Patent Application
20080231151
This invention relates to the packaging of computing systems and more particularly to a method and assembly for improving structural integrity of large computing system environments.
The industry trend has been to continuously increase the number of electronic components inside computing environments while maintaining or even reducing the environment's footprint. Computer environments can vary in range and sophistication. Simple environments can only comprise of a single computer unit while more sophisticated environments can comprise of networks of large computers that are in processing communication with one another. No matter what the size of the environment, the current industry trend has created design challenges for the developers and manufacturers of such environments. When the environments are larger and more sophisticated, however, the issues become more complex. This is because changing even the most isolated component, in such an environment, can affect so many others. This is especially true when such components are packaged together in a single assembly or housed in close proximity. A particularly difficult challenge when designing such computing system environments is the issue of mechanical and structural integrity. This is because so many other factors both depend and affect structural integrity. Heat dissipation, electrical connections, system performance and system recovery are a few such examples.
Conventional large computing system environments that incorporate one or more sophisticated units such as servers, house many electronic components together on boards that are then housed in single assembly. These assemblies often comprise of metal racks and among the many challenges discussed, dynamic loading effects of these racks and their housed electronic components need to also be considered so as not to cause electrical and mechanical failures.
In recent years, both environmental catastrophic events and man-made conditions have placed an even greater demand on the designers of computer system to provide environments that are structurally enhanced so as to be able to withstand sudden abnormal shock or persistent vibrations for long periods of time. Such factors as heat dissipation, electrical connections and others have to be considered carefully in the “ruggedization” of such environments. An environment's inability to withstand such extreme conditions may cause data loss and system collapse at a critical time, potentially affecting lives and infrastructures.
The prior art has tried to resolve the problems that arise from poorly ruggedized environment in a number of ways, but most of these solutions are inadequate or are meant to only provide a temporary relief. For example, in areas that are routinely exposed to earthquakes or vibrations, the rack is bolted to the floor structure in an attempt to stabilize the computing environment during such vibrations. This solution may work if the vibration is not too great or if the total rack content does not exceed 2000 lbs. Unfortunately, this solution does not work for systems that are more complex and often weigh in the range of 3600 lbs or more as simply bolting the rack down will not be enough to ruggedize the system environment in a manner that makes it immune to such vibrations.
In another attempt to provide such solutions, prior art has introduced integrated flexible frame tie down retention systems (used both in raised and non-raised floor environments) and computer equipments having some earthquake damage protection mechanisms. Unfortunately, these solutions are either ineffective in events that cause large vibrations or are alternatively, cost prohibitive and/or too impractical to implement.
Consequently, it is desirable to introduce a solution that can provide improved ruggedized structures that can provide protection against abnormal shocks and vibrations with solutions that are permanent and effective.
The shortcomings of the prior art are overcome and additional advantages are provided through the provision of a method and incorporated assembly for enhancing structural rigidity to a computer environment having at least one rack for housing electronic components. The assembly comprises a stiffener component mountable to a horizontal side of the rack; a support component mountable in a substantially horizontal direction on a vertical side of the rack to provide rotational support of the rack; and an enhancer component being mountable to at least one side of the rack. In alternate embodiments, the stiffener component can be expandable and the enhancer component further comprises a peripheral element and a central element placed inside the peripheral element and connected at least to one portion of the peripheral element. In addition other vertical stiffeners can also be added to optimize ruggedization. In yet another embodiment, a double enhancer design can be incorporated. The second enhancer can incorporate a variety of designs and be placed in the same location or an alternate location to the first enhancer to optimize ruggedization.
Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of the present invention. Other embodiments and aspects of the invention are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed invention. For a better understanding of the invention with advantages and features, refer to the description and to the drawings.
The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
The term rack is used to simply imply housing or an assembly that stores such components. In times, a single rack can be associated with a single node but that is not always the case as appreciated by those skilled in the art. It should also be noted that a single rack can comprise several nodes, while several racks can also constitute a single node.
As discussed earlier, one problem with conventional racks used in the prior art is that their inability to withstand sudden shocks of great magnitudes or even exposure to long term and continuous vibrations. This is because many racks, even those that are designed to be inherently rigid structurally are enhanced in a vertical and/or the in-out direction. Consequently, when these racks are subjected to a side to side vibration or shock, they fail to provide the structural rigidity that is desired and required of their frame.
In
A first component of the ruggedized design as per the embodiment of
As shown, racks 200 and 220 are connected to one another by use of stiffener 330. A plurality of stiffeners 330 are used to in
In another embodiment, a variety of vertical stiffeners can also be optionally provided. These vertical stiffeners may have a non-expandable design. An example of them is provided in
In addition to the stiffeners, another component of the present invention as per one embodiment is a support component as shown in
In addition, a structural support enhancement component, hereinafter referenced as enhancer component, 400, is also provided to improve both vertical and horizontal rigidity of the rack frame assembly. In one embodiment, the enhancer component 400 is mountable at least to one surface, and preferably to a variety of horizontal and vertical surfaces. In a preferred embodiment, the enhancer component 400 is mounted at least to the vertical rail of the rack frame/assembly in order make rigid attachment points where additional support is desired.
In one embodiment of the present invention as shown in
In the embodiment illustrated in
In the embodiment illustrated in
Additionally, the central element 470 is shaped such that it extends from one side of the peripheral element to another. In a preferred embodiment, the central element 470 extends from one corner of the peripheral element to portion. In this way, the central element 470 forms at least one, but possibly a plurality of central angles with respect to sides and or corners of the peripheral element when appropriate. In the example provided in
It should be also noted that while in
Referring back to
Alternatively, designs can be used that create more than 3 sides or angles. The design of either the peripheral 460 or the central element 470 can both reflect angles that with identical or differing elements. For example, consider the case where the central element either comprises of a plurality of members or is twisted sufficient times as to create a “z” shaped or alternatively “w” shaped design in the interior of the peripheral element 470. The angles created each time the central element 470 meets the peripheral element 460 can be of different measurements or any two or more of them can be designed to have similar measurements.
Furthermore, when a plurality of members is used to form the central 470 or peripheral elements 460, the members may be disposed such that they intersect one another in a variety of manners.
In designs where the peripheral design does not have any corners, such as an elliptical or circular design, the central element 470 can just extend from one central location inside of the peripheral element to another, thus creating forms that resemble a diameter, and arc, a radius or the like. In addition, when curved designs are used, the intersection of the central elements with the peripheral elements form arcs and associated angles of different or same sizes as desired. When a plurality of members is used, these arcs and curved structures may also be disposed in a variety of manners including those that create an intersected design.
In the particular illustration of
As illustrated in
It is understood that alternate arrangements of the racks or designs that incorporate more than two racks placed adjacent to one another or even back to back (or a combination or such arrangements) are also possible. In such a case, the stiffeners can be opened selectively, placed diagonally across the top or designed to run lengthwise along the top of the rack as desired. One, two or a plurality of such stiffeners can also be provided to attach to the top in parallel, or in any other design as desired. In a preferred embodiment the stiffeners 330 are attached to the top of the rack(s) 230 using a variety of attachment methods such as known to those skilled in the art, including but not limited to methods using screws, bolts, nails, boding, adhesives and the like.
Two support components 350 are used on each vertical side of each rack 200/202 as well to provide rotational support as discussed earlier. Obviously, a single support components or a plurality of support components can also be used on each side when desired in alternate components to further enhance or limit rotational support as desired. Again, in this particular arrangement, the support components are placed in parallel and at a distance to provide optimal support in the particular example reflected. However, the placement of such components, especially when a plurality of them are used in conjunction with one another, can be altered and rearranged as desired.
As discussed with respect to the stiffeners 330 before, the support components are also attached to the sides of the racks in this embodiment using a variety of techniques known to those skilled in the art such as screwing, bolting or others.
As shown in
As was discussed earlier, in this particular example since the racks 200/202 are placed adjacent to one another, the central element 470 of the enhancer as illustrated are placed in a position such that they come to a common point in the center, as referenced by 590. This particular arrangement is used to address and optimize the needs of this example and as suggested earlier, other arrangements can be provided. For example, one can imagine an arrangement with two racks being placed back to back with one another, where either a single common enhancer 400 is mounted in between the two racks or that a plurality of enhancers 400 are placed on top of one another. In such embodiments where a similarly shaped enhancer is used, the two enhancer can be placed in the same direction and mounted to one another and/or one or more racks in the same direction or in completely opposing directions (for example to provide a central diamond shape design).
In the embodiment shown in
The shape of second enhancer can also be varied as was the case with the first enhancer 400. In the particular embodiment shown in
The components provided and discussed in conjunction with the present invention can be made of a variety of materials including plastics and metals and metal compounds. The use of the material can be altered to address the electrical, structural or other demands of the clients including any cost considerations.
One of the benefits of the workings of the present invention is that it can be manufactured such that it can easily be shipped and incorporated into the existing commercial systems. The number of components and the arrangement of them can immediately enhance the rigidity of a single node (rack/frame) or a variety of them that are placed and stored in the same environment. No additional cost needs to be incurred and shipping and other considerations that generally affect incorporation of such ruggedized designs needs to be negotiated.
In addition, although the workings of the present invention was discussed in conjunction with a particular rack/assembly for ease of understanding, it is applicable to a variety of such designs including those that incorporate the more recent and improved racks that incorporate a mid-plane design for even more improved structural rigidity. In addition, the structure and method discussed can be applicable to any rack/assembly size and incorporate into future designs for such rack/assemblies with ease.
While the preferred embodiment to the invention has been described, it will be understood that those skilled in the art, both now and in the future, may make various improvements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the claims which follow. These claims should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the invention first described.
