Equipment Rack and Associated Ventilation System

Abstract

A cable management rack is provided within which or upon which a heat-generating device is mountable, and which encompasses a vertical rectangular frame open in a front and a rear of the frame. The rack includes a first upright and a second upright attached to opposite respective lateral sides of a base and a top member, and respective side-facing panels. Each of the panels defines a plurality of vent holes arranged in an array and permit the rack to receive a sideways flow of cooling air into a first side of the rack through one of the vent hole arrays for cooling a heat-generating device mounted between the panels, and permit the rack to discharge a sideways flow of exhaust air through the other vent hole array. Each of the array of vent holes may manifest a honeycomb pattern of vent holes, and each of the vent holes may manifest an hexagonal shape. A cable management system includes a cable management rack for accommodating a heat generating device, a first baffle mounted with respect to a first upright of the rack and for redirecting a rearward flow of cool air sideways from a space adjacent a front side of the rack, and a second baffle mounted with respect to a second upright of the rack and for redirecting a sideways flow of exhaust air from the rack and through the second upright into a space adjacent a rear side of the rack. A method of cooling a heat-generating device mounted in or on a cable management rack includes providing a sideways flow of cooling air into the rack and into the device.

1 . A cable management rack system, comprising:
 a. a vertical rectangular frame having a first upright that includes a side panel, and a second upright; and   b. at least one baffle mounted with respect to the side panel associated with the first upright,
 wherein the first upright and the second upright are positioned on opposite sides of the vertical rectangular frame, and wherein the at least one baffle is angularly oriented with respect to the side panel associated with the first upright. 
   
     
     
         2 . A cable management rack system according to  claim 1 , wherein the side panel associated with the first upright defines a substantially rectangular opening adjacent the at least one baffle, and wherein the area of the substantially rectangular opening substantially corresponds to the area of the at least one baffle. 
     
     
         3 . A cable management rack system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one baffle defines a lip or flange along an exposed edge thereof. 
     
     
         4 . A cable management rack system according to  claim 3 , wherein the lip or flange is positioned substantially parallel to the side panel when the at least one flange is mounted with respect to the side panel. 
     
     
         5 . A cable management rack system according to  claim 4 , wherein the side panel further defines a plurality of vent holes arranged in an array and effective to permit the rectangular frame to receive a straight lateral sideways flow of cooling air through array of vent holes for cooling a heat-generating device mounted with respect to the rectangular frame. 
     
     
         6 . The cable management rack system of  claim 5 , wherein the array of vent holes extends across substantially an entire height of the side panel. 
     
     
         7 . The cable management rack system of  claim 5 , wherein the array of vent holes manifests a honeycomb pattern. 
     
     
         8 . The cable management rack system of  claim 5 , wherein each of the vent holes manifests an hexagonal shape. 
     
     
         9 . The cable management rack system of  claim 5 , wherein each of the vent holes manifests a punched hole perforating the side panel. 
     
     
         10 . A cable management system operable to deliver a supply of cooling air to a heat generating device mounted therewithin, the system comprising:
 a. a cable management rack for accommodating a heat-generating device, the rack comprising a vertical rectangular frame having a first upright and a second upright;   b. a first baffle extending angularly from said first upright; and   c. a second baffle extending angularly from said second upright,
 wherein the first upright and the second upright are positioned on opposite sides of the vertical rectangular frame, and wherein the first baffle is configured and dimensioned to redirect a rearward flow of cool air from a space adjacent a front side of the rack sideways through the first upright and the second baffle is configured and dimensioned to redirect a sideways flow of exhaust air from the rack and through the second upright rearward into a space adjacent a rear side of the rack. 
   
     
     
         11 . A cable management system according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a. a third baffle extending from the first upright in vertical arrangement with the first baffle and configured and dimensioned to redirect a second, separate rearward flow of cool air from the space adjacent the front side of the rack sideways through the first upright; and   b. a fourth baffle extending from the second upright in vertical arrangement with the second baffle and configured and dimensioned to redirect a second, separate sideways flow of exhaust air from the rack and through the second upright rearward into a space adjacent a rear side of the rack.   
     
     
         12 . A cable management system according to  claim 10 , further comprising a second cable management rack for accommodating a second heat-generating device, the second cable management rack encompassing a second vertical rectangular frame open in a front and a rear thereof and including first and second uprights attached to opposite respective lateral sides of a base and a top member.