JPH08179855A - Electronic device extension board mounting structure - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To easily add modules to the main board module. [Structure] Main board module 3 with the functions originally possessed
In addition to 1, the expansion function is added to the inside of the housing as another expansion board module 12, and the connector 1 is provided in the insertion direction into the housing for connecting to the main board module 31.
7 and a connector 17 for connecting the additional board module 12 and a connector 18 provided in a different direction,
A connection board module 23 for connecting the extension board module 12 and the main board module 31 is provided. The connection board module 23 includes a waveform shaping circuit 24 for compensating signals between the extension board module 12 and the main board module 31.
In addition, the main board module 31 is provided with a power supply controller 36 for controlling the supply / stop of power to the connection board module 23 and the extension board module 12.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to hardware function expansion in a housing of electronic equipment including information processing equipment such as a personal computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a personal computer or an information processing device similar thereto, another circuit board module having an expanded function in addition to its original function can be added in a housing. In such an information processing apparatus, an extension connector is provided on the main board module that implements the function originally possessed, and an extension board module for extension functions is connected to this connector for extension.

FIG. 6 shows an example of information processing equipment in which modules can be added. As shown in FIG. 6, the main board module 1 is installed on the lower surface of the housing. The main board module 1 is provided with a plurality of additional connectors 2 on its upper surface.

[0004] At the time of expansion, generally, after turning off the power supply of the entire system, the upper surface of the housing (in FIG. 6, the side surface is also integrated) is released. Expansion board module 3
Is connected to the extension connector 2 of the main board module 1 with the connector 4 provided on the extension board module 3 being perpendicular to the main board module 1.

Further, unlike the configuration of the case of the information processing device shown in FIG. 6, in the case where the side surface of the case can be opened (when the inserting direction into the case and the connecting direction of the connectors between both modules are different) To do this, do the following: That is, the main board module 1 is pulled out to the outside by opening the side surface of the housing so that work can be performed on the main board module 1 and the additional board module 3 is added. Return to.

[0006]

As described above, when the extension board module 3 is added to the conventional information processing equipment, the extension board module 3 is connected vertically (or at an angle close to it) to the main board module 1. Therefore, the top surface of the chassis had to be released when the expansion was performed. In general, the information processing device may be used by mounting a display or the like on the upper part of the housing or by housing the housing in a rack or the like. In such a case, much effort is required to release the upper surface of the housing.

When it is premised that the information processing equipment is housed in a rack or the like and the top surface of the housing is not released, the side surface of the housing is released, and the main board module 1 is entirely pulled out from the side surface of the housing. It was necessary to add the modules 3 and then return the main board module 1 to the housing. That is, the main board module 1 accommodates a large number of mounted components, has many connecting portions between the board and other parts, and has a relatively large board size. It requires complicated work.

In addition, when a module is added to the conventional information processing equipment, it is necessary to turn off the power of the entire system in advance. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a mounting mechanism and method capable of easily adding modules to a main board module.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an electronic device in which an extension board is added to a main board provided in a housing,
A first connecting portion which is provided in the same direction as the insertion direction of the main board into the housing and is connected to the main board;
A connection board is provided which is provided in a direction different from the insertion direction of the main board into the housing, and which is provided with a second connecting portion which is connected to the extension board, and which connects the main board and the extension board. It is characterized by having.

Further, the connection board is provided with a signal compensating means for compensating for a signal between the main board and the extension board. Further, the main board is provided with a power supply control means for controlling supply / stop of power to the connection board and the additional board.

[0011]

According to this structure, the signal can be transferred between the extension board and the main board, and the connection board that changes the connection direction of the connecting portions (connectors) of both boards is provided, so that the board can be inserted into the housing. Even if the direction (releasable part of the housing) and the attachment / detachment direction of the extension board are different, the extension work can be performed with the main board fixed.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is a perspective view showing a module configuration of an information processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the information processing device is in a state in which the functions are further expanded to the originally possessed functions, and a main board module 11, an extension board module 12, and a connection board module 13 are provided.

The main board module 11 is a module in which the functions originally possessed by the information processing equipment are mounted, and is provided on the lower surface of the housing. In the main board module 11,
Connector 15 for connecting the connection board module 13
Are provided in the same plane direction (sideways) as the substrate.
The main board module 11 is connected with a signal line, a power supply line, and the like through the connector 15 and the connection board module 13.

The additional board module 12 is a module to be additionally installed in the housing as an extension function, and is perpendicular to (or at an angle close to) the main board module 11.
It is connected to the connection board module 13. The extension board module 12 is provided with a connector 16 for connecting to the connection board module 13.

The connection board module 13 is a module for transmitting and receiving signals between the extension board module 12 and the main board module 11 and for changing the directions of the two board modules, that is, the connection directions of the connectors. The connection board module 13 is provided with a connector 17 for connecting to the main board module 11 in the same plane direction (sideways) as the board. Therefore, when the connector 17 of the connection board module 13 is connected to the connector 15 of the main board module 11, the two board modules are coplanar. Further, the connection board module 13 is provided with a plurality of connectors 18 for connecting to the extension board module 12 on the upper surface (upward) of the board. Therefore, when the connector 16 of the extension board module 12 is connected to the connector 18 of the connection board module 13, the two board modules are perpendicular to each other (or at an angle close thereto).
become. That is, the connection direction of the connection board module 13 to the main board module 11 and the extension board module 1
The second connection board module 13 is perpendicular to the connection direction. The connection board module 13 is connected to a signal line, a power supply line, and the like with the extension board module 12 through the connector 18.

Next, the procedure of the method of mounting the extension board module 12 in the first embodiment will be described. In the information processing device shown in FIG. 1, when the additional board module 12 is added, the side surface of the housing (the side on which the connector 15 of the main board module 11 faces) is released and the connection board module 13 is connected to the main board module 11. It is detached from the connector 15 and removed outside the housing. At this time, the main board module 1
In No. 1, there is no need to pull out the connection substrate module 13 only by disconnecting it, and the state is as it is.

The two board modules, in which the connector 16 of the extension board module 12 is connected to the connector 18 of the connection board module 13 detached from the housing, are then returned into the housing.

In this way, the extension board module 12 connected vertically to the main board module 11
Can be mounted by releasing only one side surface without releasing the upper surface of the housing of the information processing device. Also,
It is not necessary to take the main board module 11 out of the housing. Therefore, it becomes possible to easily expand the function by the additional board module 12.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the module configuration of the information processing equipment according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, the same parts as those shown in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. In FIG. 2, the housing of the information processing device and the power line are omitted.

Connection board module 2 in the second embodiment
3, a waveform shaping circuit 24 is provided between a connector 17 for connecting to the main board module 11 and a plurality of connectors 18 for connecting to the extension board module 12. The waveform shaping circuit 24 is a circuit for buffering a signal between the main board module 11 and the extension board module 12, and a signal is transmitted between the modules 15 and 16 between the modules.
This is for compensating for a defect due to attenuation, reflection, etc., which occurs due to extra passage between the connection board module 13 and the connection board module 13. That is, the waveform shaping circuit 24 performs signal amplification, correction of the termination resistance value, and the like.

In this way, the connection board module 13
By providing the waveform shaping circuit 24 in, it is possible to eliminate problems that may occur due to the connection board module 13, and to improve the reliability of signals between the main board module 11 and the additional board module 12, and It is also possible to lengthen the distance between both modules and increase the load.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the module configuration of the information processing equipment according to the third embodiment of the present invention. 3, parts that are the same as the parts shown in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted. In FIG. 3, the housing of the information processing device and the signal line are omitted.

Main board module 31 in the third embodiment
Is an extension board module 12 and a connection board module 13
A power supply control unit 36 for controlling the power supply to the power supply unit is provided. The power supply control unit 36 uses the additional board module 12
A power line is connected to the connector 15 for connecting the. The power supply control unit 36 includes the main board module 3
The power supply to the extension board module 12 and the connection board module 13 can be turned on / off separately from the power on / off of the main board module 31.

In this way, by providing the power supply controller 36 in the main board module 31, it is possible to expand / separate the expansion board module 12 via the connection board module 13 without reducing the power of the entire system. .

Next, an example of a structure that satisfies all the above-described first to third embodiments will be described with reference to FIG. The information processing device shown in FIG. 4 is used by being housed in a rack 41 as shown in FIG. An information processing device is inserted into the rack 41 from the front side, and a plurality of information processing devices are vertically arranged as shown in FIG. In the state of being housed in the rack 41, only the front part of the housing of the information processing device can be opened as the front access door 42 in order to expand the function (add a module).

As shown in FIG. 4C, the main board module 31 is fixed to the bottom surface of the housing with screws and installed. The connection board module 23 is installed on the same plane as the main board module 31, but when the screw for fixing the front access door 42 is removed to release the front part and the fixation is released, the position of the connection board module 23 is defined. It can be taken out of the housing by pulling it out along the guide rail 43. The guide rail 43 is provided on the same plane as the main board module 31, and is connected to the connection board module 23.
The end portion of the substrate is attached so that it can be inserted and removed in the front direction.

When installed and operating in the housing, the connection board module 23 is connected to the connector 15 of the main board module 31 by the connector 17. The connector 18 provided on the connection board module 23 is connected to the connector 16 of the extension board module 12. A plurality of additional board modules 12 can be added according to the number of connectors 18.

The extension board module 12 has a connector 1
The main board module 31 and the connection board module 23 are connected at 5 and 17, whereby the main board module 31 is connected via the connection board module 23.

The power supply control section 36 includes a main board module 31.
At, the power supplied to the extension board module 12 and the connection board module 23 is turned on / off. The power supply control unit 36 includes, for example, a power supply on / off request switch 44.
ON / OFF depending on the signal from. The power supply on / off request switch 44 is provided on the front access door 4
It can be operated on the front surface of No. 2 and is connected to the power supply control unit 36 via a signal line 45. The power supply on / off request switch 44 shown in FIG. 4 is manually operated by the user, but when the front access door 42 is removed from the housing, or the connection board module 23 is removed from the main board module 31. A switch having a function of instructing to turn off the power supply immediately before being removed may be used.

Next, a procedure of a method of mounting the extension board module 12 in the information processing apparatus having the configuration shown in FIG. 4 will be described. This system has a new extension board module 1
To add 2, the user first operates the power supply on / off switch 44 to request that the power supply to the extension board module 12 and the connection board module 23 be turned off. When power supply off is requested, the main board module 3
1 (a predetermined functional unit (not shown)) receives the instruction via the signal line 45 and notifies the extension board module 12 and the connection board module 23 of the end or interruption of the processing, and if necessary, the internal states thereof. save. After that,
The power supply controller 31 is controlled to cut off the power supply to the extension board module 12 and the connection board module 23. At this time, the functional unit mounted on the main board module 31 can continue the operation as it is.

Next, the connection board module 23 is released from being fixed and taken out along the guide rails 43. When the connection board module 23 is taken out of the housing, the extension board module 12 already connected to the connection board module 23
Is also taken out together.

The additional board module 12 newly connected to the connection board module 23 outside the housing is taken into the housing together with the existing additional board module 12 when the connection board module 23 is returned into the housing. Then, by connecting the connection board module 23 to the main board module 31, the extension board module 12 becomes the connection board module 23.
It is connected to the main board module 31 via.

Next, when the user reversely operates the power supply on / off switch 44 to request the power supply to be turned on, the main board module 31 receives the instruction via the signal line 45, and the power supply controller 31 is activated. Control to restart the power supply to the extension board module 12 and the connection board module 23,
After that, the extension board module 12 and the connection board module 23 are notified of the initialization or the restart of the processing, and the stored internal states thereof are restored if necessary.

In this way, the additional board module 12 can be added without pulling the main board module 31 out of the housing. In addition, the waveform shaping circuit 24 that buffers the signal between the main board module 31 and the extension board module 12 allows the signal between the two modules to pass through the two connectors 15, 17 and the connection board module 23. This prevents problems such as attenuation and reflection caused by.

When the user requests the addition / removal of the additional board module 12 during the operation of this system, the main board module 31 controls the power supply controller 36 by operating the power supply on / off switch 44. The expansion work can be done without stopping the operation of the main body.

Next, a modification of the configuration shown in FIG. 4 will be described with reference to FIG. A main board module 51 of the information processing device shown in FIG. 5 is one in which an auxiliary board 52 is provided in a direction perpendicular to a board fixed to a bottom surface of a housing with screws. A connector 54 for connecting the connection board module 53 is provided on the auxiliary board 52 of the main board module 51 so that the front side is the connecting direction. The main board module 51 includes a connector 54 provided on the auxiliary board 52.
And the connector board 55 of the connection board module 53 are connected to connect the extension board module 12.
A plurality of connectors 56 for connecting the extension board module 12 are provided on both sides (lateral direction) of the connection board module 53. Further, a guide rail 57 for defining the position of the connection board module 53 is provided.
The guide rail 57 is provided on the same plane as the auxiliary board 52, and the end portion of the board is inserted so that the connection board module 53 can be inserted and removed in the front direction.

Therefore, the composite of the extension board module 12 and the connection board module 53 is the extension board module 12
Is installed in the housing in a horizontal state. With the configuration shown in FIG. 5, since the extension board modules 12 can be connected to both sides of the connection board module 53, many functions can be expanded.

Although not shown in FIG. 5, in the same manner as described above, the main board module 51 has a power supply control unit,
It is assumed that the connection board module 53 is provided with a waveform shaping circuit.

[0039]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, since the extension board module is connected to the main board module through the connection module, the connection direction of the extension board module and the connector of the main body module is changed. Even when the inserting direction into the housing (the releasable portion of the housing) and the attaching / detaching direction of the auxiliary board module (connecting direction of the connector) are different, the function expansion / maintenance and the like can be facilitated. Further, by providing a circuit that corrects a signal between the main board module and the connection module, the reliability of the signal between the main board module and the connection module is increased, and the expandability is improved. Furthermore, by installing a function to control the power supply to the connection module and the expansion board module, you can add an expansion module without turning off the power of the main unit.
It can be replaced, and maintainability and fault tolerance are improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a module configuration of an information processing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a module configuration of an information processing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a module configuration of an information processing device according to a third embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration that satisfies all of the first to third embodiments of the present invention.

5 is a diagram showing a modification of the configuration shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of an information processing device in which a conventional module can be added.

[Explanation of symbols]

11, 31 ... Main board module, 12 ... Extension board module, 13, 23, 53 ... Connection board module, 15,
16, 17, 18, 54, 55 ... Connector, 24 ... Waveform shaping circuit (compensation means), 36 ... Power supply control unit (power supply control means), 42 ... Front access door, 44 ... Power supply on /
Off request switch, 52 ... Auxiliary board.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An electronic device in which an additional board is added to a main board provided in a housing, the electronic board being provided in the same direction as the insertion direction of the main board into the housing and connected to the main board. A first connection,
A connection board is provided which is provided in a direction different from the insertion direction of the main board into the housing, and which is provided with a second connecting portion which is connected to the extension board, and which connects the main board and the extension board. An additional board mounting structure for electronic equipment, which is characterized by being provided. 2. The additional board mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein the connection board is provided with a signal compensating means for compensating a signal between the main board and the additional board. 3. The additional board mounting structure for an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the main board is provided with power supply control means for controlling supply / stop of power to the connection board and the additional board.