Data storage system with array of front fans and moving doors for airflow control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9904336-B1
Application number	US-201615373631-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 9, 2016
Priority date	Dec 9, 2016
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

A data storage system is described with an array of front fans and moving doors for airflow control. In one example an enclosure is configured to mount in a rack. A horizontal plane board in the enclosure has memory connectors aligned in a row and external interfaces. Memory cards connect to a respective memory connector of the board. Removable fans at the front of the enclosure push air along the memory cards to the rear and doors at the front of the enclosure, each have an open position to accommodate a corresponding fan and a closed position to block airflow when the corresponding fan is removed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A memory array chassis comprising:
an enclosure configured to mount in a rack, the enclosure having a front configured to receive airflow and a rear configured for cabling;
a plane board in the enclosure having a plurality of memory connectors aligned in a row;
a plurality of memory cards, each having an edge connector at one end of the memory card to connect to a respective memory connector of the plane board, each memory card extending parallel to each other memory card;
a plurality of removable fans at the front of the enclosure to push air along the memory cards to the rear; and
a plurality of doors at the front of the enclosure, each door having an open position to accommodate a corresponding fan and a closed position to block airflow when the corresponding fan is removed.

2. The memory array chassis of claim 1 , wherein each door is connected to the enclosure by a hinge to allow the door to move between the open position and the closed position.

3. The memory array chassis of claim 2 , wherein the hinge is attached to the enclosure over the corresponding fan and wherein the door pivots about the hinge to move downward when the fan is removed.

4. The memory array chassis of claim 1 , wherein the door blocks air loss through the former position of the removed corresponding fan when the door is in the closed position.

5. The memory array chassis of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding fan holds the door in the open position.

6. The memory array chassis of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding fan has a top edge configured to push the door to the open position when the corresponding fan is pushed into the front of the enclosure.

7. The memory array chassis of claim 1 , further comprising a biasing means to push the door into the closed position when the corresponding fan is removed from the front of the enclosure.

8. The memory array chassis of claim 1 , wherein the door further comprises a tab to prevent the door from moving toward the front of the enclosure when the door is in the closed position.

9. The memory array chassis of claim 8 , wherein the tab is on a bottom edge of the door to engage a slot in a fan controller board below the corresponding fan.

10. The memory array chassis of claim 8 , wherein the tab is on a side edge of the door to engage a vertical post in the enclosure.

11. The memory array chassis of claim 1 , further comprising:
a handle attached to a memory card behind the corresponding fan, the handle configured to pull the memory card out of the front of the enclosure through the position of the corresponding fan after the corresponding fan is removed; and
a biasing means to push the handle from a back position to a forward position when the corresponding fan is removed from the chassis.

12. The memory array chassis of claim 11 , wherein the handle includes a status display to indicate a memory card fault.

13. A memory array chassis comprising:
an enclosure configured to mount in a rack, the enclosure having a front configured to receive airflow and a rear configured for cabling,
a plane board in the enclosure having a plurality of memory connectors aligned in a row and a plurality of external interfaces;
a plurality of memory cards, each having an edge connector at one end of the memory card to connect to a respective memory connector of the plane board, each memory card extending parallel to each other memory card;
a plurality of interface connectors each to connect an edge connector to a respective board connector;
a plurality of removable fans at the front of the enclosure to push air along the memory cards to the rear;
a handle attached to a memory card behind the corresponding fan, the handle configured to pull the memory card out of the front of the enclosure through the position of the corresponding fan after the corresponding fan is removed; and
a biasing means to push the handle from a back position to a forward position when the corresponding fan is removed from the chassis.

14. The memory array chassis of claim 13 , wherein the handle includes a status display to indicate that the memory card is to be replaced.

15. The memory array chassis of claim 14 , wherein the status display includes a light pipe of the handle optically coupled to a status indicator on the memory card.

16. The memory array chassis of claim 15 , wherein the status indicator is an LED attached to the memory card and the light pipe extends from the LED to an end of the handle opposite the memory card.

17. The memory array chassis of claim 13 , wherein the biasing means comprises a spring and wherein the corresponding fan, when installed, holds the handle in the back position.

18. An all flash memory array chassis comprising;
an enclosure configured to mount in a rack, the enclosure having a front configured to receive airflow and a rear configured for cabling;
a horizontal plane board in the enclosure having a plurality of memory connectors to connect to a plurality of orthogonally mounted parallel memory cards and a plurality of external interfaces;
a plurality of interface connectors each to connect an edge connector to a respective board connector;
a plurality of removable fans at the front of the enclosure to push air along the memory cards to the rear;
a plurality of doors at the front of the enclosure, each door having an open position to accommodate a corresponding fan and a closed position to block airflow when the corresponding fan is removed;
a power supply proximate the rear of the enclosure to provide power to the memory cards through the memory connectors and having a fan to pull air from the front of the enclosure between the memory cards and to push air out the rear of the enclosure;
a switch fabric card coupled to the external interfaces of the horizontal plane board to couple the memory cards to external devices; and
a cabling interface at the rear of the switch fabric card coupled to the external interfaces.

19. The all flash memory array chassis of claim 18 , wherein each door is connected to the enclosure by a hinge that is attached to the enclosure over the corresponding fan and wherein the door pivots about the hinge to move downward when the fan is removed to the closed position and to pivot upward to the open position.

20. The all flash memory array chassis of claim 18 , wherein the memory cards, the switch fabric card, and the power supply are at a first level within the enclosure, the apparatus further comprising a compute module coupled to the memory cards and having an external cabling interface, wherein the compute module is at a second level within the enclosure, and the horizontal plane board is between the first level and the second level.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Khan Jawad B
• Webb Randall K
• Nelson Michael D

Classifications

• H05K7/20736 Primary

  within cabinets for removing heat from server blades · CPC title

• H05K7/20727

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

• H05K7/20172

  Fan mounting or fan specifications · CPC title

• H05K7/20145

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

• G06F1/206 Primary

  comprising thermal management · CPC title