International Business Machines Corporation

Steven Dale Greseth

John Lee Colbert

William Michael Monson

Scott Alan Shurson

Mark Garrison Clark

Jessica Rose Berens

Neil A Anderson

Cal W Johnson

Kyle J Honadel

A multi function component mounting assembly is shown that, in the environment illustrated, supports a blower in an electronic device chassis in tandem with another component requiring frequent user access such as a media component. The assembly is supported on a sheet metal tray or frame with the blower mounted beneath the distal end of the tray along with its electrical connector which is supported with two degrees of limited motion to accommodate remote auto docking. The tray is secured in the opening by a unitary molded latch element that is permitted limited longitudinal movement with respect to the tray and includes biasing means which engage the tray to bias the assembly into a fully inserted position in the chassis. A drop down handle assists manual insertion and withdrawal of the assembly and disengagement of the latch securing the assembly and is moved to a stored position by insertion of the media component. The space beneath the tray between the blower and the chassis opening through which the mounting assembly is inserted affords the space in which the media component is installed.

Slim-line mounting mechanism for electronic packaging

A latch assembly for a computer or other electronic device includes a lever which is adapted to receive a spring arm integrally molded with a latch. The latch also includes integrally molded pivot pins which are guided by ramps into pivot holes in the lever to mate the latch and lever together. Once assembled, the latch is movable to and between engaged and disengaged positions for closure with a catch on the computer, electronic or other workpiece device. The latch assembly incorporates specific changes to existing parts while reducing the number of parts and the cost of and complexity for assembly. The design is much more easily accommodated in automated assembly equipment to further reduce assembly costs and increase productivity throughput.

Simplified latch and associated assembly method

A cage for an electronic component includes two spaced apart cast walls, and a roof member and a floor member connected to the two spaced apart cast walls. The walls are substantially identical, and the roof member and the floor member are each formed of a damped metallic laminate panel.

Modular cage for an electronic component

A direct access storage device (DASD) cage holds a DASD sled which contains an electronic DASD. The sled has a base plate, side walls and a front portion. The cage has side walls and a forward panel. Each side wall of the cage has a groove for receiving an outer edge of the base plate. The front portion interfaces the DASD with a machine connector. The sled has a slidable handle and a pair of pivotable latches which engage the handle. Each latch has an inner finger and an outer finger. Each inner finger engages a slot in the handle while each outer finger moves inward and outward. Stops in the base plate limit the travel of the inner fingers. The handle is pulled rearward to a disengaged position before the sled is installed in the cage. The outer edges of the base plate are placed in the grooves and the sled is pushed forward into the cage. When the sled is half-way into the cage, the latches will partially engage the grooves to stop the movement of the sled. From this position and by pushing the handle forward, the inner fingers are pushed forward by the slots in the handle so that the outer fingers rotate into engagement with profiles in the grooves and the DASD is connected to the machine connector. The sled is removed by pulling the handle rearward so that the outer fingers disengage the profiles. As the sled is removed from the cage, the DASD simultaneously disengages the machine connector.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, MN, United States of America

Steven Dale Greseth