Patents by Inventor Stephen D. Smithson

Stephen D. Smithson 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: 6496385
    Abstract: A printed circuit card carrier permits exchange of a card during continuous operation of electronic equipment, and thus without the need to remove an upper part of the enclosure to gain access to the card for upward removal from a motherboard connector. The carrier includes a movable printed circuit card holder that slides along the carrier, perpendicularly towards and away from the motherboard. An actuator accessible from outside the equipment and the holder are coupled together such that motion of the actuator is directed into perpendicular sliding motion of the holder. This either removes the printed circuit card from the motherboard connector or installs it into connector, depending on the direction of motion of the actuator. The carrier is particularly adapted for cards meeting the PCI standard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Silicon Graphics, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen D. Smithson, Bruce Garrett, Roger Ramseier, Steve J. Dean, Paul Wiley
  • Patent number: 6483024
    Abstract: A device for reducing electromagnetic interference (EMI) leakage through an opening in a housing. The device accepts a printed circuit board or dummy board. Various openings may be provided in the device. The device includes a faceplate, a gasket having a plurality of fingers, and a supporter. The supporter protects the leading edge of the fingers and augments the forces exerted by the fingers in opposition to the opening in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Silicon Graphics, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen D. Smithson, Steven J. Dean
  • Patent number: 6193532
    Abstract: An assembly designed to increase the ease with which a printed circuit board carrier may be inserted or extracted from an enclosure. The assembly includes a movable lever mounted to the carrier and curved pin slot in the enclosure. A pin on the lever engages the curved pin slot. During insertion, the shape of the pin slot guides the carrier into its position, then the lever rotates to place the pin in a portion of the pin slot that is oriented in a substantially different direction from the direction of insertion, thus holding the carrier in place. During removal, the pin holds the carrier in place while the lever rotates away from the carrier and thus becomes accessible to permit removal of the carrier by pulling on the lever. Two assemblies, one on each side of the carrier, are typically used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Silicon Graphics, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen D. Smithson
  • Patent number: 5654873
    Abstract: A drive sled assembly apparatus and method for readily installing and removing media drives. In one embodiment of the present invention, a drive sled is adapted to attach to a media drive. The sled consists of left and right rails that attach to the drive, and a lever that snaps on the front of the two rails. The attachment between the rails and the drive contain rubber grommets to dampen vibration and shock effects on the drive. The two rails and lever can be used to carry the drive using the lever as a handle. The rails are adapted to enable the drive and sled to slide into left and right guides attached to the computer chassis. In so doing, the drive can be installed or removed from the computer without opening the computer cover or having to unscrew the media drive from the computer chassis. In addition, one embodiment adapts the right rail to accommodate a light pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: Silicon Graphics, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen D. Smithson, William R. Hare
  • Patent number: D444461
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Silicon Graphics, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Koken, Stephen D. Smithson, Chris L. Whittall, Erik A. Jensen, Max G. Chen
  • Patent number: D445112
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Silicon Graphics, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Koken, Stephen D. Smithson, Chris L. Whittall, Erik A. Jensen, Max G. Chen
  • Patent number: D463796
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Silicon Graphics, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip J. Houdek, II, Perry D. Franz, Scott A. Olson, Lawrence A. Kalina, Stephen D. Smithson, Steven J. Dean
  • Patent number: D464973
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: Silicon Graphics, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip J Houdek, Roger W. Ramseier, Stephen D. Smithson, Patrick J. Kurtz, Steven J. Dean