Abstract: A cooling system including redundant fan controllers. The cooling system includes a first fan controller coupled to control a first plurality of fans and a second fan controller coupled to control a second plurality of fans. During operation, the first plurality of fans and the second plurality of fans operate concurrently. The first fan controller and the second fan controller are each configured to monitor the first and the second plurality of fans and to detect a failure in any of the first and the second plurality of fans. Further, in response to detecting a failure of a fan of the first plurality of fans, the second fan controller is configured to increase an operating speed of a corresponding fan of the second plurality of fans.

Abstract: A bracket having two parallel sides and an interconnecting crosspiece is attached to a disk drive or similar peripheral with the sides of the bracket extending longitudinally of the sides of the drive and the crosspiece extending across the front of the drive. A chassis of a computer or the like has internal parallel sides formed with horizontal guides to receive the bracket, a substantially open front face and an internal connector engageable with a mating connector on the rear of the drive when the bracket is fully inserted in the chassis. The sides of the bracket have features to protect the drive from horizontal and vertical vibrations. A handle is pivoted to the crosspiece near one end moveable between at least three positions: a first or latched position parallel to the crosspiece, a second position swinging out at about a 15° angle and a third position at about a 45° angle.

Abstract: A cooling system including redundant fan controllers. The cooling system includes a first fan controller coupled to control a first plurality of fans and a second fan controller coupled to control a second plurality of fans. During operation, the first plurality of fans and the second plurality of fans operate concurrently. The first fan controller and the second fan controller are each configured to monitor the first and the second plurality of fans and to detect a failure in any of the first and the second plurality of fans. Further, in response to detecting a failure of a fan of the first plurality of fans, the second fan controller is configured to increase an operating speed of a corresponding fan of the second plurality of fans.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for serial coolant flow control. In one embodiment of the present invention, two or more sets of angled rotating blades are used in series to increase the coolant pressure and flow. In this embodiment, the rotational direction of a set of blades is the reverse of the rotational direction of any set of blades next to it. In one embodiment, the angles of the blades are such that the forward velocity created by a set of blades is in the same direction as forward velocities created by other sets of blades in the system. In one embodiment, the blades of one set form a right angle with the blades of any set next to it. In one embodiment, the coolant flow controller is a fan. In another embodiment, the coolant is air. In yet another embodiment, the system being cooled is an electronic system.

Abstract: A computer system including a chassis, which directs cooling airflow to effectively cool electronic cards, such as PCI cards, positioned with a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the airflow, is disclosed. The chassis may include panels that substantially enclose the electronic cards therein. An opening positioned above the cards allows cooling air to flow into the chassis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cards. Another opening allows cooling air to flow out of the chassis parallel to the orientation of the cards and into the existing cooling airflow of the system. The chassis module may be constructed in a computer system to allow increased flexibility of computer system configurations in which multiple cards, boards, or electronic components may need to be positioned perpendicularly to the existing cooling air flow in the system. The module may be implemented in large server systems as well as desktop personal computers without the need of additional cooling fans or vents.

Abstract: A bracket having two parallel sides and an interconnecting crosspiece is attached to a disk drive or similar peripheral with the sides of the bracket extending longitudinally of the sides of the drive and the crosspiece extending across the front of the drive. A chassis of a computer or the like has internal parallel sides formed with horizontal guides to receive the bracket, a substantially open front face and an internal connector engageable with a mating connector on the rear of the drive when the bracket is fully inserted in the chassis. The sides of the bracket have features to protect the drive from horizontal and vertical vibrations. A handle is pivoted to the crosspiece near one end moveable between at least three positions: a first or latched position parallel to the crosspiece, a second position swinging out at about a 15° angle and a third position at about a 45° angle.

Abstract: A bracket having two parallel sides and an interconnecting crosspiece is attached to a disk drive or similar peripheral with the sides of the bracket extending longitudinally of the sides of the drive and the crosspiece extending across the front of the drive. A chassis of a computer or the like has internal parallel sides formed with horizontal guides to receive the bracket, a substantially open front face and an internal connector engageable with a mating connector on the rear of the drive when the bracket is fully inserted in the chassis. The sides of the bracket have features to protect the drive from horizontal and vertical vibrations. A handle is pivoted to the crosspiece near one end moveable between at least three positions: a first or latched position parallel to the crosspiece, a second position swinging out at about a 15° angle and a third position at about a 45° angle.

Abstract: A bracket having two parallel sides and an interconnecting crosspiece is attached to a disk drive or similar peripheral with the sides of the bracket extending longitudinally of the sides of the drive and the crosspiece extending across the front of the drive. A chassis of a computer or the like has internal parallel sides formed with horizontal guides to receive the bracket, a substantially open front face and an internal connector engageable with a mating connector on the rear of the drive when the bracket is fully inserted in the chassis. The sides of the bracket have features to protect the drive from horizontal and vertical vibrations. A handle is pivoted to the crosspiece near one end moveable between at least three positions: a first or latched position parallel to the crosspiece, a second position swinging out at about a 15.degree. angle and a third position at about a 45.degree. angle.

Abstract: A computer having a compact enclosure separated into two cooperative compartments, each having a pair of air fans for cooling electrical heat generating elements located in each compartment, the pair of fans being arranged on common sides of the compartments, one fan serving as a redundant fan on the failure of one of the other fans, the compartments are interconnected on opposite sides relative to the fans by an airflow plenum and separated by an airflow blockage wall in a manner that cooling air introduced into one compartment is circulated through both compartments before being exhausted from the other compartment.

Abstract: An electrical assembly that allows a plurality of electronic assemblies to be cooled by a number of fans. The assembly includes a housing which has a plenum chamber that is located between a rack chamber and a fan chamber. The rack chamber is separated from the plenum chamber by a backbone wall. The fan chamber is separated from the plenum chamber by a fan wall that is perpendicular to the backbone wall. The rack chamber contains a plurality of electronic assemblies such as hard disk drives. The fan chamber contains a plurality of individual fans. The fans induce an air flow from the rack chamber to the fan chamber through the plenum chamber. The plenum chamber provides a uniform pressure that induces an equal flow rate across each disk drive in the rack chamber. The fans are controlled by a control circuit which can detect the failure of one fan and increase the speed of the remaining fans to maintain the plenum chamber pressure.

Abstract: A redundant blower unit is installed in a rack above another unit containing heat-emitting electrical elements (such as CPU cards) in order to draw air through the underlying unit and out to atmosphere. Four blowers in the blower unit draw air from a plenum, each blower discharging into an individual exhaust duct leading to the exterior. Two blowers are positioned at a first tier relative to the bottom of the plenum and the other two at a second tier higher than the first tier. If one blower fails, its exhaust duct may malfunction as an air inlet, in which case the incoming air is mixed with exhaust air and discharged through the other blower in the same tier as the failed blower. Thus the efficiency of the two blowers in the other tier is not impeded.