Modular electronic enclosure with cooling design

Abstract

An embodiment of a modular electronic enclosure is provided as including a chassis having a first portion defining a first compartment, and a second portion defining a second compartment. First and second replaceable units are replaceably received within the first and second compartments, respectively. The modular electronic enclosure also has a fan unit that is replaceably received within a compartment defined by the first portion or the second portion. The fan unit is configured to pull in cooling air through the first portion and exhaust pressurized cooling air through the second portion. A method of cooling a modular electronic enclosure defining first and second compartments is also provided.

1 - 29 . (canceled)  
   
   
       30 . A latch mechanism for an enclosure to removably attach a door to a pair of hinge posts supported by a frame, comprising: 
 a door hinge mount configured for attachment to the door;    a frame hinge mount defining a pair of the post slots configured to releasably receive the pair of hinge posts;    hinge pins pivotally attaching the door hinge mount to the frame hinge mount; and    a spring latch supported by the frame hinge mount and having a latch finger which engages a latch lock engaging member supported by the frame when the post slots have fully received the pair of hinge posts.    
   
   
       31 . The latch mechanism of  claim 30 , wherein: 
 the pair of post slots are each defined with an open mouth, a hooked portion, and an upright portion joining the mouth with the hooked portion, with the pair of hinge posts entering and exiting the post slots through the mouth thereof, and resting within the hooked portion thereof when the post slots have fully received the pair of hinge posts; and    the latch finger has a ramped portion which engages a surface of the latch lock engaging member as the hinge posts move through the upright portion of the post slots.    
   
   
       32 . The latch mechanism of  claim 30 , further comprising: 
 an alignment member supported by the frame hinge mount; and    wherein the latch finger defines an alignment slot which slidably receives the alignment member during pivoting of the door hinge mount relative to the frame hinge mount.    
   
   
       33 . The latch mechanism of  claim 30 , wherein: 
 the pair of post slots are each defined with an open mouth, a hooked portion, and an upright portion joining the mouth with the hooked portion, with the pair of hinge posts entering and exiting the post slots through the mouth thereof, and resting within the hooked portion thereof when the post slots have fully received the pair of hinge posts;    the latch lock engaging member comprises a latch lock hole defined by the frame to have an upper surface;    the latch finger has a ramped portion which engages latch lock hole upper surface as the hinge posts move through the upright portion of the post slots;    an alignment member supported by the frame hinge mount; and    wherein the latch finger defines an alignment slot which slidably receives the alignment member during pivoting of the door hinge mount relative to the frame hinge mount.    
   
   
       34 . An apparatus for selectively closing an enclosure defined in part by opposing first and second side walls and upper and lower walls, comprising: 
 an air dam of a flexible metal spring material having first and second opposing edges, and upper and lower edges configured to extend between said upper and lower walls; and    an attachment member which attaches said first edge to the first side wall;    wherein the air dam is biased into a closed position with said second edge engaging the second side wall, and wherein air dam is forced into an open position with said second edge engaging the first side wall when an item passes therethrough when moving through the compartment.    
   
   
       35 . An apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein the air dam is moved toward an interior of the compartment when moving from the closed position to the open position when said item enters the compartment.  
   
   
       36 . An enclosure for slidably and replaceably receiving plural first and plural second replaceable units, comprising: 
 a chassis having opposing front and rear faces;    a midplane member having opposing front and rear surfaces supported by the chassis to define a front portion between the midplane member and the front face, and a rear portion between the midplane member and the rear face;    plural first electrical connectors supported by the midplane front surface to couple with mating electrical connectors of said plural first replaceable units when installed through the chassis front face; and    plural second electrical connectors supported by the midplane rear surface and to couple with mating electrical connectors of said plural second replaceable units when installed through the chassis rear face.    
   
   
       37 . The enclosure of  claim 36 , further comprising a deck member located to divide the front portion into upper and lower portions which each receive some of said plural first replaceable units.  
   
   
       38 . The enclosure of  claim 36 , further comprising a ventilation unit configured to pull cooling air through the front face and the first replaceable units, pressurize said cooling air, and exhaust said pressurize cooling air through the plural second replaceable units.  
   
   
       39 . The modular electronic enclosure of  claim 38 , wherein: 
 the chassis defines plural separate compartments configured to slidably receive individual ones of the plural first and plural second replaceable units; and    the electronic enclosure further comprises separate air dams located within at least some of said plural separate compartments to inhibit entrance of cooling air therein when an associated replaceable unit is removed therefrom.    
   
   
       40 . The modular electronic enclosure of  claim 36 , further comprising: 
 a bezel door configured to cover the chassis front face when in a closed state; and    a bezel latch mechanism configured to pivotally attach the bezel door to the chassis for movement between the closed state and an open state, with the latch mechanism also being configured for removably attaching the bezel door to the chassis in the open state;    wherein the bezel latch mechanism further comprises a spring latch configured to provide tactile feedback when the bezel door is reattached to the chassis for pivotal movement from the open state to the closed state.