This invention relates to an improved electronic circuit package and in particular to high density integrated circuitry, which integrated circuitry has a high input or output requirement with diagonostic accessibility within minimal space requirements.
In utilizing relatively large size computers in oceanicgoing vessels, aircraft, trailers, vans and restricted office space, where space is a premium, integrated circuit cards with their accompanying power supplies have been packaged to fit into rectangular cabinets containing sliding drawers, such as shown in FIG. 1. Typically, it includes a cabinet 1 with vertical drawer 3. FIGS. 2A and 2B show a frame or gate 2 having a circuit board 4 mounted thereon which oftentimes may be a plurality of circuit boards 4. The circuit board contains a plurality of cards 6 mounted thereon which cards contain integrated circuit modules 8 which are electrically connected through circuit wiring on the card 6, through the connector 10 to the pins 12 on the circuit board 4. A gate is that portion of the drawer that the circuit cards and the power supplies are mounted to. In an effort to increase density, as increased functions are desired for the computer package within the same volume, there is a natural tendency to make the overall assembly of the components more compact so as to retain speed. The increase in density and speed results in a requirement for accessing the pin side of the gates which is lacking in the drawer type cabinets of FIG. 1.
Also, as density and speed is increased, power consumption is increased thereby necessitating the requirement for higher heat dissipation cabability. The heretofore air cooling ductwork schemes have not been satisfactory because of requiring greater space to adequately cool, and therefore, has placed a limitation on increasing density.
Further, because of space limitations circuit cabinets are required to be front accessible so that the drawers containing gates may be pulled for inspection into relatively narrow aisles.