Computers are a collection of many circuits acting together. These circuits may include central processing units, memories, graphics processors, networking circuits, and others. Many of these, such as the central processing unit, may be connected to a main or motherboard, also known as a main logic board. Other circuits, such as memories and graphics processors, may reside on separate boards, also known as daughter boards or cards, that connect to the main logic board. This connection is often made using a socket, where the socket is fixed to the main logic board and the memories or graphics processors are inserted into the socket.
These daughter boards or cards are typically inserted into these sockets such that they are orthogonal to the main logic board. This configuration makes it relatively easy for a user to pull cards and insert new ones. For example, this configuration may make it easy for users to upgrade cards or replace defective cards. This configuration also reduces the footprint or area on the main logic board consumed by the card.
This arrangement works well in traditional desktop computers, which typically have relatively large and wide enclosures. But some newer, cutting-edge computers may have thinner, sleeker, device enclosures. For example, some all-in-one desktops may have thinner device enclosures.
With these thinner computers, there may not be room for these conventional sockets. Put another way, using sockets where a card is orthogonal to a main logic board may limit how thin a device enclosure can be made.
Thus, what is needed are new sockets that provide easy access for users to change cards while allowing the use of thinner device enclosures.