Computer system with movable card guide

• US 20040252471A1
• Filed: 06/11/2003
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Barsun, Stephan K., Dobbs, Robert W.
• Granted Patent: US 6,967,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/801
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/184 Mounting of motherboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/185 Mounting of expansion boards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/186 Securing of expansion boards in correspondence to slots provided at the computer enclosure

Abstract

A computer system includes a chassis, a first printed circuit board having a surface facing the cavity and at least one component extending from the surface. The printed circuit board moves between a first position in which the at least one component is at least partially received within the cavity and a second position in which the at least one component is removed from the cavity.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a chassis having a cavity;

a first printed circuit board having a first surface facing the cavity; and

at least one component extending from the first surface, wherein the first printed circuit board moves between a first position in which the at least one component is at least partially received within the cavity and a second position in which the at least one component is removed from the cavity.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first printed circuit board pivots about an axis between the first position and the second position.

3. The system of claim 2 including a first guide portion coupled to the chassis and configured to guide movement of the first printed circuit board along a line perpendicular to the axis.

4. The system of claim 3 including:

a first connector affixed to the first printed circuit board;

a second printed circuit board; and

a second connector affixed to the second printed circuit board, wherein the guide guides movement of the first connector into engagement with the second connector.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the second printed circuit board extends in a plane perpendicular to the first printed circuit board when the first connector and the second connector are in engagement.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the guide pivots about the axis.

7. The system of claim 2 including a guide supporting the first printed circuit board and pivotally coupled to the chassis about the axis.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first printed circuit board linearly translates between the first position and the second position along a first line in a first direction.

9. The system of claim 8 including a guide supporting the first printed circuit board, wherein the guide linearly translates in the first direction.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the chassis includes at least one track extending in the first direction, wherein the guide moves along the track.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the guide is configured to guide movement of the first printed circuit board in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

12. The system of claim 11 including:

a first connector affixed to the first printed circuit board;

a second printed circuit board;

a second connector affixed to the second printed circuit board and facing the first connector when the first printed circuit board is in the first position, wherein the guide guides movement of the first connector in the second direction into engagement with the second connector.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board extend perpendicular to one another when the first connector and the second connector are in engagement.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the cavity has a depth of at least 5 inches.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one component extends from the first printed circuit board by a distance of at least 1 to 5 inches.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one component includes a secondary card.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one secondary card includes at least one memory card.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the first printed circuit board has a second surface opposite the first surface and wherein the system further includes at least one connector affixed to the second surface and facing away from the first surface.

19. The system of claim 18 including:

a second printed circuit board having a first surface facing the second surface of the first printed circuit board; and

a second connector affixed to the first surface of the second printed circuit board, wherein the second printed circuit board is movable between a connected position in which the second connector is connected to the first connector and a disconnected position.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the second printed circuit board pivots between the connected position and the disconnected position.

21. The system of claim 20 including a guide supporting the second printed circuit board, wherein at least a portion of the guide is pivotally coupled to the chassis to facilitate movement of the second printed circuit board between the connected position and the disconnected position.

22. The system of claim 1 including a guide supporting the first printed circuit board.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the guide engages opposite sides of the first printed circuit board.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the guide forms opposing channels which receive opposing edges of the first printed circuit board.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the guide is movable relative to the cavity.

26. The system of claim 25 including a stop surface configured to engage the guide to limit movement of the guide away from the cavity.

27. The system of claim 23 including:

a first connector affixed to the first printed circuit board;

a second printed circuit board;

a second connector affixed to the second printed circuit board and facing the first printed circuit board when the first printed circuit board is in the first position, wherein the guide is configured to guide movement of the first printed circuit board between a connected position in which the first connector and the second connector are engaged and a disconnected position, wherein the guide includes a first portion engaging a first edge of the first printed circuit board and a second portion engaging a second opposite edge of the first printed circuit board and wherein the first portion and the second portion converge towards the second connector.

28. The system of claim 1 including a bulkhead coupled to the first printed circuit board.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein the first printed circuit board pivots about a horizontal axis between the first position and the second position such that gravity assists in pivoting the first printed circuit board in one direction.

30. The system of claim 1 including a catch configured to releasably retain the first printed circuit board in the first position.

31. A method for inserting a card having a printed circuit board and at least one component extending from the printed circuit board into a chassis through an opening facing in a first direction, wherein the chassis at least partially forms a cavity facing in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the method comprising:

inserting the card through the opening into the chassis;

moving the card to a cavity filling position in which the at least one component at least partially extends within the cavity; and

retaining the card in the cavity filling position.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of moving includes pivoting the card.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of moving includes linearly translating the card.

34. The method of claim 31 further including moving the card in a first direction after the card has been moved to the cavity filling position.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the first printed circuit board includes a first connector and wherein the chassis houses a second printed circuit board and a second connector affixed to the second printed circuit board, wherein the card is moved in the first direction after the card is in the cavity filling position to connect the first connector to the second connector.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the step of moving includes pivoting the card to the cavity filling position.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein the computer system includes a guide and wherein the step of inserting the card through the opening includes sliding the card along the guide.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of moving the card to the cavity filling position includes pivoting the guide while the guide supports the card.

39. The method of claim 38 including sliding the card along the guide after the guide has been pivoted to move the card into the cavity filling position.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of moving the card includes linearly translating the guide while the guide supports the card.

41. A computer system comprising:

a chassis having a plurality of walls and forming an opening extending in a first direction and configured for insertion of a removable card into the chassis;

a cavity at least partially formed by the chassis and facing in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and

a removable card supported within the chassis and including at least one component at least partially extending into the cavity.

42. The system of claim 41 including:

a printed circuit board at least partially forming the cavity; and

a connector affixed to the printed circuit board facing an opening, wherein at least a portion of the connector extends within the cavity.

43. The system of claim 41 including a guide supporting the card, wherein the guide extends adjacent the cavity.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the guide is movably supported relative to the chassis for movement to a loading/unloading position in which the guide is spaced from an edge of the opening by a distance greater than a maximum height of the at least one component of the card.

45. A card cage for a computer system, the card cage comprising:

a plurality of walls at least partially forming a cavity facing in a first direction and forming an opening facing in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;

a guide, at least a portion of which is movably coupled to the chassis, wherein the guide is configured to support a removable card having at least one component extending from a printed circuit board and wherein the guide is movable between a first position that permits insertion of the card through the opening or removal of the card through the opening and a second position in which the guide is adapted to support the card with the at least one component at least partially extending into the cavity while the card is completely within the card cage.

46. The card cage of claim 45, wherein at least a portion of the guide is pivotally coupled to the chassis.

47. The card cage of claim 45, wherein at least a portion of the guide is linearly translatable relative to the chassis.

48. The card cage of claim 45, wherein the computer system includes a backplane having a first connector, wherein the card has a second connector and wherein the guide is adapted to guide movement of the card to connect the first connector and the second connector.