METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING SERVER BLADES IN A BLADE CHASSIS

• US 20090284907A1
• Filed: 05/13/2009
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Regimbal, Laurent A., Brocklesby, Brandon J., Hamand, Karl I.
• Granted Patent: US 8,054,632 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.20
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/185 Mounting of expansion boards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1489 characterized by the mounting of blades therein, e.g. brackets, rails, trays H05K7/1491 takes precedence

Abstract

A system includes a plurality of modular information handling systems, a chassis configured to house the plurality of modular information handling systems, a chassis support structure coupled to the chassis, and a modular system support structure coupled to a particular modular information handling system. The modular system support structure is configured to interact with the chassis support structure to support the particular modular information handling system in the chassis in a suspended manner.

Claims

1. A system, including:

a plurality of modular information handling systems;

a chassis configured to house the plurality of modular information handling systems;

a chassis support structure coupled to the chassis; and

a modular system support structure coupled to a particular modular information handling system, the modular system support structure configured to interact with the chassis support structure to support the particular modular information handling system in the chassis in a suspended manner.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

the system comprises a blade server;

chassis comprises a blade server chassis; and

the plurality of modular information handling systems comprises a plurality of server blades configured to be inserted in the blade server chassis.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

the chassis support structure comprises one or more first rails; and

the modular system support structure comprises one or more second rails configured to interact with the one or more first rails to support the particular modular information handling system in the chassis in a suspended manner.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

the chassis defines a plurality of upper bays and lower bays for receiving the modular information handling systems;

the chassis support structure and the modular system support structure interact to suspend the particular modular information handling system in an upper bay in the chassis.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein another modular information handling is located in a lower bay in the chassis directly below the suspended particular modular information handling system.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of modular information handling systems comprises a plurality of server blades having different form factors;

the particular modular information handling system comprises a first single-high single-wide server blade;

the chassis includes a compartment including two upper bays and two lower bays configured to receive various combinations of server blades having different form factors, including;

a first double-high single-wide server blade located in one upper bay and one lower bay in the compartment;

the first single-high single-wide server blade suspended in the other upper bay in the compartment; and

a second single-high single-wide server blade located in the other lower bay in the compartment.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the particular modular information handling system is supported in the chassis in a suspended manner without being supported from below.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the chassis support structure and the modular system support structure is formed integrally with the chassis and the particular modular information handling system, respectively.

9. A chassis configured to house a plurality of modular information handling systems, the chassis comprising:

a chassis support structure coupled to the chassis, the chassis support structure configured to interact with a module system support structure associated with a particular modular information handling system in order to support the particular modular information handling system in the chassis in a suspended manner.

10. A chassis according to claim 9, wherein the chassis support structure comprises one or more first rails configured to interact with one or more first rails of the module system support structure to support the particular modular information handling system in the chassis in a suspended manner.

11. A chassis according to claim 9, wherein:

the chassis defines a plurality of upper bays and lower bays for receiving the modular information handling systems; and

the chassis support structure interacts with the modular system support structure to suspend the particular modular information handling system in an upper bay in the chassis.

12. A chassis according to claim 11, wherein another modular information handling is located in a lower bay in the chassis directly below the suspended particular modular information handling system.

13. A chassis according to claim 9, wherein:

the plurality of modular information handling systems comprises a plurality of server blades having different form factors;

the particular modular information handling system comprises a first single-high single-wide server blade; and

the chassis includes a compartment including two upper bays and two lower bays configured to receive various combinations of server blades having different form factors, including;

a first double-high single-wide server blade located in one upper bay and one lower bay in the compartment;

the first single-high single-wide server blade suspended in the other upper bay in the compartment; and

a second single-high single-wide server blade located in the other lower bay in the compartment.

14. A chassis according to claim 9, wherein the chassis support structure is formed integrally with the chassis.

15. A chassis according to claim 9, wherein the chassis support structure is configured to interact with the modular system support structure to the particular modular information handling system in a suspended manner without being supported from below.

16. A modular information handling system configured to be inserted in a chassis, the modular information handling system comprising:

a modular system support structure coupled to the modular information handling system, modular system support structure configured to interact with a chassis support structure associated with the chassis in order to support the modular information handling system in the chassis in a suspended manner.

17. A modular information handling system according to claim 16, wherein the modular system support structure comprises one or more first rails configured to interact with one or more first rails of the chassis support structure to support the modular information handling system in the chassis in a suspended manner.

18. A modular information handling system according to claim 16, wherein the modular system support structure is configured to interact with the chassis support structure to support the modular information handling system in an upper bay of the chassis.

19. A modular information handling system according to claim 16, wherein the modular system support structure is configured to interact with the chassis support structure to support the modular information handling system in a suspended manner without being supported from below.

20. A modular information handling system according to claim 16, wherein the modular system support structure is formed integrally with the chassis.