Air exhaust/inlet sound attenuation mechanism

Abstract

An attenuation mechanism for an electronic device is presented. The attenuation mechanism includes an outer member that has an inner member oriented axially within the outer member. The inner member has an axial twist that causes a line of sight blockage between an exterior and an interior of a housing of an electronic device when the attenuation mechanism is mounted through the housing, such that sound and electromagnetic radiation is attenuated without obstructing cooling air that is flowing through the housing.

1 . An attenuation mechanism for an electronic device, the attenuation mechanism comprising: 
 an outer member; and    an inner member oriented axially within the outer member, wherein the inner member has an axial twist that causes a line of sight blockage between an exterior and an interior of a housing of an electronic device.    
   
   
       2 . The attenuation mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the outer member has a hexagonal interior cross-section, and wherein the inner member locks into the hexagonal interior cross-section.  
   
   
       3 . The attenuation mechanism of  claim 2 , wherein the inner member has a 360° axial twist.  
   
   
       4 . The attenuation mechanism of  claim 2 , wherein the inner member has a 180° axial twist.  
   
   
       5 . The attenuation mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the inner member is composed of a material that attenuates electromagnetic radiation leakage from the housing of the electronic device.  
   
   
       6 . The attenuation mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the inner member is composed of a material that attenuates sound.  
   
   
       7 . The attenuation mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein multiple attenuation mechanisms are oriented side-by-side to form a multi-unit assembly.  
   
   
       8 . The attenuation mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the inner member causes air to flow between the interior and exterior of the housing of the electronic device in an unobstructed corkscrew pathway within the outer member.  
   
   
       9 . The attenuation mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the inner and outer members are of different colors to accentuate a presence of the inner member inside the outer member.  
   
   
       10 . An electronic device comprising: 
 a housing, wherein the housing includes: 
 at least one air passage between an exterior of the housing and an interior of the housing, wherein each air passage includes: 
 an outer member, and  
 an inner member oriented axially within the outer member, wherein the inner member has an axial twist that causes a line of sight blockage between the exterior and the interior of the housing.  
 
   
   
   
       11 . The electronic device of  10 , wherein the outer member has a hexagonal interior cross-section, and wherein the inner member locks into the hexagonal interior cross-section.  
   
   
       12 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the inner member has a 360° axial twist.  
   
   
       13 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the inner member has a 180° axial twist.  
   
   
       14 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the inner member is composed of a material that attenuates electromagnetic radiation leakage from the housing of the electronic device.  
   
   
       15 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein multiple electronic devices are oriented side-by-side to form a multi-unit assembly.  
   
   
       16 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the inner member causes air to flow between the interior and exterior of the housing of the electronic device in an unobstructed corkscrew pathway within the outer member.  
   
   
       17 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the inner and outer members are of different colors to accentuate a presence of the inner member inside the outer member.  
   
   
       18 . A method comprising: 
 attenuating noise emanating from a housing of an electronic device by mounting attenuation mechanism through the housing, wherein the attenuation mechanism includes an outer member and an inner member oriented axially within the outer member, and wherein the inner member has an axial twist that causes a line of sight blockage between an exterior and an interior of a housing of an electronic device such that sound emanating from an interior of the housing is reduced while airflow through the outer member is unimpeded.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 attenuating electromagnetic radiation emanating from the interior of the housing by utilizing an inner member that is composed of a material that attenuates electromagnetic radiation leakage from the housing of the electronic device.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the inner member has an axial twist.