Smart EMI vent

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10477740-B2
Application number	US-201615755193-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2016
Priority date	Sep 15, 2015
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

An EMI shielded vent panel for disposition over a corresponding opening in an electronics enclosure includes an electrically conductive medium having a plurality of ventilation passageways, each passageway including an entry and a channel connected to and extending away from the entry; wherein each passageway is selectively actuated between at least a first constricted state and a second deconstricted state upon application of or removal of an activation mechanism.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An EMI shielded vent panel for disposition over a corresponding opening in an electronics enclosure, the vent panel comprising:
an electrically conductive medium comprising a plurality of ventilation passageways, each passageway including an entry and a channel connected to and extending away from the entry;
wherein each passageway is selectively actuated between at least a first constricted state and a second deconstricted state upon application of or removal of an activation mechanism.

2. The vent panel of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive medium comprises an electroactive polymer and the activation mechanism comprises an electric potential.

3. The vent panel of claim 2 , wherein each passageway is constricted when a first potential is applied to the electrically conductive medium and deconstricted when a second potential different from the first potential is applied to the electrically conductive medium or when the first potential is removed.

4. The vent panel of claim 2 , wherein the electroactive polymer comprises an electrostatic silicone elastomer.

5. The vent panel of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive medium comprises a shape memory polymer.

6. The vent panel of claim 5 , wherein the activation mechanism comprises a temperature change within the electronics enclosure.

7. The vent panel of claim 1 , wherein the activation mechanism comprises an electric field.

8. The vent panel of claim 1 , wherein the activation mechanism comprises a magnetic field.

9. An EMI shielding system comprising:
an EMI shielded vent panel for disposition over a corresponding opening in an electronics enclosure, the vent panel comprising an electrically conductive medium having a plurality of cells which define a plurality of ventilation passageways, each passageway including an entry and a channel connected to and extending away from the entry, wherein each passageway is selectively actuated between at least a first constricted state and a second deconstricted state upon application of or removal of an activation mechanism;
a receiver configured to monitor EMI energy radiating into and out of the electronics enclosure;
a thermocouple configured to monitor the temperature inside the electronic enclosure; and
a controller configured to modulate the effective size of the entry of each passageway based on input received from the receiver and the thermocouple.

10. The EMI shielding system of claim 9 , wherein the electrically conductive medium comprises an electroactive polymer and the activation mechanism comprises an electric potential.

11. The EMI shielding system of claim 10 , wherein each passageway is constricted when a first potential is applied to the electrically conductive medium and deconstricted when a second potential different from the first potential is applied to the electrically conductive medium or when the first potential is removed.

12. The EMI shielding system of claim 9 , wherein the electrically conductive medium comprises a shape memory polymer.

13. The EMI shielding system of claim 12 wherein the activation mechanism comprises a temperature change within the electronics enclosure.

14. The EMI shielding system of claim 9 , wherein the activation mechanism comprises an electric field.

15. The EMI shielding system of claim 9 , wherein the activation mechanism comprises a magnetic field.

16. The vent panel of claim 3 , wherein the electroactive polymer comprises an electrostatic silicone elastomer.

Assignees

• Parker Hannifin Corp

Inventors

• Coppola Stephen J

Classifications

• H05K9/0081

  Electromagnetic shielding materials, e.g. EMI, RFI shielding (H05K9/0003 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05K9/0041 Primary

  Ventilation panels having provisions for screening · CPC title

• H05K7/20209

  Thermal management, e.g. fan control · CPC title

• H05K5/0213

  Venting apertures; Constructional details thereof · CPC title