Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm David D. Nielson
  • Patent number: 6704199
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a ventilating or cooling element for airflow cooling in a digital data processing apparatus, and it is particularly suited to such apparatus having a high circuit density, or mounted within a restricted chassis or housing, such as the housing of a web server, or of a storage array device for a network server or web server. The cooling element includes a fan that is disposed at an angle to integrate its cooling air with general circulation or air flow through the chassis. The element may mount on a plate, such as the thermally conductive plate of a heat sink, that is adapted for coupling to the chassis and/or contacting a microprocessor chip, and a fan is disposed on the mounting plate at an angle to cool the plate or chip without creating obstructive cross wind. The mounting plate can be disposed within the middle portion of the chassis. The fan or cooling element can be angled so as to direct airflow towards at least a selected portion of the chassis, e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Network Engines, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Wiley
  • Patent number: 6621693
    Abstract: A low profile, high density storage array includes a digital data storage unit, such as a rack-mount chassis, and a plurality of digital data storage devices such as disk drives, disposed within the array. The drives are spaced apart from a floor of the array on which they are mounted, e.g., via supporting “sleds.” In addition to facilitating insertion and removal of the drives from the array, air flow through or beneath these sleds cool the drives. The drives can be removably attached to the array via cam-like levers that facilitate mounting and dismounting of the drives from the chassis and its electrical circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Network Engines, Inc.
    Inventors: David Potter, Jerry Jarvis, Robert Wiley, Lawrence Genovesi
  • Patent number: 6611606
    Abstract: A speaker has an annular magnet structure. First and second annular magnets are arranged concentrically with each other and connected by a shunt at one end and a pole-defining structure at the other end to concentrate magnetic flux in a cylindrical voice coil gap. The shunt and pole structure are stacked such that the combined magnetic assembly has an opening extending centrally therethrough. A voice coil rides in the cylindrical magnetic flux gap and its leads are brought out through the opening to the other side of the magnet. When used with an enclosure, the diaphragm of the speaker may communicate through the central opening with the volume of a tuned enclosure extending behind the speaker, or the opening may serve as a port of the enclosure, allowing further degrees of control over total acoustics. In one embodiment, annular magnets of axial polarity are oppositely poled, and are positioned concentrically with a space between them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Inventor: Godehard A. Guenther
  • Patent number: 6590768
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a chassis slide assembly comprised of a mating rail and track that telescopically engage with one another and that are adapted for coupling to a chassis and to a rack to allow the chassis to be pulled out from the rack for inspection, service or repair. The rail and track each have at least one air flow aperture positioned to allow unobstructed venting of air through the slide assembly and through the side wall of the chassis. In one embodiment, the rail and track have a plurality of airflow apertures. The apertures of the rail and track can consist of a large-area openings, or of a plurality of slots or perforations. In one embodiment, the apertures of the rail are substantially aligned with the apertures of the track, e.g. when the rail and track are fully engaged with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Network Engines, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Wiley
  • Patent number: 6532916
    Abstract: A piston/cylinder internal combustion unit has opposed pistons connected to a common rod and driven in an oscillatory and reciprocating movement. The pistons operate out of phase with each other, such that the power stroke of one drives the compression stroke of the other, and a spring acts on the rod storing energy or exerting a restorative force as the rod is displaced with piston movement. Preferably, the moving rod carries a coil assembly near a stationary magnet (or a magnet near a stationary coil assembly) to produce electricity at the oscillatory frequency. The engine may employ a mechanical spring, an electromagnetic or a magnetic spring, or combinations thereof to stabilize or establish oscillation of the piston and rod assembly. The coil itself may fill this function and act to exert restoring force by coupling to an external control system that applies a control a signal to the coil in accordance with piston position to create an electromagnetic restoring force of appropriate level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Inventor: Jack L. Kerrebrock