The GPU-oriented PCI Express 4-Way Flexible Splitter was designed to expand your modern motherboard (ATX, mini ATX, etc.) with up to four x16 GPUs. The splitter’s host board goes into just one of your motherboard’s x4/x8/x16 PCI Express slots.
The Splitter includes four x16 PCI Express adapter boards with four PCI Express flat cables, and one x4 PCI Express host board.
Each x16 PCIe adapter board has a standard x16 PCIe connector for plugging in the GPUs (downstream). The PCI Express flat cable (12 inches) is used for connecting the host board and each adapter board, providing a fully flexible connection; the add-in (GPU) boards can be arranged in any custom chassis.
The power (12V and 3.3V) for each x16 downstream board is supplied via a female PCI Express connector placed on the PCI Express adapter board. The power source for the GPU boards can be a standard ATX power supply, or an external 12V power supply.
The x16 PCI Express adapter board has mounting holes for its mechanical fixation inside the computer chassis (embedded computer), and support tabs for mechanical stabilization of the add-in PCI Express board (US Patent 7,255,570).
The x4 PCI Express host board can be retained inside chassis by using full-size bracket or by using the unique PCI Express add-in board retainer (US Patent 7,850,475). This board retainer prevents the host board from wiggling and can hold the PCI express board without a bracket.