Flexible midplane and architecture for a multi-processor computer system
View Patent ↗A flexible midplane comprises: a printed circuit board including: a middle section and at least one side section; and a flexible region disposed between the middle section and each side section; wherein each flexible region permits the corresponding side section to be bent in relation to the middle section.
1. A dual flexible midplane assembly comprising:
top and bottom flexible midplanes, each of said top and bottom midplanes comprising:
a printed circuit board including: a middle section and at least one side section;
a flexible region disposed between said middle section and each side section to permit each side section to be bent substantially orthogonal to the middle section;
at least one connector disposed along front and back edges of the middle section; and
at least one connector disposed along at least one edge of each side section;
wherein the top and bottom midplanes being assembled to align each side section thereof in an at least one side plane in relation to the middle section; and
wherein the middle sections of the top and bottom midplanes forming respective top and bottom planes substantially orthogonal to said at least one side plane.
2. The dual midplane assembly of claim 1 wherein each side section of the top midplane is oriented downward in relation to the top plane of the middle section thereof; and wherein each side section of the bottom midplane is oriented upward in relation to the bottom plane of the middle section thereof.
3. The dual midplane assembly of claim 1 wherein the side sections of the top and bottom midplanes are oriented downward in relation to the planes of the middle sections thereof.
4. The dual midplane assembly of claim 1 wherein the side sections of the top and bottom midplanes are oriented upward in relation to the planes of the middle sections thereof.
5. The dual midplane assembly of claim 1 wherein each side section of the top midplane is oriented upward in relation to the top plane of the middle section thereof; and wherein each side section of the bottom midplane is oriented downward in relation to the bottom plane of the middle section thereof.
6. The dual midplane assembly of claim 1 including a first plurality of circuit boards mated to the connectors disposed along the front and back edges of the middle section of the top midplane to form a top plane of first circuit boards; and a second plurality of circuit boards mated to the connectors disposed along the front and back edges of the middle section of the bottom midplane to form a bottom plane of first circuit boards.
7. The dual midplane assembly of claim 1 including an interconnecting circuit board mated to the connectors along one edge of the side sections of the top and bottom midplanes for the interconnection thereof.
8. The dual midplane assembly of claim 7 wherein the interconnecting circuit board is an active circuit board comprising at least one integrated circuit.
9. The dual midplane assembly of claim 7 wherein the interconnecting circuit board is a passive circuit board.
10. The dual midplane assembly of claim 1 wherein the side sections of the top and bottom midplanes each includes a connector along a front edge thereof; and including a first interconnecting circuit board mated to the connectors along the front edges of the side sections in one side plane, and a second interconnecting circuit board mated to the connectors along the front edges of the side sections in the other side plane.
11. The dual midplane assembly of claim 1 wherein the side sections of the top and bottom midplanes each includes a connector along a rear edge thereof; and including a first interconnecting circuit board mated to the connectors along the rear edges of the side sections in one side plane, and a second interconnecting circuit board mated to the connectors along the rear edges of the side sections in the other side plane.
12. The dual midplane assembly of claim 1 including a cabinet rack; and wherein the top and bottom midplanes are disposed within the cabinet rack and the side sections of each side plane are secured to sides of the cabinet rack.
13. An assembly of flexible midplanes, said assembly comprising:
a plurality of flexible midplanes, each flexible midplane including:
a printed circuit board including: a middle section and sections on either side thereof;
a flexible region disposed between said middle section and each side section to permit each side section to be bent substantially orthogonal to the middle section;
at least one connector disposed along front and back edges of the middle section; and
at least one connector disposed along at least one edge of each side section;
wherein said plurality of midplanes being stacked one on top of the other with said side sections thereof aligned in side planes on either side of the middle sections;
wherein the middle sections of said stacked plurality of midplanes forming a plurality of respective planes substantially orthogonal to said side planes; and
an interconnecting circuit board mated to the connectors along said one edge of the side sections of said plurality of midplanes for the interconnection thereof.
14. The assembly of claim 13 wherein the interconnecting circuit board is an active circuit board comprising at least one integrated circuit.
15. The assembly of claim 13 wherein the interconnecting circuit board is a passive circuit board.
16. The assembly of claim 13 wherein the side sections of the stacked plurality of midplanes each includes a connector along a front edge thereof; and including a first interconnecting circuit board mated to the connectors along the front edges of the side sections in one side plane, and a second interconnecting circuit board mated to the connectors along the front edges of the side sections in the other side plane.
17. The assembly of claim 13 wherein the side sections of the stacked plurality of midplanes each includes a connector along a rear edge thereof; and including a first interconnecting circuit board mated to the connectors along the rear edges of the side sections in one side plane, and a second interconnecting circuit board mated to the connectors along the rear edges of the side sections in the other side plane.
18. The assembly of claim 13 including a cabinet rack; and wherein the stacked plurality of midplanes is disposed within the cabinet rack and the side sections of each side plane are secured to sides of the cabinet rack.