Patent ID: 8087979
Filing Date: 2012-01-03
Classification: H05K

Abstract:
1. An enclosure for containing electronic equipment that produces heat during operation, the enclosure comprising: a housing including a front panel and a back panel opposite to the front panel, a first side panel defining a side of the housing and a second side panel opposite to the first side panel defining an opposite side of the housing, and a top panel and a bottom panel opposite to the top panel, the housing defining an interior chamber; the housing further defining at least one air opening defined along the front panel to intake cooling air external to the enclosure; the housing further defining a front air intake plenum defined between the front panel and one or more equipment components mounted within the interior chamber, the front air intake plenum being disposed in direct fluid communication with the at least one air intake opening; the housing further defining a first side air plenum defined between one of the first side panel and the second side panel and one or more equipment components contained within the interior chamber, the first side air plenum being disposed in direct fluid communication with the front air intake plenum, the first side air intake plenum having a plurality of openings formed therein in communication with air inlets of one or more equipment components contained within the interior chamber to deliver cooling air from the first side air plenum to the one or more equipment components; and a second side air plenum defined between the other of the first side panel and the second side panel and one or more equipment components contained within the interior chamber, the second side air plenum having a plurality of openings formed therein in communication with air outlets of the one or more equipment components to exhaust fluid from the one or more equipment components to the second side air plenum; and, a rear air plenum in fluid communication with at least the second side air plenum for receiving said fluid from the second side air plenum, wherein the first and second side air plenums cooperate to promote fluid flow across the one or more equipment components to achieve cooling by side-to-side airflow and wherein the cooling air received through the first air intake plenum is exhausted through the rear plenum.