Bracket-less Component Carrier Slide Cage Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing component carriers require brackets to secure components, making it difficult to easily insert and remove bare components, limiting their versatility and ease of use.

Innovation Solution

A bracket-less component carrier design featuring a tray with a groove and a slide cage mechanism that transitions between positions using a lever and tilting mechanism, allowing for easy insertion and removal of components without the need for brackets.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If brackets are used to secure components in the component carrier, then component security and stability are improved, but ease of operation for insertion and removal deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent securityVSAvoidease of insertion and removal
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The slide cage mechanism transitions between a first position (for secure storage) and a second position (for easy removal). The lever enables dynamic repositioning of the slide cage, allowing the component to be easily accessed and removed when needed while maintaining secure positioning during storage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The component carrier is divided into a stationary tray and a movable slide cage. The slide cage can be independently actuated by the lever to transition between positions, separating the securement function (tray) from the removal function (slide cage), thereby improving both security and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If brackets are required for component insertion, then component positioning precision is improved, but device complexity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent positioning precisionVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The traditional bracket is extracted and replaced by a slide cage mechanism that uses a lever for actuation. The groove formed in the tray bottom surface replaces the bracket's positioning function, while the slide cage provides the securement and removal functions, simplifying the overall device structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The slide cage acts as an intermediary between the component and the tray. It provides the necessary positioning and securement functions while enabling easy removal, eliminating the need for complex bracket mechanisms directly attached to the component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If the slide cage is spring biased toward the second position, then ease of removal is improved, but component security deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of removalVSAvoidcomponent security
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The spring bias provides a default tendency toward the removal position (second position), but the lever mechanism allows the user to overcome this bias and secure the component in the first position. The system dynamically responds to user input, providing ease of removal when desired while maintaining security when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables efficient and versatile component management by allowing components to be easily inserted and removed, maximizing space and usability, while maintaining secure positioning.

Implementation Method 1

The tilt mechanism and slide cage can be spring biased toward the second position.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpring bias: Spring

Data Source

PatentEP3229102B1Component carrier
Publication Date: 2018.10.03 QUANTA COMPUTER INC
  • EP3229102B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3229102B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3229102B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A component carrier includes a tray, a slide cage, a level and a tilting mechanism. The tray has a bottom surface with a groove formed therein. The slide cage is actuatably coupled with the tray and has a receiving space and an undercarriage. The lever is pivotally coupled with the slide cage and has a lower portion for engaging the groove to transition the slide cage between a first position and a second position. The tilting mechanism is coupled with the tray and configured for biasing the slide cage to the second position. In the first position the undercarriage of the slide cage is positioned proximal to the bottom surface of the tray. In the second position a first end portion of the undercarriage of the slide cage is displaced away from the bottom surface and a second end portion is positioned proximal to the bottom surface of the tray.