IP Library Granted Patent US 10,146,271
Granted Patent B1
US 10,146,271 · App. 15/800,881 · Granted Dec 4, 2018

Expansion planar coupling system

Inventors: Darren Burke Pav (Round Rock, TX); Wesley Brook Morgan (Olympia, WA)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G06F1/185G06F1/184G06F1/20H01R12/7076H01R12/716H05K7/20136H01R2201/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,146,271
App. No.
15/800,881
Granted
Dec 4, 2018
Kind
B1
Abstract

An expansion planar system includes an expansion planar mounted to an expansion planar chassis and including expansion component(s) coupled to a system connector. A coupling subsystem mounted to the expansion planar chassis couples to a system chassis that includes a main planar and an expansion connector. While coupled to the system chassis, the coupling subsystem may provide the expansion planar chassis in a first orientation in which the system connector engages the expansion connector and the expansion planar chassis impedes access to component(s) on the main planar. While coupled to the system chassis, the coupling subsystem may also provide for rotation of the expansion planar chassis relative to the main planar to disengage the system connector from the expansion connector and provide the expansion planar chassis in a second orientation in which access to the component(s) on the main planar is no longer impeded by the expansion planar chassis.

Claims (48)

1. An expansion planar system, comprising:

an expansion planar chassis;

an expansion planar that is mounted to the expansion planar chassis;

at least one expansion component that is located on the expansion planar;

a system connector that is located on the expansion planar and that is coupled to the at least one expansion component through the expansion planar; and

a system chassis coupling subsystem that is mounted to the expansion planar chassis, wherein the system chassis coupling subsystem is configured to:

couple to a system chassis that includes a main planar and an expansion connector;

provide, while coupled to the system chassis, the expansion planar chassis in a first orientation in which the system connector engages the expansion connector and the expansion planar chassis impedes access to a plurality of components on the main planar; and

provide, while coupled to the system chassis, for rotation of the expansion planar chassis relative to the main planar such that the system connector disengages the expansion connector and the expansion planar chassis enters a second orientation in which access to the plurality of components on the main planar is no longer impeded by the expansion planar chassis.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system chassis coupling subsystem includes:

a biasing subsystem that is configured to provide a force on the expansion planar chassis that is opposite a rotation of the expansion planar chassis from the second orientation to the first orientation.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein expansion planar chassis include at least one airflow directing member that is configure to be positioned adjacent at least one of the plurality of components on the main planar when the expansion planar chassis is in the first orientation.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system chassis coupling subsystem is configured to:

provide for rotation of the expansion planar chassis from the second orientation to the first orientation such that the system connector blind mates with the expansion connector.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the main planar and the expansion planar provide a keying subsystem that is configured to engage to align the system connector and the expansion connector as the expansion planar chassis moves from the second orientation to the first orientation.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system chassis coupling subsystem includes a guide member that is configured to engage a guide feature on the system chassis in order to align the expansion planar and the main planar.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of components on the main planar include a main planar processing system and a main planar memory system, and wherein the at least one expansion component on the expansion planar includes an expansion planar processing system and an expansion planar memory system.

8. An Information Handling System (IHS), comprising:

a system chassis;

a main planar that is housed in the system chassis and that includes a processing subsystem and a memory subsystem;

an expansion planar chassis that is coupled to the system chassis by a coupling subsystem;

an expansion planar that is mounted to the expansion planar chassis;

at least one expansion component that is located on the expansion planar; and

a system connector that is located on the expansion planar and that is coupled to the at least one expansion component through the expansion planar;

wherein the coupling subsystem is configured to:

provide the expansion planar chassis in a first orientation in which the system connector engages the expansion connector and the expansion planar chassis impedes access to processing subsystem and the memory subsystem on the main planar; and

provide for rotation of the expansion planar chassis relative to the main planar such that the system connector disengages the expansion connector and the expansion planar chassis enters a second orientation in which access to the processing subsystem and the memory subsystem on the main planar is no longer impeded by the expansion planar chassis.

9. The IHS of claim 8 , further comprising:

a biasing subsystem that is configured to provide a force on the expansion planar chassis that is opposite a rotation of the expansion planar chassis from the second orientation to the first orientation.

10. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein expansion planar chassis include at least one airflow directing member that is configure to be positioned adjacent at least one of the plurality of components on the main planar when the expansion planar chassis is in the first orientation.

11. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein the coupling system provides for rotation of the expansion planar chassis from the second orientation to the first orientation such that the system connector blind mates with the expansion connector.

12. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein the main planar and the expansion planar provide a keying subsystem that is configured to engage to align the system connector and the expansion connector as the expansion planar chassis moves from the second orientation to the first orientation.

13. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein the coupling subsystem includes one or more tool-less coupling elements that are configured to couple the expansion planar chassis to and decouple the expansion planar chassis from the system chassis.

14. A method for coupling an expansion planar to a main planar, comprising:

coupling, by a coupling subsystem mounted to an expansion planar chassis, to a system chassis that houses a main planar and an expansion connector, wherein an expansion planar is mounted to the expansion planar chassis and includes at least one expansion component and a system connector coupled to the at least one expansion component;

providing, by the coupling subsystem while coupled to the system chassis, the expansion planar chassis in a first orientation such that the system connector engages the expansion connector and the expansion planar chassis impedes access to a plurality of components on the main planar; and

providing, by the coupling subsystem while coupled to the system chassis, for rotation of the expansion planar chassis relative to the main planar such that the system connector disengages the expansion connector and the expansion planar chassis enters a second orientation in which access to the plurality of components on the main planar is no longer impeded by the expansion planar chassis.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

providing, by a biasing subsystem coupled to the expansion planar chassis, a force that is opposite a rotation of the expansion planar chassis from the second orientation to the first orientation.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

directing, by at least one airflow directing member that is included on the expansion planar chassis and positioned adjacent at least one of the plurality of components on the main planar when the expansion planar chassis is in the first orientation, air over the at least one of the plurality of components on the main planar.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

providing, by the coupling subsystem while coupled to the system chassis, for rotation of the expansion planar chassis from the second orientation to the first orientation such that the system connector blind mates with the expansion connector.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

engaging a keying subsystem provided on the main planar and the expansion planar to align the system connector and the expansion connector as the expansion planar chassis moves from the second orientation to the first orientation.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

engaging, by a guide member on the coupling subsystem, a guide feature on the system chassis in order to align the expansion planar and the main planar.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of components on the main planar include a main planar processing system and a main planar memory system, and wherein the at least one expansion component on the expansion planar includes an expansion planar processing system and an expansion planar memory system.

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 (044535/0109) 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; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.)
Reel/Frame 060753/0414 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 044535 FRAME 0001 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 058298/0475 →
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2018
From: PAV, DARREN BURKE
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 046682/0026 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Nov 29, 2017
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044535/0109 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (CREDIT) Recorded Nov 29, 2017
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044535/0001 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,696,409