Patent Publication Number: US-2009219701-A1

Title: Sliding flat panel display and keyboard module

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/032,752 filed Feb. 29, 2008 (Attorney Docket No. ATEN/P97002L), which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a sliding flat panel display and keyboard module. More particularly, the embodiments of the invention generally relate to a sliding flat panel display and keyboard module for a rack-mounted KVM switch. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Information technology and the computer industry are highly developed now. People rely heavily on computer systems. Therefore, computer servers with high calculation capacity and high stability are important for computer systems. Due to increasingly reduced office space, area occupied by computer servers must also be reduced. Computer servers must maintain a high degree of stability to serve users, and the space occupied by one computer server is therefore greater than or equal to that of a desktop computer. Accordingly, the management of computer servers is difficult and space utilization is at a premium. Some companies have two or three computer servers, while others may have more than a thousand computer servers. Computer server management and space utilization become more critical in companies with more computer servers. 
     A 1U computer server assembled on a standard 1U server rack is the mainstream computer server arrangement. Each standard layer of the server rack is about 1.75 inches (about 4.5 centimeters), so that the 1U server and the server rack effectively conserve occupational space of the computer servers. Moreover, the 1U servers and racks are more efficiently controlled because the 1U servers and racks can be centrally managed and easily stacked. Normally, hardware used in the 1U server is provided with a smaller size and lower height to fit the thickness limitation of 1.75 inches. 
     For conveniently controlling the stacked 1U computer servers on the server rack, users utilize KVM switches to connect and control multiple computer servers. Typically, one set of keyboard, video and mouse is included in the KVM switch to selectively operate multiple computer servers coupled to the KVM switch. Hence, the quantity of the displays and keyboards needed for controlling the computer servers can be effectively reduced and the occupied space thereof can also be reduced. 
     However, due to the height constraints on the 1U server rack, the dimensions of the keyboard and the display have to fulfill dimensional limitations to be incorporated and operate on the server rack. Additionally, even under the dimensional limitations, the keyboard and the display contribute to providing a safe and reliable working environment for users. 
     Furthermore, the multiple computer servers stacked on the rack may limit the extension and operational space of the keyboard, video and mouse coupled to the KVM switch. For example, as the KVM switch may be stacked in a central position of rack, one or more computer servers may be stacked on the upper selves above the position of the KVM switch. As the upper space of the rack may be occupied by the computer servers, the operational space of keyboard and video display of the KVM switch may be limited by the height constraints of the rack. Therefore, the video display coupled to the KVM switch may not be able to be opened and rotated beyond 90 degrees, thereby limiting the working space and user&#39;s viewing angle while operating the video display. In some conventional designs, the space above the KVM switch is empty so that space is reserved for the video display when opened to a vertical operational position, thus resulting in a loss of space which could have been utilized for additional computer servers. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a slider mounting module for mounting a KVM assembly in a server rack. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the invention generally provide a slider mounting module for mounting a KVM assembly in a server rack. The improved slider mounting module may provide a video display coupled to the KVM assembly being able to be opened up to an angle greater than about 95 degrees. In one embodiment, the slider mounting module includes a front rack mount and a back rack mount which are configured to couple together and be secured to a server rack. The coupling of the front rack mount to the back rack mount is adjustable to accommodate server racks having different depths. The slider mounting module includes a front move plate slidably coupled to the front rack mount and a back move plate slidably coupled to the back rack mount. The front and back rack mounts provide a mounting surface for the KVM assembly. 
     In one embodiment, the back rack mount includes a mounting flange and a primary bar. The primary bar further includes a top edge and a bottom edge configured to provide a bearing surface for the front rack mount coupled thereto. The primary bar further includes a slot configured to couple the back move plate to the back rack mount. 
     In one embodiment, the front rack mount further includes a mounting flange and a secondary bar, wherein the secondary bar further comprises one or more retaining features. The retaining feature is configured to retain the back rack mount and the front rack mount is a substantially aligned orientation. The secondary bar further includes a second slot formed through the secondary bar and aligned with a first slot formed in a primary bar in the back rack mount. The front move plate engages a first end of a KVM switch system and the back move plate engages a second end of the KVM switch system. 
     In one embodiment, the front rack mount is in an extended position relative to the front rack mount. 
     In one embodiment, the slider mounting module further includes a lock assembly coupled to the front rack mount configured to selectively retain the front move plate from moving relative to the front rack mount. The lock assembly further includes a plunger biased toward the front move plate, and a lever operable to move the plunger against the bias. The lock assembly further includes a knob and a plunger mounted to a bracket, wherein the bracket is coupled to the front rack mount. 
     In one embodiment, the slider mounting module further includes a middle move plate movably coupled to the back rack mount. The back move plate is coupled to the back rack mount by a bearing assembly. 
     In another embodiment, a KVM switch system receiving assembly includes a server rack having a front support and a back support, a slider mounting assembly disposed to a space defined by the front and the back support of the server rack, wherein the slider mounting assembly comprises a front rack mount, a back rack mount slidably coupled to the front rack mount in a manner that allows a combined length of the rack mounts to be adjusted, a front move plate slidably coupled to the front rack mount and a back move plate slidably coupled to the back rack mount. 
     In another embodiment, the front rack mount and the back rack mount are telescopically coupled together. 
     In another embodiment, the front move plate can move independently relative to the back move plate. 
     In another embodiment, a KVM assembly having a back move plate that can extend beyond the back rack mount is provided. 
     In another embodiment, a lock assembly is provided to selectively secure the position of the front move plate in a predefined position relative to the front rack mount. 
     In another embodiment, a KVM switch system receiving assembly includes a server rack having a front support and a back support, a slider mounting assembly disposed to a space defined by the front and the back support of the server rack, wherein the slider mounting assembly comprises a front rack mount, a back rack mount slidably coupled to the front rack mount in a manner that allows a combined length of the rack mounts to be adjusted, a front move plate slidably coupled to the front rack mount; and a back move plate slidably coupled to the back rack mount. 
     In one embodiment, the slider mounting assembly further includes a middle move plate movably coupled to the back move plate. The back plate is coupled to the back rack mount by a bearing assembly. 
     In one embodiment, the KVM switch system receiving assembly further includes a KVM switch system having a first side coupled to the front move plate and a second side coupled to the back move plate. The KVM switch system includes a display portion disposed in the KVM switch system configured to be slidably extended outward from the server rack. The display portion is rotatable to a position having an angle greater than 95 degrees relative to a horizontal place. 
     In yet another embodiment, a KVM switch system receiving assembly includes a server rack having a front support and a back support, a slider mounting assembly disposed to a space defined by the front and the back support of the server rack, a KVM switch system coupled to the server rack through the slider mounting assembly, wherein the KVM switch system includes a monitor display configured to be extendable outward from the server rack and rotatable to a position having an angle greater than 95 degrees relatively to a horizontal plane. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. 
         FIG. 1  depicts an isometric view of one embodiment of a slider mounting module; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded isometric view of the slider mounting module of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is perspective views of one embodiment of a lock assembly; 
         FIG. 4  depicts another embodiment of a lock assembly; 
         FIG. 5  is an isometric view of another embodiment of a slider mounting module; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded isometric view of the slider mounting module of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is an isometric view of another embodiment of a slider mounting module; 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded isometric view of the slider mounting module of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIGS. 9A-D  are schematic views of a sequence for mounting a KVM switch, keyboard and flat panel display to a server rack; and 
         FIGS. 10A-D  are schematic views illustrating operation of one embodiment of a slider mounting module. 
     
    
    
     It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. 
     To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. It is contemplated that elements and features of one embodiment may be beneficially incorporated in other embodiments without further recitation. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  depicts one embodiment of a slider mounting module  100 . The slider mounting module  100  includes a back rack mount  102 , a front rack mount  104 , a front move plate  106 , a back move plate  108  and a lock assembly  110 . The front and back rack mounts  104 ,  102  allows a combined length (not shown) of the front and back rack mounts  104 ,  102  to be adjusted and mount to a server rack (not shown) to provide the main structural member of the slider mounting module  100 . The back move plate  108  is coupled to the back rack mount  102  in a manner that allows the back move plate  108  to slide in the long direction of the back rack mount  102 . The front move plate  106  is slidably coupled to the front rack mount  104  in a manner that allows the front move plate  106  to move in a direction aligned with the movement of the back move plate  108 . The lock assembly  110  is coupled to the front rack mount  104  and is utilized to secure the front move plate  106  in at least one of an extended or retracted position relative to the front rack mount  104 . 
       FIG. 2  depicts an exploded view of the slider mounting module  100 . The back rack mount  102  includes a mounting flange  112  and a primary bar  114 . The mounting flange  112  has an orientation substantially perpendicular to the orientation of the primary bar  114 . The mounting flange  112  includes a plurality of holes to facilitate mounting the back rack mount  102  to a rear vertical supports of the server rack. The primary bar  114  generally includes a top edge  116  and a bottom edge  118  which are configured to provide a bearing surface for the front rack mount  104  coupled thereto. In one embodiment, the edges  116 ,  118  may be rounded, turned over, coated or otherwise prepared to improve the motion of the front rack mount  104  along the primary bar  114 . 
     The primary bar  114  additionally includes a slot  120 . The slot  120  facilitates coupling the back move plate  108  to the back rack mount  102 . In one embodiment, the back move plate  108  is coupled to the primary bar  114  utilizing a plurality of shoulder screws  134  which pass through the slot  120 , thereby facilitating the longitudinal movement of the back move plate  108  along the slot  120 . It is contemplated that the shoulder screws  134  may alternatively be a bearing or other element that facilitates movement of the back move plate  108  along the primary bar  114 . 
     In one embodiment, the front rack mount  104  includes a mounting flange  122  coupled to a secondary bar  124 . The orientation of the mounting flange  122  is generally perpendicular to the orientation of the secondary bar  124 . The mounting flange  122  includes a plurality of mounting holes  198  to facilitate coupling the front rack mount  104  to the front vertical support of the server rack. 
     The secondary bar  124  generally includes one or more retaining features  126 . The retaining feature  126  is configured to retain the back rack mount  102  and the front rack mount  104  aligned in a substantially linear orientation while allowing the front rack mount  104  to be slidably positioned along the primary bar  114  of the back rack mount  102 . The adjustable mounting of the front and back rack mounts  104 ,  102  allows the combined length of the front and back rack mounts  104 ,  102 , such as a distance between the mounting flanges  112 ,  122 , to be selected by the user so that the slider mounting module  100  may be adapted for use with server racks having different depths between the front and back vertical mounting members. 
     In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 2 , the retaining feature  126  includes at least one top channel  128  and at least one bottom channel  130 . The top and bottom channels  128 ,  130  define C-shaped slots which mate with the top and bottom edges  116 ,  118  of the primary bar  114  of the back rack mount  102 , thereby allowing the front rack mount  104  to slide over the back rack mount  102  so that the distance between the rack mounting flanges  112 ,  122  of the slider mounting module  100  may be telescopically adjusted to accommodate the slider mounting module  100  coupled to the server racks having different depths without modification by the user or the addition of separate components. 
     The secondary bar  124  additionally includes a slot  132 . The slot  132  is formed through the secondary bar  124  such that the slot  132  aligns linearly with the slot  120  of the back rack mount  102 . The slot  132  is configured to allow the front move plate  106  to be adjustably attached to the front rack mount  104  so that the position of the front move plate  106  relative to the front rack mount  104  may be selected. In one embodiment, shoulder screws  134  pass through the slot  132  to couple the front move plate  106  to the front rack mount  104 , thereby facilitating the longitudinal movement of the front move plate  106  along the slot  132 . It is contemplated that the shoulder screws  134  may alternatively be a bearing or other element that facilitates movement of the front move plate  106  along the secondary bar  124 . 
     The front move plate  106  generally includes a bar  140  having a flange  142 . The flange  142  is generally orientated perpendicular to the orientation of the bar  140 . The flange  142  is configured to engage the front end of a sliding flat panel display (not shown) and a keyboard module (not shown) of a KVM system (not shown), as further described below. 
     The back move plate  108  includes a bar  144  and a flange  146 . The orientation of the flange  146  is generally perpendicular to the orientation of the bar  144 . The flange  146  may include one or more mounting holes to facilitate supporting the rear end of the sliding flat panel display and the keyboard module, such as a KVM assembly as further described below. Since the position of the back move plate  108  is decoupled from the position of the front move plate  106 , the distance between the move plates  108 ,  106  may be adjusted to accommodate different size keyboards and display modules. 
     The lock assembly  110  may be coupled to the front rack mount  104 . The lock assembly  110  is configured to selectively engage the front move plate  106  so that the front move plate  106  may be retained in a desired position. The lock assembly  100  is configured to selectively retain the front move plate  106  from moving relative to the front rack mount  104 . 
       FIG. 3  depicts one embodiment of the lock assembly  110 . In one embodiment, the locking assembly  110  is in a form of a spring loaded mechanism  302  which is coupled to the flange  122  of the front rack mount  104 . The spring loaded mechanism  302  is biased to selectively engage one or more holes formed through the front move plate  106 . Three holes  304 ,  801 ,  803  are exemplified in  FIG. 3 . In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 3 , the hole  304  is shown proximate the flange  142  of the front move plate  106 , such that the front move plate  106  may be secured in a retracted position relative to the front rack mount  104 . It is contemplated that holes  801 ,  803  may be formed through the front move plate  106 , such that the extension of the flange  142  relative to the front rack mount  104  may be secured in other desired positions. The use of the holes  801 ,  803  will be illustrated more detail hereinafter. In one embodiment, at least one hole  801  or hole  803  is provided that allows the front move plate  106  to extend at different position, such as at least about 230 mm, from the retracted position. 
     In one embodiment, the spring loaded mechanism  302  includes a lever  306  and a plunger  308 . The plunger  308  is biased toward the front move plate  106  by a spring (not shown). In this manner, the plunger  308  automatically engages the holes  304 ,  801 ,  803  when the front move plate  106  is in a predefined position, such as a retracted position or an extended position as shown in  FIG. 3 . The lever  306  is operable to move the plunger  308  against the bias of the spring, such that the plunger  308  is moved clear of the hole  304 , thereby enabling the front move plate  106  to move along the front rack mount  104 . 
       FIG. 4  depicts another embodiment of a lock assembly  110 . In one embodiment, the lock assembly  110  is in the form of a spring loaded mechanism  402  coupled to the flange  122  of the front rack mount  104 . A bracket  410  may be utilized to couple the spring loaded mechanism  402  to the flange  122 . The spring loaded mechanism  402  generally includes a knob  406  and plunger  408  mounted to the bracket  410 . The bracket  410  is coupled to the flange  122  of the front rack mount  104 . The plunger  408  is biased by a spring (not shown) toward the front move plate  106 . The knob  406  limits the travel of the plunger  408  into the hole  304 . The knob  406  may be pulled to retract the plunger  408  from the hole  304 , thereby allowing the front move plate  106  to slide freely along to the front rack mount  104 . In one embodiment, the size of the lock assembly  110  may be configured to have a smaller size to facilitate operation for users. 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  are assembled and exploded views of another embodiment of a slider mounting module  500 . The slider mounting module  500  is generally similar to the slider mounting module  100  described above except wherein the slider module  500  includes a back move plate  502  which is movably coupled to the back rack mount  102  by a bearing assembly  508 . The bearing assembly  508  is configured to travel within the slot  120  of the back rack mount  102 , thereby enhancing the ease of movement of the back move plate  502  relative to the back rack mount  102 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the back move plate  502  generally includes a bar  504  having an inward turned flange  506 . The flange  506  may include one or more mounting holes to facilitate supporting the rear end of the sliding flat panel display and keyboard module, such as a KVM assembly, as further described below. 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  are isometric and exploded views of another embodiment of a slider mounting module  700 . The slider mounting module  700  is configured substantially similar to the slider mounting modules described above except wherein the slider mounting module  700  includes a back rack mount  714  and a middle move plate  712  movably coupled to the back rack mount  714 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , and the size of the lock assembly  110  is configured to have a smaller size to facilitate operation for users. The front move plate  106  includes one or more holes  304 ,  801 ,  803  to selectively engage with the lock assembly  110  to adjust the retraction and extension of the front move plate  106  relative to the front rack mount  104 . In one embodiment, the lock assembly  110  may engage the first hole  304  to secure the front rack mount  104  at a retracted position. At least one of the holes  801 ,  803  is positioned to allow the front move plate  106  to extend to different positions from the retracted position by the engagement of the lock assembly  110  with the second hole  801  or the third hole  803 . In the present embodiment, when the lock assembly  110  engages the hole  801 , the front move plate  106  extends at least about 230 mm. Accordingly, when a display of a KVM switch system is mounted thereon, the extended front move plate  106  allows the display to be positioned further away from a server rack, as compared to conventional designs, thereby providing an increased range of motion for the display, such as up to greater than about 95 degrees, for example about 95 degrees to about 120 degrees, or 130 degrees or even greater, relative to the horizontal plane in which the front move plate  106  travels. 
     In one embodiment, the middle move plate  712  generally includes a bar  702  and a flange  704 . The flange  704  generally has a perpendicular orientation relative to the bar  702 . The flange  704  generally includes one or more holes for mounting the rear end of the sliding flat panel display and keyboard module. 
     The bar  702  of the middle move plate  712  additionally includes one or more retaining features  706 . The retaining features  706  are generally configured to slideably retain the middle move plate  712  to the back rack mount  714  such that the middle move plate  712  may be positioned along the primary bar  114  of the back rack mount  714 . In one embodiment, the retaining features  706  include at least one upper channel  708  and at least one lower channel  710  which respectively mate with the top and bottom edges  116 ,  118  of the primary bar  114  of the back rack mount  714 , thereby allowing the back move plate  712  to be slid over the back rack mount  714  as the KVM assembly is moved within the server rack as further described below. 
       FIGS. 9A-D  depict one embodiment of a slider mounting module  100  mounted to a server rack  800 . Although the slider mounting module  100  is depicted in the embodiment described with reference to  FIGS. 9A-D , it is contemplated that the other slider mounting modules are similarly utilized. Referring first to  FIG. 9A , the server rack  800  includes a pair of back vertical supports  806  and a pair of front vertical supports  808 . The server rack  800  may additionally include doors or side panels (not shown). The flanges  112 ,  122  of the slider mounting module  100  are fastened to the front and back vertical supports  806 ,  808 . As the front rack mount  104  of the slider mounting module  100  is telescopically mounted to the back rack mount  102 , the slider mounting module  100  may accommodate different server racks having various distances between the front and back vertical supports  806 ,  808 . As shown in  FIG. 9B , the back move plate  108  is free to slide beyond the back vertical supports  806  of the server rack  800 , thereby allowing the slider mounting module  100  to accommodate a KVM switch, monitor and keyboard which have a greater depth than the server rack  800 . Moreover, as the motion of the front and back move plates  106 ,  108  are decoupled prior to mounting of the KVM assembly or components thereof, the slider mounting module  100  may accommodate different size KVM assemblies even after the module  100  is installed in the server rack  800  without difficultly or need for additional components. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 9C-D , a KVM assembly  810  is coupled to the slider mounting module  100 . In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 9C , the KVM assembly  810  is coupled to the flange  144  of the back move plate  108  and the flange  142  of the front move plate  106 . As the back move plate  108  and the front move plate  106  may move independent of one another, the distances between the flanges  142 ,  144  may be adjusted to accommodate different KVM assemblies  810  having different dimensions without customization. Additionally, as referred above and as shown in  FIG. 9D , with the KVM assembly  810  retracted within the server rack  800 , the rear  820  of the KVM assembly  810  may extend beyond the rear vertical supports  806  of the server rack  800 . 
     The KVM assembly  810  generally includes a keyboard  816  and monitor  814  coupled to a KVM switch  818  secured to a slider module  812 . In the embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 9A-D , the slider module  812  is configured as a dual slider module, as shown in  FIG. 9C . The dual slider module  812  allows the keyboard  816  and monitor  814  to be independently extended and retracted. One embodiment of a dual slider module which may be adapted to benefit from the invention is provided in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/203,246, filed Aug. 25, 2005, which is incorporated by reference. It is contemplated that other slider mechanisms may be utilized to facilitate the extension and retraction of the keyboard  816  and monitor  814  from the front move plate  106 . The monitor  814  and keyboard  816  will be more apparent with the description of  FIGS. 10A-D  which follows. 
     In operation, referring first to  FIG. 10A , the lock assembly  110  is actuated such that the plunger  308  retracts from the hole  304  (as depicted in  FIG. 3 ), thereby enabling the KVM assembly  810  to be pulled forward from the server rack  800  as the front move plate  106  and back move plate  108  slide forward along the slider mounting module  100 . At a predefined extension  1000  from the front vertical supports  808  of the server rack  800 , the plunger of the lock assembly  110  re-engages with the hole  801  or the hole  803  to secure the KVM assembly  810  in the extended position. The monitor  814  may then be extended using the dual slider module  812  as shown in  FIG. 10B . The monitor  814  may then be rotated upward into a display position as shown in  FIG. 10C . Due to the extension  1000  afforded by the slider mounting module  100 , the viewing angle of the monitor  814  has a greater range as compared to conventional systems. In one embodiment, the monitor may be rotated at an angle  850  between about 0 and 180 degrees, such as greater than about 95 degrees, for example about 95 degrees and about 130 degrees, relative to a horizontal plane  852  defined by the KVM assembly  810 . As shown in  FIG. 10D , the keyboard  816  may be extended from the KVM assembly  810  using the dual slider module  812  to facilitate access to the keyboard. 
     While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.