Lucent Technologies Inc.

Stratus Computer, Inc.

Vincent T Curran

Keith A St Pierre

Robert Craig Abraham

Willard O Hoyle, Jr

A chassis system for housing a plurality of circuit boards, such as PCI standard bus boards, provides a rack-mountable chassis having an open front side and a motherboard with a plurality of board connectors arranged side-by-side with respect to the front end. The boards are mounted in individual frameworks that facilitate ready installation and removal from the chassis. In particular, the chassis includes a plurality of receiving blocks at the bottom rear of the chassis, aligned with each of the motherboard connectors. The receiving blocks receive pivots mounted on the back of each framework. The framework is inserted into, and removed from the front opening of the chassis in an upwardly pivoted position that clears the motherboard connectors and other obstructions in the chassis. The framework is pivoted into and out of engagement with the motherboard when the pivot is located in the receiving blocks. The chassis can include top-mounted tracks. The tracks receive rollers on the framework. When the framework is fully inserted into the chassis, the rear rollers lower the rear of the framework, having moved down a ramp. The front rollers can be selectively lowered and raised by actuating a movable bracket.

Circuit board chassis

A chassis system for housing a plurality of circuit boards, such as PCI standard bus boards, provides a rack-mountable chassis having an open front side and a motherboard with a plurality of board connectors arranged side-by-side with respect to the front end. The boards are mounted in individual frameworks that facilitate ready installation and removal from the chassis. In particular, the chassis includes a plurality of tracks on its top, aligned with each of the motherboard connectors. The tracks receive a track-engaging portion of each framework. A board-carrying portion of the framework is connected to the track-engaging portion by a lifter mechanism, such as a set of sloped slots and interengaging rollers. The framework can be inserted and removed from the chassis with the board connector raised above the motherboard connector. When the board connector is fully aligned with the motherboard connector in the chassis, the lifter mechanism can be operated to lower the board and its board connector into engagement with the motherboard connector.

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Walpole, MA, United States of America

Vincent T Curran