Storage device and method of efficiently arranging components in an information processing apparatus

• US 20060256515A1
• Filed: 04/18/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Watanabe, Hayato
• Granted Patent: US 7,466,557 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• 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

An information processing apparatus designed for miniaturization, having a chassis, and including a motherboard; an expansion slot exchange device electronically connected to the motherboard and configured to hold an expansion card; and a memory device electronically connected to the motherboard and located within the chassis primarily in a first plane orthogonal to a primary plane of the motherboard. An expansion card can be added, occupying a plane parallel to the primary plane of the motherboard.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus having a chassis, comprising:

a motherboard;

an expansion slot exchange device electronically connected to said motherboard and configured to hold an expansion card; and

a memory device electronically connected to said motherboard and disposed within said chassis primarily in a first plane orthogonal to the primary plane.

2. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

said expansion slot exchange device is located within said chassis primarily in a second plane orthogonal to the primary plane of the motherboard.

3. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

said expansion slot exchange device is configured to hold said expansion card so that a primary plane of said expansion card is located in a plane parallel to the primary plane of the motherboard and a profile of said primary plane of said expansion card does not extend beyond a profile of said primary plane of said motherboard.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said memory comprises:

a terminal configured to electrically connect said memory to said motherboard, wherein

said terminal is configured to face to a direction parallel to the primary plane of said motherboard.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a support member located within said chassis primarily in a third plane orthogonal to the primary plane of said motherboard and configured to support said memory device and to hold said expansion slot exchange device, said third orthogonal plane between said first and second orthogonal planes.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said memory device and said expansion slot exchange device at least partially overlap in a direction parallel to the primary plane of said motherboard.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a metal plate; and

a cable connected to said motherboard, wherein

said support member is made of metal,

said memory is supported by said support member through the metal plate, and

said cable is positioned between said support member and said memory.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said expansion card is a PCI card.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said memory is a 2.5-inch hard disk drive.

10. An information processing apparatus having a chassis, comprising:

a motherboard within said chassis and having a primary plane;

a memory device in a first plane orthogonal to the primary plane of said motherboard;

in a second plane orthogonal to said primary plane of said motherboard, means for holding an expansion card; and

in a third plane orthogonal to said primary plane of said motherboard, means for supporting said memory device and for holding said means for holding an expansion card, said first, second and third planes being different from each other, said memory device and said expansion slot exchange device at least partially overlapping in a direction parallel to the primary plane of said motherboard.

11. The information processing apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for holding an expansion card comprises:

means for attaching said expansion card so that a primary plane of said expansion card is located in a plane parallel to the primary plane of the motherboard and a profile of said primary plane of said expansion card does not extend beyond a profile of said primary plane of said motherboard.