Card cage system
First Claim
1. A card cage system for an electronic equipment enclosure, the card cage system suitable for use with one or more functional modules that each include a corresponding card joined to a front panel that includes fasteners, and the card cage system comprising:
- (a) first and second end card guides disposed within the electronic equipment enclosure;
(b) a middle card guide interposed between the first and second end card guides in a spaced apart arrangement and cooperating with the first and second end card guides to define at least one card storage level; and
(c) first and second adapter elements joined to the first and second end card guides, respectively, and a third adapter element configured to be removably joined to the middle card guide, the adapter elements cooperating with the card guides so that a first card storage configuration is defined when the adapter elements are joined to the corresponding card guides, and a second card storage configuration being defined when adapter elements are present in only two of the card guides.
16 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A card cage system is provided that includes a middle card guide interposed between two end card guides in an electronic equipment enclosure. Each of the card guides includes one or more channels adapted to receive a card edge. The middle card guide includes a removable adapter element that, when present in the middle card guide, prevents insertion of double wide, or larger, cards while, at the same time, permitting insertion of two single wide cards in a side-by-side arrangement. When the adapter element is removed, a double-wide card can be received in the middle card guide such that it straddles the middle card guide. The edges of the double-wide card are received in the first and second end card guides. Thus, the card guide can be readily customized to accommodate a variety of card types and sizes, in various arrangements.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A card cage system for an electronic equipment enclosure, the card cage system suitable for use with one or more functional modules that each include a corresponding card joined to a front panel that includes fasteners, and the card cage system comprising:
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(a) first and second end card guides disposed within the electronic equipment enclosure;
(b) a middle card guide interposed between the first and second end card guides in a spaced apart arrangement and cooperating with the first and second end card guides to define at least one card storage level; and
(c) first and second adapter elements joined to the first and second end card guides, respectively, and a third adapter element configured to be removably joined to the middle card guide, the adapter elements cooperating with the card guides so that a first card storage configuration is defined when the adapter elements are joined to the corresponding card guides, and a second card storage configuration being defined when adapter elements are present in only two of the card guides. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A card cage system for an electronic equipment enclosure, the card cage system suitable for use with one or more functional modules that each include a corresponding card, and the card cage system comprising:
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(a) first and second end card guides disposed within the electronic equipment enclosure;
(b) a middle card guide interposed between the first and second end card guides in a spaced apart arrangement and cooperating with the first and second end card guides to define at least one card storage level; and
(c) means for facilitating definition of multiple card storage configurations, the means for facilitating definition of multiple card storage configurations facilitating definition of first and second card storage configurations at the at least one card storage level. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A card guide for use in an electronic equipment enclosure configured to receive one or more functional modules, each of which includes a corresponding card, the card guide having first and second sides and first and second ends and comprising:
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(a) first and second support structures that cooperate to at least partially define a pair of channels configured to receive at least a portion of a card, one channel being located on either side of the card guide, the channels terminating short of the first end of the card guide so that a slot is defined that is interposed between the first and second support structures, and the first and second support structures further cooperating to define a receptacle in communication with the slot so that in a first card storage configuration, a card received in the electronic equipment enclosure by way of the receptacle is positioned in the slot such that the card straddles the card guide;
(b) a connecting member at least indirectly joined to one of the first and second support structures. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An electronic equipment enclosure, comprising:
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(a) a chassis; and
(b) a card cage system substantially disposed within the chassis and comprising;
the card cage system comprising;
(i) first and second end card guides;
(ii) a middle card guide interposed between the first and second end card guides in a spaced apart arrangement and cooperating with the first and second end card guides to define at least one card storage level; and
(iii) first and second adapter elements joined to the first and second end card guides, respectively, and a third adapter element configured to be removably joined to the middle card guide, the adapter elements cooperating with the card guides so that a first card storage configuration is defined when the adapter elements are joined to the corresponding card guides, and a second card storage configuration being defined when adapter elements are present in only two of the card guides. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification