Adjustable cooling fan apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020271128-A1
Application number	US-201916405490-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 7, 2019
Priority date	Feb 27, 2019
Publication date	Aug 27, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an apparatus for a cooling fan in a computer system. The apparatus comprises a plurality of bars, a plurality of slats, a knob, and at least one pin. Each slat of the plurality of slats pivotably couples to at least one bar in the plurality of bars. The knob is located at an option on each of bar of a plurality of bars. Rotating movements of the knob adjust the apparatus between a plurality of positions. The at least one pin can be received at an opening in the cooling fan.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for a system, comprising:
a plurality of bars; a plurality of slats, each slat of the plurality of slats pivotably coupled to at least one bar in the plurality of bars; a knob received at an option on each bar of a first pair of bars in the plurality of bars, wherein rotating movements of the knob cause the apparatus to adjust between a plurality of positions; and at least one pin coupled to one of the plurality of bars.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each pin of the at least one pin corresponds to a cooling fan in the system, and comprises a male connector configured to be received at an option of the cooling fan.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a position of the at least one pin at the cooling fan locks the apparatus in one position of the plurality of positions.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first pair of bars is located at a top portion of the apparatus, and a second pair of bars is located at a bottom portion of the apparatus.

5 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein each bar in the plurality of bars comprises a plurality of indented portions corresponding to slats in the plurality of slats.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of positions further comprises:
a first position, wherein the plurality of indented portions allows the plurality of slats to pivot in a first direction, but not a second direction being opposite to the first direction; and a second position, wherein the plurality of indented portions allows the plurality of slots to pivot in the second direction, but not the first direction.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein each slat in the plurality of slats is configured to:
pivot in the first direction upon receiving airflow in the first direction; and lie adjacent to neighboring slats in the plurality of slats when no airflow is received in the first direction.

8 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein each slat in the plurality of slats is further configured to:
pivot in the second direction upon receiving airflow in the second direction; and lie adjacent to neighboring slats in the plurality of slats when no airflow is received in the second direction.

9 . A fan assembly for a computer chassis, comprising:
a plurality of fans configured to be received in the computer chassis; a frame corresponding to the plurality of fans; and an apparatus configured to be received by the frame, comprising:
a plurality of bars;
a plurality of slats corresponding to the plurality of fans, each slat of the plurality of slats pivotably coupled to at least one bar in the plurality of bars;
a knob received at an option on each bar of a first pair of bars in the plurality of bars, wherein rotating movements of the knob cause the apparatus to adjust between a plurality of positions; and
at least one pin coupled to one of the plurality of bars.

10 . The fan assembly of claim 9 , wherein each pin of the at least one pin corresponds to a fan in the plurality of fans and comprises a male connector configured to be received at an option of the fan.

11 . The fan assembly of claim 10 , wherein a position of the at least one pin at the fan locks the apparatus in one position of the plurality of positions.

12 . The fan assembly of claim 9 , wherein each bar in the plurality of bars comprises a plurality of indented portions corresponding to slats in the plurality of slats.

13 . The fan assembly of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of positions further comprises:
a first position, wherein the plurality of indented portions allows the plurality of slats to pivot in a first direction, but not a second direction being opposite to the first direction; and a second position wherein the plurality of indented portions allows the plurality of slots to pivot in the second direction, but not the first direction.

14 . The fan assembly of claim 13 , wherein each slat in the plurality of slats is configured to:
pivot in the first direction upon receiving airflow in the first direction; and lie adjacent to neighboring slats in the plurality of slats when no airflow is received in the first direction.

15 . The fan assembly of claim 14 , wherein each slat in the plurality of slats is configured to:
pivot in the second direction upon receiving airflow in the second direction; and lie adjacent to neighboring slats in the plurality of slats when no airflow is received in the second direction.

16 . A fan assembly for a computer system, comprising:
a fan; a frame corresponding to the fan; and an apparatus configured to be received by the frame, comprising:
a plurality of bars;
a plurality of slats corresponding to the fan, each slat of the plurality of slats pivotably coupled to at least one bar in the plurality of bars;
a knob received at an option on each bar of the first pair of bars, wherein rotating movements of the knob cause the apparatus to adjust between a plurality of positions; and
a pin coupled to one of the plurality of bars.

17 . The fan assembly of claim 16 , wherein each pin of the at least one pin corresponds to a cooling fan in the computer system, and comprises a male connector configured to be received at an option of the cooling fan.

18 . The fan assembly of claim 16 , wherein each bar in the plurality of bars comprises a plurality of indented portions corresponding to slats in the plurality of slats.

19 . The fan assembly of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of positions further comprises:
a first position, wherein the plurality of indented portions allows the plurality of slats to pivot in a first direction, but not a second direction being opposite to the first direction; and a second position wherein the plurality of indented portions allows the plurality of slots to pivot in the second direction, but not the first direction.

20 . The fan assembly of claim 19 , further comprising:
wherein the first position configures each slat in the plurality of slats to:
pivot in the first direction upon receiving airflow in the first direction; and
lie adjacent to neighboring slats in the plurality of slats when no airflow is received in the first direction; and
wherein the second position configures each slat in the plurality of slats to:
pivot in the second direction upon receiving airflow in the second direction; and
lie adjacent to neighboring slats in the plurality of slats when no airflow is received in the second direction.

Assignees

• Quanta Comp Inc

Inventors

• Chen Chao-Jung
• Chang Hou-Hsien

Classifications

• G06F1/20 Primary

  Cooling means · CPC title

• G06F1/183

  Internal mounting support structures, e.g. for supporting printed circuit boards · CPC title

• F04D25/166

  using fans · CPC title

• F04D29/563 Primary

  specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps · CPC title

• H05K7/20727

  within server blades for removing heat from heat source · CPC title