Compaq Computer Corporation, Inc.

Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Other

Compaq Information Technologies Group, L.p.

Sharp, Comfort, & Merrett, P.c.

Paily T Varghese

Robert J Hastings

Joseph R Allen

Lowell M Good

Thomas A Kay, Jr

Kevin B Leigh

Paul E Westphall

Robert Allen Pereira

Dennis J Alexander

Carl E Davis

James F Babb

William D Lobato

Thomas P Jasso

John R Bradshaw

Joseph A Villanueva

Barry S McAuliffe

The described embodiments relate to electronic devices. One exemplary device includes a pair of sidewall components extending between respective top portions and bottom portions, the bottom portions lying in a plane that extends between the bottom portions. The device also includes a bottom component joined with and extending between the bottom portions, wherein the bottom component has a non-loaded disposition relative to the plane and a loaded disposition relative to the plane, and wherein at least a portion of the bottom component is closer to the plane in the loaded disposition than in the non-loaded disposition.

Method of forming a housing for an electronic device

Electronic device housing and systems and methods for forming same

A rail mounting arrangement for supporting a computer component, such as a server, in a rack includes a pair of support rails and slide rail assemblies supported by the support rail. The support rails are identical and include a pair of mounting regions on either side of a longitudinal axis. The slide rail assemblies have a lower profile than the support rails and may be mounted on either of the mounting regions. The slide rail assemblies are secured to the server and present a low profile, permitting greater access to internal components within the server housing for servicing. The support rails are recessed in the rack to reduce the space occupied by the rail system in the region of the rack in which the server is supported.

Computer component rack mounting arrangement

A power supply unit includes a housing in which one or more power supply modules can be inserted and a modular AC input section. The modular AC input section preferably attaches to the distal end of the housing from where the power supply modules are inserted. The AC input section includes one or more circuit breakers, connectors and wiring connecting the breakers to the connectors. The connectors preferably comprise blind mating connectors that mate with corresponding connectors on the rear surface of the power supply modules. The AC input section is screwed to the power supply housing or attached through some other suitable means. The AC input section is modular in the sense that it can be easily and quickly removed from the power supply unit and replaced with another section. This permits upgrades and repairs to be made in a quick, cost effective manner.

Modular AC input section for a power supply unit

A DC distribution module for a power supply unit is modular and facilitates thermal cooling of the unit. The power supply unit preferably includes a housing in which one or more power supply modules and the DC distribution module can be inserted. The DC distribution module preferably comprises two power conductors laminated and bonded to a ground conductor. The DC distribution module is relatively thin compared to the power supplies inserted into the power supply unit. By being relatively thin, the DC distribution module, which may carry substantial amounts of current, does not substantially interfere with air movement through the power supply unit for thermal cooling purposes.

Low profile DC distribution module for a power supply unit

A system to mount several electronic devices within a one EIA unit high rackspace is presented. The system includes a mounting chassis that is securely fastened to a standard 19&Prime; EIA electronics rack. The chassis includes dividers that define at least two full length ports in which the electronic devices are slidably engaged. Furthermore, each port defined by the mounting tray includes hot-pluggable, blind-mate sockets to receive corresponding hot-pluggable, blind-mate connectors upon each electronics package. These packages are engaged and disengaged to and from the ports within the rack at will, thus allowing for more servers to be efficiently and accessibly stored within the confines of a 1-U rackspace with interchangeability than was previously possible.

Modular rack-mount server arrangement

An apparatus for securing an add-in circuit card in an electronic device including a clamp movably coupled to the electronic device, the clamp configured to releasably engage the card upon movement of the clamp relative from a card engagement position in which the clamp is substantially inside the electronic device to a card disengagement position in which the clamp is substantially outside the electronic device. An apparatus for securing an add-in circuit card in an electronic device including a clamp movably coupled to the electronic device, the clamp configured to releasably engage the card upon movement of the clamp from a card engagement position to a card disengagement, and a switch for controlling electrical power to the card, the switch operated by the clamp such that movement of the clamp between the engagement and disengagement positions closes and opens the switch. A method of removing a card from an electronic device having an activated power source including the steps of disengaging from the card a clamp movably coupled to the electronic device, the clamp operatively coupled to a switch that terminates power delivery to the card upon disengagement of the clamp, and extracting the card from the electronic device. A method of adding an add-in card to an electronic device having a power source, including the steps of inserting the card into the electronic device, and engaging the card clamp with a movably coupled to the electronic device, the clamp operatively coupled to a switch that activates power delivery to the card upon engagement of the clamp.

Securing a card in an electronic device

A modular computer chassis for both rack mounting and free standing use comprising a housing adapted for receipt of a plurality of computer modules in a secured array. The modules are selectively accessible only through a cover panel door which may be locked to secure the integrity of the array. The modules are mounted in the chassis on individual slides which afford alignment and stability in the assembly thereof. Additionally, the modularity affords interchangeability with rack-mounted systems for maximizing the efficiency of operation and the effectiveness of installation and service. Problems within the system can thus be addressed by removing and replacing individual modules in a configuration which affords reliability and easy access.

Modular computer chassis interchangeable between stand alone and rack

An add-in circuit card is secured in an electronic device. A clamp is movably coupled to the electronic device and is configured to releasably engage the card upon movement of the clamp from a card engagement position to a card disengagement position. A switch may control electrical power to the card, the switch operated by the clamp such that movement of the clamp between the engagement and disengagement positions closes and opens the switch.

A series of hard disk drives are secured atop molded plastic support trays slidably and removably received in opposing guide channel member pairs snap-fitted into opposite side walls of a sheet metal cage structure. Sheet metal electromagnetic interference and electrostatic discharge-suppressing housings enclose each hard disk drive, provide for ventilation of the hard disk drive and any associated electronic components through perforated portions thereof, and prevent transmission of electromagnetic interference through unperforated portions thereof. Each electromagnetic interference and electrostatic discharge-suppressing housing has grounding spring members mounted on a rear portion thereof, and resilient support members between the housing and the grounding spring members.

Apparatus for electromagnetic interference and electrostatic discharge

A series of hard disk drives are anchored to the top sides of perforated metal plates disposed above the top sides of molded plastic support trays in parallel relationships therewith. Sets of spaced apart elastomeric cushioning members have upper portions captively retained between each metal plate and its associated plastic tray, and lower portions projecting downwardly beyond the tray. Small connector circuit boards are anchored to rear end portions of the metal plates, and opposite side edge portions of the plates are slidably insertable into guide channel members within a cage structures to create a hot plug connection between the circuit boards and corresponding hot plug connectors on a rear wall of the cage. Ramped alignment projections formed on the opposite plate side wall portions automatically compensate for vertical and horizontal dimensional variations in the tray supporting portions of the cage; the elastomeric members function to reduce handling shock transmitted to the mounted disk drives; and the metal plates form underside EMI shielding structures for the mounted disk drives.

Hard disc drive support tray apparatus with built-in handling shock

In a rack-mounted computer system a server unit drawer structure is mounted between spaced pairs of front and rear corner support channel portions of the server cabinet using a pair of specially designed slide support brackets, each positioned on a different side of the drawer structure and extending completely between its associated pair of front and rear corner support channels. Front ends of the brackets have vertically spaced alignment tabs that are complementarily received in openings in side flange portions of the front corner channels and serve to precisely align the front bracket ends, and thus the front end wall of the drawer structure, with the cabinet framework in both horizontal directions. The front and rear ends of the brackets are secured to their associated support channels with threaded fasteners. The drawer is slidably mounted on the installed brackets using a conventional telescoping slide structure having a front end portions secured to opposite side walls of the drawer, and rear end portions secured to the brackets. The attachment of the rear slide structure end portions to their associated support brackets is substantially facilitated by horizontally series of nut members captively retained on the brackets. Threaded fasteners are extended through spaced series of openings in the rear slide structure end portions and threaded into the captively retained nut members on the slide support brackets.

Server drawer slide mount apparatus for a rack-mounted computer system

A rack mounted computer system has a vertically elongated cabinet structure in which a specially designed server unit is mounted. The server unit includes a slide-out outer drawer having a power supply box mounted in a lower interior portion thereof. An inner tray is slidably mounted in an upper interior portion of the outer drawer, over the power supply box, and has a system planar board and associated riser cards mounted on its top side. When the outer drawer is pulled out service access is provided to the circuit board apparatus on the inner tray. Access is provided to the power supply box by simply sliding the inner tray rearwardly relative to the opened outer drawer to expose the power supply box. Cooling fans are carried on the inner tray and within the outer drawer to cool the various computer components mounted within the server unit by flowing cooling air generally horizontally therethrough. The cabinet structure is provided with a front access door and a rear panel having ventilation openings therein. During operation of the server unit cooling fans, ambient air is sequentially drawn inwardly through the front access door ventilation openings, horizontally flowed through the server unit, and then horizontally discharged through the ventilation openings in the rear panel of the cabinet structure.

Rack-mounted computer apparatus

A vertically elongated computer system tower unit has an internal sheet metal chassis portion having a bottom base wall to the underside of which four specially designed molded plastic stabilizing foot members are directly connected without the use of mounting screws or other separate mounting structures. Each support foot has a pair of top side retaining projections that are received in complementarily configured openings in the chassis base wall in a manner holding the foot member on the base wall and permitting the foot member to pivot between an initial installation position in which the projections may be inserted into or removed through the wall openings with the foot member underlying the base wall, a retracted position in which the foot member is pivoted outwardly from the installation position and underlies the base wall, and an extended position in which the foot member projects outwardly beyond the base wall and stabilizes the tower unit. A latch portion snaps into a base wall opening when the foot member is outwardly pivoted to its extended position to releasably lock the foot member in the extended position, and also snaps into another base wall opening to releasably prevent the foot member from being inwardly pivoted from its retracted position to its initial installation position.

Pivotable computer tower support foot apparatus

A series of hard disk drives are secured atop molded plastic support trays slidably and removably received in opposing guide channel member pairs snap-fitted into opposite side walls of a sheet metal cage structure externally used in conjunction with a file server or other computer device. Snap-fitted into rear end portions of the trays are small printed circuit boards that are insertable into hot plug sockets at the rear of the cage. Forwardly projecting guard plates on the rear end of the cage block manual access to the board/socket interface, and the surface mounted grounding leads on the board extend rearwardly beyond its signal leads to enhance grounding safety during disk drive installation and removal. At the front end of each tray is a vertical support plate upon which LED indicating lights are conveniently mounted for the associated disk drive. Each guide channel member has a metal grounding clip portion that is pressed against the adjacent cage wall and is contacted by grounding portions of the disk drive and support tray as they are slid into the housing. To assist in installing and removing each disk drive, its associated support tray is provided at its front corners with pivotable ejection latch members removably and self-lockingly secured thereto using a molded connection structure that eliminates the requirement for attachment screws or rivets.

Growing community of inventors

Tomball, TX, United States of America

Paily T Varghese