US 8,755,192 B1Granted

Rack-mounted computer system with shock-absorbing chassis

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorsMichael W. Schrempp, Matthew T. Corddry, Darin Lee Frink, Peter G. Ross, Osvaldo P. Morales

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A system includes a rack and one or more computer systems mounted in the rack. At least one of the computer systems includes a circuit board assembly, such as a motherboard, and a chassis coupled to the circuit board assembly. At least a portion of the chassis is made of a shock-absorbing polymeric material, such as an expanded foam material.

Claims40

Dependent claims

A system, comprising:

a rack;
one or more computer systems mounted in the rack, wherein at least one of the computer systems comprises:
a circuit board assembly;
a power supply unit;
one or more hard disk drives;
and
a chassis coupled to the circuit board assembly, the power supply unit, and the one or more hard disk drives, wherein at least a portion of the chassis is made of a shock-absorbing polymeric material configured to protect the circuit board assembly, the power supply unit, and the one or more hard disk drives from damage from shock or vibration,
wherein the chassis comprises a top shock-absorbing polymeric portion and a bottom shock-absorbing polymeric portion, wherein the at least one computer system comprises:
a first air passage between the top shock-absorbing polymeric portion and the bottom shock-absorbing polymeric portion, wherein the first air passage comprises an air inlet in the chassis at the front side of the rack and an air exit in the chassis at the back side on the rack, wherein the first air passage between the top shock-absorbing polymeric portion and the bottom shock-absorbing polymeric portion is configured to allow air to move through the chassis from front to back, wherein the air moves across the circuit board assembly such that the air removes heat from heat producing components on the circuit board assembly,
a second air passage comprises an air inlet in the chassis at the front side of the rack, wherein the second air passage configured to allow air to move through the chassis from front to back, wherein air in the second passage moves across the heat producing components in the power supply unit such that the air removes heat from the power supply unit, and
a third air passage downstream from the first air passage and the second air passage, wherein the third air passage is configured to allow air downstream from the circuit board assembly and the power supply unit to move across heat producing components of at least one of the one or more hard disk drives such that the air removes heat from the at least one hard disk drive.

8 more elements

A computer system, comprising:

a first computer system module comprising:
a first chassis module;
and
one or more circuit board assemblies coupled to the first chassis module;
one or more additional computer system modules separate from the first computer system module and comprising:
one or more additional chassis modules coupled to the first chassis module;
and
at least one component coupled to at least one of the one or more additional chassis module and configured to be electrically coupled to at least one of the circuit board assemblies;
wherein the first chassis module comprises a shock-absorbing polymeric portion configured to protect the circuit board assembly from damage from shock or vibration;
wherein at least one of the additional chassis modules comprises another shock-absorbing polymeric portion separate from the shock-absorbing polymeric portion of the first chassis module and configured to protect the at least one component, separately from the first chassis module protecting the circuit board assembly, from damage from shock or vibration, such that the at least one of the additional chassis modules is configured to be shipped with the at least one component separately from the first chassis module being shipped with the one or more circuit board assemblies;
and
wherein the shock-absorbing polymeric portion of the first chassis module and the shock-absorbing polymeric portion of the at least one additional chassis module are configured to couple with one another prior to installation into a rack such that the at least one of the circuit board assemblies and the at least one component are electrically coupled and the first chassis module and the at least one additional chassis module are installable into the rack as a unit.

9 more elements

A method of providing computing resources, comprising:

coupling one or more circuit board assemblies with one or more shock-absorbing chassis comprising a polymeric shock-absorbing portion, wherein the shock-absorbing chassis are configured to protect the circuit board assemblies from damage from shock or vibration;
shipping the one or more circuit board assemblies in the one or more shock-absorbing chassis to a data center;
coupling at least one component with one or more additional shock-absorbing chassis comprising a shock-absorbing polymeric portion, wherein the one or more shock-absorbing chassis are configured to protect the at least one component from damage from shock or vibration;
shipping, separately from the one or more circuit board assemblies in the one or more shock absorbing chassis, the at least one additional component with the one or more additional shock-absorbing chassis to the data center;
before installing the one or more shock-absorbing chassis coupled with the one or more circuit board assemblies into the rack, coupling, at the data center, the shock-absorbing polymeric portion of at least one of the one or more additional shock-absorbing chassis that is coupled with the additional component to the shock-absorbing polymeric portion of at least one of the one or more shock-absorbing chassis that is coupled with the one or more circuit board assemblies, wherein the shock-absorbing polymeric portion of the at least one shock-absorbing chassis and the shock-absorbing polymeric portion of the at least one additional shock-absorbing chassis couple with one another such that the at least one shock-absorbing chassis and the at least one additional shock absorbing chassis are installable into a rack as a unit, and electrically coupling the at least one additional component to at least one of the circuit board assemblies;
and
installing into the rack, as a unit, the coupled one or more circuit board assemblies with the one or more shock-absorbing chassis and the additional shock-absorbing chassis.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A system, comprising:

a rack;
one or more computer systems mounted in the rack, wherein at least one of the computer systems comprises:
a circuit board assembly;
a power supply unit;
one or more hard disk drives;
and
a chassis coupled to the circuit board assembly, the power supply unit, and the one or more hard disk drives, wherein at least a portion of the chassis is made of a shock-absorbing polymeric material configured to protect the circuit board assembly, the power supply unit, and the one or more hard disk drives from damage from shock or vibration,
wherein the chassis comprises a top shock-absorbing polymeric portion and a bottom shock-absorbing polymeric portion, wherein the at least one computer system comprises:
a first air passage between the top shock-absorbing polymeric portion and the bottom shock-absorbing polymeric portion, wherein the first air passage comprises an air inlet in the chassis at the front side of the rack and an air exit in the chassis at the back side on the rack, wherein the first air passage between the top shock-absorbing polymeric portion and the bottom shock-absorbing polymeric portion is configured to allow air to move through the chassis from front to back, wherein the air moves across the circuit board assembly such that the air removes heat from heat producing components on the circuit board assembly,
a second air passage comprises an air inlet in the chassis at the front side of the rack, wherein the second air passage configured to allow air to move through the chassis from front to back, wherein air in the second passage moves across the heat producing components in the power supply unit such that the air removes heat from the power supply unit, and
a third air passage downstream from the first air passage and the second air passage, wherein the third air passage is configured to allow air downstream from the circuit board assembly and the power supply unit to move across heat producing components of at least one of the one or more hard disk drives such that the air removes heat from the at least one hard disk drive.

8 more elements