Changing air flow direction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11672104-B2
Application number	US-201916687671-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2019
Priority date	Jan 20, 2016
Publication date	Jun 6, 2023
Grant date	Jun 6, 2023

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods for controlling the direction of cooling air flow across components of an electronic devices. In one or more embodiments, a device or information handling system includes an air flow generator that is able to generate air flow in different directions by activation of a button, a controller, or both. In one or more embodiments, a sensor measures air temperatures of air when the air flows in different directions, and an air flow direction is selected using the air temperature measurements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information handling system, comprising:
a housing;
one or more communication interfaces for communicatively coupling the information handling system to one or more other systems;
a processing subsystem for processing data that is sent or received via at least one of the one or more communication interfaces;
an air flow generator that is able to generate an air flow through at least part of the information handling system in a first direction and in a second direction that is different from the first direction;
a physical user interface accessible outside of the housing; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the physical user interface and the air flow generator, in which the controller causes the air flow generator to switch a direction of the air flow between the first and second directions in response to activation of the physical user interface by a user for at least a pre-set threshold interval, which overrides a current direction of the air flow.

2. The information handling system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the air flow generator includes at least one fan and a rotational direction of the at least one fan is reversed to change the direction of the air flow.

3. The information handling system as recited in claim 2 , further comprising:
at least one vent that forms a passageway of the air flow and allows air to flow through at least part of the information handling system.

4. The information handling system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
a temperature measuring sensor that is communicatively coupled to the controller and that measures a temperature of air.

5. The information handling system as recited in claim 4 , wherein the controller receives a signal from the temperature measuring sensor and prompts a warning signal when the temperature reaches a pre-set threshold.

6. The information handling system as recited in claim 4 , wherein the controller is communicatively coupled to the temperature measuring sensor and the controller:
causes the air flow generator to generate the air flow in the first direction and receives a first temperature from the temperature measuring sensor;
causes the air flow generator to generate the air flow in the second direction and receives a second temperature from the temperature measuring sensor;
compares the first temperature to the second temperature; and
controls the air flow generator to generate the air flow in one of the first and second directions based on the comparison of the first temperature to the second temperature.

7. A device comprising:
an air flow generator that is able to generate air flow in first and second directions;
a sensor that provides a first air temperature measurement when air flows in the first direction and a second air temperature measurement when air flows in the second direction; and
a controller, communicatively coupled to the air flow generator and the sensor, that is configured to:
receive the first air temperature measurement and the second air temperature measurement;
compare the first air temperature measurement to the second air temperature measurement; and
cause the air flow generator to generate the air flow in one of the first and second directions based on comparison of the first air temperature measurement and the second air temperature measurement and causes the air flow generator to switch a direction of the air flow between the first and second directions in response to activation of a physical user interface by a user for at least a pre-set threshold interval.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the air flow generator includes at least one fan and a rotational direction of the at least one fan is reversed to change a direction of the air flow.

9. The device of claim 7 , wherein activation of the physical user interface causes the controller controlling the air flow generator to switch the direction of the air flow to overrides the direction that was based upon the comparison of the first air temperature measurement and the second air temperature measurement.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to cause a notification to be generated when the air flow generator changes a direction of the air flow.

11. The device of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to provide a warning signal when an air temperature measurement equals or exceeds a pre-set threshold temperature.

12. The information handling system as recited in claim 6 wherein the controller is further configured to perform the comparison of the first temperature and the second temperature according to a schedule, according to specific events, periodically, or a combination thereof.

13. The information handling system as recited in claim 12 wherein activation of the physical user interface causes the controller controlling the air flow generator to switch the direction of the air flow to overrides the direction that was based upon the comparison of the first air temperature measurement and the second air temperature measurement.

14. The information handling system as recited in claim 12 , wherein the information handling system is configured to cause a notification to be generated when the air flow generator changes a direction of the air flow.

15. The information handling system as recited in claim 1 wherein the controller comprises a processor that is part of the processing subsystem.

16. A controller for controlling an air flow generator that is able to generate an air flow in a first direction and in a second direction that is different from the first direction, the controller comprising:
a first connector for coupling to the air flow generator;
a second connector for coupling to a physical user interface;
wherein the controller causes the air flow generator to switch a direction of the air flow between a first direction and a second direction in response to activation of the physical user interface by a user for at least a pre-set threshold interval.

17. The controller of claim 16 wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive one or more air temperature measurements from one or more sensors.

18. The controller of claim 17 wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive a first air temperature measurement and a second air temperature measurement;
compare the first air temperature measurement to the second air temperature measurement;
cause the air flow generator to generate the air flow in one of the first and second directions based on comparison of the first air temperature measurement and the second air temperature measurement.

19. The controller of claim 17 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
cause a warning signal to be generated when an air temperature measurement reaches a pre-set threshold.

20. The controller of claim 16 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
cause a notification to be generate when the air flow generator changes a direction of the air flow.

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Teeter Victor B

Classifications

• H05K7/20727 Primary

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