Patent Publication Number: US-2022225526-A1

Title: Tool-Less Installation Structure For Dual Slot PCIE Card

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates generally to an enclosure for a server system component, and more specifically, to a removable bracket for a riser module of a PCIe card that connects to the server system component. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Computer enclosures and other types of electronic equipment are often mounted in a vertical rack structure. Each rack structure has slots for holding the computer enclosures. Electronic equipment, such as a server, includes a chassis that contains components such as processors, power supplies, motherboards, and the like. The different chassis units in the rack structure may each contain a motherboard for slots for devices to enhance server capabilities, such as peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) slots for PCIe devices. A typical data center may have hundreds of servers, and therefore thousands of PCIe slots. 
     The slots for PCIe devices within a single chassis may be arranged on a motherboard. Such PCIe devices will be in a form factor that may have a generally rectangular shape. The chassis may have apertures that allow external access to one side of the form factor of the PCIe device. The side of the form factor will generally include connectors that allow external connections to be made. The area of such connectors on a PCIe form factor is referred to as a keyhole. The keyhole assists the PCIe device in attaching to a riser in the system. The PCIe device cards may also be connected to a vertically oriented riser or a flexible extender, which is in turn inserted in the slot on the motherboard. Such risers or extenders allow the device card to be placed in a suspended horizontal position at a location over the motherboard. When a PCIe card is located in a riser or flexible extender, ports or adapters may be used for connection of the card to the riser. The height of the connector for the card may vary in generally when a riser or flexible extender is used. Additionally, PCIe cards come in different sizes and forms, generally ranging between the following: x1, x4, x8, x16, and x32 sizes. Therefore, not all sizes of PCIe cards fit into the risers and flexible extenders. Furthermore, the position of the keyhole on the PCIe card is not dictated by any specification and may change frequently as different card designs are introduced. Thus, changes in the size and shape may affect stability of the connection between the components of the PCIe card and external devices connected to the slots on the riser. For example, certain PCIe cards may result in features of the chassis potentially covering the keyhole or slot on the riser or not including enough space between the bracket assembly and the keyhole or slot on the riser for a secure connection. 
     Additionally, other server components such as fans may cause slight vibrations due to noise or physical movement. Thus, the PCIe card may move slightly when installed in a riser or flexible extender. Movements between the PCIe card and the riser or extender, or the keyhole connection may lead to a poor connection, reduced power consumption, overheating, or disconnection. Furthermore, the temperature of the PCIe card may increase due to power consumption while the PCIe card is in use. 
     Thus, there exists a need for a bracket assembly for PCIe riser or flexible extender that allows for variations in sizes and shapes of a PCIe device card. There is also a need for a bracket assembly that can maintain a secure connection in case of movement of a PCIe device card. There is also a need for a bracket assembly that can withstand higher temperatures for prolonged periods of time. 
     SUMMARY 
     The term embodiment and like terms are intended to refer broadly to all of the subject matter of this disclosure and the claims below. Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit the subject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of the claims below. Embodiments of the present disclosure covered herein are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various aspects of the disclosure and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter. This summary is also not intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this disclosure, any or all drawings and each claim. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a bracket for holding an electronic device in a carrier in a computing system is described. The bracket includes an outer plate and an inner compressible sleeve. The outer plate includes a front side and a back side. The inner compressible sleeve includes a front section, a back section, and an aperture. The front section of the inner compressible sleeve is coupled to the back side of the outer plate. When the electronic device is inserted in the aperture, the electronic device compresses the inner compressible sleeve within the aperture. 
     According to a configuration of the above implementation, the bracket may also include a hole on the outer plate. The hole is configured to mate with a fastener on the electronic device. 
     According to another configuration of the above implementation, the bracket also includes a protrusion on the outer plate. The protrusion prevents the electronic device from moving through the front side of the outer plate. 
     In a further aspect of the above implementation, the inner compressible sleeve of the bracket is a shock dampener. 
     In another aspect of the above implementation, the outer plate is coupled to the inner compressible sleeve of the bracket via an adhesive. 
     According to another configuration of the above implementation, the inner compressible sleeve of the bracket is configured to insulate the electronic device in the carrier from heat produced by the system. 
     In a further aspect of the above implementation, the outer plate of the bracket is metal. 
     In yet a further aspect of the above implementation, the inner compressible sleeve of the bracket is rubber. 
     Another aspect of the present disclosure includes an electronic device assembly. The assembly includes an electronic device, a bracket, and carrier. The bracket has an outer plate and an inner compressible sleeve. The outer plate includes a front side and a back side. The inner compressible sleeve includes a front section, a back section, and an aperture. The front section of the inner compressible sleeve is coupled to the back side of the outer plate. When the electronic device is inserted in the aperture, the electronic device compresses the inner compressible sleeve within the aperture. The carrier for holding the electronic device and the bracket. 
     According to a configuration of the above implementation, the assembly may also include a hole on the outer plate. The hole is configured to mate with a fastener on the electronic device. 
     According to another configuration of the above implementation, the assembly also includes a protrusion on the outer plate. The protrusion prevents the electronic device from moving through the front side of the outer plate. 
     In a further aspect of the above implementation, the inner compressible sleeve of the bracket is a shock dampener. 
     In another aspect of the above implementation, the outer plate is coupled to the inner compressible sleeve of the bracket via an adhesive. 
     According to another configuration of the above implementation, the inner compressible sleeve of the bracket is configured to insulate the electronic device in the carrier from heat produced by the system. 
     In a further aspect of the above implementation, the outer plate of the bracket is metal. 
     In yet a further aspect of the above implementation, the inner compressible sleeve of the bracket is rubber. 
     Another aspect of the present disclosure includes a computing system having a riser for holding an electronic component in a carrier. The system includes a riser, an electronic device, a bracket, and a carrier. The riser includes a top wall, a bottom wall, two side walls, an electronic device, and a bracket. The top wall and the bottom wall are perpendicularly coupled to the two side walls. The top wall is approximately parallel to the bottom wall. The bracket includes an outer plate and an inner compressible sleeve. The outer plate includes a front side, a back side, and a hole. The inner compressible sleeve includes a front section, a back section, and an aperture. The front section of the inner compressible sleeve is coupled to the back side of the outer plate. When the electronic device is inserted in the aperture, the electronic device compresses the inner compressible sleeve within the aperture. The carrier for holding the electronic device and the bracket is configured to be removably coupled to one of the side walls of the riser, and the other side wall of the riser is configured to be removably coupled to the electronic device. 
     According to another configuration of the above implementation, the assembly also includes a protrusion on the outer plate. The protrusion prevents the electronic device from moving through the front side of the outer plate. 
     In a further aspect of the above implementation, the inner compressible sleeve of the bracket is a shock dampener. 
     In another aspect of the above implementation, the outer plate is coupled to the inner compressible sleeve of the bracket via an adhesive. 
     The above summary is not intended to represent each embodiment or every aspect of the present disclosure. Rather, the foregoing summary merely provides an example of some of the novel aspects and features set forth herein. The above features and advantages, and other features and advantages of the present disclosure, will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of representative embodiments and modes for carrying out the present invention, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. Additional aspects of the disclosure will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the detailed description of various embodiments, which is made with reference to the drawings, a brief description of which is provided below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure, and its advantages and drawings, will be better understood from the following description of exemplary embodiments together with reference to the accompanying drawings. These drawings depict only exemplary embodiments, and are therefore not to be considered as limitations on the scope of the various embodiments or claims. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a computing system with example bracket assemblies inserted in a riser module of the chassis of the computing system. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an example bracket that may hold different sized device cards. 
         FIG. 3A  is a front view of the example bracket of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 3B  is a side view of the example bracket of  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the example bracket of  FIGS. 3A-3B  before it is attached to an expansion card. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an example bracket assembly of the bracket and expansion card in  FIG. 4  before installation into a riser support. 
         FIG. 6A  is a perspective view of the example bracket assembly of  FIG. 5  being secured onto a riser support. 
         FIG. 6B  is a perspective view of the example assembly of the riser support, expansion card, and bracket assembly of  FIG. 6A . 
         FIG. 7A  is a perspective bottom view of an example riser module. 
         FIG. 7B  is a perspective bottom view of the example riser module of  FIG. 7A  with a riser support, expansion card, and bracket assembly installed into the riser module. 
     
    
    
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific implementations have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in further detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Various embodiments are described with reference to the attached figures, where like reference numerals are used throughout the figures to designate similar or equivalent elements. The figures are not drawn to scale and are provided merely to illustrate the instant invention. Several aspects of the invention are described below with reference to example applications for illustration. It should be understood that numerous specific details, relationships, and methods are set forth to provide a full understanding of the invention. One having ordinary skill in the relevant art, however, will readily recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods. In other instances, well-known structures or operations are not shown in detail to avoid obscuring the invention. The various embodiments are not limited by the illustrated ordering of acts or events, as some acts may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other acts or events. Furthermore, not all illustrated acts or events are required to implement a methodology in accordance with the present invention. 
     Elements and limitations that are disclosed, for example, in the Abstract, Summary, and Detailed Description sections, but not explicitly set forth in the claims, should not be incorporated into the claims, singly, or collectively, by implication, inference, or otherwise. For purposes of the present detailed description, unless specifically disclaimed, the singular includes the plural and vice versa. The word “including” means “including without limitation.” Moreover, words of approximation, such as “about,” “almost,” “substantially,” “approximately,” and the like, can be used herein to mean “at,” “near,” or “nearly at,” or “within 3-5% of,” or “within acceptable manufacturing tolerances,” or any logical combination thereof, for example. 
     The present disclosure is directed to a bracket for an expansion card in a carrier that, among other benefits, provides for easy installation and removal of the expansion card from the carrier, accommodates variations in size and shape of the expansion card, and may be reused multiple times. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a computing system, such as a server system  100 , having a chassis  102 , a motherboard  104 , a memory device  106 , a power supply  108 , a bracket assembly  110 , a riser support  122 , a riser module  128 , and a fan wall  124 . In other implementations, the server system  100  may include more than the listed components or less than the listed components. The chassis  102  includes a top panel  112 , a bottom panel  114 , a first side wall  116 , a second side wall  118 , a front wall  120 , and a back wall  126  to enclose the electronic components of the system  100 . 
     In some implementations, the riser module  128  is located on the back wall  126  of the chassis  102 . There may be one or more riser modules  128  located in the chassis  102 . The riser module  128  may include one or more riser supports  122  with bracket assemblies  110  stacked in the riser module  128 , where the bracket assemblies  110  may be coupled to the riser supports  122 . As will be explained, the bracket assembly  110  includes a bracket and an expansion card. The riser support  122  includes an open end that faces an open end of the chassis  102  to allow for additional connections between an expansion card in the riser support  122 . The riser supports  122  may be stacked vertically within the riser module  128 , between the top wall  112  and the bottom wall  114  of the chassis  102 . In some implementations, the riser supports  122  may be considered slots, holders, containers, receptacles, slits, apertures, or openings. There may also be riser supports  122  aligned next to each other horizontally within the riser module  128 , between the first wall  116  and the second wall  118  of the chassis  102 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . The riser support  122  may also be called a carrier, which is used to hold a bracket assembly  110 . The bracket assembly  110  may be positioned within the riser support  122  such that the bracket assembly  110  securely fits within the riser support  122 . 
     In some implementations, the riser support  122  may interface with other types of expansion cards, such as graphic processing units, Integrated Processing Units, Accelerated Graphics devices, or other types of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) cards. The riser support  122  may allow for the system  100  to enhance its capabilities, such as having better sound and video, higher bandwidth, greater flexibility, and faster performance, by providing a connection for the server  100  to interface with expansion electronic components providing these functions. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of a bracket  200  that is one component of the bracket assembly  110  in the system  100  (shown in  FIG. 1 ). The bracket  200  may include an outer plate  202  and an inner compressible sleeve  204 . The outer plate  202  may include a front side  206  and a back side  208 . The outer plate  202  may also include protrusions  216 , holes  218 , a frame  220 , and an inner rectangular edge  222  that defines a rectangular aperture. The outer plate  202  may be fabricated from a ductile, flexible, malleable, insulative, and heat resistant material that may temporarily deflect while maintaining its structural integrity when pressure is applied. In other implementations, the outer plate  202  may be made of a metal sheet such as steel, tin, aluminum, nickel, brass, copper, and titanium. 
     The inner compressible sleeve  204  is a generally rectangular shape. The frame  220  of the outer plate  202  is a generally rectangular shape. The holes  218  of the outer plate  202  are a generally circular shape. The holes  218  may be threaded in order to mate with a threaded fastener. In other implementations, the holes  218  may be a hole or opening in the outer plate  202  without threads. In some implementations, the holes  218  may include a reinforced area around the perimeter to increase the maximum pressure that the holes  218  may withstand. In some implementations, there may be more than two protrusions  216  on the outer plate  202 . In some implementations, there may be other holes similar to the holes  218  on the outer plate  202  to provide additional support for an attached carrier. 
     The protrusions  216  of the outer plate  202  may extend from the inner rectangular edge  222 . The frame  220  follows the general outer perimeter shape of the outer plate  202 . The frame  220  protrudes from the outer perimeter of the front side  206 . The function of the frame  220  may be to provide additional, reinforcing structural support for the outer plate  202 . The function of the frame  220  may also be to provide a contact for a user to grip when manipulating the outer plate  202 . The holes  218  of the outer plate  202  may accommodate a fastener attached to a carrier. The fasteners inserted in the holes  218  may include a screw, a nut and bolt, a threaded insert, a threaded a rod, an anchor, and a rivet. 
     The inner compressible sleeve  204  may include a front section  210 , a back section  212 , and an aperture  214 . The front section  210  of the inner compressible sleeve  204  may be connected to the back side  208  of the outer plate  202  using an adhesive—such as glue, cyanoacrylate, epoxy, or resin, a heat treatment, a tying method, or another method for permanently or removably connecting the outer plate  202  and the inner compressible sleeve  204 . The inner compressible sleeve  204  may be extruded, three-dimensionally printed, or injection molded from a rubber or sponge material—such as isoprene, styrene-butadiene, silicone, nitrile, ethylene propylene diene monomer, butyl, polyurethane, polyester, or vegetal cellulose, or neoprene. The material of the inner compressible sleeve  204  may provide resistance to reduce slippage when a force is applied against it. The material of the inner compressible sleeve  204  may also be flexible, malleable, and insulative. The distance between the front section  210  and the back section  212  may be such that a PCIe card may securely fit into the aperture  214 . The inner compressible sleeve  204  has a shorter width than the outer plate  202 . Thus, the section of the outer plate  202  with the holes  218  does not overlap the inner compressible sleeve  204  when the bracket  200  is assembled. 
       FIG. 3A  is a front view and  FIG. 3B  is a side view of the bracket  200  when the outer plate  202  and the inner compressible sleeve  204  are assembled together. Like elements in  FIG. 2  are labeled with the same reference numbers in  FIGS. 3A-3B . Referring to  FIGS. 3A-3B , the bracket  200  may include the outer plate  202  and the inner compressible sleeve  204  connected to each other. The connection may be such that the vertical and horizontal distances between the inner rectangular edge  222  of the outer plate  202  and the aperture  214  of the inner compressible sleeve  204  is approximately equal based on the view in  FIG. 3A . As shown in  FIG. 3A , the inner compressible sleeve  204  may be seen from the front of the bracket  200 . Thus, the perimeter of the aperture  214  of the inner compressible sleeve  204  may be less than the perimeter of the inner rectangular edge  222  of the outer plate  202 . Furthermore, the protrusions  216  of the outer plate  202  prevents the inner compressible sleeve  204  from moving to a position extending out from the front side  206  of the outer plate  202 . Thus, the protrusions  216  prevent the inner compressible sleeve  204  from slipping or being displaced relative to the outer plate  202 . The inner rectangular edge  222  defines the opening in the outer plate  202 , and may follow the entirety of the shape of the opening except for the protrusions  216 . The aperture  214  outlines an opening in the inner compressible sleeve  204 , and follows the entirety of the shape of the opening. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3B , the outer plate  202  abuts the inner compressible sleeve  204 . The overall surface area of the inner compressible sleeve  204  is less than the overall surface area of the outer plate  202  such that the outer plate  202  overlaps the entirety of the front surface of the outer plate  202 . The height alignment may be such that the distance between the top and bottom of the frame  220  of the outer plate  202  and the top and bottom of the aperture  214  of the inner compressible sleeve  204  is approximately equal based on the view in  FIG. 3B . The holes  218  of the outer plate  202  extend from the front side  206  through the outer plate  202  and protrude through additional support members  302  that extend from the back side  208 . In some implementations, the holes  218  do not protrude through the back side  208  of the outer plate  202 . From a side profile, the inner compressible sleeve  204  is in a generally rectangular shape. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the bracket  200  before it is attached to an expansion card  400  to form the bracket assembly  110 . Like elements in  FIGS. 2-3B  are labeled with the same reference numbers in  FIG. 4 . The expansion card  400  includes a front face  406 , a back face  416 , a first side face  408 , a second side face  410 , a third side face  412  and a fourth side face  414 . A keyhole area  402  is located on the front face  406  of the expansion card  400 . The keyhole area  402  may be used to assist a user in installing a bracket  200  in a riser support  122  (shown in  FIG. 1 ). An attachment  404  is located on the back face  416  of the expansion card  400 . The attachment  404  can be used to stabilize the expansion card  400  within the riser support  122  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) in case of any excess vibration around the bracket  200 . The third side face  412  includes an edge connector that connects to a slot on the riser module  128  (shown in  FIG. 1 ). The expansion card  400  may be any suitable expansion card, including a graphics processing unit (GPU) card, a redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID) card, a network controller card such as a network interface controller or Wi-Fi card, a hard disk drive, or a solid-state drive, Integrated Processing Units, Accelerated Graphics devices, or other types of Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) cards. In this example, the expansion card  400  is a PCIe card. The expansion card  400  may vary in size and shape, depending on the capacity, function, brand, and specification of the specific expansion card. Thus, the inner compressible sleeve  204  may accommodate variations in size and shape of the expansion card  400  because of the flexibility of the material. 
     The bracket  200  may be installed on the expansion card  400  to form the bracket assembly  110 . During installation, the back section  212  of the inner compressible sleeve  204  first engages with the front face  406  of the expansion card  400 , such that the aperture  214  of the inner compressible sleeve  204  abuts the first side face  408 , the second side face  410 , the third side face  412  and the fourth side face  414  of the card  400 . Thus, the expansion card  400  may be inserted through the aperture  214 . When inserted, the expansion card  400  compresses the inner compressible sleeve  204  within the aperture  214 . 
     After the bracket  200  is installed on the expansion card  400 , the back side  208  of the outer plate  202  may abut the front face  406  of the expansion card  400  because the expansion card  400  compresses the inner compressible sleeve  204  expanding the size of the aperture  214 . Furthermore, the protrusions  216  of the outer plate  202  prevent the expansion card  400  from extending through the front side  206  of the outer plate  202 . In some implementations, the section of the front side  206  with the holes  218  do not overlap the front side  406  of the expansion card  400 . In some implementations, the keyhole area  402  may be accessed through the opening defined by the frame  222 . 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the bracket assembly  110  installed into a riser support  122 . Like elements in  FIGS. 1-4  are labeled with the same reference numbers in  FIG. 5 . The bracket assembly  110  includes the bracket  200  and the attached expansion card  400 . The riser support  122  may include fasteners  502 , a front frame  504 , a top support panel  506 , a bottom support panel  508 , and a side panel  510 . The bracket assembly  110  may be installed into the riser support  122  such that the front side  206  of the outer plate  202  and the front face  406  of the expansion card  400  are parallel and adjacent to the front frame  504  of the riser support  122 . When assembled, the first side face  408  of the expansion card  400  is parallel and adjacent to the top support panel  506  of the riser support  122 , and the fourth side face  414  of the expansion card  400  may be parallel and adjacent to the side panel  508  of the riser support  122 . The third side face  412  of the expansion card  400  is parallel and adjacent to the bottom panel  510  of the riser support  122 . 
     In some implementations, the riser support  122  does not block access to the attachment  404  of the expansion card  400 . Thus, the riser support  122  allows for the attachment  404  to abut a different component or to include internal connections to other sections of the system  100  (shown in  FIG. 1 ). The front frame  504  includes a side that has holes to hold the fasteners  502 . The fasteners  502  may be thumb screws that permit a user to secure the fastener  502  with the user&#39;s hand rather than requiring the use of a tool. Furthermore, the holes  218  of the outer plate  202  may align with the fasteners  502  of the riser support  122  after the bracket assembly  110  is installed into the riser support  122 . A riser assembly  500  includes the bracket assembly  110  installed into the riser support  122 . 
       FIG. 6A  is a perspective view of the bracket assembly  110  being secured onto a riser support  122  to form the riser assembly  500 . Like elements in  FIGS. 1-5  are labeled with the same reference numbers in  FIGS. 6A-6B . After a user aligns the fasteners  502  with the holes  218 , the user may manually secure the fastener  502  in place by hand. The fasteners  502  may include a fastener that does not require a tool to install, such as a screw, a nut-and-bolt assembly, a quarter-turn pin, a knob-locking pin, a button-locking pin, a ball-lock clamping pin, and a magnet-lock clamping pin. Thus, the bracket assembly  110  may be removably secured in the riser support  122 . In the secured position, the front face  406  of the expansion card  400  is exposed through the front frame  504  of the riser support  122 . Therefore, other components or sections of the system  100  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) may access components on the front face  406  of the expansion card  400 . 
       FIG. 6B  is a perspective view of the riser assembly  500  in an installed, secured position. The attachment  404  of the expansion card  400  may be accessed by the riser support  122 . Thus, the attachment  404  may be internally connected to other components in the system  100  (shown in  FIG. 1 ). Similarly, the keyhole area  402  of the expansion card  400  is not obstructed by the riser support  122 , thus, allowing for other connections to be made externally to the system  100  or the riser module  128  (both shown in  FIG. 1 ). In the installed position, the material of the inner compressible sleeve  204  allows for some compression and variance as to the expansion card  400 . Thus, the inner compressible sleeve  204  may function as a dampener and absorb mechanical vibrations caused by physical movements or noise in relation to the expansion card  400 . Furthermore, the inner compressible sleeve  204  may also insulate heat from the expansion card  400  such that it does not transfer to the riser support card  122 , thereby assisting to keep the temperature of the riser support  122  relatively low. 
       FIG. 7A  is a perspective bottom view of the riser module  128 . The riser module  128  includes slots  702  for insertion of connectors of an expansion card. The slots  702  are coupled to electrical connections to the different components on the motherboard  104  (shown in  FIG. 1 ). The riser module  128  also includes frames  704 , each of which stabilizes an expansion card in the riser module  128 . The components may be inserted in the frames  704 . In some implementations, each of the system frames  704  corresponds to one of the slots  702  in the riser module  128 . The riser module  128  includes a brace  706  for providing structural support when a keyhole of an expansion card is connected to the riser module  128 . A lock  708  provides support for the riser module  128  to be secured in a system chassis. 
       FIG. 7B  is a perspective bottom view of the riser module  128  of  FIG. 7A  with an installed riser support  122 , expansion card  400 , and bracket  200 . The bracket  200  may be included in the riser module  128  in order to properly fit a different sized expansion card  400  such that variations in size may be accommodated in the riser module  128 . An implementation with a bracket  200  includes a connection to the brace  706  in order to secure the bracket  200  to the brace  706  through the keyhole area  402  of the expansion card  400 . The keyhole area  402  may be secured to the brace  706  via fasteners attached with a tool or a user&#39;s fingers. The fastener may be a screw, a nut and bolt, a threaded insert, a threaded rod, an anchor, or a rivet. As shown in  FIG. 7B , the brace  706  is connected to the riser support  122  in order to secure the riser support  122  within the riser module  128 . On the opposite end of the brace  706 , the frames  704  provide another way for the riser support  122  to be stabilized in the system because the expansion card  400  includes the attachment  404  exposed through the frames  704  to allow for mechanical fastening. The third side face  412  of the expansion card  400  includes the edge connector that interfaces with the slots  702  of the riser module  128 . The signal from the expansion card  400  is electrically connected to the slots  702 , which is electrically connected to the motherboard  104  (shown in  FIG. 1 ). Thus, signals from the expansion card  400  are transmitted to the motherboard  104  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) from the slots  702  of the riser module  128 . 
     Although the disclosed embodiments have been illustrated and described with respect to one or more implementations, equivalent alterations and modifications will occur or be known to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other implementations as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application. 
     While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Numerous changes to the disclosed embodiments can be made in accordance with the disclosure herein, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above described embodiments. Rather, the scope of the invention should be defined in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents. 
     The foregoing description of the embodiments, including illustrated embodiments, has been presented only for the purpose of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting to the precise forms disclosed. Numerous modifications, adaptations, and uses thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “including,” “includes,” “having,” “has,” “with,” or variants thereof, are used in either the detailed description and/or the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.” 
     Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.