Ventilating slide rail mount

• US 6,590,768 B1
• Filed: 07/05/2001
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unicom Engineering, Inc. (UNICOM Global, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Network Engines Incorporated (UNICOM Global, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wiley, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMPSON, GREGORY D
• Application Number:
  US09/899,512
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 211/26, 312/265--26, 361/687-695, 361/725-727, 361/752, 361/831
• US Class Current: 361/690
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/183 Internal mounting support structures, e.g. for printed circuit boards, internal connecting means for buses G06F13/409
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/467 by flowing gases, e.g. air H01L23/473 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7082 Coupling device supported only by cooperation with PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/721 cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1489 characterized by the mounting of blades therein, e.g. brackets, rails, trays H05K7/1491 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20736 within cabinets for removing heat from server blades

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a chassis slide assembly comprised of a mating rail and track that telescopically engage with one another and that are adapted for coupling to a chassis and to a rack to allow the chassis to be pulled out from the rack for inspection, service or repair. The rail and track each have at least one air flow aperture positioned to allow unobstructed venting of air through the slide assembly and through the side wall of the chassis. In one embodiment, the rail and track have a plurality of airflow apertures. The apertures of the rail and track can consist of a large-area openings, or of a plurality of slots or perforations. In one embodiment, the apertures of the rail are substantially aligned with the apertures of the track, e.g. when the rail and track are fully engaged with one another. An advantage of the present invention is that the additional air flow apertures in the chassis slide provide improved air flow through out the chassis, thereby reducing the possibility of overheating and component failure.

Claims

1. A chassis slide comprising a rail and a track that are slidably engaged with one another and that are adapted for coupling to a chassis and rack for telescopic movement to slide the chassis into and out of the rack, at least one of the rail and track having a clip adapted to fix the one of the rail and track to the rack to selectively prevent slidable movement with respect thereto, the rail and track each having at least one air flow aperture for facilitating a passage of air through the chassis slide.

2. The chassis slide of claim 1, wherein the air flow aperture of at least one of the rail and the track comprises a plurality of perforations.

3. The chassis slide of claim 1, wherein at least one air flow aperture of the rail is substantially aligned with at least one air flow aperture of the track when the chassis slide is in a first position.

4. The chassis slide of claim 3, wherein at least one air flow aperture of the rail is substantially aligned with at least one air flow aperture of the track when the chassis slide is in a fully engaged position.

5. A chassis slide comprising a rail and a track that are slidably engaged with one another and that are adapted for coupling to a chassis and rack, at least one of the rail and track having a clip adapted to fix the one of the rail and track to the rack to selectively prevent slidable movement with respect thereto, the rail and track each having a plurality of air flow apertures for facilitating a passage of air through the chassis slide.

6. The chassis slide of claim 5, whereof at least one air flow aperture of at least one of the rail and the track comprises a plurality of perforations.

7. The chassis slide of claim 5, wherein the apertures of the rail are substantially aligned the apertures of the track when the chassis slide is in a first position.

8. The chassis slide of claim 7, wherein the apertures of the rail are substantially aligned with the apertures of the track when the chassis slide is in a fully engaged position.

9. In a digital data processing apparatus of the type having

a module disposed in a chassis,

a rail coupled to the chassis,

a track coupled to a rack,

the rail and track being slidably engaged with one another to allow movement of the chassis into and out of the rack,

the improvement wherein

the rail includes a retention clip adapted to fix the track to the rack and the track includes at least one mounting clip adapted to fix the track to the rack to selectively prevent slidable movement with respect thereto;

and

the rail, the track and a portion of the chassis to which the rail is coupled each having at least one air flow aperture for facilitating a passage of air through the chassis.

10. In a digital data processing apparatus of claim 9, the improvement wherein the air flow aperture of at least one of the rail, the track and the chassis comprises a plurality of perforations.

11. In a digital data processing apparatus of claim 9, the improvement wherein at least one air flow aperture of the rail, the track and the chassis are substantially aligned with one another when the chassis is fully disposed within the rack.

12. In a digital data processing apparatus of claim 11, the improvement wherein the at least one aperture of at least one of the rail, the track and the chassis are disposed to facilitate air flow through at least a selected portion of chassis.

13. In a digital data processing apparatus of the type having

a module disposed in a chassis,

a rail coupled to the chassis,

a track coupled to a rack,

the rail and track being slidably engaged with one another,

the improvement wherein

the rail includes a retention clip adapted for fixing the rail to one of the track and rack to selectively prevent slidable movement with respect thereto;

and

the rail and the track each have a plurality of air flow apertures, and a portion of the chassis to which the rail is coupled has at least one air flow aperture for facilitating a passage of air through the chassis.

14. In a digital data processing apparatus of claim 13, the improvement wherein the air flow aperture of at least one of the rail, the track and the chassis comprises a plurality of perforations.

15. In a digital data processing apparatus of claim 13, the improvement wherein at least one aperture of the rail, the track and the chassis are substantially aligned with one another when the chassis is fully disposed within the rack.

16. In a digital data processing apparatus of claim 15, the improvement wherein the at least one aperture of at least one of the rail, the track and the chassis are disposed to facilitate air flow through at least a selected portion of chassis.

17. In a digital data processing apparatus of claim 13, the improvement wherein the chassis includes at least one vent opening at a rear portion of a side wall, and at least one of the air flow apertures of each of the rail and the track is located for unobstructed airflow through said vent opening.

18. A slide-rail assembly adapted for slidably mounting a chassis in a frame of the type that has

a mounting rail disposed transverse to a direction in which the chassis slides,

the improvement comprising

a rail and a track that are slidably engaged with one another and that are adapted for coupling to a chassis and the mounting rail for telescopic movement to slide the chassis into and out of the frame, the rail and track each having at least one air flow aperture for facilitating a passage of air through the chassis and slide-rail assembly,

a mounting member for affixing one of the rail and the track to the frame'"'"'s mounting rail.

19. A slide-rail assembly according to claim 18, wherein the mounting member includes

a bracket for affixation to the frame'"'"'s mounting rail,

at least one support member that is coupled to and extends from the bracket, the support member adapted for affixation to at least one of the rail and the track.

20. A slide-rail assembly according to claim 19, comprising a plurality of support members, one extending frontward from the bracket and one extending rearward from the bracket.

21. A slide-rail assembly according to claim 19, wherein at least one of the bracket and the support member comprises an element of U-shaped cross-section.

22. A slide-rail assembly according to claim 18, wherein the mounting member includes at least one air flow aperture for facilitating a passage of air through the chassis and slide-rail assembly.

24. A slide-rail assembly according to claim 22, wherein each mounting member includes

a bracket for affixation to the respective mounting rail,

at least one support member that is coupled to and extends from the bracket, the support member adapted for affixation to at least one of the rail and the track.

25. A slide-rail assembly according to claim 24, comprising a plurality of support members, one extending frontward from the bracket and one extending rearward from the bracket.

26. A slide-rail assembly according to claim 25, wherein at least one of the bracket and the support member comprises an element of U-shaped cross-section.

27. A slide-rail assembly according to claim 24, wherein the mounting member includes at least one air flow aperture for facilitating a passage of air through the chassis and slide-rail assembly.

23. A slide-rail assembly adapted for slidably mounting a chassis in a telco frame of the type that has

left and right vertical mounting rails disposed transverse to a direction in which the chassis slides,

the improvement comprising

a rail and a track that are slidably engaged with one another and that are adapted for coupling to a chassis and one mounting rail for telescopic movement to slide the chassis into and out of the telco frame, the rail and track each having at least one air flow aperture for facilitating a passage of air through the chassis and slide-rail assembly,

left and right mounting members, each for affixing one of the rail and the track to a respective one of the mounting rails.