Expansion Card Frame with Disk Drive Accommodation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing server systems face inefficiency in utilizing expansion card frames, as they are typically dedicated to either expansion cards or disk drives, leading to idle inventory due to inability to serve multiple purposes.
Innovation Solution
An expansion card frame designed to be mounted on a server chassis, which can accommodate both riser cards and expansion cards, and further assembled with an assembling frame to form a disk drive cage, allowing the frame to serve both purposes and reduce inventory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the expansion card frame is dedicated solely to installing expansion cards, then the installation reliability of expansion cards is improved, but the versatility of the frame is reduced, causing idle inventory
Solution Approach 1:
The expansion card frame is designed with multi-functionality to serve both as an expansion card installation platform and as a disk drive cage. The frame includes a side plate with a first through-hole for expansion cards and a top plate with a second through-hole that can accommodate both expansion cards and disk drives. This universal design allows the same frame structure to support different components based on configuration needs, eliminating the need for separate dedicated frames and reducing inventory requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate dedicated frames are used for expansion cards and disk drives, then the functional specificity is improved, but the inventory quantity increases due to idle frames
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is designed as a universal structure that can accommodate both expansion cards and disk drives through configurable through-holes in the side plate and top plate. This eliminates the need for maintaining separate inventories for expansion card frames and disk drive cages, as a single frame type can serve multiple purposes depending on what components are installed.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the functions of expansion card frame and disk drive cage into a single integrated frame structure. The side plate and top plate are designed with multiple through-holes that can be configured to support either expansion cards or disk drives, combining two previously separate functions into one unified component that reduces overall inventory requirements.
3Ease of manufacture
If the expansion card frame structure is simplified, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the adaptability to accommodate different components is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is segmented into distinct functional areas with specific through-holes positioned in the side plate and top plate. The side plate contains a first through-hole optimized for expansion cards, while the top plate contains a second through-hole that can accommodate either expansion cards or disk drives. This segmentation allows the frame to maintain structural simplicity for easy manufacturing while providing adaptability through strategically positioned opening options.
Data Source
AI summary
An expansion card frame is configured to be mount on a casing of a server chassis and is configured for installations of a riser card and an expansion card. The expansion card frame includes a side plate and a top plate. The side plate is configured for the installation of the riser card. The riser card is configured for an insertion of the expansion card. The top plate is connected to a side of the side plate and configured to cover the riser card. The top plate has at least one assembling structure, and the at least one assembling structure of the top plate is configured to be assembled with at least one assembling structure of an assembling frame so that the top plate, the side plate, and the assembling frame together form an accommodation space for accommodating a disk drive.