Bracket apparatus for securing personal computer add-on cards
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorRick Feightner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bracket apparatus having a plurality of protruding fingers is employed for simultaneously making contacts with the attachment brackets of add-on cards, exerting force on the attachment brackets towards the add-on cards' receiving expansion slots, thereby securing the add-on cards in place attached to the expansion slots. The system unit back panel is modified to include an additional cutout orthogonal to the traditional cutouts that allows the fingers to pass through and make contacts with the attachment brackets. Additionally, the bracket apparatus and the back panel further includes complementary fastening features to allow the bracket apparatus to be fastened to the back panel.
Claims8
A bracket apparatus for securing a plurality of add-on cards having a like plurality of attachment brackets, to a corresponding plurality of receiving expansion slots of a computer, the bracket apparatus having:
- a plurality of protruding fingers, disposed along a first side of a bottom end of the bracket apparatus, for engaging the plurality of attachment brackets simultaneously, exerting a first force on the plurality of attachment brackets in a first direction towards the receiving expansion slots;
- and
- a plurality of fastening features for securing the bracket apparatus to an outer surface of a system unit back panel of the computer, including a longitudinal fastening feature disposed along a second side of the bottom end of the bracket apparatus, the longitudinal fastening feature having a plurality of slots designed to engage a complementary plurality of protruding fastening features disposed on the system unit back panel, the complementary plurality of protruding fastening features asserting a second force on the plurality of slots of the longitudinal fastening feature in a second direction counter to the first direction.
A system unit chassis of a personal computer comprising
- a) a back panel having a first plurality of cutouts for externalizing connectors of a corresponding plurality of add-on cards, having a like plurality of attachment brackets, and a second cutout for facilitating securing of the plurality of add-on cards, the second cutout being disposed in an orthogonal orientation alongside the first plurality of cutouts;
- and
- b) a bracket apparatus having a plurality of protruding fingers making simultaneous contact with the plurality attachment brackets of the plurality of add-on cards, exerting a first force on the attachment brackets in a first direction towards a plurality of receiving expansion slots securing the plurality of add-on cards to the corresponding plurality of receiving expansion slots.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.