Assembly for Extracting Heat from a Housing for Electronic Equipment

Abstract

An assembly for extracting heat from a housing for electronic equipment with an interior that is adapted to hold heat-generating electronic equipment, the housing having an essentially solid top portion and an essentially solid back portion. The assembly includes a first opening in the top portion of the housing that leads to the housing interior, the first opening located at the back of the top portion, proximate the back portion of the housing, a second opening in the back portion of the housing that leads to the housing interior, the second opening located at the top of the back portion, proximate the top portion of the housing, wherein the first opening is contiguous with the second opening, and a chimney external to the housing and coupled to the housing such that the chimney encompasses and is in fluid communication with the first and second openings, the chimney defining an inlet for taking in air leaving the housing through the first and second openings and an outlet for conducting the air out of the chimney.

1 . An assembly for extracting heat from a housing with an interior that is adapted to hold heat-generating electronic equipment, the housing comprising a top portion and a back portion, wherein the top portion defines a first opening that leads to the housing interior, the first opening located proximate the back of the top portion, and wherein the back portion defines a second opening that leads to the housing interior, the second opening located proximate the top of the back portion, the assembly comprising:
 a chimney external to the housing and adapted to be coupled to the housing such that the chimney encompasses and is in fluid communication with the first and second openings, the chimney defining an inlet for taking in air leaving the housing through the first and second openings and an outlet for conducting the air out of the chimney.   
   
   
       2 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the chimney is adapted to be coupled to the back portion of the housing below the second opening, and to the top portion of the housing in front of the first opening. 
   
   
       3 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the back portion of the housing is essentially vertical and the chimney extends out from the back portion of the housing. 
   
   
       4 . The assembly of  claim 3  in which the chimney extends up after extending out from the back portion of the housing. 
   
   
       5 . The assembly of  claim 3  in which the chimney extends out at an angle of less than ninety degrees from the back portion of the housing. 
   
   
       6 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the back portion of the housing is essentially vertical and the top portion of the housing is essentially horizontal, such that the top portion and the back portion are essentially perpendicular and meet to define the top back corner of the housing, and wherein the chimney comprises essentially perpendicular members that define a coupling portion such that when the chimney is coupled to the housing the coupling portion fits tightly over and follows the contour of the top back corner of the housing. 
   
   
       7 . The assembly of  claim 6  in which the second opening extends across at least a majority of the width of the back portion of the housing. 
   
   
       8 . The assembly of  claim 7  in which the second opening extends across substantially all of the width of the back portion of the housing. 
   
   
       9 . The assembly of  claim 8  in which the first opening extends across at least a majority of the width of the top portion of the housing. 
   
   
       10 . The assembly of  claim 9  in which the first opening extends across substantially all of the width of the top portion of the housing. 
   
   
       11 . The assembly of  claim 1  further comprising at least one air-moving device in fluid communication with the chimney. 
   
   
       12 . The assembly of  claim 11  in which the at least one air-moving device is located in the chimney. 
   
   
       13 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the housing further comprises a support assembly that supports the housing's top and back portions, and the assembly for extracting heat further comprises an intermediate assembly adapted to be coupled to the support assembly, the intermediate assembly defining at least part of the back portion of the housing, wherein the chimney is coupled to the intermediate assembly. 
   
   
       14 . The assembly of  claim 13  in which the intermediate assembly comprises an intermediate assembly frame member defining at least two sides of the back portion of the housing. 
   
   
       15 . The assembly of  claim 14  in which the intermediate assembly further comprises a door assembly hingedly coupled to the intermediate assembly frame member, to allow user access to the interior of the housing. 
   
   
       16 . The assembly of  claim 15  in which the door assembly comprises two doors, one hinged to each side of the intermediate assembly frame member. 
   
   
       17 . The assembly of  claim 15  in which the door assembly and the intermediate assembly frame member together define the back portion of the housing. 
   
   
       18 . The assembly of  claim 13  in which the intermediate assembly defines the entire back portion and at least some of the top portion of the housing. 
   
   
       19 . The assembly of  claim 13  in which the chimney comprises a first section that is coupled to the intermediate assembly, the first section extending out from the back portion of the housing at an angle of less than 90 degrees. 
   
   
       20 . The assembly of  claim 19  in which the back portion of the housing is essentially vertical and the top portion of the housing is essentially horizontal such that the top portion and the back portion are essentially perpendicular and meet to define the top back corner of the housing, and wherein the first section of the chimney comprises essentially perpendicular members that define a coupling portion such that when the chimney is coupled to the housing the coupling portion fits tightly over the top back corner of the housing. 
   
   
       21 . The assembly of  claim 20  in which the chimney further comprises a second section that extends essentially vertically from the first section. 
   
   
       22 . The assembly of  claim 21  in which the second section of the chimney is an essentially rectangular duct. 
   
   
       23 . The assembly of  claim 21  further comprising one or more fan trays located within the chimney. 
   
   
       24 . The assembly of  claim 23  in which the fan trays are hot-swappable. 
   
   
       25 . The assembly of  claim 23  in which the second section of the chimney defines a hinged access door to allow access to the fan trays. 
   
   
       26 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the top portion and the back portion meet to define the top back corner of the housing, and wherein the chimney defines a coupling portion, such that when the chimney is coupled to the housing the coupling portion fits tightly over and follows the contour of the top back corner of the housing. 
   
   
       27 . An assembly for extracting heat from a housing with an interior that is adapted to hold heat-generating electronic equipment, the housing comprising a top portion and a back portion, in which the top portion of the housing is essentially horizontal and the back portion is essentially vertical such that the top portion and the back portion are essentially perpendicular and meet to define the top back corner of the housing, wherein the top portion defines a first opening that leads to the housing interior, the first opening located proximate the back of the top portion, and wherein the back portion defines a second opening that leads to the housing interior, the second opening located proximate the top of the back portion, the housing further comprising a support assembly that supports the top and back portions, the assembly for extracting heat comprising:
 a) an intermediate assembly adapted to be coupled to the support assembly, the intermediate assembly defining at least part of the back portion of the housing and at least part of the top portion of the housing, the intermediate assembly further defining:
 i) a first opening extending across substantially all of the width of the top portion of the housing and leading to the housing interior, the first opening located at the back of the top portion, proximate the back portion of the housing; and 
 ii) a second opening extending across substantially all of the width of the back portion of the housing and leading to the housing interior, the second opening located at the top of the back portion, proximate the top portion of the housing; and 
   b) a chimney external to the housing and adapted to be coupled to the intermediate assembly below the second opening and in front of the first opening such that the chimney encompasses and is in fluid communication with the first and second openings, the chimney defining an inlet for taking in air leaving the housing through the first and second openings and an outlet for conducting the air out of the chimney.   
   
   
       28 . The assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the chimney comprises essentially perpendicular members that define a coupling portion, such that when the chimney is coupled to the housing the coupling portion fits tightly over and follows the contour of the top back corner of the housing.