Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-31
2001-08-07
Tolin, Gerald (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C165S080300, C211S041170, C361S732000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06272016
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a rack for mounting and connecting a plurality of electronics modules and, more particularly, to a rack for mounting and connecting a protected external module, which is coupled to a heat exchange unit.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Many electronics systems employ independent electronic modules that are slideably positioned within an electronics rack, and electrically connected to each other therein. One particular known electronics rack is used for mounting and connecting avionics and electronics modules. As is well understood in the art, the operation of electronics systems generates heat. The closer the electronics modules are mounted together, the more heat is generated per unit volume, and the harder it is for the heat to dissipate. If too much heat is generated, the electronic modules may not operate amount of heat may create a fire hazard. Therefore, one of the primary focuses of the rack is to provide cooling of the modules.
In one rack design, cooling air is forced through a heat exchanger configured within the rack to provide cooling of the electronics modules.
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of an electronics rack
10
of this type that is known in the art. The rack
10
includes an outer housing
12
having a front opening
14
. A lower card guide
16
is mounted at a lower location within the housing
12
by flanges
18
secured to opposing side panels
20
and
22
of the housing
12
. The card guide
16
is a single unit made of a heat conductive metal, such as aluminum. The card guide
16
includes a plurality of parallel tabs
28
extending from front to back that define a groove
30
there between each tab
28
includes an alignment nub
32
positioned proximate to the opening
14
. An upper card guide (not shown) is also mounted within the housing
12
at an upper location in the same manner, and also includes parallel tabs defining grooves there between.
The parallel grooves
30
in the lower card guide
16
and the parallel grooves in the upper card guide are aligned and suitably spaced apart to receive internal electronics modules
36
in a certain configuration. Each internal electronics module
36
includes a lower rail
38
that is inserted in one of the grooves
30
in the lower guide
16
and the upper rail
40
that is inserted in the corresponding groove in the upper guide. When the internal electronics module
36
is slid into the housing
12
, an electrical connector
42
is electrically connected with a meeting electrical connector (not shown) at the back of the housing
12
to provide the desired electrical connection. Multiple internal electronics modules
36
are slid into the housing
12
in a parallel format to provide the overall electrical system. It is generally desirable to set the spacing of the grooves
30
and thickness of the internal electronics modules
36
to allow as many modules as possible to be stored in the rack
10
to conserve space.
The internal electronics modules
36
generate heat during operation. The rack
10
therefore provides assisted cooling for the internal electronics module
36
to draw away the heat.
FIG. 2
is a cross-sectional view of the rack
10
-
2
in FIG.
1
. Rails
38
and
40
make contact with the lower card guide
16
and upper card guide in a heat transfer engagement. To provide the cooling, forced air is caused to circulate across the lower card guide
16
and upper card guide to draw heat away from the internal electronics modules
36
. An inlet plenum
46
is attached to the side surface
20
at one side of the housing
12
and an outlet plenum
48
is attached to the surface
22
at an opposite side of the housing
12
. Of course, the inlet and outlet plenums
46
and
48
can be reversed. The inlet plenum
46
includes a rectangular opening
50
through a back wall
52
of the housing
12
that allows cooling air to enter the plenum
46
. The outlet plenum
48
includes a rectangular opening
54
through the wall
52
that allows the heated air to exit the outlet plenum
48
and the housing
12
.
A heat exchanger
60
is positioned within a specially configured cavity and a base plate
62
between the bottom wall of the housing
12
and the card guide
16
. A similar heat exchanger
63
is also provided between the top wall and the upper card guide. The heat exchangers
60
,
63
include a plurality of spaced apart fins
64
that extend transversely to the opening
14
. The cooling air from the inlet plenum
46
is forced into the heat exchangers
60
,
63
and flows between the fins
64
across the card guide
16
to collect the heat therein. The fins
64
increase the surface area exposed to the cooling air and increase the heat removal capacity. As the operation of the internal electronics modules
36
heat the upper and lower card guides, air flowing between the fins
64
acts to draw heat away from the internal electronics modules
36
providing the cooling. The inlet plenum
46
provides cooling air to both the upper, lower and medial heat exchangers.
The spacing between the cooling fin
64
and the height and width of the cooling fin
64
, is defined by the desired amount of air flow to provide the desired amount of cooling, as is understood in the art. In alternative variations, the rack
10
can include a plurality of stacked layers where internal electronics modules
36
are positioned between card guides and each separate layer, as disclosed, and cooling is provided at each layer in the manner as discussed herein.
The above described process of providing cooling of electronics modules in an electronics rack has been effective in removing heat from electronics modules. However, the overall electronics packaging density of the system and efficiency of the heat exchanger is reduced because only one side of the upper and lower heat exchangers
60
,
63
is being utilized. Because the size and weight of the electronic system may be an important perimeter in different types of systems, it may be desirable to provide an electronics rack that allows for the mounting of a protected external electronic module which utilizes the exposed surfaces of two heat exchangers. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electronics rack which is capable of accepting externally mounted electronics modules and efficiently takes advantage of the top heat exchanger arrangement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the teaching of the present invention, a rack for a plurality of electronics modules is disclosed where the rack allows for the mounting of external electronic modules.
The present invention proposes an external electronics module which is configured to mount to the exterior of the chassis while utilizing the existing interconnect media and cooling pass provided for the modular electronics packaged inside the enclosure. The external electronics module enclosure provides the required environmental protection and many combinations of interface hardware provide mechanisms for the external electronics module insertion/removal and external electronics module to chassis cold wall clamping for efficient heat transfer. Blind mate electrical connectors (both currently in the art and those yet conceived) provide an electrical interface to the rest of the electronics packaged within the enclosure.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and appended claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4149218 (1979-04-01), Carrubba et al.
patent: 5019939 (1991-05-01), Reimer
patent: 5237484 (1993-08-01), Ferchau
patent: 5262587 (1993-11-01), Moser
patent: 5715140 (1998-02-01), Sinkunas
patent: 5940266 (1999-08-01), Hamilton
patent: 5949650 (1999-09-01), Bulante
Arena John J.
Matonis Richard A.
Smith David M.
Keller Robert W.
Tolin Gerald
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