Airflow bypass damper

• US 7,843,683 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2009
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hidaka, Kenji, Suffern, Edward S., Okamoto, Michihiro, Wagatsuma, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): DATSKOVSKIY, MICHAIL V
• Application Number:
  US12/393,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20100214733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.01, 361/679.46, 361/679.47, 361/679.48, 361690-697, 361719-727, 361/730, 361/752, 361/818, 361/831, 454/183, 454/184, 454/333, 454/358, 165/80.3, 165/104.33, 165/122, 165/185, 312/223.2, 312/223.3, 312/308, 312/310, 312/321.5, 312/351.2, 312/336, 312/362, 174/481, 174/17.R, 174/50, 174/53, 174 56- 58, 174/67, 174/559, 174/17.VA, 174/480
• US Class Current: 361/679.46
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20145 Means for directing air flow, e.g. ducts, deflectors, plenum or guides
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20727 within server blades for removing heat from heat source

Abstract

Airflow bypass dampers made from a resilient material and systems including the resilient dampers. The dampers are secured in a chassis and extend into a deployed position to obstruct airflow through a component bay of a chassis in the absence of a component, such as a sever blade, within the selected bay. The airflow bypass damper bends into a retracted position in response to installing a component into the bay. It returns to its original shape and position when the component is removed. An air moving device moves air through a component installed in the chassis. A plurality of the resilient airflow bypass dampers may be secured in a plurality of bays of a chassis, each resilient damper moving independently of the others. The resilient material bends without permanent deformation. For example, the resilient material may include, without limitation, natural polymers, synthetic polymers and metals. A preferred damper has a curved cross-sectional shape.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a chassis including a component bay, wherein a component can be installed into the bay;

an air moving device for moving air through the component bay; and

an airflow bypass damper has a first end secured to the chassis, wherein the airflow bypass damper is disposed to extend into the bay, the airflow bypass damper being selectively moveable between first and second positions, wherein the airflow bypass damper is a resilient material that extends into the first position to obstruct airflow through the bay in the absence of a server blade within the selected bay, wherein the airflow bypass damper bends into the second position in response to installing a server blade into the bay, and wherein the airflow bypass damper forms a slat having a curved lateral cross-section along its length from the first end.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the resilient material is spring steel.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the resilient material includes a polymer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the airflow bypass damper has a convex face directed upstream into an airflow path.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the airflow bypass damper has convex face directed toward the front of the selected bay.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the airflow bypass damper has a concave face directed upstream into an airflow path.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the airflow bypass damper has a concave face directed toward the front of the selected bay.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the airflow bypass damper is secured to the chassis using a bracket.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein each airflow bypass damper has convex face directed toward the front of the selected bay.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each airflow bypass damper has a concave face directed toward the front of the selected bay.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the airflow bypass damper is characterized by bending sharply at a point between the first end of the slat and a point of engagement with the server blade.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the airflow bypass damper extends perpendicular from a wall of the chassis.

13. A system for use with a plurality of component modules, wherein each component module has at least one air flow passage therethrough, the system comprising:

a chassis including a plurality of bays, wherein one of the plurality of component modules can be installed into each of the bays;

an air moving device for moving air through each component module installed in the chassis; and

a plurality of airflow bypass dampers, each airflow bypass damper having a first end secured to the chassis, wherein the airflow bypass damper is disposed to extend into a selected one of the plurality of bays, wherein each airflow bypass damper is selectively moveable between first and second positions, wherein each airflow bypass damper is made from a resilient material that extends into the first position to obstruct airflow through the selected bay in the absence of a component module within the selected bay, wherein each airflow bypass damper bends into the second position in response to installing a component module into the selected bay, and wherein the airflow bypass damper forms a slat having a curved lateral cross-section along its length from the first end.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the resilient material is spring steel.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the resilient material includes a polymer.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein each airflow bypass damper is secured to the chassis using a bracket.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein each airflow bypass damper is secured to the chassis using a single bracket.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the airflow bypass damper is characterized by bending sharply at a point between the first end of the slat and a point of engagement with the component module.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the airflow bypass damper extends perpendicular from a wall of the chassis.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of component modules includes a plurality of server blades.