Chassis structure and base plate for chassis structure

Abstract

The present technology relates to a chassis structure and a base plate for a chassis structure that includes the base plate having a first mounting element disposed across the base plate and a second mounting element disposed across the base plate, the first mounting element having a different configuration than the second mounting element. First and second side walls extend longitudinally in the chassis and are positioned on respective sides of the floor. A rear wall extends between the first and second side walls at a rear portion of the chassis, the rear wall having apertures for allowing fluid to flow between an interior and an exterior of the chassis. A hardware component is removably connected to the base plate of the chassis, including: a bottom wall; a connector disposed on the bottom wall, the connector configured to be received by the first mounting element; and a retaining mechanism disposed on the bottom wall and configured to be received by the second mounting element.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present technology relates to a chassis structure, and more particularly, to a chassis structure that facilitates electronic component cooling, access, and removal. BACKGROUND

[0002] A server is a central computer that typically serves computers in a network environment and provides necessary functionality, such as storage, processing, and information exchange, to these network computers. A conventional server can be implemented similarly to a conventional personal computer and generally includes a central processing unit (CPU), a memory, and an input / output device, all of which are communicatively coupled together internally via a bus. These internal components of a server or server hardware operate according to inherent specifications and can be influenced by external factors such as temperature, humidity, pressure, and the like.

[0003] A server rack contains a chassis structure for storing and connecting multiple computer nodes. Each node can be used as a separate computing unit with a CPU, a graphics processing unit (GPU), a memory, a data bus, and the like.

[0004] Depending on the computer node usage, different types of hardware components are implemented. Therefore, when assembling each computer node in a data center, an end user will need to use a specific installation method to install different hardware components and specific connectors and power modes associated with the hardware components. SUMMARY

[0005] Embodiments of the present technology have been developed based on the developers’ knowledge of at least one technical problem associated with prior art solutions. Therefore, the developers have designed a chassis structure for a server rack that allows for quick and easy installation and removal of hardware components based on end user requirements.

[0006] In a first broad aspect of the present technology, a chassis structure is provided. The chassis structure includes a chassis. The chassis includes a floor having a first mounting element disposed across the floor and a second mounting element disposed across the floor, the first mounting element having a different configuration than the second mounting element. A first side wall and a second side wall extend longitudinally in the chassis and are positioned on respective sides of the floor. A rear wall extends between the first side wall and the second side wall at a rear of the chassis, the rear wall having an aperture for allowing fluid flow between an interior of the chassis and an exterior of the chassis. A hardware component is removably connected to the floor of the chassis. The hardware component includes a bottom wall, a connector disposed on the bottom wall, the connector configured to be received by the first mounting element, and a retention mechanism disposed on the bottom wall, the retention mechanism configured to be received by the second mounting element.

[0007] In some embodiments, the first and second mounting elements are disposed across a front portion of the chassis.

[0008] In some embodiments, the first mounting element is a plurality of first openings, the second mounting element is a plurality of second openings, and the plurality of first openings is a different shape than the plurality of second openings.

[0009] In some embodiments, each of the plurality of first openings includes a larger opening that narrows toward a slot and a ramped feature that slopes downward between the larger opening and the slot.

[0010] In some embodiments, the plurality of first openings is distributed across two rows that extend across the chassis between the first and second side walls, and the plurality of second openings is distributed across three rows that extend across the chassis between the first and second side walls.

[0011] In some embodiments, the plurality of first openings is evenly spaced across each of the two rows and the plurality of second openings is evenly spaced across each of the three rows.

[0012] In some embodiments, the plurality of first openings of a first of the two rows is longitudinally aligned with the plurality of first openings of a second of the two rows, and the plurality of second openings of a first of the three rows is longitudinally aligned with the plurality of second openings of a second and third of the three rows.

[0013] In some embodiments, a distance between the plurality of second openings and the back wall of the chassis is less than a distance between the plurality of first openings and the back wall of the chassis.

[0014] In some embodiments, a diameter of the larger opening is greater than a diameter of the second opening.

[0015] In some embodiments, engagement between the connector and the first mounting element prevents the hardware assembly from advancing toward the back wall, and engagement between the retaining mechanism and the second mounting element prevents the hardware assembly from advancing away from the back wall.

[0016] In some embodiments, the connector includes a circular plate-shaped top, a circular plate-shaped bottom having a diameter similar to a diameter of the top, and a cylindrical post between the circular plate-shaped top and the circular plate-shaped bottom, the cylindrical post having a diameter that is less than the diameter of the top and the diameter of the bottom.

[0017] In some embodiments, the bottom wall includes a hole, the top is disposed in the hole, and the post extends away from the bottom wall.

[0018] In some embodiments, the hole further includes a plurality of teeth disposed around a perimeter of the hole and the plurality of teeth engage an outer edge of the top of the connector.

[0019] In some embodiments, the retention mechanism includes a peg and a lever configured to engage the peg to retain within the second mounting element.

[0020] In some embodiments, the connector is a first connector and the hardware assembly further includes a second connector disposed on the bottom wall.

[0021] In some embodiments, the bottom wall includes an extension and the retention mechanism is disposed on the extension.

[0022] In some embodiments, the first mounting element includes a plurality of first openings disposed between the first sidewall and the second sidewall. Each of the plurality of first openings includes a larger opening that narrows toward a slot and a ramped feature extending between the larger opening and the slot. The second mounting element includes a plurality of second openings disposed between the first sidewall and the second sidewall. Each of the plurality of second openings includes a circular opening. The connector is configured to be received by one of the plurality of first openings, the connector including a top, a bottom configured to be received by the larger opening, and a post between the top and the bottom, the post configured to be received by the slot. The retention mechanism is configured to be received by one of the plurality of second openings, the retention mechanism including a peg and a lever configured to engage the peg.

[0023] In some embodiments, the connector is configured to slidably engage the first mounting element.

[0024] In some embodiments, the board includes a first mounting element disposed across the bottom plate and a second mounting element disposed across the bottom plate, the first mounting element having a different configuration than the second mounting element. The first and second mounting elements are used to removably connect a hardware assembly to the chassis, the hardware assembly including a bottom wall, a connector disposed on the bottom wall, the connector configured to be received by the first mounting element, and a retention mechanism disposed on the bottom wall, the retention mechanism configured to be received by the second mounting element.

[0025] Embodiments of the present technology each have at least one of the above-mentioned objects and / or aspects, but do not necessarily have all of them. It is understood that some aspects of the present technology can result without

[0026] Additional and / or alternative features, aspects, and advantages of embodiments of the technology will be apparent from the following description, the drawings, and the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0027] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the technology will become better understood with respect to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

[0028] Figure 1 is a left front perspective view of a server rack housing a chassis structure.

[0029] Figure 2 is a left front perspective view of a chassis structure having computer nodes and housing a plurality of hardware components;

[0030] Figure 3 is Figure 2 a left front perspective view of a chassis structure and exploded view of hardware components of

[0031] Figure 4 is Figure 3 a close-up of a left front perspective view of a front of a chassis structure of

[0032] Figure 5 is a left front perspective view of a front of a chassis structure with hardware components installed;

[0033] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of Figure 5

[0034] Figure 7 is a close-up view of a connector of a hardware component depicted in Figure 6

[0035] Figure 8 is a close-up view of a retention mechanism of a hardware component depicted in Figure 5 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] Example and conditional language used herein generally is intended to convey the circumstances where different implementations of the technology can be used or implemented, and is not intended to necessarily convey a limitation of the scope of the technology to such specific examples and conditions. It will be appreciated that those skilled in the art can devise numerous arrangements which, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the technology and are encompassed within its spirit and scope.

[0037] Furthermore, to help understand the technology, the following description can describe relatively simplified embodiments of the technology. Those skilled in the art will understand that various embodiments of the technology can have more complexity.

[0038] ​​​In some cases, examples of modifications that are considered beneficial to the present technology may also be described. This is intended solely to aid understanding and is not intended to define the scope or state the limits of the present technology. These modifications are not an exhaustive list, and those skilled in the art may make other modifications while remaining within the scope of the present technology. Furthermore, when no examples of modifications are described, this should not be interpreted as meaning that modifications are impossible and / or that the described content is the only way to implement this element of the present technology.

[0039] Chassis structure

[0040] refer to Figure 1 , depicts a server rack 1000 housing a chassis structure 100 among a plurality of chassis structures (not numbered). Thus, it can be said that the chassis structure 100 is configured to be housed within the server rack 1000. Broadly speaking, one or more chassis structures of the server rack 1000 are configured to process processable requests and / or tasks of external clients. For example, data indicative of a given processable request may be obtained by one or more electronic components of the chassis structure 100 (and / or by electronic components of other chassis structures of the server rack 1000). This data may then be processed and / or stored by one or more electronic components of the chassis structure 100. Reference will now be made to Figure 2 How the chassis structure 100 is implemented in at least some embodiments of the present technology is described in greater detail.

[0041] like Figure 2 , chassis structure 100 includes chassis 200 and computer node 300. Chassis structure 100 also includes fans 400 at the rear thereof.

[0042] However, in at least some embodiments, the fans 400 may be omitted from the chassis structure 100. For example, it is contemplated that the fans 400 may instead be provided on the rear of the server rack 1000.

[0043] Chassis

[0044] Now refer to Figure 3 Chassis 200 describes how chassis structure 100 may be implemented in at least some embodiments of the present technology.

[0045] like Figure 3 , the chassis 200 includes a first bottom plate 202, a first side wall 204, a second side wall 206, and a rear wall 210. The first side wall 204 and the second side wall 206 extend longitudinally in the chassis 200 and are positioned on respective sides of the first bottom plate 202. The rear wall 210 extends transversely between the first side wall 204 and the second side wall 206 at the rear of the chassis 200 and is connected to the first side wall 204 and the second side wall 206.

[0046] The first side wall 204, the second side wall 206, and the rear wall 210 are attached to the floor 202 of the chassis 200 using any suitable attachment means, such as, for example, bolts and / or screws. Alternatively, the first side wall 204, the second side wall 206, and the rear wall 210 can be integrally formed with the floor 202 for providing the chassis 200.

[0047] The rear wall 210 is also configured to house, among other components (not numbered), a power connector 213, a motherboard connector 215, as will be discussed in further detail below. The rear wall 210 has apertures 212, generally, for allowing fluid communication between the interior of the chassis 200 and the exterior of the chassis 200 through the rear wall 210.

[0048] It should be noted that in the non-limiting embodiment depicted in Figure 3 , the fan 400 is removably attached to the rear wall 210 outside of the chassis 200. As illustrated, when the fan 400 is removably attached to the rear wall 210, the fan 400 is longitudinally aligned with the corresponding aperture 212 to create a fluid flow from the interior of the chassis 200 through the rear wall 210 towards the exterior of the chassis 200.

[0049] The first side wall 204, the second side wall 206, the rear wall 210, and the floor 202 define a storage space 260 in the chassis 200. The storage space 260 of the chassis 200 is configured to house the computer node 300 (see Figure 2 ).

[0050] The floor 202 includes mounting elements 214, 216 configured to receive various hardware components 500 associated with the computer node 300. In some embodiments of the present technology, the hardware components 500 include a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), a non-volatile memory express (NVME), a motherboard, a processing unit, and a random access memory (RAM). It should be appreciated that the hardware components 500 can be selected and disposed within the chassis 200 to meet user requirements.

[0051] The mounting elements 214, 216 are configured to removably connect with the connectors 236 and the retention mechanisms 244 of the hardware components 500. Accordingly, a user can customize the hardware components 500 installed within the computer node 300 by removably connecting the hardware components 500 to the floor 202 of the chassis 200.

[0052] In some embodiments, the hardware components 500 can include at least one of:

[0053] • Integrated server nodes: These are the main computing units within the rack, consisting of CPUs (Central Processing Units) for performing tasks, running applications, and managing data, memory (RAM), and storage devices;

[0054] • Power Supplies: Server racks can be equipped with redundant power supplies to ensure uninterrupted operation and can convert incoming AC power to DC power for use by server components;

[0055] • Cooling Solutions: Internal cooling mechanisms, such as fans and heat sinks, maintain optimal operating temperatures for components to prevent overheating and ensure reliable performance;

[0056] • Motherboard: The main circuit board that houses the CPU, RAM slots, expansion slots, and connectors for various internal and external devices;

[0057] • CPU: The CPU is the central processing unit responsible for executing instructions and performing calculations, and there can be multiple CPUs or single CPU cores in a single server node;

[0058] • RAM: RAM stores data that the CPU is actively using to allow faster data access than reading from storage drives;

[0059] • Storage Devices: Hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs) provide data storage for operating systems, applications, and user data;

[0060] • Network Interface Cards (NICs): These interface cards enable communication between the server and the network to allow data to be sent and received over the network;

[0061] • RAID Controllers: Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) controllers manage multiple storage drives to improve performance, redundancy, and data integrity;

[0062] • Expansion Cards: These cards can include graphics cards, additional NICs, or hardware dedicated to tasks such as encryption or hardware acceleration;

[0063] • BMC / Management Controller: The Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) provides remote monitoring and management capabilities and allows administrators to perform tasks such as remote power cycling, monitor health status, and access the server console through a network connection; and

[0064] • Diagnostic LEDs: These indicators provide visual feedback about the status of various components to help quickly troubleshoot and identify potential issues.

[0065] Figure 3 and 4The mounting elements 214, 216 on the bottom plate 202 of the chassis 200 are depicted as two types of openings, namely, a plurality of first openings 214 and a plurality of second openings 216, where the plurality of first openings 214 are a different shape than the plurality of second openings 216. The first openings 214 and the second openings 216 are disposed across the front portion 218 of the bottom plate 202. The first openings 214 are disposed longitudinally in front of the second openings 216. As Figures 3 to 5 depicted in FIG. 2, the first openings 214 are aligned with the second openings 216 in the longitudinal direction. It is contemplated that in alternative embodiments, the first openings 214 can be laterally offset from the second openings 216.

[0066] First opening

[0067] Referring to Figure 4 and 5 the first openings 214 will now be described in greater detail. Two rows of first openings 214 are disposed across the bottom plate 202, namely, a first row 220 and a second row 222. Each row 220, 222 of first openings 214 extends laterally across the bottom plate 202. The first openings 214 are evenly spaced across each row 220, 222 between the first sidewall 204 and the second sidewall 206. The first openings 214 of the first row 220 are aligned with the first openings 214 of the second row 222 in the longitudinal direction. Although two rows 220, 222 are described, it is contemplated that the first openings 214 can be disposed across a number of rows.

[0068] It is contemplated that in alternative embodiments, the first openings 214 can be unevenly distributed across each row 220, 222. In further alternative embodiments, the first openings 214 of each row 220, 222 can be laterally offset. For example, the first row 220 of first openings 214 can be laterally offset from the second row 222 of first openings 214.

[0069] The first openings 214 are comprised of a larger opening 230 that narrows and / or tapers to a relatively smaller opening 232. As Figure 5 depicted in FIG. 2, the larger opening 230 is circular and the smaller opening 232 is shaped as a slot 232. The slot 232 is disposed lower than the larger circular opening 230 to prevent accidental disconnection of the hardware assembly 500. Specifically, the first opening 214 includes a ramped feature 234 (as seen in FIG. 3) that extends between the larger opening 230 and the slot 232. The ramped feature 234 slopes downward between the larger opening 230 and the slot 232. In some embodiments of the technology, the first opening 214 is configured similarly to the openings on the sheet of material. Figure 8

[0070] Connector

[0071] ​​Each hardware assembly 500 includes at least one connector 236 disposed on the bottom wall 502 of the hardware assembly 500. Figure 6 and 7 , connector 236 is composed of a top portion 238, a bottom portion 242, and a post 240 therebetween. Top portion 238 and bottom portion 242 are plate-shaped and circular. Post 240 is cylindrical and extends from the center of top portion 238 to the center of bottom portion 242. The diameters of top portion 238 and bottom portion 242 are similar to each other and larger than the diameter of post 240.

[0072] The top 238 of the connector 236 is connected to the bottom wall 502 of the hardware assembly 500. Figure 7 , the bottom wall 502 includes at least one hole 504 for receiving the top 238. In certain embodiments of the present technology, the perimeter of the hole 504 includes a plurality of teeth 508 that engage the outer edge of the top 238. The post 240 extends away from the bottom wall 502 so that the post 240 and the bottom 242 are positioned below the bottom wall 502. In some embodiments of the present technology, the connector 236 is similar to Fasteners (such as SKC-F TM ) general configuration.

[0073] In some embodiments of the present technology, the bottom wall 502 includes two holes 504 (and therefore two connectors 236 ). However, it should be understood that any number of holes 504 may be disposed in the bottom wall 502 such that any number of connectors 236 may be connected to the hardware assembly 500 .

[0074] 214 . Each connector 236 is sized to be received by one of the first openings 214. Specifically, the bottom 242 is sized to be received by the larger opening 230, and the post 240 is sized to be received by the slot 232. As will be described in more detail below, when the hardware assembly 500 is connected to the chassis 200, the bottom 242 of the connector 236 is inserted into the larger opening 230 of one of the first openings 214. The hardware assembly 500 is advanced longitudinally toward the rear wall 210, which slides the post 240 into the slot 232. The slot 232 prevents any further advancement toward the rear wall 210. Additionally, the slot 232 has a smaller diameter than the bottom 242 of the connector 236, which prevents the hardware assembly 500 from accidentally disengaging when pulled upward (away from the base plate 202).

[0075] It is contemplated that, in alternative embodiments, the first openings 214 and the connectors 236 may have different configurations that complement one another to allow each connector 236 to be received by a corresponding first opening 214 .

[0076] Second opening

[0077] refer to Figure 4 and 5The second openings 216 span three rows, namely, a first row 224, a second row 226, and a third row 228. Each row 224, 226, 228 of the second openings 216 extends laterally across the floor 202. The second openings 216 are evenly spaced between the first sidewall 204 and the second sidewall 206 across each row 224, 226, 228. The second openings 216 of each of the three rows 224, 226, 228 are longitudinally aligned with one another. The three rows 224, 226, 228 of longitudinally positioned second openings 216 are offset from the two rows 220, 222 of first openings 214. To be clear, the three rows 224, 226, 228 of second openings 216 are disposed longitudinally behind the two rows 220, 222 of first openings 214, such that the second openings 216 are closer to the back wall 210 than the first openings 214. Although three rows 224, 226, 228 of second openings 216 are described, it is contemplated that the second openings 216 can be disposed across a number of rows.

[0078] It is contemplated that, in alternative embodiments, the second openings 216 can be unevenly distributed across each of the rows 224, 226, 228. In further alternative embodiments, the second openings 216 of each row 224, 226, 228 can be laterally offset. For example, the first row 224 of second openings 216 can be laterally offset from the second and third rows 226, 228.

[0079] The second openings 216 are circular and sized to be smaller than the first openings 214. To be clear, the second openings 216 are smaller than the larger circular openings 230 of the first openings 214.

[0080] Retention mechanism

[0081] As Figure 6 and 8 Each hardware component 500 includes a retention mechanism 244, as depicted in

[0082] The retention mechanism 244 is disposed on a bottom wall 502 of the hardware component 500. In some embodiments of the present technology, the bottom wall 502 includes an extension 506 on which the retention mechanism 244 is disposed. It is contemplated that, in alternative embodiments of the present technology, the extension 506 can be omitted.

[0083] Referring to Figure 6 and 8The retaining mechanism 244 will now be further described. The retaining mechanism 244 can be embodied as a latch including a peg 246 and an operating lever 248. The peg 246 is cylindrical and configured to be received by one of the second openings 216. The operating lever 248 is configured to engage the peg 246 into the second opening 216. When the operating lever 248 engages the peg 246, the peg 246 is lowered into the second opening 216 (as seen in Figure 6 When the peg 246 is received by the second opening 216, lateral and longitudinal movement of the hardware assembly 500 is restricted to prevent the hardware assembly 500 from inadvertently disengaging from the chassis 200. Specifically, the hardware assembly 500 cannot inadvertently move forward (i.e., away from the rear wall 210) within the chassis 200, which would disengage the connector 236 from the first opening 214. When the operating lever 248 is disengaged from the peg 246, the peg 246 is lifted from the second opening 216, thereby allowing the hardware assembly 500 to move forward to disconnect the first opening 214 from the connector 236 and ultimately the hardware assembly 500 from the chassis 200.

[0084] In some embodiments of the present technology, each hardware assembly 500 includes one retaining mechanism 244. However, it should be appreciated that in other embodiments, any number of retaining mechanisms 244 can be disposed on the hardware assembly 500.

[0085] It can be contemplated that in alternative embodiments, the second openings 216 and the pegs 246 can have different configurations that are complementary to each other to enable each peg 246 to be received by a respective second opening 216.

[0086] Operation

[0087] As previously described, the hardware assembly 500 of a respective computer node 300 can be selected and installed to meet the requirements of a user. The hardware assembly 500 is configured to be quickly and easily connected to the bottom plate 202 of the chassis 200 via the first and second openings 214, 216 and the connector 236 and the retaining mechanism 244, respectively.

[0088] When installing the selected hardware component 500, the user positions the hardware component 500 such that the connector 236 is aligned with one of the first openings 214 and the retaining mechanism 244 is aligned with one of the second openings 216. The hardware component 500 is advanced into the chassis 200 towards the rear wall 210. Once the connector 236 reaches the first opening 214, the connector 236 is seated into the larger opening 230. Specifically, the bottom 242 of the connector 236 is received in the larger opening 230. As the user continues to push the hardware component 500 towards the rear wall 210, the connector 236 slides into the slot 232 of the first opening 214. That is, the post 240 of the connector 236 is received by the slot 232 to stop any further advancement of the hardware component 500 towards the rear wall 210. The hardware component 500 is now free from any accidental disengagement in the upward direction.

[0089] The user then actuates the retaining mechanism 244 to engage the lever 248 which inserts the peg 246 into the second opening 216. Thus, the hardware component 500 is free from any accidental disengagement in the lateral and longitudinal directions. Specifically, the hardware component 500 cannot slide towards the front of the chassis 200 which would disengage the connector 236 from the first opening 214.

[0090] To disconnect the hardware component 500 from the bottom plate 202, the user releases the lever 248 which causes the peg 246 to exit the second opening 216. The hardware component 500 is moved towards the front of the chassis 200, away from the rear wall 210, and slightly lifted upwards which disengages the post 240 from the slot 232. The hardware component 500 is lifted away from the bottom plate 202 to cause the bottom 242 of the connector 236 to exit the larger circular opening 230 of the first opening 214. The hardware component 500 is now released from the chassis 200.

[0091] Modifications and improvements of the above-described embodiments of the present technology can become apparent to those skilled in the art. The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. The scope of the present technology should therefore be determined not with reference to the above description, but instead should be determined with reference to the appended claims.

Claims

1. A chassis structure, characterized by The chassis structure comprises: a chassis including: a bottom plate having: a first mounting element disposed across the bottom plate; a second mounting element disposed across the bottom plate; and the first mounting element has a different configuration than the second mounting element; a first side wall and a second side wall extending longitudinally in the chassis and positioned on respective sides of the bottom plate; a rear wall extending between the first side wall and the second side wall at a rear of the chassis, the rear wall having an aperture for allowing fluid flow between an interior of the chassis and an exterior of the chassis; and a hardware assembly removably connected to the bottom plate of the chassis, the hardware assembly including: a bottom wall; a connector disposed on the bottom wall, the connector configured to be received by the first mounting element; and a retention mechanism disposed on the bottom wall, the retention mechanism configured to be received by the second mounting element.

2. The chassis structure of claim 1, wherein The first and the second mounting elements are disposed across a front of the bottom plate.

3. The chassis structure of claim 1, wherein: the first mounting element is a plurality of first openings; the second mounting element is a plurality of second openings; and the plurality of first openings are a different shape than the plurality of second openings.

4. The chassis structure of claim 3, wherein Each of the plurality of first openings includes: a larger opening narrowing toward a slot; and a ramped feature sloping downward between the larger opening and the slot.

5. The chassis structure of claim 3, wherein: the plurality of first openings are distributed across two rows extending across the bottom plate between the first side wall and the second side wall; and the plurality of second openings are distributed across three rows extending across the bottom plate between the first side wall and the second side wall.

6. The chassis structure of claim 5, wherein: the plurality of first openings are evenly spaced across each of the two rows; and the plurality of second openings are evenly spaced across each of the three rows.

7. The chassis structure of claim 5, wherein: the plurality of first openings of a first of the two rows are longitudinally aligned with the plurality of first openings of a second of the two rows; and the plurality of second openings of a first of the three rows are longitudinally aligned with the plurality of second openings of a second and a third of the three rows.

8. The chassis structure of claim 3, wherein: a distance between the plurality of second openings and the rear wall of the chassis is less than a distance between the plurality of first openings and the rear wall of the chassis.

9. The chassis structure of claim 4, wherein: a diameter of the larger opening is greater than a diameter of the second opening.

10. The chassis structure of claim 1, wherein: an engagement between the connector and the first mounting element prevents the hardware assembly from advancing toward the rear wall; and an engagement between the retention mechanism and the second mounting element prevents the hardware assembly from advancing away from the rear wall.

11. The chassis structure of claim 1, wherein the connector includes: a circular plate top; a circular plate-shaped bottom having a diameter similar to a diameter of the top; and a cylindrical column between the circular plate-shaped top and the circular plate-shaped bottom, the cylindrical column having a diameter that is less than the diameter of the top and the diameter of the bottom.

12. The chassis structure of claim 11, wherein: the bottom wall comprises a hole; the top is disposed in the hole; and the column extends away from the bottom wall.

13. The chassis structure of claim 12, wherein: the hole further comprises a plurality of teeth disposed around a perimeter of the hole; and the plurality of teeth engage an outer edge of the top of the connector.

14. The chassis structure of claim 1, wherein the retention mechanism comprises: a peg; and an operating lever configured to engage the peg to remain within the second mounting element.

15. The chassis structure of claim 1, wherein: the connector is a first connector; and the hardware assembly further comprises a second connector disposed on the bottom wall.

16. The chassis structure of claim 1, wherein: the bottom wall comprises an extension; and the retention mechanism is disposed on the extension.

17. The chassis structure of claim 1, wherein: the first mounting element comprises a plurality of first openings disposed between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, each of the plurality of first openings comprises: a larger opening narrowing toward a slot; and a ramped feature extending between the larger opening and the slot; and the second mounting element comprises a plurality of second openings disposed between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, each of the plurality of second openings comprises a circular opening; the connector is configured to be received by one of the plurality of first openings, the connector comprises: a top; a bottom configured to be received by the larger opening; and a column between the top and the bottom, the column is configured to be received by the slot; and the retention mechanism is configured to be received by one of the plurality of second openings, the retention mechanism comprises: a peg; and an operating lever configured to engage the peg.

18. The chassis structure of claim 1, wherein the connector is configured to slidably engage the first mounting element.

19. A floor panel for a floor structure, characterized by the plate comprises: a first mounting element disposed across the bottom plate; a second mounting element disposed across the bottom plate; and the first mounting element has a different configuration than the second mounting element; the first and second mounting elements are used to removably connect a hardware assembly to a chassis, the hardware assembly includes: a bottom wall; a connector disposed on the bottom wall, the connector is configured to be received by the first mounting element; and a retention mechanism disposed on the bottom wall, the retention mechanism is configured to be received by the second mounting element.

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