IP Library Granted Patent US 10,595,431
Granted Patent B1
US 10,595,431 · App. 15/663,049 · Granted Mar 17, 2020

Circuit board assembly

Inventors: Ryan C. McDaniel (Hopkinton, MA); Stephen E. Strickland (Foxboro, MA); Brian D. Kennedy (Rutland, MA)
Assignee: EMC IP Holding Company LLC
H05K7/1439H05K1/0278H05K1/117H05K1/141H05K1/147H05K3/361H05K3/368H05K3/4691
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,595,431
App. No.
15/663,049
Granted
Mar 17, 2020
Kind
B1
Abstract

A mid-plane assembly includes a main circuit board portion including a plurality of electrical connectors configured to releasably engage a plurality of devices, a first circuit board portion, and a first electrical coupling assembly configured to electrically couple the first circuit board portion to the main circuit board portion and position the first circuit board portion essentially orthogonal to the main circuit board portion.

Claims (47)

1. A mid-plane assembly comprising:

a main circuit board portion including a plurality of electrical connectors configured to releasably engage a plurality of devices, wherein the main circuit board portion includes one or more cooling passages within the main circuit board disposed between at least a portion of the plurality of electrical connectors to allow for the passage of cooling air between the at least a portion of the plurality of electrical connectors;

a first circuit board portion, wherein the first circuit board portion includes one or more electrical connectors configured to releasably engage a first controller board, wherein the first controller board includes one or more expansion slots;

a drive controller system electrically coupled to the first controller board;

a first electrical coupling assembly configured to electrically couple the first circuit board portion to the main circuit board portion and position the first circuit board portion essentially orthogonal to the main circuit board portion, wherein the first electrical coupling assembly includes a first flexible electrical coupling assembly;

a second circuit board portion; and

a second electrical coupling assembly configured to electrically couple the second circuit board portion to the main circuit board portion and position the second circuit board portion essentially orthogonal to the main circuit board portion.

2. The mid-plane assembly of claim 1 wherein the first flexible electrical coupling assembly includes a first flexible printed circuit board.

3. The mid-plane assembly of claim 1 wherein the first circuit board portion is configured to allow for side-to-side signal routing for the main circuit board portion.

4. The mid-plane assembly of claim 1 wherein the second electrical coupling assembly includes a second flexible electrical coupling assembly.

5. The mid-plane assembly of claim 4 wherein the second flexible electrical coupling assembly includes a second flexible printed circuit board.

6. The mid-plane assembly of claim 1 wherein the second circuit board portion includes one or more electrical connectors configured to releasably engage a second controller board.

7. The mid-plane assembly of claim 1 wherein the second circuit board portion is configured to allow for side-to-side signal routing for the main circuit board portion.

8. The mid-plane assembly of claim 1 wherein the plurality of devices includes one or more of:

a storage device;

a network adapter;

a graphics processor;

a caching module;

a graphical processing unit; and

a compute module.

9. The mid-plane assembly of claim 8 wherein the plurality of storage devices includes:

a plurality of rotating media storage devices.

10. The mid-plane assembly of claim 8 wherein the plurality of storage devices includes:

a plurality of solid state storage devices.

11. The mid-plane assembly of claim 1 wherein the main circuit board portion includes:

a plurality of main circuit board sub portions.

12. A mid-plane assembly comprising:

a main circuit board portion including a plurality of electrical connectors configured to releasably engage a plurality of devices, wherein the main circuit board portion includes one or more cooling passages within the main circuit board disposed between at least a portion of the plurality of electrical connectors to allow for the passage of cooling air between the at least a portion of the plurality of electrical connectors;

a first circuit board portion including one or more electrical connectors configured to releasably engage a first controller board, wherein the first controller board includes one or more expansion slots, wherein the first circuit board portion is configured to allow for side-to-side signal routing for the main circuit board portion;

a drive controller system electrically coupled to the first controller board;

a first electrical coupling assembly configured to electrically couple the first circuit board portion to the main circuit board portion and position the first circuit board portion essentially orthogonal to the main circuit board portion, wherein the first electrical coupling assembly includes a first flexible electrical coupling assembly;

a second circuit board portion including one or more electrical connectors configured to releasably engage a second controller board, wherein the second circuit board portion is configured to allow for side-to-side signal routing for the main circuit board portion; and

a second electrical coupling assembly configured to electrically couple the second circuit board portion to the main circuit board portion and position the second circuit board portion essentially orthogonal to the main circuit board portion, wherein the second electrical coupling assembly includes a second flexible electrical coupling assembly.

13. The mid-plane assembly of claim 12 wherein the plurality of devices includes one or more of:

a storage device;

a network adapter;

a graphics processor;

a caching module;

a graphical processing unit; and

a compute module.

14. A mid-plane assembly comprising:

a main circuit board portion including a plurality of electrical connectors configured to releasably engage a plurality of devices, wherein the main circuit board portion includes one or more cooling passages within the main circuit board disposed between at least a portion of the plurality of electrical connectors to allow for the passage of cooling air between the at least a portion of the plurality of electrical connectors;

a first circuit board portion including one or more electrical connectors configured to releasably engage a first controller board, wherein the first controller board includes one or more expansion slots, wherein the first circuit board portion is configured to allow for side-to-side signal routing for the main circuit board portion;

a drive controller system electrically coupled to the first controller board;

a first electrical coupling assembly configured to electrically couple the first circuit board portion to the main circuit board portion and position the first circuit board portion essentially orthogonal to the main circuit board portion, wherein the first electrical coupling assembly includes a first flexible electrical coupling assembly;

a second circuit board portion including one or more electrical connectors configured to releasably engage a second controller board, wherein the second circuit board portion is configured to allow for side-to-side signal routing for the main circuit board portion; and

a second electrical coupling assembly configured to electrically couple the second circuit board portion to the main circuit board portion and position the second circuit board portion essentially orthogonal to the main circuit board portion, wherein the second electrical coupling assembly includes a second flexible electrical coupling assembly.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (043775/0082) Recorded May 20, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060958/0468 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 043772 FRAME 0750 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058298/0606 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053546/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 21, 2019
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049452/0223 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (CREDIT) Recorded Sep 6, 2017
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 043772/0750 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Sep 6, 2017
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 043775/0082 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2017
From: MCDANIEL, RYAN C.; STRICKLAND, STEPHEN E.; KENNEDY, BRIAN D.
To: EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 043132/0395 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,200,412