Intelligent dynamic air baffle

An apparatus comprising:

• first and second plates spaced-apart from each other and configured to be positioned adjacent to first and second heat sources to be cooled by an airflow;
• a heat insulator sandwiched between the first and second plates;
• a hinge fixed to ends of the first and second plates;
• and
• an air flap having an end fixed to the hinge and a side configured to extend away from the end and into the airflow to partition the airflow;
• wherein the first and second plates are configured such that a differential temperature between the first and second plates causes a differential expansion in lengths of the first and second plates, which in turn causes the hinge and the air flap to rotate from a rest position, corresponding to when the differential temperature and the differential expansion in the lengths are both zero, to a rotated position that is closer to a cooler plate of the first and second plates and farther from a hotter plate of the first and second plates, such that the air flap directs more of the airflow to the hotter plate and less of the airflow to the cooler plate compared to the rest position.

A method comprising:

• providing a dynamic air baffle having:
• first and second plates spaced-apart from each other and configured to be positioned adjacent to first and second regions to be cooled by an airflow;
• a heat insulator sandwiched between the first and second plates;
• and
• an air flap coupled to ends of the first and second plates and extending into the airflow to partition the airflow;
• and
• by the dynamic air baffle, responsive to a differential temperature between the first and second plates that causes a differential expansion in lengths of the first and second plates, rotating the air flap from a rest position, corresponding to when the differential temperature and the differential expansion in the lengths are both zero, to a rotated position that is closer to a cooler region and farther from a hotter region of the first and second regions and directing more of the airflow to the hotter region and less of the airflow to the cooler region compared to when the air flap is in the rest position.