Removable fan for rack mounted rectifiers

A rack mounted rectifier module for use in a rectifier cabinet having at least partially enclosed spaces for receiving a plurality of said rectifier modules, AC input and DC output, the rectifier module comprising:

• a rectifier unit having DC output contacts, AC input contacts, data signal contacts, and a housing for mounting in said rectifier cabinet in a closely fitting engagement within one of said at least partially enclosed space of said rectifier cabinet, with said DC output contacts, said AC input contacts and said data signal contacts electrically connected to said rectifier cabinet;
• a housing latch having a latch bar for movably fitting within a latch opening formed into a partition member which is disposed adjacent to said one of at least partially enclosed spaces, said latch fitting no further into said partition member than an opposite side of said partition member;
• a cooling fan module having a mounting bracket, a cooling fan unit secured to said mounting bracket and a cooling fan power connector mounted to said bracket, electrically connected to said cooling fan for electrically connecting said cooling fan unit to said rectifier module;
• said housing having a socket receiving said cooling fan module, and a mating cooling fan power connector for engaging said cooling fan power connector to electrically connect said cooling fan unit to electric power when said cooling fan module is inserted within said socket;
• cooling fan module fasteners which extend between said cooling fan module and said housing of said rectifier module for securing said cooling fan module within said housing of said rectifier module;
• wherein said socket for receiving said cooling fan module is open on a side of said housing which is exterior of said rectifier module, and located for removing and receiving said cooling fan module after said housing has been at least partially removed from within the rectifier cabinet;
• and
• wherein said cooling fan module fits flush with said side of said housing which is exterior of said rectifier module, when said cooling fan module is fully engaged with said housing.

A method for rack replacing a cooling fan unit of a rectifier module used in a rectifier cabinet having AC input and DC output, comprising the steps of:

• providing a socket in a housing of the rectifier module, a mounting bracket with the cooling fan unit secured thereto, and a pair of mating connectors, one of the pair secured to the mounting bracket and the other of the pair secured to the housing of the rectifier module for receiving the one of the pair and electrically connecting the cooling fan unit to the housing;
• removing the rectifier module at least partially from a forward end of the rectifier cabinet, such that the AC input and the DC output of the rectifier cabinet are electrically disconnected and spaced apart from the rectifier module;
• removing fasteners from securing the cooling fan module from the rectifier housing;
• removing the cooling fan module from within the rectifier housing, which automatically disconnects the pair of mating connectors from electrically connecting the fan unit to the rectifier module and exposes a socket of the housing which is open only one exterior side of the rectifier housing;
• inserting a replacement cooling fan module within the socket of the housing, wherein a guide pin of one of the housing and the mounting bracket fits within a guide bole mounted to the other of the housing and the mounting bracket to automatically align the pari of mating connectors for mutual engagement when the cooling fan module is fully inserted within the socket of the housing;
• fully installing the rectifier module into the rectifier cabinet, such that the AC input and the DC output of the rectifier cabinet are engaged with and electrically connected to the rectifier module;
• and
• wherein the step of fully installing the rectifier module into the rectifier cabinet places an exterior portion of the cooling fan module adjacent to an adjoining portion of the rectifier cabinet, such that the cooling fan module cannot be removed from being engaged within the rectifier module.