Rack cover assembly and system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10405452-B2
Application number	US-201916272471-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 11, 2019
Priority date	Nov 9, 2016
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

A rack cover assembly including a first side cover and a second side cover. The first side cover may include a first tensioner and a first flexible rectangular sheet. The first tensioner may be coupled to the first flexible rectangular sheet at or near a first lateral edge. The first tensioner may include a first tensioner height that is less than a first sheet height between the first top edge and the first bottom edge. The second cover may include a second tensioner and a second flexible rectangular sheet configured to couple with the first flexible rectangular sheet. The second tensioner may be coupled to the second flexible rectangular sheet at or near a second lateral edge. The second tensioner may include a second tensioner height that is less than a second sheet height between the second top edge and the second bottom edge.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rack cover assembly comprising:
a first side cover comprising a first tensioner and a first flexible rectangular sheet comprising a first lateral edge, a first medial edge opposite the first lateral edge, a first top edge, and a first bottom edge opposite the first top edge and adjacent the first lateral edge and the first medial edge, the first medial edge comprising a first fastener, the first tensioner coupled to the first flexible rectangular sheet at or near the first lateral edge, the first tensioner comprising a first tensioner height that is less than a first sheet height between the first top edge and the first bottom edge, the first tensioner exerting a first retraction force that tensions the first flexible rectangular sheet when the first flexible rectangular sheet is extended to cover a first portion of a slot in a rack; and
a second side cover comprising a second tensioner and a second flexible rectangular sheet comprising a second lateral edge, a second medial edge opposite the second lateral edge, a second top edge, and a second bottom edge opposite the second top edge and adjacent the second lateral edge and the second medial edge, the second medial edge comprising a second fastener configured to couple with the first fastener, the second tensioner coupled to the second flexible rectangular sheet at or near the second lateral edge, the second tensioner comprising a second tensioner height that is less than a second sheet height between the second top edge and the second bottom edge, the second tensioner exerting a second retraction force that tensions the second flexible rectangular sheet when the second flexible rectangular sheet is extended to cover a second portion of the slot in the rack, wherein the first side cover and the second side cover are configured to be used in conjunction with one another to cover the slot in the rack.

2. The rack cover assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first tensioner height is equal to the second tensioner height, and the first sheet height is equal to the second sheet height.

3. The rack cover assembly as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first sheet height and the second sheet height are at least 1.75 inches.

4. The rack cover assembly as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first sheet height and the second sheet height are about 2.0 inches.

5. The rack cover assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first fastener and the second fastener comprise a complementary hook and loop closure system.

6. The rack cover assembly as recited in claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a tensioner bracket or a shaft for coupling the first and second side covers to the rack.

7. A kit comprising at least one of the rack cover assembly as recited in claim 1 , further comprising packaging materials to package the at least one of the rack cover assembly.

8. The kit as recited in claim 7 , further comprising at least one tensioner bracket for coupling the rack cover assembly to the rack.

9. The kit as recited in claim 7 , further comprising at least one shaft for vertically orienting the at least one of the rack cover assembly relative to the rack.

10. The rack cover assembly as recited in claim 1 , the first tensioner further comprising a first spool, the first flexible rectangular sheet configured to furl on the first spool, the second tensioner further comprising a second spool, and the second flexible rectangular sheet configured to furl on the second spool.

11. A system for blocking slots in a rack comprising:
an upper cover assembly for covering an upper slot in the rack and comprising a first upper side cover and a second upper side cover, the first upper side cover coupling to a first portion of the upper slot in the rack, the second upper side cover coupling to a second portion of the upper slot in the rack, the first upper side cover comprising a first upper side flexible rectangular sheet and a first upper tensioner coupled to the first upper side flexible rectangular sheet, the first upper side flexible rectangular sheet configured to extend and retract from the first portion of the rack, the first upper tensioner exerting a first retraction force that tensions the first upper side flexible rectangular sheet when the first upper side flexible rectangular sheet is extended to cover the first portion of the upper slot in the rack, the second upper side cover comprising a second upper side flexible rectangular sheet and a second upper tensioner coupled to the second upper side flexible rectangular sheet, the second upper side flexible rectangular sheet configured to extend and retract from the second portion of the rack, the second upper tensioner exerting a second retraction force that tensions the second upper side flexible rectangular sheet when the second upper side flexible rectangular sheet is extended to cover the second portion of the upper slot in the rack, the first upper side flexible rectangular sheet and the second upper side flexible rectangular sheet configured to couple to each other when in a first extended state so as to cover the upper slot, and
a lower cover assembly for covering a lower slot in the rack, the lower slot being immediately below the upper slot, the lower cover assembly comprising a first lower side cover and a second lower side cover, the first lower side cover coupling to the first portion of the lower slot in the rack, the second lower side cover coupling to the second portion of the lower slot in the rack, the first lower side cover comprising a first lower side flexible rectangular sheet and a first lower tensioner coupled to the first lower side flexible rectangular sheet, the first lower side flexible rectangular sheet configured to extend and retract from the first portion of the rack, the first lower tensioner exerting a third retraction force that tensions the first lower side flexible rectangular sheet when the first lower side flexible rectangular sheet is extended to cover the first portion of the lower slot in the rack, the second lower side cover comprising a second lower side flexible rectangular sheet and a second lower tensioner coupled to the second lower side flexible rectangular sheet, the second lower side flexible rectangular sheet configured to extend and retract from the second portion of the rack, the second lower tensioner exerting a fourth retraction force that tensions the second lower side flexible rectangular sheet when the second lower side flexible rectangular sheet is extended to cover the second portion of the lower slot in the rack, the first lower side flexible rectangular sheet and the second lower side flexible rectangular sheet configured to couple to each other when in a second extended state so as to cover the lower slot.

12. The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein a top edge of the lower cover assembly overlays or underlays a bottom edge of the upper cover assembly.

13. The system as recited in claim 11 , further comprising a first side shaft affixed relative to the first portion of the rack and a second side shaft affixed relative to the second portion of the rack, the first upper tensioner and the first lower tensioner being vertically arranged or stacked on the first side shaft, the second upper tensioner and the second lower tensioner being vertically arranged or stacked on the second side shaft.

14. The system as recited in claim 11 , the first upper tensioner further comprising a first spool, the first upper side flexible rectangular sheet configured to furl on the first spool, the second upper tensioner further comprising a second spool, the second upper side flexible rectangular sheet confi

Assignees

• Level 3 Communications Llc

Inventors

• Drake Steven E
• Peake Eric R

Classifications

• A47B96/20

  Furniture panels or like furniture elements · CPC title

• H05K7/20536

  for racks or cabinets of standardised dimensions, e.g. electronic racks for aircraft or telecommunication equipment · CPC title

• H05K7/18 Primary

  Construction of rack or frame · CPC title

• H05K7/20736 Primary

  within cabinets for removing heat from server blades · CPC title

• H05K7/1488

  Cabinets therefor, e.g. chassis or racks or mechanical interfaces between blades and support structures · CPC title