Computer system with movable card guide

• US 6,967,847 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2003
• Issued: 11/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Barsun, Stephan K., Dobbs, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Phuong T.
• Application Number:
  US10/459,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20040252471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 361683-686, 361724-728, 361/732, 361/736, 361740-741, 361747-748, 361/752, 361754-756, 361/759, 361/796, 361/798, 361/801, 361/802, 312/223.1, 211/41.17
• US Class Current: 361/727
• 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

Abstract

A computer system includes a chassis, a first printed circuit board having a surface facing the cavity and at least one component extending from the surface. The printed circuit board moves between a first position in which the at least one component is at least partially received within the cavity and a second position in which the at least one component is removed from the cavity.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a chassis;

a cavity within the chassis and bounded by a first surface, a second surface extending non-parallel to the first surface, and a third surface extending non-parallel to the first surface opposite the second surface and terminating at an end;

a first printed circuit board having a fourth surface; and

at least one component extending from the fourth surface, wherein the first printed circuit board is movably coupled to the chassis so as to be movable along a first axis non-parallel to the second surface across the end while being coupled to the chassis to a first position in which the at least one component is at least partially first removed from the cavity and is pivotable about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and parallel to the first surface while being coupled to the chassis to a second position in which the at least one component is at least partially received within the cavity.

2. The system of claim 1 including a first guide portion coupled to the chassis and configured to slidably receive and guide movement of the first printed circuit board along the first axis.

3. The system of claim 2 including:

a first connector affixed to the first printed circuit board;

a second printed circuit board; and

a second connector affixed to the second printed circuit board, wherein the guide guides movement of the first connector into engagement with the second connector.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the second printed circuit board extends in a plane perpendicular to the first printed circuit board when the first connector and the second connector are in engagement.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the guide pivots about the axis.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the cavity has a depth of at least 5 inches.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one component extends from the first printed circuit board by a distance of at least 1 to 5 inches.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one component includes a secondary card.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one secondary card includes at least one memory card.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the guide engages opposite sides of the first printed circuit board.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the guide forms opposing channels extending perpendicular to the second axis which receive opposing edges of the first printed circuit board.

12. The system of claim 2 including a stop surface configured to engage the guide to limit movement of the guide away from the cavity.

13. The system of claim 10 including:

a first connector affixed to the first printed circuit board;

a second printed circuit board;

a second connector affixed to the second printed circuit board and facing the first printed circuit board when the first printed circuit board is in the first position, wherein the guide is configured to guide movement of the first printed circuit board between a connected position in which the first connector and the second connector are engaged and a disconnected position, wherein the guide includes a first portion engaging a first edge of the first printed circuit board and a second portion engaging a second opposite edge of the first printed circuit board and wherein the first portion and the second portion converge, toward one another as the first portion and the second portion approach the second connector.

14. The system of claim 1 including a bulkhead coupled to the first printed circuit board.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the first printed circuit board pivots about a horizontal axis between the first position and the second position such that gravity assists in pivoting the first printed circuit board toward the first position.

16. The system of claim 1 including a catch configured to releasably retain the first printed circuit board in the second position.

17. A method for inserting a card having a printed circuit board and at least one component extending from the printed circuit board into a chassis through an opening facing in a first direction, wherein the chassis at least partially forms a cavity bounded by a first surface, a second surface extending non-parallel to the first surface, and a third surface extending non-parallel to the first surface opposite to the second surface and terminating at an end, the cavity having a depth facing in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the method comprising:

inserting the card through the opening across the end along a first axis non-parallel to the second surface into the chassis;

pivoting the card about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and non-parallel to the second surface while the card is coupled to the chassis to a cavity filling position in which the at least one component at least partially extends within the cavity; and

retaining the card in the cavity filling position.

18. The method of claim 17 further including linearly moving the card towards the second surface after the card has been moved to the cavity filling position.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first printed circuit board includes a first connector and wherein the chassis houses a second printed circuit board and a second connector affixed to the second printed circuit board, wherein the card is moved in the first direction towards the second connector after the card is in the cavity filling position to connect the first connector to the second connector.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the computer system includes a guide and wherein the step of inserting the card through the opening includes sliding the card along the guide along the first axis.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of pivoting the card to the cavity filling position includes pivoting the guide while the guide supports the card.

22. The method of claim 21 including linearly sliding the card along the guide after the guide has been pivoted into the cavity filling position.

23. A computer system comprising:

a chassis having a plurality of walls and forming an opening extending in a first direction and configured for insertion of a removable card into the chassis;

a cavity at least partially formed by the chassis and facing in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;

a removable card supported within the chassis and including at least one component at least partially extending into the cavity; and

a guide slidably receiving the card, wherein the card slides upon a portion of the guide wherein the guide extends adjacent the cavity, and wherein the guide is pivotally coupled relative to the chassis for movement between a first loading/unloading position in which the guide is spaced from an edge of the opening by a first distance greater than a maximum height of the at least one component of the card and a second position in which the guide is spaced from the edge of the opening by a second distance smaller than the first distance.

24. The system of claim 23 including:

a second printed circuit board at least partially forming the cavity; and

a connector affixed to the second printed circuit board facing an opening, wherein at least a portion of the connector extends within the cavity.

25. A card cage for a computer system, the card cage comprising:

a first surface, a second surface extending non-parallel to the first surface and a third surface extending non-parallel to the first surface opposite the second surface to at least partially form a cavity facing in a first direction and forming an opening facing in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;

a guide, at least a portion of which is pivotally coupled to the chassis for pivoting about a first axis towards and away from the first surface, wherein the guide is configured to support a removable card having at least one component extending from a printed circuit board and wherein the guide is movable between a first position that permits insertion of the card through the opening or removal of the card through the opening along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and non-parallel to the second surface and a second position in which the guide is adapted to support the card with the at least one component at least partially extending into the cavity while the card is completely within the card cage.

26. The card cage of claim 25, wherein the computer system includes a backplane having a first connector, wherein the card has a second connector and wherein the guide is adapted to guide movement of the card to connect the first connector and the second connector.