# US 10,481,658 B1 · Under-motherboard air cooling plenum > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,481,658 B1 - Document ID: US10481658B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/018,233 - Filed: 2018-06-26 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-26 - Assignees: Dell Products L.P. - Applicants: Dell Products, L.P. - Inventors: Robert Boyd Curtis; Corey Dean Hartman; Jonathan Foster Lewis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481658B1 ## CPC - G06F 1/206: {comprising thermal management} - H05K 7/20727: {within server blades for removing heat from heat source} - G06F 1/183: Internal mounting support structures, e.g. for supporting printed circuit boards - G06F 1/184: Mounting of motherboards - G06F 1/20: Cooling means - H05K 1/0209: {External configuration of printed circuit board adapted for heat dissipation, e.g. lay-out of conductors, coatings} - H05K 7/20145: {Means for directing air flow, e.g. ducts, deflectors, plenum or guides} - H05K 7/20172: {Fan mounting or fan specifications} - H05K 7/20209: {Thermal management, e.g. fan control} - G06F 2200/201: Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid - H05K 2201/064: Fluid cooling, e.g. by integral pipes - H05K 2201/066: Heatsink mounted on the surface of the printed circuit board [PCB] - H05K 2201/10159: Memory - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract Components installed on a topside of printed circuit board (PCB), such as a motherboard, are provided airflow cooling by a plurality of cooling fans located on a proximal end of the PCB. A hardware component is installed on the topside of a distal end of the PCB, furthest from the cooling fans. The hardware component includes cooling elements that extend to the underside of the PCB. Cooling the hardware component is complicated by the distance from the cooling fans and the cooling elements that extend below the PCB. A plenum extending from the proximal end of the PCB towards the distal end of the PCB is installed on the underside of the PCB. The plenum draws airflow from the cooling fans and delivers the airflow to the hardware component along the underside of the PCB, thus avoiding heating by the components on the topside of the PCB. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An IHS (Information Handling Systems) comprising: a printed circuit board (PCB) provided airflow cooling by a plurality of cooling fans located on a proximal end of the PCB, wherein one or more hardware components are installed on a topside of the PCB; a first hardware component installed on the topside of a distal end of the PCB, wherein the first hardware component comprises one or more cooling elements that extend to an underside of the PCB; and a plenum extending from the proximal end of the PCB towards the distal end of the PCB, wherein the plenum is installed on the underside of the PCB, and wherein the plenum draws air from the plurality of cooling fans via an intake at the proximal end of the PCB. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The IHS of claim 1, wherein the plenum delivers the air drawn via the intake to the one or more cooling elements of the first hardware component. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The IHS of claim 1, wherein the one or more cooling elements comprise a heat sink. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The IHS of claim 1, wherein the width of the plenum at the proximal end of the PCB is greater than the width of the plenum at the distal end of the PCB. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The IHS of claim 1, wherein the plenum comprises a plastic duct. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The IHS of claim 1, further comprising: a motherboard base tray, wherein a motherboard is attached to the motherboard base tray, and wherein the plenum is formed from the motherboard base tray. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The IHS of claim 1, wherein the plenum extends towards the distal end of the PCB past a portion of the one or more cooling elements of the first hardware component. ### Claim 8 A plenum extending from a proximal end of a printed circuit board (PCB) towards a distal end of the PCB, wherein one or more hardware components are installed on a topside of the PCB, and wherein the PCB is provided airflow cooling by a plurality of cooling fans located on the proximal end of the PCB, and wherein the plenum is installed on an underside of the PCB and transfers air from the proximal end of the PCB to one or more cooling elements of a first hardware component installed on the topside of the distal end of the PCB, wherein the one or more cooling elements extend to the underside of the PCB, and wherein the plenum draws air from the plurality of cooling fans via an intake at the proximal end of the PCB. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The plenum of claim 8, wherein the plenum delivers air drawn via the intake at the proximal end for the PCB to the one or more cooling elements of the first hardware component. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The plenum of claim 8, wherein the one or more cooling elements of the first hardware component comprise a heat sink. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The plenum of claim 8, wherein a width of the plenum at the proximal end of the PCB is greater than a width of the plenum at the distal end of the PCB. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The plenum of claim 8, wherein the plenum comprises a plastic duct. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The plenum of claim 8, wherein the plenum is formed from a motherboard base tray, and wherein a motherboard is attached to the motherboard base tray. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The plenum of claim 8, wherein the plenum extends towards the distal end of the PCB past a portion of the one or more cooling elements of the first hardware component. ### Claim 15 A system for airflow cooling of a first hardware component, the system comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) provided airflow cooling by a plurality of cooling fans located on a proximal end of the PCB, wherein the first hardware component is installed on the topside of a distal end of the PCB, and wherein the first hardware component comprises one or more cooling elements that extend to an underside of the PCB; and a plenum extending from the proximal end of the PCB towards the distal end of the PCB, wherein the plenum is installed on the underside of the PCB, and wherein the plenum draws air from the plurality of cooling fans via an intake at the proximal end of the PCB, and wherein the plenum delivers air drawn via the intake at the proximal end of the PCB to the one or more cooling elements of the first hardware component. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein a width of the plenum at the proximal end of the PCB is greater than a width of the plenum at the distal end of the PCB.