GB2353205A

GB2353205A - Mounting bracket for equipment rack

Info

Publication number: GB2353205A
Application number: GB9919163A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Andrew Smith; Ian Mcfarlane Denny
Original assignee: International Business Machines Corp
Current assignee: International Business Machines Corp
Priority date: 1999-08-14
Filing date: 1999-08-14
Publication date: 2001-02-21
Also published as: GB9919163D0

Abstract

A bracket to attach a slide assembly to a rack comprises a first bracket member 112 attached to the rack and to the slide assembly 106 and a second bracket member 202 attached to the rack. The two bracket members are attached to one another via keyhole slots and a suitable fastener so as to permit adjustment of the bracket members relative to one another, with consequent altering of the overall bracket length. A spring connects the fastener and bracket member, thereby biasing the fastener away from the open end of the keyhole slot and preventing the bracket members from separating.

Description

2353205 MOUNTING BRACKET FOR EQUIPMENT RACK

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of mechanical packaging, and in particular, to the field of equipment rack assemblies.

More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved mounting bracket for a sliding assembly within an equipment rack assembly.

Background of the Invention

Data processing systems are often physically packaged in one or more vertical racks. Each rack commonly has a standard width and a defined unit height for mounting equipment having the standard width and is an integer multiple of the unit height. The depth of the rack and of the equipment may be one of a number of different pre-defined depths. Each piece of equipment may contain a subsystem of the entire system: a processor, mass storage facilities, communications equipment, and so forth. or each piece of equipment may be a computer server, the rack enclosure containing multiple servers.

Such equipment is positioned in the rack on sliding brackets. Such brackets are fixed in length and conventionally two people are required when fitting equipment into a rack in order to get the correct alignment of the equipment within the rack system. The sliding brackets are slid out for the insertion and removal of equipment from the rack system and are slid in during normal operation.

It would be desirable to provide a slide and mounting bracket assembly for a rack unit that would allow the bracket assembly to be flexible in length to accommodate a number of pre-defined depths and to be easily positioned and secured by a single person.

Disclosure of the invention

Accordingly, the present invention provides a mounting bracket for attaching a slide assembly to a rack assembly, the slide assembly having a slide for the mounting of equipment in the rack assembly, the mounting bracket comprising: a first bracket attached to the rack and to a first end of the slide assembly; a second bracket attached to the rack, the second bracket comprising: a slot opening extending longitudinally along the bracket, a first end of the slot opening having an enlarged opening; a protrusion located on the bracket adjacent to the end of the slot opening distal from the enlarged opening; a fastening, arranged for sliding longitudinally along the slot opening, the fastening having an enlarged head, adapted so as to pass through the enlarged opening and so as not to pass through the slot opening, for attaching the second end of 2 the slide assembly to the second bracket; and a spring means attached to the protrusion and to the fastening, so as to bias the fastening, within the slot opening, away from the enlarged opening.

The use of the protrusion, spring and fastening allows the slide assembly to be flexible in length and easily positioned and secured by a single person. The spring biassing the fastening ensures that the rear bracket assembly do not come apart from the slide during shipping and installation. The spring also keeps the length of the rear bracket assembly at the minimum possible whilst ensuring that it is of sufficient length to attach to the slide assembly correctly.

In a preferred embodiment, the fastening is a two part fastening, the two parts being assembled so as to attach the second end of the slide assembly to the second bracket.

The invention also provides a rack assembly comprising two slide assemblies, four slide rails and two mounting brackets as described above.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure I is a view of slide rails and a slide assembly for a rack enclosure; Figure 2 is a view of a slide assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention for attachment to the slide rails of figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the rear rail mounting bracket of figure 2; and Figure 4 is a cross-section view of the spring attachment of the rear rail mounting bracket of figure 3.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Referring to figure 1, slide rails 401 and 402 for a rack enclosure are shown. Slide rail 401 is located at the rear of a rack assembly and slide rail 402 is located at the front of a rack assembly. A rear slide rail 401 and a front slide rail 402 are located on each of the left hand and right hand side of a rack assembly. Each of the slide rails 401, 402 has a plurality of mounting apertures located along the length of the slide rail. In the preferred embodiment, these apertures are either square or rectangular. When it is desired to mount a piece of equipment 3 in the rack, the mounting apertures that correspond to the desired location of the equipment are first located. These mounting apertures are used to locate a slide assembly onto which the equipment is mounted.

Typically, two mounting apertures are used to fix the slide assembly to the slide rail 401, 402. These mounting apertures are preferably located so that there is one unused mounting aperture between the two used apertures. This unused aperture is then used to locate a locating pin (214 in figure 2) to assist with assembly.

Referring to figure 2, a slide assembly 100 for a rack unit is shown and will now be described. A front bracket 102 is attached to the rack unit (not shown) in a conventional manner using, for example, screws or nuts and bolts, such as two M6 fastening bolts 104. Front bracket 102 is also attached to slide 106 using screws or bolts 108 and nuts 110.

Referring to figure 3, slide assembly 106 comprises one or more inner slides 218 which extend retractably from slide assembly 106. The equipment which it is desired to mount in the rack is affixed to the inner slides 218. To affix the equipment to the inner slides, the inner slides 218 are extended to their maximum extent from the slide assembly 106. The piece of equipment is positioned so that a protrusion from the equipment rests on the upper surface of the inner slider. That protrusion may advantageously be circular and may be mounted so that it can rotate. This allows the equipment to be easily slide along the inner slider 218 in order to find the correct mounting position. The equipment is then located so that fixing holes in the inner slides 218 correspond to fixing locations in the equipment. the inner slides are then fixed to the equipment using suitable mountings, such as M4 by 5mm screws. The protrusion may then be removed from the equipment or it may be left in position if it does not interfere with operation of the inner slider 218.

The equipment can then be slid into place in the rack assembly and any mechanism to secure the equipment against inadvertent sliding out of the rack may then be secured.

Figure 3 also shows rear bracket 202 which is attached to the slide 106 using screws 204 and special "shoulder" nuts 206 through nkeyhole" type slots 208 so that it is free to move longitudinally along the length of the slot 208. A spring 210 is then attached to the shoulder nut 206 and a "lance" 212 on the rear bracket 202 so that the,,Pring 210 at full extension prevents the nuts 206 reaching the large end of the keyhole slot 208. This ensures the rear bracket 202 does not come apart from the slide 106 during shipping and installation. In an alternative embodiment, the screws 204 and nuts 206 may be replaced with a single piece fastening, such as a rivet.

The spring 210 also keeps the length of the assembly at its shortest possible compatible with the front and rear brackets being 4 correctly positioned in the rack unit. Locating pins 214 on both the front 102 and rear 202 brackets are used to assist installation by allowing the front end of the assembly bracket to be located while the assembly is "stretched" far enough to fit the rear bracket's 202 locating pin 214 into the appropriate mounting hole at the rear.

The spring 210 then pulls the pin 214 into the rear hole and the assembly will be retained in position whilst fitting the mounting screws 216.

Additional keyhole slots 208 may be added to allow differing depths of racks (2C, 2811 and the like) to be accommodated by simply removing the spring 210, moving the rear bracket 202 to a different set of slots 212 and refitting the spring 210, no tools being required.

is It is possible to use the same design of bracket for both the front bracket and the rear bracket with suitable design and positioning of mounting holes, slots and the like.

Figure 4 shows the spring attachment of the rear bracket 202 to the slide 106. Screw 204 is placed through a locating hole in slide 106 and through a keyhole slot 208 in rear bracket 202. Shoulder nut 206 is then placed onto screw 204 so as to hold rear bracket 202 to the slide 106.

Shoulder nut 206 has a recess 302 around the circumference of the nut, the recess being of such a depth and width that it accommodates a loop formed at the end of spring 210. one end of spring 210 is positioned around shoulder nut 206, being located in the recess 302 of shoulder nut 206. The other end of spring 210 is then positioned so that it is held in place by the "lance" 212. Alternatively, the two ends of the spring may be attached in the reverse order.

The mounting apertures to be used are prepared by locating cage nuts 403, 404 into the apertures. This is done for each of the four slide rails in the rack enclosure. The cage nuts 403, 404 are held captive in the mounting aperture and allow the slide assembly to be fixed to the slide rail at the desired position. The slide rail rear bracket pin (214 in figure 3) is then inserted into the mounting aperture located between the two cage nuts. The two mounting holes in the rear bracket (202 in figure 2) are arranged so that they line up with cage nuts 403 which were inserted into the rear slide rail. Front bracket (102 in figure 2) is attached to slide assembly 106 by means of screws or bolts 108 and nuts 110. The front bracket (102 in figure 2) is then pulled to the front slide rail 402. The slide rail front bracket pin (114 in figure 2) is inserted into the mounting aperture between the two cage nuts 404. The two mounting holes in the front bracket (102 in figure 2) are arranged so that they line up with cage nuts 404 which were inserted into the front slide rail. Alternatively, the front bracket may be located in position first, followed by the rear bracket. Spring 210 ensures that the bracket assembly does not come apart and also assists in retaining the bracket in position whilst the fixing bolts are inserted.

The process above is then repeated for the slide assembly on the other side of the rack. The fixing bolts are now inserted through the holes in the brackets (202 and 102 in figure 2) and the slide rails 401, 402 and into the cage nuts 403, 404. When all of the fixing bolts are in position, they can be tightened. In a preferred embodiment, the fixing bolts are M6 by 16mm bolts.

6

Claims

1. A mounting bracket for attaching a slide assembly to a rack assembly, the slide assembly having a slide for the mounting of equipment in the rack assembly, the mounting bracket comprising:

a first bracket attached to the rack and to a first end of the slide assembly; a second bracket attached to the rack, the second bracket comprising:

a slot opening extending longitudinally along the bracket, a first end of the slot opening having an enlarged opening; a protrusion located on the bracket adjacent to the end of the slot opening distal from the enlarged opening; a fastening, arranged for sliding longitudinally along the slot opening, the fastening having an enlarged head, adapted so as to pass through the enlarged opening and so as not to pass through the slot opening, for attaching the second end of the slide assembly to the second bracket; and a spring means attached to the protrusion and to the fastening, so as to bias the fastening, within the slot opening, away from the enlarged opening.

2. A mounting bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastening is a two part fastening, the two parts being assembled so as to attach the second end of the slide assembly to the second bracket.

3. A mounting bracket as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first and second brackets have alignment pins for aligning the mounting bracket within the rack assembly.

4. A rack assembly comprising two slide assemblies, four slide rails and two mounting brackets as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2.

5. A rack assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein the slide rails have a plurality of mounting apertures for locating the mounting brackets.