IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,501,573
Granted Patent B2
US 12,501,573 · App. 17/821,566 · Granted Dec 16, 2025

Debris-resistant cooling path

Inventors: Alexander Trotman (South Windsor, CT); Kenneth J. Trotman (Granby, CT)
Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
H05K7/20145H05K7/20209H05K7/206
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,501,573
App. No.
17/821,566
Granted
Dec 16, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electronic assembly includes one or more electronic components, and an enclosure in which the one or more electronic components are located. The enclosure includes a vertically top surface, a vertically bottom surface, and a plurality of side portions extending between the top surface and the bottom surface. A cooling arrangement for thermal management of the one or more electronic components includes 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. One or more removable covers are positioned over the cooling airflow inlet to allow for airflow ingress into the cooling airflow inlet, while preventing impingement of debris into the cooling airflow inlet.

Claims (42)

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;

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

one or more removable covers disposed over the cooling airflow inlet to allow for airflow ingress into the cooling airflow inlet, while preventing impingement of debris into the cooling airflow inlet;

wherein a removable cover of the one or more removable covers 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;

wherein the cooling airflow inlet and the one or more removable covers are disposed at at least one of the plurality of side portions; and

wherein the one or more removable covers are disposed 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.

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

3 . The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cover portion is spaced apart from the cooling airflow inlet by 1 millimeter to 5 millimeters.

4 . The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more removable covers are secured to the enclosure via one or more screws.

5 . The electronic assembly of claim 1 , 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.

6 . The electronic assembly of claim 5 , further comprising a fan disposed at the cooling airflow outlet to urge the airflow through the cooling arrangement.

7 . The electronic assembly of claim 6 , further comprising an outlet plenum disposed at the cooling airflow outlet upstream of the fan.

8 . An electronic enclosure, comprising:

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 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 removable covers disposed over the cooling airflow inlet to allow for airflow ingress into the cooling airflow inlet, while preventing impingement of debris into the cooling airflow inlet;

wherein a removable cover of the one or more removable covers 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;

wherein the cooling airflow inlet and the one or more removable covers are disposed at at least one of the plurality of side portions; and

wherein the one or more removable covers are disposed 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.

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

10 . The electronic enclosure of claim 8 , wherein the cover portion is spaced apart from the cooling airflow inlet by 1 millimeter to 5 millimeters.

11 . The electronic enclosure of claim 8 , wherein the one or more removable covers are secured to the enclosure via one or more screws.

12 . The electronic enclosure of claim 8 , 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.

13 . The electronic enclosure of claim 12 , further comprising a fan disposed at the cooling airflow outlet to urge the airflow through the cooling arrangement.

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

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2022
From: TROTMAN, ALEXANDER; TROTMAN, KENNETH J.
To: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 060869/0973 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240074090A1 · Feb 29, 2024
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