Air baffle system in a cooling system for electronics

摘要

A cooling apparatus of an array of fan cradles holding fans where a movable baffle assembly directs airflow and blocks removal of more than one fan at a time. A plurality of fans held in a fan cradle assembly in which the fan cradle for a fan to be replaced mechanically moves and is engaged with the movable baffle assembly to prevent removal of the other fans. A method is provided by which an operator may remove and replace an existing fan in an array of fans.

主权项

1. An apparatus for directing airflow, comprising:
a first fan cradle and a second fan cradle to hold a first fan and a second fan, respectively, the first and second fan cradles being disposed beside one another; and a baffle assembly moveable between a home position and a swap position, the baffle assembly comprising an airflow diverter plate having a fan stop plate at a first end, the airflow diverter plate and the fan stop plate being substantially perpendicular to one another, wherein:
in the home position, the fan stop plate is opposite the first and second cradles, and the airflow diverter plate is lying in a first plane that is substantially perpendicular to the fan stop plate and between the first and second cradles, the airflow diverter plate thereby segregating first and second airflows respectively generated by the first and second fans when the first and second fans are present and operating in the first and second cradles, andin the swap position, the fan stop plate is opposite one of the first and second cradles and not opposite the other cradle to thereby block removal of a fan present in the one cradle and allow removal of a fan present in the other cradle, and the first end of the airflow diverter plate is opposite the one cradle to thereby divide an airflow generated by a fan present and operating in the one cradle into third and fourth airflows.