Perforated panel connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9655274-B1
Application number	US-201514929726-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 2, 2015
Priority date	Nov 2, 2015
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

A server enclosure having a plurality of panels abutted to one another and constrained by a connector having a channel and at least one aperture. Each respective panel has at least one perpendicular portion being perpendicular to a face of the respective panel and adjoining a perimeter of the respective panel. Connectivity media coincident to the aperture can affix at least two panels and a connector to one another.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a joint comprising:
perforating at least a portion of a first panel and a second panel;
forming at least one first perpendicular portion of the first panel and at least one second perpendicular portion of the second panel, wherein each perpendicular portion has a surface perpendicular to a face of each panel, respectively;
abutting the first perpendicular portion to the second perpendicular portion;
constraining the first perpendicular portion and the second perpendicular portion in a channel of a connector, wherein the connector comprises two parallel surfaces connected by a third surface to form the channel, wherein the third surface comprises a variable thickness, wherein the third surface comprises a plurality of apertures respectively defining a plurality of geometries extruded through the variable thickness of the third surface to form a plurality of voids, respectively, in the third surface of the connector; and
affixing the first perpendicular portion, the second perpendicular portion, and the connector at locations respectively coincident to the plurality of apertures of the connector.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein affixing the first perpendicular portion, the second perpendicular portion, and the connector further comprises:
welding the first perpendicular portion, the second perpendicular portion, and the connector to one another at the plurality of apertures of the connector.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein affixing the first perpendicular portion, the second perpendicular portion, and the connector further comprises:
inserting volumes of adhesive into the plurality of apertures, respectively; and
curing the adhesive.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first perpendicular portion and the at least one second perpendicular portion are perforated.

5. A server enclosure comprising:
a plurality of sides forming an interior of the server enclosure, wherein the interior of the server enclosure is configured to hold one or more servers therein;
wherein at least one side of the server enclosure comprises a plurality of panels, each panel comprising a perforated face and projections being approximately perpendicular to the perforated face and located on a portion of a perimeter of each panel, respectively;
wherein a plurality of connectors adjoin the plurality of panels to each other, wherein each connector comprises a channel formed by a first portion parallel to a second portion and connected by a third portion separating the first portion and the second portion, wherein the third portion comprises a variable thickness, wherein the channel of each connector is respectively fitted over at least two respective and abutted ones of the projections of at least two of the plurality of panels, wherein each third portion of each connector comprises a plurality of apertures respectively defining a plurality of voids through the variable thickness of the third portion; and
wherein a plurality of connections respectively affix each connector to the plurality of panels, wherein each connection is respectively coincident to respective ones of said plurality of apertures.

6. The server enclosure of claim 5 , wherein each panel and each connector comprises a metallic material.

7. The server enclosure of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of connections comprise a plurality of welds.

8. The server enclosure of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of connections comprise a volume of adhesive.

9. The server enclosure of claim 5 , wherein each panel has an edge adjoining a respective corner of the server enclosure and comprises at least one second projection approximately perpendicular to the perforated face of the panel and located on a portion of the perimeter of the panel adjoining the respective corner, wherein the at least one second projection is not perforated.

10. The server enclosure of claim 5 , wherein each projection affixed to a respective one of the plurality of connectors is perforated.

11. A server enclosure joint comprising:
a first panel comprising a first face and a first perpendicular portion and a second panel comprising a second face and a second perpendicular portion, wherein each perpendicular portion is approximately perpendicular to each face, respectively, and is located along a perimeter of each panel, respectively, wherein each perpendicular portion is perforated;
a connector having a channel formed by a first surface connected to a second surface by a third surface, wherein the third surface comprises a variable thickness, wherein the third surface comprises a plurality of apertures respectively defining a plurality of geometries extruded through the variable thickness of the third surface to define a plurality of voids, respectively, in the third surface of the connector, wherein the channel of the connector houses the first perpendicular portion and the second perpendicular portion abutted to one another for at least a first portion of a length of the first perpendicular portion; and
a plurality of connectivity media connecting the first panel, the second panel, and the connector, wherein the plurality of connectivity media is located coincident to the plurality of apertures, respectively.

12. The server enclosure joint of claim 11 , wherein the first panel, the second panel, and the connector comprise one or more metallic materials.

13. The server enclosure joint of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of connectivity media comprises welds.

14. The server enclosure joint of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of connectivity media comprises adhesive.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Lapree Scott R
• Mroz Stephen P
• Pfeifer Mark D

Classifications

• F16B5/0084

  characterised by particular locking means · CPC title

• H05K5/0004

  Electricity · mapped topic

• F16B47/003

  using adhesives for attaching purposes (using adhesives for connecting constructional elements F16B11/006) · CPC title

• H05K7/20709

  for server racks or cabinets; for data centers, e.g. 19-inch computer racks · CPC title

• Y10T403/477

  Fusion bond, e.g., weld, etc. · CPC title