The Flexible x4 PCI Express 4-Way Splitter was designed to expand your modern motherboard (ATX, mini ATX, etc.) with a limited number of PCI Express connectors. It allows you to connect up to four x1 / x4 / x16 PCI Express boards to your motherboard’s x4/x8/x16 PCI Express connector.
The Splitter includes four x1 (or x4, or x16) PCI Express adapter boards with PCI Express flat ”ribbon” cables, and one x4 PCI Express host board.
The x4 PCI Express host board connects to the x4/x8/x16 motherboard PCI Express connector (upstream). The PCI Express flat cables (12 inches) are used for connecting the host board and adapter boards. The cables provide a flexible connection between the x1 / x4 / x16 PCI Express add-in boards and the motherboard.
The power (12V and 3.3V) for each downstream (adapter) board is supplied via a female PCI Express connector placed on each of the PCI Express adapter boards. The power source for each add-in board can be either a x4 PCI Express host board via power cable, standard ATX power supply, or an external 12 volt power supply.
The x1 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 expansion board (US Patent 7,255,570).
The x4 PCI Express host board can be retained inside chassis by using full-size bracket or a using 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.