processor card has a printed circuit board with printed circuits thereon that terminate along one edge at contacts. Two aligned edge connectors are mounted on the planar board. One connector has a key which engages a slot on the edge of the processor card to align the many contacts with contact arms. Two levers are mounted on the card and cooperate with frame elements to insert, extract and latch the processor card. Each element also has a guide to align the processor card for insertion into the edge connectors.

Personal computer processor card interconnect system

A grounding structure is provided for a disk drive rail wherein the rail includes two sides, one side of which is mountable on a side of a disk drive or other rail mounted device. The grounding structure includes a substantially flat main body extending laterally along one side of the rail to a first end of the rail. The grounding structure further includes a wrap around portion extending from the main body at the first end of the rail and around the first end of the rail and further extending along a portion of the remaining side of the rail so as to hold the grounding structure to the rail. The wrap around portion is connectable to a ground contact adjacent thereto.

Grounding apparatus for rail-mounted devices employed in a computer

A personal computer enclosure is provided which is reinforced by a disk drive support structure inside the box. The enclosure is a substantially parallelepiped outer box having an opening for providing access to the interior of the box. The box includes a plurality of mounting locations on the interior of the box. The inner support structure includes a plurality of bays for receiving respective disk drives therein. These bays communicate with the opening in the enclosure. The structure is attached to said outer box at said mounting locations to provide structural integrity thereto.

Support structure for devices in a computer apparatus

A computer enclosure is provided which is capable of accommodating a plurality of drive devices therein in a fashion whereby the drive devices are readily removable. The enclosure includes a box having first and second opposed sides and a substantially rectangular opening extending between the first and second sides. The enclosure further includes a drive device retainer member having first and second opposed ends, the first end of the retainer being removably pivotally attachable to the first end of the box, the second end of the retainer member being attachable to the second side of the box. The retainer member contacts the drive devices to hold the drive devices in the box. The enclosure further includes a bezel structure having first and second opposed ends. The bezel structure is situated atop the retainer member, the first end of the bezel structure being removable pivotally attachable to the second side of the box, the remaining first end of the bezel structure being removably attachable to the first end of the box so as to hold the retainer member on the box.

Enclosure apparatus for retaining devices within a computer

A removable rail guide apparatus is provided for a disk drive mounting structure which is capable of receiving disk drives or other rail-mounted devices therein. The mounting structure includes a frame including a bay capable of accepting therein one first height drive or two second height drives which are smaller than the first size drive. The bay includes first and second opposed side walls situated in spaced apart relationship. First and second stationary rail guides are fixedly situated on the first and second side walls, respectively, to mate with corresponding side rails of the first size disk drive. First and second removable rail guides are removably mounted on the first and second side walls, respectively, at a distance spaced apart from the first and second stationary rail guides. The first and second removable rail guides mate with corresponding side rails of the second size disk drive when the first size disk drive is not present in the first and second stationary guide rails. The user is provided with flexibility in that a first height drive can be installed when the removable rail guides are removed from the bay so as to avoid interference between the first height drive and such rail guides. Alternatively, the user can install one second height drive in the bay on the stationary nonremovable rails and/or a second height drive in the bay on the removable rails when such rails are installed in the bay.

Removable guide apparatus for a rail-mounted device employed in a

Electrical grounding is provided for an optional device in a computer system, and a gap of varying width adjacent to the device is filled with a conductive shield, by means of a flexible grounding spring having a folded central section from which tabs extend in one direction to contact a conductive surface of the device and in the opposite direction to contact a conductive surface of the machine framework. This grounding spring is held by means of a mounting bracket having a slot through which the folded central section extends to be held in place by locking tabs formed in this section.

Device grounding spring

A shielding strip is provided for a computer including an electrically conductive housing and a non-conductive drive mounting structure situated within the housing. The drive mounting structure includes a plurality of bays which communicate with an opening in the housing. An electrically conductive retainer is situated over the opening to hold the disk drives in the bays. The shielding strip includes a longitudinal main portion extending along a first side of the housing adjacent the opening and situated between the first side of the housing and the drive mounting structure. The shielding strip further includes a plurality of spring structures extending laterally away from the main portion and toward the bays, each of such spring structures including a first spring portion for contacting a conductive portion of a disk drive mounted in a respective bay and a second spring portion for contacting the retainer.

Growing community of inventors

Boca Raton, FL, United States of America

John R Dewitt