Card guide systems and devices

1. An electronic equipment rack for receiving a plurality of functional modules, each of which includes a corresponding card, the electronic equipment rack comprising:

a chassis, comprising:

a housing;

a backplane attached to the housing; and

a cover attached to the backplane and to the housing;

a printed circuit board assembly substantially disposed within the chassis; and

a plurality of card guides substantially disposed within the chassis in a spaced apart arrangement with respect to each other, each of the card guides being configured to interface with a card of a functional module, and each of the card guides including:

a first engagement element that engages the printed circuit board assembly;

a second engagement element that engages the backplane; and

a third engagement element that engages the cover.

2. The electronic equipment rack as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cover includes a self-clinching tie mount arranged to engage the third engagement element.

3. The electronic equipment rack as recited in claim 1 , wherein adjacent card guides are disposed opposite each other at a distance generally corresponding to a width of a functional module card.

4. The electronic equipment rack as recited in claim 1 , wherein each card guide is releasably engaged with the printed circuit board assembly, the backplane and the cover.

5. The electronic equipment rack as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of card guides collectively define a plurality of card storage levels.

6. The electronic equipment rack as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of card guides comprises first and second end card guides and a middle card guide, the first and second card guides being positioned on either side of the middle card guide such that:

a distance between the middle card guide and the first end card guide generally corresponds to a width of a functional module card; and

a distance between the middle card guide and the second end card guide generally corresponds to a width of a functional module card.

7. The electronic equipment rack as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of card guides collectively define at least two side-by-side card storage slots.

8. The electronic equipment rack as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of card guides collectively define at least two stacked card storage slots.

9. The electronic equipment rack as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of card guides collectively define:

at least two stacked card storage slots; and

at least two side-by-side card storage slots.

10. A connection system, comprising:

a plurality of engagement elements, where:

a first engagement element of the plurality comprises a portion of a printed circuit board assembly;

a second engagement element of the plurality comprises a portion of a backplane of an electronic equipment chassis; and

a third engagement element of the plurality comprises a portion of a cover of an electronic equipment chassis; and

corresponding structure configured to engage the plurality of engagement elements in a fastenerless arrangement, the corresponding structure comprising a portion of one or more card guides, each of the card guides being configured to interface with a card of a functional module.

11. The fastenerless connection system as recited in claim 10 , wherein a portion of the corresponding structure is configured to releasably engage an engagement element.

12. The fastenerless connection system as recited in claim 10 , wherein a portion of the corresponding structure is configured to permanently engage an engagement element.

13. An electronic equipment rack configured to receive a plurality of functional modules, each of which includes a corresponding card, the electronic equipment rack comprising:

a chassis, comprising:

a housing;

a backplane attached to the housing; and

a cover attached to the backplane and to the housing;

a plurality of self-clinching tie mounts attached to the cover;

a printed circuit board assembly substantially disposed within the interior of the electronic equipment chassis; and

a plurality of card guides disposed within the chassis in a spaced apart arrangement with respect to each other, each of the card guides engaged with a corresponding self-clinching tie mount.

14. The electronic equipment rack as recited in claim 13 , wherein adjacent card guides are disposed opposite each other at a distance generally corresponding to a width of a functional module card.

15. The electronic equipment rack as recited in claim 13 , wherein the plurality of card guides collectively define a plurality of card storage levels.

16. The electronic equipment rack as recited in claim 13 , wherein the plurality of card guides comprises first and second end card guides and a middle card guide, the first and second card guides being positioned on either side of the middle card guide such that:

a distance between the middle card guide and the first end card guide generally corresponds to a width of a functional module card; and

a distance between the middle card guide and the second end card guide generally corresponds to a width of a functional module card.

17. The electronic equipment rack as recited in claim 13 , wherein the plurality of card guides collectively define at least two side-by-side card storage slots.

18. The electronic equipment rack as recited in claim 13 , wherein the plurality of card guides collectively define at least two stacked card storage slots.

19. The electronic equipment rack as recited in claim 13 , wherein the plurality of card guides collectively define:

at least two stacked card storage slots; and

at least two side-by-side card storage slots.