Peripheral card adapter
View Patent ↗Card adapter modules and methods for connecting peripheral cards to computing systems are disclosed. The card adapter modules each include a card connector, a peripheral connector, and a housing that supports the card connector and peripheral connector. A peripheral card is connected to a computing system having a chassis with an input/output slot by inserting the peripheral card along a first insertion axis (y-axis) into a card connector of a card adapter module and inserting the card adapter module along a second insertion axis (x-axis) extending through the input/output slot to a platform connector of a computing platform within the computing system. The card connector is electrically connected to the peripheral connector.
1. A card adapter module for electrically connecting a peripheral card to a computing platform through an input/output slot in a chassis housing the computing platform, the computing platform having at least one platform connector, the card adapter module comprising:
a card connector adapted to receive the peripheral card along a first insertion axis;
a peripheral connector electrically connected to said card connector, said peripheral connector adapted to receive a platform connector of the computing platform along a second insertion axis extending through the input/output slot in the chassis, the second insertion axis different than the first insertion axis, whereby the peripheral card is electrically coupled to the computing platform when the card connector receives the peripheral card and the peripheral connector receives the platform connector; and
a housing that supports the card connector and the peripheral connector, wherein the peripheral card includes at least one flange portion and the housing has at least one flange portion configured to receive and station the at least one flange portion on the peripheral card.
2. The card adapter module according to claim 1 , wherein the card connector is a PCIe connector.
3. The card adapter module according to claim 1 , wherein the first insertion axis is substantially perpendicular to the second insertion axis.
4. The card adapter module according to claim 1 , wherein the computing platform and peripheral card within the card adapter module are hot swappable.
5. The card adapter module according to claim 1 , wherein the housing includes an adapter guide and wherein the chassis further has a mating guide for mating with the adapter guide to align the card adapter module within the input/output slot of the chassis.
6. The card adapter module according to claim 1 , wherein the card adapter module includes status light emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to indicate when the card adapter module may be safely disconnected from the computing platform.
7. The card adapter module according to claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a top portion and a removable cover that interconnects with the top portion to enclose and secure the peripheral card within the card adapter module.
8. The card adapter module according to claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a cam mechanism to secure the card adapter module to the chassis.
9. The card adapter module according to claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a circuit assembly to support and interconnect the card connector and the peripheral connector.
10. A computing system comprising:
a chassis having an input/output slot;
a computing platform housed within the chassis, the computing platform having at least one platform connector;
a card adapter module for electrically connecting a peripheral card to the computing platform, the card adapter module comprising:
a card connector adapted to receive the peripheral card along a first insertion axis;
a peripheral connector electrically connected to said card connector, said peripheral connector adapted to receive the at least one platform connector of the computing platform along a second insertion axis extending through the input/output slot of the chassis, the second insertion axis different than the first insertion axis, whereby the peripheral card is electrically coupled to the computing platform when the card connector receives the peripheral card and the peripheral connector receives the platform connector; and
a housing that supports the card connector and the peripheral connector, wherein the housing includes a cam mechanism to secure the card adapter module to the chassis.
11. The computing system according to claim 10 , wherein the first insertion axis is substantially perpendicular to the second insertion axis.
12. The computing system according to claim 10 , wherein the housing includes an adapter guide and wherein the chassis further has a mating guide for mating with the adapter guide to align the card adapter module within the input/output slot of the chassis.
13. The computing system according to claim 10 , wherein the card adapter module includes status light emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to indicate when the card adapter module may be safely disconnected from the computing platform.
14. A method for electrically connecting a peripheral card to a computing platform within a computing system chassis, the computing system chassis having an input/output slot for receiving a card adapter module and the computing platform having a platform connector, the method comprising the steps of:
inserting the peripheral card into a card connector of the card adapter module along a first insertion axis;
securing the peripheral card within a housing of the card adapter module such that at least one flange portion of the card adapter module housing receives and stations at least one flange portion of the peripheral card;
inserting the card adapter module into an input/output slot in the computing system chassis along a second insertion axis extending through the input/output slot of the computing system chassis, the second insertion axis different than the first insertion axis; and
connecting a peripheral connector of the card adapter module to the platform connector of the computing platform through insertion of the card adapter module along the second insertion axis to electrically connect the peripheral card to the computing platform.
15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the card adapter module includes a top portion and a removable housing and wherein the securing step includes attaching the removable housing to the top portion to enclose the peripheral card within the card adapter module.
16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the card adapter module includes a guide and the computing system chassis includes a mating guide and wherein the inserting step includes aligning the guide of the card adapter module with the mating guide of the computer chassis.
17. A card adapter module for electrically connecting a peripheral card to a computing platform through an input/output slot in a chassis housing the computing platform, the computing platform having at least one platform connector, the card adapter module comprising:
a card connector adapted to receive the peripheral card along a first insertion axis;
a peripheral connector electrically connected to said card connector, said peripheral connector adapted to receive a platform connector of the computing platform along a second insertion axis extending through the input/output slot in the chassis, the second insertion axis different than the first insertion axis, whereby the peripheral card is electrically coupled to the computing platform when the card connector receives the peripheral card and the peripheral connector receives the platform connector;
a housing that supports the card connector and the peripheral connector; and
at least one status light emitting diode (LED) configured to indicate when the card adapter module may be safely disconnected from the computing platform.
18. A card adapter module for electrically connecting a peripheral card to a computing platform through an input/output slot in a chassis housing the computing platform, the computing platform having at least one platform connector, the card adapter module comprising:
a card connector adapted to receive the peripheral card along a first insertion axis;
a peripheral connector electrically connected to said card connector, said peripheral connector adapted to receive a platform connector of the computing platform along a second insertion axis extending through the input/output slot in the chassis, the second insertion axis different than the first insertion axis, whereby the peripheral card is electrically coupled to the computing platform when the card connector receives the peripheral card and the peripheral connector receives the platform connector; and
a housing that supports the card connector and the peripheral connector, wherein the housing includes a cam mechanism to secure the card adapter module to the chassis.