Rack Ear With Elongate Opening For Self-Securing Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional rack ears require installers to manually hold equipment in place while inserting and tightening screws, making the installation process awkward, especially when equipment is overhead or in tight spaces.
Innovation Solution
The proposed rack ear design features a planar member with an elongate opening and symmetrical upper and lower lobes, allowing for easy alignment and secure fastening without the need for manual holding, using a support fastener to center and stabilize the equipment within the rack.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional rack ears with apertures and screws are used, then equipment can be secured to the rack, but the installation process becomes awkward and difficult requiring multiple people to hold equipment and fasteners
Solution Approach 1:
The rack ear design allows the equipment itself to serve as the mounting mechanism. The elongate opening with lobes engages directly with the support fastener shaft, enabling the equipment to secure itself to the rack without requiring external fastening operations or multiple people to hold components in place during installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The rack ear is divided into functional segments: the planar member body, the elongate opening, the upper and lower lobes, and the slot opening. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently - the lobes engage the fastener shaft while the slot allows the fastener head to pass through, simplifying the overall installation process.
2Reliability
If traditional rack ears requiring manual holding of equipment and fasteners are used, then secure fastening is achieved, but the risk of errors and injuries increases
Solution Approach 1:
The self-securing mechanism eliminates the need for installers to manually hold equipment and fasteners in precarious positions. The elongate opening with lobes automatically engages the support fastener shaft, reducing the risk of dropped components, slips, and injuries while maintaining reliable fastening.
Solution Approach 2:
The design incorporates a slot opening that allows the fastener head to pass through before final engagement, providing a safe transition zone during installation. This prevents sudden drops or misalignments that could cause injury or equipment damage.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional rack ears are used, then equipment can be mounted, but overhead and tight space installation becomes particularly difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The self-securing rack ear design eliminates the need for installers to reach overhead or into tight spaces to hold fasteners and equipment simultaneously. The elongate opening with lobes engages the fastener shaft from below, allowing installation from accessible positions even when equipment is overhead or in confined spaces.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of requiring the installer to hold the equipment and fastener from above or the side, the design inverts the engagement sequence - the fastener shaft passes through the elongate opening and engages with the lobes from below, making overhead and tight space installation feasible.
4Ease of manufacture
If symmetrical rack ear design with elongate opening is used, then installation is simplified and manufacturing is optimized, but the design must accommodate various fastener sizes
Solution Approach 1:
While the overall rack ear design is symmetrical for manufacturing efficiency and interchangeability, the elongate opening and lobes are configured with specific dimensional relationships that accommodate standard fastener sizes. The symmetry allows left and right rack ears to be identical, simplifying manufacturing while the opening geometry maintains compatibility with conventional fasteners.
Solution Approach 2:
The symmetrical rack ear design with elongate opening serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, enables self-securing engagement, accommodates standard fastener dimensions, and allows interchangeability between left and right components. This universality simplifies both manufacturing and installation while maintaining adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a rack ear for mounting equipment in an equipment rack. The rack ear can include a member that extends outward from a computing device, when the rack ear is coupled to the computing device, to an end of the member. The member can include an elongate opening that extends through the member and defines an upper lobe and a lower lobe. The elongate opening can extend through the end of the member to define a slot opening. The elongate opening can be symmetrical about a plane through the horizontal midline of the member. The member can define a height that corresponds to a 1U, 2U, 3U, or 4U dimension of the computing device.