Rack for computing equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10039211-B2
Application number	US-201615218650-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 25, 2016
Priority date	Mar 9, 2015
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

Provided is a base for a server rack, the base comprising a first arm extending in a first direction; a second arm extending in a second direction, different from the first direction, the first arm and second arm each having a bottom configured to face a floor and a top configured to face toward rack-mounted computing equipment; a plurality of height-adjustable stands extending from the bottom of the first arm and the second arm; and a plurality of ball-bearings extending from the top of the first arm and the second arm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A base of a rack to hold computing equipment, the base comprising:
a first arm extending in a first direction;
a second arm extending in a second direction, different from the first direction,
wherein: the first arm and second arm each have a bottom configured to face a floor and a top configured to face toward rack-mounted computing equipment, and the first arm is coupled to the second arm;
a plurality of height-adjustable stands extending from the bottom of the first arm and the bottom of the second arm; and
a plurality of rotatable bearings extending from the top of the first arm and the second arm, wherein:
a given rotatable bearing among the plurality of rotatable bearings includes a rotatable member and a housing in which the rotatable member is rotatably disposed;
the rotatable member is free to rotate in the housing while bearing part of a load of a rack being slid onto the first arm and the second arm;
more than half of the given rotatable member is disposed between the top and bottom of the first arm; and
less than half of the rotatable member extends above the top of the first arm,
wherein the first arm and the second arm are connected to a center piece, and wherein the first arm and the second arm extend away from the center piece.

2. The base of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable bearings comprise ball bearings each seated in a respective socket having a plurality of smaller ball bearings.

3. The base of claim 1 , wherein the height adjustable stands are bolts threaded into a threaded interface of the first or the second arm.

4. The base of claim 3 , wherein the first or second arm comprises a plurality of apertures configured to receive the bolts, and wherein the bolts extend downward to a plurality of feet.

5. The base of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of air-casters configured to secure the server rack to the leveling base.

6. The base of claim 1 , wherein the center piece comprises ball bearings and height-adjustable stands.

7. The base of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of bolting plates located in a bottom side of the base.

8. The base of claim 7 , wherein the bolting plates extend away from the base towards an inner center section of the base.

9. The base of claim 1 , wherein the arms are “Y” shaped and are configured to connect together to form the base.

10. The base of claim 1 , wherein the first or second extending arm is of a tubular shape and has sidewalls, corners, and faces formed by a monolithic body of material.

11. The base of claim 10 , wherein the monolithic body of material comprises extruded aluminum rectangular tubing.

12. The base of claim 10 , wherein the monolithic body of material comprises rolled steel rectangular tubing.

13. The base of claim 1 , comprising:
a plurality of server racks disposed on a leveling base formed, at least in part, by the first arm and the second arm; and
a plurality of computing devices disposed in the racks, the computing devices having stored thereon operating systems and applications executing within the operating systems.

14. The base of claim 1 , wherein the first arm includes a “V” shaped end portion located towards an inner center section of the base.

15. The base of claim 1 , wherein:
the rotatable member is a given ball;
the housing is a socket that comprises a plurality of other balls on which the given ball is configured to rotate; and
the socket extends into the first arm.

16. The base of claim 1 , wherein:
the first arm comprises a plurality of pairs of rotatable bearings disposed adjacent one another.

17. The base of claim 1 , wherein:
the first arm comprises a first plurality of rotatable bearings disposed on a first portion of the first arm and a second plurality of rotatable bearings disposed on a second portion of the first arm, the first portion being closer to the second arm than the first portion.

18. The base of claim 1 , wherein:
the center piece comprises a third arm coupled to the first arm and the second arm and having a respective top;
the top of the first arm, the top of the second arm, and the top of the third arm are coplanar;
the first arm and the second arm are configured to support a first rack of computing equipment extending above the top of the first arm and the top of the second arm upon the first rack of computing equipment being conveyed by at least part of the rotatable bearings over the first arm and the second arm;
the second arm and the third arm are configured to support a second rack of computing equipment, adjacent the first rack of computing equipment, and extending above the top of the second arm and the top of the third arm upon the second rack of computing equipment being conveyed by a least part of the rotatable bearings over the second arm and the third arm.

19. The base of claim 18 , comprising:
the first rack resting on the top of the first arm and the top of the second arm; and
the second rack resting on the top of the second arm and the top of the third arm, wherein:
the first rack extends perpendicular from a plane defined by the top of the first arm, the top of the second arm, and the top of the third arm;
the second rack extends perpendicular from the plane defined by the top of the first arm, the top of the second arm, and the top of the third arm;
the second rack is disposed horizontally adjacent the first rack;
the first arm, the second arm, and the third arm are coupled in fixed relation.

20. A method for leveling a rack to hold computing equipment, the method comprising:
receiving a rack configured to hold computing equipment;
translating the rack horizontally over arms of a base, the arms including a first arm and a second arm each having a top and a bottom;
guiding the rack with a plurality of rotatable bearings extending from the top of the arms as the rack is translated, wherein:
a given rotatable bearing among the plurality of rotatable bearings includes a rotatable member and a socket in which the rotatable member is rotatably disposed;
the rotatable member is free to rotate in the socket while bearing part of a load of the rack being translated onto the first arm and the second arm;
more than half of the given rotatable member is disposed between the top and bottom of the first arm;
less than half of the rotatable member extends above the top of the first arm;
the first arm and the second arm are connected to a center piece; and
the first arm and the second arm extend away from the center piece;

vertically aligning the rack with a plurality of height-adjustable stands extending from a bottom of the arms; and
seating, the rack on the base.

21. The method of claim 20 , comprising:
securing a server rack in place with a bolting plate.

22. The method of claim 20 , comprising:
emitting a haptic signal indicating the rack is properly seated on the base.

23. The method of claim 20 , comprising:
sealing, with a sealer, a portion of the server rack to a chamber comprising a plurality of server racks seated on the base.

24. The method of claim 20 , comprising:
operating computing equipment secured in the rack to provide data to a remote computing device; and
performing steps for removing heat from the computing equipment.

Assignees

• Vapor Io Inc

Inventors

• Crawford Colton Malone
• White Steven
• Chavez Ben

Classifications

• H05K7/1497

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• H05K7/20745 Primary

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