IP Library Granted Patent US 11,243,584
Granted Patent B2
US 11,243,584 · App. 16/890,590 · Granted Feb 8, 2022

Cooling system with acoustic noise control in an information handling system

Inventors: Tom Schnell (Hutto, TX); Qinghong He (Austin, TX); Man Tak Ho (Austin, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G06F1/20G06F1/181H05K7/20145H05K7/20172
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,243,584
App. No.
16/890,590
Granted
Feb 8, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A component-level cooling system for cooling components in a chassis includes a fan in a housing positioned on a circuit board. The housing has a fan inlet on a side, a first fan outlet on one end and a second fan outlet on a second end opposite the first end. The first fan outlet may direct a first airflow in a first direction to a vent on a first panel of the chassis. The second fan outlet may direct a second airflow in a second direction opposite the first direction. A duct comprises a duct inlet for receiving the second airflow, an elbow for redirecting the second airflow in a third direction to avoid the second airflow from colliding with a main airflow to reduce acoustic noise, and a duct outlet located to avoid heated air exiting the duct from re-entering the fan inlet.

Claims (54)

1. A component-level cooling system for cooling individual components in a chassis of an information handling system having a main fan generating a main airflow in a first direction toward a first vent, the component-level cooling system comprising:

a fan in a housing coupled to a circuit board, the housing comprising:

a fan inlet for receiving air from inside the chassis;

a first fan outlet configured to direct a first airflow in the first direction toward the first vent; and

a second fan outlet configured to direct a second airflow in a second direction opposite the first direction; and

a duct comprising:

a duct inlet coupled to the second fan outlet for receiving the second airflow;

an elbow configured to redirect the second airflow in a third direction to avoid a collision with the main airflow; and

a duct outlet located to avoid heated air exiting the second fan outlet from re-entering the fan inlet.

2. The component-level cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the duct outlet is larger than the duct inlet.

3. The component-level cooling system of claim 1 , wherein:

the duct outlet is located on a side of a second end of the duct to redirect the second airflow in a fourth direction to exit the duct outlet.

4. The component-level cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the elbow comprises a plurality of walls formed in at least a portion of the elbow to divide the elbow into a plurality of channels.

5. The component-level cooling system of claim 4 , wherein:

the elbow comprises a bend greater than 60 degrees;

a first end of each wall is located on a first side of the bend; and

a second end of each wall is located on a second side of the bend.

6. The component-level cooling system of claim 5 , wherein the second end of each wall is located proximate to the duct outlet.

7. A cooling system for an information handling system in a chassis comprising a plurality of panels, the cooling system comprising:

a main fan for generating a main airflow in a first direction through the chassis to a first vent in a first panel of the plurality of panels, wherein the main airflow exits the first vent; and

a component-level cooling system comprising:

a fan in a housing coupled to a circuit board, the housing comprising:

a fan inlet for receiving air from inside the chassis;

a first fan outlet configured to direct a first airflow in the first direction toward the first vent; and

a second fan outlet configured to direct a second airflow in a second direction opposite the first direction; and

a duct comprising:

a duct inlet coupled to the second fan outlet for receiving the second airflow;

an elbow configured to redirect the second airflow in a third direction to avoid a collision with the main airflow; and

a duct outlet located to avoid heated air exiting the second fan outlet from re-entering the fan inlet.

8. The cooling system of claim 7 , wherein the duct outlet is located proximate to a second vent on a second panel of the chassis.

9. The cooling system of claim 8 , wherein:

the duct outlet is located on a side of a second end of the duct to redirect the second airflow in a fourth direction to exit the duct outlet.

10. The cooling system of claim 7 , wherein the duct outlet is smaller than the duct inlet.

11. The cooling system of claim 7 , wherein the elbow comprises a plurality of walls formed in at least a portion of the elbow to divide the elbow into a plurality of channels.

12. An information handling system in a chassis comprising a plurality of panels, the information handling system comprising:

a plurality of components;

a main fan for generating a main airflow in a first direction for cooling the plurality of components, wherein the main airflow exits a first vent in a first panel of the plurality of panels; and

a component-level cooling system comprising:

a fan in a housing coupled to a circuit board, the housing comprising:

a fan inlet for receiving air from inside the chassis;

a first fan outlet configured to direct a first airflow in the first direction toward the first vent; and

a second fan outlet configured to direct a second airflow in a second direction opposite the first direction; and

a duct comprising:

a duct inlet coupled to the second fan outlet for receiving the second airflow;

an elbow configured to redirect the second airflow in a third direction to avoid a collision with the main airflow; and

a duct outlet located to avoid heated air exiting the second fan outlet from re-entering the fan inlet.

13. The information handling system of claim 12 , wherein the duct outlet is located proximate to a second vent on a second panel of the chassis.

14. The information handling system of claim 13 , wherein:

the duct outlet is located on a side of a second end of the duct to redirect the second airflow in a fourth direction to exit the duct outlet.

15. The information handling system of claim 12 , wherein the duct outlet is smaller than the duct inlet.

16. The information handling system of claim 12 , wherein the elbow comprises a plurality of channels.

17. The information handling system of claim 12 , comprising at least two component-level cooling systems, wherein each component-level cooling system comprises:

a duct configured with a duct inlet to receive a second airflow, an elbow configured to redirect a second airflow associated with the component-level cooling system to avoid a collision with the main airflow, and a duct outlet located to avoid heated air from re-entering a fan inlet associated with any of the at least two component-level cooling systems.

18. The information handling system of claim 17 , wherein at least one duct outlet is located inside the chassis.

Assignments (9)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053574/0221) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060333/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053578/0183) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060332/0864 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053573/0535) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060333/0106 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 053531 FRAME 0108 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058001/0371 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053578/0183 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053573/0535 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053574/0221 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 18, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 053531/0108 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 2, 2020
From: HO, MAN TAK; HE, QINGHONG; SCHNELL, TOM
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 052814/0218 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,672,255