Cooling fan coupled with a set of recirculation flaps

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10167879-B2
Application number	US-201615049033-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 20, 2016
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. A method of manufacture comprising:
coupling a set of recirculation flaps coupled with a cooling fan, wherein at least one recirculation flap has a ferrous material;
coupling a controller 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
connecting an electromagnet 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 method of claim 1 , further comprising introducing 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 method 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 method of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnet uses less than 0.1 watts to position the set of recirculation flaps.

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

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

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

8. The method 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 method 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 method 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

• F04D29/541

  Specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps (F04D29/56 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F04D25/08

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

• F04D19/002

  Axial flow fans · CPC title

• Y10T29/49327

  Axial blower or fan · CPC title

• Y10T29/49329

  Centrifugal blower or fan · CPC title