Modular node assembly for rack mounted multiprocessor computer

• US 6,025,989 A
• Filed: 04/21/1998
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Farrow, Timothy S., Ayd, David N., Kelly, Peter W.
• Primary Examiner(s): TOLIN, GERALD P
• Application Number:
  US09/063,990
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 312/236, 312/298, 312/301, 312/309, 312/310, 312/223.2, 312/334.4, 312/334.8, 454/184, 364/708.1, 361/608-610, 361/614, 361/705-707, 361/683-687, 361/690, 361/695
• US Class Current: 361/695
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/183 Internal mounting support structures, e.g. for printed circuit boards, internal connecting means for buses G06F13/409
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/126 Arrangements for providing electrical connections, e.g. connectors, cables, switches
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/128 of the plurality of recording/reproducing devices, e.g. disk drives, onto a chassis
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/14 Reducing influence of physical parameters, e.g. temperature change, moisture, dust

Abstract

A modular node assembly for a rack mounted multiprocessor computer in which the node assembly has a logic chassis and a removable chassis. The logic chassis contains logic cards including memory cards, a service processor card, Central Processing Unit (CPU) processor cards, and Input/Output (I/O) cards to which I/O and processor interconnecting cables are attached. The removable chassis contains the power supply module for the node, a node supervisor card, disk drives and cooling fans. The removable chassis is removable from the logic chassis without moving or disturbing the logic chassis. One fan of a pair of cooling fans in the removable chassis draws air through the power supply, which has relatively higher cooling needs, and blows the air into the logic chassis over logic modules having relatively lower cooling needs. The other cooling fan draws air over the disk drives and node supervisor card which has relatively low cooling needs, and blows air over into the logic chassis over logic modules having relatively higher cooling needs.

Claims

1. A modular assembly for a rack mounted computer comprising:

an outer enclosure having a front side and an open back side;

a logic chassis inserted into said outer enclosure, said logic chassis having a tailgate including plugs into which cables are pluggable, said tailgate being exposed with said logic chassis fully inserted into said outer enclosure, said logic chassis having logic electronic components mounted therein; and

a removable chassis having serviceable electronic components mounted therein, said removable chassis slidably engaged with said logic chassis and movable from a fully seated position within said logic chassis to a remote position removed from said logic chassis, said removable chassis being movable from said fully seated position to said remote position while said logic chassis is located within said outer enclosure and without moving said tailgate and any cable plugged therein.

2. The modular assembly of claim 1 further comprising a camming means for locking said removable chassis in said logic chassis, said camming means for allowing said removable chassis to be unlocked from said logic chassis and removed from said outer enclosure without disturbing cables plugged into the tailgate of said logic chassis.

3. The modular assembly of claim 1 further comprising a dividing rail in said outer enclosure, said outer enclosure being sized to accept a pair of logic chassis, one on one side of said dividing rail, and a second on the other side of said dividing rail.

4. The modular assembly of claim 3 further comprising a cabinet having a plurality of support rails forming a rack, said rack for accepting a plurality of outer enclosures, said cabinet having a front side and an open back side, said open back side exposing the tailgates of said logic chassis seated in said outer enclosures such that cables may be plugged into said tailgates through the open back sides of said cabinet and said outer enclosures, respectively.

5. The modular assembly of claim 4 further comprising a front panel and fastening means for fastening said front panel to said cabinet thereby holding node assemblies in said outer enclosure, and additionally holding said outer enclosure in the rack of said cabinet.

6. The modular assembly of claim 1 wherein said removable chassis includes a pair of fans, each fan drawing air from the front side of said outer enclosure and blowing air out the back side of said outer enclosure, each fan cooling an electronic component having a higher cooling requirement in one of the chassis, and an electronic component having a lower cooling requirement in the other of the chassis such that the cooling load of each fan is balanced.

7. The modular assembly of claim 6 wherein said removable chassis has an electronic component having a higher cooling requirement and said logic chassis has an electronic component having a lower cooling component both being cooled by the first of said pair of fans, and said removable chassis has an electronic component having a lower cooling requirement and said logic chassis has an electronic component having a higher cooling component both being cooled by the second of said pair of fans.

8. The modular assembly of claim 6 further comprising a front cover over said outer enclosure and fastening means for fastening said front cover in place over the front side of said outer enclosure keeping said node assembly in said outer enclosure, said front cover having openings therein for allowing cooling air to be drawn therethrough by said cooling fans.