METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AN ENVIRONMENTALLY-PROTECTED ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT ENCLOSURE

• US 20100110634A1
• Filed: 11/17/2009
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scalematrix Holdings, Inc. (ScaleMatrix, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Elliptical Mobile Solutions, LLC
• Inventors: Rohrich, Simon R., Woodbury, William E. II
• Granted Patent: US 8,424,885 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/698
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2204/04 comprising a cooling unit
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2204/06 comprising insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2301/20 Resilient wheel suspension using springs
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2301/256 by using endless belts
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0026 Propulsion aids
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/18 Construction of rack or frame
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20436 Inner thermal coupling elements in heat dissipating housings, e.g. protrusions or depressions integrally formed in the housing

Abstract

A method and apparatus for an electronic equipment enclosure that provides directed airflow only to those volumes within the enclosure that require the airflow. The electronic equipment enclosure further provides protection from contaminants such as falling dirt, rain, sleet, snow, windblown dust, splashing water, hose-directed water, and ice. A pedestal may be coupled to the electronic equipment enclosure that facilitates movement of the electronic equipment enclosure via a pallet jack, forklift, front loader, or similar jacking device. A sidecar may also be coupled to one or more sides of the electronic equipment enclosure to facilitate vertically mounted equipment within the sidecar.

Claims

1. An electronic component enclosure, comprising:

a pedestal adapted to accept forks of a jacking device;

an inner frame coupled to the pedestal, the inner frame adapted to accept a first set of electronic components; and

wherein movement of the inner frame is facilitated by movement of the pedestal by the jacking device.

2. The electronic component enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a water-resistant enclosure surrounding the inner frame.

3. The electronic component enclosure of claim 2, further comprising an environment control unit coupled to the water-resistant enclosure, the environment control unit adapted to generate cooled airflow.

4. The electronic component enclosure of claim 3, further comprising a plenum formed below the inner frame, the plenum forming a duct to direct the cooled airflow to the first set of electronic components.

5. The electronic component enclosure of claim 4, further comprising a ducted channel coupled to the environment control unit and the plenum, the ducted channel being adapted to direct the cooled airflow from the environment control unit to the plenum.

6. The electronic component enclosure of claim 5, further comprising flexible containment seals coupled between the inner frame and the water-resistant enclosure to further direct the cooled airflow from the environment control unit to the first set of electronic components.

7. The electronic component enclosure of claim 2, further comprising a sidecar coupled to the water-resistant enclosure, the sidecar being adapted to facilitate mounting of a second set of electronic components within an interior of the sidecar.

8. An electronic component enclosure, comprising:

a platform;

an inner frame coupled to the platform;

an enclosure surrounding the inner frame;

a first set of electronic components mounted within the inner frame;

an environment control unit coupled to the enclosure, the environment control unit being adapted to generate airflow;

a plenum formed below the inner frame, the plenum forming a duct to direct the airflow to the first set of electronic components; and

a ducted channel coupled to the environment control unit and the plenum to direct the airflow from the environment control unit to the plenum.

9. The electronic component enclosure of claim 8, wherein the platform is adapted to accept forks of a jacking device.

10. The electronic component enclosure of claim 9, further comprising a sidecar coupled to the enclosure, the sidecar being adapted to facilitate mounting of a second set of electronic components within an interior of the sidecar and further adapted to provide the airflow from the environment control unit to the second set of electronic components.

11. The electronic component enclosure of claim 8, further comprising flexible containment seals coupled between the inner frame and the enclosure to further direct the airflow from the environment control unit to the first set of electronic components.

12. An electronic component enclosure, comprising:

a platform;

an inner frame coupled to the platform;

a first set of electronic components mounted within the inner frame;

a water-resistant enclosure coupled to the inner frame; and

wherein the water-resistant enclosure is adapted to shield the first set of electronic components from contaminants.

13. The electronic component enclosure of claim 12, further comprising an environment control unit coupled to the water-resistant enclosure, the environment control unit adapted to generate airflow.

14. The electronic component enclosure of claim 13, further comprising a plenum formed below the inner frame, the plenum forming a duct to direct the airflow to the first set of electronic components.

15. The electronic component enclosure of claim 14, further comprising a ducted channel coupled to the environment control unit and the plenum to direct the airflow from the environment control unit to the plenum.

16. The electronic component enclosure of claim 15, further comprising flexible containment seals coupled between the inner frame and the water-resistant enclosure to further direct the airflow from the environment control unit to the first set of electronic components.

17. The electronic component enclosure of claim 12, further comprising a sidecar coupled to the water-resistant enclosure, the sidecar being adapted to facilitate mounting of a second set of electronic components within an interior of the sidecar.

18. The electronic component enclosure of claim 12, wherein the platform is adapted to accept forks of a jacking device.

19. The electronic component enclosure of claim 18, wherein the jacking device includes one of a pallet jack, a forklift, and a front loader.

20. An electronic equipment enclosure, comprising:

an inner frame;

electronic components mounted within the inner frame;

an enclosure surrounding the inner frame;

a plenum formed below the inner frame, the plenum being adapted to direct airflow to the electronic components; and

wherein the electronic components receive the airflow from a first region within the enclosure and exhaust the airflow into a second region within the enclosure, the first region having a higher pressure relative to the second region.

21. The electronic equipment enclosure of claim 20, further comprising a liquid-based heat exchanger implemented within the plenum to cool the airflow.

22. The electronic equipment enclosure of claim 21, wherein the heat exchanger utilizes a refrigerant to cool the airflow.

23. The electronic equipment enclosure of claim 20, further comprising:

a first sensor adapted to measure a temperature of the first region;

a second sensor adapted to measure a temperature of the second region; and

a controller coupled to the first and second sensors, the controller being adapted to control a rate and temperature of the airflow in response to the measurements.

24. The electronic equipment enclosure of claim 23, wherein the controller exports sensor data to a centralized building control system, the centralized building control system being adapted to control the rate and the temperature of the airflow in response to the measurements.