US 7,254,038 B2 · Low profile expansion card for a system

Abstract

A space-conscious system utilizes a low profile expansion card for providing a physical and electrical interface between a larger scale board, such as a motherboard, and an external component. The expansion card is mounted in a perpendicular orientation relative to the larger scale board, despite dimensional limitations with regard to such an orientation. The expansion card includes an input/output circuit board and a “signal-conduction extender” for enabling coupling to an external wall of the housing in which the expansion card and larger scale board are contained. In one possible embodiment, the housing is compatible with the 1U standard, the expansion card is an Ethernet card, and there is an adapter board at the front wall of the housing for routing connections from the expansion card to an exposed port. The invention allows a number of the expansion cards to be mounted in parallel within the same container.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a 1U chassis having a front wall and a back wall;
a circuit board having a plurality of connectors for releasably seating circuit cards adjacent to said back wall in an orientation that is generally perpendicular to said circuit board, said circuit board being housed within said 1U chassis;
a plurality of input/output cards, each said input/output card being seated to one of said connectors to maintain said orientation;
and
an adapter board fixed at said front wall of said 1U chassis, said adapter board having a plurality of input/output ports, each said input/output port being coupled to an associated said input/output card to enable signal exchanges between said circuit board and an external system via said associated input/output card.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Low profile expansion card for a system

Life of this patent

Low profile expansion card for a system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14