Patents by Inventor Wade D. Vinson
Wade D. Vinson 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: 7286349Abstract: The present invention provides a ventilated casing for an electronic device. The ventilated casing includes a housing which has a ventilation inlet and a ventilation outlet. The ventilated casing also includes a high speed fan for moving air from the ventilation inlet to the ventilation outlet to dissipate heat that in use is generated by electronic components positioned in the housing. The fan has a blade, a motor and an air guiding portion positioned near the blade. The ventilated casing further includes a damping material for damping a noise originating from a vibration generated by the fan.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2004Date of Patent: October 23, 2007Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Copmpany, L.P.Inventors: Chandrakant D. Patel, Wade D. Vinson, Rich Bargerhuff
-
Patent number: 7286348Abstract: The present invention relates to a housing assembly for computer hardware and includes side wall panels that define an outer casing that has an air inlet and outlet. The housing assembly also includes a fan and operation of the fan causes streams of air to enter and exit from the inlet and outlet and air to be conveyed within the outer casing to which heat from the computer hardware can be transferred. The housing assembly also includes a noise reduction assembly that includes a tortuous passageway through which air passing through the inlet and/or outlet passes. The tortuous passageway is configured such that sound that is emitted from the fan and enters into the tortuous passageway is dissipated therein so as to minimize the level of sound emanating from the passageway.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2004Date of Patent: October 23, 2007Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Wade D. Vinson, Egons Dunens, Rich Bargerhuff
-
Patent number: 7248472Abstract: A computer system comprising a plurality of electronic components disposed within a chassis. The electronic components generate a cooling load of at least 50 CFM at 2 inches of water or greater. An air mover is disposed within said chassis and is operable to generate airflow of at least 50 CFM at 2 inches of water or greater. An air distribution system is coupled to the air mover and is operable to distribute the airflow to the plurality of electronic components.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2005Date of Patent: July 24, 2007Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Wade D. Vinson, Jeffery M. Giardina, Joseph R. Allen, Christopher G. Malone, Chandrakant Patel, David M. Paquin, Rich Bargerhuff
-
Patent number: 7218515Abstract: A cooling fan comprising a housing, an electric motor, a blade assembly, and a first motor control circuit board. The housing is operable to connect to a computer chassis that supports an electronic component. An electric motor is fixably mounted within a volume formed by an inner surface of the housing. A blade assembly is rotatably mounted to the electric motor. A first motor control circuit board is coupled to the electric motor and is disposed externally to the volume formed by the inner surface of said housing.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2005Date of Patent: May 15, 2007Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Wade D. Vinson, John P. Franz
-
Patent number: 7126821Abstract: The present invention provides a ventilated casing for an electronic device. The ventilated casing includes a housing which has a ventilation inlet and a ventilation outlet. The ventilated casing also includes a high speed fan for moving air from the ventilation inlet to the ventilation outlet to dissipate heat that in use is generated by electronic components positioned in the housing. The fan has a blade, a motor and an air guiding portion positioned near the blade. The air guiding portion has a first mode resonance frequency that is greater than the rotational frequency of the fan.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2004Date of Patent: October 24, 2006Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Chandrakant D. Patel, Wade D. Vinson, Rich Bargerhuff
-
Patent number: 7056204Abstract: An air mover comprising a motor and a plurality of fan blades coupled to the motor. The motor is operable to rotate the fan blades about a blade axis in order to generate an airflow. A housing is disposed about said fan blades and defines a free area through which the airflow can travel. A first end of the housing is proximate to said plurality of fan blades. A second end of the housing has a free area that is unevenly distributed about the blade axis.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2005Date of Patent: June 6, 2006Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Wade D. Vinson, Jeffery Michael Giardina
-
Patent number: 7035096Abstract: According to certain embodiments, the present technique provides a locking mechanism for coupling and uncoupling a removable component coupleable to and uncoupleable from a computing device. The exemplary locking mechanism includes a first member selectively positionable between secured and unsecured configurations of the removable component with respect to the computer device. The exemplary locking mechanism also includes a second member positionable between first and second configurations, wherein the first configuration extends the second member through the first member in the second configuration to secure the first member.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2003Date of Patent: April 25, 2006Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: John P. Franz, Wade D. Vinson, Nicholas Holian
-
Patent number: 7027309Abstract: According to one embodiment, the present invention includes a first electrical connector located on a computer component and a biasing mechanism having a leverage member, such that actuation of the leverage member biases the first electrical connector between engaged and disengaged positions with respect to a second electrical connector separate from the computer component.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2004Date of Patent: April 11, 2006Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: John P. Franz, Wade D. Vinson, Arthur G. Volkmann, David Deis, George D. Megason, Joseph R. Allen
-
Patent number: 6982877Abstract: A system, comprising a circuit board having a heat sink spanning multiple components on the circuit board and at least one compliant pad flexibly interfacing the heat sink with the multiple components.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2004Date of Patent: January 3, 2006Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Wade D. Vinson, John P. Franz
-
Patent number: 6858792Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention overcome the deficiencies of the prior art by providing a tool-less, lever actuated, robust yet tolerant, high load delivery, low-profile component retention assembly for coupling components together. The assembly may include a plate and a lever coupled to the plate.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2002Date of Patent: February 22, 2005Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: John P. Franz, Wade D. Vinson, Joseph R. Allen, David W. Deis
-
Publication number: 20040118584Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention overcome the deficiencies of the prior art by providing a tool-less, lever actuated, robust yet tolerant, high load delivery, low-profile component retention assembly for coupling components together. The assembly may comprise a plate and a lever coupled to the plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2002Publication date: June 24, 2004Inventors: John P. Franz, Wade D. Vinson, Joseph R. Allen, David W. Deis
-
Patent number: 6687134Abstract: An apparatus for separating and extracting printed circuit boards in a computer system. More specifically, a basket assembly is provided through which a number of printed circuit boards may be attached to a motherboard. A card divider and extractor assembly including a card divider and card extractor is coupled to the basket assembly between each of the printed circuit boards. The card dividers provide structural and electrical isolation between the printed circuit boards. The card extractors provide a mechanism whereby printed circuit boards can be easily removed from the system while the system is operational.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2002Date of Patent: February 3, 2004Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Wade D. Vinson, Daniel T. Thompson, Paul E. Westphall
-
Publication number: 20030231476Abstract: An apparatus for separating and extracting printed circuit boards in a computer system. More specifically, a basket assembly is provided through which a number of printed circuit boards may be attached to a motherboard. A card divider and extractor assembly including a card divider and card extractor is coupled to the basket assembly between each of the printed circuit boards. The card dividers provide structural and electrical isolation between the printed circuit boards. The card extractors provide a mechanism whereby printed circuit boards can be easily removed from the system while the system is operational.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2002Publication date: December 18, 2003Inventors: Wade D. Vinson, Daniel T. Thompson, Paul E. Westphall
-
Patent number: 6435889Abstract: A fan assembly that can be easily inserted into a mating slot includes: a housing surrounding and supporting a fan, a least one grill positioned so as to restrict access to the fan, a grip surface on the housing, a latch on the housing and configured to engage the mating slot; and, and an electrical connector mounted in the housing. The grip surface is formed on a separate piece from the housing and is affixed to the housing by an integrally formed fastening device and the assembly including the housing, grill, grip surface, latch and connector can be assembled by hand without the use of separate fasteners.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2000Date of Patent: August 20, 2002Assignee: Compaq Information Technologies Group, L.P.Inventors: Wade D. Vinson, Joseph R. Allen, Thomas Hardt
-
Publication number: 20020086574Abstract: A fan assembly that can be easily inserted into a mating slot comprises: a housing surrounding and supporting a fan, a least one grill positioned so as to restrict access to the fan, a grip surface on the housing, a latch on the housing and configured to engage the mating slot; and, and an electrical connector mounted in the housing. The grip surface is formed on a separate piece from the housing and is affixed to the housing by an integrally formed fastening device and the assembly comprising the housing, grill, grip surface, latch and connector can be assembled by hand without the use of separate fasteners.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2000Publication date: July 4, 2002Inventors: Wade D. Vinson, Joseph R. Allen, Thomas Hardt
-
Patent number: 6101459Abstract: A cooling system for a high-end server includes four hot-pluggable fans plugged into a fan control board. The fans are arranged in two groups, with each group having two fans, one behind the other. One of the groups of fans is used to cool the processor boards and the other group is used to cool the system I/O board slots. Under normal operation, only one fan from each group is active, while the other fan freewheels, providing redundancy. A fan control board delivers power to each of the fans and further provides a signal, responsive to temperature sensors, to each of the fans to control their speeds. Each of the fans provides a fan fault signal and a fan not present signal to the fan control board. The temperature sensors are placed proximate the processors and I/O components to monitor the operating temperatures thereof, and communicate the respective temperatures back to the fan control board, via I.sup.2 C bus.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 1997Date of Patent: August 8, 2000Assignee: Compaq Computer CorporationInventors: Siamak Tavallaei, An T. Vu, Thomas T. Hardt, Wade D. Vinson, John S. Lacombe, James A. Mouton
-
Patent number: 6058011Abstract: A computer system that includes a chassis and a removable module configured to be housed inside the chassis. The chassis includes an interface plate incorporated therewith. The interface plate is perforated to allow air to flow through the interface plate and along peripheral cards attached to the interface plate. The air that flows along the peripheral cards then flows through perforations in a cover that is used to secure the peripheral cards into their associated card slots. The cover then directs the air into a primary air passage used to exhaust air pulled through the chassis.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 1999Date of Patent: May 2, 2000Assignee: Compaq Computer CorporationInventors: Thomas T. Hardt, Wade D. Vinson, Kurt A. Manweiler, Joseph R. Allen