US 2022/0030742 A1Published application

Apparatus for cooling electronic circuitry

AssigneeCrestron Electronics, Inc.

InventorsWilliam P Rehak, Albert Pedoeem, Alec J Magrini, Sanjay Upasani

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Abstract

Apparatus cools electronic circuitry. An enclosure surrounds the circuitry. Air intake holes are only in a portion of a first panel that faces a first direction. Air exhaust holes are only in a portion of a second panel that faces a second direction opposite the first. Air plenum piece is disposed within the enclosure, and a substantially planar portion extends from a first panel inner wall and ends a distance from a second panel inner wall. At least one tab extends from the substantially planar portion to an upper panel inner wall. The air plenum piece divides an enclosure interior into a first volume, enclosed by the first panel inner wall, substantially planar portion, at least one tab, and upper panel inner wall, into which the air intake holes open and a second volume into which the air exhaust holes open. The second volume is a remaining interior volume.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus for cooling electronic circuitry, the apparatus comprising:

an enclosure configured to surround the electronic circuitry, the enclosure including a plurality of panels, wherein
a first one of the plurality of panels faces a first direction,
a plurality of air intake holes are disposed in the first one of the plurality of panels only in a portion thereof,
a second one of the plurality of panels faces a second direction that is opposite to that of the first direction, and
a plurality of air exhaust holes are disposed in the second one of the plurality of panels only in a portion thereof;
and
an air plenum piece disposed within the enclosure and including
a substantially planar portion that extends from an inner wall of the first one of the plurality of panels and that ends at a distance from an inner wall of the second one of the plurality of panels, and
at least one tab that extends from the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece to an inner wall of an upper one of the plurality of panels,
the air plenum piece being configured to divide an interior region of the enclosure into a first volume into which the plurality of air intake holes open and a second volume into which the plurality of air exhaust holes open,
the first volume being enclosed by the inner wall of the first one of the plurality of panels, the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece, the at least one tab of the air plenum piece, and the inner wall of the upper one of the plurality of panels,
the second volume being a remaining volume of the interior region,
the air plenum piece having an air plenum hole that forms an opening between the first volume and the second volume.

10 more elements

An apparatus for cooling electronic circuitry, the apparatus comprising:

an enclosure configured to surround the electronic circuitry, the enclosure including a plurality of panels, wherein
a first one of the plurality of panels faces a first direction,
a plurality of air intake holes are disposed in the first one of the plurality of panels only in a portion thereof,
a second one of the plurality of panels faces a second direction that is opposite to that of the first direction, and
a plurality of air exhaust holes are disposed in the second one of the plurality of panels only in a portion thereof;
and
an air plenum piece disposed within the enclosure and including
a substantially planar portion that extends from an inner wall of the first one of the plurality of panels and that ends at a distance from an inner wall of the second one of the plurality of panels, and
a plurality of tabs that extend from the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece to an inner wall of an upper one of the plurality of panels, including
an end tab located at an edge of the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece that is closest to an inner wall of the second one of the plurality of panels,
at least one side tab located at a side edge of the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece, the side edge of the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece being spaced apart from an inner wall of an adjacent side panel of the plurality of panels, and
at least another side tab located at another side edge of the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece, the another side edge of the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece being spaced apart from an inner wall of another side panel of the plurality of panels,
the at least another side tab extending only along a portion of the another side edge of the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece, so that at least some of the air in the second volume is recirculated into the first volume,
the air plenum piece being configured to divide an interior region of the enclosure into a first volume into which the plurality of air intake holes open and a second volume into which the plurality of air exhaust holes open,
the first volume being enclosed by the inner wall of the first one of the plurality of panels, the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece, the plurality of tabs, and the inner wall of the upper one of the plurality of panels,
the second volume being a remaining volume of the interior region,
the air plenum piece having an air plenum hole that forms an opening between the first volume and the second volume.

14 more elements

An apparatus for cooling electronic circuitry, the apparatus comprising:

an enclosure configured to surround the electronic circuitry, the enclosure including a plurality of panels, wherein
a first one of the plurality of panels faces a first direction,
a plurality of air intake holes are disposed in the first one of the plurality of panels only in an upper portion thereof,
a second one of the plurality of panels faces a second direction that is opposite to that of the first direction, and
a plurality of air exhaust holes are disposed in the second one of the plurality of panels only in an upper portion thereof;
an air plenum piece disposed within the enclosure and including
a substantially planar portion that extends from an inner wall of the first one of the plurality of panels and that ends at a distance from an inner wall of the second one of the plurality of panels, and
a plurality of tabs that extend from the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece to an inner wall of an upper one of the plurality of panels, including
an end tab located at an edge of the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece that is closest to an inner wall of the second one of the plurality of panels,
at least one side tab located at a side edge of the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece, the side edge of the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece being spaced apart from an inner wall of an adjacent side panel of the plurality of panels, and
at least another side tab located at another side edge of the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece, the another side edge of the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece being spaced apart from an inner wall of another side panel of the plurality of panels,
the at least another side tab extending only along a portion of the another side edge of the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece, so that at least some of the air in the second volume is recirculated into the first volume,
the air plenum piece being configured to divide an interior region of the enclosure into a first volume into which the plurality of air intake holes open and a second volume into which the plurality of air exhaust holes open,
the first volume being enclosed by the inner wall of the first one of the plurality of panels, the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece, the plurality of tabs, and the inner wall of the upper one of the plurality of panels,
the second volume being a remaining part of the interior region,
the air plenum piece having an air plenum hole that forms an opening between the first volume and the second volume;
a heat sink configured to be in thermal contact with the electronic circuitry and conduct heat generated by the electronic circuitry;
a fan located in coaxial alignment with the air plenum hole,
the heat sink and the electronic circuitry each being located in the second volume, whereby
when the fan operates, cooling air is drawn from an exterior of the enclosure through the plurality of air intake holes into the first volume, then through the air plenum hole into the second volume, then over the heat sink to remove heat away from the heat sink, and thereafter through the plurality of air exhaust holes into the exterior of the enclosure;
and
a bottom panel configured to support a circuit board holding the electronic circuitry.

19 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/497,042Filed 8 Oct 2021
Priority: 3 Jun 2016
Published: 27 Jan 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

H05K 7/20154
Forced ventilation, e.g. by fans: heat dissipaters coupled to components
H05K 7/20563
Forced ventilation of a gaseous coolant: within sub-racks for removing heat from electronic boards
H05K 7/20145
Forced ventilation, e.g. by fans: means for directing air flow, e.g. ducts, deflectors, plenum or guides
H05K 7/20445
Inner thermal coupling elements in heat dissipating housings, e.g. protrusions or depressions integrally formed in the housing: the coupling…

Family

Application62/345,169Us provisional application · filed 3 Jun 2016
Application15/602,334Continuation in part · filed 23 May 2017
Application16/534,398Continuation · filed 7 Aug 2019
Application17/375,045Continuation in part · filed 14 Jul 2021
Application17/497,042Continuation in part
Application17/375,045Continuation
Application16/534,398Continuation in part
US 11,076,501 B2Related patent
US 11,683,907 B2Related patent
US 11,711,904 B2Related patent
US 2017/0354060 A1Published application
US 2020/0008317 A1Published application
US 2021/0345521 A1Published application
US 2022/0030742 A1This patent

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

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