The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 06, 2001
Filed:
Mar. 31, 1999
Lonnie J. Cannon, Austin, TX (US);
Steven Michael Christensen, Leander, TX (US);
Howard Victor Mahaney, Jr., Cedar Park, TX (US);
Bruce James Wilkie, Georgetown, TX (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A computer system including a chassis of substantially rectangular cross section suitable for receiving a circuit board. A rear face of the chassis includes upper and lower exhaust ports. A CPU board including one or more processors may be housed within the chassis. The expansion board is suitable for receiving a plurality of expansion cards via connectors attached to the board. The expansion board includes at least one void for facilitating air flow and is housed within the chassis wherein a rear side of the board is proximal to the rear face of the chassis between the upper and lower exhaust ports. An air moving device is positioned within the chassis for directing air flow across the expansion board toward the rear face of the chassis and, via the at least one void in the expansion card, through the upper and lower exhaust ports. Preferably, at least one of the voids comprises a notch formed in the perimeter of the expansion board wherein the interior surface of the chassis together with the notched void cooperatively define a passage for facilitating air flow. In the preferred embodiment, the computer system further includes a plurality of expansion cards that are received by the expansion board via the connectors. The system may further include a sheet metal piece displaced below the expansion board. The sheet metal piece may be vertically displaced below the lower exhaust port of the rear face of the chassis. In another embodiment, the sheet metal piece is displaced above a portion of the lower exhaust port. In this embodiment, the sheet metal piece preferably includes one or more voids or screens corresponding to the voids in the expansion board.