Backplane nodes for blind mate adapting field replaceable units to bays in storage rack

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9936603-B2
Application number	US-201514725803-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2015
Priority date	Feb 28, 2013
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

A system for the management of rack-mounted field replaceable units (FRUs) that affords the enhanced availability and serviceability of FRUs provided by blade-based systems but in a manner that accommodates different types of FRUs (e.g., in relation to form factors, functionality, power and cooling requirements, and/or the like) installed within a rack or cabinet.

First claim

We claim:

1. A storage rack for supporting electronic devices, comprising:
a plurality of front vertical support pillars;
a plurality of rear vertical support pillars that are spaced from the plurality of front support pillars;
a plurality of pairs of first rail assemblies rigidly interconnecting the plurality of front and rear vertical support pillars; and
a plurality of first housings, wherein each first housing rigidly interconnects a first rail assembly of a respective one of the plurality of pairs of first rail assemblies to an opposite second rail assembly of the respective one of the plurality of pairs of first rail assemblies, and wherein each first housing includes one or more first blind mate connectors fixable thereto.

2. The storage rack of claim 1 , wherein each first housing includes:
a pair of side members, wherein a first side member of the pair of side members of the first housing is rigidly interfaceable with the first rail assembly of the respective one of the plurality of pairs of first rail assemblies, and wherein a second side member of the pair of side members of the first housing is rigidly interfaceable with the second rail assembly of the respective one of the plurality of pairs of first rail assemblies; and
an attachment portion rigidly interconnecting the first and second side members of the first housing, wherein the attachment portion rigidly supports the one or more first blind mate connectors of the first housing.

3. The storage rack of claim 1 , wherein the first and second rail assemblies of each pair of first rail assemblies each include:
a base member having first and second opposite edges;
a first containment member extending from the first edge of the base member; and
a second containment member extending from the second edge of the base member, wherein each first housing is received between the first and second containment members of the first and second rail assemblies of the respective one of the plurality of rail assemblies.

4. The storage rack of claim 1 , further including:
a frame including opposite front and rear access openings, wherein the plurality of front vertical support pillars are disposed adjacent the front access opening, wherein the plurality of rear vertical support pillars are disposed between the rear access opening and the front access opening, and wherein the plurality of first housings are disposed between the plurality of rear vertical support pillars and the rear access opening.

5. The storage rack of claim 2 , wherein the attachment portion of the first housing includes:
a tray including first and second opposite ends and top and bottom surfaces between the first and second ends, wherein the first end of the tray of the first housing is attached to the first side member of the first housing and the second end of the tray of the first housing is attached to the second side member of the first housing; and
a wall protruding from top surface of the tray of the first housing, wherein the one or more first blind mate connectors extend through the wall of the first housing.

6. The storage rack of claim 3 , wherein one of each first housing or each respective one of the pair of first rail assemblies includes a fastener and the other of each first housing or each respective one of the pair of first rail assemblies includes an aperture that is configured to receive the fastener to non-movably lock the first housing to the respective one of the pair of first rail assemblies.

7. The storage rack of claim 5 , wherein a first of the one or more first blind mate connectors is slidably receivable along the tray and into the wall of the first housing.

8. The storage rack of claim 4 , further including:
a plurality of pairs of second rail assemblies, wherein each pair of second rail assemblies is slidably engageable with a respective one of the plurality of pairs of first rail assemblies; and
a plurality of second housings, wherein each second housing rigidly interconnects a first rail assembly of a respective one of the plurality of pairs of second rail assemblies to an opposite second rail assembly of the respective one of the plurality of pairs of second rail assemblies, and wherein each second housing is configured to engage with a respective one of the plurality of first housings when a corresponding one of the plurality of pairs of second rail assemblies slidably engages with a respective one of the plurality of pairs of first rail assemblies.

9. The storage rack of claim 7 , wherein the tray of the first housing includes first and second spaced guide members, wherein the first of the one or more first blind mate connectors is slidably received between the first and second spaced guide members and into the wall of the first housing.

10. The storage rack of claim 7 , wherein the wall includes first and second spaced slots, and wherein the first of the one or more first blind mate connectors includes first and second spaced pins that are slidably received in the first and second spaced slots.

11. The storage rack of claim 4 , wherein the aperture is disposed through at least one of the first and second containment members of the respective one of the pair of first rail assemblies, and wherein the fastener is a spring loaded pin attached to the first housing.

12. The storage rack of claim 8 , wherein each second housing includes one or more second blind mate connectors fixable thereto, and wherein the one or more second blind mate connectors electrically connect with the one or more first blind mate connectors when the respective one of the plurality of pairs of second rail assemblies slidably engages with the respective one of the plurality of pairs of first rail assemblies.

13. The storage rack of claim 10 , wherein the first slot includes a first longitudinal axis, wherein the second slot include a second longitudinal axis, and wherein the first and second longitudinal axes are perpendicular.

14. The storage rack of claim 12 , further including:
a plurality of field replaceable units (FRUs), wherein each FRU is rigidly connected to the first and second rail assemblies of a respective one of the plurality of pairs of second rail assemblies, wherein each FRU is electrically connected to the one or more second blind mate connectors of the one of the second housings that is rigidly interconnected to the first and second rail assemblies of the respective one of the plurality of pairs of second rail assemblies, and wherein the electrical connection between the one or more second blind mate connectors and the one or more first blind mate connectors electrically connects the FRU with a central management controller of the storage rack.

15. The storage rack of claim 12 , wherein each second housing includes:
a pair of side members, wherein a first side member of the pair of side members of the second housing is rigidly interfaceable with the first rail assembly of the respective one of the plurality of pairs of second rail assemblies, and wherein a second side member of the pair of side members of the second housing is rigidly interfaceable with the second rail assembly of the respective one of the plurality of pairs of second rail assemblies; and
an attachment portion rigidly interconnecting the first and second side members of the second housing, wherein the attachment portion rigidly supports the one or more second blind mate connectors of the second housing, and wherein the attachment portion of the second housing includes:
a tray including first and second opposite ends and top and bottom surfaces between the first and second ends of the second housing, wh

Assignees

• Oracle Int Corp

Inventors

• Stewart Thomas E
• Gelfond Yefim
• Vazirizad Tina
• Sampath Ramanan
• Figueroa Gilberto
• Brovald Russell
• Rogers Richard

Classifications

• G06F13/4081 Primary

  Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging (current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004) · CPC title

• H05K7/183 Primary

  support rails therefor · CPC title

• G06F9/4411

  Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers · CPC title

• H05K7/1489

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

• G06F13/409

  Mechanical coupling (back panels H05K7/1438) · CPC title