IP Library Granted Patent US 11,234,347
Granted Patent B2
US 11,234,347 · App. 16/516,364 · Granted Jan 25, 2022

System and method for physical management of devices

Inventors: Steven Embleton (Austin, TX); Ben John Sy (Austin, TX); Eric Michael Tunks (Austin, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
H05K7/20836H05K7/1489H05K7/1492H05K7/1494H05K7/183
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,234,347
App. No.
16/516,364
Granted
Jan 25, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A constrainer includes a base and two arms mechanically coupled to the base. The base and two arms receive a device while the constrainer is in a first state and, while the constrainer is transitioning from the first state to a second state and while the device is disposed in the constrainer, place the device in a predetermined orientation.

Claims (36)

1. A constrainer, comprising:

a base; and

two arms mechanically coupled to the base,

wherein the base and two arms are adapted to:

while the constrainer is in a first state, receive a device; and

while the constrainer is transitioning from the first state to a second state while the device is disposed in the constrainer, place the device in a predetermined orientation,

wherein the base comprises:

an aperture adapted to provide physical access to a portion of the device that is received by the base and two arms while the device is disposed in the constrainer, wherein the aperture is a through-hole, within a body of the base, that creates an opening through an entirety of the body of the base from a top surface of the base facing the device to a bottom surface of the base facing away from the device.

2. The constrainer of claim 1 , wherein the base and two arms are further adapted to receive the device in a first orientation that is different from the predetermined orientation.

3. The constrainer of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined orientation is with respect to the aperture.

4. The constrainer of claim 1 , wherein transitioning from the first state to the second state, while the device is disposed in the constrainer, changes an orientation of the two arms with respect to the base.

5. The constrainer of claim 4 , wherein transitioning from the first state to the second state, while the device is not disposed in the constrainer, changes an orientation of the two arms with respect to the base.

6. The constrainer of claim 1 , wherein a separation distance between the arms is reduced as the base and two arms are transitioned from the first state to the second state.

7. The constrainer of claim 1 , wherein the constrainer is mechanically stable while in the first state.

8. The constrainer of claim 7 , wherein the constrainer is mechanically stable while in the second state.

9. The constrainer of claim 8 , wherein the constrainer is mechanically unstable while transitioning from the first state to the second state.

10. The constrainer of claim 9 , wherein the base and two arms are further adapted to return to the first state or the second state while mechanically unstable.

11. The constrainer of claim 1 , wherein the two arms are mechanically coupled to the base by compliant elements that are adapted to allow the two arms to reorient with respect to the base when the constrainer transitions from the first state to the second state while the device is received by the constrainer.

12. The constrainer of claim 1 , wherein the device is received by the base and two arms without any portion of the device entering the aperture.

13. A data processing device, comprising:

an internal volume adapted to house a device;

a feedthrough disposed at least partially in the internal volume, wherein the feedthrough is adapted to operably connect the device to other devices disposed outside of the internal volume; and

a constrainer adapted to place the device in a predetermined orientation with respect to the feedthrough while the constrainer is moved from a first position that separates the device from the feedthrough to a second position that places the device in direct contact with the feedthrough,

wherein the constrainer is a monolithic structure comprising a base disposed on a surface of the internal volume and two arms extending from a body of the base that holds the device in the second position,

wherein the base of the constrainer comprises an aperture through which the feedthrough passes to be operably connected to the device, and

wherein the aperture is a through-hole, within the body of the base of the constrainer, that creates an opening through an entirety of the body of the base from a top surface of the base facing the device to a bottom surface of the base facing away from the device.

14. The data processing device of claim 13 , wherein the internal volume is adapted to electromagnetically isolate the device while the device is in the internal volume.

15. The data processing device of claim 14 , wherein the electromagnetic isolation is by at least 90 decibels.

16. The data processing device of claim 13 , wherein the predetermined orientation aligns a portion of the device with the feedthrough.

17. The data processing device of claim 16 , wherein the constrainer is further adapted to:

receive the device while the constrainer is in a first state that separates the device from the feedthrough;

transition from the first state to a second state which places the portion of the device in contact with the feedthrough; and

while transitioning from the first state to the second state, place the device in the predetermined orientation.

18. The data processing device of claim 17 , wherein the constrainer is mechanically stable while in the first state and the second state.

19. The constrainer of claim 18 , wherein the constrainer is mechanically unstable while transitioning from the first state to the second state.

20. The data processing device of claim 16 , wherein the aligning of the portion of the device with the feedthrough enables mating of the portion of the device and the feedthrough.

Assignments (9)
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 (053311/0169) Recorded Jun 23, 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 060438/0742 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (050724/0571) Recorded Jun 23, 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 060436/0088 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 050406 FRAME 421 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 058213/0825 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
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 053311/0169 →
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 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Oct 15, 2019
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 050724/0571 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 17, 2019
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 050406/0421 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 26, 2019
From: EMBLETON, STEVEN; SY, BEN JOHN; TUNKS, ERIC MICHAEL
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 049866/0582 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210022270A1 · Jan 21, 2021