Computer having an expansion card cage assembly

• US 5,831,821 A
• Filed: 01/24/1997
• Issued: 11/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Computer Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Radloff, Timothy, Cook, Stephen, Scholder, Erica, Steffes, Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Michael W.
• Application Number:
  US08/788,668
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 364/708.1, 439/157, 439/61, 439/160, 439/928, 439/928.1, 361/683, 361/684, 361/686, 361/754, 361/798
• US Class Current: 361/679.32
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1429 for circuits carrying a CPU and adapted to receive expansion cards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1435 Expandable constructions

Abstract

A computer in which an expansion card cage assembly is mounted in the computer chassis. The expansion card cage assembly includes a wall extending parallel to the chassis wall, a riser card mounted relative to the wall of the cage assembly and having a connector adapted to engage the connector of the motherboard, and at least one expansion card connected to the riser card. A lever is provided on the cage assembly wall and is adapted to engage the chassis wall to quick-detachably connect the cage assembly to the chassis.

Claims

1. A computer comprising:

a chassis including a plurality of vertical walls;

a motherboard disposed in the chassis and having a connector;

a processor connected to the motherboard;

a memory device connected to the motherboard;

an expansion card cage assembly disposed in the chassis and including a first cage wall extending adjacent to a first chassis wall;

a riser card mounted relative to the first cage wall and having a connector adapted to engage the connector of the motherboard;

at least one expansion card connected to the riser card;

the cage assembly including a lever on the first cage wall movable to engage and disengage the first chassis wall, whereby the cage assembly is detachably connected to the chassis.

2. The computer of claim 1 wherein the lever is pivotally mounted on the first cage wall and a post is formed on the lever that extends into a slot formed in the first chassis wall for urging the riser card into and out of connection with the motherboard.

3. The computer of claim 2 wherein the lever is pivotable from an unlocked position to a locked position during which it forces the riser card into engagement with motherboard connector.

4. The computer of claim 1 wherein the cage assembly further comprises a second cage wall extending perpendicular to the first cage wall and having a plurality of slots formed therein, and wherein the chassis has a second chassis wall extending perpendicular to the first chassis wall and having an opening extending therethrough, the second cage wall extending in the opening in the second chassis wall so that the slots permit access to the expansion card.

5. The computer of claim 1 further comprising hooks formed on the first chassis wall and slots formed on the first cage wall for engaging the hooks.

6. The computer of claim 1 further comprising guide surfaces formed on the chassis for guiding the cage assembly into the chassis.

7. The computer of claim 1 further comprising a tab formed on the cage assembly and adapted to engage a slot formed on the chassis.

8. A computer comprising:

a chassis including a plurality of vertical walls and a motherboard having a connector;

an expansion card cage assembly disposed in the chassis and including a first cage wall extending adjacent to a first chassis wall and at least one expansion card connected to a riser card mounted relative to the first cage wall;

a lever pivotally mounted on the first cage wall and adapted to engage the first chassis wall, the lever being pivotally mounted on the first cage wall and including a post; and

the first chassis wall including a slot for receiving the post, whereby movement of the post in the slot urges the riser card into and out of engagement with the connector on the motherboard.

9. The computer of claim 8 wherein the cage assembly further comprises a second cage wall extending perpendicular to the first cage wall and having a plurality of slots formed therein, and wherein the chassis has a second chassis wall extending perpendicular to the first chassis wall and having an opening extending therethrough, the second cage wall extending into the opening in the second chassis wall so that the slots permit access to the expansion cards.

10. The computer of claim 9 further comprising hooks formed on one of the chassis walls and slots formed on one of the cage walls for engaging the hooks.

11. The computer of claim 8 further comprising guide surfaces formed on the chassis for guiding the cage assembly into the chassis.

12. The computer of claim 8 further comprising a tab formed on the cage assembly and adapted to engage a slot formed on the chassis.