Data center floor management

• US 9,394,700 B1
• Filed: 07/06/2015
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Jean-Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Canfield, Robert
• Application Number:
  US14/791,693
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• Field of Search: 522/63, 527/921, 527/921.1, 174/482
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02177 Floor elements for use at a specific location not used, see subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02417 made of box-like elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02447 Supporting structures
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02458 Framework supporting the panels
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2290/02 for accommodating service installations or utility lines, e.g. heating conduits, electrical lines, lighting devices or service outlets

Abstract

A floor tile for a data center floor is provided that includes a first tile module having a main surface including a first side wall portion and a second side wall portion extending from opposite edges of the main surface, the first side wall portion and second side wall portion each including at least one recess for receiving cabling; and a second tile module having a main further surface adapted to form a removable lid of the first tile module. A data center floor including such a floor tile and a data center including such a data center floor are also provided.

Claims

1. A floor tile for a data center floor, comprising:

a first tile module comprising a main tile portion with opposite inner and outer main surfaces and a first side wall and a second side wall extending away from the opposite main surfaces to an edge, the first side wall and second side wall being opposing side walls and each sidewall edge comprising at least one recess for receiving cabling, wherein the recesses do not extend to the inner main surface; and

a second tile module comprising a further main tile portion adapted to form a removable lid of the first tile module, and having opposite inner and outer further main surfaces with a first further side wall and a second further side wall extending away from the opposite further main surfaces to an edge, the first further side wall and the second further side wall being opposing side walls and each sidewall edge comprising at least one further recess for receiving the cabling, wherein the further recesses do not extend to the inner further main surface; and

wherein, with the floor tile in position, the first side wall and the first further side wall align and contact, and the second side wall and the second further side wall align and contact to support the second tile module on the first tile module, and together the at least one recess in each of the first side wall and the second side wall and the least one further recess in each of the first further side wall and the second further side wall define at least one aperture in the aligned first side wall and first further side wall, and at least one further aperture in the aligned second side wall and the second further side wall, the at least one aperture and the at least one further aperture facilitating passing the cabling through the floor tile.

2. The floor tile of claim 1, further comprising a third side wall opposite a fourth side wall, the third side wall and fourth side wall each extending from the first side wall to the second side wall.

3. The floor tile of claim 2, wherein the third side wall and the fourth side wall each comprise at least one further recess for receiving cabling.

4. The floor tile of claim 1, further comprising a fastener to fasten the first tile module to the second tile module.

5. The floor tile of claim 1, wherein the main tile portion and the further main tile portion each comprise a plurality of air holes for passing air through the floor tile.

6. The floor tile of claim 5, wherein the main tile portion and the further main tile portion comprise perforated surfaces.

7. A data center floor comprising a grid of floor tiles including floor tiles having:

a first tile module having a main tile portion with opposite inner and outer main surfaces and a first side wall and a second side wall extending from a main side of the opposite main surfaces to an edge away from the opposite main sides, the first side wall and second side wall being opposing side walls and each sidewall edge comprising at least one recess for receiving cabling, wherein the recesses do not extend to the inner main surface; and

a second tile module comprising a further main tile portion, the further main tile portion having opposite inner and outer further main surfaces with a first further side wall and a second further side wall extending away from the opposite further main surfaces to an edge, the first further side wall and the second further side wall being opposing side walls and each sidewall edge comprising at least one further recess for receiving the cabling, wherein the further recesses do not extend to the inner further main surface; and

wherein, with the floor tile in position, the first side wall and the first further side wall align and contact, and the second side wall and the second further side wall align and contact to support the second tile module on the first tile module, and together the at least one recess in each of the first side wall and the second side wall and the least one further recess in each of the first further side wall and the second further side wall define at least one aperture in the aligned first side wall and first further side wall, and at least one further aperture in the aligned second side wall and the second further side wall, the at least one aperture and the at least one further aperture facilitating passing the cabling through the floor tile.

8. The data center floor of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of legs for raising the grid of floor tiles above a floor surface on which the legs are to be positioned.

9. A data center including a data center floor comprising a grid of floor tiles including floor tiles having:

a first tile module comprising a main tile portion with opposite inner and outer main surface and a first side wall and a second side wall extending away from the opposite main surfaces to an edge, the first side wall and second side wall being opposing side walls and each sidewall edge comprising at least one recess for receiving cabling, wherein the recesses do not extend to the inner main surface; and

a second tile module comprising a further main tile portion, the further main tile portion having opposite inner and outer further main surfaces with a first further side wall and a second further side wall extending away from the opposite further main surfaces to an edge, the first further side wall and the second further side wall being opposing side walls and each sidewall edge comprising at least one further recess for receiving the cabling, wherein the further recesses do not extend to the inner further main surface; and

wherein, with the floor tile in position, the first side wall and the first further side wall align and contact, and the second side wall and the second further side wall align and contact to support the second tile module on the first tile module, and together the at least one recess in each of the first side wall and the second side wall and the least one further recess in each of the first further side wall and the second further side wall define at least one aperture in the aligned first side wall and first further side wall, and at least one further aperture in the aligned second side wall and the second further side wall, the at least one aperture and the at least one further aperture facilitating passing the cabling through the floor tile.

10. The data center of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of legs mounted on the grid of floor tiles, the legs raising the grid of floor tiles above a floor surface of the data center on which the legs are placed.

11. The data center of claim 9, further comprising a third side wall opposite a fourth side wall, the third side wall and fourth side wall each extending from the first side wall to the second side wall.

12. The data center of claim 11, wherein the third side wall and the fourth side wall each comprise at least one further recess for receiving cabling.