Removable expansion card cage
First Claim
1. An expansion card assembly for removable installation in an enclosure no more than one rack unit in height, comprising:
- a central member comprising a plurality of expansion card slots and an aperture configured to releasably engage a guide prong installed on a base of the enclosure;
a first cross-member comprising guides corresponding to each of said expansion card slots; and
a second cross-member comprising apertures configured to facilitate electrical connection to expansion cards installed in said expansion card slots, wherein said second cross-member comprises a portion of a first wall of the enclosure.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An expansion enclosure allows additional expansion cards to be used with a computer system. The enclosure exhibits a small footprint (e.g., one rack unit, or 1¾ inches) for installation in a rack or other area in which space is limited. The enclosure accepts one or more (e.g., four) expansion cards, which are connected to a removable expansion card cage. The removable cage forms part of the structure of the enclosure and provides strength and rigidity. A stabilizer may be removably but securely installed in the enclosure to stabilize or hold the removable cage as a card is installed in or removed from the cage.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An expansion card assembly for removable installation in an enclosure no more than one rack unit in height, comprising:
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a central member comprising a plurality of expansion card slots and an aperture configured to releasably engage a guide prong installed on a base of the enclosure;
a first cross-member comprising guides corresponding to each of said expansion card slots; and
a second cross-member comprising apertures configured to facilitate electrical connection to expansion cards installed in said expansion card slots, wherein said second cross-member comprises a portion of a first wall of the enclosure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A removable apparatus for operating expansion cards in a computer equipment enclosure, the apparatus comprising:
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a central member comprising multiple expansion card slots;
a first cross-support comprising;
guides for facilitating manipulation of expansion cards in said slots; and
one or more fans;
a second cross-support forming a portion of a wall of the enclosure and comprising access apertures configured to enable access to signal connectors of said expansion cards; and
one or more receptacles for releasably engaging enclosure guides for guiding the removable installation of the apparatus within the enclosure. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. An enclosure for removably housing multiple computer expansion cards, comprising:
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a removable expansion card assembly comprising;
multiple expansion card slots for accepting computer expansion cards; and
an aperture configured to releasable engage a guide for guiding placement of said removable expansion card assembly within the enclosure;
one or more status indicators, visible external to the enclosure, configured to indicate a status of the enclosure;
a removable power supply; and
one or more fans coupled to said removable expansion card assembly;
wherein the enclosure is no more than one rack unit in height. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification