Elevator Mechanism for Front Service of Electronic Chassis Components
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current expansion chassis designs require the complete removal of the chassis or nested trays to service individual electronic devices, leading to increased effort and unnecessary disturbance of surrounding devices, resulting in longer times between failures.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with an elevator mechanism that allows for the disconnection and removal of a single electronic device from a chassis without disturbing surrounding devices, utilizing a vertical inner housing constrained to move within an outer housing, facilitated by a horizontal sliding piece and handle-actuated motion, enabling the device to be raised, removed, and reconnected without affecting other devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If the complete chassis or nested tray is removed to service an individual device, then the device can be accessed, but the effort is multiplied and surrounding devices are needlessly disturbed
Solution Approach 1:
The chassis is segmented into individual removable device slots, each capable of being accessed independently. The device carrier can be extracted from the chassis without removing the entire chassis structure, allowing service personnel to access and service individual devices while leaving other devices undisturbed in their slots.
Solution Approach 2:
The device carrier holding the electronic device is extracted from the chassis through a rear access opening. This extraction mechanism allows the device to be removed for servicing without disturbing surrounding devices, as each device has its own dedicated carrier that can be independently extracted.
2Ease of repair
If the complete chassis is removed to service a single device, then the device becomes accessible, but time is lost and other connections are disturbed
Solution Approach 1:
The chassis structure is divided into independent device slots with individual carriers. Each carrier can be quickly extracted and reinserted without affecting other slots, dramatically reducing the time required to service a single device compared to removing the entire chassis.
Solution Approach 2:
The device carriers are pre-configured with connection interfaces that automatically align with the chassis slots during insertion. This preliminary preparation of connection interfaces ensures rapid connection establishment when devices are reinserted, minimizing maintenance time.
3Ease of repair
If surrounding devices are disturbed during service, then access to the target device is achieved, but the risk of additional failures increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each device is housed in its own dedicated carrier within the chassis. When one device is serviced, only its specific carrier is extracted, leaving all other device carriers undisturbed in their slots. This segmentation isolates the service operation to a single device, preventing any disturbance to surrounding devices and their connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The target device carrier is extracted individually from the chassis through the rear opening, while all other device carriers remain in place. This selective extraction ensures that only the intended device is accessed for servicing, and all surrounding devices maintain their stable connections without any risk of additional failures.
Data Source
AI summary
An elevator provides for sliding and connecting or disconnecting an electronic device from a chassis circuit board and the subsequent removal of the device from a chassis slot. A sliding element between the device and the chassis includes tracks within which travel followers. Motion of the sliding element in a first direction causes the tracks to move with respect to the followers, pulling the device connector away from the mating circuit board connector. In a fully disconnected position, the device may be removed from the slot. Motion of the sliding element in the opposite direction causes the relative motion between the tracks and followers to urge the device connector toward the circuit board connector until, in a fully seated position, the device is connected to the circuit board.