US 10,568,239 B2Granted

Method of venting heated air from electronic equipment enclosure

AssigneeChatsworth Products, Inc.

InventorsWilliam Krietzman, Richard Evans Lewis, II, Dennis W. Vanlith

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An electronic equipment enclosure includes a frame structure at least partially enclosed by a plurality of panels defining a compartment in which one or more electronic components are mounted and an exhaust air duct that is adapted to segregate hot air being exhausted from the compartment from cool air entering the compartment, thereby improving thermal management of the enclosure. The exhaust duct includes a lower duct section extending upward from the top panel of the compartment and an upper duct section telescoping upward from an upper end of the lower duct section. Each duct section includes four panels connected together by hinged corner fittings such that the section is collapsible. The upper duct section includes an outwardly flared portion.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of venting heated air from an electronic equipment enclosure, comprising:

(a) installing a frame structure formed from a plurality of support posts and cross members, wherein the frame structure defines a front, a back, a left side, a right side, a top, and a bottom;
(b) mounting a top panel on the top of the frame structure such that a large rectangular opening is formed at the top of the frame structure, the large rectangular opening including a rear edge adjacent the back of the frame structure, a left edge adjacent the left side of the frame structure, and a right edge adjacent the right side of the frame structure, and a front edge;
(c) mounting a left side panel on the left side of the frame structure, a right side panel on the right side of the frame structure, and an air-impervious rear panel on the back of the frame structure, wherein the panels define a single compartment, and wherein the panels and the frame structure define an electronic equipment enclosure;
(d) installing a plurality of electronic components within the compartment, wherein the plurality of electronic components are arranged in a column that is nearer the front of the frame structure than the back of the frame structure such that a columnar space exists between a rear of the column of electronic components and the air-impervious rear panel, and wherein the large rectangular opening at the top of the frame structure substantially overlaps the columnar space between the rear of the column of electronic components and the air-impervious rear panel;
(e) installing a vertical exhaust duct at the top of the frame structure, wherein the vertical exhaust duct has a rectangular cross-section that is congruent with, and aligned with, the large rectangular opening at the top of the frame structure, wherein the vertical exhaust duct includes a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is vertically adjustable relative to the first end, and wherein installing the vertical exhaust duct includes:
(i) attaching the vertical exhaust duct to a top of the electronic equipment enclosure such that an interior of the vertical exhaust duct is in direct fluid communication with the columnar space via the large rectangular opening and substantially overlaps the columnar space between the rear of the column of electronic components and the air-impervious rear panel, and
(ii) vertically adjusting the second end relative to the first end to achieve a desired overall height of a top of the vertical exhaust duct;
(f) operating the installed electronic components within the compartment such that heated air is produced as a byproduct and exhausted therefrom into the columnar space;
and
(g) via air currents, passively routing the heated air directly upward, via the columnar space, from the rear of the column of electronic components to the large rectangular opening and through the large rectangular opening into the vertical exhaust duct.

7 more elements

A method of venting heated air from an electronic equipment enclosure, comprising:

(a) installing a frame structure formed from a plurality of support posts and cross members, wherein the frame structure defines a front, a back, a left side, a right side, a top, and a bottom;
(b) mounting a top panel on the top of the frame structure such that a large rectangular opening is formed at the top of the frame structure, the large rectangular opening including a rear edge adjacent the back of the frame structure, a left edge adjacent the left side of the frame structure, and a right edge adjacent the right side of the frame structure, and a front edge;
(c) mounting a left side panel on the left side of the frame structure, a right side panel on the right side of the frame structure, and an air-impervious rear panel on the back of the frame structure, wherein the panels define a single compartment, and wherein the panels and the frame structure define an electronic equipment enclosure;
(d) installing an electronic component within the compartment and nearer the front of the frame structure than the back of the frame structure such that a gap exists between a rear of the electronic component and the air-impervious rear panel, and wherein the large rectangular opening at the top of the frame structure substantially overlaps the gap between the rear of the electronic component and the air-impervious rear panel;
(e) installing a vertical exhaust duct at the top of the frame structure, wherein the vertical exhaust duct has a rectangular cross-section that is congruent with, and aligned with, the large rectangular opening at the top of the frame structure, wherein the vertical exhaust duct includes a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is vertically adjustable relative to the first end, and wherein installing the vertical exhaust duct includes:
(i) attaching the vertical exhaust duct to a top of the electronic equipment enclosure such that an interior of the vertical exhaust duct is in direct fluid communication with an interior of the compartment via the large rectangular opening and substantially overlaps the gap between the rear of the electronic component and the air-impervious rear panel, and
(ii) vertically adjusting the second end relative to the first end to achieve a desired overall height of a top of the vertical exhaust duct;
(f) operating the installed electronic component within the compartment such that heated air is produced as a byproduct and exhausted therefrom;
and
(g) routing the heated air directly upward through the gap to the large rectangular opening and through the large rectangular opening into the vertical exhaust duct.

7 more elements

A method of venting heated air from an electronic equipment enclosure, comprising:

(a) installing a frame structure formed from a plurality of support posts and cross members, the frame structure defining a front, a back, a left side, a right side, a top, and a bottom;
(b) enclosing the frame structure with a plurality of panels, the plurality of panels including at least a left side panel arranged at the left side of the frame structure, a right side panel arranged at the right side of the frame structure, an air-impervious rear panel arranged at the back of the frame structure, and a top panel arranged at the top of the frame structure, wherein the top panel defines a large pass-through opening that is disposed closer to a back edge of the top panel than a front edge of the top panel and that is sized to extend generally from a left side edge of the top panel to a right side edge of the panel, and wherein the panels and the frame structure define an electronic equipment enclosure;
(c) installing an electronic component within the enclosure and nearer the front of the frame structure than the back of the frame structure such that a gap exists between a rear of the electronic component and the air-impervious rear panel, and wherein the large opening defined by the top panel at least substantially overlaps the gap between the rear of the electronic component and the air-impervious rear panel;
(d) installing a low-friction, self-supporting exhaust duct at the top of the frame structure and against the top panel, the exhaust duct having a cross-section that is congruent with, and aligned with, the large opening defined by the top panel such that an interior of the exhaust duct is in direct fluid communication with an interior of the enclosure via the large opening defined by the top panel and substantially overlaps the gap between the rear of the electronic component and the air-impervious rear panel, wherein the exhaust duct includes a first end and a second end, the second end being vertically adjustable relative to the first end;
(e) vertically adjusting the second exhaust duct end relative to the first exhaust duct end to facilitate adjustment of a desired overall length of the exhaust duct;
(f) operating the installed electronic component within the enclosure such that heated air is produced as a byproduct and exhausted therefrom;
and
(g) routing the heated air directly upward through the gap to the large opening and through the large opening into the exhaust duct.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/450,353Filed 24 Jun 2019 · continuation
Priority: 19 Sep 2005
Published: US 2019/0075685 A110 Oct 2019
Granted: 18 Feb 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

H05K 7/20754
For server racks or cabinets; for data centers, e.g. 19-inch computer racks: air circulating in closed loop within cabinets
H05K 7/1488
Servers; Data center rooms, e.g. 19-inch computer racks: cabinets therefor, e.g. chassis or racks or mechanical interfaces between blades and…
H05K 7/20745
Forced ventilation of a gaseous coolant: within rooms for removing heat from cabinets, e.g. by air conditioning device
H05K
Printed circuits

Family

Application60/718,548Us provisional application · filed 19 Sep 2005
Application11/533,359Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 19 Sep 2006
Application61/095,147Us provisional application · filed 8 Sep 2008
Application12/555,697Parent of this continuation · filed 8 Sep 2009
Application13/348,820Parent of this continuation · filed 12 Jan 2012
US 8,107,238 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 31 Jan 2012
Application14/286,335Parent of this continuation · filed 23 May 2014
US 8,737,068 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 27 May 2014
Application14/822,126Parent of this continuation · filed 10 Aug 2015
US 9,119,329 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 25 Aug 2015
Application15/784,751Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Oct 2017
US 9,801,309 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Oct 2017
Application16/180,677Parent of this continuation · filed 5 Nov 2018
US 10,123,462 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Nov 2018
US 2019/0313551 A1Pre-grant publication · published 10 Oct 2019
US 10,334,761 B2Parent of this continuation
Application12/555,697Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2007/0064389 A1Published application
US 2010/0061059 A1Published application
US 2012/0194999 A1Published application
US 2014/0334099 A1Published application
US 2015/0351289 A1Published application
US 2018/0042143 A1Published application
US 2019/0075685 A1Published application
US 10,568,239 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.