Method for thermally managing a communications box of a display assembly

1 . A method for thermally managing a communications box of a display assembly, said method comprising:

receiving a request to install electronic components at the communications box for the display assembly, wherein said electronic components include a first electronic component requiring a first level of airflow, and a second component requiring a second level of airflow;

providing a convection aperture plate for installation within the communications box, wherein the convection aperture plate divides an interior portion of the communications box when installed, comprises one or more apertures, and is configured to meet airflow requirements of said electronic components specified in said request when installed, including by sizing the convection aperture plate to create a barrier within the interior portion of the communications box when installed with at least one of the one or more apertures adjacent to a planned location of said first component and a solid material adjacent to a planned location of said second component;

installing said convection aperture plate and said electronic components within the communications box; and

activating one or more fans located within the communications box to force a flow of ambient air within the communications box, including through each of the one or more apertures in the convection aperture plate.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein:

activation of the one or more fans is configured to force ingestion of the flow of ambient air at an intake portion of the communications box and exhaustion of the flow of ambient air through an exhaust portion of said communications box.

3 . The method of claim 2 further comprising:

ingesting a common flow of ambient air through a common intake for an electronic display subassembly of the display assembly and the communications box located between the communications box and the electronic display subassembly of the display assembly, where the common flow comprises the flow of ambient air ingested into the communications box and a second flow for ingestion into the electronic display subassembly.

4 . The method of claim 3 wherein:

said communications box is connected to the electronic display subassembly of the display assembly by way of a frame; and

said communications box is located above and spaced apart from said electronic display subassembly by way of said frame.

5 . The method of claim 4 further comprising:

attaching one or more panels to said frame in a manner which permits hinging movement of said one or more panels so as to permit access to the interior portion of said communications box, wherein said exhaust portion comprises a gap between said one or more panels and said frame.

6 . The method of claim 2 wherein:

said intake portion is located along an upper surface of the communications box;

said one or more fans are located adjacent to said intake portion; and

said display assembly is fluidly connected to said communications box.

7 . The method of claim 2 further comprising:

activating a thermal management device located within the communications box.

8 . The method of claim 7 wherein:

said thermal management device comprises a thermoelectric module.

9 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

removing at least some of the electronic components from the communications box and installing other electronic components of the electronic components;

removing the convection aperture plate from the communications box; and

installing a new convection aperture plate within the communications box, wherein the new convection aperture plate comprises one or more apertures sized or arranged differently from the one or more apertures of the convection aperture plate.

10 . The method of claim 1 wherein:

said electronic components comprise network connectivity devices and wireless communications equipment.

11 . The method of claim 1 wherein:

said convection aperture plate has a footprint matching a footprint of the interior portion of said communications box such that said convection aperture plate spans the interior portion of said communications box in a planar fashion and divides the interior portion into an upper portion and a lower portion.

12 . The method of claim 1 wherein:

activating said one or more fans located within the communications box to force the flow of the ambient air within the communications box includes ingesting air into an intake portion of said communications box, and exhausting said air through a vent in said communications box.

13 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a request to install a new electronic component at said communications box for said display assembly, wherein said new electronic component requires a third level of airflow;

designing a new convection aperture plate configured to meet airflow requirements of said new electronic component by adding a new aperture adjacent to a planned location of said new electronic component;

removing said convection aperture plate from said communications box;

installing said new convection aperture plate at said communications box; and

installing said new electronic component at said communications box.

14 . The method of claim 1 wherein:

the convection aperture plate spans the interior portion of the communications box in a primarily horizontal direction to divide the interior portion into an upper interior portion and a lower interior portion.

15 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

manufacturing said convection aperture plate.

16 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a request to install different electronic components at said communications box;

planning locations for said different electronic components within the communications box;

redesigning the convection aperture plate to configure the one or more apertures to meet airflow requirements for the different electronic components;

removing the convection aperture plate from said communications box;

installing the redesigned convection aperture plate at said communications box; and

installing said different electronic components at said planned locations within said communications box.

17 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

determining that airflow needs of said electronic components at said communications box are not met with said convection aperture plate;

designing a second convection aperture plate having one or more apertures to meet the airflow requirements for the electronic components;

removing the convection aperture plate from said communications box; and

installing the second convection aperture plate at said communications box.

18 . A method for thermally managing a communications box of a display assembly, said method comprising:

providing the display assembly, said display assembly comprising a frame, an electronic display subassembly connected to the frame and comprising a first exhaust portion and an electronic display panel with a viewing face oriented to face a first direction, said communications box connected to said frame at a location above and spaced apart from said electronic display subassembly, an intake portion located at a lower portion of said communications box between said communications box and an upper portion of said electronic display subassembly, and a second exhaust portion located at said communications box;

installing electronic components within the communications box;

providing a plate within the communications box, wherein the plate divides an interior portion of the communications box, comprises one or more apertures, and has an upper and lower surface oriented transverse to the viewing face of the electronic display panel; and

activating fans to force a flow of ambient air through the intake portion, into and within the communications box, including through each of the one or more apertures in the plate, out the first exhaust portion, and out the second exhaust portion, as well as into the electronic display subassembly, wherein a first one of said fans is located within the communications box and a second one of said fans is located within the electronic display subassembly.

19 . A method for thermally managing a communications box of a display assembly, said method comprising:

receiving a request to install electronic components at the communications box for the display assembly;

planning locations for said electronic components within the communications box;

designing a convection aperture plate for installation within the communications box, wherein the plate-is-a-convection aperture plate is configured to span an interior portion of the communications box to divide the interior portion of the communications box when installed and wherein the convection aperture plate includes apertures at locations corresponding to planned locations of the electronic components;

installing said convection aperture plate and said electronic components within said communications box, including installing said electronic components at said planned locations within said communications box; and

activating one or more fans located within the communications box to force a flow of ambient air within the communications box, including through each of apertures in the convection aperture plate.