Air cooling system for modular electronic equipment

Abstract

A system for providing cooling to electronic modules received within a chassis. The chassis includes a cooling apparatus having ducting and a plurality of fans coupled to the ducting. The ducting includes air passageways that extend through the ducting and are configured to direct air blown into the passageways by the fans toward the modules installed in the chassis. The modules include heat sinks and the air passageways direct the air toward the fins to provide cooling to the heat sinks. The chassis includes switches coupled to the fans and configured to selectively activate the individual fans when the electronic modules are installed in the chassis.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An electronic communication system, comprising:
 a plurality of electronic modules; and   a chassis configured to removably receive the plurality of electronic modules, wherein the chassis comprises:
 a control system configured to couple the plurality of electronic modules together; 
 a plurality of docking stations, each configured to removably receive a respective one of the plurality of electronic modules, wherein airflow space is provided between adjacent docking stations when electronic modules are docked therein; and 
 a cooling assembly, wherein the cooling assembly includes a plurality of fans and airflow ducting, wherein the airflow ducting is between the fans and the docking stations, the airflow ducting having an intake side facing the fans and a rear surface of the chassis and having an outflow side facing the docking stations, wherein the airflow ducting includes a plurality of air passageways extending between the intake side and the outflow side, wherein each of the plurality of fans is positioned to blow air into a respective one of the plurality of air passageways and wherein each of the plurality of air passageways is configured to direct the air from a respective one of the fans to the respective one of the docking stations to provide cooling to one or more of the electronic modules docked in the docking station. 
   
     
     
         22 . The electronic communication system of  claim 21  wherein each of the plurality of air passageways are fluidly isolated from each other. 
     
     
         23 . The electronic communication system of  claim 21  wherein each of the electronic modules includes a heat sink and wherein each of the air passageways is configured to direct the air along the heat sink of at least one of the electronic modules positioned within the docking station. 
     
     
         24 . The electronic communication system of  claim 21  wherein each of the air passageways is at least partially defined by at least one vane positioned to redirect air from the fan to the respective docking station. 
     
     
         25 . The electronic communication system of  claim 24  wherein the at least one vane is configured such that the air is substantially laminar as it flows toward the electronic module. 
     
     
         26 . The electronic communication system of  claim 24  wherein the air passageways are configured to direct air into the docking stations over the electronic modules installed in the docking stations and between adjacent electronic modules installed in the docking stations. 
     
     
         27 . The electronic communication of  claim 21  wherein at least one of the air passageways is at least partially defined by at least two vanes spaced apart from each other. 
     
     
         28 . The electronic communication system of  claim 21  wherein the plurality of fans are high-velocity fans. 
     
     
         29 . A portable electronic system for use with first and second electronic modules, comprising:
 a portable chassis having a first docking station configured to removably receive the first electronic module and a second docking station configured to removably receive the second electronic module, the chassis further comprising:
 a cooling assembly, comprising:
 ducting having an intake side, an outflow side, and first and second air passageways extending between the intake side and the outflow side, the first and second air passageways are fluidly isolated from each other; 
 a first fan coupled to the intake side of the ducting, wherein the ducting is between the first fan and the first docking station, the first fan is configured to blow air through the first air passageway from the intake side facing the first fan and through the outflow side facing the first docking station, wherein the first air passageway is configured to direct the air toward the first electronic module when installed in the first docking station; 
 a second fan coupled to the intake side of the ducting, wherein the second fan is configured to blow air through the second air passageway from the intake side and through the outflow side, wherein the second air passageway is configured to direct the air toward the second electronic module when installed in the second docking station. 
 
   
     
     
         30 . The electronic system of  claim 29  wherein each of the first and second air passageways are at least partially defined by at least one vane, wherein when the first and second electronic modules are received within the respective first and second docking stations, the first and second electronic modules are positioned closely adjacent to each other and wherein the at least one vane of the first air passageway is configured to direct at least some of the air from the first fan between the first and second electronic modules and toward at least a portion of the second electronic module to provide cooling to the second electronic module. 
     
     
         31 . The electronic system of  claim 29 , wherein—
 the chassis includes a third docking station configured to receive a third electronic module and a fourth docking station configured to receive a fourth electronic module, 
 the cooling assembly includes third and fourth fans coupled to the ducting, 
 the ducting includes a third air passageway and a fourth air passageway fluidly isolated from each other and from the first and second air passageways, and 
 the third fan is configured to blow air through the third air passageway, which is configured to direct the air toward the third electronic module, and 
 the fourth fan is configured to blow air through the fourth air passageway, which is configured to direct the air toward the fourth electronic module. 
 
     
     
         32 . The portable electronic system of  claim 31  wherein each of the first and second air passageways are at least partially defined by at least one vane. 
     
     
         33 . The portable electronic system of  claim 32  wherein at least one of the first and second air passageways is at least partially defined by at least two vanes that are physically separate with respect to each other. 
     
     
         34 . The chassis of  claim 31 , wherein the air passageways extend through the ducting and are fluidly isolated from each other. 
     
     
         35 . A chassis configured to removably receive a plurality of electronic modules, the chassis comprising:
 a plurality of docking stations, wherein each of the plurality of docking stations is configured to removably receive a respective one of the plurality of electronic modules; and   a cooling apparatus configured to provide cooling to each of the received electronic modules, wherein the cooling apparatus comprises:
 airflow ducting having a plurality of air passageways, the airflow ducting having an intake side facing away from the docking stations and an outflow side facing toward the docking station; and 
 a plurality of cooling fans coupled to the intake side of the airflow ducting, wherein each of the cooling fans is at least partially positioned within and configured to blow air into a respective one of the air passageways from the intake side and through the outflow side, wherein each of the plurality of air passageways corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of docking stations and is configured to direct the air blown into the air passageway over and past the electronic module received by the corresponding docking station. 
   
     
     
         36 . The portable electronic system of  claim 35  wherein each of the air passageways is shaped to direct the air at least over a top of the associated installed electronic module and along a space in an interior area of the chassis adjacent to the top of the associated installed electronic module. 
     
     
         37 . The portable electronic system of  claim 35  wherein each of the air passageways is at least partially defined by at least one vane positioned to redirect air from the fan to the respective docking station, and wherein the at least one vane is configured such that the air is substantially laminar as it flows toward or over the electronic modules.