Midplane Power Supply Sideways Coupling for Controller Connector Density
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Solution Overview
Problem
In information processing apparatuses, increasing the number of interface connectors for controllers to accommodate high-density storage media drives interferes with the placement of power supply apparatuses, making it difficult to maintain the apparatus's compact size without complex mounting mechanisms or reduced communication efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves coupling power supply apparatuses sideways to the rear surface of the midplane, creating spaces between them and the controller board, allowing for an extended row of connectors for the controller along the left-right direction without interference, and using a convex cover to manage component placement and airflow for efficient cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the number of interface connectors is increased to accommodate high-density storage media drives, then the communication capacity is improved, but the placement of power supply apparatus is interfered with
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply apparatus is rotated 90 degrees and coupled sideways to the rear surface of the midplane, changing its orientation from the conventional front-rear direction alignment. This dimensional change allows the power supply apparatus to occupy space in the up-down direction rather than interfering with the left-right arrangement of connectors, enabling both high connector density and proper power supply placement.
2Productivity
If connectors for controller are increased along the left-right direction, then the communication capacity is improved, but the apparatus size increases
Solution Approach 1:
By coupling the power supply apparatus sideways rather than in the conventional front-rear direction, the available space along the left-right direction of the rear surface is preserved for connectors. This allows the connector row to extend fully along the left-right direction without increasing the overall apparatus width, maintaining compact size while maximizing communication capacity.
3Ease of manufacture
If the power supply apparatus is coupled in the conventional direction, then the mounting is simple, but the connector placement is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply apparatus is coupled in an asymmetric orientation (sideways at 90 degrees) relative to the conventional front-rear direction. This asymmetric coupling creates space in the left-right direction for connectors while maintaining a simple direct coupling mechanism to the midplane, achieving both mounting simplicity and placement flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A controller and a rectangular parallelepiped power supply apparatus are coupled to a rear surface of a midplane, to which a plurality of storage media drives are coupled in a front surface of the midplane. A plurality of interface connectors arranged in a left-right direction are provided at a front end of a controller substrate. The rear surface of the midplane includes a plurality of connectors for controller, which are a plurality of connectors arranged in the left-right direction to which interface connectors of the controller are respectively coupled, and a connector for power supply, which are connectors to which a power supply apparatus set horizontally is coupled. A part of a row of the connectors for controller is present below the power supply apparatus coupled sideways to the connector for power supply.