Workers in the art of making and using control equipment realize that one must emphasize simple design and ease of manufacture, particularly for popular, general-use equipment. An object of this invention is to provide a control arrangement having a simplified layout, with component units that are unitary and readily integrated.
One must take care to design parts that are self-protected from abusive or dangerous handling; e.g., when a user removes and stores a unit, he might mechanically damage it. One factor in this, and a noteworthy object hereof is to avoid this by packaging all such items in essentially identical protective plastic envelopes.
But when such items are so confined in a protective enclosure, heat dissipation can become a problem, especially when component-density is high. Thus, a related object is to so package items, while making the packages readily-coolable; cf. introducing inlet/outlet means for coolant-air which is directed to flow across the enclosed circuit board; while also making the package apt for air-tight, plug-in mounting on a base.
A further object is to so package and so mount the items on a base, while also directing the coolant-air therefrom to wash-across a motherboard within the base. A further object is to metallize such plastic package structure to block entry/exit of electromagnetic radiation. Another object is to bevel the top edge of each such card-package to make it easier to handle and more open to air-entry.
Workers may also recognize that the organization of control assemblies is all too apt to be complicated, making assembly and part-replacement rather complex and time-consuming. Thus, another object hereof is to segregate functional units like a disk array, the so-packaged cards, a power/fan unit and a motherboard locus, making these relatively independent, self-contained, modular and easily joined together, quickly and easily, without special skill or tools. More particularly, an object is to make such units easy to mount-upon, and plug-into, a motherboard-enclosing base. A related object is to make such a base also function as an air-coolant plenum.
A further object is to provide a snap-on cover for such an array of on-base mounted units, one that still allows the user to pick-up the array by its cover. A related object is to provide such a cover in cooperation with a disable-switch arranged to disable system power when the cover is removed.
Another object is to address at least some of the foregoing concerns and teach ways of ameliorating them.