Fastener alignment for split chassis assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10154605-B1
Application number	US-201715617330-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 8, 2017
Priority date	Jun 8, 2017
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

A modular IHS (Information Handling System) chassis system includes a first module and a second module. An alignment pin is fixed to the sidewall of the first module. An alignment slot is cut from the corresponding sidewall of the second module. The second module also includes a retaining mechanism that receives the alignment pin during assembly of the first module and the second module. The retaining mechanism locks the alignment pin into a seated position in the first alignment slot, thus preventing separation of the first module and second module during the assembly process. The retaining mechanism may be a retaining plate that includes upper and lower protrusions that extend into the alignment slot and lock the alignment pin in place. The retaining mechanism may also be a latch that opens by pushing the alignment pin into the alignment slot and closes to lock the alignment pin in place.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An IHS (Information Handling Systems) constructed from a modular chassis, the IHS comprising:
a first module of the modular chassis, wherein the first module comprises an alignment pin that is fixed to an overlap portion of the sidewall of the first module and that extends inwards into the modular chassis; and
a second module of the modular chassis, wherein the second module comprises a first alignment slot cut from a recessed portion of the sidewall of the second module corresponding to the alignment pin, and wherein the second module further comprises a retaining mechanism that is fixed to the recessed portion of the sidewall of the second module, and wherein the retaining mechanism receives the alignment pin during assembly of the first module and the second module such that the overlap portion of the first module sidewall and the recessed portion of the second module sidewall are mated to form an overlapping joint between the first module and the second module, and wherein the retaining mechanism locks the alignment pin into a seated position in the first alignment slot.

2. The IHS of claim 1 , wherein the locking of the alignment pin by the retaining mechanism aligns corresponding assembly holes in the overlap portion of the sidewall of the first module and the recessed portion of the sidewall of the second module.

3. The IHS of claim 2 , wherein the locking of the alignment pin by the retaining mechanism allows the installation of fasteners in the aligned assembly holes of the overlapping joint between the first module and the second module.

4. The IHS of claim 1 , wherein the retaining mechanism comprises a retaining plate that comprises a second alignment slot that corresponds with the first alignment slot, and wherein the retaining plate comprises upper and lower protrusions that extend into the second alignment slot.

5. The IHS of claim 4 , wherein the upper and lower protrusions allow the alignment pin to be pushed into the seated position in the first alignment slot, and wherein the upper and lower protrusions lock the alignment pin in the seated position.

6. The IHS of claim 1 , wherein the retaining mechanism comprises a latch that allows the alignment pin to be pushed into the seated position in the first alignment slot and locks the alignment pin in the seated position.

7. The IHS of claim 6 , wherein the latch comprises an angled lower face that opens the latch as the alignment pin is pushed into the first alignment slot.

8. A modular chassis system:
a first module comprising an alignment pin that is fixed to an overlap portion of the sidewall of the first module; and
a second module comprising a first alignment slot cut from a recessed portion of the sidewall of the second module corresponding to the alignment pin, and wherein the second module further comprises a retaining mechanism that is fixed to the recessed portion of the sidewall of the second module, and wherein the retaining mechanism receives the alignment pin during assembly of the first module and the second module such that the overlap portion of the first module sidewall and the recessed portion of the second module sidewall are mated to form an overlapping joint between the first module and the second module, and wherein the retaining mechanism locks the alignment pin into a seated position in the first alignment slot.

9. The modular chassis system of claim 8 , wherein the locking of the alignment pin by the retaining mechanism aligns corresponding assembly holes in the overlap portion of the sidewall of the first module and the recessed portion of the sidewall of the second module.

10. The modular chassis system of claim 9 , wherein the locking of the alignment pin by the retaining mechanism allows the installation of fasteners in the aligned assembly holes of the overlapping joint between the first module and the second module.

11. The modular chassis system of claim 8 , wherein the retaining mechanism comprises a retaining plate that comprises a second alignment slot that corresponds with the first alignment slot, and wherein the retaining plate comprises upper and lower protrusions that extend into the second alignment slot.

12. The modular chassis system of claim 11 , wherein the upper and lower protrusions allow the alignment pin to be pushed into the seated position in the first alignment slot, and wherein the upper and lower protrusions lock the alignment pin in the seated position.

13. The modular chassis system of claim 8 , wherein the retaining mechanism comprises a latch that allows the alignment pin to be pushed into the seated position in the first alignment slot and locks the alignment pin in the seated position.

14. The modular chassis system of claim 13 , wherein the latch comprises an angled lower face that opens the latch as the alignment pin is pushed into the first alignment slot.

15. A method for assembly of an IHS (Information Handling Systems) constructed from a modular chassis, the method comprising:
attaching a first module of the modular chassis to a second module of the modular chassis, wherein the first module comprises an alignment pin that is fixed to an overlap portion of the sidewall of the first module and that extends inwards into the modular chassis, and wherein the second module comprises a first alignment slot cut from a recessed portion of the sidewall of the second module corresponding to the alignment pin, and wherein the second module further comprises a retaining mechanism that is fixed to the recessed portion of the sidewall of the second module, and wherein the attaching comprises:
receiving, by the retaining mechanism, the alignment pin during assembly of the first module and the second module; and
locking, by the retaining mechanism, the alignment pin into a seated position in the first alignment slot such that the overlap portion of the first module sidewall and the recessed portion of the second module sidewall are mated to form an overlapping joint between the first module and the second module.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the locking of the alignment pin by the retaining mechanism aligns corresponding assembly holes in the overlap portion of the sidewall of the first module and the recessed portion of the sidewall of the second module, and wherein the locking of the alignment pin by the retaining mechanism allows the installation of fasteners in the aligned assembly holes of the overlapping joint between the first module and the second module.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the retaining mechanism comprises a retaining plate that comprises a second alignment slot that corresponds with the first alignment slot, and wherein the retaining plate comprises upper and lower protrusions that extend into the second alignment slot.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the upper and lower protrusions allow the alignment pin to be pushed into the seated position in the first alignment slot, and wherein the upper and lower protrusions lock the alignment pin in the seated position.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the retaining mechanism comprises a latch that allows the alignment pin to be pushed into the seated position in the first alignment slot and locks the alignment pin in the seated position.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the latch comprises an angled lower face that opens the latch as the alignment pin is pushed into the first alignment slot.

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Hartman Corey
• Jimenez Salvador
• Lin Yu-Feng

Classifications

• G06F1/16

  Constructional details or arrangements · CPC title

• G06F1/181

  Enclosures (for portable computers G06F1/1613) · CPC title

• H05K5/0217 Primary

  Mechanical details of casings (covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03) · CPC title

• H05K7/1489 Primary

  characterized by the mounting of blades therein, e.g. brackets, rails, trays (H05K7/1491 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05K7/1411

  for securing or extracting box-type drawers · CPC title