International Business Machines Corporation

Timothy Scott Bass

Dean Frederick Herring

William Fred Otto

John Robert Kirksey

Richard M Barina

Rodrigo Samper

Susan Pohl Wise

Dean Fredrick Herring

A computing system includes a number of circuit cards fastened by brackets to a slotted panel, which has slots allowing the attachment of external cables to the circuit cards. Electrical grounding between the slotted panel and the brackets is achieved through the use of a conductive gasket extending along an inner surface of the slotted panel. The conductive gasket includes a central web, a number of contact bumps extending from the central web to the slotted panel, and a number of contact bumps extending from the central web to the brackets. Contact bumps thus extending in opposite directions are placed in alternating positions along the central web, so that the central web is deflected as the contact gasket is compressed.

Spring gasket for grounding circuit card brackets to a slotted panel within a computing system

A computing system includes a frame and a drive mounting structure for mounting one or more drive units within the computing system, with the drive mounting structure being pivotally and removably mounted on the frame to move between an operating position, in which an internal end of a drive unit mounted within the drive mounting structure is held within the computing system, and a service position, in which the internal end of the drive unit extends outward from the computing system. In the service position, access is provided to an open end of the drive mounting structure, into which the drive unit can be installed, to the internal end of the drive unit, for attachment of a cable, and to a side of the drive mounting structure, through which fasteners are driven to mount the drive unit within the drive mounting structure.

Removable structures for mounting computer drive devices, pivotable between operating and service positions

A blank for closing an input/output slot in the rear panel of a personal computer has an elongated body with a tab on one end and a flange on an opposite end. The body also has a large elliptical dome that protrudes rearward. A set of spring fingers extend along each side of the dome. The blank is installed in one of the input/output slots by first inserting the tab into a pocket below the slot. The dome is then pivoted into the slot until the fingers snap onto a pair of upright edges that define the slot. The blank is removed from the slot by pushing the dome in the opposite direction out of slot to overcome the flexible retention force provided by the fingers.

Dome-shaped blank for closing an input-output slot in a personal computer

Growing community of inventors

Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America

Timothy Scott Bass