Patents by Inventor Roger R. Schmidt

Roger R. Schmidt has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9861010
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are provided for blocking removal of an air-moving assembly from a chassis when in operational state. The apparatus includes a protective louver assembly having a louver(s) and an interlock element(s). The louver(s) is disposed at an air inlet or an air outlet of the air-moving assembly, and pivots between an operational and a quiesced orientation, dependent on presence or absence, respectively, of airflow through the air-moving assembly. The interlock element(s) is associated with the louver(s) to pivot with the louver(s) between the operational orientation and the quiesced orientation. In the operational orientation, the interlock element(s) blocks, at least in part, access to at least one fastener securing the air-moving assembly within the chassis, and thereby prevents removal of the air-moving assembly from the chassis when in the operational state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Christopher R. Ciraulo, Milnes P. David, Dustin W. Demetriou, Robert K. Mullady, Roger R. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9763357
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating cooling apparatuses with coolant filters are provided which facilitate heat transfer from an electronic component(s). The method includes providing a cooling apparatus which includes a liquid-cooled heat sink with a thermally conductive structure having a coolant-carrying compartment including a region of reduced cross-sectional coolant flow area. The heat sink includes a coolant inlet and outlet in fluid communication with the compartment, and the region of reduced cross-sectional coolant flow area provides an increased effective heat transfer coefficient between a main heat transfer surface of the conductive structure and the coolant. A coolant loop is also provided coupled to the coolant inlet and outlet to facilitate flow of coolant through the coolant-carrying compartment, and a coolant filter positioned to filter contaminants from the coolant passing through the heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Richard C. Chu, Milnes P. David, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Roger R. Schmidt, Robert E. Simons
  • Patent number: 9761508
    Abstract: Composite heat sink structures and methods of fabrication are provided, with the composite heat sink structures including: a thermally conductive base having a main heat transfer surface to couple to, for instance, at least one electronic component to be cooled; a compressible, continuous sealing member; and a sealing member retainer compressing the compressible, continuous sealing member against the thermally conductive base; and an in situ molded member. The in situ molded member is molded over and affixed to the thermally conductive base, and is molded over and secures in place the sealing member retainer. A coolant-carrying compartment resides between the thermally conductive base and the in situ molded member, and a coolant inlet and outlet are provided in fluid communication with the coolant-carrying compartment to facilitate liquid coolant flow through the compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Milnes P. David, Dustin W. Demetriou, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Roger R. Schmidt, Robert E. Simons
  • Patent number: 9750159
    Abstract: Cooling apparatuses and methods of fabricating thereof are provided which facilitate pumped immersion-cooling of an electronic component(s). The cooling apparatus includes an enclosure having a compartment accommodating the electronic component(s), and dielectric fluid within the compartment at least partially immersing the electronic component(s). A liquid-cooled heat sink is associated with the enclosure to cool at least one cooling surface associated with the compartment, and facilitate heat transfer to the heat sink from the electronic component(s) via the dielectric fluid. A pump is disposed external to the compartment and in fluid communication therewith to facilitate pumped dielectric fluid flow through the compartment. The pumped dielectric fluid flow through the compartment enhances heat transfer from the electronic component(s) to the liquid-cooled heat sink via the cooling surface(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Richard C. Chu, Milnes P. David, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Roger R. Schmidt, Robert E. Simons
  • Patent number: 9686891
    Abstract: Thermoelectric-enhanced, rack-level cooling of airflow entering an electronics rack is provided by a cooling apparatus, which includes: an air-to-liquid heat exchanger; a coolant loop coupled to the heat exchanger, the coolant loop including a first loop portion and a second loop portion, where the heat exchanger exhausts heated coolant to the first loop portion and receives cooled coolant from the second loop portion. The cooling apparatus further includes a heat rejection unit and a thermoelectric heat pump(s). The heat rejection unit is coupled to the coolant loop between the first and second loop portions, and provides partially-cooled coolant to the second loop portion. The thermoelectric heat pump is disposed with the first and second loop portions coupled to opposite sides to transfer heat from the partially-cooled coolant within the second loop portion to provide the cooled coolant before entering the air-to-liquid heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Milnes P. David, Dustin W. Demetriou, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Roger R. Schmidt, Robert E. Simons
  • Patent number: 9686889
    Abstract: A cooled electronic system and cooling method are provided, wherein a field-replaceable bank of electronic components is cooled by an apparatus which includes an enclosure at least partially surrounding and forming a compartment about the electronic components, a fluid disposed within the compartment, and a heat sink associated with the enclosure. The field-replaceable bank extends, in part, through the enclosure to facilitate operative docking of the electronic components into one or more respective receiving sockets of the electronic system. The electronic components of the field-replaceable bank are, at least partially, immersed within the fluid to facilitate immersion-cooling of the components, and the heat sink facilitates rejection of heat from the fluid disposed within the compartment. In one embodiment, multiple thermal conductors project from an inner surface of the enclosure into the compartment to facilitate transfer of heat from the fluid to the heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Richard C. Chu, Milnes P. David, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Roger R. Schmidt, Robert E. Simons
  • Patent number: 9671810
    Abstract: A system and method for providing power is disclosed. A variable direct current (DC) power source provides a variable DC voltage. A configurator dynamically converts the variable DC voltage to a selected DC voltage to provide the power. A set of switches combines the solar voltage with a substantially constant DC voltage. A control unit controls the set of switches and the configurator to provide the combined voltages at a selected voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shankar Km, William P. Kostenko, Anand D. Meshram, Kota V R M Murali, Roger R. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9655282
    Abstract: A method is presented for adjusting coolant flow resistance through one or more liquid-cooled electronics racks. Flow restrictors are employed in association with multiple heat exchange tube sections of a heat exchange assembly, or in association with a plurality of coolant supply lines or coolant return lines feeding multiple heat exchange assemblies. Flow restrictors associated with respective heat exchange tube sections (or respective heat exchange assemblies) are disposed at the coolant channel inlet or coolant channel outlet of the tube sections (or of the heat exchange assemblies). These flow restrictors tailor coolant flow resistance through the heat exchange tube sections or through the heat exchange assemblies to enhance overall heat transfer within the tube sections or across heat exchange assemblies by tailoring coolant flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wayne A. Barringer, David P. Graybill, Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Roger R. Schmidt, James J. Steffes, Gerard V. Weber, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9648786
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are provided for preventing removal of an air-moving assembly from a chassis when in operating state. The apparatus includes an interlock assembly having a slide element and one or more interlock elements. The slide element is slideably coupled to the air-moving assembly and resides in a first position when the air-moving assembly is in the operating state, and is slidable to a second position when the air-moving assembly is in a quiesced state. The slide element prevents removal of the air-moving assembly from the chassis in the first position, and allows removal of the air-moving assembly from the chassis in the second position. The interlock element(s) is associated with the slide element and prevents sliding of the slide element from the first position to the second position when the air-moving assembly is in the operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Christopher R. Ciraulo, Milnes P. David, Dustin W. Demetriou, John J. Loparco, Robert K. Mullady, Donald W. Porter, Roger R. Schmidt, Richard P. Snider, John G. Torok
  • Publication number: 20170127576
    Abstract: Cooling apparatuses and methods of fabrication are provided which facilitate immersion-cooling of an electronic component(s). The cooling apparatus includes a drawer-level enclosure sized to reside within an electronics rack. The drawer-level enclosure includes a compartment which accommodates one or more electronic components to be cooled. A dielectric fluid is disposed within the compartment. The dielectric fluid includes a liquid dielectric which at least partially immerses the electronic component(s) within the compartment(s). A hinged, liquid-cooled heat sink is also disposed within the compartment of the enclosure. The heat sink operatively facilitates cooling the one or more electronic components via the dielectric fluid within the compartment, and is rotatable between an operational position overlying the electronic component(s), and a service position which allows access to the electronic component(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Inventors: Levi A. CAMPBELL, Milnes P. DAVID, Dustin W. DEMETRIOU, Michael J. ELLSWORTH, JR., Roger R. SCHMIDT, Robert E. SIMONS
  • Publication number: 20170127565
    Abstract: Cooling apparatuses and methods of fabrication are provided which facilitate immersion-cooling of an electronic component(s). The cooling apparatus includes a drawer-level enclosure sized to reside within an electronics rack. The drawer-level enclosure includes a compartment which accommodates one or more electronic components to be cooled. A dielectric fluid is disposed within the compartment. The dielectric fluid includes a liquid dielectric which at least partially immerses the electronic component(s) within the compartment(s). A hinged, liquid-cooled heat sink is also disposed within the compartment of the enclosure. The heat sink operatively facilitates cooling the one or more electronic components via the dielectric fluid within the compartment, and is rotatable between an operational position overlying the electronic component(s), and a service position which allows access to the electronic component(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Inventors: Levi A. CAMPBELL, Milnes P. DAVID, Dustin W. DEMETRIOU, Michael J. ELLSWORTH, JR., Roger R. SCHMIDT, Robert E. SIMONS
  • Publication number: 20170115675
    Abstract: Aspects include a method, system, and computer program product for determining a time to a threshold temperature of a device in a data center. A method includes measuring parameters for a device and the data center. A rate of change of temperature is determined based on the parameters. The change is compared to a change threshold. It is determined that a cooling system is operating below a threshold when the change is above the threshold. A first time is determined based on the rate of change of temperature and a machine learning model. The first and second time are compared, where the second time is a time to restore the cooling system above the threshold. A signal is transmitted when the first time is less than the second time. A cooling capacity is determined to have the temperature change of the device be equal to or less than the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Inventors: Dustin W. Demetriou, Roger R. Schmidt, Vidhya Shankar Venkatesan
  • Patent number: 9631880
    Abstract: A heat exchanger door and heat exchanger core optimization method are provided. The door resides at an air inlet or outlet side of an electronics rack, and includes an air-to-coolant heat exchanger with a heat exchanger core. The core includes a first coolant channel coupled to a coolant inlet manifold downstream from a second coolant channel, and the first channel has a shorter channel length than the second channel. Further, coolant channels of the core are coupled to provide counter-flow cooling of an airflow passing across the core. The core optimization method determines at least one combination of parameters that optimize for a particular application at least two performance metrics of the heat exchanger. This method includes obtaining performance metrics for boundary condition(s) of possible heat exchanger configurations with different variable parameters to determine a combination of parameters that optimize the performance metrics for the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: LENOVO ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Eric A. Eckberg, Howard V. Mahaney, Jr., William M. Megarity, Roger R. Schmidt, Tejas Shah, Scott A. Shurson
  • Patent number: 9629286
    Abstract: Thermoelectric-enhanced, rack-level cooling of airflow entering an electronics rack is provided by a cooling apparatus, which includes: an air-to-liquid heat exchanger; a coolant loop coupled to the heat exchanger, the coolant loop including a first loop portion and a second loop portion, where the heat exchanger exhausts heated coolant to the first loop portion and receives cooled coolant from the second loop portion. The cooling apparatus further includes a heat rejection unit and a thermoelectric heat pump(s). The heat rejection unit is coupled to the coolant loop between the first and second loop portions, and provides partially-cooled coolant to the second loop portion. The thermoelectric heat pump is disposed with the first and second loop portions coupled to opposite sides to transfer heat from the partially-cooled coolant within the second loop portion to provide the cooled coolant before entering the air-to-liquid heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Milnes P. David, Dustin W. Demetriou, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Roger R. Schmidt, Robert E. Simons
  • Patent number: 9629284
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are provided for preventing removal of an air-moving assembly from a chassis when in operating state. The apparatus includes an interlock assembly having a slide element and one or more interlock elements. The slide element is slideably coupled to the air-moving assembly and resides in a first position when the air-moving assembly is in the operating state, and is slidable to a second position when the air-moving assembly is in a quiesced state. The slide element prevents removal of the air-moving assembly from the chassis in the first position, and allows removal of the air-moving assembly from the chassis in the second position. The interlock element(s) is associated with the slide element and prevents sliding of the slide element from the first position to the second position when the air-moving assembly is in the operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Christopher R. Ciraulo, Milnes P. David, Dustin W. Demetriou, John J. Loparco, Robert K. Mullady, Donald W. Porter, Roger R. Schmidt, Richard P. Snider, John G. Torok
  • Patent number: 9622379
    Abstract: Cooling apparatuses and methods of fabrication are provided which facilitate immersion-cooling of an electronic component(s). The cooling apparatus includes a drawer-level enclosure sized to reside within an electronics rack. The drawer-level enclosure includes a compartment which accommodates one or more electronic components to be cooled. A dielectric fluid is disposed within the compartment. The dielectric fluid includes a liquid dielectric which at least partially immerses the electronic component(s) within the compartment(s). A hinged, liquid-cooled heat sink is also disposed within the compartment of the enclosure. The heat sink operatively facilitates cooling the one or more electronic components via the dielectric fluid within the compartment, and is rotatable between an operational position overlying the electronic component(s), and a service position which allows access to the electronic component(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Milnes P. David, Dustin W. Demetriou, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Roger R. Schmidt, Robert E. Simons
  • Publication number: 20170045300
    Abstract: Liquid-cooled heat sink assemblies are provided which include: a heat transfer element including a heat transfer base with opposite first and second sides and a plurality of thermally conductive fins extending from the first side, and with the second side of the heat transfer base to couple to a component(s) to be cooled. The heat sink assembly further includes a coolant-carrying structure attached to the heat transfer element. The coolant-carrying structure includes a coolant-carrying base, and a coolant-carrying compartment through which liquid coolant flows. The coolant-carrying base includes a plurality of fin-receiving openings sized and positioned for the plurality of thermally conductive fins to extend therethrough. The plurality of thermally conductive fins extend into the coolant-carrying compartment through which the liquid coolant flows. In one or more embodiments, the heat transfer element is a metal structure and the coolant-carrying structure is a plastic structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2015
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Dylan J. BODAY, Levi A. CAMPBELL, Milnes P. DAVID, Dustin W. DEMETRIOU, Michael J. ELLSWORTH, JR., Roger R. SCHMIDT, Robert E. SIMONS, Prabjit SINGH, Jason T. WERTZ
  • Publication number: 20170043437
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a liquid-cooled heat sink assembly, including: providing a heat transfer element including a heat transfer base having opposite first and second sides, and a plurality of thermally conductive fins extending from the first side of the heat transfer base, the second side of the heat transfer base to couple to a component(s) to be cooled; providing a coolant-carrying structure including a coolant-carrying base and a coolant-carrying compartment through which liquid coolant flows, the coolant-carrying base including a plurality of fin-receiving openings sized and positioned for the plurality of thermally conductive fins of the heat sink base to extend through; and attaching the heat transfer element and coolant-carrying structure together with the plurality of thermally conductive fins extending through the fin-receiving openings in the coolant-carrying base into the coolant-carrying compartment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Dylan J. BODAY, Levi A. CAMPBELL, Milnes P. DAVID, Dustin W. DEMETRIOU, Michael J. ELLSWORTH, JR., Roger R. SCHMIDT, Robert E. SIMONS, Prabjit SINGH, Jason T. WERTZ
  • Publication number: 20170049010
    Abstract: A method of providing a cooling apparatus for cooling a heat-dissipating component(s) of an electronics enclosure includes: providing a thermal conductor to couple to the heat-dissipating component(s), the thermal conductor including a first conductor portion coupled to the heat-dissipating component, and a second conductor portion to position along an air inlet side of the electronics enclosure, so that in operation, the first conductor portion transfers heat from the component(s) to the second conductor portion; coupling at least one air-cooled heat sink to the second conductor portion to facilitate transfer of heat to airflow ingressing into the enclosure; providing at least one thermoelectric device coupled to the first or second conductor portion to facilitate providing active auxiliary cooling to the thermal conductor; and providing a controller to control operation of the thermoelectric device(s) and to selectively switch operation of the cooling apparatus between active and passive cooling modes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Levi A. CAMPBELL, Milnes P. DAVID, Dustin W. DEMETRIOU, Michael J. ELLSWORTH, JR., Roger R. SCHMIDT, Robert E. SIMONS
  • Patent number: 9568923
    Abstract: Aspects include a method, system, and computer program product for determining a time to a threshold temperature of an electronic device in a data center. A method includes measuring parameters for an electronic device and the data center. A rate of change of temperature is determined for the device based on the parameters. The rate of change is compared to a rate of change threshold. It is determined that a cooling system is operating below a threshold when the rate of change is above the threshold. A first time is determined, where the first time is based the rate of change of temperature and a machine learning model. The first time and second time are compared, where the second time is a time to restore the cooling system to above the threshold. A signal is transmitted when the first time is less than the second time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dustin W. Demetriou, Roger R. Schmidt, Vidhya Shankar Venkatesan