Patent Abstract:
An air baffle with an integrated expansion card attachment is disposed in a computer for receiving an expansion card having a handle attached thereto. The air baffle includes a first wall including a first guide and a second guide projecting from a side surface of the first wall. The first guide a second guide form a transverse space therebetween. The air baffle includes a second wall parallel to the first wall disposed a distance from the first wall approximately equal to a width of the expansion card. The second wall includes a snap retainer having a projected portion thereof. The transverse space formed between the first and second guides of the first wall has a size approximately equal to a thickness of the expansion card such that a first end of the expansion card is firmly held by the first guide and the second guide when the expansion card is inserted into the transverse space. The projected portion inserts between the handle attached to the expansion card and the expansion card in order to hold the expansion card in place. The expansion card is held apart from and parallel to a circuit board of a computer such that an air channel is created between the first wall and the second wall for air to pass across the circuit board of the computer and the expansion card.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a typical computer  100  where a top cover (not shown) of a chassis  101  is removed. As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , various kinds of electronic parts  102  are disposed on a circuit board  103  of the computer  100 . The circuit board  103  is disposed on a bottom surface of the chassis  101  via supports  105 . 
         [0002]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the computer  100  in  FIG. 1  where an expansion card  201  and the attachment part  206  are installed. As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , similar to the circuit board  103  of the computer  100 , the circuit board  203  of the expansion card  201  has various kinds of electronic parts  202  thereon. 
         [0003]    The chassis  101  includes an attachment part  206 . Attachment part  206  is constituted by a left side surface of chassis  101  and a wall  207  disposed in the middle of the chassis  101 . The supports  205  and  208  are disposed on a left and right end of the circuit board  203  of the expansion card  201 , and the support  205  and  208  are disposed on the end surface of the circuit board  203 , for example, by screws (not shown). Also, the supports  205  and  208  are attached to the chassis  101  and the wall  207  respectively, for example, by screws (not shown) so that the expansion card  201  is installed in the chassis  101 . 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0004]    One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to an air baffle with an integrated expansion card attachment for receiving an expansion card having a handle attached thereto, the air baffle comprising: a first wall comprising a first guide and a second guide projecting from a side surface of the first wall, wherein the first guide a second guide form a transverse space therebetween; and a second wall parallel to the first wall disposed a distance from the first wall approximately equal to a width of the expansion card, wherein the second wall comprises a snap retainer having a projected portion thereof, wherein the transverse space formed between the first and second guides of the first wall has a size approximately equal to a thickness of the expansion card such that a first end of the expansion card is firmly held by the first guide and the second guide when the expansion card is inserted into the transverse space, wherein the projected portion inserts between the handle attached to the expansion card and the expansion card in order to hold the expansion card in place, and wherein the expansion card is held apart from and parallel to a circuit board of a computer such that an air channel is created between the first wall and the second wall for air to pass across the circuit board of the computer and the expansion card. 
         [0005]    One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to a computer system comprising: a circuit board disposed within a chassis; an air baffle with an integrated expansion card attachment disposed within the chassis; an expansion card having a handle attached thereto; wherein the air baffle comprises: a first wall comprising a first guide and a second guide projecting from a side surface of the first wall, wherein the first guide a second guide form a transverse space therebetween; and a second wall parallel to the first wall disposed a distance from the first wall approximately equal to a width of the expansion card, wherein the second wall comprises a snap retainer having a projected portion thereof, wherein the transverse space formed between the first and second guides of the first wall has a size approximately equal to a thickness of the expansion card such that a first end of the expansion card is firmly held by the first guide and the second guide when the expansion card is inserted into the transverse space, wherein the projected portion inserts between the handle attached to the expansion card and the expansion card in order to hold the expansion card in place, and wherein the expansion card is held apart from and parallel to a circuit board of a computer such that an air channel is created between the first wall and the second wall for air to pass across the circuit board of the computer and the expansion card. 
         [0006]    Other aspects and advantageous of the invention will be apparent from the following description and appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a typical computer where a top cover of a chassis is removed. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of a computer in  FIG. 1  where an expansion card is installed. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of the computer where a top cover of the chassis is removed. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  shows an enlarged view of the first wall as shown in  FIG. 3  including others. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  shows an enlarged view of a part of the second wall, which shows a snap retainer. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of an expansion card. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  shows a back surface of the expansion card, to which the handle is attached. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of the handle. 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of the computer where the expansion card is installed. 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  shows a flow diagram of installing the expansion card. 
           [0017]    FIGS.  11 (A)-(C) shows the expansion card and the snap retainer when installing the expansion card. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying figures. Like elements in the various figures are denoted by like reference numerals for consistency. 
         [0019]    In the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the description. 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of a part of computer  300  having an attachment for an expansion card before installing the expansion card (not shown). As can be shown in  FIG. 3 , a computer  300  has various kinds of electronic parts  301 , components or units, such as integrated circuits, transistors, processors, heat sinks, connectors, etc. on the circuit board  302  of the computer  300 . Such electronic parts, components or units  301  are enclosed in the chassis  303 . In one or more embodiments, the present invention uses the circuit board  302  as a bottom wall, employs two side walls, and uses the expansion card itself as a top wall of an air channel for air to flow across the electronic components of the circuit board  302  and the expansion for cooling. 
         [0021]    The attachment for an expansion card includes the first wall  304  and the second wall  305 . The first wall  304  is disposed on the circuit board  302  of the computer  300  at a side of a slot  306  approximately perpendicular to the circuit board  302 . Also, the second wall  305  is disposed on the circuit board  302  at a side of a slot  307  approximately perpendicular to the circuit board  302  and parallel to the first wall  304 . The first wall  304  and the second wall  305  may be disposed on the circuit board  302  by screws, adhesives, bonding or other attachment methods known in the art. Also, one end of the first wall  304  is disposed at a side of the inside surface of the chassis  303 . Similarly, one end of the second wall  305  is disposed at a side of the inside surface of the chassis  303 . As a result, the part D of the circuit board  302  of the computer  300  is surrounded by the first wall  304 , the second wall  305 , and a part of the chassis  303 . Further, the third wall  308  is attached to the first wall  304  by a plurality of rods  310 . Similarly, the fourth wall  309  is attached to the second wall  305  by a plurality of rods  311 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 4  shows an enlarged view of  FIG. 3  oriented towards the first wall. As can be shown in  FIG. 4 , the first wall  304  has a plurality of first guides  401 - 404  and a plurality of second guides  405 - 407 . The first guides  401 - 404  and the second guides  405 - 407  are disposed on a side surface of the first wall  304  in a line at a different height respectively so that there is a transverse space horizontally between the bottom surface of the first guides  401 - 404  and the top surface of the second guides  405 - 407 . The first guides  402  and  403  and the second guides  405 - 407  are disposed alternately along the each line. The width of this transverse space between the first guides  401 - 404  and the second guides  405 - 407  is approximately the same as the thickness of a circuit board of an expansion card as explained below. The shape and size of the second guides  405 - 407  are the approximately same as the first guides  402  and  403 , but the first guides  401  and  402  are smaller than the second guides  405 - 407  in width. The first guide  401  is disposed above the second guide  405 , and the first guide  404  is disposed above the end the second guide  407 . In addition, the transverse space has openings  408 - 410  on the second guides  405 - 407 . In one or more embodiments, the first and second guides  401 - 407  are formed integrally as a part of the first wall  304 . One skilled in the art will appreciate that these guides could be separately formed and attached to the first wall. 
         [0023]    Further, as explained above, the third wall  308  is attached to the first wall  304  by a plurality of rods  310 . Specifically, as shown in  FIG. 4 , rods  310  include three rods  411 - 412 . One end of the rod  411  is attached to one top end of the first wall  410 , and one ends of rods  412  and  413  are attached in the middle of the other ends of the first wall  410  respectively. The rod  412  is approximately parallel to the first wall while the rods  411  and  413  have the same predetermined angle to the side surface of the first wall. Also, the rod  411  is parallel to the rod  413 . The rods  411  and  413  and the rod  412  are crossed in the middle of the rods  411 - 413  in the air, and the other ends of the rods  411 - 413  are attached to the third wall  308  at the end thereof. Thus, the third wall  308  is supported in the air above the circuit board  302  at a predetermined angle to the side surface of the first wall  304 . Because the fourth wall  309  is supported by the second wall  305  similarly although the direction of the rods  312  and the fourth wall  309  are opposite, as can be shown in  FIG. 3 , the explanation regarding the fourth wall  309  and the rods  312  are omitted. 
         [0024]    One of the ordinary skilled in the art will appreciate that any other shapes or numbers of the first guides  401 - 404  and the second guides  405 - 407  may be used so long as the expansion card  600  is firmly held by these guides and the air passes smoothly when the expansion card  600  is installed, as described below. Also, one of the ordinary skilled in the art will appreciate other positions or numbers of the rods or ways to support the third and fourth wall  308  and  309  may be employed so long as the direction of the air is changed effectively by the third  308  and fourth wall  309  as explained below. In addition, there may be no openings  408 - 410  at the space between the first guides  401 - 404  and the second guides  405 - 407 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 5  shows an enlarged view of a part of the second wall, which shows a snap retainer. As can be shown in  FIG. 5 , the snap retainer  501  is integrally formed as a part of the second wall  305 . The snap retainer  501  is disposed parallel to the second wall  305 , and the height and the thickness of the snap retainer  501  are approximately the same as the second wall  305 . There are two cut outs  504  and  505  at the sides of the snap retainer  501  such that the snap retainer  501  is flexibly supported by the lower part of the second wall  305 . Also, the snap retainer  501  itself may be flexible. 
         [0026]    Further, the snap retainer  501  has a projected portion  502  in the middle upper part thereof which is disposed on the surface of the snap retainer  501  and parallel to the circuit board  307 . The shape of the projected portion  502  is approximately triangle in the sectional view, and the width becomes narrower toward the tip of the projected portion  502 . Furthermore, the position of the projected portion  502  to the circuit board  302  of the computer  300  is approximately the same as the position of the space between the first guides  401 - 404  and the second guides  405 - 407  so that the expansion card  600  is held approximately parallel to the circuit board  302  of the computer  300  when the expansion card  600  is attached, as described below. In addition, there is a thick portion  503  at the top of the snap retainer  501 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the height at which the expansion card  600  is held above the circuit board  302  may vary depending on the type of computer  300  is involved. 
         [0027]    One of the ordinary skilled in the art will appreciate that other shapes, sizes, or numbers of the projected portion  502  may be employed so long as the expansion card  600  is firmly held by the projected portion  502  and an air passes smoothly between the circuit board  302  of the computer  300  and the expansion card  600  as explained below. Also, in one or more embodiments, the projected portion  502  and the snap retainer  501  are formed integrally as a part of the second wall  305 . However, the projected portion  502  and the snap retainer  501  may be separately formed and attached to the snap retainer  501  and the second wall  305 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of an expansion card  600 .  FIG. 7  shows a back surface of the expansion card  600 , to which the handle  701  is attached.  FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of the handle  701 . As can be shown in  FIG. 6 , various electronic parts  601  are disposed on the circuit board  602 . As can be shown in  FIG. 7 , the handle  701  is attached to the back surface of the circuit board of the expansion card  600  at one end of the circuit board  602 . As can be shown in  FIG. 8 , the handle  701  has a support  801 , a guide portion  802 , and a handle portion  803 . The support  801  may be attached to the bottom surface of the circuit board  602  by screws, adhesives, bonding or other attachment methods known in the art. The distance between the guide portion  802  and the bottom surface of the circuit board  602  is longer than the distance between the handle portion  803  and the bottom surface of the circuit board  602 . Thus, it is easily held by fingers using the handle portion  803 . In addition, one of the ordinary skilled in the art will appreciate that other shapes, sizes, or numbers of handle  701  may be used so long as the expansion card  600  is firmly held by the projected portion  502  as described below. 
         [0029]      FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of the computer where the expansion card  600  is installed. As can be seen in  FIG. 9 , the end circuit board  602  is inserted between the first guides  401 - 404  and the end the guides  405 - 407 . Also, the projected portion  502  of the snap retainer  501  is inserted between the back surface of the circuit board  602  and the bottom surface of the guide portion  802  of the handle  701 . As a result, the expansion card  600  is held firmly between the first wall  304  and the second wall  305  above and approximately parallel to the circuit board  302  of the computer  300  as described in detail below. 
         [0030]    In operation, when the expansion card  600  is installed to the attachment, which includes the first wall  304  and the second wall  305 , there is an opening between the circuit board  302  of the computer  300  and the circuit board  602  of the expansion card  600  so that an air passes between them smoothly and the ventilation of the computer  300  is improved. The use of the expansion card itself as a wall of air channel eliminates the need for a separate part and saves production cost. In one or more embodiments, the expansion card  600  is attached to the attachment facing downward such that the electronic parts  601  of the expansion card  600  are cooled by the air passing through the air channel. Further, as can be shown in  FIG. 3 , by the third wall  308  and forth wall  309 , the air from the parts A-C gathers and enters into the part D shown in  FIG. 3  where the expansion card  600  is installed. Thus, electronic parts  601  and  301  on the part D of the circuit board  302  and on the expansion card  600  are effectively cooled. In addition, the angle of the third wall  308  and forth wall  309  may be adjusted to effectively send the air from the parts A-C to the part D. 
         [0031]      FIG. 10  shows a flow diagram of installing the expansion card to the computer. In one or more embodiments of the invention, one or more of the steps described below may be omitted, repeated, and/or performed in a different order.  FIGS. 11  (A)-(C) show the expansion card  600  and the snap retainer  501  when installing the expansion card  600 . 
         [0032]    First, the handle  701  is attached to the back surface of the circuit board  602  of the expansion card  600  (Step  901 ). Second, one end of the expansion card  600 , which does not have the handle  701 , is inserted to the transverse space between the first guides  401 - 404  and the second guides  405 - 407  (Step  902 ). At this time, the other end of the expansion card  600  has not yet contacted to the projected portion  502  so that the snap retainer  501  is perpendicular to the circuit board  302  of the computer  300  as shown in  FIG. 11  (A). Third, the other end of the expansion card  600  is pushed down toward the projected portion  502  using the handle portion  803  of the handle  701 . While pushing down the expansion card, the projected portion  502  is moved back by the bottom surface of the expansion card  600  as shown in  FIG. 11  (B) because the snap retainer  501  is flexibly held by the second wall  305 . Then, the end of the circuit board  602  passes the tip of the projected portion  502 , and, the projected portion  502  is finally inserted between the bottom surface of the guide portion  802  of the handle  701  and the top surface of the circuit board  602  as shown in  FIG. 11  (C) (Step  903 ). At this time, because the snap retainer  501  is flexibly held by the second wall  305  and the shape of the projected portion  502  is triangle in the sectional view as explained above, the circuit board  602  of the expansion card  600  is firmly held by the projected portion  502  and the transverse space of the first wall  304 . 
         [0033]    In view of above, this attachment provides a simple, tool-less, user-friendly mechanism for installing an expansion card. Also, the expansion card  600  is also used as a part of an air baffle when attached so that the electronic parts  301  and  601  of the computer  300  and the expansion card  600  are effectively cooled. Also, this use of the expansion card  600  to create an air channel within the air baffle allows for the improved use of the limited space in the chassis  303  of the computer  300 . Further, this use of the expansion card  600  itself as a wall for defining the air channel reduces the number of the parts to form such an air baffle and reduces cost. 
         [0034]    While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the attached claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7