Ducted exhaust equipment enclosure
First Claim
1. An electronic equipment enclosure for mounting one or more electronic components, comprising:
- (a) a frame structure formed from a plurality of support posts and at least partially enclosed by a plurality of panels, the panels including at least side, top and back panels defining a compartment in which the one or more electronic components are mounted, wherein;
(i) the compartment has a top, a bottom and a rear, and(ii) the top panel includes an opening therethrough that is rectangular in shape; and
(b) an exhaust air duct, having four side panels connected by four corner fittings, extending upward from the top panel of the compartment, wherein the exhaust air duct is rectangular in cross-section and is disposed in surrounding relation to, and in fluid communication with, the top panel opening;
(c) wherein the exhaust air duct is adapted to segregate hot air being exhausted from the compartment from cool air entering the compartment, thereby improving thermal management of the enclosure;
(d) wherein the corner fittings include hinges, thereby facilitating the collapse of the exhaust air duct from a use state to a flattened state; and
(e) wherein a corner lock is coupled to one of the corner fittings and adapted to maintain the air duct panels in the use state.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic equipment enclosure includes a frame structure at least partially enclosed by a plurality of panels defining a compartment in which one or more electronic components are mounted and an exhaust air duct that is adapted to segregate hot air being exhausted from the compartment from cool air entering the compartment, thereby improving thermal management of the enclosure. The exhaust duct includes a lower duct section extending upward from the top panel of the compartment and an upper duct section telescoping upward from an upper end of the lower duct section. Each duct section includes four panels connected together by hinged corner fittings such that the section is collapsible. The upper duct section includes an outwardly flared portion.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An electronic equipment enclosure for mounting one or more electronic components, comprising:
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(a) a frame structure formed from a plurality of support posts and at least partially enclosed by a plurality of panels, the panels including at least side, top and back panels defining a compartment in which the one or more electronic components are mounted, wherein; (i) the compartment has a top, a bottom and a rear, and (ii) the top panel includes an opening therethrough that is rectangular in shape; and (b) an exhaust air duct, having four side panels connected by four corner fittings, extending upward from the top panel of the compartment, wherein the exhaust air duct is rectangular in cross-section and is disposed in surrounding relation to, and in fluid communication with, the top panel opening; (c) wherein the exhaust air duct is adapted to segregate hot air being exhausted from the compartment from cool air entering the compartment, thereby improving thermal management of the enclosure; (d) wherein the corner fittings include hinges, thereby facilitating the collapse of the exhaust air duct from a use state to a flattened state; and (e) wherein a corner lock is coupled to one of the corner fittings and adapted to maintain the air duct panels in the use state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An electronic equipment enclosure for mounting one or more electronic components, comprising:
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(a) a frame structure formed from a plurality of support posts and at least partially enclosed by a plurality of panels, the panels including at least side, top and back panels defining a compartment in which the one or more electronic components are mounted, wherein; (i) the compartment has a top, a bottom and a rear, and (ii) the top panel includes an opening therethrough that is rectangular in shape; and (b) an exhaust air duct, having four side panels connected by four corner fittings, extending upward from the top panel of the compartment, wherein the exhaust air duct is rectangular in cross-section and is disposed in surrounding relation to, and in fluid communication with, the top panel opening; (c) wherein the exhaust air duct is adapted to segregate hot air being exhausted from the compartment from cool air entering the compartment, thereby improving thermal management of the enclosure; (d) wherein the corner fittings include hinges, thereby facilitating the collapse of the exhaust air duct from a use state to a flattened state; and (e) wherein an upper edge of each air duct panel is flared outward. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. An electronic equipment enclosure for mounting one or more electronic components, comprising:
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(a) a frame structure formed from a plurality of support posts and at least partially enclosed by a plurality of panels, the panels including at least side, top and back panels defining a compartment in which the one or more electronic components are mounted, wherein; (i) the compartment has a top, a bottom and a rear, and (ii) the top panel includes an opening therethrough that is rectangular in shape; and (b) an exhaust air duct, having four side panels connected by four corner fittings, extending upward from the top panel of the compartment, wherein the exhaust air duct is rectangular in cross-section and is disposed in surrounding relation to, and in fluid communication with, the top panel opening; (c) wherein the exhaust air duct is adapted to segregate hot air being exhausted from the compartment from cool air entering the compartment, thereby improving thermal management of the enclosure; (d) wherein the corner fittings include hinges, thereby facilitating the collapse of the exhaust air duct from a use state to a flattened state; and (e) wherein each corner fitting includes two finger arrays connected together by the hinge. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. An electronic equipment enclosure for mounting one or more electronic components, comprising:
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(a) a frame structure formed from a plurality of support posts and at least partially enclosed by a plurality of panels, the panels including at least side, top and back panels defining a compartment in which the one or more electronic components are mounted, wherein; (i) the compartment has a top, a bottom and a rear, and (ii) the top panel includes an opening therethrough that is rectangular in shape; and (b) an exhaust air duct, having four side panels connected by four corner fittings, extending upward from the top panel of the compartment, wherein the exhaust air duct is rectangular in cross-section and is disposed in surrounding relation to, and in fluid communication with, the top panel opening; (c) wherein the exhaust air duct is adapted to segregate hot air being exhausted from the compartment from cool air entering the compartment, thereby improving thermal management of the enclosure; (d) wherein the corner fittings include hinges, thereby facilitating the collapse of the exhaust air duct from a use state to a flattened state; and (e) wherein each corner fitting is formed in a co-extrusion process using a first material for the hinge and a second material for the remainder of the corner fitting. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. An electronic equipment enclosure for mounting one or more electronic components, comprising:
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(a) a frame structure formed from a plurality of support posts and at least partially enclosed by a plurality of panels, the panels including at least side, top and back panels defining a compartment in which the one or more electronic components are mounted, wherein; (i) the compartment has a top, a bottom and a rear, and (ii) the top panel includes an opening therethrough that is rectangular in shape; and (b) an exhaust air duct, having four side panels connected by four corner fittings, extending upward from the top panel of the compartment, wherein the exhaust air duct is rectangular in cross-section and is disposed in surrounding relation to, and in fluid communication with, the top panel opening; (c) wherein the exhaust air duct is adapted to segregate hot air being exhausted from the compartment from cool air entering the compartment, thereby improving thermal management of the enclosure; and (d) wherein each corner fitting includes a pair of fingers defining a panel channel in which an edge of an air duct panel is inserted and retained. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification