Rack-mounted server and associated methods
First Claim
1. An electronics tray to mount in a server rack and comprising:
- a housing having a base and a plurality of sides;
at least one electronic component on the base;
mounting elements on two opposing sides to couple to the server rack to permit the electronics tray to be inserted substantially within the server rack or to be withdrawn from the server rack; and
a cover to be affixed to the server rack and to substantially cover the electronics tray when it is inserted substantially within the server rack, and to remain affixed to the server rack when the electronics tray is withdrawn from the server rack.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved rack-mounted server comprises, in one embodiment, a slidable electronics tray having a top cover secured to the rack, to facilitate access to the tray when it is withdrawn from the rack. The tray also includes a camming mechanism to facilitate insertion of the tray into and its extraction from cable connectors or plugs affixed to the rack. The tray includes, in one embodiment, a movement detection mechanism to power it up or down when tray insertion or removal, respectively, is initiated. In addition, the rack includes an improved cable management system that can acconmmodate different cables and cable plugs. As a tray is inserted into or removed from the rack, corresponding connectors on the tray are electrically coupled to or uncoupled from cable plugs affixed to the rack, eliminating any need to remove cables from the tray or reinstall them.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. An electronics tray to mount in a server rack and comprising:
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a housing having a base and a plurality of sides;
at least one electronic component on the base;
mounting elements on two opposing sides to couple to the server rack to permit the electronics tray to be inserted substantially within the server rack or to be withdrawn from the server rack; and
a cover to be affixed to the server rack and to substantially cover the electronics tray when it is inserted substantially within the server rack, and to remain affixed to the server rack when the electronics tray is withdrawn from the server rack. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An electronics rack assembly comprising:
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a pair of opposing sides; and
a plurality of electronics trays removably mounted between the sides, each electronics tray comprising a cover affixed to the sides to substantially cover the electronics tray when it is positioned substantially within the electronics rack assembly, and to remain affixed to the electronics rack assembly when the electronics tray is withdrawn from the electronics rack assembly. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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8. A method comprising:
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forming a rack assembly comprising a plurality of electronics trays removably mounted in the rack assembly; and
affixing a cover for each electronics tray to the rack assembly. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. An electronics tray to be mounted in an electronics rack assembly and comprising:
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a housing having a base and a plurality of sides;
at least one electronic component on the base;
mounting elements on two opposing sides to couple to the electronics rack assembly to permit the electronics tray to be positioned substantially within the electronics rack assembly or to be withdrawn from the electronics rack assembly; and
a handle coupled to the housing and comprising a member to engage with an engaging element on the electronics rack assembly. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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16. An electronics rack assembly comprising:
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a pair of opposing sides and a rear side;
at least one cable plug affixed at the rear side; and
at least one electronics tray comprising;
a housing having a base, a front panel, and a rear panel;
at least one electronic component on the base and electrically coupled to a receptacle at the rear panel;
mounting elements on the housing to couple to the electronics rack assembly to permit the electronics tray to be positioned substantially within the electronics rack assembly and to be withdrawn from the electronics rack assembly; and
a handle coupled to the housing and comprising a member to engage with an engaging element on the electronics rack assembly to cause the receptacle to electrically engage and disengage with the cable plug.
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22. A cable management device for use with an electronics rack assembly and with an electronics tray to be removably mounted in the electronics rack assembly and having at least one electrical receptacle, the cable management device comprising:
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a clamp comprising a plurality of openings, each opening to accommodate a cable plug; and
a securing element to secure the clamp to the electronics rack assembly when the electrical receptacle of the electronics tray engages with or disengages from a cable plug. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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26. An electronics rack assembly comprising:
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a pair of opposing sides and a rear side;
a cable management device affixed to the rear side and to hold at least one cable plug; and
at least one electronics tray comprising;
a housing having a base and a rear panel;
at least one electronic component on the base and electrically coupled to a receptacle at the rear panel; and
mounting elements on the housing to couple to the electronics rack assembly to permit the electronics tray to be inserted substantially within the electronics rack assembly to couple the receptacle to the cable plug, and to be withdrawn from the electronics rack assembly to uncouple the receptacle from the cable plug.
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32. A cable management device for use with an electronics rack assembly and with an electronics tray to be removably mounted in the electronics rack assembly and having at least one electrical connector of a first gender, the cable management device comprising:
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a substrate comprising a plurality of traces, the substrate having on a first surface thereof a plurality of cable connectors, each cable connector to accommodate a cable plug, the substrate having on a second surface thereof at least one electrical connector of a second gender that is mateable with the at least one electrical connector of the first gender, each cable connector being electrically coupled to the at least one electrical connector of the second gender through the plurality of traces; and
a securing element to secure the substrate to the electronics rack assembly when the at least one electrical connector of the electronics tray engages with or disengages from the at least one electrical connector of the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 36, 37)
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35. An electronics rack assembly comprising:
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a pair of opposing sides and a rear side;
a cable management device affixed to the rear side and comprising a substrate having a plurality of traces, the substrate having on a first surface thereof a plurality of cable connectors, each cable connector to accommodate a cable plug, the substrate having on a second surface thereof at least one electrical connector of a first gender, each cable connector being electrically coupled to the at least one electrical connector of the first gender through the plurality of traces; and
at least one electronics tray comprising;
a housing having a base and a rear panel;
at least one electronic component on the base and electrically coupled to at least one electrical connector at the rear panel and being of a second gender that is mateable with the at least one electrical connector of the first gender; and
mounting elements on the housing to couple to the electronics rack assembly to permit the electronics tray to be inserted substantially within the electronics rack assembly to couple the at least one electrical connector on the rear panel to the at least one electrical connector on the substrate, and to be withdrawn from the electronics rack assembly to uncouple the electrical connectors from each other.
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Specification