Cooling system for rack-mounted electronics equipment

• US 7,688,584 B1
• Filed: 10/02/2008
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Becklin Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Environmental Container Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Becklin, Dennis M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Datskovskiy; Michael V
• Application Number:
  US12/244,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20100085709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.46, 361/679.47, 361/679.48, 361/679.49, 361/679.5, 361690-697, 361/699, 361717-724, 361/727, 361/728, 361/796, 165/70.2, 165/80.3, 165/80.4, 165/80.5, 165/104.33, 165/104.34, 165/121, 165/185, 454/184, 174/50, 174/15.2, 174/16.3, 174/252, 312/223.2, 312/223.3, 312/236, 312/298, 312/359
• US Class Current: 361/694
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/202 Air circulating in closed loop within enclosure wherein heat is removed through heat-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20563 within sub-racks for removing heat from electronic boards

Abstract

A rack-mount case system for receiving, supporting and storing electronics equipment includes a slide-out frame closely received and shock mounted in a case. The system includes a cooling unit having at least one heat sink in fluid communication with a first blower and a manifold in fluid communication with a second blower. A thermoelectric unit is located between the heat sink and the manifold to provide a compact cooling unit that may be secured to a side of the slide-out frame with a bracket, for example.

Claims

1. A rack-mount case system comprising:

a case;

a frame located within the case and configured to receivably secure electronics equipment;

a cooling unit coupled to the frame, the cooling unit having at least one heat sink in fluid communication with a first blower and at least one manifold in fluid communication with a second blower;

a thermoelectric component located between the at least one heat sink and the manifold; and

a first vent opening located in at least one portion of the case, the first vent opening in fluid communication with the cooling unit,

wherein at least the second blower is configured to move air at a desired flow rate within the case.

2. The case of claim 1, wherein the second blower is configured to move higher temperature air out of the case.

3. The case of claim 1, wherein the first blower is configured to move ambient air over the at least one heat sink.

4. The case of claim 1, wherein the at least one heat sink unit is arranged in series with another heat sink unit.

5. The case of claim 1, wherein the first vent opening is aligned with the at least one of the blowers of the cooling unit.

6. The case of claim 1, further comprising:

a second vent opening extending through the case and substantially aligned with the at least one heat sink of the cooling unit.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the cooling unit operates to reduce a heat load within the case.

8. A rack-mount case system comprising:

means for slideably receiving electronics equipment within an interior region of a rack-mount case;

means for cooling the interior region by drawing air over a heat sink unit and through a manifold; and

means for exchanging air from the interior region with an ambient environment.

9. The case of claim 8, wherein the means for cooling includes a first blower for drawing the air over the heat sink.

10. The case of claim 8, wherein the means for cooling includes a second blower for drawing the air through the manifold.

11. The case of claim 8, wherein the means for cooling includes at least one thermoelectric component.

12. The case of claim 11, wherein the thermoelectric component is located between the heat sink and the manifold.

13. The case of claim 8, wherein the means for exchanging air includes an opening formed in a portion of the case and permitting fluid communication between the interior region and the ambient environment.

14. The case of claim 8, wherein the means for cooling substantially reduces a heat load within the interior region of the case.