Network switch mounting system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11622467-B2
Application number	US-201916578946-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2019
Priority date	Sep 23, 2019
Publication date	Apr 4, 2023
Grant date	Apr 4, 2023

Abstract

An assembly includes: a server rack; first side and second side outer rails attached to the rack and positionally fixed relative to the rack; a support device attached to the rack adjacent to a rear of the rack; a computer network switch having a port side positioned adjacent to the rear of the rack; and first side and second side inner rails attached to the network switch and positionally fixed relative to the network switch, the inner rails being slidably attached to the outer rails. The network switch is movable between a retracted position and an extended position, and the support device is located such that the support device physically blocks the network switch from being removed from the rear of the server rack.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly, comprising:
a computer network server rack having a first side, a second side, a front, and a rear, the second side being located opposite to the first side, and the rear being located opposite to the front;
a first side outer rail attached to the server rack adjacent to the first side of the server rack and positionally fixed relative to the server rack;
a second side outer rail attached to the server rack adjacent to the second side of the server rack and positionally fixed relative to the server rack;
a support device mounted to the server rack adjacent to the rear of the server rack;
a computer network switch having a port side positioned adjacent to the rear of the server rack, and a non-port side opposite to the port side, the port side having a plurality of ports configured to be connected to network cables;
a first side inner rail attached to the computer network switch and positionally fixed relative to the computer network switch, the first side inner rail being slidably attached to the first side outer rail; and
a second side inner rail attached to the computer network switch and positionally fixed relative to the computer network switch, the second side inner rail being slidably attached to the second side outer rail,
wherein the computer network switch is movable between a retracted position and an extended position,
the support device is located such that the support device partially protrudes laterally from the server rack behind the computer network switch such that the support device physically blocks the computer network switch from being removed from the rear of the server rack,
a power cabling between the computer network switch and the support device is configured to be unplugged to move the first side inner rail and the second side inner rail to the extended position,
the first side inner rail comprises a main portion, an upper flange extending downward from an upper edge of the main portion, and a lower flange extending upward from a lower edge of the main portion, wherein the main portion, the upper flange, and the lower flange define a receiving area, and
the first side outer rail comprises a main portion, and the receiving area receives the main portion of the first side outer rail.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the server rack has a depth in a direction from the front of the server rack toward the rear of the server rack,
the computer network switch has a depth in the direction from the front of the server rack toward the rear of the server rack, and
the depth of the computer network switch is shorter than the depth of the server rack.

3. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the non-port side of the computer network switch is recessed relative to the front of the server rack when the computer network switch is in the retracted position.

4. The assembly of claim 3 , further comprising a network server mounted in the server rack.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the network server has a depth in the direction from the front of the server rack toward the rear of the server rack, and
the depth of the network server is longer than the depth of the computer network switch.

6. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first side inner rail has an extension portion extending beyond the non-port side of the computer network switch, and
the second side inner rail has an extension portion extending beyond the non-port side of the computer network switch.

7. The assembly of claim 6 , further comprising a fastener at a distal end of the extension portion of the first side inner rail, the fastener fastening the first side inner rail to the server rack when the computer network switch is in the retracted position,
wherein the fastener fastens the first side inner rail to the server rack such that the computer network switch is positionally fixed relative to the server rack and the fastener comprises a thumbscrew.

8. The assembly of claim 7 , further comprising network cables connected at one end to the computer network switch at the port side of the computer network switch, and connected at another end to the network server at a side of the network server that is adjacent to the rear of the server rack.

9. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein all of the network cables between the computer network switch and the network server are located at the rear of the server rack.

10. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first side outer rail further comprises a central protrusion that protrudes laterally from the main portion of the first side outer rail.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the central protrusion of the first side outer rail extends laterally between the upper flange of the first side inner rail and the lower flange of the first side inner rail.

12. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the central protrusion contacting the lower flange limits a twisting movement of the computer network switch relative to the server rack.

13. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the computer network switch is removable from the server rack by sliding the first side inner rail out of the first side outer rail and sliding the second side inner rail out of the second side outer rail.

14. A network switch rack-mounting system that allows for a network switch to be removed from a server rack having a frame via a non-port side of the network switch, the mounting system comprising: a right side mounting rail including a right side inner rail and a right side outer rail, wherein the right side inner rail includes a respective inner rail connectable to a right side of the network switch and the right side outer rail includes a respective outer rail connectable to the server rack; and a left side mounting rail including a left side inner rail and a left side outer rail, wherein the left side inner rail is a respective inner rail connectable to a left side of the network switch and the left side outer rail includes a respective outer rail connectable to the server rack, wherein the inner rails slide relative to their respective outer rails, thereby enabling the network switch to translate in and out of the server rack from a side of the server rack frame that is opposite the port side of the network switch, the right side inner rail comprises a main portion, an upper flange extending downward from an upper edge of the main portion, and a lower flange extending upward from a lower edge of the main portion, wherein the main portion, the upper flange, and the lower flange define a receiving area, the right side outer rail comprises a main portion, wherein the receiving area of the right side inner rail receives the main portion of the right side outer rail, a support device attached to the server rack adjacent to the rear of the server rack, and a power cabling between the computer network switch and the support device is configured to be unplugged to move the first side inner rail and the second side inner rail to the extended position, wherein the support device is located such that the support device physically blocks the network switch from being removed from the rear of the server rack, and the support device extends vertically keeping space in the server rack free for network switches or network servers and the support device protrudes laterally into the server rack to physically block the network switch from being removed from the rear of the server rack.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the inner rails respectively comprise an extension portion that is configured to extend beyond the non-port side of the network switch in a direction opposite to the port side of the network

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Mckeever Eric James
• Seminaro Edward J
• Graybill David P
• Lyndgaard Benjamin
• Barringer Wayne A

Classifications

• H05K7/1487 Primary

  Blade assemblies, e.g. blade cases or inner arrangements within a blade · CPC title

• H05K7/1492

  having electrical distribution arrangements, e.g. power supply or data communications · CPC title

• H05K7/1489 Primary

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

• H05K7/1488 Primary

  Cabinets therefor, e.g. chassis or racks or mechanical interfaces between blades and support structures · CPC title

• H05K7/1491

  having cable management arrangements (management of optical cables G02B6/444; in telecommunication cabinets H04Q1/06) · CPC title