Packaging system

A packaging system for components of a computing system includes an external, modularized, ecto-skeletal support frame for supporting a plurality of uniformly, horizontally dimensioned cabinets in stacked arrangement. The support frame is formed from a plurality of support shelves that form the support platforms for the cabinets. Separating and support shelves are support sleeves, that can be of variable lengths in order to accommodate the varying vertical dimensions of the cabinets held by the support frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed generally to packaging electronic 
components, and more particularly to a packaging system for the component 
parts of large computing systems, incorporating a modular constructed 
ecto-skeletal support structure for holding component cabinets in a 
stacked, registered, integrated arrangement. 
Particularly prevalent in the computing industry is the encroachment upon 
floor space of cabinets housing the component parts of larger computing 
systems. As the technology for large computing systems grows, permitting 
more component parts (e.g., secondary storage in the form of disk units, 
tape units and the like, controllers, etc.) to be added to and integrated 
into a computing system, the space needed to situate these components 
parts can become a pressing problem. The problem is exacerbated by the 
fact that such component parts are all too often purchased from different 
manufacturers, resulting in a competing system comprising a number of 
different-sized boxes to be arranged on available floor space. The 
problems grow with the cabling used to interconnect the various components 
of such large scale systems, becoming more than a mere annoyance unless 
properly maintained. 
Also, such individual component parts, often packaged in their own 
cabinets, are incorporated into a system by placing them in larger 
cabinets, creating a "box within a box" design concept. Such packaging, 
however, can substantially increase the cost of the system in terms of 
material and labor. 
Since many companies today are becoming hardware systems integrators, 
utilizing industry standard purchased parts to build a product, these 
problems are becoming more and more common. 
Thus, it is evident that a new approach to packaging is needed. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed to a novel packaging concept in which 
separate components of a system are placed in individual, universal form 
factor cabinets that are then stacked vertically, reducing the floor space 
needed for the system created by the components. 
Broadly, the invention comprises a modular, external ecto-skeletal support 
structure or frame formed from a number of individual shelf units of 
substantially identical horizontal dimensions. Each shelf unit has, 
extending upward from a support surface and mounted at the periphery 
thereof, a number of upright elements. Overlying shelves have downward 
vertical members, axially aligned with the corresponding upright elements. 
Support sleeves are formed and configured to be mounted on the upright 
elements of one shelf, and to receive the downward vertical members of a 
second, overlying shelf for mounting and supporting the one shelf to the 
other, forming the support frame. The support sleeves are of various 
lengths, providing for variations in spacing between the shelves. 
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the support sleeves are 
configured to form a cableway to receive and hold cabling from the various 
cabinets, routing the cabling between the cabinets as need be. 
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, small, low cost, universal 
form factor cabinets are used to give advantage to, as well as take 
advantage of, the modularity and uniformity of the parts (support shelves) 
of the external support frame, permitting vertical stacking of the 
cabinets. Each cabinet is fully self-contained in the sense that each has 
its own separate cooling, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) design, and 
power distribution system and the like. 
The support frame forms the structural backbone for each cabinet, moving 
the structural components from the cabinet to the support frame itself. 
Since the structural integrity of the cabinets is not needed in order to 
stack them, they may be fabricated of lighter weight material, reducing 
cost. 
The modularity of support frames requires only an addition of an additional 
support shelf in order to add components without taking up additional 
floor space. 
These and other advantages of the present invention, including additional 
features and aspects thereof, will become apparent to those skilled in 
this art upon reading of the following detailed description of the 
invention, which should be taken in conjunction with the accompanying 
drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Turning now to the figures, and for the moment specifically FIG. 1, there 
is illustrated, designated generally with the reference numeral 10, the 
packaging system of the present invention. As FIG. 1 shows, the packaging 
system 10 includes an external, ecto-skeletal support frame 12 holding, in 
stacked arrangement, a plurality of cabinets 14. 
The ecto-skeletal support frame 12 comprises, broadly, a base support shelf 
20 supporting a number of upper shelves 22, all of which are supported and 
spaced from one another by removable support sleeves 26. As will be seen 
in connection with the following discussion, the horizontal dimensions of 
the base support shelf 20, and upper support shelves 22, are substantially 
identical, and the upper support shelves themselves are substantially 
identical to one another in overall design. 
As better illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B the base support shelf 20 has 
fastened to the undersurface 30, proximate each of the four corners 
thereof, casters 32, mounted by threaded nuts received by threaded studs 
that project from the underside 30. Also mounted to the underside 30 of 
the base support shelf 20, near each caster 32, are levelling bolts 34. 
The levelling bolts 34 are threadably mounted for rotation to adjust the 
height of base support member 20. 
Mounted to, and extending generally upward from a support surface 38 of the 
base support shelf 20 are upright elements 40, one each located proximate 
a corresponding one of the four corners of the support surface 38. The 
upright elements 40 are formed and configured to have the support sleeves 
26 slidably mounted thereon, and held fastened thereto by any type of 
fastening means, such as screws 42 that run through the support sleeves 26 
and fasten to the upright elements 40, as illustrated in FIG. 2A. As can 
be seen in FIG. 2A, the support sleeves 26 are formed with two parallel, 
generally rectangular, longitudinal channels 26a, 26b therethrough. The 
upright elements 40 are received by the channels 26b of the support 
sleeves 26. As will be seen, the channels 26a of certain of the support 
sleeves 26 (notably, these two at the rear of the shelves) cooperatively 
form a cableway for receiving and holding I/O, power, and other cabling or 
lines (e.g., pneumatic or fluid lines, or the like). For this purpose, the 
channel 26a of each support sleeve 26 is opened along the length of the 
channel by a slot 25, permitting insertion and removal of cabling in and 
from the channel. 
Placed to fit between the upper periphery of the support sleeves 26 and the 
upper support shelf 22 is a gasket 27. As FIG. 2A (and FIG. 3) 
illustrates, the gasket 27 is shaped and configured to have the same basic 
outline as the cross-section of the support sleeves 26. (Each upper 
periphery of each support sleeve 26 is provided with a gasket 27, not all 
of which are shown in FIGS. 2A and 3 for reasons of clarity.) The gaskets 
operate to provide shock and vibration isolation, or if desired can also 
provide electrical isolation (if fabricated from a non-conductive 
material), or alternatively, electrical grounding (if fabricated from a 
conductive rubber material, for example) between parts. 
A top sheet 28 is used to cover the topmost cabinet of the system 10, when 
assembled. Here, in place of the gaskets 27, top pieces 29 are used to 
cover the openings of the support sleeves 26. 
Also mounted to the undersurface 30 of the base support shelf 20 are a pair 
of spaced, parallel rail members 50 for receiving, through opening 49 
formed in a back wall 51, a drawer 52. The drawer 52 is adapted to contain 
a power bus (not shown) for distribution of electrical power to the 
cabinets 14 mounted in the packaging system 10. Preferably, the base 
support shelf 20 will support a cabinet 44 (FIG. 1) housing a source of at 
least primary power used by the other cabinets 44 for creating secondary 
power for use by the electronics contained within each cabinet. For that 
reason, apertures, 54 are formed in the longitudinal sidewalls 56 of the 
drawer 52 for allowing power cabling to pass therethrough, into and out of 
the drawer--to and from the power bus (not shown). 
As best illustrated in FIG. 2A, the base support shelf is provided with 
snap-on corner bumpers 44, and a front bumper or rail 46. 
Turning now to FIG. 3, an upper support shelf 22 is illustrated. As 
indicated above, the support shelves 22 are substantially identical in 
structure and function. Accordingly, the following discussion of the 
support shelf 22 shown in FIG. 3 shall apply equally to all other support 
shelves, unless otherwise noted (such as hereinbefore noted in respect of 
the base support shelf 20). 
As FIG. 3 shows, the support shelf 22 includes a planar support surface 60, 
the under-side of which has mounted thereto a lattice-work of channel 
members 62 (shown in phantom) to provide structural support to the support 
surface 60. Mounted proximate each of the four corners of the support 
shelf 22 is an upright element 63 (shown in phantom) substantially similar 
to, and in much the same manner as, the upright elements 40 of the base 
support shelf 20. The upright elements of the support shelf 22 are hidden 
from view in FIG. 3 by the support sleeves 26 mounted thereon. 
Continuing with FIG. 3 the support shelf 22 is shown as including a 
downward vertical element 64 mounted to the underside of the support shelf 
22 proximate each corner thereof, and in axial alignment with the 
corresponding upright element 63. The downward vertical elements are 
positioned and configured to be received by the upper portions of the 
channel 26b (FIG. 2A) of support sleeves 26 that extend from the 
underlying support shelf 22, or the base support shelf 20, upon which the 
support shelf 22 of FIG. 3 is to be mounted. 
Affixed to the upper surface 60, proximate the front portion 66 of the 
support shelf 22, are a pair of clips 68. Referring for the moment to FIG. 
5, the shape and configuration of the clip 68 is better illustrated, 
showing the clip 68 as including a raised portion 70 that forms a gap 72 
with the support surface 60 when the clip 68 is mounted thereto. The gap 
72 is dimensioned to receive a segment 78 of a bottom wall 78 of a cabinet 
44' (FIG. 3) to hold the cabinet 44 in place on the support surface 60. 
For this purpose, the cabinet 44' includes cut-outs 76 (FIG. 3) formed in 
the bottom wall 78. The cabinet 44' can be inserted from the front 66 of 
the support shelf 22, and moved along the support surface 60 until the 
cut-out 76 drop over the tab 68. Further movement of the cabinet 44' will 
move the bottom wall segment 78' (FIG. 5) into the gap 72, and beneath the 
raised portion 70 of the clip 68. Screws 80 (FIG. 3) form a fastening 
means for the cabinet 44' by piercing the bottom wall 78 and fastening to 
the underlying channel member 62 of the support surface 60, holding the 
cabinet 44' in place relative to support shelf 22. 
In the same manner, identical clips 68' mounted to the support surface 38 
of the base support shelf 20 retain a cabinet (FIG. 2A). 
Referring now to FIGS. 2B, 3 and 4, note that formed on the back wall 51 of 
the support base 20, and on the back portion 67 of the support shelves 22 
(FIGS. 3 and 4), at the corners of each, are J-shaped channel members 84. 
The channel members 84 are formed to have cross-sectional configurations 
that match that of channels 26a of support sleeves 26. So formed, and with 
the support sleeves 26 mounted, the configuration and position of the 
channel members 84 and channels 26a of the support sleeves 26 axially 
align with one another, as illustrated in FIG. 4, forming a pair of 
vertical, elongate cableways for receiving, containing and directing I/O 
and power cables 86 from and to, for example, the cabinet 44'. 
The cabling 86 can be held in place by cooperating pairs of retainers 90. 
As better illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the retainers 90 includes side 
wings 92 separated by a groove 94. The groove 94 is to permit the wing 
members 92 to be compressed toward one another so that the retainer 90 can 
be inserted through the slot 25 of either the J-shaped channels 84 or the 
aperture 86, and into the channel, capturing the cabling 86 therein. In 
this manner cables not only are clearly routed, but the slot 27 and 
retainers 90 provide strain relief to the cables, in addition to complying 
with required bend paths of cabling. The retainers 90 are capable of being 
slipped vertically in the slot 25, permitting adjustment or "tuning" cable 
ingress to or egress from the slot 25. If desired, the retainers 90 may be 
color-coded to identify cable functions. 
The support frame, when assembled, is held together by release means that 
removable holds certain ones of the support sleeves 26 to an overlying 
support shelf 22. Referring now to FIG. 7, illustrated is a support sleeve 
26' with a spring detent 96 affixed at the top of an inside sidewall 26c 
of the channel 26a. The spring detent 96 includes a body section 98, 
projecting upward and inward (i.e., toward an opposing support sleeve 
26--see FIGS. 2A and 3) therefrom is a top portion 100 that extends out of 
and beyond the end of the associated support sleeve 26'. At the terminus 
of the top portion 100 is a somewhat triangularly shaped head portion 102. 
Preferably, only one diagonally opposed pair of the support sleeves 26' 
(FIGS. 2A and 3) for each overlying support shelf 22 need be equipped with 
the spring detent 96. In this way an overlying support shelf 22 is 
releasably held to the underlying support shelf (be it a base shelf 20, or 
an underlying shelf 22) in stable fashion. 
Referring to FIG. 8, an overlying support shelf 22' is illustrated mounted 
to an underling shelf (not shown in FIG. 8) by the support sleeve 26'. As 
indicated above, mounting an overlying support shelf 22' necessitates 
inserting downward vertical members 64 into the (upward extending) support 
sleeves 26 that are extending upward from the support shelf or base to 
which the support shelf 22' is being mounted. As shown in FIG. 8, the 
front and back cross-channels 62' are folded at their terminus' to form 
endwalls 104. Formed in the endwalls 104 are apertures 106, sized and 
configured to receive the head portions 102 of the spring detent 96. 
As FIG. 8 illustrates, when the (overlying) support shelf 22' is mounted to 
another (underlying support shelf 22 (or the base support shelf 20, as the 
case may be), as the downward vertical member are inserted into the 
upward-extending sleeve member 26', the head portion 102 of the spring 
detent 96 is brought into engagement with the apertures 106 formed in the 
folded terminus of the cross-channel 62', effectively locking the support 
sleeve 26' to the overlying support shelf 22'. 
Removal of the overlying support shelf 22' requires "un-locking" the detent 
spring 96 from its engagement with the cross-channels 62'. For this 
purpose a throughport 110 is provided in the support surface 60' of the 
support shelf 22 for access of a rigid tool, such as a screwdriver, or a 
steel rod. The tool can be used to push the head portion 102 of the detent 
spring 96 away from its capture relation with the aperture 106, thereby 
releasing the overlying support shelf 22'. 
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the sleeve members are 
fabricated from extruded aluminum. The base and upper support shelves are 
formed from sheet metal and welded structural tubing. 
Although a complete and thorough description of the present invention has 
been presented in the foregoing discussion, it will be evident that 
alternate embodiments and modifications can be made to the invention 
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.