U.S. patent application number 10/341303 was filed with the patent office on 2004-07-15 for apparatus and methods for providing controlled shapes during stamping process of computer system enclosures.
Invention is credited to Kim, David K..
Application Number | 20040134253 10/341303 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32711492 |
Filed Date | 2004-07-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040134253 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim, David K. |
July 15, 2004 |
Apparatus and methods for providing controlled shapes during
stamping process of computer system enclosures
Abstract
Disclosed are novel methods and apparatus for provision of
controlled shapes during the stamping process of sheet metal, for
example, used as a computer system enclosure. In accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention, a method of providing an
irregular shape on a computer panel is disclosed. The method
includes: creating a plurality of openings in the computer panel,
the plurality of openings tracing a pattern that forms the
irregular shape, each of the plurality of openings having a
substantially straight edge adjacent to the pattern; and applying
force onto the computer panel along the plurality of openings to
provide the irregular shape without warping or twisting the
computer panel.
Inventors: |
Kim, David K.; (San Jose,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BLAKELY, SOKOLOFF, TAYLOR & ZAFMAN LLP
Seventh Floor
12400 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles
CA
90025-1026
US
|
Family ID: |
32711492 |
Appl. No.: |
10/341303 |
Filed: |
January 13, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
72/379.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B21D 35/00 20130101;
B21D 51/52 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
072/379.2 |
International
Class: |
B21D 031/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of providing an irregular shape on a computer panel,
the method comprising: creating a plurality of openings in the
computer panel, the plurality of openings tracing a pattern that
forms the irregular shape, each of the plurality of openings having
a substantially straight edge adjacent to the pattern; and applying
force onto the computer panel along the plurality of openings to
provide the irregular shape, wherein the plurality of openings
reduce warping and twisting of the computer panel during the
application of force.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the shape is formed by one or more
items selected from a group comprising an extrusion and a
protrusion.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of each of the
plurality of openings have a geometric shape.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the geometric shape is selected
from a group comprising a circle, a square, an ellipse, a hexagon,
a rectangle, and combinations thereof.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the force is applied onto the
computer panel at an equal distance from each of the plurality of
openings.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the equal distance is about 5
mm.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of openings provide
a thermal exchange medium for a computer system utilizing the
computer panel.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer panel is constructed
from material selected from a group comprising sheet metal,
Aluminum, galvanize steel, and combinations thereof.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the application of force is
performed by a device selected from a group comprising a press
machine and a computer-controlled press machine.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the irregular shape forms an item
selected from a group comprising a logo and a channel for
airflow.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the substantially straight edge
may have a curvature following a same curvature of the pattern.
12. A computer system comprising: a computer chassis; a side panel
attachably coupled to the computer chassis; and an irregular shape
formed on the side panel, the side panel including a plurality of
openings, the plurality of openings tracing a pattern that forms
the irregular shape, each of the plurality of openings having a
substantially straight edge adjacent to the pattern.
13. The computer system of claim 12 further including one or more
central processing units (CPUs), wherein the side panel provides
access to the CPUs.
14. The computer system of claim 13 wherein the plurality of
openings guide airflow.
15. The computer system of claim 13 wherein the CPUs are adjacent
to a plurality of memory banks, each memory bank corresponding to
one of the CPUs.
16. The computer system of claim 12 further including a power
supply and one or more peripheral component interconnect (PCI)
devices.
17. The computer system of claim 12 wherein the irregular shape
forms an item selected from a group comprising a logo and a channel
for airflow.
18. The computer system of claim 12 wherein the computer system is
selected from a group comprising a set-top box, a blade computer,
and an electronic gaming apparatus.
19. An article of manufacture for providing an irregular shape on a
computer panel, the article comprising: a machine readable medium
that provides instructions that, if executed by a machine, will
cause the machine to perform operations including: creating a
plurality of openings in the computer panel, the plurality of
openings tracing a pattern that forms the irregular shape, each of
the plurality of openings having a substantially straight edge
adjacent to the pattern; and applying force onto the computer panel
along the plurality of openings to provide the irregular shape.
20. The article of claim 19 wherein the irregular shape forms an
item selected from a group comprising a logo and a channel for
airflow.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The present invention generally relates to the field of
computer system design. More specifically, an embodiment of the
present invention relates to a method of providing controlled
shapes during the stamping process of a computer system
housing.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0002] As integrated circuit fabrication technology improves,
manufacturers are able to integrate additional functionality onto a
single silicon substrate. As the number of these functionalities
increases, however, so does the number of components on a single
chip. Additional components add additional signal switching, in
turn, creating more heat. The additional heat may damage a chip by,
for example, thermal expansion. Also, the additional heat may limit
the locations where a computer system may be installed. For
example, if a computer is to be used in the same vicinity as a
computer user (e.g., as a desktop computer), industry standard
environmental controls such as those used in data centers
(sometimes costing millions of dollar are impractical.
[0003] Accordingly, heat dissipation is one of the most important
challenges facing the computer industry today in light of the
growing need for computer speed and functionality. It is expected
that within a few years, processors may be consuming more than one
thousand (1,000) Watts of power. In response, numerous techniques
are currently utilized by computer manufacturers to reduce the
affects of this problem.
[0004] One common way to flush out the heat is through utilization
of fans in conjunction with heat sinks. Heat sinks are generally
pieces of metallic material that pull the generated heat away from
a chip. The fans then direct the extracted heat outside of the
computer system. Most of today's computer systems utilize a
metallic enclosure to provide structural rigidity, efficient
thermal exchange, and an electrically grounded enclosure for the
facet of electronic devices inside the computer system. Such a
metallic enclosure is often made from a flat sheet metal, which is
mechanically stamped to obtain a desired enclosure. Most of the
stamping products, however, avoid irregular shapes, in part,
because stamping irregular shapes into the flat sheet metal often
causes twisting and warping of the sheet metal.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0005] The present invention, which may be implemented in a
general-purpose digital computer, in certain embodiments, includes
novel methods and apparatus to provide controlled shapes during the
stamping process of sheet metal, for example, used as a computer
system enclosure. In accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention, a method of providing an irregular shape on a computer
panel is disclosed. The method includes: providing the computer
panel; creating a plurality of openings in the computer panel, the
plurality of openings tracing a pattern that forms the irregular
shape, each of the plurality of openings having a substantially
straight edge adjacent to the pattern; and applying force onto the
computer panel along the plurality of openings to provide the
irregular shape.
[0006] In another embodiment of the present invention, the
irregular shape may form a logo and/or a channel for airflow.
[0007] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the
substantially straight edge may have a curvature following a same
curvature of the pattern.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0008] The present invention may be better understood and its
numerous objects, features, and advantages made apparent to those
skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying drawings in
which:
[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary computer system 100 in which
certain embodiments of the present invention may be
implemented;
[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary partial exploded view of a
computer system 200 in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0011] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary top view of a side panel 300
in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0012] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary side view of a side panel
400 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings
indicates similar or identical items.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] In the following description, numerous details are set
forth. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that
embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without these
specific details. In other instances, well-known structures,
devices, and techniques have not been shown in detail, in order to
avoid obscuring the understanding of the description. The
description is thus to be regarded as illustrative instead of
limiting.
[0015] Reference in the specification to "one embodiment" or "an
embodiment" is intended to indicate that a particular feature,
structure, or characteristic described in connection with the
embodiment is included in at least an embodiment of the invention.
The appearances of the phrase "in one embodiment" in various places
in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same
embodiment.
[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary computer system 100 in which
certain embodiments of the present invention may be implemented.
The system 100 comprises a central processor 102 (or central
processing unit (CPU)), a main memory 104, an input/output (I/O)
controller 106, a keyboard 108, a pointing device 110 (e.g., mouse,
track ball, pen device, or the like), a display device 112, a mass
storage 114 (e.g., a nonvolatile storage such as a hard disk, an
optical drive, and the like), and a network interface 118.
Additional input/output devices, such as a printing device 116, may
be included in the system 100 as desired. As illustrated, the
various components of the system 100 communicate through a system
bus 120 or similar architecture.
[0017] In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention,
the computer system 100 includes a Sun Microsystems computer
utilizing a SPARC microprocessor available from several vendors
(including Sun Microsystems, Inc., of Santa Clara, Calif.). Those
with ordinary skill in the art understand, however, that any type
of computer system may be utilized to embody the present invention,
including those made by Hewlett Packard of Palo Alto, Calif., and
IBM-compatible personal computers utilizing Intel microprocessor,
which are available from several vendors (including IBM of Armonk,
N.Y.). Also, instead of a single processor, two or more processors
(whether on a single chip or on separate chips) can be utilized to
provide speedup in operations. It is further envisioned that the
processor 102 may be a complex instruction set computer (CISC)
microprocessor, a reduced instruction set computing (RISC)
microprocessor, a very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor,
a processor implementing a combination of instruction sets, and the
like.
[0018] The network interface 118 provides communication capability
with other computer systems on a same local network, on a different
network connected via modems and the like to the present network,
or to other computers across the Internet. In various embodiments
of the present invention, the network interface 118 can be
implemented utilizing technologies including, but not limited to,
Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, wide-area network (WAN), leased line (such
as T1, T3, optical carrier 3 (OC3), and the like), analog modem,
digital subscriber line (DSL and its varieties such as high
bit-rate DSL (HDSL), integrated services digital network DSL
(IDSL), and the like), cellular, wireless networks (such as those
implemented by utilizing the wireless application protocol (WAP)),
time division multiplexing (TDM), universal serial bus (USB and its
varieties such as USB II), asynchronous transfer mode (ATM),
satellite, cable modem, and/or FireWire.
[0019] Moreover, the computer system 100 may utilize operating
systems such as Solaris, Windows (and its varieties such as CE, NT,
2000, XP, ME, and the like), HPUX, IBM-AIX, PALM, UNIX, Berkeley
software distribution (BSD) UNIX, Linux, Apple UNIX (AUX),
Macintosh operating system (Mac OS) (including Mac OS X), and the
like. Also, it is envisioned that in certain embodiments of the
present invention, the computer system 100 is a general purpose
computer capable of running any number of applications such as
those available from companies including Oracle, Siebel, Unisys,
Microsoft, and the like.
[0020] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary partial exploded view of a
computer system 200 in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, the computer
system 200 may include the same or similar elements discussed with
respect to the computer system 100 of FIG. 1. The computer system
200 includes a chassis (1), a side panel (2) for service and/or
accessing the modules within the computer system 200, a module (3)
(which may include, for example, memory chips and one or more
CPUs), a modular bezel (4) (which may include a control panel
assembly and a system identifier (ID)), a modular hard disk drive
cage (5) (which may include a back plane and one or more hard disk
drives), a housing (6) which may include a peripheral component
interconnect (PCI) fan and a speaker (e.g., as a module), a modular
PCI hold down device (7) which can hold down multiple PCI long
and/or short cards, and a support bar (8) for securing installed
components within the computer system 200.
[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary top view of a side panel 300
in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In an
embodiment of the present invention, the side panel 300 may be the
same or similar to the side panel (2) discussed with respect to the
computer system 200 of FIG. 2. The side panel 300 includes one or
more openings 302 along a shape formed by deep drawn dimples,
extrusions, protrusions, or combinations thereof (e.g., along 304,
306, and/or 308). In one embodiment of the present invention, at
least a portion of the openings 302 my form a geometric shape such
as a circle, a square, an ellipse, a hexagon, a rectangle,
combinations thereof, or the like. The shape may be irregular in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In one
embodiment of the present invention, the openings 302 may be about
5 mm apart. The side panel 300 may be constructed from material
such as sheet metal, Aluminum, galvanize steel, alloys or
combinations thereof, or the like.
[0022] The side panel 300 may further include one or more locking
tabs (not shown), one or more dimples 310 (e.g., for assembly,
ventilation, and/or gripping purposes), a handle 312 (e.g., for
installation of the side panel 300 into a computer system, or
removing the same), and one or more mounting openings 314 (e.g.,
for mounting a logo and/or securing the side panel 300 to a
computer system). In one embodiment of the present invention, the
openings 302, the locking tabs, the dimples 310, the handle 312,
and/or the mounting openings 314 may be formed by a same stamping
process utilized to form a shape on the side panel 300 (e.g., along
304, 306, and/or 308).
[0023] In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention,
the openings 302 may be stamped into the side panel 300 prior to
forming the shape on the side panel 300 (e.g., along 304, 306,
and/or 308). In another embodiment of the present invention, the
openings 302 may have a substantially straight edge along the
curvature of the desired shape. In a further embodiment of the
present invention, the remaining portion of the openings 302 (i.e.,
other than the substantially straight edge) may form any desired
shape (such as the semi-circle shown in FIG. 3 or a logo). In yet
another embodiment of the present invention, the substantially
straight edge may have a curvature substantially parallel to the
curvature of the desired shape, for example, to be stamped on the
side panel 300. It is also envisioned that the curvature of the
substantially straight edge may follow a different angle than the
curvature of the desired shape, for example, to be stamped on the
side panel 300, in a different embodiment of the present
invention.
[0024] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary side view of a side panel
400 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In
an embodiment of the present invention, the side panel 400 may be
the same or similar to the side panel 300 discussed with respect to
FIG. 3. The side panel 400 includes the openings 302 along a shape
formed by deep drawn dimples, extrusions, or combinations thereof
(e.g., along 304, 306, and/or 308), one or more locking tabs 402,
the dimples 310, the handle 312, and the mounting openings 314. In
various embodiments of the present invention, the side panel 400
may be a computer access panel and/or sidewall of an electronic
system.
[0025] It is envisioned that the provision of the openings 302
prior to forming the desired shape on the side panel 300 (e.g.,
along 304, 306, and/or 308) through a stamping process limits or
avoids twisting and/or warping the flat sheet metal used during the
sheet metal stamping process. It is envisioned that the provision
of the openings 302 prior to stamping the desired shape is useful
in embodiments that seek to form an irregular shape by, for
example, deep draw dimple, extrusion, and/or protrusion stamping
processes. The stamping may be performed by a press machine, and
the like. In an embodiment of the present invention, the stamping
process may be controlled by a computer system such as those
discussed with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0026] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the
flatness of the sheet metal being stamped may be maintained by
provision of the openings 302, which in turn provides a relatively
stronger structure. In various other embodiment of the present
invention, the stamped side panel 300 may provide grooves,
openings, or other guiding paths (or channels) for provision of
airflow, for example, for cooling purposes (which may be
supplemented by fans in an embodiment of the present
invention).
[0027] The foregoing description has been directed to specific
embodiments of the present invention. It will be apparent to those
with ordinary skill in the art that modifications may be made to
the described embodiments of the present invention, with the
attainment of all or some of the advantages. For example, the
techniques of the present invention may be utilized in panels for
set-top boxes, blade computers, electronic gaming apparatus (such
as those provided by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash. (e.g.,
XBOX game machine), Sony Corporation of Japan (e.g., PlayStation
game machine), and the like. Also, the desired shape to be formed
may be for decorative and/or industrial design purposes. Therefore,
it is the object of the appended claims to cover all such
variations and modifications as come within the spirit and scope of
the invention.
* * * * *