US6412292B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Computer rack heat extraction device
Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd
•
Filing: 2001-04-26
•
Granted: 2002-07-02
•
Expires: 2021-04-26
Abstract
Abstract An air conditioning cooling apparatus and method which includes the steps of supplying cooling air generated from a cooling apparatus into an air passageway formed below a floor; guiding the cooling air within the air passageway into an equipment assembly disposed on the floor through an opening located in the floor; communicating the cooling air introduced into the equipment assembly into a plenum and introducing the air released from within the equipment into the plenum and communicating the released air through the cooling apparatus for cooling the released air. The method permits temperature differential between the air supplied to the air passageway and the air introduced into the plenum from the equipment assembly to be 45° F. to substantially 40° F. so as to reduce the power necessary for operating on the fan of the blowing apparatus. The equipment assembly utilizes an air flow control mechanism so as to substantially evenly distribute cooling air to the equipment.
Inventors
- 👤 R. Stephen Spinazzola
- 👤 Dennis L. Peltz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 14:44
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F1/00; G06F1/16; G06F1/20; G06F1/206; H; H05; H05K; H05K7/00; H05K7/20; H05K7/20709; H05K7/20718; H05K7/20745; Y; Y02; Y02D; Y02D10/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
162 words
An air conditioning method, comprising the steps of: supplying cooling air generated from a cooling apparatus into an air passageway formed below a floor; guiding the cooling air within the air passageway through an opening formed in the floor and controlling the flow of cooling air to equipment located in an equipment assembly via an air control member, the equipment assembly having an input opening in proximity with the opening located in the floor, said air flow control member being positioned in the equipment assembly so as to substantially evenly distribute cooling air to the equipment located in the equipment assembly; communicating the cooling air introduced into the equipment assembly so as to be heated and communicating the heated air into a plenum separated from the room; and introducing the air released into the plenum from said equipment into the plenum and communicating the released air from the equipment assembly via the plenum through the cooling apparatus for cooling the released air.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
162 words
An air conditioning method, comprising the steps of: supplying cooling air generated from a cooling apparatus into an air passageway formed below a floor; guiding the cooling air within the air passageway through an opening formed in the floor and controlling the flow of cooling air to equipment located in an equipment assembly via an air control member, the equipment assembly having an input opening in proximity with the opening located in the floor, said air flow control member being positioned in the equipment assembly so as to substantially evenly distribute cooling air to the equipment located in the equipment assembly; communicating the cooling air introduced into the equipment assembly so as to be heated and communicating the heated air into a plenum separated from the room; and introducing the air released into the plenum from said equipment into the plenum and communicating the released air from the equipment assembly via the plenum through the cooling apparatus for cooling the released air.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 , which comprises guiding the air released from the equipment assembly through at least one duct into the plenum.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 2 , which comprises communicating the cooling air into said plenum by operation of at least one fan.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method as claimed in claim 1 , which comprises cooling the cooling air generated from the cooling apparatus to a temperature of substantially 55° F.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method according to claim 4 , which comprises heating the air released from the equipment assembly to a temperature of substantially 95° F. prior to communicating such air to the cooling apparatus.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein a temperature differential between the air supplied to the air passageway from the cooling apparatus and the air released into the plenum from the equipment assembly is substantially 40° F.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method according to claim 1 , which comprises positioning a fan between the cooling apparatus and the air passageway formed in the floor and blowing the air into the passageway towards the equipment assembly by said fan.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the room comprises a computer room and wherein the cooling apparatus and equipment assembly are positioned in the computer room.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the room comprises a computer room and wherein the cooling assembly is located outside the computer room.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein said equipment assembly comprises at least one computer processing unit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
133 words
An air conditioning assembly, which comprises: a cooling apparatus in communication with an air passageway formed below a floor of a room for introducing cooling air into the passageway; an equipment assembly positioned on the floor, the equipment having an opening in communication with an opening formed in the floor for receiving the cooling air from the cooling apparatus; a flow control member positioned upstream of said equipment assembly so as to substantially evenly distribute the cooling air to the equipment located in the equipment assembly; a plenum separated from the room and in communication with the equipment assembly for receiving air flowing from the equipment assembly which has been heated by the equipment assembly, said plenum communicating the air heated by the equipment assembly back to the cooling apparatus for being cooled.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
133 words
An air conditioning assembly, which comprises: a cooling apparatus in communication with an air passageway formed below a floor of a room for introducing cooling air into the passageway; an equipment assembly positioned on the floor, the equipment having an opening in communication with an opening formed in the floor for receiving the cooling air from the cooling apparatus; a flow control member positioned upstream of said equipment assembly so as to substantially evenly distribute the cooling air to the equipment located in the equipment assembly; a plenum separated from the room and in communication with the equipment assembly for receiving air flowing from the equipment assembly which has been heated by the equipment assembly, said plenum communicating the air heated by the equipment assembly back to the cooling apparatus for being cooled.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
An air conditioning assembly as claimed in claim 11 , which comprises at least one duct interconnecting the equipment assembly to the plenum for communicating air heated by the cooling equipment into the plenum for return to the cooling assembly.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The air conditioning assembly as claimed in claim 11 , which comprises at least one fan for communicating the heated air to the plenum.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
An air conditioning assembly as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the cooling apparatus cools the cooling air to a temperature of substantially 55° F.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The air conditioning assembly as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the equipment apparatus heats the air blowing into the plenum to a temperature of substantially 95° F.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
The air conditioning assembly according to claim 11 , wherein a temperature differential between the air supplied to the air passageway and the air introduced into the plenum from the equipment assembly is substantially 40° F.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method as claimed in claim 1 , which comprises positioning the equipment assembly in a cabinet and positioning the flow control member in said cabinet upstream of said equipment so as to control air flow to said equipment.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
59 words
The cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , which comprises a cabinet within which the equipment assembly is located and wherein the control member is positioned so as to be spaced from a wall of the cabinet so as to form a space within which the cooling air is communicated prior to being received by the equipment assembly.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
An air conditioning assembly as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the equipment assembly comprises at least one computer processing unit.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-07-01 | 2005-12-31 | 2006-07-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-07-01 | 2009-12-31 | 2010-07-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-07-01 | 2013-12-31 | 2014-07-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |