Modular computer network system with modules having geometric shapes arranged into tessellated arrays

• US RE46,469 E1
• Filed: 09/23/2015
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard Anthony Jr. Dunn
• Original Assignee: Richard Anthony Jr. Dunn
• Inventors: Dunn, Jr., Richard Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Linh M
• Application Number:
  US14/862,989
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 361729, 361735, 3616794, 361688, 118500, 324309
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/182 with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0013 assembled by resilient members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 including variation in thickness

Abstract

Scalable up and down nesting integrated electronic enclosures with form factors including asteroids and/or dumbbells and/or approximated tessellation(s)/tiling(s) or combinations thereof with thermal management, wiring, sliding fit, manual and/or automated full range vertical to horizontal positioning, access and structural systems for individual modules and intra- and inter-planar stacks, columns, rows, arrays and associated infrastructures.

Claims

1. A modular enclosure system based on the approximated tessellation(s)/tiling(s) of standard shapes including the triangle, square, hexagon, octagon and dodecagon, for routing and re-routing of data, fail over, feedback, command and control of computers, bus based systems, networks, machinery and machine farms, process control with or without feedback and signaling/signal conditioning to include with appropriate hardware and software comprising:

nesting enclosure(s) with inter-module side wall bulkhead to sidewall bulkhead and end cap basket to end cap cover sliding fit,

optional integrated manual module positioning cable gripper actuator assembly,

master cooling/wiring plenum stack support system for deploying enclosures,

hot swap based wiring system,

external inter-module signal/signal conditioning/interconnect system

card cage,

integrated thermal management system,

structural integrity/assembly system,

explosion proofing system,

structural building system,

upholstery system,

automated/manual enclosure/module stack and array physical support, deployment, mobilization and work room generation system,

hydraulic positioning system.

2. The enclosure system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the preferred embodiments of the enclosure enjoy mathematically provable optimization of planar space by empirical geometric construction and hence by extension and extrusion, inter-planar Minkowski space X, Y, Z, t, less that allowance for inter-module heat transfer via channels/ducting/chimneys, wire and/or wave guides and inter-module sidewall bulkhead to sidewall bulkhead and end cap sliding fit contact with non-exclusively truncated and/or rounded apices for extensible up/down nesting and/or scaling, and stacking of modules from stacks forming 2D and 3D arrays so tiled;

this allows maximum return on investment, ROI, for a space so tiled for incremental modular computing or process control for any given internal design properly sized/optimized for a particular technology or technologies;

non-standard shapes may also be used for nesting purposes, most notably, as is the case of components and other irregular shapes to be nested.

3. The enclosure system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the preferred embodiment of the enclosure comprises:

a top (handle end) male vertical interconnect enclosure basket end cap, with mating bottom female cover end cap, housing technology dependent matching quick disconnects an/or as required wiring, with interconnect specific removable and fixed bezels, with or without backing plates, knockouts and feed through connections optionally re-enforced with grommets, stress-reliefs, etc.;

technologies non-exclusively included, both now and in the future are all standard catalog or special cabling, fiber or other optics, pneumatics, power, process, wiring, etc.

4. The enclosure system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the preferred embodiments comprise nonexclusively a dumbbell shape placing the main center cavity between two fans or sets of fans and/or two end cap bulkheads with or without fan plenums pending configuration;

the main cavity side walls utilize any combination of either solid and/or replaceable reinforced technology specific bezels with standoffs, cutouts, knockouts, feed thru(s) and disconnects or transducers with optional backing plate backing comprising patch panels or other interconnect arrangements on each vertical dumbbell recess face.

5. The enclosure system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the enclosure integrated manual module positioning cable gripper actuator assembly preferred embodiments comprise:

a set of three quick-disconnect cables with associated matching cable guide tubes, matching cable grippers, actuator assembly consisting of a handle with optional position locking, a plunger rod which connects to the handle, an optional guide tube, spring, and cable gripper gondolas pending configuration, a self-centering triangular actuator plate, and an actuator plate retention cotter pin;

The assembly is used non-exclusively to manually position and lock and release enclosures for movement in 3D space along daisy chained cables of modules and associated assemblies including hangers for movement from horizontal to vertical in single and multiple stacks and arrays.

6. The enclosure system as claimed in claim 1, wherein in a preferred embodiment the master cooling/wiring plenum stack support system for deploying enclosures employs the plenums as intakes and exhausts for use for stacks, 2D and 3D stack arrays;

master cooling/wiring plenums are placed on the floor and suspended for stabilizing, cooling, power and other wiring and interconnection terminations of individual column/stacks.

7. The enclosure system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the preferred embodiment of the enclosure includes a hot swap based wiring system for the power supply of stacks, 2D and 3D arrays whereby each of every two, three or more contiguous abutting modules are not on the same power source;

the system is comprised of multiple powers sources connected to individually matched double ended daisy chained bus bars with two separate feeds from the power source, which for the number of such feeds, power is drawn for a particular module in rotation as a function of stack depth.

8. The enclosure system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the preferred embodiment includes an external inter-module signal/signal conditioning/interconnect system for external inter-module coplanar and inter-planar or diagonal up or down interconnect for horizontally and vertically diagonal abutting modules;

this is accomplished through vertically running races on the abutting/external end cap side wall surfaces for interconnects both hardwired quick disconnect preferred or by allowing direct line of site for transducer and pickup for optical radiation infrared to include direct thermal barrier management and/or optical lensing of heat by coatings, ELF, EM,RF, optical including laser and radiation shielding for microwave, gamma ray, x-ray, neutron, high voltage, and charged particle, etc. with attenuating enclosure impregnations/coatings;

they are readily apparent on the top view of the end caps side walls.

9. The enclosure system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the preferred embodiment card cage seats in the main cavity in any stable configuration and is comprised of:

a set of main cavity length, less a fit tolerance, vertical edge-hinged mated rectangles allowing main cavity extraction and opening one side of the card cage at its periphery in order that it may be laid flat for work, if interconnects between the sides are properly handled, with limiting breakable tabs for 45, 60, 90 and 120 degrees or tangs limiting travel to prevent inward folding or collapse, horizontal and vertical adjustment bars with clamp style ends, double-sided grommet backed straps, stand-offs and backing plates.

10. The enclosure system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the preferred embodiment of the enclosure provides for a thermal management system comprising:

plenums, both top and bottom set behind end cap bulkheads which transition coolant flow to and from the main chamber through the plenum fans, through the orifices to and from the cooling tubes assemblies.

11. The enclosure system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermal management system'"'"'s alternate preferred embodiment employs chimneys which are formed by arrays with open array positions where coolant is introduced and heat is exhausted using the chimneys by function either exclusively, alternately or in some combination.

12. The thermal management system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the preferred embodiment of the enclosure comprises:

cooling tubes placed vertically in the enclosure corners and optionally ducted and louvered, optionally utilize retractable vacuum cleaner style hose, twist-lock quick disconnects and o-rings or others sealants, petcocks and angled tube and/or pipe bends;

these devices are employed as necessary to provide or block intake or exhaust coolant inter-module ducting;

when cooling tubes are ducted and louvered they may be optionally used peripherally or with chimneys, defined as missing 3D horizontal or vertical array positions, in an array or stack with plenum orifice to main chamber interface.

13. The enclosure system as claimed in claim 1, wherein in an alternate preferred embodiment, the enclosure integrated manual module positioning cable gripper actuator assembly and thermal management systems are modified as follows:

end cap variant with a large multi-axis cross-brace with a center-hole washer landing with knockouts, framed by a re-enforced large fan mounting plate, EM gasket and fastened screen mesh EM shield/safety screen, cable grippers, cable gripper gondolas, actuator assembly, and ventilated cable gripper actuator assembly plate;

this allows modules axial coolant flow with or without cooling tubes in any combination of intake, exhaust or not.

14. The enclosure system as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the preferred embodiment the structural integrity and assembly system is comprised of:

optional stanchions with bolt head end-threaded rods connected by wires or rods, stanchion tube guides normally protect stanchions exposed outside the main enclosure body are to protect interconnects that they might come in contact with glue, etc. which penetrate vertically through re-enforced keyed landings with washers built into or seated on or in the segments, making up the enclosure on either side of the enclosure cooling tubes;

these methods hold the unit together pending the economics and manner of fabrication or as required.

15. The enclosure system as claimed in claim 1, wherein in an alternate embodiment carbon and bronze or similar functioning materials are used as anti-sparking materials for cabling and actuator assemblies in conjunct with silicon and potting materials and raised above atmospheric pressure with or without nitrogen to make enclosures “

explosion proof”

.

16. The enclosure system as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the preferred embodiment the enclosure non-exclusively supports industrial standards which include boards, motherboards, WXT, AT, Baby-At, ATX, BTX, LPX, NanoETXexpress, mobillTX, PCI, cards, card extenders, Infiniband etc., associated interconnect and support devices including cabling, sound, KVM, switches, floppies, hard drives, CD-Rom, DVD players and variants, USB, Firewire, Ethernet, ICs, LSI, circuitry of every description, etc.

17. The enclosure system as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the preferred embodiment modules are used as architectural structural units including internal and external frames with protective panels on sides, end caps and master manifolds and to bridge multiple units as seats, walls, floors, ceilings, catwalks.

18. The structural enclosure system as claimed under claim 17, wherein in the preferred embodiment an upholstery system is claimed none-exclusively for covering surfaces.

19. The enclosure system as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the preferred embodiment an automated and/or manual enclosure/module stack and array physical support, deployment, mobilization and work room generation system utilizes structural frames for single and multiple point suspension by hangers and hooks for single and/or multiple enclosures in single and multiple arrays with motive force with open or closed frames driven manually, with stepping motors or regular motors for truck/rail, roller/wheel, track or rack and gear systems;

these preferred embodiments are used to create automated and/or manual overhead, horizontal, vertical or combinational carousels, stacks and arrays of same for creating track or cog rail way systems whereby the arrays of modules are made to open up around a platform by track, cog rail way or hydraulically to create a room affording access to individual models for work, repair or replacement.

20. The enclosure system as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the preferred embodiment hydraulics are used to raise and lower consoles, columns and seating out of floors, walls, ceilings etc.

21. A modular enclosure system for a computer network, the system comprising a plurality of networked computer modules;

wherein the modules have a geometric shape selected from the group consisting of triangles, squares, hexagons, octagons, and dodecagons;

wherein the modules are arranged into a plurality of approximately tessellated planar arrays;

wherein the planar arrays are arranged into one or more multiplanar arrays, and the modules within a multiplanar array are aligned and interconnected;

wherein the modules, planar arrays, or multiplanar arrays are slidably mounted and configured for individual removal from the system in three dimensions using rollers, wheels, track, or a cog railway system.

22. The modular enclosure system of claim 21, wherein the geometric shapes of the modules within a multiplanar array are aligned.

23. The modular enclosure system of claim 21, wherein the modules, planar arrays, or multiplanar arrays are manually removable.

24. The modular enclosure system of claim 21, wherein the system further comprises an automated mechanism for removal of modules, planar arrays, or multiplanar arrays, the automated mechanism comprising motors, hydraulics, track, or a cog rail system.

25. The modular enclosure system of claim 21, wherein the modules or planar arrays are removable from a multiplanar array with retention of power and data communication with other modules to allow hot swap of modules.

26. The modular enclosure system of claim 21, wherein the modules are connected without edge or end mount connectors.

27. The modular enclosure system of claim 21, wherein the modules are connected to one another using retractors, flexible cable, or quick-disconnect connections.

28. The modular enclosure system of claim 21, wherein the modules or planar arrays are mounted using frames, hangers, hooks, cables, or another form of suspension.

29. The modular enclosure system of claim 21, wherein the modules comprise circuit boards disposed within a central plenum, the plenum providing cooling air circulation that is continuous through stacks of modules.

30. The modular enclosure system of claim 21, wherein the modules comprise louvers and cooling chimneys.

31. The modular enclosure system of claim 21, wherein the modules in a planar array are mounted in a rotating carousel.

32. The modular enclosure system of claim 21, wherein the modules comprise a wiring end cap with integral plenum.

33. The modular enclosure system of claim 21, wherein the modules comprise an extractable card cage chassis disposed in a central plenum.

34. The modular enclosure system of claim 21, wherein the modules comprise a top interconnect catch basket and a bottom self-centering tapered slip-fit cover.

35. The modular enclosure system of claim 21, wherein the modules comprise one or more double ended bus bars at a top side and a bottom side, allowing for hot swap of modules.

36. The modular enclosure system of claim 21, wherein one or more of the modules comprises one or more recessed side wall patch panels.

37. The modular enclosure system of claim 21, wherein the approximate tessellation of the modules in a planar array comprises spaces between outside vertical walls of the modules of the planar array, the spaces comprising interconnects, wiring, cables, or tubing, and wherein the modules comprise inter-module surface tolerances with tapered ends for parallel sliding fit along a stack axis.

38. The modular enclosure system of claim 21, wherein individual ones of the modules or planar arrays are removable from a multiplanar array without removing abutting modules or planar arrays.

39. The modular enclosure system of claim 21, wherein one or more of the modules serve as a structural element selected from the group consisting of furnishings, floors, ceilings, walls, and catwalks.