Abstract:
A server cabinet includes a housing configured to hold plural servers therein, and a ventilation system provided at an open side of the housing. The ventilation system includes an air supply conduit through which airflow can enter other parts of the ventilation system, an air distribution conduit in communication with the air supply conduit, and plural air exhaust conduits. Each of the air exhaust conduits is rotatably connected to and communicates with the air distribution conduit. Each air exhaust conduit defines an air outlet therein. The air exhaust conduit is rotatable with respect to an axis of the air distribution conduit in order that the air exhaust conduit can directly face a corresponding server, and the air exhaust conduit is also rotatable about its own axis in order that the air outlet can directly face the corresponding server.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The disclosure generally relates to server cabinets, and more particularly to a server cabinet with a ventilation system. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    For unified management, many servers can be arranged in a single cabinet. It is well known that the servers in such an arrangement may generate a considerable amount of heat during operation, particularly when they densely occupy the cabinet space. If the heat is not efficiently removed, the servers may suffer damage. Thus, heat dissipation for the cabinet is very important. 
         [0005]    What is needed, therefore, is a server cabinet which can overcome the described limitations. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the various views, and all the views are schematic. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is an assembled, isometric view of a server cabinet in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  shows a server being installed in or removed from the server cabinet of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of part of a ventilation system of the server cabinet shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein air exhaust conduits of the ventilation system are rotated to an open position. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 3 , but showing the part of the ventilation system viewed from another aspect. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the part of the ventilation system shown in  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a server cabinet in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure is shown. The server cabinet includes a housing  10 , a plurality of pairs of rails  20  fixed in the housing  10 , a plurality of servers  30  mounted on the rails  20 , a system fan (not shown) received in the housing  10 , and a ventilation system  40  for guiding airflow toward the servers  30 . 
         [0013]    The housing  10  has an open front side. The housing  10  is configured according to the number of servers  30  to be received in the housing  10 . In this embodiment, there are two columns of servers  30  received in the housing  10 , with each of the columns including forty-two stacked servers  30 . Each of the servers  30  has a standard rectangular outline, and is movably mounted on a pair of corresponding rails  20 . 
         [0014]    The ventilation system  40  is arranged at the open side of the housing  10 . The ventilation system  40  includes an air supply conduit  50 , a plurality of air distribution conduits  60  in communication with the air supply conduit  50 , a plurality of air exhaust conduits  70 , and a plurality of connecting members  80  interconnecting the air exhaust conduits  70  and the air distribution conduits  60 , respectively. 
         [0015]    The air supply conduit  50  is horizontally disposed at a top end of the open side of the housing  10 . In this embodiment, a length of the air supply conduit  50  substantially equals a width of the housing  10 . The air supply conduit  50  has an open end, here its left end as shown in  FIG. 2 , and a closed end, here its right end as shown in  FIG. 2 . Alternatively, the air supply conduit  50  can have two open ends, whereby outside cool airflow can enter the air supply conduit  50  rapidly. 
         [0016]    The air distribution conduits  60  are parallel to and spaced from each other. Each of the air distribution conduits  60  corresponds to and is disposed at a lateral side of one column of the servers  30 . In this embodiment, there are two air distribution conduits  60 , which depend from a central portion and the right end of the air supply conduit  50 , respectively. A distance between the air distribution conduits  60  substantially equals a width of each server  30 . In this embodiment, each air distribution conduit  60  is disposed at a right lateral side of the corresponding column of the servers  30 . Each air distribution conduit  60  has a closed bottom end, and an open top end in communication with the air supply conduit  50  via a conduit joint  90 . Referring to  FIGS. 3 to 5 , each air distribution conduit  60  defines two symmetrical columns of through holes  62  on opposite sides thereof, respectively. The number of through holes  62  in each column is the same as the number of servers  30  located adjacent to that column The through holes  62  are arranged in line parallel to an axis of the air distribution conduit  60 , and are evenly spaced apart from each other. A distance between two adjacent through holes  62  in each column substantially equals a height of each server  30 . In this embodiment, forty-two through holes  62  are defined in each column. Each through hole  62  is in the shape of an ellipse with flattened long sides. 
         [0017]    The air exhaust conduits  70  are parallel to and spaced from each other. Each of the air exhaust conduits  70  is in communication with a corresponding air distribution conduit  60 . Each air exhaust conduit  70  corresponds to one server  30 . In this embodiment, two columns (or stacks) of the air exhaust conduits  70  each comprise forty-two air exhaust conduits  70 . Each air exhaust conduit  70  includes an open connecting end  72  connected to the air distribution conduit  60 , and an opposite free end  74  closed by a seal  78 . The connecting end  72  includes two axial slots  720  defined therein, and an annular flange  722  formed on an inner surface thereof. Each air exhaust conduit  70  is slightly shorter than the width of each server  30 . Each air exhaust conduit  70  defines a plurality of axial air outlets  76  therein facing a corresponding server  30 . In the illustrated embodiment, the axial air outlets  76  are slots, and are aligned with and evenly spaced from each other. 
         [0018]    Each of the connecting members  80  includes a sleeve  82 , and a branch conduit  84  extending from one side of the sleeve  82 . An inner diameter of the sleeve  84  substantially equals an outer diameter of each air distribution conduit  60 . The sleeve  82  defines a connecting hole  820  in a joint of the sleeve  82  and the branch conduit  84 , for communicating the sleeve  82  with the branch conduit  84 . An outer diameter of the branch conduit  84  substantially equals an inner diameter of each air exhaust conduit  70 . The branch conduit  84  defines an annular groove  840  in an outer surface thereof adjacent to the sleeve  82 , for receiving the flange  722  of a corresponding air exhaust conduit  70  therein. 
         [0019]    During assembly of the server cabinet, the connecting members  80  are successively disposed around each air distribution conduit  60 , with each connecting member  80  corresponding to two respective opposite through holes  62  of the air distribution conduit  60 . The connecting end  72  of each air exhaust conduit  70  is disposed around the branch conduit  84  of a corresponding connecting member  80 , with the flange  722  of the air exhaust conduit  70  engaged in the groove  840  of the corresponding connecting member  80 . At this time, the connecting end  72  of the air exhaust conduit  70  splays somewhat due to the slots  720  defined in the connecting end  72 . Each air exhaust conduit  70  can rotate about its own axis when manipulated by a user, to position the air outlets  76  of the air exhaust conduit  70  to face the corresponding server  30 . In addition, each air exhaust conduit  70  in unison with the corresponding connecting member  80  can rotate about an axis of the air distribution conduit  60  when manipulated by a user, to adjust a position of the connecting hole  820  of the corresponding connecting member  80 . This adjustment ensures that the connecting hole  820  of the connecting member  80  aligns with a corresponding one of the through holes  62  of the air distribution conduit  60 . 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 5 , the through holes  62  of each air distribution conduit  60  are located at the opposite sides of the air distribution conduit  60 . The branch conduit  84  of each connecting member  80  and the corresponding air exhaust conduit  70  are disposed at the left side of the corresponding air distribution conduit  60 . When all the branch conduits  84  and air exhaust conduits  70  are arranged in this way, the air exhaust conduits  70  are arranged in the two columns In each column, the air exhaust conduits  70  are parallel to and spaced from each other, and correspond one-to-one to the respective column of servers  30 . The air outlets  76  of each air exhaust conduit  70  face the corresponding server  30 . The connecting hole  820  of each connecting member  80  communicates with the left through hole  62  of the corresponding air distribution conduit  60 , and the right through hole  62  of the corresponding air distribution conduit  60  is sealed by the connecting member  80 . 
         [0021]    During operation of the server cabinet, cool airflow is drawn into the air supply conduit  50  by the system fan in the housing  10 , distributed to the air exhaust conduits  70  through the air distribution conduits  60 , and then toward corresponding servers  30  through the air outlets  76  of the air exhaust conduits  70  to dissipate excess heat generated by the servers  30 . In addition, referring to  FIG. 2 , when one of the servers  30  is to be installed or removed, the corresponding air exhaust conduit  70  in unison with the corresponding connecting member  80  can be rotated with respect to the corresponding air distribution conduits  60  to an open position. This allows a considerably simplified process for installation or removal of the server  30 . 
         [0022]    Furthermore, any of the air exhaust conduits  70  connected with the left-side air distribution conduit  60  can be rotated in unison with the corresponding connecting member  80  180° (degrees) to a position at the right side of the air distribution conduit  60 . When the air exhaust conduit  70  reaches such position, the corresponding right through hole  62  of the air distribution conduit  60  communicates with the connecting hole  820  of the connecting member  80 , and the left through hole  62  of the air distribution conduit  60  is sealed by the connecting member  80 . At this time, if a server  30  is disposed at the right side of the air distribution conduit  60  in alignment with the air exhaust conduit  70 , the air exhaust conduit  70  can be rotated about its own axis until the air outlets  76  of the air exhaust conduit  70  face the server  30 , thereby providing heat dissipation for the server  30 . 
         [0023]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.