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US 6,608,755 B2Granted
Adapter which is adapted to receive cards designed for a different form factor
AssigneeNational Instruments Corporation
InventorsRichard Baldwin, Seth Cunningham, Alvin Becker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The coupling apparatus couples two cards of a first size to fit in to a chassis having slots of second size. The coupling apparatus can connect two 3U cards together by clamping the first card and the second card between a first plate and a second plate to effectively form a combined card of a second size. Thus two 3U cards can be connected together and inserted into a 6U slot in a 6U chassis.
Claims24
An apparatus for coupling a first module to a second module, wherein the first module and the second module each comprises:
- a front face;
- a back face, opposite to the front face, wherein the back face comprises one or more connectors for coupling to a chassis;
- a first lateral edge, comprising a first keep-out region which extends at least a portion of the distance from the front face to the back face;
- a second lateral edge opposite to the first lateral edge, comprising a second keep-out region which extends at least a portion of the distance from the front face to the back face;
- wherein each of the first module and the second module has a first size;
- the apparatus comprising:
- a first plate;
- a second plate;
- and
- one or more coupling elements operable to couple the first plate to the second plate;
- wherein the first plate and the second plate each comprises a first lateral edge, and a second lateral edge opposite to the first lateral edge;
- wherein, in coupling the first plate to the second plate, the one or more coupling elements are operable to clamp the first keep-out region of the first module between the second lateral edge of the first plate and the second lateral edge of the second plate, and to clamp the second keep-out region of the second module between the first lateral edge of the first plate and the first lateral edge of the second plate, thereby coupling the first module to the second module to form a combined module of a second size;
- and
- wherein the combined module is operable to be inserted into a slot in the chassis, wherein the chassis comprises one or more slots each operable to receive a module of said second size.
11 more elements
A method for coupling a first module to a second module,
- wherein the first module and the second module each comprises:
- a front face;
- a back face, opposite to the front face, wherein the back face comprises one or more connectors for coupling to a chassis;
- a first side;
- a second opposite side;
- the method comprising:
- positioning a first plate to physically contact an upper portion of the first side of the first module and a lower portion of the first side of the second module;
- wherein the first plate has an interior side and an exterior side, wherein a lower portion of the interior side of the first plate is operable to contact the upper portion of the first side of the first module and wherein an upper portion of the interior side of the first plate is operable to contact the lower portion of the first side of the second module;
- positioning a second plate to physically contact an upper portion of the second side of the first module and a lower portion of the second side of the second module;
- wherein the second plate has an interior side and an exterior side, wherein a lower portion of the interior side of the second plate is operable to contact the upper portion of the second side of the first module and wherein an upper portion of the interior side of the second plate is operable to contact the lower portion of the second side of the second module;
- applying one or more coupling elements operable to couple the first plate to the second plate, wherein said applying operates to clamp the upper portions of the first and second sides of the first module between a lower portion of the first plate and a lower portion of the second plate, wherein said applying further operates to clamp the lower portions of the first and second sides of the second module between an upper portion of the first plate and an upper portion of the second plate, and wherein said applying further operates to clamp the first plate and the second plate together, thereby coupling the first module to the second module to form a combined module of a second size;
- and
- inserting the combined module into a slot in the chassis, wherein the chassis comprises one or more slots each operable to receive a module of said second size.
10 more elements
A method for coupling a first module to a second module,
- wherein the first module and the second module each comprises:
- a front face;
- a back face, opposite to the front face, wherein the back face comprises one or more connectors for coupling to a chassis;
- a first lateral edge, comprising a first keep-out region which extends at least a portion of the distance from the front face to the back face;
- a second lateral edge opposite to the first lateral edge, comprising a second keep-out region which extends at least a portion of the distance from the front face to the back face;
- wherein each of the first module and the second module has a first size;
- the method comprising:
- providing a first plate, wherein the first plate comprises a first lateral edge, and a second lateral edge opposite to the first lateral edge;
- providing a second plate;
- wherein the second plate comprises a first lateral edge, and a second lateral edge opposite to the first lateral edge;
- coupling the first plate to the second plate using said one or more coupling elements to clamp the first keep-out region of the first module between the first lateral edge of the first plate and the first lateral edge of the second plate, and to clamp the second keep-out region of the second module between the second lateral edge of the first plate and the second lateral edge of the second plate, thereby coupling the first module to the second module to form a combined module of a second size;
- inserting the combined module into a slot in the chassis, wherein the chassis comprises one or slots each operable to receive a module of said second size.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.