Storage device and method of efficiently arranging components in an information processing apparatus

• US 7,466,557 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2006
• Issued: 12/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Watanabe, Hayato
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh; Tuan T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui; Hung S
• Application Number:
  US11/405,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20060256515A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 361/752, 361/790, 361/797, 361/800, 361/792, 361/684, 361/686
• US Class Current: 361/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• 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

An information processing apparatus designed for miniaturization, having a chassis, and including a motherboard; an expansion slot exchange device electronically connected to the motherboard and configured to hold an expansion card; and a memory device electronically connected to the motherboard and located within the chassis primarily in a first plane orthogonal to a primary plane of the motherboard. An expansion card can be added, occupying a plane parallel to the primary plane of the motherboard.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus having a chassis, comprising:

a motherboard;

an expansion slot exchange device electronically connected to said motherboard and configured to hold an expansion card so that a primary plane of said expansion card is located in a plane parallel to the primary plane of the motherboard and a profile along said primary plane of said expansion card does not extend beyond a profile along said primary plane of said motherboard, said expansion slot exchange device being located within said chassis primarily in a first plane orthogonal to the primary plane of the motherboard;

a memory device electronically connected to said motherboard and disposed within said chassis primarily in a second plane orthogonal to the primary plane of the motherboard; and

a support member located within said chassis primarily in a third plane orthogonal to the primary plane of said motherboard and configured to support said memory device and to hold said expansion slot exchange device, said third orthogonal plane between said first and second orthogonal planes, wherein

said memory device and said expansion slot exchange device at least partially overlap in a direction parallel to the primary plane of said motherboard.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said memory comprises:

a terminal configured to electrically connect said memory to said motherboard, wherein

said terminal is configured to face to a direction parallel to the primary plane of said motherboard.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a metal plate; and

a cable connected to said motherboard, wherein

said support member is made of metal,

said memory is supported by said support member through the metal plate, and

said cable is positioned between said support member and said memory.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said expansion card is a PCI card.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said memory is a 2.5-inch hard disk drive.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support member comprises:

a two-tier structure including a first tier larger than a second tier, the first tier including a through-hole configured to enable the passage of a cable.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a riser bracket configured to connect the expansion slot exchange device to the support member.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an adjustment member configured to connect the memory device to the support member.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said adjustment member comprises:

a main body part;

a screw clamp having a claw configured to hook the support member;

a turndown part for adjusting a gap between said adjustment member and a lower cover; and

a screw clamps for screwing the adjustment member to the memory device.

10. An information processing apparatus having a chassis, comprising:

a motherboard within said chassis and having a primary plane;

a memory device in a first plane orthogonal to the primary plane of said motherboard;

in a second plane orthogonal to said primary plane of said motherboard, means for holding an expansion card so that a primary plane of said expansion card is located in a plane parallel to the primary plane of the motherboard and a profile along said primary plane of said expansion card does not extend beyond a profile along said primary plane of said motherboard; and

in a third plane orthogonal to said primary plane of said motherboard, means for supporting said memory device and for holding said means for holding an expansion card, said first, second and third planes being different from each other, said memory device and said expansion slot exchange device at least partially overlapping in a direction parallel to the primary plane of said motherboard.