Computer internal architecture

• US 9,665,134 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2016
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Fetterman, Kevin S., Casebolt, Matthew P., Kosoglow, Richard D., Narajowski, David H., Berk, Jonathan L., Degner, Brett W., Leclerc, Michael E., Iqbal, Asif, Michelsen, Paul S., Sin, Mark K., Sontag, Harold L., Yuen, Wai Ching, Calkins, Alexander C., Banko, Joshua D., McBroom, Daniel L., Kalinowski, Caitlin Elizabeth, McBroom, Michael D., Baker, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): CASILLASHERNANDEZ, OMAR
• Application Number:
  US15/173,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20160282913A1
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 361695
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0001 specially adapted for lighting devices or systems lighting or signalling on vehicles using light guides B60Q1/00; lighting devices for vehicle dashboards B60Q3/10; lighting devices for vehicle interior using light guides B60Q3/62; lighting devices mounted on the vehicle rear part using light guides F21S43/235; measuring arrangements having light conducting pointers G01D13/265; illumination of liquid crystal displays G02F1/1336; illuminated signs G09F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 the light being emitted at the end of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/001 the light being emitted along at least a portion of the lateral surface of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/182 with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI]
• 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: G06F 1/185 Mounting of expansion boards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/188 Mounting of power supply units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4093 Snap-on arrangements, e.g. clips
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0203 Cooling of mounted components H05K1/0272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/03 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20009 using a gaseous coolant in electronic enclosures in cabinets of standardized dimensions H05K7/20536; in server cabinets H05K7/20709; in vehicle electronic casings H05K7/20845; in power control electronics H05K7/2089; in displays H05K7/20954
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20145 Means for directing air flow, e.g. ducts, deflectors, plenum or guides
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20154 Heat dissipaters coupled to components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20163 the components being isolated from air flow, e.g. hollow heat sinks, wind tunnels or funnels
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20172 : Fan mounting or fan specifications
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20209 : Thermal management, e.g. fan control
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/2039 : characterised by the heat transfer by conduction from the heat generating element to a dissipating body arrangements for increasing/decreasing heat-transfer, e.g. fins details, F28F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/2049 : Pressing means used to urge contact, e.g. springs

Abstract

An internal component and external interface arrangement for a cylindrical compact computing system is described that includes at least a structural heat sink having triangular shape disposed within a cylindrical volume defined by a cylindrical housing. A computing engine having a generally triangular shape is described having internal components that include a graphics processing unit (GPU) board, a central processing unit (CPU) board, an input/output (I/O) interface board, an interconnect board, and a power supply unit (PSU).

Claims

1. A desktop computing system comprising:

a cylindrically shaped housing characterized as having a longitudinal axis and an interior surface that defines an internal volume that is symmetric about the longitudinal axis;

a computing engine comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) supported by and in thermal contact with a heat sink and located within the internal volume, and a rotating and locking memory module mechanism secured to the PCB and arranged to rotatably support a memory module between a locked position that locks the memory module in place at an angle different than a perpendicular angle that is inclined with respect to the PCB and is rotated to an unlocked position that positions the memory module perpendicular to the PCB.

2. The desktop computing system as recited in claim 1, the rotating and locking memory module mechanism comprising:

a pair of end guides, connected by a supporting member, each end guide including a slot to hold an end of the memory module and direct the memory module to a socket mounted on the PCB;

a lock mechanism configured to provide for rotation of the memory module between the unlocked position and locked position; and

an actuator attached to a first end guide in the pair of end guides, wherein a user actuates a rotating and locking function of the memory module mechanism by applying a pressing force to the actuator or to the supporting member that rotates the memory module between the unlocked position and the locked position, and the supporting member configured to provide structural support to transfer a portion of the pressing force applied to the actuator to an end guide opposite the actuator and to resist torsion of the memory module mechanism, wherein the memory module mechanism allows insertion and removal of the memory module while in the unlocked position and restricts insertion and removal of the memory module while in the locked position.

3. The desktop computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the memory module mechanism provides for an over travel rotation of the memory module in a first rotational direction in response to the pressing force applied to the actuator or to a supporting member while the memory module mechanism is in the locked position, and the memory module mechanism further comprises:

a spring loaded mechanism to rotate the memory module, in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction, from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to the over travel rotation.

4. The desktop computing system as recited in recited in claim 1, wherein the memory module mechanism accommodates a dual-inline memory module having an approximate length of 133 mm.

5. The desktop computing system as recited in claim 4, wherein the memory module mechanism engages the memory module to the socket in the locked position and disengages the memory module from the socket in the unlocked position.

6. The desktop computing system as recited in claim 5, wherein the lock mechanism comprises a plurality of interconnected bars that form a movable linkage assembly.

7. The desktop computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the heat sink is asymmetrically positioned within the internal volume with respect to the longitudinal axis.

8. A memory module mechanism for use in a desktop computing system comprising:

a pair of end guides comprising a first and second end guides, connected by a supporting member, each end guide including a slot to hold an end of a memory module and direct the memory module to a socket mounted on a circuit board;

a lock mechanism configured to provide rotation of the memory module with respect to the circuit board between an unlocked position and a locked position, wherein in the locked position, the memory module is tilted at an angle different than a perpendicular angle towards the circuit board and wherein in the unlocked position the memory module is perpendicular to the circuit board; and

an actuator attached to a first end guide in the pair of end guides, wherein a user actuates a rotating and locking function of the memory module mechanism by applying a force to the actuator or to the supporting member, thereby rotating the memory module between the unlocked position and the locked position.

9. The memory module mechanism as recited in claim 8, wherein the memory module mechanism allows insertion and removal of the memory module while in the unlocked position and restricts insertion and removal of the memory module while in the locked position.

10. The memory module mechanism as recited in claim 8, wherein the memory module mechanism provides for an over travel rotation of the memory module mechanism in a first rotational direction in response to the force applied to the actuator or to the supporting member while the memory module mechanism is in the locked position.

11. The memory module mechanism as recited in claim 10 wherein the memory module mechanism further comprises:

a spring-loaded mechanism to rotate the memory module, in a second rotational direction opposite a first rotational direction, from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to the over travel rotation.

12. The memory module mechanism as recited in claim 8, wherein the lock mechanism comprises a plurality of interconnected bars that form a movable linkage assembly.

13. The memory module mechanism as recited in recited in claim 8, wherein the supporting member is configured to provide structural support and to facilitate transfer of a portion of a force applied to the second end guide opposite the first end guide and to resist torsion of the memory module.

14. The memory module mechanism as recited in claim 8, wherein memory module mechanism accommodates a dual-inline memory module.

15. The memory module mechanism as recited in one of claim 11, wherein memory module mechanism accommodates the dual-inline memory module having an approximate length of 133 mm.

16. The memory module mechanism as recited in claim 11, wherein the memory module mechanism allows insertion and removal of the memory module in the unlocked position and restricts insertion and removal of the memory module in the locked position.

17. The memory module mechanism as recited in claim 8, the desktop computing system comprising:

a cylindrically shaped housing characterized as having a longitudinal axis and an interior surface that defines an internal volume that is symmetric about the longitudinal axis; and

a computing engine comprising the printed circuit board (PCB) supported by and in thermal contact with a heat sink and located within the internal volume.

18. The memory module mechanism as recited in claim 17, wherein the heat sink has a generally triangular cross section.

19. The memory module mechanism as recited in claim 18, wherein the triangular cross section is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

20. The memory module mechanism as recited in claim 17, wherein the desktop computing system further comprises a thermal management system responsive to a change in activity of the computing engine.