WO1989006482A1

WO1989006482A1 - Arrangement of peripheral components in a computer

Info

Publication number: WO1989006482A1
Application number: PCT/DE1988/000772
Authority: WO
Inventors: Klaus Klein; Wilfried Buesch; Walter Schweiger
Original assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 1988-01-04
Filing date: 1988-12-21
Publication date: 1989-07-13

Abstract

The arrangement disclosed permits, in particular, redundant operation with interchangeable peripheral components (7, 8, 9). For this purpose, receiving boxes (4, 5) in the form of removable closed housings with flexible electrical and mechanical connections (17, 18, 19, 20) to the computer are provided. The invention is particularly suitable for computers operating non-stop.

Description

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Arrangement of peripheral components in a data processing system

The invention relates to an arrangement of peripheral components in a data processing system with a metallic housing, in which metallic receptacle boxes for peripheral devices and their controller assemblies can also be used, the devices being attachable to the receptacle box via flexible cables. A telescopic rail bearing is provided to pull the modules out of the housing,

An arrangement of the type mentioned above is known for example from GB-A-20 72 954; here an insert is guided into a housing of an electrical device on a telescopic rail, with flexible electrical connecting lines to the electronic assemblies being present in the housing.

The invention has for its object to equip a data processing system, in particular for redundant operation, so that peripheral modules that are to be replaceable or must be removable for repair can be removed from the device without interrupting the operation of the data processing system.

To achieve this object, an arrangement of the type specified at the outset has the following features:

There are two identical mirror-symmetrical receptacle boxes as closed EMC housings, electromagnetically shielded from one another, mounted in the front of the housing in such a way that the components can be pulled out via a telescopic rail mounting and then removed from a suspension device; the receptacle boxes have plug arrangements on their rear side, via which electrical connections to the data processing system can be established; the electrical connections and the receptacle boxes are constructed redundantly in such a way that each component can be removed without influencing the other component, the other part continuing to operate undisturbed after the electrical connections have been broken.

With the arrangement according to the invention it is advantageously achieved that a so-called non-stop operation of a data processing system is possible, in which, for example, two symmetrical storage drive modules can each be accommodated in a receiving box, each with an associated internal data and supply voltage supply. In non-stop operation, each part is provided with a separate interface module with drivers for the input / output signals.

Particularly advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

In the arrangement according to the invention, it is advantageously ensured that the receiving boxes, which each offer a complete electromagnetic shielding of the internally recorded components, are completely interchangeable, since all data bus connections or supply lines can be configured via plug connections on the rear. Furthermore, each rack can be provided with its own ventilation / cooling, power supply with separate power supply lines and temperature monitoring sensors. The receptacle boxes can be produced, for example, from simple, interleaved sheet metal parts which have the inside of the supports for the building blocks to be inserted. A support of these receiving boxes is possible in a simple manner on the mechanical sheet metal structure of the housing of the data processing system, since the electromagnetic Ab created for all modules of the data processing system shielding has a stable mechanical basis. This support of the receiving boxes is not influenced by possible movements of the blocks when pulling out or pushing them in. The few mounting screws that are still required are easily held captive on the telescopic rail bearing and are also available for later retrofitting.

Because all electrical connections are made via predeterminable plug contacts and the mechanical elements are highly standardized due to the hanging device with a simple screw connection, a different configuration with possible replacement of the storage drives can be produced very easily. In other configurations, the so-called non-stop operation is also possible, with optimal operation being maintained by bridging the data lines from one insert to the other. This is made possible with an external terminating resistor (terminator) for easier configuration.

The invention is explained with reference to the figures, wherein

1 shows a schematic drawing of a data processing system with peripheral components and FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of the receiving boxes for the peripheral components.

1 shows a stand housing 1 for a data processing system, which has storage drives 2, 3 in the upper front area, which are inserted into one of the receiving boxes (not shown here).

On the basis of FIG. 2, receptacle boxes 4 and 5 are shown, which have telescopic rail bearings 6 for peripheral modules 7, 8 and 9. The building blocks of the right receiving box are shown pulled out, the building blocks of the left receiving box 5 are shown in the inserted state. The two recording boxes 4 and 5 are electromagnetically shielded from one another via a metallic intermediate wall 10. The building blocks 7, 8 and 9 are hooked onto the upper telescopic rail bearing 6 via a hooking device 11 and are completely locked to this telescopic rail bearing with a screw 12. On a stop 13 there are spring elements 14 which cushion the stop when the modules 7, 8 and 9 are inserted into the respective receiving box and ensure excellent electrical contact.

On the back of the receiving boxes 4 and 5 there are fans of a cooling system 15 and a further cooling system 16, each of which cools the receiving box 4 and the receiving box 5 independently of one another. To monitor the temperature or to control the cooling systems, temperature sensors (not shown) are attached in the area of the receiving boxes 4 and 5, which have corresponding signal lines to the computer system or to the voltage supply to the fan systems 15 and 16.

On the back of the receptacle boxes 4 and 5, data cables 17 and 18 and voltage supply cables 19 and 20 can be plugged into the respective receptacle boxes 4 and 5. The corresponding plug devices are located on the back of the receptacle boxes 4 and 5. If the data lines of the two receptacle boxes 4 and 5 are to be bridged, a bridging cable-1 (data jumper) can be inserted on the back.

6 claims 2 figures

Claims

1. Arrangement of peripheral components in a data processing system with the following features: - In a metallic housing of the data processing system are also metallic receiving boxes (4, 5) for peripheral

Blocks (7, 8, 9) can be used;

- There are two identical recording boxes (4, 5) as a closed EMC housing electromagnetically shielded against each other in the front of the housing so that the

Modules (7, 8, 9) can be pulled out via a telescopic rail mounting (6) and then removed from a suspension device (11);

- The modules can be plugged into the respective receiving box (4, 5) via flexible cables;

- The receptacle boxes (4, 5) have on their rear side plug arrangements via which electrical connections (17, 18, 19, 20) can be made to the data processing system; - The electrical connections (17, 18, 19, 20) and the receiving boxes (4, 5) are constructed redundantly in such a way that each module can be removed without influencing the other module, the other part after disconnecting the electrical connections continues to operate undisturbed.

2. Arrangement according to claim 1, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that

- Each receiving box (4, 5) has a separate cooling system (15, 16) and corresponding temperature sensors for monitoring the operating temperature are available.

3. Arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that - in the region of the stop (13) from a holder of the blocks on the telescopic rail bearing (6), a spring element (14) is arranged, when inserting the block

(7, 8, 9) cushion the stop and ensure the electrical contact with the housing and make the screws captive.

4. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that

- The peripheral blocks (7, 8, 9) are storage drives.

5. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that

- The connector arrangements on the receiving boxes are configured so that bridging data connections from one to the other receiving box can be carried out.

6. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that

- The suspension device (11) on the upper part of the modules (7, 8, 9) and the telescopic rail mounting (6) is designed so that with a screw connection (12) on the lower part of the modules (7, 8, 9) and the telescopic rail mounting (6) there is a firm mechanical / electrical locking of the modules,

peripheral components can be arranged in such a way that they protrude through plastic covers on the metal housing, making storage drives as peripheral components easy to replace,

- There is mechanical support on the EMC divider and that

- An optional, mechanically and electrically independent retrofitting of a peripheral storage drive with a corresponding controller with exchangeable data carriers is guaranteed.