Cooling fan coupled with a set of recirculation flaps

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10167878-B2
Application number	US-201514935663-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2015
Priority date	Nov 9, 2015
Publication date	Jan 1, 2019
Grant date	Jan 1, 2019

Abstract

Disclosed aspects relate to cooling electronics. A set of recirculation flaps is coupled with a cooling fan. At least one recirculation flap has a ferrous material. In various embodiments, the set of recirculation flaps is arranged in an open position in response to air pressure from the cooling fan, and is arranged in a closed position in response to substantially no air pressure from the cooling fan. A controller is coupled with the cooling fan. The controller indicates a set of indicated positions for the set of recirculation flaps based on a tachometer value. An electromagnet is connected with the controller to position the set of recirculation flaps in the set of indicated positions using the ferrous material. In various embodiments, the electromagnet engages the ferrous material to arrange the set of recirculation flaps in an open position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a set of recirculation flaps coupled with a cooling fan, wherein at least one recirculation flap has a ferrous material;
a controller coupled with the cooling fan, wherein the controller indicates a set of indicated positions for the set of recirculation flaps based on a tachometer value; and
an electromagnet connected with the controller to position the set of recirculation flaps in the set of indicated positions using the ferrous material, wherein:
the electromagnet engages the ferrous material to arrange the set of recirculation flaps in an open position; and
the electromagnet uses less than two percent (2%) of a cooling fan power to position the set of recirculation flaps.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a permanent magnet which neighbors the electromagnet to position the set of recirculation flaps in the set of indicated positions using the ferrous material in conjunction with the electromagnet.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the electromagnet disengages the ferrous material from the permanent magnet to arrange the set of recirculation flaps in a closed position.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnet uses less than 0.1 watts to position the set of recirculation flaps.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein a fan size is 80×80 millimeters.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnet includes a solenoid.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein airflow is substantially unimpeded with respect to the set of recirculation flaps coupled with the cooling fan.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the set of recirculation flaps is arranged in:
an open position in response to air pressure from the cooling fan, and
a closed position in response to substantially no air pressure from the cooling fan, wherein the closed position allows substantially no airflow to prevent reverse airflow through the cooling fan.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes:
a fan speed controller to configure a fan speed which correlates with the tachometer value; and
a recirculation flap controller to arrange the set of recirculation flaps in an open position when the tachometer value exceeds a threshold and in a closed position when the tachometer value does not exceed the threshold.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnet maintains the set of recirculation flaps in the open position without use of air pressure from the cooling fan.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Cruz Ethan E
• Hejase Jose A
• Mahaney Jr Howard V
• Mendez Joel

Classifications

• F04D27/009

  by bleeding, by passing or recycling fluid · CPC title

• F04D29/524 Primary

  shiftable members for obturating part of the flow path · CPC title

• F04D29/582

  specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps · CPC title

• F04D25/08

  the working fluid being air, e.g. for ventilation · CPC title

• F04D29/644

  especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps · CPC title