Slot filler with capability to control electronic cooling air recirculation
First Claim
1. A slot filler adapted for usage in a rack cabinet and configured to accept a plurality of stacked housing-contained electronic devices, the cabinet having an air inlet and exit on mutually opposing sides and a plurality of slots capable of securing the stacked electronic devices, the slot filler comprising:
- a blanking panel adapted to cover an entry opening of an unoccupied slot; and
a body coupled to the blanking panel that emulates dimensions of a housing-contained electronic device and has a thickness selected so that clearance between the slot filler and an adjacent housing-contained electronic device leaves an air flow gap from the air inlet to exit that is sufficiently small to create an air flow resistance preventing air from re-circling toward the air inlet.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A slot filler for usage in a rack cabinet can accept a plurality of stacked electronic devices. The cabinet has an air inlet and exit on mutually opposing sides and a plurality of slots capable of securing the stacked electronic devices. The slot filler comprises a blanking panel capable of covering an entry opening of a slot that is unoccupied by an electronic device, and a body coupled to the blanking panel that emulates dimensions of an electronic device and has a thickness selected so that clearance between the slot filler and an adjacent electronic device leaves an air flow gap from the air inlet to exit that is sufficiently small to create an air flow resistance preventing air from re-circling toward the air inlet.
40 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A slot filler adapted for usage in a rack cabinet and configured to accept a plurality of stacked housing-contained electronic devices, the cabinet having an air inlet and exit on mutually opposing sides and a plurality of slots capable of securing the stacked electronic devices, the slot filler comprising:
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a blanking panel adapted to cover an entry opening of an unoccupied slot; and
a body coupled to the blanking panel that emulates dimensions of a housing-contained electronic device and has a thickness selected so that clearance between the slot filler and an adjacent housing-contained electronic device leaves an air flow gap from the air inlet to exit that is sufficiently small to create an air flow resistance preventing air from re-circling toward the air inlet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system comprising:
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a rack cabinet adapted to hold a plurality of stacked housing-contained electronic devices;
an air inlet and exit coupled to mutually opposing sides of the cabinet;
a plurality of slots contained within the cabinet and adapted to secure the stacked housing-contained electronic devices; and
a slot filler comprising;
a blanking panel capable of covering an entry opening of a an unoccupied slot; and
a body coupled to the blanking panel that emulates dimensions of a housing-contained electronic device and has a thickness selected so that clearance between the slot filler and an adjacent housing-contained electronic device leaves an air flow gap from the air inlet to exit that is sufficiently small to create an air flow resistance preventing air from re-circling toward the air inlet. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of controlling airflow in an electronic system comprising:
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encasing a plurality of housing-contained electronic devices in a housing having multiple slots for receiving the housing-contained electronic devices arranged in a stack;
directing a cooling airstream flow over the plurality of stacked housing-contained electronic devices from an air inlet to an exit;
inserting a slot filler within any unoccupied slots between the plurality of stacked housing-contained electronic devices; and
arranging the plurality of stacked housing-contained electronic devices and slot fillers with a selected clearance between adjacent housing-contained electronic devices and/or slot fillers leaving an air flow gap from the air inlet to exit that is sufficiently small to create an air flow resistance preventing air from re-circling toward the air inlet. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system comprising:
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a housing with a plurality of slots regularly arranged in a stack for receiving multiple housing-contained electronic devices, the housing having an air inlet and an air exit for passing cooling air through the housing-contained electronic devices;
at least one housing-contained electronic device inserted into at least one of the plurality of slots; and
at least one slot filler inserted into the a slot of the plurality of slots, the slot fillers having dimensions that emulate dimensions of an a housing-contained electronic device, the at least one housing-contained electronic device and the slot filler having an arrangement when inserted into the slots so that clearance between the adjacent slot fillers and/or housing-contained electronic device is an air flow gap that extends from the air inlet to the air exit that is sufficiently small to create an air flow resistance preventing air from re-circling toward the air inlet.
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21. A system for controlling airflow in an electronic system comprising:
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means for encasing a plurality of housing-contained electronic devices;
means within the encasing means for receiving the plurality of housing-contained electronic devices arranged in a stack;
means for directing a cooling airstream flow over the plurality of stacked housing-contained electronic devices from an air inlet to an exit, and means for filling any unoccupied receiving means, the receiving means, electronic devices, and filling means being arranged with a selected clearance between adjacent electronic devices and/or filling means leaving an air flow gap from the air inlet to exit that is sufficiently small to create an air flow resistance preventing air from re-circling toward the air inlet.
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Specification