International Business Machines Corporation

Lenovo (singapore) Pte. Ltd.

Walter Adrian Goodman

Paul Andrew Wormsbecher

John Henry Sherman

Roland Kamakau Alo

William Beauchamp

Charles R Hatton

Dean Frederick Herring

Daniel Paul Kelaher

David J Podmajersky

Frank V Grebe

Timothy Samuel Farrow

John Paul Scavuzzo

Timothy Andreas Meserth

Karl Klaus Dittus

Glenn Edward Myrto

William Fred Martin-Otto

Edward John McNulty

Kenton Coleman Green

Michael D French

Rodrigo Samper

William Fred Otto

Jacklin Ann Adams

Jeffrey Jay Miller

Joseph Anthony Ho-Lung

George T Brown

John Robert Kirksey

Julian Dominick Rizzi

Edward Richard Ritinski

William F Ott, Iii

Dennis P Reynolds

Courtney Cleophas Eversley

Vincent M Coppola

Lorin David Cheney

Jeffrey Tate

David R Hermansen

A drive-removal mechanism may include, but is not limited to: at least one rotatable member; and at least one drive-engaging member operably coupled to the at least one rotatable member, wherein the drive-removal mechanism is detached from at least one drive to be removed. A drive enclosure may include, but is not limited to: at least one drive-receiving member including at least one drive-receiving channel; and at least one drive-removal mechanism including: at least one rotatable member; and at least one drive-engaging member operably coupled to the at least one rotatable member, wherein the drive-removal mechanism is configured to at least partially remove at least one hot swappable drive from the at least one drive-receiving channel.

Externally latching drive tray and drive removal mechanism

A system includes a chassis, first and second blade servers, and a scalability device. Each blade server is securable within the chassis and includes a scalability port, cam handle for selectively securing the blade server in the chassis, and handle latch for selectively latching the cam handle in a closed position, and lockout mechanism moveable into a position that blocks the handle latch in a latched position. The scalability device includes first and second scalability connectors, wherein positioning the scalability device so that the first scalability connector is coupled to a scalability port of the first blade server and the second scalability connector is coupled to a scalability port of the second blade server causes each lockout mechanism to move into the position that blocks the handle latches in the latched position. Accordingly, the scalability device must be removed before either of the blade servers can be removed.

Handle lockout mechanism for scaling blade-style servers

Embodiments disclose a conversion sleeve for connecting smaller form factor drives to a receptacle of a larger form factor drive. The conversion sleeve has an outer frame shaped to fit within the receptacle of the larger form factor drive. Within the conversion sleeve is at least one channel for receiving a smaller form factor drive. The smaller form factor drive is hot swappable. On a side of the conversion sleeve, a spring-locking mechanism is design to lock into an existing aperture of the receptacle. The conversion sleeve also includes an interposer to bring the smaller form factor drive to the receiving end of the conversion sleeve for easy access.

Mechanical conversion sleeve

An apparatus and method provide supplemental support to an electronic card from above, such as along a longitudinal edge of a PCI card opposite an edge connector on the motherboard. The supplemental support may be provided at any of a plurality of locations along the edge of the card, to avoid interference with certain features on the card and to accommodate cards of a variety of shapes and sizes. One embodiment provides a support apparatus that includes a track secured to the computer chassis over the card, and is generally aligned with a longitudinal edge of the electronic card. A collar is disposed on the track and is moveable to any of a plurality of positions along the track. A plunger is inserted through the collar and is movable with respect to the collar into engagement with the longitudinal edge of the electronic card. A first locking member is activated in response to inserting the plunger into the collar to prevent relative movement of the collar and the plunger with respect to the track. A second locking member locks the plunger with respect to the collar when the plunger engages the card.

Track-based support system for electronic cards

A vibration damping carrier for a disk drive. The carrier may be made of plastic and includes a pair of flexible rails securable to mounting holes in a raised pad on opposing sides of a disk drive housing. Each flexible rail secures one or more sets of a spring and a protuberance in transverse alignment with the spring. Each spring is outwardly extending for engaging opposing walls of a chassis bay and each protuberance is inwardly extending into engagement with the rigid housing. When the disk drive housing and flexible rails are positioned within the chassis bay, each spring and protuberance set is transversely compressed. Typically, the disk drive housing and the chassis bay are rectangular such that the spring and protuberance are transversely compressed. The protuberances provide localized reinforcement of the rails and prevent any significant flexing from occurring.

Vibration damping carrier for a disk drive

A chip sandwich includes a heat sink, a retention module, a computer chip mounted in a socket on a mother board, a wave washer spring and a mounting plate. The heat sink is mounted on the retention module using cams, hooks and heat sink tabs to provide an initial orientation of the heat sink over the computer chip. To provide final contact pressure between the heat sink and the computer chip, a wave washer spring oriented beneath the computer chip and under the mother board provides an upward pressure against the bottom of the mother board, and particularly against the center of the computer chip. Thus, by the wave washer spring pushing against the center of the computer chip, secure contact pressure is provided between the heat sink and the computer chip, while minimizing the amount of pressure between the computer chip's pins and the chip socket.

Heat sink and chip sandwich system

A computing system includes a pivoting mounting structure for mounting one or more electronic devices. The mounting structure is itself mounted to pivot between an operating position, within the computing system, and a service position, with the pivoting mounting structure extending outside the computing system for the installation or removal of electronic devices. A releasable latch prevents movement of the mounting structure from its service position.

Structure for mounting computer drive devices, pivotable between operating and service positions, and latchable in the service position

A system for holding a device in a computer system, the computer system including a drive cage for holding the device, is disclosed. The system comprises a first rail coupled to one side of the device and adapted to fit into the drive cage and a second rail coupled to the device at a side opposite the one side and adapted to fit into the drive cage, wherein the first and second rails are coupled to the device without requiring a tool. Computer systems utilizing the system in accordance with the present invention, will be better equipped to handle the acoustic vibrations created during the operation of different types of drives such as Direct Access and Storage Devices (DASDs). Accordingly, this will enable computer system manufacturers to incorporate faster DASDs without acoustically coupling the DASD to the chassis. Furthermore, by employing a screw-less rail, PC manufacturers and users will no longer be required to use a tool to remove the attached rails. This facilitates the easy removal and reinstallation of DASDs when interchanging computer components.

System for holding a device in a computer system

An adapter bracket is configured for mounting a relatively small electronic device, such as a 3&frac12;-inch drive device in a bay within a frame structure configured for mounting a relatively large electronic device, such as a 5&frac14;-inch drive device. The relatively small electronic device is mounted either by means of screws extending upward through the bracket into holes within the lower surface of the small drive device, or by means of screws extending through elastomeric grommets, mounted within the adapter bracket, into holes within the sides of the small drive device. The adapter bracket also includes sidewalls that are mounted within the bay in the manner of a standard version of the relatively large electronic device.

Universal adapter bracket for mounting electronic devices

A shield for resisting the passage of electromagnetic emissions in a computer is formed from a rectangular plate having apertures for receiving various electrical connectors that insert into the computer. Each aperture in the plate has grounding members for engaging the connectors. The plate also has a row of spring-like wiping members along each of the four side edges. Two edges of the plate each have a single row of wiping members, and two edges of the plate have two opposed rows of wiping members. The opposed rows are interposed with each other in an alternating sequence. One of the two opposed rows forms a series of folds, and the other row forms a series of tabs. The shield is mounted to the side edge flanges of a rectangular opening in the wall of the computer. Two of the flanges slidingly engage the single row of wiping members. The other two flanges insert into the folds and contact with both the folds and the tabs. After the shield is installed, the computer cables and connectors are inserted through the apertures and interconnected with the computer. As the cables and connectors move, the double-row wiping members allow the shield to float in the computer opening while maintaining electrical grounding contact with all four of its flanges.

Planar shield with high density, interleaved contacts for grounding electromagnetic emissions

Holder for portable computing device

Portable computer field kit with a companion docking station. A packaging structure supports a portable computer and printer in a standard carrying case. A rectangular frame includes first and second wells which receive the computer and printer. The first well includes a receptacle assembly which supports a sliding receptacle for engagement with a connector on the computer. An I/O box on the frame connects the computer through the receptacle to an external computer. A docking station is used to support the tablet in an office environment. The docking station includes a computer support hinged to a base. The computer support may be positioned at a plurality of angles with respect to the base. The computer support has a receptacle for engaging a connector of the computer. An I/O box on the base is connected to the receptacle permitting communication between the computer and external computer peripheral devices.

Docking station for a portable computer with a hindged support frame and

Growing community of inventors

Cary, NC, United States of America

Walter Adrian Goodman