Patent Application
20060203446
The present disclosure relates to fans for use in a chassis of an electronic system.
Increases in processor speeds and circuit board densities have resulted in an increase in the heat generated by computer systems and other electronics systems. In an advanced telecommunications computing architecture (ATCA) system, for example, dense blades (i.e., circuit boards) populated with silicon chips, such as single board computer (SBC) blades with microprocessors, may dissipate up to 200 W of power per blade, which may result in a total dissipation of 2800 W in a 14 slot chassis. The heat generated by such power dissipation rate may cause semiconductor performance degradation, mean time between failure (MTBF) reduction and even catastrophic damage. Thus, the performance and reliability of computer and other electronic systems may be dependent on the ability to provide adequate cooling in the chassis.
In computer or electronics systems, such as ATCA systems, heat generated by various components of the system may be removed using forced convection. In a forced convection cooling system, a fan may be used to circulate air within a housing or chassis of the computer or electronics system. In many systems, the fan may be used to force the intake of air from the exterior of the computer or electronics system, pass the air through the housing or chassis, and exhaust heated air from the housing or chassis.
The fans may be mechanically secured within the housing or chassis and electrically connected to components of the system. Some existing fan designs include electrical connectors that are electrically and mechanically connected to the fan via electrical cables (i.e., the connector hangs from the end of a cable connected to the fan). This design may present problems when plugging and unplugging the fans because the electrical connector is plugged in separately from the insertion of the fan. The cables may also interfere with other components in the electronic system. In ATCA applications, for example, the cables may obstruct the plugging and unplugging of blades during normal operations and may pose reliability and serviceability concerns by accidentally unplugging or cutting the power supply to the fans.
Features and advantages of the claimed subject matter will be apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments consistent therewith, which description should be considered with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Although the following detailed description will proceed with reference being made to particular illustrated embodiments, it should be understood that numerous variations and modifications will be apparent to those having skill in the art. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter should be interpreted broadly without limitation to the particular illustrated embodiments herein.
Referring to
According to one embodiment, the chassis 102 may be an advanced telecommunications computing architecture (advanced TCA or ATCA) chassis or shelf, complying with, or compatible with, PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group (PICMG), Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (ATCA) Base Specification, PIGMG 3.0 Revision 1.0, published Dec. 30, 2002. According to such an embodiment, the chassis 102 may include a backplane 106 to connect to one or more circuit board assemblies, such as ATCA boards or blades. The fan 104 may be used in any electronic system in which forced convection cooling is used including, but not limited to, high density and small form factor ATCA systems. Although the exemplary embodiment refers to use in bladed systems, the fan 104 may also be used in other form factors such as rack-mount systems.
Referring to
According to one embodiment, the fan housing 202 defines an air passage region 210 and the blade 204 rotates within the air passage region 210 to draw air through the air passage region 210. The fan housing 202 may include a frame 216 having sides defining the air passage region 210 and one or more flanges 218 extending from corners of the frame 216. The fan housing 202 may be made of molding injected plastics or other materials known to those skilled in the art. Although the illustrated embodiment shows a generally square shaped fan housing 202 including flanges 218, those skilled in the art will recognize that the fan housing 202 may have other shapes and configurations.
The fan 104 may also include at least one integrated electrical connector 220 extending from the fan housing 202 and configured to engage directly with a mating electrical connector 222, as shown in
In one embodiment, the integrated electrical connector 220 may provide three (3) connections—power, ground and fan speed. The integrated electrical connector 220 may be electrically connected to the rotating mechanism of the fan 104 using cables extending from the integrated electrical connector 220 to the rotating mechanism 206. The electrical connection between the integrated electrical connector 220 and the rotating mechanism 206 may also be routed internally, for example, by conductive paths along the fan housing 202. The integrated electrical connector 220 may have any design (i.e., shape, contacts, etc.) known to those skilled in the art.
In one embodiment, the integrated electrical connector 220 may extend from the bottom corner 208 of the fan housing 202 to facilitate engagement of the connector 220 with the mating electrical connector 222 when inserting the fan 104 into the chassis 102. The integrated electrical connector 220 may extend from the frame 216 of the fan housing 202 and between two of the flanges 218. Alternatively, the integrated electrical connector 220 may also extend from other locations on the fan housing 202. The mating electrical connector 222 may extend from the fan tray 110, 110a or from another supporting structure in the chassis 102 and may be electrically connected to a chassis power supply.
One embodiment of the fan 104 may also include one or more retractable handles 230 extending from the fan housing 202 and movable between a handling position and a retracted position. In one embodiment, the retractable handle(s) 230 may be located on a side of the fan housing 202 generally opposite the integrated electrical connector 220. Thus, a user may pull on the retractable handle(s) 230 to apply a disengaging force to the integrated electrical connector 220 when removing the fan 104.
In one embodiment, the handles 230 may be pivotably coupled to one or more of the flanges 218 such that the handles 230 are capable of being positioned between the flanges 218 in the retracted position. The handles 230 may include ends 232 that engage slots 234 in the flanges 218, which enable the handles 230 to pivot and slide to the retracted position. Although the handles 230 are shown with a generally U-shaped construction, other shapes and configurations may be used. The retractable handle(s) 230 advantageously facilitate access to and removal of the fan 104, thereby facilitating serviceability, for example, if the fan fails and must be replaced. Allowing the handles 230 to retract saves headroom above the fan, which is particularly advantageous in a space-constrained ATCA platform.
One embodiment of the fan housing 202 may also include one or more guides 240 shaped and configured to engage mating guide structures 242, as shown in
The fan housing 202 may further include one or more retention keying structures 250 configured to engage mating retention keying structures 252, as shown in
In use, the guides 240 on fan 104 may be aligned and engaged with the corresponding structures in the chassis 102 or fan tray 110, 110a. The fan 104 may then be pushed to both insert the fan 104 and to engage the integrated electrical connector 220. The fan 104 may be pushed until the retention keying structures 250 engage the corresponding structures in the chassis 102 or fan tray 110, 110a. To remove the fan 104, the handle(s) 230 may be moved from the retracted position to the handling position. The handle(s) 230 may then be pulled to disengage the integrated electrical connector 220 from the mating electrical connector 222 and to remove the fan 104 from the chassis 102 or fan tray 110.
Referring to
According to an alternative embodiment, rather than being disposed in a common frame, a system consistent with the present disclosure may include a plurality of chassis or shelves that may be individually hardwired to one another. One or more of the plurality of chassis or shelves may include at least one fan with a fan housing, consistent with any embodiment described herein. Additionally, each of the plurality of chassis or shelves may be powered by an individual power supply and/or may be separately powered by a common power supply. Such a system may, therefore, provide a greater freedom in the physical arrangement and interrelation of the plurality of chassis or shelves.
Thus, one embodiment of a fan may include a fan housing defining an air passage region. An integrated electrical connector may extend from the fan housing to engage a mating electrical connector. A fan blade may be rotatably mounted within the air passage region of the fan housing such that the fan blade is capable of moving air through the air passage region of the fan housing.
Consistent with another embodiment, a system may include a frame comprising at least one chassis and at least one fan in the frame. The fan may include a fan housing defining an air passage region and an integrated electrical connector extending from the fan housing and configured to engage a mating electrical connector. A fan blade may be rotatably mounted within the air passage region of the fan housing such that the fan blade is capable of moving air through the air passage region of the fan housing.
Various features, aspects, and embodiments have been described herein. The features, aspects, and embodiments are susceptible to combination with one another as well as to variation and modification, as will be understood by those having skill in the art. The present disclosure should, therefore, be considered to encompass such combinations, variations, and modifications.
The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described (or portions thereof), and it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Other modifications, variations, and alternatives are also possible. Accordingly, the claims are intended to cover all such equivalents.
