Protective cover assembly for air-moving assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016169237-A1
Application number	US-201414565740-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 10, 2014
Priority date	Dec 10, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods are provided for protectively covering an air inlet or outlet of an air-moving assembly. The apparatus includes a protective cover assembly, which includes a retractable cover and a spring-biasing mechanism. The retractable cover transitions between a retracted state, when the air-moving assembly is operatively positioned within the chassis, and in extended state, when the air-moving assembly is withdrawn from the chassis. In retracted state, the retractable cover is retracted away from the air inlet or outlet, and in extended state, the retractable cover covers, at least partially, the air inlet or outlet. The spring-biasing mechanism is coupled to the retractable cover and biases the retractable cover in the extended state when the air-moving assembly is withdrawn from the chassis, and compresses to allow transition of the retractable cover to the retracted state as the air-moving assembly is inserted into operative position within the chassis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
a protective cover assembly configured to couple to an air-moving assembly adjacent to one of an air inlet or an air outlet thereof, the air-moving assembly being removable from a chassis within which the air-moving assembly resides in operative position, the protective cover assembly comprising:
a retractable cover, the retractable cover being in a retracted state when the air-moving assembly is operatively positioned within the chassis, and transitioning to an extended state when the air-moving assembly is withdrawn from the chassis, wherein in the retracted state, the retractable cover is retracted away from the one of the air inlet or the air outlet of the air-moving assembly, and in the extended state, the retractable cover covers, at least in part, the one of the air inlet or air outlet of the air-moving assembly; and
a spring-biasing mechanism coupled to the retractable cover, the spring-biasing mechanism biasing the cover to the extended state when the air-moving assembly is withdrawn from the chassis, and compressing to allow transition of the retractable cover to the retracted state as the air-moving assembly is inserted into operative position within the chassis.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the protective cover assembly further comprises a movable crossbar coupled to the retractable cover and the spring-biasing mechanism, and sized to span, at least partially, the one of the air inlet or air outlet of the air-moving assembly when the protective cover assembly is coupled thereto, wherein one or more chassis tabs engage the movable crossbar with insertion of the air-moving assembly into operative position within the chassis, the engaging compressing the spring-biasing mechanism and allowing the transition of the retractable cover to the retracted state, retracted from the one of the air inlet or air outlet of the air-moving assembly.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the spring-biasing mechanism comprises at least one linear spring mechanism sized and configured to bias the retractable cover in the extended state when the protective cover assembly is coupled to the air-moving assembly and the air-moving assembly is withdrawn from the chassis, and to compress to allow the transition of the retractable cover to the retracted state as the air-moving assembly is inserted in operative position within the chassis.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the protective cover assembly further comprises a movable crossbar sized to span the one of the air inlet or the air outlet of the air-moving assembly when the protective cover assembly is coupled thereto, the movable crossbar being engaged by at least one chassis tab as the air-moving assembly is being operatively inserted within the chassis, and the spring-biasing mechanism comprises a first linear spring and a second linear spring coupled to the movable crossbar on opposite sides of the one of the air inlet or air outlet of the air-moving assembly, the movable crossbar being coupled to the retractable cover to facilitate movement of the retractable cover from the extended state to the retracted state upon engagement by the at least one chassis tab as the air-moving assembly is operatively positioned within the chassis.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the retractable cover comprises an accordion mesh cover configured to substantially cover the one of the air inlet or air outlet when the protective cover assembly is coupled to the air-moving assembly, and the retractable cover is in the extended state.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the protective cover assembly further comprises a movable crossbar sized to span the one of the air inlet or the air outlet of the air-moving assembly, and the retractable cover comprises a torsion spring assembly and a cover sheet, the cover sheet being attached at one end to the torsion spring assembly and at an opposite end to the movable crossbar, wherein the torsion spring assembly is configured to facilitate movement of the cover sheet to the retracted state, retracted from the one of the air inlet or the air outlet, as the air-moving assembly is operatively positioned within the chassis, and wherein the spring-biasing mechanism provides a greater biasing force than the torsion spring assembly to facilitate unwinding of the cover sheet to the extended state as the air-moving assembly is withdrawn from the chassis.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the retractable cover comprises a plurality of slats connected together via coupling rings along their edges, the plurality of slats being configured to substantially cover the one of the air inlet or the air outlet in the extended state as the air-moving assembly is withdrawn from the chassis.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the protective cover assembly further comprises first and second tracks to couple to the air-moving assembly on opposite sides of the one of the air inlet or air outlet, and wherein the plurality of slats further comprise a plurality of slat tabs disposed at opposite ends thereof, the plurality of slat tabs moving within the respective first and second tracks of the protective cover assembly with extension or retraction of the retractable cover.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the air-moving assembly comprises a centrifugal fan, and the protective cover assembly couples to the air-moving assembly adjacent to the air inlet thereof to protectively cover the air inlet as the air-moving assembly is withdrawn from the operative position within the chassis.

10 . An apparatus comprising:
an air-moving assembly, the air-moving assembly residing within a chassis when in operative position, and being removable from the chassis, and the air-moving assembly comprising an air inlet and an air outlet; and a protective cover assembly, the protective cover assembly being coupled to the air-moving assembly adjacent to one of the air inlet or the air outlet, and comprising:
a retractable cover, the retractable cover being in a retracted state when the air-moving assembly is operatively positioned within the chassis, and transitioning to an extended state when the air-moving assembly is withdrawn from the chassis, wherein in the retracted state, the retractable cover is retracted away from the one of the air inlet or the air outlet of the air-moving assembly, and in the extended state, the retractable cover covers, at least in part, the one of the air inlet or air outlet of the air-moving assembly; and
a spring-biasing mechanism coupled to the retractable cover, the spring-biasing mechanism biasing the retractable cover in the extended state when the air-moving assembly is withdrawn from the chassis, and compressing to allow transition of the retractable cover to the retracted state as the air-moving assembly is inserted into operative position within the chassis.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the protective cover assembly further comprises a movable crossbar coupled to the retractable cover and the spring-biasing mechanism, and sized to extend, at least partially, across the one of the air inlet or air outlet of the air-moving assembly, wherein one or more chassis tabs extend into one or more slots in the air-moving assembly and engage the movable crossbar with insertion of the air-moving assembly into operative position within the chassis, the engaging compressing the spring-biasing mechanism and allowing the transition of the retractable cover to the retracted state, retracted from the one of the air inlet or air outlet of the air-moving assembly.

12 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the protective cover assembly further

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Campbell Levi A
• Ciraulo Christopher R
• David Milnes P
• Demetriou Dustin W
• Mullady Robert K
• Schmidt Roger R

Classifications

• F04D25/14 Primary

  and having shutters, e.g. automatically closed when not in use · CPC title

• H05K5/0213

  Venting apertures; Constructional details thereof · CPC title

• H05K7/20581 Primary

  Cabinets including a drawer for fans · CPC title

• F04D29/703

  specially for fans, e.g. fan guards · CPC title

• H05K7/20172

  Fan mounting or fan specifications · CPC title