# US 12,016,120 B2 · Computing card system with accessible internal layers and edge interconnects for an information handling system

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- Number: US 12,016,120 B2
- Document ID: US12016120B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/367,885
- Filed: 2021-07-06
- Published: 2023-01-12
- Granted: 2024-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2021-07-06
- Assignees: Dell Products L.P.
- Applicants: Dell Products L.P.
- Inventors: Charles William Ziegler; Jason Charles Pritchard; Stephen Edward Strickland
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12016120B2

## CPC

- H05K 1/117: {Pads along the edge of rigid circuit boards, e.g. for pluggable connectors}
- H01R 12/721: {cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits}
- H01R 12/737: {Printed circuits being substantially perpendicular to each other (for printed connections H05K3/366)}
- H05K 5/0286: {Receptacles therefor, e.g. card slots, module sockets, card groundings}
- H01R 2201/06: for computer periphery
- H05K 1/141: {One or more single auxiliary printed circuits mounted on a main printed circuit, e.g. modules, adapters (H05K1/142 and H05K1/147 take precedence)}
- H05K 1/181: associated with surface mounted components
- H05K 2201/094: Array of pads or lands differing from one another, e.g. in size, pitch or thickness; Using different connections on the pads
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
- H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS

## Abstract

A computing card for an information handling system, the computing card system including a computing card, including: a first side including: a first body surface, the first body surface including a first plurality of conductive pads configured to connect respectively with a first set of pins of a computing card receptacle; a first indented surface configured to connect with a second set of pins of the computing card receptacle; a first connecting surface defined between the first body surface and the first indented surface; a bottom surface; and a plurality of internal layers, wherein one or more of the internal layers are exposed at the first indented surface, and are connected to the bottom surface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computing card system for an information handling system, the computing card system comprising:
a computing card, including:
a first side defined between a first edge and a second edge of the computing card, the second edge opposite to the first edge, the first side including:
a first body surface, the first body surface including a first plurality of conductive pads connected respectively with a first set of pins of a computing card receptacle;
a first indented surface connected with a second set of pins of the computing card receptacle;
a first connecting surface defined between the first body surface and the first indented surface;
a second side defined between the first edge and the second edge of the computing card, the second side of the computing card opposite to the first side of the computing card, the second side including:
a second body surface, the second body surface including a second plurality of conductive pads connected respectively with a third set of pins of the computing card receptacle;
a second indented surface, wherein the second indented surface is conductive, the second indented surface connected with a fourth set of pins of the computing card receptacle;
a second connecting surface defined between the second body surface and the second indented surface;
a conductive bottom surface defined between the first edge and the second edge, and between the first indented surface and the second indented surface; and
a plurality of conductive internal layers, wherein a first and a second conductive internal layer of the conductive internal layers are exposed at the first indented surface and a third and a fourth conductive internal layer of the conductive internal layers are exposed at the second indented surface, wherein both the first conductive internal layer and the third conductive internal layer are connected to the conductive bottom surface and the second and the fourth conductive internal layer are not connected to the conductive bottom surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The computing card of claim 1, wherein the first indented surface is conductive.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The computing card of claim 1, wherein the conductive bottom surface is connected with a fifth set of pins of the computing card receptacle.

### Claim 4

An information handling system, comprising:
a processor;
memory media storing instructions executable by the processor to perform operations;
a computing card, including:
a first side including:
a first body surface defined between a first edge and a second edge of the computing card, the second edge opposite to the first edge, the first body surface including a first plurality of conductive pads connected respectively with a first set of pins of a computing card receptacle;
a first indented surface connected with a second set of pins of the computing card receptacle;
a first connecting surface defined between the first body surface and the first indented surface;
a second side defined between the first edge and the second edge of the computing card, the second side of the computing card opposite to the first side of the computing card, the second side including:
a second body surface, the second body surface including a second plurality of conductive pads connected respectively with a third set of pins of the computing card receptacle;
a second indented surface, wherein the second indented surface is conductive, the second indented surface connected with a fourth set of pins of the computing card receptacle;
a second connecting surface defined between the second body surface and the second indented surface;
a conductive bottom surface defined between the first edge and the second edge, and between the first indented surface and the second indented surface; and
a plurality of conductive internal layers, wherein a first and a second conductive internal layer of the conductive internal layers are exposed at the first indented surface and a third and a fourth conductive internal layer of the conductive internal layers are exposed at the second indented surface, wherein both the first conductive internal layer and the third conductive internal layer are connected to the conductive bottom surface and the second and the fourth conductive internal layer are not connected to the conductive bottom surface.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The information handling system of claim 4, wherein the first indented surface is conductive.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The information handling system of claim 4, wherein the conductive bottom surface configured to connect with a fifth set of pins of the computing card receptacle.

### Claim 7

A computing card system for an information handling system, the computing card system comprising:
a computing card, including:
a first side defined between a first edge and a second edge of the computing card, the second edge opposite to the first edge, the first side including:
a first body surface, the first body surface including a first plurality of conductive pads;
a first indented surface;
a first connecting surface defined between the first body surface and the first indented surface;
a second side defined between the first edge and the second edge of the computing card, the second side of the computing card opposite to the first side of the computing card, the second side including:
a second body surface, the second body surface including a second plurality of conductive pads;
a second indented surface, wherein the second indented surface is conductive,
a second connecting surface defined between the second body surface and the second indented surface;
a conductive bottom surface defined between the first edge and the second edge, and between the first indented surface and the second indented surface;
a plurality of conductive internal layers, wherein a first and a second conductive internal layer of the conductive internal layers are exposed at the first indented surface and a third and a fourth conductive internal layer of the conductive internal layers are exposed at the second indented surface, wherein both the first conductive internal layer and the third conductive internal layer are connected to the conductive bottom surface and the second and the fourth conductive internal layer are not connected to the conductive bottom surface;
a computing card receptacle, the receptacle including:
a plurality of pins, wherein when the computing card is coupled to the receptacle:
a first set of pins of the plurality of pins connect respectively with the first plurality of conductive pads; and
a second set of pins of the plurality of pins connect respectively with the first indented surface.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The computing card system of claim 7, wherein the first indented surface is conductive.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The computing card system of claim 7, wherein when the computing card is coupled to the receptacle:
a third set of pins of the plurality of pins connect respectively with the second plurality of conductive pads;
a fourth set of pins of the plurality of pins connected respectively with the second indented surface; and
a fifth set of pins of the plurality of pins connected with the conductive bottom surface.