Debris-resistant cooling path

1 . An electronic assembly, comprising:

one or more electronic components;

an enclosure in which the one or more electronic components are disposed, the enclosure including:

a vertically top surface;

a vertically bottom surface; and

a plurality of side portions extending between the top surface and the bottom surface; and

a cooling arrangement for thermal management of the one or more electronic components, the cooling arrangement including:

a cooling airflow inlet to admit a cooling airflow into the enclosure;

a cooling airflow outlet to exhaust the cooling airflow from the enclosure; and

one or more cooling pathways between the cooling airflow inlet and the cooling airflow outlet;

wherein the cooling airflow outlet is downward facing toward the vertically bottom surface such that the cooling airflow flows out of the cooling airflow outlet a downward direction toward the vertically bottom surface; and

a fan disposed at the cooling airflow outlet to urge the airflow through the electronic enclosure out of the cooling airflow outlet;

wherein the cooling airflow inlet is located on at least one of the plurality of side portions;

wherein the enclosure includes a removable cover on said at least one of the plurality of side portions to define said cooling airflow inlet such that the cooling airflow flows into the cooling airflow inlet in a direction parallel to the at least one of the plurality of side portions;

wherein the removable cover includes:

at least two attachment portions at which the removable cover is secured to the enclosure;

at least two cover portions spaced apart from the airflow inlet, the at least two attachment portions and the at least two cover portions alternatingly arranged along the removable cover; and

a plurality of bend portions, each bend portion connecting a cover portion of the at least two cover portions to an adjacent attachment portion of the at least two attachment portions, the bend portion defining a spacing between the cover portion and the airflow inlet.

2 . The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fan is positioned in an outlet duct.

3 . The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fan rotates about a fan axis arranged parallel to the downward direction.

4 . The electronic assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an outlet plenum disposed at the cooling airflow outlet upstream of the fan.

5 . The electronic assembly of claim 1 , further comprising one of a grate or screen disposed at the cooling airflow outlet.

6 . The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cooling airflow inlet is downward facing toward the vertically bottom surface such that the cooling airflow flows into the cooling airflow inlet an upward direction toward the vertically top surface.

7 . The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cooling airflow inlet is disposed at a side portion of the plurality of side portions.

8 . The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cooling airflow inlet is one or more of rectangular, circular, oval, or other geometric shape.

9 . The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cooling airflow outlet is configured as a drainage path for the electronic assembly.

10 . An electronic enclosure, comprising:

a vertically top surface;

a vertically bottom surface;

a plurality of side portions extending between the top surface and the bottom surface; and

a cooling airflow inlet to admit a cooling airflow into the enclosure;

a cooling airflow outlet to exhaust the cooling airflow from the enclosure;

wherein the cooling airflow outlet is downward facing toward the vertically bottom surface such that the cooling airflow flows out of the cooling airflow outlet a downward direction toward the vertically bottom surface; and

a fan disposed at the cooling airflow outlet to urge the airflow through the electronic enclosure out of the cooling airflow outlet;

wherein the cooling airflow inlet is located on at least one of the plurality of side portions;

wherein the enclosure includes a removable cover on said at least one of the plurality of side portions to define said cooling airflow inlet such that the cooling airflow flows into the cooling airflow inlet in a direction parallel to the at least one of the plurality of side portions;

wherein the removable cover includes:

at least two attachment portions at which the removable cover is secured to the enclosure;

at least two cover portions spaced apart from the airflow inlet, the at least two attachment portions and the at least two cover portions alternatingly arranged along the removable cover; and

a plurality of bend portions, each bend portion connecting a cover portion of the at least two cover portions to an adjacent attachment portion of the at least two attachment portions, the bend portion defining a spacing between the cover portion and the airflow inlet.

11 . The electronic enclosure of claim 10 , wherein the fan is positioned in an outlet duct.

12 . The electronic enclosure of claim 10 , wherein the fan rotates about a fan axis arranged parallel to the downward direction.

13 . The electronic enclosure of claim 10 , further comprising an outlet plenum disposed at the cooling airflow outlet upstream of the fan.

14 . The electronic enclosure of claim 10 , further comprising one of a grate or screen disposed at the cooling airflow outlet.

15 . The electronic enclosure of claim 10 , wherein the cooling airflow inlet is downward facing toward the vertically bottom surface such that the cooling airflow flows into the cooling airflow inlet an upward direction toward the vertically top surface.

16 . The electronic enclosure of claim 10 wherein the cooling airflow inlet is disposed at a side portion of the plurality of side portions.

17 . The electronic enclosure of claim 10 , wherein the cooling airflow inlet is one or more of rectangular, circular, oval, or other geometric shape.

18 . The electronic enclosure of claim 10 , wherein the cooling airflow outlet is configured as a drainage path for the electronic assembly.