Apparatus for externally changing the direction of air flowing through electronic equipment
View Patent ↗A first conduit is externally attached to one of two opposing sidewalls of electronic equipment and a second conduit is externally attached to the other of the opposing sidewalls. Each conduit has an open end, a closed end, and a side having a vent that is aligned with a vent in the sidewall of the electronic equipment to which that conduit is attached. The first conduit takes air in through its open end, channels the air in a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of air flowing through the electronic equipment, and directs the air into the electronic equipment through its aligned vents. The second conduit receives air from the electronic equipment through its aligned vents, channels the air in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to the direction of air flowing through the electronic equipment, and exhausts the air through the open end of the second conduit.
1. A method of changing a direction of a flow of air moving through a unit of electronic equipment, the method comprising:
integrating a first conduit into a first side rail and a second conduit into a second side rail, each side rail having a flange extending from both ends thereof for mounting each end of that side rail to a vertical rail of an equipment rack;
externally attaching the first conduit to one of opposing sidewalls of the unit of electronic equipment and the second conduit to the other of the opposing sidewalls of the unit of electronic equipment, each conduit having an open end, a closed end opposite the open end, and a side having one or more vents, the one or more vents in the side of each conduit being aligned with one or more vents in the sidewall of the unit of electronic equipment to which that conduit is attached;
taking air in through the open end of the first conduit;
channeling, by the first conduit, the air in a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of the flow of air moving through the unit of electronic equipment;
directing the air into the unit of the electronic equipment through the aligned vents of the first conduit and the sidewall of the unit of the electronic equipment to which the first conduit is attached;
receiving, by the second conduit, the air moved through the unit of electronic equipment through the aligned vents of the second conduit and the sidewall of the unit of the electronic equipment to which the second conduit is attached;
channeling, by the second conduit, the air in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to the direction of the air moving through the unit of electronic equipment;
and exhausting the air through the open end of the second conduit.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the open end of the first conduit faces forward of the electronic equipment and the open end of the second conduit faces rearward of the electronic equipment.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first conduit intakes air through the open end that faces forward of the electronic equipment and the second conduit exhausts air through the open end that faces rearward of the electronic equipment.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the open end of the first conduit faces rearward of the electronic equipment and the open end of the second conduit faces forward of the electronic equipment.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a seal between each conduit and the sidewall to which that conduit is externally attached.
6. A method of changing a direction of a flow of air moving through a unit of electronic equipment, the method comprising:
integrating a first conduit into a first sidewall of a mounting tray and a second conduit into a second sidewall of the mounting tray, the first sidewall of the mounting tray opposing the second sidewall of the mounting tray, the mounting tray having a support surface extending between the sidewalls of the mounting tray for holding the unit of electronic equipment, and a mounting flange by which each sidewall of the mounting tray is secured to a vertical rail of an equipment rack;
each conduit having an open end, a closed end opposite the open end, and a side having one or more vents, the one or more vents in the side of each conduit being aligned with one or more vents in the sidewall of the unit of electronic equipment;
taking air in through the open end of the first conduit;
channeling, by the first conduit, the air in a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of the flow of air moving through the unit of electronic equipment;
directing the air into the unit of the electronic equipment through the aligned vents of the first conduit and the sidewall of the unit of the electronic equipment;
receiving, by the second conduit, the air moved through the unit of electronic equipment through the aligned vents of the second conduit and the sidewall of the unit of the electronic equipment;
channeling, by the second conduit, the air in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to the direction of the air moving through the unit of electronic equipment;
and exhausting the air through the open end of the second conduit.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the open end of the first conduit faces forward of the electronic equipment and the open end of the second conduit faces rearward of the electronic equipment.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the open end of the first conduit faces rearward of the electronic equipment and the open end of the second conduit faces forward of the electronic equipment.
9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising providing a seal between each conduit and the sidewall of the unit of electronic equipment to which that conduit is externally attached.