Swappable VPX Backplane Cards for Faster Chassis Redevelopment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing convection cooled chassis designs for conduction cooled internal components in electromagnetic pulse controlled environments require significant redesign and retesting efforts due to tight coupling with a single backplane CCA, consuming valuable slots and prolonging development and certification times.
Innovation Solution
A convection cooled chassis design with a backplane card that interfaces with VPX backplane cards, allowing swappable components and decoupling static elements from redesign, enabling rapid redevelopment and minimal retesting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single backplane CCA is tightly coupled with all modules and chassis, then structural stability and reliability are improved, but adaptability and redevelopment time deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The backplane CCA is divided into separate functional modules: a base backplane CCA and interchangeable VPX backplane cards. This segmentation allows the base structure to remain stable while enabling flexible replacement of functional cards, resolving the contradiction between structural stability and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static tightly-coupled backplane to a dynamic configuration where VPX backplane cards can be swapped based on operational needs. This dynamic replaceability maintains reliability of the base structure while providing adaptability through card interchangeability.
2Reliability
If a single backplane CCA is tightly coupled with all modules, then system reliability is improved, but time for redesign and retesting deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the backplane into a stable base CCA and interchangeable VPX cards, changes to individual cards do not require redesign of the entire system. Only the affected card needs retesting, dramatically reducing overall redesign and retesting time while maintaining system reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The VPX backplane cards are extracted as separate interchangeable components from the base backplane CCA. This extraction allows independent modification and testing of individual cards without affecting the base system, reducing the time required for system-wide redesign and retesting.
3Reliability
If high density contacts and pins are integrated into the backplane CCA, then connection reliability is improved, but device complexity and slot consumption deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The high-density connection requirements are segmented into separate VPX backplane cards rather than being integrated into the base backplane CCA. This allows the base CCA to remain simpler while the complex high-density interfaces are contained within interchangeable cards.
Solution Approach 2:
The base backplane CCA is designed with universal interfaces that can accommodate different VPX backplane cards. This multi-functionality allows the same base structure to support various card types with different connection densities, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining connection reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A convection cooled chassis providing conduction cooling to components within includes a backplane card that interfaces with an interconnect assembly, and one or more VPX backplane cards, each with a plurality of component interfaces and a backplane card interface to engage the backplane card. Static elements that are not subject to redesign are disposed on the backplane card, so they do not need to be reorganized when contacts, pins, and component interfaces are altered. Different VPX backplane cards are swappable with the backplane card. The component interfaces and backplane card interface are disposed on opposing sides of the VPX backplane card.