Patent Issued for Cooling system for rack mounted electronic components (USPTO 11310943): United Services Automobile Association

2022 MAY 06 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- A patent by the inventors Culbertson, II, William Preston (San Antonio, TX, US), Osterkamp, Bryan J. (New Braunfels, TX, US), Philbrick, Ashley Raine (San Antonio, TX, US), Post, Nathan Lee (San Antonio, TX, US), Russell, Ryan Thomas (San Antonio, TX, US), St. Martin, Courtney (Roswell, GA, US), filed on November 17, 2020, was published online on April 19, 2022, according to news reporting originating from Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx correspondents.

Patent number 11310943 is assigned to United Services Automobile Association (San Antonio, Texas, United States).

The following quote was obtained by the news editors from the background information supplied by the inventors: “Electronic equipment typically generates heat. Indoor areas that house multiple pieces of electronic equipment (such as server rooms, data centers, etc.) can generate significant amounts of heat such that the indoor areas require climate control, such as cooling. Air conditioning and other kinds of cooling measures, such as ventilation, fans, etc., are often used to ensure that the equipment does not overheat.

“The heat generating elements of electronic components are often inside the electronic components, and thus, may be somewhat shielded from circulating cooling air. In addition, in some cases, electrical components may be rack mounted in a stack. When stacked as such, the electrical components generating heat in such proximity to one another may make it even more difficult to cool each individual component.

“There is a need in the art for a system and method that addresses the shortcomings discussed above. In particular, there is a need in the art for a disaster condition monitoring system.”

In addition to the background information obtained for this patent, NewsRx journalists also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a system to improve cooling of rack mounted components. The system may include a first rack mounted component including a first motherboard, the first motherboard having a hot area that is generally hotter than other portions of the motherboard, the hot area proximate a first edge. In addition, the system may include a second rack mounted component disposed above the first rack mounted component; the second rack mounted component having a second motherboard, wherein the second motherboard is similar to the first motherboard; the second motherboard having a first edge; wherein the second motherboard is disposed above the first motherboard, and wherein the second motherboard is angled with respect to the first motherboard so that the first edge of the second motherboard is non-aligned with the first edge of the first motherboard.

“In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a method for improving cooling in a rack. The method may include the steps of: selecting a first rack mounted component, the first rack mounted component having a first motherboard attached to the first rack mounted component; the first motherboard having a first orientation; selecting a second rack mounted component, the second rack mounted component having a second motherboard; the second motherboard having a second orientation; wherein the second orientation is angularly offset by an offset angle from the first orientation of the first motherboard; and installing the second rack mounted component above the first rack mounted component.

“Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the disclosure will be, or will become, apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description and this summary, be within the scope of the disclosure, and be protected by the following claims.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A system to improve cooling of rack mounted components, comprising: a first rack mounted component including a first motherboard, the first motherboard having a first edge; and a second rack mounted component disposed above the first rack mounted component; the second rack mounted component having a second motherboard having a first edge, wherein the second motherboard is similar to the first motherboard; wherein the second motherboard is disposed above the first motherboard, and wherein the second motherboard is angled with respect to the first motherboard so that the first edge of the second motherboard is non-aligned with the first edge of the first motherboard; and wherein the first motherboard is arranged horizontally in a first plane and the second mother board is arranged horizontally in a second plane that is parallel to the first plane.

“2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a third rack mounted component disposed above the second rack mounted component; the third rack mounted component having a third motherboard, wherein the third motherboard is similar to the first motherboard; the third motherboard having a first edge.

“3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the third motherboard is disposed above the second motherboard, and wherein the third motherboard is angled with respect to the second motherboard so that the first edge of the third motherboard is non-aligned with the first edge of the second motherboard.

“4. The system of claim 3, wherein the third motherboard is arranged horizontally in a third plane that is parallel to the first plane and the second plane.

“5. The system according to claim 1, further including a vertical flow fan disposed beneath the first rack mounted component.

“6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first rack mounted component includes an air permeable base that substantially permits vertical air flow through the first rack mounted component.

“7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the second rack mounted component includes an air permeable base that substantially permits vertical air flow through the second rack mounted component.

“8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first rack mounted component is a server.

“9. A system to improve cooling of rack mounted components, comprising: a first rack mounted component including a first motherboard, the first motherboard having a substantially rectangular shape; and a second rack mounted component disposed above the first rack mounted component; the second rack mounted component having a second motherboard having a substantially rectangular shape, wherein the second motherboard is similar to the first motherboard; wherein the second motherboard is disposed above the first motherboard, and wherein the second motherboard is angled with respect to the first motherboard so that edges of the substantially rectangular first motherboard are non-aligned with edges of the substantially rectangular second motherboard; and wherein the first motherboard is arranged horizontally in a first plane and the second mother board is arranged horizontally in a second plane that is parallel to the first plane.

“10. The system according to claim 9, further comprising a third rack mounted component disposed above the second rack mounted component; the third rack mounted component having a third motherboard having a substantially rectangular shape, wherein the third motherboard is similar to the first motherboard; wherein the third motherboard is disposed above the second motherboard, and wherein edges of the substantially rectangular third motherboard are non-aligned with edges of the substantially rectangular second motherboard; wherein the third motherboard is arranged horizontally in a third plane that is parallel to the first plane and the second plane.

“11. The system according to claim 9, further including a vertical flow fan disposed beneath the first rack mounted component.

“12. The system according to claim 9, wherein the first rack mounted component is a server.

“13. A system to improve cooling of rack mounted components, comprising: a first rack mounted component including a first motherboard, the first motherboard having a first edge; and a second rack mounted component disposed above the first rack mounted component; the second rack mounted component having a second motherboard having a first edge, wherein the second motherboard is similar to the first motherboard; wherein the second motherboard is disposed above the first motherboard, and wherein the second motherboard is angled with respect to the first motherboard so that the first edge of the second motherboard is non-aligned with the first edge of the first motherboard; and wherein a relative orientation of the second motherboard with respect to the first motherboard creates a rotating airflow pattern as cooling air rises from the first motherboard to the second motherboard.

“14. The system according to claim 13, further comprising a third rack mounted component disposed above the second rack mounted component; the third rack mounted component having a third motherboard, wherein the third motherboard is similar to the first motherboard; the third motherboard having a first edge.

“15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the third motherboard is disposed above the second motherboard, and wherein the third motherboard is angled with respect to the second motherboard so that the first edge of the third motherboard is non-aligned with the first edge of the second motherboard.

“16. The system according to claim 13, wherein the first motherboard is smaller than the first rack mounted component.

“17. The system according to claim 13, further including a vertical flow fan disposed beneath the first rack mounted component.

“18. The system according to claim 13, wherein the first rack mounted component includes an air permeable base that substantially permits vertical air flow through the first rack mounted component.

“19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the second rack mounted component includes an air permeable base that substantially permits vertical air flow through the second rack mounted component.

“20. The system according to claim 13, wherein the first rack mounted component is a server.”

URL and more information on this patent, see: Culbertson, II, William Preston. Cooling system for rack mounted electronic components. U.S. Patent Number 11310943, filed November 17, 2020, and published online on April 19, 2022. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=11310943.PN.&OS=PN/11310943RS=PN/11310943

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