Apparatus, system, and method for dampening vibrations generated by exhaust fans

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10240615-B1
Application number	US-201715713609-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 23, 2017
Priority date	Sep 23, 2017
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

An apparatus for dampening vibrations generated by exhaust fans may include (1) at least one exhaust fan that (A) generates airflow across an array of storage devices that include rotating disks and (B) generates acoustic waves that produce propagating vibrations and (2) at least one acoustic attenuator that (A) includes a group of honeycomb-shaped openings that dampen the acoustic waves generated by the exhaust fan and (B) mitigates, by way of the honeycomb-shaped openings, interference to the rotating disks caused by the propagating vibrations produced by the acoustic waves. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
at least one exhaust fan that:
generates airflow across an array of storage devices that include rotating disks; and
generates acoustic waves that produce propagating vibrations;

at least one acoustic attenuator that:
includes a group of honeycomb-shaped openings that dampen the acoustic waves generated by the exhaust fan; and
mitigates, by way of the honeycomb-shaped openings, interference to the rotating disks caused by the propagating vibrations produced by the acoustic waves; and

a cage that:
houses the exhaust fan; and
includes at least one additional group of honeycomb-shaped openings that are designed to shield electrical devices from electromagnetic waves generated by the exhaust fan.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the array of storage devices is housed in a chassis; and
the acoustic attenuator comprises a sheet that is inserted into a slot within the chassis.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the sheet is composed of foam designed to dampen acoustic waves.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the sheet is composed of metal that shields the array of storage devices from the electromagnetic waves generated by the exhaust fan.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a cage tray that couples the cage to a chassis that houses the array of storage devices.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the cage further comprises at least one component that dampens rotational vibrations generated by the exhaust fan.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the component comprises a rubber gusset that at least partially secures the exhaust fan within the cage.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the component comprises a foam sheet secured to at least one side of the cage.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the cage further comprises at least one fan guard that secures the exhaust fan within the cage, the fan guard being positioned between the cage and the chassis.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising a latch that is:
attached to the cage; and
capable of being engaged with the cage tray and disengaged from the cage tray.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:
engaging the latch with the cage tray secures the cage to the cage tray; and
disengaging the latch from the cage tray facilitates removal of the cage from the cage tray.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the latch engages with the cage tray via a spring-biased plunger that is inserted into an opening within the cage tray.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the latch comprises a handle that facilitates one-handed removal of the cage from the cage tray.

14. A system comprising:
at least one exhaust fan that:
generates airflow across an array of storage devices that include rotating disks; and
generates acoustic waves that produce propagating vibrations;

at least one acoustic attenuator that:
includes a group of honeycomb-shaped openings that dampen the acoustic waves generated by the exhaust fan; and
mitigates, by way of the honeycomb-shaped openings, interference to the rotating disks caused by the propagating vibrations produced by the acoustic waves;

a cage that:
houses the exhaust fan; and
includes at least one additional group of honeycomb-shaped openings that are designed to shield electrical devices from electromagnetic waves generated by the exhaust fan; and

a chassis that houses:
the array of storage devices; and
the acoustic attenuator.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the acoustic attenuator comprises a sheet that is inserted into a slot within the chassis.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the sheet is composed of foam designed to dampen acoustic waves.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the sheet is composed of metal that shields the array of storage devices from the electromagnetic waves generated by the exhaust fan.

18. A method comprising:
securing, within a cage removably coupled to an array of storage devices that include rotating disks, an exhaust fan that:
generates airflow across the array of storage devices; and
generates acoustic waves that produce propagating vibrations;

incorporating, within a chassis that houses the array of storage devices, at least one acoustic attenuator that:
includes a group of honeycomb-shaped openings that dampen the acoustic waves generated by the exhaust fan; and
mitigates, by way of the honeycomb-shaped openings, interference to the rotating disks caused by the propagating vibrations produced by the acoustic waves; and

incorporating, within the cage, at least one additional group of honeycomb-shaped openings that are designed to shield electrical devices from electromagnetic waves generated by the exhaust fan.

Assignees

• Facebook Inc

Inventors

• Kho Chuankeat
• Adrian Jason David

Classifications

• H10W40/43

  by flowing gases, e.g. forced air cooling · CPC title

• G06F1/20

  Cooling means · CPC title

• G06F1/182

  with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI] · CPC title

• F04D29/668 Primary

  damping or preventing mechanical vibrations · CPC title

• F04D29/601

  specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps · CPC title