IP Library Granted Patent US 10,641,293
Granted Patent B2
US 10,641,293 · App. 15/270,161 · Granted May 5, 2020

Fan suspension system to provide vibration isolation, secure mounting, and thermal seal

Inventor: Jean M. Doglio (Round Rock, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
F04D29/668F04D29/601G06F1/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,641,293
App. No.
15/270,161
Granted
May 5, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A fan isolation system comprising: a fan isolation assembly attached to a fan, the fan isolation assembly comprising a mechanical isolation portion, the mechanical isolation portion comprising an isolation spring element, the mechanical isolation portion performing a vibration isolation function for the fan isolation assembly; and, a thermal duct portion, the thermal duct portion being configured to fit within the mechanical isolation portion, the thermal duct portion performing a thermal sealing function for the fan isolation assembly.

Claims (30)

1. A fan isolation assembly comprising: a first fan isolation carrier assembly and a second fan isolation carrier assembly, the first fan isolation carrier assembly being attached to a first half of a fan, the second fan isolation carrier assembly being attached to a second half of the fan, each of the first fan isolation carrier assembly and the second fan isolation carrier assembly comprising: a mechanical isolation portion, the mechanical isolation portion comprising a main portion, a first side portion and a second side portion, the first side portion extending perpendicularly from the main portion, the second side portion extending perpendicularly from the main portion, the main portion comprising an isolation spring element, the mechanical isolation portion performing a vibration isolation function for the fan isolation assembly, the fan being mounted within the first fan isolation carrier assembly and the second fan isolation carrier assembly such that the fan is substantially contiguous with the isolation spring element of the first fan isolation carrier assembly and the second fan isolation carrier assembly, the isolation spring element extending laterally across the main portion of the mechanical isolation portion from the first side portion to the second side portion, the isolation spring element comprising a plurality of curved portions, the isolation spring element abutting a front portion of the fan; and, a thermal duct portion, the thermal duct portion being configured to fit within the mechanical isolation portion, the thermal duct portion performing a thermal ducting function for the fan isolation assembly, the thermal duct portion comprising a curved portion, the curved portion fitting within the plurality of curved portions of the isolation spring element.

2. The fan isolation assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the mechanical isolation portion provides structural integrity for the fan isolation assembly.

3. The fan isolation assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the isolation spring element is tuned by adjusting at least one physical characteristic of the isolation spring element.

4. The fan isolation assembly of claim 3 , wherein: the physical characteristic comprises at least one of a geometry of an arc of the curved portion of the isolation spring element, a distance between each of the plurality of curved portions of the isolation spring element for each isolation spring element, a weight of each curved portion of the isolation spring element for each isolation spring element, a length of each curved portion of the isolation spring element for each isolation spring element, a width of each curved portion of the isolation spring element for each isolation spring element, a number of curved portions of the isolation spring element for each isolation spring element, and an amount of open area for each isolation spring element.

5. The fan isolation assembly of claim 1 , wherein further comprising:

a thermal isolation portion, the thermal isolation portion providing thermal airflow sealing around the fan.

6. The fan isolation assembly of claim 5 , wherein:

the thermal isolation portion comprises a bendable wing, the bendable wing being pre-bent to load the wing of the fan isolation system against an inside wall of a fan carrier.

7. A system comprising: a processor; a data bus coupled to the processor; and a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium coupled to the bus; and a fan assembly, the fan assembly comprising: a fan carrier; a fan; and, a fan isolation system, the fan isolation system comprising: a fan isolation assembly attached to the fan, the fan isolation assembly comprising a first fan isolation carrier assembly and a second fan isolation carrier assembly, the first fan isolation carrier assembly being attached to a first half of the fan, the second fan isolation carrier assembly being attached to a second half of the fan, each of the first fan isolation carrier assembly and the second fan isolation carrier assembly comprising a mechanical isolation portion, the mechanical isolation portion comprising a main portion, a first side portion and a second side portion, the first side portion extending perpendicularly from the main portion, the second side portion extending perpendicularly from the main portion, the main portion comprising an isolation spring element, the mechanical isolation portion performing a vibration isolation function for the fan isolation assembly, the fan being mounted within the first fan isolation carrier assembly and the second fan isolation carrier assembly such that the fan is substantially contiguous with the isolation spring element of the first fan isolation carrier assembly and the second fan isolation carrier assembly, the isolation spring element extending laterally across the main portion of the mechanical isolation portion from the first side portion to the second side portion, the isolation spring element comprising a plurality of curved portions, the isolation spring element abutting a front portion of the fan; and, a thermal duct portion, the thermal duct portion being configured to fit within the mechanical isolation portion, the thermal duct portion performing a thermal ducting function for the fan isolation assembly, the thermal duct portion comprising a curved portion, the curved portion corresponding to the plurality of curved portions of the isolation spring element.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein:

the mechanical isolation portion provides structural integrity for the fan isolation assembly.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein:

the isolation spring element is tuned by adjusting at least one physical characteristic of the isolation spring element.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein: the physical characteristic comprises at least one of a geometry of an arc of the curved portion of the isolation spring element, a distance between each of the plurality of curved portions of the isolation spring element for each isolation spring element, a weight of each curved portion of the isolation spring element for each isolation spring element, a length of each curved portion of the isolation spring element for each isolation spring element, a width of each curved portion of the isolation spring element for each isolation spring element, a number of curved portions of the isolation spring element for each isolation spring element, and an amount of open area for each isolation spring element.

11. The system of claim 7 , further comprising:

a thermal isolation portion, the thermal isolation portion providing thermal airflow sealing around the fan.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein:

the thermal isolation portion comprises a bendable wing, the bendable wing being pre-bent to load the wing of the fan isolation system against an inside wall of a fan carrier.

13. A fan isolation system comprising: a fan; and, a fan isolation assembly attached to the fan, the fan isolation assembly comprising a first fan isolation carrier assembly and a second fan isolation carrier assembly, the first fan isolation carrier assembly being attached to a first half of the fan, the second fan isolation carrier assembly being attached to a second half of the fan, each of the first fan isolation carrier assembly and the second fan isolation carrier assembly comprising a mechanical isolation portion, the mechanical isolation portion comprising a main portion, a first side portion and a second side portion, the first side portion extending perpendicularly from the main portion, the second side portion extending perpendicularly from the main portion, the main portion comprising an isolation spring element, the mechanical isolation portion performing a vibration isolation function for the fan isolation assembly, the fan being mounted within the first fan isolation carrier assembly and the second fan isolation carrier assembly such that the fan is substantially contiguous with the isolation spring element of the first fan isolation carrier assembly and the second fan isolation carrier assembly, the isolation spring element extending laterally across the main portion of the mechanical isolation portion from the first side portion to the second side portion, the isolation spring element comprising a plurality of curved portions, the isolation spring element abutting a front portion of the fan; and, a thermal duct portion, the thermal duct portion being configured to fit within the mechanical isolation portion, the thermal duct portion performing a thermal ducting function for the fan isolation assembly, the thermal duct portion comprising a curved portion, the curved portion corresponding to the plurality of curved portions of the isolation spring element.

14. The fan isolation system of claim 13 , wherein:

the mechanical isolation portion provides structural integrity for the fan isolation assembly.

15. The fan isolation system of claim 13 , wherein:

the isolation spring element is tuned by adjusting at least one physical characteristic of the isolation spring element.

16. The fan isolation system of claim 15 , wherein: the physical characteristic comprises at least one of a geometry of an arc of the curved portion of the isolation spring element, a distance between each of the plurality of curved portions of the isolation spring element for each isolation spring element, a weight of each curved portion of the isolation spring element for each isolation spring element, a length of each curved portion of the isolation spring element for each isolation spring element, a width of each curved portion of the isolation spring element for each isolation spring element, a number of curved portions of the isolation spring element for each isolation spring element, and an amount of open area for each isolation spring element.

17. The fan isolation system of claim 13 , further comprising:

a thermal isolation portion, the thermal isolation portion providing thermal airflow sealing around the fan.

18. The fan isolation system of claim 13 , wherein:

the thermal isolation portion comprises a bendable wing, the bendable wing being pre-bent to load the wing of the fan isolation system against an inside wall of a fan carrier.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (040679/0386) Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.)
Reel/Frame 059803/0666 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 040633 FRAME 0799 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL INTERNATIONAL, L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058297/0427 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053546/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 21, 2019
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049452/0223 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Nov 23, 2016
From: DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC CORPORATION
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040679/0386 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 16, 2016
From: DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC CORPORATION
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040633/0799 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 20, 2016
From: DOGLIO, JEAN M.
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 040085/0610 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180080480A1 · Mar 22, 2018