Server with reduced space requirement

• US 6,313,988 B1
• Filed: 09/28/1999
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hong T. Ma
• Original Assignee: Hong T. Ha
• Inventors: Pham, Long Thanh
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHANG, YEAN HSI
• Application Number:
  US09/407,706
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 361/687-695
• US Class Current: 361/679.33
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/184 Mounting of motherboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/187 Mounting of fixed and removable disk drives
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20727 within server blades for removing heat from heat source

Abstract

A computer for a server or work station which has two air cooling streams one stream leads from outside the chassis across the motherboard and through a vented power supply then directly into the environment and is driven by a fan inside the power supply. This air stream independently and directly removes the major source of heat which is the power supply. The second air stream circulates from outside the chassis through the hard drives and out of openings adjacent the hard drives and is driven by fans positioned between the hard drives and vented openings in the chassis. The efficient heat removal is compatible with an arrangement of components in the chassis such that the overall height is less than 3½. The reduced height and efficient heat removal make the computer ideally suited for mounting in a server chassis with other servers where close spacing is desired.

Claims

1. A computer comprising:

a computer chassis having a front panel, a first side panel, opposite a second side panel and a rear panel all mounted on a base panel to form a rectangular enclosure;

said front panel and said first side panel corner forming a first corner, said front panel and said second side corner forming a second corner, said rear panel and said first side panel forming a third corner, and said rear panel and said second side panel forming a fourth corner,

said front panel, first and second side panels and rear panel all having a height less than three and one half inches providing that said enclosure has a height less than three and one half inches measured perpendicular to said base panel;

said front panel having a length of nineteen inches;

said first and second side panels each having a length of twenty two inches

said first and second side panels being parallel to one another and separated by a space of seventeen inches;

said first and second side panels each joined perpendicularly to said front panel at a distance of one inch from respective ends of said front panel providing that a one inch length of said front panel extends beyond said first side panel and another one inch length of said front panel extends beyond said second side panel;

said one inch length and said another one inch length of said front panel extending beyond said first and second side panels respectively each having at least one aperture arranged to enable positioning said computer chassis between two uprights separated by eighteen inches and securing said computer chassis to said uprights by fasteners through said apertures into said uprights;

said front panel having a first vented opening positioned proximal to said first corner, and a second vented opening proximal to said first vented opening and an opening for accessing a floppy disk drive;

said opening for accessing a floppy disk drive positioned between said second vented opening and said second corner;

said rear panel having an opening for a fan grating proximal to said fourth corner, and a vented opening, and an opening for accessing a mother board and plurality of daughter boards;

said opening for accessing a mother board and plurality of daughter boards next to said third corner of said computer chassis;

a first fan positioned next to said front panel and said first side panel and positioned to direct an air steam through said first vented opening in said front panel;

a first hard disk drive positioned next to said first fan and said first side panel and arranged in operable combination with said first fan to enable said first fan to expel said air stream heated by said first disk through said first vented opening to environment outside said computer;

a second fan positioned next to said front panel and said first fan and positioned to direct an air stream through said second vented opening in said front panel;

a second hard disk drive positioned next to said second fan and said first hard disk drive and arranged in operable combination with said second fan to enable said second fan to expel air heated by said second hard disk drive through said second vented opening to outside said computer;

a floppy disk drive positioned next to said second hard disk drive and said front panel adjacent said floppy disk opening arranged in operable combination with said floppy disk opening to provide access to said floppy disk drive through said floppy disk opening;

a power supply chassis containing a power supply and positioned in said fourth corner of said computer chassis;

said power supply chassis having a first side, a second side and a third side with an edge of said first side joined perpendicularly to an edge of said second side opposite said third side;

said third side positioned against said second side panel providing that a portion of heat generated inside said power supply is thermally conducted through said third side and said second side panel of said computer chassis to said environment;

said first side having an opening;

said second side having a vented opening;

a third fan having an open grate and mounted in said power supply and arranged in operable combination with said opening in said first side and said opening for a fan grating in said rear panel to enable said third fan to generate an air stream circulating from an environment outsides said server, through said vented opening in said rear panel, then across said mother board and daughter boards, then through said vented opening in said second side into said power supply, then through said opening in said first side, and through said open grate of said third fan, and through said opening in said rear panel proximal to said corner of said fourth corner of said server chassis into said environment.

2. The computer of claim 1 wherein said front panel further comprises:

another opening for accessing one of

(i) a CD-Rom drive;

(ii) a third hard drive;

said another opening positioned between said opening for said floppy disk and an elongated edge of said front panel.

3. A computer comprising:

a computer chassis having a front panel, a first side panel, opposite a second side panel and a rear panel all mounted on a base panel to form a rectangular enclosure;

said front panel and said first side panel corner forming a first corner, said front panel and said second side corner forming a second corner, said rear panel and said first side panel forming a third corner, and said rear panel and said second side panel forming a fourth corner;

said front panel having a first vented opening positioned proximal to said first corner, and a second vented opening proximal to said first vented opening and an opening for accessing a floppy disk drive;

said opening for accessing a floppy disk drive positioned between said second vented opening and said second corner;

a first fan positioned next to said front panel and said first side panel and arranged to direct an air stream through said first vented opening in said front panel;

a first hard disk drive positioned next to said first fan and said first side panel and arranged in operable combination with said first fan to enable said first fan to expel air heated by said first hard disk through said first vented opening to environment outside said server;

a second fan positioned next to said front panel and said first fan and arranged to direct an air stream through said second vented opening in said front panel;

a second hard disk drive positioned next to said second fan and said first hard disk drive and arranged in operable combination with said second fan to enable said second fan to expel air heated by said second hard disk drive through said second vented opening to outside said computer;

a floppy disk drive positioned next to said second hard disk chive and said front panel adjacent said floppy disk opening arranged in operable combination with said floppy disk opening to provide access to said floppy disk drive through said floppy disk opening;

a power supply chassis containing a power supply and positioned in said fourth corner of said computer chassis;

a mother board positioned in said third corner of said computer chassis.

4. The computer of claim 3 further comprising said front panel, first and second side panels and rear panel all having a height less than three and one half inches providing that said enclosure has a height less than three and one half inches measured perpendicular to said base panel.

5. The computer of claim 3 further comprising:

said front panel having a length of nineteen inches;

said first and second side panels each having a length of twenty two inches

said first and second side panels being parallel to one another and separated by a space of seventeen inches;

said first and second side panels each joined perpendicularly to said front panel at a distance of one inch from respective ends of said front panel providing that a one inch length of said front panel extends beyond said first side panel and another one inch length of said front panel extends beyond said second side panel;

said one inch length and said another one inch length of said front panel extending beyond said first and second side panels respectively each having at least one aperture arranged to enable positioning said server chassis between two uprights separated by eighteen inches and securing said server chassis to said uprights by fasteners through said apertures into said uprights.

6. The computer of claim 3 further comprising:

said rear panel having a length of nineteen inches;

said first and second side panels each having a length of twenty two inches

said first and second side panels being parallel to one another and separated by a space of seventeen inches;

said first and second side panels each joined perpendicularly to said rear panel at a distance of one inch from respective ends of said rear panel providing that a one inch length of said rear panel extends beyond said first side panel and another one inch length of said rear panel extends beyond said second side panel;

said one inch length and said another one inch length of said rear panel extending beyond said first and second side panels respectively each having at least one aperture arranged to enable positioning said computer chassis between two uprights separated by eighteen inches and securing said server chassis to said uprights by fasteners through said apertures into said uprights.

7. The computer of claim 3 further comprising:

said rear panel having an opening for a fan grating proximal to said fourth corner, and a vented opening next to said opening for a fan grating, and an opening for accessing a mother board and plurality of daughter boards;

said opening for accessing a mother board and plurality of daughter boards proximal to said third corner of said computer chassis; and

said power supply chassis containing said power supply comprises;

said power supply chassis having a first side, a second side and a third side with an edge of said first side joined perpendicularly to an edge of said second side opposite said third side;

said third side positioned against said second side panel providing that a portion of heat generated inside said power supply is thermally conducted through said third side and said second side panel to said environment;

said first side having an opening;

said second side having a vented opening;

a third fan having an open grate and mounted in said power supply and arranged in operable combination with said opening in said first side and said opening for a fan grating in said rear panel to enable said third fan to generate an air stream circulating from an environment outsides said computer, through said vented opening in said rear panel, then across said mother board and daughter boards, then through said vented opening in said second side into said power supply, then through said opening in said first side, and through said open grate of said third fan, and through said opening in said rear panel proximal to said corner of said fourth corner of said server chassis into said environment.

8. The computer of claim 7 wherein said first side of said power supply has a length of 4½

inches.

9. The computer of claim 7 wherein said second side of said power supply has a length in a range from 6 to 12 inches.

10. The computer of claim 7 wherein said mother board has a card receptacle (51) arranged perpendicular to said rear panel and located between said vented opening and said power supply and said back panel comprises

at least one slotted opening between said opening for a fan grating proximal to said fourth corner, and said opening for accessing said mother board adapted in operable combination with said opening for a fan grating and said opening for accessing said mother board to permit inserting said at least one card module through said slotted opening and plugging said at least one card module into said riser card.

11. An Internet having a plurality of interconnected server computers and client computers wherein at least one of said server computers comprises:

a computer chassis having a front panel, a first side panel, opposite a second side panel and a rear panel all mounted on a base panel to form a rectangular enclosure;

said front panel and said first side panel corner forming a first corner, said front panel and said second side corner forming a second corner, said rear panel and said first side panel forming a third corner, and said rear panel and said second side panel forming a fourth corner;

said first and second side panels being parallel to one another and separated by a space of seventeen inches;

said first and second side panels each joined perpendicularly to said front panel at a distance of one inch from respective ends of said front panel providing that a one inch length of said front panel extends beyond said first side panel and another one inch length of said front panel extends beyond said second side panel;

said one inch length and said another one inch length of said front panel extending beyond said first and second side panels respectively each having at least one aperture arranged to enable positioning said computer chassis between two uprights separated by eighteen inches and securing said seizer chassis to said uprights by fasteners through said apertures into said uprights;

said front panel having a first vented opening positioned proximal to said first corner, and a second vented opening proximal to said first vented opening and an opening for accessing a floppy disk drive;

said opening for accessing a floppy disk drive positioned between said second vented opening and said second corner;

said rear panel having an opening for a fan grating proximal to said fourth corner, and a vented opening and an opening for accessing a mother board and plurality of daughter boards;

said opening for accessing a mother board and plurality of daughter boards proximal to said third corner of said server chassis;

a first fan positioned next to said front panel and said first side panel and communicating with said first vented opening in said front panel;

a first hard disk drive positioned next to said first fan and said first side panel and arranged in operable combination with said first fan to enable said first fan to expel air heated by said first disk through said first vented opening to environment outside said server;

a second fan positioned next to said front panel and said first fan and communicating with said second vented opening in said front panel,

a second hard disk drive positioned next to said second fan and said first hard disk drive and arranged in operable combination with said second fan to enable said second fan to expel air heated by said second hard disk drive through said second vented opening to outside said server;

a floppy disk drive positioned next to said second hard disk drive and said front panel adjacent said floppy disk opening arranged in operable combination with said floppy disk opening to provide access to said floppy disk drive through said floppy disk opening;

a power supply chassis containing a power supply and positioned in said fourth corner of said computer chassis;

said power supply chassis having a first side, a second side and a third side with an edge of said first side joined perpendicularly to an edge of said second side opposite said third side;

said third side positioned against said second side panel providing that a portion of heat generated inside said power supply is thermally conducted through said third side and said second side panel to said environment;

said first side of said power supply chassis having an opening;

said second side of said power supply chassis having a vented opening;

a third fan having an open grate and mounted in said power supply and arranged in operable combination with said opening in said first side of said power supply and said opening for a fan grating in said rear panel to enable said third fan to generate an air stream circulating from an environment outsides said server, through said vented opening in said rear panel, then across said mother board and daughter boards, then through said vented opening in said second side into said power supply, then through said opening in said first side, and through said open grate of said third fan, and through said opening in said rear panel proximal to said corner of said fourth corner of said computer chassis into said environment.

12. The Internet of claim 11 where said at least one server computer has an overall height of less than three and one half inches.