High-density network element cooling via unequipped pluggable optical module cages

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11184995-B2
Application number	US-201916671590-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2019
Priority date	Nov 1, 2019
Publication date	Nov 23, 2021
Grant date	Nov 23, 2021

Abstract

A platform includes a housing with a front side, a rear side opposite the front side, a right side adjacent to both the front side and the rear side, and a left side opposite the right side and adjacent to both the front side and the rear side, wherein airflow in the platform is between the front side and the rear side or between the front side and the front side; one or more modules in the housing each including a plurality of cages supporting removable interface cards, wherein the airflow includes an air path that is over the one or more modules between a bottom portion of the one or more modules and a top portion of the one or more modules; and at least one dust cap in one of the plurality of cages, wherein the dust cap includes an air filter medium enabling airflow at an intermediate point of the air path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A platform comprising:
a housing with a front side, a rear side opposite the front side, a right side adjacent to both the front side and the rear side, and a left side opposite the right side and adjacent to both the front side and the rear side, wherein airflow in the housing is between the front side and the rear side or between the front side and the front side;
one or more modules in the housing each including a plurality of cages supporting removable interface cards, wherein the airflow includes an air path that is over the one or more modules between a bottom portion of the one or more modules and a top portion of the one or more modules; and
a heatsink insert deployed in one of the plurality of cages, the heatsink including a body adapted for airflow to pass therethrough, a front cover portion positioned at an intake end of the body, the front cover housing an air filter medium therein adapted to filter the airflow, and openings formed in the body enabling the airflow to exit the body, wherein the openings of the heatsink insert are formed at an exhaust end of the body distal to the intake end.

2. The platform of claim 1 , wherein the body of the heatsink extends from the front cover portion into the corresponding cage as would an interface card.

3. The platform of claim 2 , wherein the openings of the heatsink are adapted to direct air towards cooling holes of the housing.

4. The platform of claim 1 , wherein the removable interface cards are pluggable optical modules.

5. The platform of claim 1 , wherein the heat sink is selectively removable.

6. The platform of claim 5 , wherein the heat sink is replaceable on a schedule that is consistent with a replacement schedule for air filters in the platform.

7. The platform of claim 1 , wherein the interface cards are deployed in the plurality of cages according to an order specifying which cages are unequipped with a corresponding heat sink based on a given fill of the platform.

8. The platform of claim 7 , wherein the order includes placing high power interface cards in one location of the plurality of cages and low power interface cards at another location of the plurality of cages.

9. The platform of claim 7 , wherein the order includes placing interface cards in every other cage with a respective heat sink in each of the other cages.

10. The platform of claim 1 , wherein the front cover portion is adapted to open for removal and replacement of the air filter medium, and wherein the air filter medium comprises a medium selected from one of an electrostatic polypropylene air filter medium, an activated carbon air filter medium, a polyurethane foam air filter medium, and a polyester impingement air filter medium.

11. A module system comprising:
a printed circuit board;
a plurality of cages disposed on the printed circuit board, wherein each cage supports a removable interface card;
wherein the printed circuit board is configured to be inserted or housed in a housing with a front side, a rear side opposite the front side, a right side adjacent to both the front side and the rear side, and a left side opposite the right side and adjacent to both the front side and the rear side, wherein airflow in the housing is between the front side and the rear side or between the front side and the front side;
wherein the airflow includes an air path that is over the printed circuit board between a bottom portion of the printed circuit board and atop portion of the printed circuit board; and
a heatsink insert deployed in one of the plurality of cages, the heatsink including a body adapted for airflow to pass therethrough, a front cover portion positioned at an intake end of the body, the front cover housing an air filter medium therein adapted to filter the airflow, and openings formed in the body enabling the airflow to exit the body, wherein the openings of the heatsink insert are formed at an exhaust end of the body distal to the intake end.

12. The module system of claim 11 , wherein the body of the heatsink extends from the front cover portion into the corresponding cage as would an interface card.

13. The module system of claim 12 , wherein the openings of the heatsink are adapted to direct air towards cooling holes of the housing.

14. The module system of claim 11 , wherein the removable interface card is a pluggable optical module.

15. The module system of claim 11 , wherein the heat sink is selectively removable.

16. The module system of claim 11 , wherein interface cards are deployed in the plurality of cages according to an order specifying which cages are unequipped with a corresponding heat sink based on a given fill of the platform.

17. The module system of claim 11 , wherein the front cover portion is adapted to open for removal and replacement of the air filter medium, and wherein the air filter medium comprises a medium selected from one of an electrostatic polypropylene air filter medium, an activated carbon air filter medium, a polyurethane foam air filter medium, and a polyester impingement air filter medium.

18. A method comprising:
deploying a module in a housing associated with a platform, wherein the housing has a front side, a rear side opposite the front side, a right side adjacent to both the front side and the rear side, and a left side opposite the right side and adjacent to both the front side and the rear side, wherein airflow in the housing is between the front side and the rear side or between the front side and the front side;
deploying one or more interface cards in corresponding cages of a plurality of cages on the module, wherein the airflow includes an air path that is over the module between a bottom portion of the module and a top portion of the module; and
deploying a heatsink insert in one of the plurality of cages, the heatsink including a body adapted for airflow to pass therethrough, a front cover portion positioned at an intake end of the body, the front cover housing an air filter medium therein adapted to filter the airflow, and openings formed in the body enabling the airflow to exit the body, wherein the openings of the heatsink insert are formed at an exhaust end of the body distal to the intake end.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising replacing the heat sink with one of a new heat sink.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
replacing the air filter medium by opening the front cover portion, removing the air filter medium, and inserting a new air filter medium,
wherein the air filter medium comprises a medium selected from one of an electrostatic polypropylene air filter medium, an activated carbon air filter medium, a polyurethane foam air filter medium, and a polyester impingement air filter medium.

Assignees

• Ciena Corp

Inventors

• Graham Terence Arthur
• Mack Bonnie Lynne
• Bishop Michael Reginald
• Shearman Simon John

Classifications

• H05K7/20736 Primary

  within cabinets for removing heat from server blades · CPC title

• G02B6/44526

  Panels or rackmounts covering a whole width of the frame or rack · CPC title

• G02B6/44528

  Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box (routing arrangements H04Q1/00) · CPC title

• H05K7/20145 Primary

  Means for directing air flow, e.g. ducts, deflectors, plenum or guides · CPC title

• H05K7/20181

  Filters; Louvers · CPC title