Abstract:
The invention provides a connection structure for installing server blades. Two or more server blades are directly connected via connection interfaces so as to solve the problem of conventional blade server that cannot process any newly joined in signals with the standard backplane of the blade server. Furthermore, since the server signals are usually in high speed and large quantity, transmission by way of backplane also causes wiring difficulty and noise increasing. The connection structure of the invention achieves fast and efficient interchange of massive information that cannot be processed by the backplane.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The invention generally relates to a connection structure for server blades, and in particular relates to a connection structure for a blade server to adopt installation of two or more server blades.  
         [0003]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0004]      FIG. 1  shows a construction of a conventional blade server. The blade server  1  includes a plurality of server blades  2 , a backplane (not shown in the drawing) and other components. The server blades  2  are inserted in the cabinet  7  of the blade server  1  and connected with the backplane. The server blades  2  are covered by a plurality of cover plates  3  for protecting the server blades  2  from external force and dust contamination. Generally, each server blade  2  includes a main board  4  connecting to a power supply  5  and a hard disk driver  6 . After linking the server blades  2 , massive information is transferred and processed through interface in the backplane.  
         [0005]     Further referring to  FIG. 1 , a plurality of server blades  2  are inserted from the front of the cabinet  7  into the blade server  1  along supporting tracks (not shown in the drawing) and connected with the backplane. The blade server  1  thus can operate when signals being exchanged among the server blades  2  by way of the backplane of the server  1  that processes the massive signals. However, when there is a new signal joining in, most backplanes of blade servers  2  are standardized in their specifications that cannot be modified and unable to process the new signal. Furthermore, the interchange signals of the server blades  2  are often in high-speed transmission and of large quantity, if being transferred by way of the backplane, the wirings become more difficult, occupy more space, the impedance is hard to match, and the noise increases.  
         [0006]     From the above description, it is apparent that we need a connection structure for convenient exchange of signals among a plurality of server blades. By the connection construction, original server blades can still be used and the replacement expenses can be saved.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     In view of the above problems, the object of the invention is to provide a connection structure for server blades. It solves the disadvantages of conventional blade server backplane that the backplane is hard to be modified for processing new signals and the wiring of the backplane is difficult. Please note that the server blades do not need to be greatly changed. The connection structure can be used for expansion of server blades, and applicable to many aspects, such as of different signals or circuits.  
         [0008]     In order to attain the above object, the invention provides a connection structure for server blades. The server blades are installed in a blade server. The connection structure includes a plurality of server blades each having a cover plate formed with at least a hole, and at least a connection device having at least a connection interface. The server blades are thus connected to each other via the connection interface passing through the hole. The server blades interconnect and directly exchange or process the signals. The system is easy to link up, does not need the connection through a backplane of the blade server, and also relatively saves the cost of replacement of original server blades.  
         [0009]     The aforesaid connection device of the server blades is a connector for data access of the server blades. The connector can be directly attached to the server blade, or formed in different structures of interface, such as flat cables, printed circuit boards (PCB), flexible printed circuits (FPC) and so on. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow. However, this description is for purposes of illustration only, and thus is not limitative of the invention, wherein:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a descriptive view of a conventional blade server;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2A  is a descriptive view of a connection structure for server blades of the invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2B  is a descriptive view of a cover plate in a server blade of the invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2C  is a partial enlarged view of a connection interface in the connection structure of  FIG. 2A ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3A  is a descriptive view of installation of server blades in a first embodiment of the invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3B  is a descriptive view of connection of server blades in a first embodiment of the invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4A  is a descriptive view of installation of server blades in a second embodiment of the invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4B  is a descriptive view of connection of server blades in a second embodiment of the invention; and  
         [0019]      FIGS. 5A  to  5 E are descriptive views of different connection devices in server blades of the invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0020]      FIG. 2A  is a descriptive view of a connection structure for server blades. The server blade  20  includes a main board  21  connected with a power supply  22 , a hard disc driver  23 , a processor  24  and other peripherals. The processor  24  includes a connection interface  25  for connecting to another system.  FIG. 2B  is a descriptive view of a cover plate in a server blade of the invention. The server blade  20  includes a cover plate formed with a hole  26  on top of the connection interface  25  of the main board  21 . The size of the hole  26  is correspondent to the connection interface  25  of the main board  21 . As shown in  FIG. 2C , a partial enlarged view of the connection interface  25  shown in  FIG. 2A , the connection interface  25  includes an upper connection interface  251  and a lower connection interface  252 . The upper connection interface  251  can be connected to the connection interface of another server blade directly, or through flat cables, printed circuit board (PCB), flexible printed circuit (FPC) or other interfaces.  
         [0021]     Two preferred embodiments of installation of server blades according to the invention are described below.  
       First Embodiment (Vertical Installation)  
       [0022]     As shown in  FIG. 3A , an upper server blade  20  and a lower server blade  20 ′ are vertically installed in a blade server  10 .  FIG. 3B  shows the connection of server blades in a first embodiment of the invention. The upper server blade  20  and a lower server blade  20 ′ are connected via a printed circuit board  100 . The upper server blade  20  includes an upper hole  26  on an upper cover plate, a lower hole  27  on a lower cover plate, a main board  21 , an upper connection interface  251  and a lower connection interface  252 . The lower server blade  20 ′ includes an upper hole  26 ′ on an upper cover plate, a lower hole  27 ′ on a lower cover plate, a main board  21 ′, an upper connection interface  251 ′ and a lower connection interface  252 ′.  
         [0023]     One end of the printed circuit board  100  is connected with the lower connection interface  252  of the upper server blade  20  through the lower hole  27 . Another end of the printed circuit board  100  is connected with the upper connection interface  251 ′ of the lower server blade  20 ′ through the upper hole  26 ′ of the lower server blade  20 ′. In prior arts, the backplane of the blade server is unable to process a newly joining-in signal because the backplane is standardized and cannot be modified. Through the aforesaid connection, signals form the peripheral devices and main board  21  of the server blade  20  and signals from the peripheral devices and main board  21 ′ of the server blade  20 ′ are interchanged and transferred via the printed circuit board  100  passing through the lower hole  27  and the upper hole  26 ′.  
         [0024]     More server blades can be stacked in this way. That is, the upper blade server  20  can be connected with another upper server blade through the upper hole  26 ; and the lower server blade  20 ′ can be connected with another lower server blade through the lower hole  27 ′.  
       Second Embodiment (Horizontal then Vertical Installation)  
       [0025]     As shown in  FIG. 4A , a server blade  20  and a server blade  20 ′ aside are horizontally installed in a blade server  10 ′. Then, several layers of the horizontally connected server blades are stacked vertically. The vertical connection of server blades is the same as that in the first embodiment and will not be further described herein.  FIG. 4B  shows the horizontal connection of server blades in the second embodiment of the invention. The left server blade  20  (defined by the drawing direction) and a right server blade  20 ′ are connected via a bridgeboard  110 . The left server blade  20  includes an upper hole  26  on an upper cover plate, a lower hole  27  on a lower cover plate, a main board  21 , and an upper connection interface  251  and a lower connection interface  252 . The right server blade  20 ′ includes an upper hole  26 ′ on an upper cover plate, a lower hole  27 ′ on a lower cover plate, a main board  21 ′, and an upper connection interface  251 ′ and an lower connection interface  252 ′. The bridgeboard  110  mainly includes connectors  111 ,  112 , and a signal circuit.  
         [0026]     One end of the connector  111  of the bridgeboard  110  is connected with the upper connection interface  251  of the left server blade  20  through the upper hole  26  of the left server blade  20 . Another end of connector  112  of the bridgeboard  110  is connected with the upper connection interface  251 ′ of the right server blade  20 ′ through the upper hole  26 ′ of the right server blade  20 ′. The bridgeboard  110  not only connects with the upper connection interfaces  251 ,  251 ′ of the left and right server blades  20 ,  20 ′ through the respective upper holes  26 ,  26 ′, but also connects with the lower connection interfaces  252 ,  252 ′ of the left and right server blades  20 ,  20 ′ through the respective lower holes  27 ,  27 ′.  
         [0027]     In prior arts, the backplane of the blade server is unable to process a newly joining-in signal because the backplane is standardized and cannot be modified. Through the aforesaid connection, signals from the peripheral devices and the main board  21  of the left server blade  20  and signals from the peripheral devices and the main board  21 ′ of the right server blade  20 ′ are interchanged and transferred via the upper interfaces  251 ,  251 ′ and the bridgeboard  110  passing through the upper holes  26  and  26 ′.  
         [0028]     When using printed circuit board as a connector, a shared circuit can be included and signals such as reset, pwgood, and clk can be provided. Some signal interfaces, such as front side bus (FSB), peripheral component interconnect (PCI), PCI-X and PCIE can also be used.  
         [0029]     The connection devices in the invention are not limited to aforesaid printed circuit board and bridgeboard. According to the type of the processors  24  and connection interfaces  25  of the server blades  25 , different types of connection devices can be used. For example,  FIGS. 5A and 5B  are printed circuit boards;  FIGS. 5C, 5D , and  5 E are examples of flat cables or flexible printed circuits (FPC).  
         [0030]     More server blades can be stacked in the aforesaid ways. That is, the upper blade servers can be connected horizontally and vertically. Each server blade can also be mounted in a vertical plane and connected to each other in the same manner.  
         [0031]     The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.