Expansion planar coupling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10146271-B1
Application number	US-201715800881-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 1, 2017
Priority date	Nov 1, 2017
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

An expansion planar system includes an expansion planar mounted to an expansion planar chassis and including expansion component(s) coupled to a system connector. A coupling subsystem mounted to the expansion planar chassis couples to a system chassis that includes a main planar and an expansion connector. While coupled to the system chassis, the coupling subsystem may provide the expansion planar chassis in a first orientation in which the system connector engages the expansion connector and the expansion planar chassis impedes access to component(s) on the main planar. While coupled to the system chassis, the coupling subsystem may also provide for rotation of the expansion planar chassis relative to the main planar to disengage the system connector from the expansion connector and provide the expansion planar chassis in a second orientation in which access to the component(s) on the main planar is no longer impeded by the expansion planar chassis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An expansion planar system, comprising:
an expansion planar chassis;
an expansion planar that is mounted to the expansion planar chassis;
at least one expansion component that is located on the expansion planar;
a system connector that is located on the expansion planar and that is coupled to the at least one expansion component through the expansion planar; and
a system chassis coupling subsystem that is mounted to the expansion planar chassis, wherein the system chassis coupling subsystem is configured to:
couple to a system chassis that includes a main planar and an expansion connector;
provide, while coupled to the system chassis, the expansion planar chassis in a first orientation in which the system connector engages the expansion connector and the expansion planar chassis impedes access to a plurality of components on the main planar; and
provide, while coupled to the system chassis, for rotation of the expansion planar chassis relative to the main planar such that the system connector disengages the expansion connector and the expansion planar chassis enters a second orientation in which access to the plurality of components on the main planar is no longer impeded by the expansion planar chassis.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system chassis coupling subsystem includes:
a biasing subsystem that is configured to provide a force on the expansion planar chassis that is opposite a rotation of the expansion planar chassis from the second orientation to the first orientation.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein expansion planar chassis include at least one airflow directing member that is configure to be positioned adjacent at least one of the plurality of components on the main planar when the expansion planar chassis is in the first orientation.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system chassis coupling subsystem is configured to:
provide for rotation of the expansion planar chassis from the second orientation to the first orientation such that the system connector blind mates with the expansion connector.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the main planar and the expansion planar provide a keying subsystem that is configured to engage to align the system connector and the expansion connector as the expansion planar chassis moves from the second orientation to the first orientation.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system chassis coupling subsystem includes a guide member that is configured to engage a guide feature on the system chassis in order to align the expansion planar and the main planar.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of components on the main planar include a main planar processing system and a main planar memory system, and wherein the at least one expansion component on the expansion planar includes an expansion planar processing system and an expansion planar memory system.

8. An Information Handling System (IHS), comprising:
a system chassis;
a main planar that is housed in the system chassis and that includes a processing subsystem and a memory subsystem;
an expansion planar chassis that is coupled to the system chassis by a coupling subsystem;
an expansion planar that is mounted to the expansion planar chassis;
at least one expansion component that is located on the expansion planar; and
a system connector that is located on the expansion planar and that is coupled to the at least one expansion component through the expansion planar;
wherein the coupling subsystem is configured to:
provide the expansion planar chassis in a first orientation in which the system connector engages the expansion connector and the expansion planar chassis impedes access to processing subsystem and the memory subsystem on the main planar; and
provide for rotation of the expansion planar chassis relative to the main planar such that the system connector disengages the expansion connector and the expansion planar chassis enters a second orientation in which access to the processing subsystem and the memory subsystem on the main planar is no longer impeded by the expansion planar chassis.

9. The IHS of claim 8 , further comprising:
a biasing subsystem that is configured to provide a force on the expansion planar chassis that is opposite a rotation of the expansion planar chassis from the second orientation to the first orientation.

10. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein expansion planar chassis include at least one airflow directing member that is configure to be positioned adjacent at least one of the plurality of components on the main planar when the expansion planar chassis is in the first orientation.

11. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein the coupling system provides for rotation of the expansion planar chassis from the second orientation to the first orientation such that the system connector blind mates with the expansion connector.

12. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein the main planar and the expansion planar provide a keying subsystem that is configured to engage to align the system connector and the expansion connector as the expansion planar chassis moves from the second orientation to the first orientation.

13. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein the coupling subsystem includes one or more tool-less coupling elements that are configured to couple the expansion planar chassis to and decouple the expansion planar chassis from the system chassis.

14. A method for coupling an expansion planar to a main planar, comprising:
coupling, by a coupling subsystem mounted to an expansion planar chassis, to a system chassis that houses a main planar and an expansion connector, wherein an expansion planar is mounted to the expansion planar chassis and includes at least one expansion component and a system connector coupled to the at least one expansion component;
providing, by the coupling subsystem while coupled to the system chassis, the expansion planar chassis in a first orientation such that the system connector engages the expansion connector and the expansion planar chassis impedes access to a plurality of components on the main planar; and
providing, by the coupling subsystem while coupled to the system chassis, for rotation of the expansion planar chassis relative to the main planar such that the system connector disengages the expansion connector and the expansion planar chassis enters a second orientation in which access to the plurality of components on the main planar is no longer impeded by the expansion planar chassis.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
providing, by a biasing subsystem coupled to the expansion planar chassis, a force that is opposite a rotation of the expansion planar chassis from the second orientation to the first orientation.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
directing, by at least one airflow directing member that is included on the expansion planar chassis and positioned adjacent at least one of the plurality of components on the main planar when the expansion planar chassis is in the first orientation, air over the at least one of the plurality of components on the main planar.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
providing, by the coupling subsystem while coupled to the system chassis, for rotation of the expansion planar chassis from the second orientation to the first orientation such that the system connector blind mates with the expansion connector.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
engaging a keying subsystem provided on the main planar and the expansion planar to align the system connector and the

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Pav Darren Burke
• Morgan Wesley Brook

Classifications

• G06F1/184

  Mounting of motherboards · CPC title

• H01R12/7076

  for connection between PCB and component, e.g. display · CPC title

• H01R2201/06

  for computer periphery · CPC title

• H05K7/20136

  Forced ventilation, e.g. by fans (H05K7/202 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/20

  Cooling means · CPC title