U.S. patent application number 09/823304 was filed with the patent office on 2002-10-03 for hot-pluggable cooling fan system with an interference safety device.
Invention is credited to Steinbrecher, Robin A., Van Sleet, Donovan, Winkel, Casey.
Application Number | 20020141879 09/823304 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25238365 |
Filed Date | 2002-10-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020141879 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Winkel, Casey ; et
al. |
October 3, 2002 |
Hot-pluggable cooling fan system with an interference safety
device
Abstract
A cooling fan system has a fan assembly that is removably housed
in a chassis. The fan assembly receives electrical power, and the
fan blades rotate when housed inside the chassis. As the fan
assembly is removed from an opening in the chassis, the power to
the fan assembly is disconnected, but the fan blades may continue
to rotate. A mechanical stopper, such as a row of bristles that
extends into the opening in the chassis, interferes with the
rotation of the fan blades as the fan assembly is removed from the
chassis. The mechanical stopper stops rotation of the fan blades,
thereby preventing harm to the user removing the fan assembly.
After the fan assembly is completely removed from the chassis, a
spring-loaded door closes the opening in the chassis further
protecting the user from contacting adjacent spinning fan blades or
hazardous energy sources within the chassis.
Inventors: |
Winkel, Casey; (Olympia,
WA) ; Van Sleet, Donovan; (Spanaway, WA) ;
Steinbrecher, Robin A.; (Olympia, WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FISH & RICHARDSON, PC
4350 LA JOLLA VILLAGE DRIVE
SUITE 500
SAN DIEGO
CA
92122
US
|
Family ID: |
25238365 |
Appl. No.: |
09/823304 |
Filed: |
March 29, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
417/214 ;
417/360; 417/423.15 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04D 29/602 20130101;
F04D 27/008 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
417/214 ;
417/360; 417/423.15 |
International
Class: |
F04B 049/00; F04B
017/00; F04B 035/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A hot-pluggable cooling fan system comprising: a fan assembly
having a plurality of fan blades; and a chassis to removably house
the fan assembly, comprising: an opening through which the fan
assembly can be inserted; and a mechanical stopper to interfere
with the motion of the fan blades as the fan assembly is removed
from the chassis.
2. The hot-pluggable cooling fan system of claim 1, wherein the
mechanical stopper includes bristles that extend into the
opening.
3. The hot-pluggable cooling fan system of claim 1, wherein the
mechanical stopper includes a flexible plastic finger that extends
into the opening.
4. The hot-pluggable cooling fan system of claim 1, wherein the
mechanical stopper contacts the fan blades from only one side of
the plane of rotation of the fan blades.
5. The hot-pluggable cooling fan system of claim 1, wherein the
mechanical stopper contacts the fan blades from both sides of the
plane of rotation of the fan blades.
6. The hot-pluggable cooling fan system of claim 1, further
comprising a door to cover the opening.
7. The door of claim 6, wherein the door is a spring-loaded door to
cover the opening after the fan assembly is removed from the
chassis.
8. A hot-pluggable fan assembly for user insertion into and removal
from a chassis, the fan assembly being electrically powered when
inside the chassis and comprising a fan blade that is exposed to a
user when outside the chassis, wherein, as the fan assembly is
removed from the chassis, a mechanical stopper associated with the
chassis stops any continued rotation of the fan blade.
9. The hot-pluggable cooling fan assembly of claim 8, wherein the
mechanical stopper includes bristles that extend into the opening
and contact the fan blade only as the fan assembly is removed from
the chassis.
10. The hot-pluggable cooling fan assembly of claim 8, wherein the
mechanical stopper includes a flexible plastic finger that extends
into the opening and contacts the fan blade only as the fan
assembly is removed from the chassis.
11. The hot-pluggable cooling fan assembly of claim 8, wherein the
mechanical stopper contacts the fan blades from only one side of
the plane of rotation of the fan blades.
12. The hot-pluggable cooling fan assembly of claim 8, wherein the
mechanical stopper contacts the fan blades from both sides of the
plane of rotation of the fan blades.
13. A method for removing a fan assembly from a hot-pluggable
cooling fan system that includes a fan assembly having a plurality
of blades, and a chassis to removably house the fan assembly, the
method comprising guiding the fan assembly out of the chassis
through an opening in the chassis, thus causing a mechanical
stopper associated with the chassis to interfere with the motion of
the fan blades as the fan assembly is guided through the
opening.
14. The method as defined by claim 13, wherein the mechanical
stopper includes bristles that extend into the opening.
15. The method as defined by claim 13, wherein the mechanical
stopper includes a flexible plastic finger that extends into the
opening.
16. The method as defined by claim 13, further comprising a door to
cover the opening.
17. The method as defined by claim 17, wherein the door is a
spring-loaded door to cover the opening after the fan assembly is
removed from the chassis.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This invention relates to heat dissipation from electronic
components, and more particularly to a hot-pluggable cooling fan
system.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The electronic components and central processing units used
in computer systems often generate heat, which could influence the
system performance or result in damage to the components.
Typically, one or more cooling fans are used to dissipate heat from
the components and maintain a satisfactory operating temperature.
Many computer systems that employ cooling fans for heat removal are
vital to the user, so it is undesirable to eliminate power to the
computer system for repair or replacement of a cooling fan. One
solution to this problem is to use hot-pluggable parts. The
hot-plugging technique, sometimes known as hot swapping, enables
the repair or replacement of computer system parts without
disturbing the operation of the system.
[0003] Hot-pluggable cooling fans can be removed or inserted into a
computer system without eliminating the power to the system, but
the fan blades often remain spinning when the fan is removed from
the system. In order to avoid any harm to a person removing the
hot-pluggable cooling fan, the fan is usually surrounded by finger
guards that prevent the person from touching the rotating fan
blades. However, the finger guards add to the cost of the fan
assembly, impede airflow under normal fan operating conditions, and
add to the thickness of the fan assembly.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a hot-pluggable cooling fan
system in accordance with the invention.
[0005] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the
invention having three of the hot-pluggable cooling fan systems of
FIG. 1.
[0006] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG.
2 from a different perspective, and with a section removed.
[0007] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the
mechanical stopper in accordance with the invention.
[0008] Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like
elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0009] A hot-pluggable cooling fan system 5 in accordance with the
invention is shown by exploded view in FIG. 1, and also by
perspective views in FIGS. 2 and 3. FIGS. 2 and 3 show an
embodiment of the invention having three hot-pluggable cooling fan
systems 5 configured in a row. As best shown in FIG. 1, the
hot-pluggable cooling fan system 5 includes a chassis assembly 10
and a fan assembly 15. Each fan assembly 15 is insertable into, and
removable from, the chassis assembly 10. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the
left-most fan assembly 15 is shown partially removed from its
normal operating position inside its corresponding chassis assembly
10, while the other two fan assemblies 15 to the right are shown
inside their corresponding chassis assemblies 10.
[0010] The fan assembly 15, as best shown in FIG. 1, includes a
square-shaped fan unit 20 having a number of fan blades 25. The fan
assembly 15 also includes a handle piece 30 with two tongues 32 and
34 that fit around, and affix to, corresponding sides 36 and 38 of
the fan unit 20. When the handle piece 30 is so affixed to the fan
unit 20, a gap 41 (see FIG. 2) is formed between a top 40 of the
handle piece 30 and a top 42 of the fan unit 20. The handle piece
30 has two holes 44 in its top 40 which allow a user to grasp the
handle piece 30 and to easily insert and remove the fan assembly 15
into and from the chassis assembly 10. Notably, the fan assembly 15
does not have finger guards or similar structure to prevent the
user's fingers from coming into contact with moving fan blades 25,
because such protective structure is not needed for this
invention.
[0011] The chassis assembly 10 includes two sidewalls 50 and 52 and
a hinged door piece 54 that extends between the two sidewalls 50
and 52. The chassis thus forms the chamber into which the fan
assembly 15 is inserted. The chassis assembly 10 may be, for
example, an integral part of a computer server assembly (not
shown). Other structure from the computer server may also form part
of the chassis structure, for example, some structure is needed to
serve as a stop for the fan assembly 15 when the fan assembly 15 is
placed in the chassis assembly 10. Also, when there are adjacent
fan systems 5 as in the FIG. 2 and 3 embodiments, a sidewall, such
as sidewall 35, may serve as a common sidewall for two chassis
assemblies 10. The door 54 in FIG. 1 (and also in the leftmost fan
system 5 in FIG. 2) is shown in an open position, thus making it
possible for a user to insert, or to remove, the fan assembly 20
into, or from, the chassis assembly 10.
[0012] The chassis assembly 10 also includes a pair of brushes 56
and 58. The brushes 56 and 58 are positioned on opposing sides of
the chassis assembly 10 such that the bristles extend into the
chamber formed by the chassis assembly 10. The bristles of brush 56
extend toward the bristles of brush 58, and in this particular
embodiment, the bristles have similar thickness and flexibility to
bristles on a paintbrush. The bristles of the brushes 56 and 58 are
also positioned such that when the fan assembly 15 is removed from
the chassis assembly 10, the brushes 56 and 58 will act as a
mechanical stopper and come into contact with fan blades 25 (see
the left-most fan system 5 in FIGS. 2 and 3), so that if the fan
blades 25 are still rotating, that rotation will be stopped. When
the fan assembly 15 is fully inserted into its chassis assembly 10,
the bristles of the brushes 56 and 58 extend into gap 41 (see FIGS.
2 and 3), so that in this position the brushes 56 and 58 do not
interfere with normal rotation of the fan blades 25. In FIG. 3 the
brush 56 of the right-most fan system 5 was removed to show the
location of the bristles of the brush 58 in the gap 41.
[0013] The fan assembly 15 is a hot-pluggable, electrically powered
device. When the fan assembly 15 is inserted into the chassis 10,
it becomes plugged into electrical power in a conventional way, for
example, by a conventional electrical connection (not shown) at a
bottom 60 (FIG. 1) of the fan assembly 15. As such, when the fan
assembly 15 is removed while the apparatus the fan is cooling (for
example, a computer server) is still in operation, power will not
be shut off to the fan assembly 15 until the fan assembly 15 first
becomes unplugged.
[0014] To remove a fan assembly 15 while the apparatus the fan is
cooling is still in operation, and hence the fan blades 25 are
rotating, a user opens the door 54 of the chassis assembly 10 and
grasps the fan assembly 15 through holes 44. The user pulls the fan
assembly 15 out of the chassis assembly 10. As this is being done,
the bristles of brushes 56 and 58 come into contact with fan blades
25, which stops the fan blades 25 from rotating. The fan blades 25
are stopped from continued rotation before the spinning blades 25
are exposed in a way that presents a safety hazard. The door 54 may
be spring-loaded. Once the fan assembly 15 is completely removed
from the chassis assembly 10, the door 54 automatically closes and
prevents the user from contacting the adjacent fan assembly 15 and
hazardous energy sources.
[0015] A safe, hot-pluggable fan system is thus possible without
the need for finger guards as with the prior art. The invention
thus may have one or more of the following advantages: a savings in
cost, improved airflow, and reduced thickness of the fan assembly.
A number of embodiments of the invention have been described.
Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may
be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. For example, instead of brushes 56 and 58, two sets of
flexible plastic fingers 66 and 68 (FIG. 4) may be used to
interfere with the fan blades 25 as a fan assembly 15 is removed
from the chassis assembly 10, or further yet, a single stopper, be
it a brush (56 or 58) or a flexible finger, may be used. Another
embodiment may use a mechanical stopper to contact only the hub of
the fan unit instead of the fan blades 25. A further embodiment may
use a brush (56 or 58) mounted on the door 54. Also, embodiments of
the invention may include any number of fan systems 5, for example,
an embodiment with three such systems 5 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the
following claims.
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