Brackets and levers for installing and maintaining motherboards in computer systems

• US 5,400,214 A
• Filed: 11/06/1992
• Issued: 03/21/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Antonuccio, Robert S., Izzicupo, William A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Michael W.
• Application Number:
  US07/973,097
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 439/157, 439/310, 439/372, 439/377, 439/160, 439/64, 361/679, 361/683-686, 361/724-727, 361/740-742, 361/746, 361/747, 361/753, 361/754, 361/756, 361/758, 361/759, 361/798, 361/799, 361/800, 361/801, 361/802 , 361/818, 361/825-827, 361/814, 174/138 D, 174/138 G, 364/708.1, 312/223.2, 181/148, 181/150
• US Class Current: 361/679.58
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/184 Mounting of motherboards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1429 for circuits carrying a CPU and adapted to receive expansion cards

Abstract

In a computer system requiring the CPU board to be installed and removed from the top of the chassis, there is included a CPU board installation and maintaining lever supported for movement from the base of the chassis and perpendicularly to the board when the board is installed. The board has an opening of a dimension to allow the board on installation and removal to passed over the lever into a position where contact with the lever will move the board into and out of its operative position without the need to use hardware on its installation and removal. Also included is a bracket having holding surfaces securing a speaker to the bracket and the bracket to the chassis, the latter holding surfaces allowing the bracket to assume a first position in the chassis and a second position away from the base of the chassis to create a suitable space for the installation and removal of the board to and from the chassis.

Claims

1. A computer system having a chassis in the form of a rectangular box with closed integral sides and bottom and a CPU board, said chassis having an open top for receiving said board comprising:

a movement imparting member for installing and maintaining said board in an operating position,

a support member, included in said bottom, supporting said movement imparting member,

said movement imparting member having an extending portion extending from said support member in the direction of said open top of said chassis, and

said board having a surface engaged by said extending portion whereupon on movement of said extending portion movement of said board is effected to cause said installation of said board and maintenance of said board in its operating position.

2. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said system includes a speaker,

a holding member securing said speaker to one of the sides of said chassis, and

said holding member including a positioning member positioning said holding member in first and second operative positions relative to said chassis.

3. A computer system according to claim 2, wherein said surface of said board is formed by an opening in said board,

said extending portion having a section that passes through said opening,

said extending portion includes at its end opposite said support member a contactable surface,

said system including a cover cooperatively arranged with said bottom to form an enclosed box, and

said cover having a surface formed to contact said contactable surface of said extending portion in a manner to prevent movement of said extending portion when said cover is mounted over said bottom.

4. A computer system according to claim 2,

wherein said support member includes a movement directional control member for directing said movement imparting member in an advancing movement to cause said board to be forced into said operating position and for directing said movement imparting member in a retracting movement to cause said board to be forced out of said operating position to a position where it can be removed from said chassis,

second support members extending from said bottom arranged to support said board when said board is placed in said chassis while said board is in said operating position and out of said operating position, and

wherein said second support members include several such second support members arranged on the sides of said chassis parallel to the direction of movement of said board when moved to said operating position, and

at least two of said second support members including inclined surfaces arranged to effect a guiding and positioning of said board during said movement.

5. A computer system according to claim 2, wherein said holding member securing said speaker includes deflectable members securing said speaker to said holding member by the force created by deflection of said deflectable members, and

wherein said speaker includes openings for each said deflectable members and said deflectable members include projections, an associated opening and projection of each deflectable member being arranged to assume aligned positions with respect to each other when said speaker is in its secured position in said holding member, and

said projections being formed to snap into an associated said opening by said deflecting force to thereby firmly secure said speaker to said holding member without the use of hardware.

6. A computer system according to claim 5, wherein said holding member takes the form of a bracket and said deflectable members take the form of a pair of arms arranged outward of said speaker and extending towards the bottom of said speaker,

said arms including contacting portions allowing said bracket when said board is inserted in said chassis to assume a first position adjacent said board and in a second position spaced from said board when said board is so inserted, and

wherein said chassis includes a pair of spaced apart engaging surfaces arranged in one of its sides,

said arms including feet at their lower most ends formed to engage a different one of said engaging surfaces,

said arms being formed to be deflectable towards said speaker when said speaker is carried by said bracket, said deflection being sufficient to force each of said feet to forcibly contact an associated said engaging surface to lock said bracket to said chassis in said first operative position, and

said arms having similar indented sections midway between their opposite ends forming holding surfaces for engaging an associated said engaging surface to lock said bracket in said second operative position.

7. A computer system according to claim 2, including an LED, wherein said holding member securing said speaker takes a form of a bracket,

said bracket including a member extending away from one side of said bracket,

said extending member having a portion receiving and supporting said LED, and

said bracket including a carrying member wiring for said LED and for said speaker.

8. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said surface of said board is formed by an opening in said board, and

said extending portion having a section that passes through said opening.

9. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said extending portion includes at its end opposite said support member a contactable surface,

said system including a cover cooperatively arranged with said bottom to form an enclosed box, and

said cover having a surface formed to contact said contactable surface of said extending portion in a manner to prevent movement of said extending portion when said cover is mounted over said bottom to form said enclosed box.

10. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said support member includes a movement directional controlling member for directing said movement imparting member in an advancing movement to cause said board to be forced into said operating position and for directing said movement imparting member in a retracting movement to cause said board to be forced out of said operating position to a position where it can be removed from said chassis.

11. A computer system according to claim 1, including a support facility extending from said bottom arranged to support said board when said board is placed in said chassis while said board is in said operating position and in an inoperative position.

12. A computer system according to claim 11, wherein said support facility includes at least two supports arranged on the sides of said chassis parallel to the direction of movement of said board when moved to said operating position, and

at least one of said supports on each said opposite sides including inclined surfaces arranged to effect a guiding and positioning of said board during said movement.

13. A computer system having a chassis in the form of a rectangular-box with closed integral sides and bottom and a CPU board, said chassis having an open top for receiving said board, said system includes a speaker comprising:

a holding member securing said speaker to one of said sides of said chassis, and

said holding member including a guiding member positioning said holding member in first and second operative positions relative to said chassis.

14. A computer system according to claim 13, wherein said holding member includes deflectable portions securing said speaker to said holding member by the force created by deflection of said deflectable portions.

15. A computer system according to claim 14, wherein said speaker includes openings and said deflectable portions include projections arranged to form cooperative sets,

each said opening and projection of a said cooperative set being arranged to assume aligned positions with respect to each other when said speaker is in its secured position in said holding member, and

said projections being formed to snap into an associated opening by said deflecting force to thereby firmly secure said speaker to said holding member without the use of hardware.

16. A computer system according to claim 14, wherein said holding member takes the form of a bracket having a pair of said deflectable portions arranged outward of said speaker and extending towards the bottom of said speaker, and

said deflectable portions including contacting portions allowing said bracket to assume said first position adjacent said board when said board is inserted in said chassis and in said second position spaced from said board when said board is so inserted.

17. A computer system according to claim 16, wherein said chassis includes a pair of spaced apart engaging surfaces arranged on one of its sides,

said deflectable portions being in the form of arms including feet at their lower most ends formed to engage a different one of said engaging surfaces,

said arms being formed to be deflectable towards said speaker when said speaker is carried by said bracket, said deflection being sufficient to force each of said feet to forcibly contact an associated said engaging surface to lock said bracket to said chassis in said first operative position, and

said arms having similar indented sections midway between their opposite ends forming holding surfaces for engaging an associated said engaging surface to lock said bracket in said second operative position.

18. A computer system according to claim 13, including an LED, wherein said holding member takes a form of a bracket,

said bracket including a member extending away from one side of said bracket,

said extending member having a portion receiving and supporting said LED, and

said bracket including a carrying member carrying wiring for said LED and for said speaker.

19. A method of installing and maintaining a CPU board in a computer system having a chassis with closed integral sides and bottom, said chassis also having an open top, said system including a CPU board having a component carrying side facing said open top and a speaker comprising the steps of:

forming an opening in said board so that when said chassis is in a generally horizontal position said board will be generally horizontally positioned and in which case said opening extends with its axis in a generally vertical plane,

mounting a lever at the base of said chassis,

causing an extending portion of said lever to extend into and through said opening,

causing said lever to contact said board when extended through said opening,

in mounting said lever when said chassis is so positioned, arranging said lever so that said lever can be moved in a direction to effect a generally horizontal movement of said board to position said board in operative and inoperative positions in said chassis,

mounting said speaker adjacent one of the sides of said chassis and on said component carrying side of said board when said board is positioned in said chassis, and

causing the speaker so mounted to be displaceable to a first operative position adjacent said board and to a second operative position spaced from said board, in which in the second operative position said board is free to be installed and removed from said chassis with the lever still mounted in said chassis.