Patents by Inventor Richard G. Baldwin, Jr.

Richard G. Baldwin, Jr. 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: 11778768
    Abstract: A connector gap between a module connector mating surface and the backplane connector of a chassis may be eliminated through a mechanism that forcefully pushes (or pulls) the module towards the backplane and/or forcefully pushes (or pulls) the backplane toward the module. A spring-loaded or resilient element may be used to fasten the module in a way that effectively fills any designed-in and tolerance-induced gap in the connector interface, allowing the connector to fully seat. In addition, a gasket or other compressible member may be included at the connector mating interface. The gap in the connector interface may be reduced by introducing adjustable card cage members that are capable of being set during the assembly or manufacturing process using special alignment fixtures. The gap in the connector interface may also be reduced by introducing a higher tolerance capable manufacturing process, such as machining, to the card cage sub-assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Richard G. Baldwin, Jr., Dennis Vance Toth
  • Publication number: 20220394879
    Abstract: Various types of electronic devices may be mounted in a chassis in order to facilitate interfacing with the devices, containing the devices, provide cooling systems which may remove heat from the electronic devices, etc. Delivering adequate cooling air flow to each electronic device in a chassis may be an important issue for the proper functioning, lifetime, or other characteristics of electronic devices contained in a chassis. Some electronic devices may be particularly challenging to cool due to various design characteristics. Other electronic devices may have other requirements that are not well served by existing chassis designs. For example, some electronic devices may benefit from additional electrical and/or thermal connections. Embodiments presented herein describe a novel design for a modular card cage accessory that may be configured to modify air flow and/or to meet particular requirements of an electronic device in a chassis, among various possibilities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: Richard G. Baldwin, JR., Michael H. Singerman
  • Patent number: 11452231
    Abstract: Various types of electronic devices may be mounted in a chassis in order to facilitate interfacing with the devices, containing the devices, provide cooling systems which may remove heat from the electronic devices, etc. Delivering adequate cooling air flow to each electronic device in a chassis may be an important issue for the proper functioning, lifetime, or other characteristics of electronic devices contained in a chassis. Some electronic devices may be particularly challenging to cool due to various design characteristics. Other electronic devices may have other requirements that are not well served by existing chassis designs. For example, some electronic devices may benefit from additional electrical and/or thermal connections. Embodiments presented herein describe a novel design for a modular card cage accessory that may be configured to modify air flow and/or to meet particular requirements of an electronic device in a chassis, among various possibilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Richard G. Baldwin, Jr., Michael H. Singerman
  • Publication number: 20220061181
    Abstract: A connector gap between a module connector mating surface and the backplane connector of a chassis may be eliminated through a mechanism that forcefully pushes (or pulls) the module towards the backplane and/or forcefully pushes (or pulls) the backplane toward the module. A spring-loaded or resilient element may be used to fasten the module in a way that effectively fills any designed-in and tolerance-induced gap in the connector interface, allowing the connector to fully seat. In addition, a gasket or other compressible member may be included at the connector mating interface. The gap in the connector interface may be reduced by introducing adjustable card cage members that are capable of being set during the assembly or manufacturing process using special alignment fixtures. The gap in the connector interface may also be reduced by introducing a higher tolerance capable manufacturing process, such as machining, to the card cage sub-assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: Richard G. Baldwin, Jr., Dennis Vance Toth
  • Publication number: 20200396861
    Abstract: Various types of electronic devices may be mounted in a chassis in order to facilitate interfacing with the devices, containing the devices, provide cooling systems which may remove heat from the electronic devices, etc. Delivering adequate cooling air flow to each electronic device in a chassis may be an important issue for the proper functioning, lifetime, or other characteristics of electronic devices contained in a chassis. Some electronic devices may be particularly challenging to cool due to various design characteristics. Other electronic devices may have other requirements that are not well served by existing chassis designs. For example, some electronic devices may benefit from additional electrical and/or thermal connections. Embodiments presented herein describe a novel design for a modular card cage accessory that may be configured to modify air flow and/or to meet particular requirements of an electronic device in a chassis, among various possibilities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventors: Richard G. Baldwin, JR., Michael H. Singerman
  • Patent number: 10219405
    Abstract: Various types of electronic devices may be mounted in a chassis in order to facilitate interfacing with the devices, containing the devices, provide cooling systems which may remove heat from the electronic devices, etc. Delivering adequate cooling air flow to each electronic device in a chassis may be an important issue for the proper functioning, lifetime, or other characteristics of electronic devices contained in a chassis. Embodiments presented herein describe a novel design for an air flow straightener that is configured for insertion within the chassis to straighten the airflow. In some embodiments, the grating is comprised of long dividers and shorter dividers that are predominantly oriented perpendicularly to each other, resulting in a rectangular grating. Including such a grating in a chassis may improve the uniformity and performance of the cooling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard G. Baldwin, Jr., Jared S. Harlan, D. Vance Toth
  • Publication number: 20190014682
    Abstract: Various types of electronic devices may be mounted in a chassis in order to facilitate interfacing with the devices, containing the devices, provide cooling systems which may remove heat from the electronic devices, etc. Delivering adequate cooling air flow to each electronic device in a chassis may be an important issue for the proper functioning, lifetime, or other characteristics of electronic devices contained in a chassis. Embodiments presented herein describe a novel design for an air flow straightener that is configured for insertion within the chassis to straighten the airflow. In some embodiments, the grating is comprised of long dividers and shorter dividers that are predominantly oriented perpendicularly to each other, resulting in a rectangular grating. Including such a grating in a chassis may improve the uniformity and performance of the cooling system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Richard G. Baldwin, JR., Jared S. Harlan, D. Vance Toth
  • Publication number: 20130032324
    Abstract: Thermal solution systems including a heat sink and a spreader plate mounted to the heat sink via one or more springs. Thermal gap filler provides a thermal interface between the heat sink and the spreader plate. The one or more springs provide contact force between the heat spreader plate and a component to be cooled, while accommodating dimensional variation, such as manufacturing tolerance or assembly tolerance related variation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Inventors: Russell W. Aldridge, Richard G. Baldwin, JR., Jeremy P. O'Rarden, Nathan G. Coon, Dennis Vance Toth
  • Patent number: 7355850
    Abstract: A chassis for plug-in modules may be provided with a vented and ducted sub-rack support member. The vented and ducted sub-rack support member may deflect a portion of the air flowing within the chassis through vents in the top surface of the vented and ducted sub-rack support member in order to increase the air flow to heat producing components mounted on the backplane above the support member. The increased air flow may increase air flow velocity and decrease the ambient temperature of the air around these components and improve the dissipation of heat from each component into the air. Air flow above the vented and ducted sub-rack support member may also be redirected by upper deflectors mounted on the support member to portions of plug-in cards adjacent to the upper deflectors and may provide additional cooling to components on the plug-in cards near the backplane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventor: Richard G. Baldwin, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7254025
    Abstract: A structure may be coupled to an adapter coupling two or more modules together. In some embodiments, the structure may direct air and/or dissipate heat from the modules into the air. The structures may direct air to components on a module that might receive less airflow without the structures. In some embodiments, the structure may be coupled to the adapter through a fastener (e.g., multiple structures may be manufactured with a plate, and the plate may be coupled to the adapter). In some embodiments, thermally conductive pathways may be used on the modules to conduct heat from components on the modules to a heat dissipating structure on the adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventor: Richard G. Baldwin, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7140907
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a module may have a slot for an input/output card. While cables may be connected to the card in the module, external forces acting on the cable and/or module may result in the cable pulling the card out of the module, damaging the connector or card. In some embodiments, a strain-relieving device may be used to counter these forces on the cable. In some embodiments, a positioning strip may be coupled to a base placed over the card in the module. In some embodiments, a cable grip may be coupled to the positioning strip through a bracket. In some embodiments, the cable grip may include two plates that are coupled to the bracket through fasteners. As the fasteners are tightened, a distance between the two plates may decrease, and a cable between the plates may be at least partially secured between the plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventor: Richard G. Baldwin, Jr.