Patents by Inventor Joel Edwin Walker

Joel Edwin Walker has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7659482
    Abstract: An electromagnetic shield comprising an electrically conductive frame for establishing electrical contact between a chassis wall and an expansion card mounting bracket. The frame has a plurality of spring fingers interconnected about a perimeter of a central opening in the frame, wherein each spring finger defines a central axis that extends outwardly away from the central opening. The frame may include a substantially planar portion adjacent the central opening in the frame, wherein the plurality of spring fingers incline along the central axis to extend out of the plane defined by the substantially planar portion. The incline of the spring fingers allows a mounting bracket to slide laterally without jamming against the side of a spring finger during installation, removal or side-to-side shifting of the mounting plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Karl Klaus Dittus, Michael John Stowell, Joel Edwin Walker, Jean Jidong Xu
  • Publication number: 20090260870
    Abstract: An electromagnetic shield comprising an electrically conductive frame for establishing electrical contact between a chassis wall and an expansion card mounting bracket. The frame has a plurality of spring fingers interconnected about a perimeter of a central opening in the frame, wherein each spring finger defines a central axis that extends outwardly away from the central opening. The frame may include a substantially planar portion adjacent the central opening in the frame, wherein the plurality of spring fingers incline along the central axis to extend out of the plane defined by the substantially planar portion. The incline of the spring fingers allows a mounting bracket to slide laterally without jamming against the side of a spring finger during installation, removal or side-to-side shifting of the mounting plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Karl Klaus Dittus, Michael John Stowell, Joel Edwin Walker, Jean Jidong Xu
  • Patent number: 7599183
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a chassis providing a plurality of module bays, one or more modules received in the module bays, wherein each module has at least one damper actuator extending from a distal end of the module. A fan assembly and a plurality of air flow dampers are secured in a distal end of the chassis, wherein each damper is aligned with one module bay to control air flow through the aligned module bay. Each damper is biased to close in the absence of contact with a damper actuator and opens in response to contact with a damper actuator. Each damper opens to a variable extent determined by the profile of the contacting damper actuator. The damper actuator of a particular module has a profile corresponding to the thermal load of that module, such that installing a module into the chassis automatically opens the aligned damper to the desired extent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Karl Klaus Dittus, Michael Sven Miller, Whitcomb Randolph Scott, III, Joel Edwin Walker
  • Publication number: 20090213544
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a chassis providing a plurality of module bays, one or more modules received in the module bays, wherein each module has at least one damper actuator extending from a distal end of the module. A fan assembly and a plurality of air flow dampers are secured in a distal end of the chassis, wherein each damper is aligned with one module bay to control air flow through the aligned module bay. Each damper is biased to close in the absence of contact with a damper actuator and opens in response to contact with a damper actuator. Each damper opens to a variable extent determined by the profile of the contacting damper actuator. The damper actuator of a particular module has a profile corresponding to the thermal load of that module, such that installing a module into the chassis automatically opens the aligned damper to the desired extent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Karl Klaus Dittus, Michael Sven Miller, Whitcomb Randolph Scott, III, Joel Edwin Walker
  • Patent number: 5982627
    Abstract: A frame is provided at the front end of the adapter card receiving area of a personal computer which includes card guides, a flex bar for retaining inserted cards and a dual function blocking member which has opposed blocking surfaces so arranged that they retain the locking bar respectively in a lock and open position respectively and transition between the two with simple, one-hand activation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Torgil Haughton, Rodrigo Samper, Joel Edwin Walker, Jacklin Ann Adams, Timothy S. Farrow