Electronics assembly

• US 6,961,248 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2002
• Issued: 11/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Vincent, William Hunt, Osborn, Jay Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui, Hung S.
• Application Number:
  US10/166,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20030227757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 361/796, 361/797, 361/801, 361/672, 361/694, 361/695, 361/693, 361/715, 361/724, 361/740, 361/687, 361/692, 361/717, 361/697, 361/690, 361/775, 361/718, 361/752, 164/185, 164/121, 415/213.1
• US Class Current: 361/796
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20172 Fan mounting or fan specifications
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20736 within cabinets for removing heat from server blades

Abstract

A chassis for an electronics assembly comprises:

• (i) a frame (1); and
• (ii) a panel (31) located on a face of the frame, the panel comprising a plurality of cooling fans (22) and a holder (30) for the fans.

The panel allows removal of individual fans from the panel and replacement of any fans while the panel is located on the frame, and the frame allows removal of the panel therefrom and replacement of the panel. The chassis thus allows replacement of any fans without the assembly being shut down, and also reduces downtime of the assembly if all the fans need replacing, for example for maintenance.

Claims

1. A chassis for an electronics assembly, the chassis comprising:

(i) a frame; and

(ii) a panel located on a face of the frame, the panel comprising a plurality of cooling fans and a holder for the fans,

wherein the panel allows removal of individual fans from the panel and replacement of said individual fans while the panel is located on the frame, and the panel is attached to the frame by a mechanism that allows quick release and removal of the panel therefrom and replacement of the panel,

wherein the panel is generally flat, and

wherein at least one cooling fan in the plurality of cooling fans is secured to the holder by an arrangement that requires a tool to release it from the holder.

2. The chassis as claimed in claim 1, wherein each fan is attached to the holder by at least one cooperating tab and recess, and is secured to the holder by a threaded element.

3. The chassis as claimed in claim 2, wherein the tab is formed from a sheet member and the sheet member provides a support for the threaded element.

4. The chassis as claimed in claim 1, which contains a monitoring arrangement for monitoring each fan.

5. The chassis as claimed in claim 4, wherein the monitoring arrangement is located on the panel.

6. The chassis as claimed in claim 5, wherein the monitoring arrangement is located on a face of the panel directed to an interior of the chassis.

7. The chassis as claimed in claim 1, wherein the panel allows removal of individual fans from the holder while the remaining fans are in operation.

8. A chassis for an electronics assembly, the chassis comprising:

(i) a frame; and

(ii) a panel located on a face of the frame, the panel comprising a plurality of cooling fans and a holder for the fans,

wherein the panel allows removal of individual fans from the panel and replacement of said individual fans while the panel is located on the frame, and the frame allowing removal of the panel therefrom and replacement of the panel, wherein the panel is attached thereto by means of a mechanism that allows quick release of the panel, wherein the panel is attached thereto by means of at least one pin that engages a corresponding recess, wherein the recess has a grommet to allow a degree of relative movement between the panel and the chassis.

9. The chassis as claimed in claim 8, wherein the panel is generally flat.

10. The chassis as claimed in claim 8, which includes a gasket that extends around all or some of a periphery of the panel between the panel and the chassis in order to prevent or reduce bypass leakage of air around the fans.

11. The chassis as claimed in claim 8, wherein the holder is formed from sheet metal.

12. The panel as claimed in claim 8, which includes a monitoring arrangement for monitoring each fan, the monitoring arrangement being located on an opposite side of the panel to that from which the fans can be removed.

13. A chassis for an electronics assembly, the chassis comprising:

(i) a frame; and

(ii) a panel located on a face of the frame, the panel comprising a plurality of cooling fans and a holder for the fans,

wherein the panel allows removal of individual fans from the panel and replacement of said individual fans while the panel is located on the frame, and the frame allowing removal of the panel therefrom and replacement of the panel;

wherein the holder is formed from sheet metal;

wherein each fan includes a sheet member that provides an element for attachment of the fan to the holder, and the thickness of the panel is the sum of the thickness of the fan, the thickness of the sheet metal forming the holder and the thickness of the sheet member.

14. The chassis as claimed in claim 13, wherein the panel is secured to the chassis by an arrangement that requires a tool to release it from the chassis.