Patent Application
20160216746
Computing systems can consist of three main parts, a central processing unit (CPU) to process data, a memory to hold the data, and a variety of peripherals (e.g., devices to input and output information to and from a computer). CPUs and memory can be tightly coupled and share signaling characteristics that operate synchronously. A bus can connect the CPU and memory. The bus can be a number of sizes and can include a number of configurations.
A computing system can be contained in a computer chassis. A computer chassis is an enclosure that can include a number of components (e.g., motherboard, form factors, power supply unit, drive bays, etc.) of a computing device (e.g., a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a server). A computer chassis can be an enclosure for a server blade of a server. A server blade can include a thin, modular electronic circuit board containing one or more microprocessors and memory.
A computer chassis can include slots to receive a number of computer buses. A computer bus connects the CPU and the memory and can be manufactured in a number of configurations and sizes. A computer bus can be associated with a number of bus standards. For example, computer bus standards can include conventional peripheral component interconnect (referred to generally as PCI), peripheral component interconnect eXtended (referred to as PCI-X), accelerated graphics port (referred to as AGP), and peripheral component express (referred to as PCIe), among other standards. PCIe is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard designed to replace the PCI, PCI-X, and AGP standards.
A number of types of computer bus cards can be inserted into a computer chassis. A number of computer card types can include a low profile card (e.g., half-height bus card) and a full height card (e.g., standard bus card). A low profile PCIe card can be referred to as an MD2 low profile form factor. A low profile card can use a reduced bracket size and have difficulty fitting into a standard bus card slot. By comparison, a full height card can use a higher bracket height. By removing and inserting different types of bus cards, a system can be upgraded and/or downgraded based on changing computing requirements and/or requested capabilities. In order to accommodate multiple types without changing the computer chassis, a configurable bus slot riser system can allow for switching from one bus card type to another.
The number of card slots 111, 113, 115 can each receive a card (e.g., a bus card, a PCIe card). A first card slot 111 can include a connector 117 to connect a card (e.g., a PCIe card) to the computer of the computer chassis 101. A second card slot 113 can include a connector 119 to connect a card (e.g., a PCIe card) to the computer. A third card slot 115 can be empty in the illustrated configuration of
A primary riser 121 can be associated with the first card slot 111 and the second card slot 113. The primary riser 121 can include a low profile portion 122 of the primary riser 121. The primary riser 121 can be used to hold and/or connect (through connector 117) a card in the first card slot 111 and/or the second card slot 113. For example, a card (e.g., a bus card, a PCIe card) can be inserted into the first card slot 111 and connected to the connector 117 of the primary riser 121 to be plugged into the computer chassis 101. A low profile bracket 125 can be associated with the second card slot 113 and can be used along with the low profile portion 122 of the primary riser 121 to hold a low profile card (e.g., a low profile PCIe card). When the second card slot 113 includes the low profile bracket 125 and the primary riser 121 includes the low profile portion 122, the second card slot 113 is in a low profile position. A low profile position refers to a card slot that is configured to receive a low profile card.
A rear wall (e.g., a rear I/O wall) 128 of the chassis 101 can include a number of brackets 123, 125, and 127. A first bracket 123 can be associated with the first card slot 111 which is associated with connector 117, a second bracket 125 can be associated with a second card slot 113 which is associated with connector 119, and a third bracket 127 can be associated with a third card slot 115. As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As described,
A primary riser 221 can be associated with the first card slot (e.g., bus card slot, PCIe card slot) 211 and the second card slot (e.g., bus card slot, PCIe card slot) 213. The primary riser can be used to hold and/or connect (through connector 217) a card in the first card slot 211 and/or the second card slot 213 (connected through connector 219). For example, a card can be inserted into the first card slot 211 and connected to connector 217 of the primary riser 221 to be plugged into the computer chassis 202. A low profile portion 222 of the primary riser 221 can be associated with the second card slot 213 and can be used to hold a low profile card (e.g., a PCIe card). When the second card slot 213 includes the low profile bracket 225 and the primary riser 221 includes the low profile portion 222, the second card slot 113 is in a low profile position.
A rear wall 228 of the chassis 202 can include a number of brackets 223, 225, and 227. A first bracket 223 can be associated with the first card slot 211, a second bracket 225 can be associated with a second card slot 213, and a third bracket 227 can be associated with a third card slot 215. As illustrated in
The second bracket 225, third bracket 227, and low profile portion 222 are removable to change a second card slot 213 and third card slot 215 from a configuration to receive low profile cards to a configuration to receive a full height card. That is, the low profile portion 222 and second bracket 225 is removed to convert the low profile position of the second card slot 213 into a configuration to receive a full height card. In addition, the low profile riser 231 is removed and replaced with a full height riser (e.g., full height riser 335 illustrated in
As described,
A primary riser 321 can be associated with the first card slot (e.g., bus card slot, PCIe card slot) 311. The primary riser can be used to hold and/or connect (through connector 317) a card in the first card slot 311 (Note that in
A rear wall 328 of the chassis 303 can include a number of brackets 323 and 325. A first bracket 323 can be associated with the first card slot 311 and a second bracket 325 can be associated with a second card slot 313 and a third card slot 315. As illustrated in
The second bracket 325 is removable to change the second and third card slots 313, 315 from a configuration to receive one full height card to a configuration to receive a number of low profile cards (e.g., one low profile card, two low profile cards). That is, the full height bracket 325 can be removed and at least one low profile bracket (e.g., second bracket 125, 225 and third bracket 127, 227) can be inserted to replace the full height bracket 325. A lower portion (e.g., lower portion 122, 222) can be attached to the primary riser 321 to hold a low profile riser in the second card slot 313 (as illustrated in
Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that an arrangement calculated to achieve the same results can be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover adaptations or variations of one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. It is to be understood that the above description has been made in an illustrative fashion, and not a restrictive one. Combination of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the one or more embodiments of the present disclosure includes other applications in which the above structures and methods are used. Therefore, the scope of one or more embodiments of the present disclosure should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full range of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
In the foregoing Detailed Description, some features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the disclosed embodiments of the present disclosure have to use more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment.
