Granted Patent B2

US 12,575,057 · App. 17/644,786 · Granted Mar 10, 2026

Inventors: Kevin O'Connell (Rochester, MN); Alex Matos (Rochester, MN); Janet Cederholm (Rochester, MN); Brenda Berg (Rochester, MN); William James Anderl (Rochester, MN)

Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation

H05K7/20181F24F13/10

Abstract

Claims (38)

1 . A server comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB);

an electronic component connected to the PCB; and

a chassis connected to the PCB, the chassis comprising:

a first end with a first aperture configured to allow airflow into the server;

a second end with a second aperture configured to allow the airflow out of the server after having passed across the electronic component; and

a movable bulkhead comprising a first set of louvers, the movable bulkhead being movable between a closed position and an opened position, wherein each of the louvers includes a leading edge contact feature having a concave shape configured to interface with a trailing edge contact feature having a corresponding convex shape of a respective adjacent louver;

wherein in the closed position, the first set of louvers forms a wall in a primary path of the airflow; and

wherein in the opened position, the first set of louvers are oriented in a direction of the primary path of the airflow.

2 . The server of claim 1 , wherein the movable bulkhead further comprises a second set of louvers positioned adjacent to the first set of louvers.

3 . The server of claim 1 , wherein each of the louvers are oriented to extend along a direction between a first side of the chassis and a second side of the chassis that is opposite to the first side in both the opened position and the closed position.

4 . The server of claim 1 , wherein each of the louvers are oriented to extend along a direction between the PCB and a cover of the chassis that is over the PCB.

5 . The server of claim 1 , wherein when the movable bulkhead is in the closed position and at rest, a trailing edge contact feature of each louver is spaced apart from the leading edge contact feature of the respective adjacent louver.

6 . The server of claim 5 , wherein when the movable bulkhead is in the closed position and is under a bending load, the movable bulkhead can flex such that the trailing edge contact feature of each louver contacts the leading edge contact feature of the respective adjacent louver.

7 . The server of claim 1 , wherein when the movable bulkhead is in the closed position and at rest, the trailing edge contact feature of each louver contacts the leading edge contact feature of the respective adjacent louver.

8 . A server rack comprising:

a base;

a plurality of rails extending from the base; and

a server connected to the rails, wherein the server comprises:

a printed circuit board (PCB);

an electronic component connected to the printed circuit board; and

a chassis connected to the PCB, wherein the chassis includes a movable bulkhead comprising a first set of louvers, the movable bulkhead being movable between a closed position and an opened position, wherein each of the louvers includes a leading edge contact feature having a concave shape and a trailing edge contact feature having a corresponding convex shape that is configured to interface with the leading edge contact feature of a respective adjacent louver;

wherein in the closed position, the first set of louvers forms a wall in a primary path of airflow; and

wherein in the opened position, the first set of louvers are oriented in a direction of the primary path of the airflow.

9 . The server rack of claim 8 , wherein the server is connected to the plurality of rails at opposing sides of the server.

10 . The server rack of claim 8 , wherein the movable bulkhead further comprises a second set of louvers positioned adjacent to the first set of louvers.

11 . The server rack of claim 8 , wherein the server further comprises:

a first end with a first aperture configured to allow the airflow into the server; and

a second end with a second aperture configured to allow the airflow out of the server.

12 . The server rack of claim 8 , wherein the server is one of a plurality of servers connected to the plurality of rails.

13 . The server rack of claim 8 , wherein each of the louvers are oriented to extend along a direction between a first side of the chassis and a second side of the chassis that is opposite to the first side.

14 . The server rack of claim 8 , wherein each of the louvers are oriented to extend along a direction between the PCB and a cover of the chassis that is over the PCB.

15 . The server rack of claim 8 , wherein:

when the movable bulkhead is in the closed position and at rest, the trailing edge contact feature of each louver is spaced apart from the leading edge contact feature of the respective adjacent louver; and

when the movable bulkhead is in the closed position and is under a bending load, the movable bulkhead can flex such that the trailing edge contact feature of each louver contacts the leading edge contact feature of the respective adjacent louver.

16 . The server rack of claim 8 , wherein when the movable bulkhead is in the closed position and at rest, the trailing edge contact feature of each louver contacts the leading edge contact feature of the respective adjacent louver.

17 . The server rack of claim 8 , wherein the chassis further comprises a stationary bulkhead that extends across the server in the path of the airflow and includes an aperture for the airflow.

18 . The server rack of claim 17 , wherein the stationary bulkhead is adjacent and connected to the movable bulkhead.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (22)