The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention should be more fully understood from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying Figures in which like elements are numbered alike in the several Figures:
Referring to
With the general components of the system having been briefly introduced, a more detailed description of each will now follow, beginning with the fan 16 and fan housing 12. The fan or fans 16 of the system 10 each include at least one rotatable blade 32. The blades 32 extend from a fan hub 34 via blade axis structures 35, wherein each blade 32 is rotatable 360 degrees around a central fan axis 37, as well as individually rotatable 360 degrees around blade axes 36. The blades 32 are rotated via at least one electric motor 38 (such as a stepper motor) associated with the blade axis structures 35. Pitch of each blade 32 is also individually adjustable.
In an exemplary embodiment, the fan 16 also includes a fan body 42. Extending from the fan body 42 is at least one axis structure 44. The axis structure 44 associates the fan body 42, and thus, the fan 16 as a whole, with the fan housing 12. The fan 16 is positioned within the housing cavity 14, and pivotable 360 degrees about a fan axis 46, independent of fan housing 14 movement. The fan axis 46 runs substantially orthogonally of the enclosure surface 24. The fan 16 is rotated via at least one electric motor 48 (such as a stepper motor) associated with the axis structures 44. Pivoting of the fan 16 is indicated in
As mentioned above, the fan 16 is disposed within the housing cavity 14 of the fan housing 12. The fan housing 12 is disposed on a rail system 18, and moveable along the rail system 18 in an x-direction 52. The rail system 18 may comprise two rails 54 that run a substantial length of the enclosure surface 24 (or extend from a side of the enclosure 22, along a plane parallel to the surface 24, a substantial length of the enclosure 22). These rails 54 may be configured to interface with grooved guides 56 (see
Rotation of the screw portion 62 of the threaded lead screw assembly 58 is controlled by the fan controller chip 26. The fan controller chip 26 may be disposed anywhere in the electronic enclosure 22, and also controls rotation of the fan 16 and blade 32. The fan controller chip 26 controls actuation and rotation of the fan 16, and rotation of the blades 32 via electric links 66a-c to the electric motors 38, the electric motors 48, and the electric motor 60 associated with each. For example, the fan controller chip 26 links to the electric motor 60 via link 66a, and controls when and in what direction the screw portion 62 is rotated, depending upon a desired position of the fan 16. Similarly, the fan controller chip 26 links to the electric motors 38 and 48, and controls when and in what direction the blades 32 and fan 16 are rotated respectively.
The fan controller chip 26 determines how to control the electric motors 38, 48, and 60 of the system 10 via information received from the chip thermal sensor 28 and/or the drive thermal sensor 30. The drive thermal sensor 30 detects information pertaining to temperature at and around a disc drive 68 of the electronic enclosure 22. The drive thermal sensor 30 electrically transmits temperature information to the fan controller chip 26 via an electric link 70. Similarly, the chip thermal sensor 28 detects information pertaining to temperature at and around various chips 72a-c of the electronic enclosure 22. These chips may be a central processing unit 72a, a chipset 72b, and a RAM chip 72c. The chip thermal sensor 30 associated with each of these chips 72a-c electrically transmits temperature information to the fan controller chip 26 via an electric links 74a-c (which may be disposed along the sides of the electronic enclosure 22). This information pertaining to drive 68 and chip 72a-c temperature includes drive and chip position, and allows the fan controller chip 26 to determine which component regions (i.e. regions around the chips 72a-c and disk drive 68) are in need of cooling. The fan controller chip 26 uses this information to control/direct the electric motors 38, 48, and 60 to position the fan blades 32 and fan 16 in a manner that will cool the regions in need of cooling. For example, if the CPU chip 72a is in need of cooling and located in a relative top, right, forward region 76 of the cooling cavity 20, as shown in
Referring to
While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.