Abstract: An assembly is disclosed which enables a printed circuit board (PCB) to be added to or removed from a computer system without deactivating other parts of the system. The assembly, which holds the PCB, translates lateral motion into vertical motion to enable lateral motion to be applied to derive the vertical motion needed to plug and unplug a PCB into and out of an expansion slot. This motion translation makes it possible to insert or remove a PCB via a rear, front, or side access portal of a housing rather than through the top of the housing. Thus, the assembly eliminates the need to remove the housing from a rack, or to remove a top from the housing, which in turn eliminates the need to shut down any other parts of the system. Thus, the assembly enables a PCB to be “hot swapped” into and out of a computer system.

Abstract: An assembly is disclosed which enables a printed circuit board (PCB) to be added to or removed from a computer system without deactivating other parts of the system. The assembly, which holds the PCB, translates lateral motion into vertical motion to enable lateral motion to be applied to derive the vertical motion needed to plug and unplug a PCB into and out of an expansion slot. This motion translation makes it possible to insert or remove a PCB via a rear, front, or side access portal of a housing rather than through the top of the housing. Thus, the assembly eliminates the need to remove the housing from a rack, or to remove a top from the housing, which in turn eliminates the need to shut down any other parts of the system. Thus, the assembly enables a PCB to be “hot swapped” into and out of a computer system.

Abstract: In a chassis for holding drawers containing computer components or the like, accurate alignment of each drawer in its corresponding slot is provided by a plurality of alignment features along an edge of an opening for the drawer. Mating alignment features are provided in each drawer, that engage with the alignment features on the chassis to ensure alignment of the drawer in the chassis. Various different types of alignment features are provided. Mating alignment features may additionally be provided along an opposing edge of the chassis and drawers. After being aligned, the drawers may be fastened to the chassis in a conventional fashion.

Abstract: A fan tray assembly for an electronics enclosure includes two opposing, spaced apart shells made of a sheet material. The opposing shells are attached to each other by attachment features formed in the sheet material of each shell. Advantageously, the attachment features reduce or eliminate the need for separate fasteners, spring steels, or adhesives to attach the shells. Each shell has openings and grills. Each shell also has retention features formed in the sheet material around a periphery of their respective grills. A ventilation fan unit (e.g., two fans) is retained between the two shells by the retention features. An electrical connector is connected to the ventilation fan and retained by at least one of the shells. The shells may also include features for retaining the electrical connector without using fasteners or adhesives. Such features may allow the connector to float in a plane perpendicular to its principal axis of alignment.

Abstract: A fan tray assembly for an electronics enclosure includes two opposing, spaced apart shells made of a sheet material. The opposing shells are attached to each other by attachment features formed in the sheet material of each shell. Advantageously, the attachment features reduce or eliminate the need for separate fasteners, spring steels, or adhesives to attach the shells. Each shell has openings and grills. Each shell also has retention features formed in the sheet material around a periphery of their respective grills. A ventilation fan unit (e.g., two fans) is retained between the two shells by the retention features. An electrical connector is connected to the ventilation fan and retained by at least one of the shells. The shells may also include features for retaining the electrical connector without using fasteners or adhesives. Such features may allow the connector to float in a plane perpendicular to its principal axis of alignment.

Abstract: The disclosed system is directed towards a tray bracket. The tray bracket comprises a tray bracket inlet, the tray bracket inlet has tray bracket inlet coupling elements. A tray bracket outlet is coupled to the tray bracket inlet and the tray bracket outlet has a body. The tray bracket includes a plurality of tray bracket outlet passages contiguous with the body. The plurality of tray bracket outlet passages are aligned with fan passages of at least one fan unit. The tray bracket outlet passages and the fan passages provide low impedance to air flow and low noise. The tray bracket includes attaching mechanisms contiguous with the body. The attaching mechanisms are manually demountably coupled to the tray bracket inlet coupling elements.

Abstract: In a chassis for holding drawers containing computer components or the like, accurate alignment of each drawer in its corresponding slot is provided by a plurality of alignment features along an edge of an opening for the drawer. Mating alignment features are provided in each drawer, that engage with the alignment features on the chassis to ensure alignment of the drawer in the chassis. Various different types of alignment features are provided. Mating alignment features may additionally be provided along an opposing edge of the chassis and drawers. After being aligned, the drawers may be fastened to the chassis in a conventional fashion.

Abstract: A riveted attachment for a rotating part, such as for a swiveling handle, is provided using a rivet and two parallel pieces of sheet material. A cylindrical raised dimple with a central through hole is formed in a first piece of sheet material. The dimple is inserted through a hole in the second piece of sheet material. A rivet is inserted through the dimple and swaged against opposite ends of the dimple, trapping the second piece of material while leaving it free to rotate around the cylindrical axis of the dimple.

Abstract: A circuit board assembly that includes a circuit board and a bracket. The bracket has a first flange, a second flange, and a third flange. The first flange and the second flange are coupled to the circuit board. The circuit board assembly also includes a switch mounting board. The switch mounting board is coupled to the third flange of the bracket. The circuit board assembly also includes a first switch and a second switch, which are coupled to the switch mounting board. The circuit board assembly further includes a connector that is coupled to the circuit board. At least a first portion of the connector is positioned between the circuit board and the first switch. At least a second portion of the connector is positioned between the circuit board and the second switch.

Abstract: The disclosed device is directed towards an air inlet bezel. The air inlet bezel comprises a body and a system air inlet grill contiguous with the body. A power supply air inlet grill is contiguous with the body and proximate to the system air inlet grill. A pair of ejector tabs is formed in the body. The ejector tabs are configured to manually couple the air inlet bezel to a power supply assembly.

Abstract: A fan tray assembly for an electronics enclosure includes two opposing, spaced apart shells made of a sheet material. The opposing shells are attached to each other by attachment features formed in the sheet material of each shell. Advantageously, the attachment features reduce or eliminate the need for separate fasteners or adhesive to attach the shells. Each shell has openings forming a grill. The grill is aligned with a similarly formed grill of an opposing shell. Each shell also has retention features formed in the sheet material around a periphery of their respective grills. A ventilation fan is retained between the two shells by the retention features, in alignment with the grill of each shell. An electrical connector is connected to the ventilation fan and retained by at least one of the shells. The electrical connector is exposed by an opening of the fan tray assembly and oriented towards an exterior thereof.

Abstract: A computer system housing with a curved bezel that forms one or more sideways gap between a side of the computer housing chassis and the bezel attached to that side. Typically, the curved bezel is attached to the front of the chassis with each sideways gap extending perpendicularly from the front of the chassis to a predetermined width and stretching to predetermined length along the front of the chassis. The sideways gaps facilitate increased air inlet from the sides and allow efficient cooling of various system components that are mounted on the chassis and housed within the housing. One or more cooling fans may be mounted at different locations within the housing to optimize air circulation and, hence, cooling within the housing. The chassis may be partitioned into two separate sub-chassis for proper positioning of the cooling fans as well as to accommodate changes in computer system configurations with minimized retooling of the chassis.

Abstract: A computer system housing with a curved bezel that forms one or more sideways gap between a side of the computer housing chassis and the bezel attached to that side. Typically, the curved bezel is attached to the front of the chassis with each sideways gap extending perpendicularly from the front of the chassis to a predetermined width and stretching to predetermined length along the front of the chassis. The sideways gaps facilitate increased air inlet from the sides and allow efficient cooling of various system components that are mounted on the chassis and housed within the housing. One or more cooling fans may be mounted at different locations within the housing to optimize air circulation and, hence, cooling within the housing. The chassis may be partitioned into two separate sub-chassis for proper positioning of the cooling fans as well as to accommodate changes in computer system configurations with minimized retooling of the chassis.

Abstract: A computer system housing with a curved bezel that forms one or more sideways gap between a side of the computer housing chassis and the bezel attached to that side. Typically, the curved bezel is attached to the front of the chassis with each sideways gap extending perpendicularly from the front of the chassis to a predetermined width and stretching to predetermined length along the front of the chassis. The sideways gaps facilitate increased air inlet from the sides and allow efficient cooling of various system components that are mounted on the chassis and housed within the housing. One or more cooling fans may be mounted at different locations within the housing to optimize air circulation and, hence, cooling within the housing. The chassis may be partitioned into two separate sub-chassis for proper positioning of the cooling fans as well as to accommodate changes in computer system configurations with minimized retooling of the chassis.

Abstract: A stiffener for a printed circuit board where the stiffener is placed between the printed circuit board and a wall of the metal chassis in a computer system housing. The loaded printed circuit board may first be mounted on the stiffener, which, in turn, may then be mounted on the appropriate wall of the chassis along with the circuit board. Alternately, the stiffener may first be mounted on the appropriate chassis wall, and the circuit board may then be mounted on the stiffener. Additional circuit components may then be added onto the circuit board. The lies between the circuit board and the wall of the chassis on which the circuit board is being mounted. The back plane support provided by the stiffener may reduce damage to the conducting paths of the printed circuit board due to pressures exerted during component mounting, manufacture, transportation, etc. Additionally, a circuit board carrying densely populated electronic components may be easily mounted on or removed from the chassis without damage.

Abstract: A compact housing for a workstation-class computer is disclosed. The apparatus includes a structural heat sink with a horizontal base heat sink that includes an interchangeable power source housing and a hard disk drive receptacle. The horizontal base heat sink operates to conduct heat away from the functional elements positioned within the interchangeable power source housing and the hard disk drive receptacle. The structural heat sink also includes a vertical tower heat sink to support functional elements including a power converter. The vertical tower heat sink operates to conduct heat away from the functional elements. The vertical tower heat sink also includes support devices for receiving a detachable pivot display system. The structural heat sink is surrounded by a vented exterior skin that facilitates convective heat transfer from the structural heat sink.

Abstract: The present invention is a computer housing with a low noise cooling system. The computer housing is comprised of two principal members, a cover and a base. Both a left surface and a right surface of the cover are perforated with vents to allowing the passage of air through the housing. The base additionally incorporates two air intake holes with a power source for the computer disposed over these air intake holes. The passage of air through the housing is facilitated through the use of three fans. These three fans are attached directly to the power source, and each of these fans operates at a different fan speed. The fan speeds are additionally adjusted in response to the outside ambient temperature. In operation, air enters the computer housing of the present invention through the vent array on the left surface of the cover, and the air intake holes in the base.

Abstract: A modular circuit board placement system is disclosed that provides for flexible placement of daughterboards, for minimal bus signal path lengths between motherboard and daughterboards, and for ease of installation and removal of daughterboards. The placement system employs dual height bus connectors, a stepped back panel, easy to engage and disengage dual height card retainers, filler panels that also function as module mounts, and multipurpose circuit card handles that facilitate removal of daughterboards. Daughterboards have a two-tier staggered arrangement above the motherboard. Each daughterboard has a signal transfer end that electrically connects to the motherboard through one of the dual height bus connectors, and a back panel connector end that couples to the back panel with an accessory connector or with a filler panel that functions as an electromagnetic interference shield.

Abstract: An easy to engage and disengage dual height card retainer that facilitates removal of daughterboards is disclosed. Daughterboards have a two-tier staggered arrangement above the motherboard. Each daughterboard has a signal transfer end that electrically connects to the motherboard through one of the dual height bus connectors, and a back panel connector end that couples to the back panel with an accessory connector or with a filler panel that functions as an electromagnetic interference shield. Dual height card retainers that require no tools to operate function as retaining means to prevent daughterboards from working lose from bus connectors during shipment.