# US 2014/0153183 A1 · Exhaust air deflecting system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0153183 A1 - Document ID: US20140153183A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/097,986 - Filed: 2013-12-05 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-05 - Assignees: Level 3 Communications, LLC - Applicants: Level 3 Communications, LLC - Inventors: Morgan Morrison Pofahl; Dolf Conrad Veit - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153183A1 ## CPC - H05K 7/20736: {within cabinets for removing heat from server blades} - G06F 1/20: Cooling means - H05K 7/1488: {Cabinets therefor, e.g. chassis or racks or mechanical interfaces between blades and support structures} - H05K 7/183: {support rails therefor} - H05K 7/20145: {Means for directing air flow, e.g. ducts, deflectors, plenum or guides} - H05K 7/20718: {Forced ventilation of a gaseous coolant (in closed loop H05K7/20754)} - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract An air deflecting system includes an air deflector that is physically mounted against a hot air exhaust vent of a network equipment element using a rack coupling mechanism that is adjustable to accommodate a variable lateral distance of the hot air exhaust vent from the computing rack. The air deflector receives an airflow from the hot air exhaust vent at a first direction and deflects the airflow in a second direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a rack; networking equipment disposed within the rack; an exhaust air deflector; and means for coupling the exhaust air deflector to the rack. ### Claim 2 An apparatus comprising: an air deflector to receive an airflow at a first direction and deflect the airflow in a second direction, the airflow discharged through an hot air exhaust vent of a network equipment element configured in a computing rack; and a rack coupling mechanism to physically mount the air deflector against the hot air exhaust vent of the network equipment element, the rack coupling mechanism adjustable to accommodate a variable lateral distance of the hot air exhaust vent from the computing rack. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The air deflector of claim 1, wherein the rack coupling mechanism comprises a pair of elongated bolts that physically mounts the air deflector against the hot air exhaust vent of the network equipment element using a pair of flanges each configured on opposing sides of the air deflector. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The air deflector of claim 2, wherein each flange comprises a plurality of equally-spaced holes into which one of the bolts may be alternatively inserted according to a desired height of the air deflector relative to the height of the hot air exhaust vent ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The air deflector of claim 2, wherein the air deflector comprises a first vane, each of the pair of flanges physically coupled to the first vane at either end using each of a pair of sidewalls, the first vane oriented at a specified angle relative to an orientation of each of the flanges. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The air deflector of claim 4, wherein the air deflector comprises a second vane having a pair of second flanges on either end, each second flange physically coupled to each of the pair of sidewalls such that the orientation of the second vane is parallel to the first vane. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The air deflector of claim 2, wherein the specified angle is 45 degrees. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The air deflector of claim 1, wherein the computing rack comprises a pair of opposing vertically oriented U-shaped rails configured with multiple holes, the network element positioned between the rails and the holes of the rails being spaced relative to a height of the network element, a first bolt of the pair of bolts secured in one of the holes of a first rail of the pair of rails and a second bolt of the pair of bolts secured in one of the holes of a second rail of the pair of rails, each of the first bolt and the second bolt secured in one of a plurality of spaced apart holes of each of a pair of flanges configured on opposing sides of the air deflector such that the air deflector is positioned at a height sufficient to cover the hot air exhaust vent. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The air deflector of claim 1, wherein the air deflector is formed from a first planar sheet of metal that, when bent to its final shape, forms at least one vane of the air deflector. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The air deflector of claim 8, wherein the air deflector comprises a second vane formed from a second planar sheet of metal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The air deflector of claim 1, wherein the first direction is a horizontal direction and the second direction is upwards of the horizontal direction. ### Claim 12 A computing system comprising: a plurality of network equipment elements; a computing rack housing the network equipment elements; and an exhaust air deflector to receive an airflow from at least one network equipment element at a first direction and deflect the airflow in a second direction, the exhaust air deflector physically mounted against the hot air exhaust vent of the one network equipment element using a rack coupling mechanism that is adjustable to accommodate a variable lateral distance of the hot air exhaust vent from the computing rack. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The computing system of claim 12, wherein the rack coupling mechanism comprises a pair of elongated bolts that physically mounts the air deflector against the hot air exhaust vent of the network equipment element using a pair of flanges each configured on opposing sides of the air deflector. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The computing system of claim 13, wherein each flange comprises a plurality of equally-spaced holes into which one of the bolts may be alternatively inserted according to a desired height of the air deflector relative to the height of the hot air exhaust vent. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The computing system of claim 13, wherein the air deflector comprises a first vane, each of the pair of flanges physically coupled to the first vane at either end using each of a pair of sidewalls, the first vane oriented at a specified angle relative to an orientation of each of the flanges. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The computing system of claim 15, wherein the air deflector comprises a second vane having a pair of second flanges on either end, each second flange physically coupled to each of the pair of sidewalls such that the orientation of the second vane is parallel to the first vane. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The computing system of claim 12, wherein the computing rack comprises a pair of opposing vertically oriented U-shaped rails configured with multiple holes, the network element positioned between the rails and the holes of the rails being spaced relative to a height of the network element, a first bolt of the pair of bolts secured in one of the holes of a first rail of the pair of rails and a second bolt of the pair of bolts secured in one of the holes of a second rail of the pair of rails, each of the first bolt and the second bolt secured in one of a plurality of spaced apart holes of each of a pair of flanges configured on opposing sides of the air deflector such that the air deflector is positioned at a height sufficient to cover the hot air exhaust vent. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The computing system of claim 12, wherein the air deflector is formed from a first planar sheet of metal that, when bent to its final shape, forms at least one vane of the air deflector. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The computing system of claim 18, wherein the air deflector comprises a second vane formed from a second planar sheet of metal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The computing system of claim 12, wherein the first direction is a horizontal direction and the second direction is upwards of the horizontal direction.