# US 2024/0201756 A1 · Information handling system retention nut for automated assembly and disassembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2024/0201756 A1 - Document ID: US20240201756A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/081,142 - Filed: 2022-12-14 - Published: 2024-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-12-14 - Assignees: Dell Products L.P. - Applicants: Dell Products L.P. - Inventors: John Trevor Morrison; Chiu-Jung Tsen; Jace W. Files - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240201756A1 ## CPC - G06F 1/184: Mounting of motherboards - G06F 1/20: Cooling means - G06F 1/203: {for portable computers, e.g. for laptops} - H05K 7/20136: {Forced ventilation, e.g. by fans (H05K7/202 takes precedence)} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract A portable information handling system is assembled and disassembled by a keystone assembly that couples at an upper surface of the portable housing to overlap a keyboard assembly that covers processing components disposed in the portable housing. A motherboard couples to the portable housing under the keyboard assembly with openings aligned to insert over retaining nuts extending from the housing, the retaining nuts having a lip to engage the motherboard, a stop feature to define motherboard sliding movement and an alignment feature to align the lip and stop feature in a predetermined configuration. A cooling fan couples to the motherboard adjacent to one side to retain the motherboard in the engaged position and is removed to allow the motherboard to slide to the released position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information handling system comprising: a housing; a motherboard having plural openings; a processor coupled to the motherboard and operable to execute instructions that process information; a memory coupled to the motherboard and interfaced with the processor, the memory operable to store the instructions and information; and plural retention nuts coupled to the housing, each retention nut aligned with one of the motherboard plural openings and having a lip to engage the motherboard to prevent lifting of the motherboard from the housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising: an alignment feature formed at a bottom surface of each retention nut to engage the housing in a predetermined orientation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The information handling system of claim 2 further comprising a stop feature adjacent the lip to prevent motherboard overtravel when the motherboard slides under the lip. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The information handling system of claim 3 wherein the stop feature and the alignment feature are on opposite sides of the retention nut. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The information handling system of claim 3 further comprising a clinch nut formed in the bottom of the retention nut to engage the retention nut with the housing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The information handling system of claim 5 wherein: the motherboard openings have a pear shape with a smaller size at a front side of the motherboard opening than the rear side of the motherboard opening; and the motherboard slides from a rear position to a front position to engage under the lip, the amount of motherboard sliding defined by the stop feature. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The information handling system of claim 6 further comprising: a battery connector coupled to the housing at a frontside of the motherboard; and battery connector interface pads at the bottom side of the motherboard positioned to align with the battery connector when the motherboard slides to the engage position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The information handling system of claim 6 further comprising: a cooling fan configured to couple adjacent the motherboard when the motherboard is in the engaged position to retain the motherboard from sliding rearward. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The information handling system of claim 8 further comprising a housing cover configured to couple to the housing over the motherboard and having a member extending into the housing to engage the cooling fan and retain the cooling fan in position. ### Claim 10 A method for assembly of an information handling system, the method comprising: coupling plural retention nuts to a housing interior; placing a motherboard in the housing interior with an opening of the motherboard aligned with each retention nut; and sliding the motherboard relative to the housing to engage a lip formed in each retention nut with the motherboard to retain the motherboard from lifting out of the housing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein: sliding the motherboard from a released position forward towards an engaged position; and limiting the sliding with a stop feature formed adjacent the lip. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising: coupling the retention nuts to the housing with an alignment feature configured to align the lip and stop feature to direct a predetermined sliding. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein: the coupling plural retention nuts further comprises coupling a clinch nut of each retention nut to engage with the housing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 further comprising: placing a cooling fan proximate the motherboard to retain the motherboard from sliding rearward; coupling a housing cover to the housing over the motherboard; and extending a cooling fan lock member from the housing cover to engage the cooling fan in a position that retains the motherboard in the engaged position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising: removing the housing cover; removing the cooling fan; sliding the motherboard rearward; and lifting the motherboard from the housing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 further comprising: coupling a battery connector to the housing; and sliding the motherboard to engage battery connector pads on a bottom of the motherboard with the battery connector. ### Claim 17 A motherboard assembly comprising: a motherboard having plural openings; and plural retainer nuts each configured to couple to a housing, each retainer nut aligned with one of the plural openings and having a lip, the motherboard sliding relative to the housing engage a portion of the perimeter of each opening under the retainer nut. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The motherboard assembly of claim 17 further comprising: a stop feature formed adjacent each lip to define an amount of sliding of the motherboard relative to the retainer nut. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The motherboard assembly of claim 18 further comprising: an alignment feature formed in each retainer nut to align the retainer nut to couple to the housing with the lip and stop feature having a predetermined configuration. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The motherboard assembly of claim 19 further comprising: a cooling fan configured to couple adjacent the motherboard when engaged with the lip to retain the motherboard from sliding.