Printed circuit board module enclosure and apparatus using same

A modularly pluggable electronic component system comprising:

• a chassis for housing a plurality of modules that house circuit boards, each module comprising a thermally conducting enclosure having front, back, left, right, and top surfaces;
• a backplane disposed within a lower portion of the chassis for providing one or more electrical connections to the modules, the backplane having upward-facing electrical connectors for connecting to downward-facing electrical connectors disposed along the bottom surface of the modules that are inserted downward into the chassis;
• and
• heat dissipation means being in physical contact with and for conducting heat away from the at least one of the top, left, and right surfaces of the modules,
• wherein the chassis comprises a tray for mounting the backplane and for providing alignment to the modules.

A modularly pluggable electronic component system comprising:

• a chassis for housing a plurality of modules that house circuit boards, each module comprising a thermally conducting enclosure having front, back, left, right, and top surfaces;
• a backplane disposed within a lower portion of the chassis for providing one or more electrical connections to the modules, the backplane having upward-facing electrical connectors for connecting to downward-facing electrical connectors disposed along the bottom surface of the modules that are inserted downward into the chassis;
• heat dissipation means being in physical contact with and for conducting heat away from the at least one of the top, left, and right surfaces of the modules;
• and
• means for orienting the modules to the chassis.

A modularly pluggable electronic component system comprising:

• a chassis for housing a plurality of modules that house circuit boards, each module comprising a thermally conducting enclosure having front, back, left, right, and top surfaces;
• a backplane disposed within a lower portion of the chassis for providing one or more electrical connections to the modules, the backplane having upward-facing electrical connectors for connecting to downward-facing electrical connectors disposed along the bottom surface of the modules that are inserted downward into the chassis;
• and
• heat dissipation means being in physical contact with and for conducting heat away from the at least one of the top, left, and right surfaces of the modules, wherein the heat dissipation means comprises a heat sink, and wherein the heat sink contains a recirculating liquid and/or gas.