Patent Publication Number: US-11041509-B2

Title: Height-adjustable fan fixing structure and height adjustment method for fan module

Description:
The application is a National Phase entry of PCT Application No. PCT/CN2017/119301, filed on Dec. 28, 2017, which claims the priority to Chinese patent application No. 201710639973.3 titled “HEIGHT-ADJUSTABLE FAN FIXING STRUCTURE AND HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT METHOD FOR FAN MODULE”, filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration on Jul. 31, 2017, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
     FIELD 
     The present application relates to the technical field of fan fixing, and in particular to a height adjustable fan fixing structure and a method for adjusting the height of the fan module. 
     BACKGROUND 
     For a server and memory product, an interior of a chassis is mostly cooled by air. As a key heat dissipating component, a fan is widely used for system cooling, and heat generated by the server and the memory during operation is taken out of the chassis by convection, so as to ensure the heat dissipation and normal operation of the whole machine. Once the fan fails, the heat cannot be dissipated to the outside of the chassis in time, and the temperature of the CPU or the key component will rise, causing a shutting down risk to the system. 
     The profile specification of the fan commonly used in the server and memory product is 40 mm×40 mm, 60 mm×60 mm, 80 mm×80 mm, and 120 mm×120 mm, in which 60 mm×60 mm and 80 mm×80 mm fans are widely used in 2U, 3U, 4U products. The height position of the fan varies according to the layout of the whole machine, therefore the same type fan cannot be used in a general range of different height scenarios due to different fixing structure forms. 
     SUMMARY 
     An object of the present application is to solve the above problems. A height adjustable fan fixing structure and a method for adjusting the height of a fan module are provided, which can achieve hot-plugging and general use of the same type fan in different height scenarios. 
     The following technology solution is provided according to the present application for solving the above technology problems. 
     A height adjustable fan fixing structure is provided, which includes a fan box rear cover and a fan box front cover. The fan box rear cover and the fan box front cover are engaged to fix a fan. The structure further includes a height adjusting block, and the height adjusting block is installed on the whole structure after the fan box rear cover and the fan box front cover being connected and is adjustable, a trunking is provided at lower ends of two sides of the height adjusting block, a rotatable wire plug is provided in the trunking, and the fan box rear cover and the fan box front cover are provided with latching holes at positions corresponding to two ends of the wire plug, and the two ends of the wire plug are inserted into the latching holes. The structure further includes a connector fixing seat, and the connector fixing seat is fixed to a connector, and is installed on the fan box rear cover is adjustable. 
     Further, the fan box rear cover is provided with a buckle, the fan box front cover is provided with a slot at the position corresponding to the buckle, and the buckle is engaged to the slot for fixing. 
     Further, a damping pad is respectively provided between the fan box rear cover and the fan and between the fan box front cover and the fan, and the damping pad is made of silicone rubber. 
     Further, the periphery of the height adjusting block is provided with a right angle bending, the right angle bending is engaged with the fan box rear cover and the fan box front cover, the middle of the wire plug is of an arc shape, the two ends of the wire plug are respectively provided with a straight side, and two ends of the straight side are provided with fixing hooks perpendicular to a plane of the wire plug, and the fixing hooks are engaged with the latching holes. 
     Further, the fan box rear cover is provided with a position scale in a vertical direction. 
     Further, the height adjusting block is provided with a backflow preventing plate, an upper end of the height adjusting block is provided with a rotating shaft hole, a front end of the backflow preventing plate is provided with a rotatable shaft, and the backflow preventing plate is rotatably connected to the height adjusting block through the rotatable shaft and the rotating shaft hole. 
     Further, the fan box rear cover is provided with a fixing rail, the connector fixing seat is provided with a fixing sliding groove, the fixing rail cooperates with the fixing sliding groove, an upper end of the connector fixing seat is provided with a position stopping cantilever, the position stopping cantilever is provided with a position stopping buckle, the fixing sliding groove is provided with a position stopping slot in a vertical direction, and the position stopping buckle cooperates the position stopping slot. 
     Further, the connector fixing seat is made of nylon plus glass fiber PA66+GF material. 
     A method for adjusting the height of a fan module is provided, which utilizes the above height adjustable fan fixing structure and includes: 
     S1: loosening the wire plugs on both sides to open it; 
     S2: pulling up the height adjusting block according to the required height; 
     S3: upward buckling the wire plugs on both sides after the height adjusting block is in position; and 
     S4: disengaging the position stopping cantilever on the connector fixing seat, and adjusting the height of the connector fixing seat up and down according to the requirement. 
     Further, in step S2, the height adjusting block is adjusted according to the position scale on the fan box rear cover during the adjustment. 
     The beneficial effects of the present application are as follows. 
     1. To solve the problem that the same type fan cannot be used in a general range of different height scenarios due to different fixing structure forms, a height adjusting block is provided according to the present application, which is installed on the whole structure after the fan box rear cover and the fan box front cover being connected and is adjustable. Through the design of the height adjustable hot-plugging fan fixing structure, the operability and the interchangeability of the fan maintenance is increased, the disassembly and assembly are more convenient, and the product maintainability is improved; spare parts are unified, the types of the spare parts are reduced, the cost of opening mold of similar fan boxes is saved, and the competitiveness of the whole machine is improved. 
     2. In order to achieve the tool-free operation, the trunking is provided at lower ends of the two sides of the height adjusting block, the rotatable wire plug is provided in the trunking, and the fan box rear cover and the fan box front cover are provided with latching holes at positions corresponding to both ends of the wire plug, and the both ends of the wire plug are inserted into the latching holes to achieve screwless and tool-free adjustment, and the operation process is simple. 
     3. In order to achieve the damping effect, the damping pad is respectively provided between the fan box rear cover and the fan and between the fan box front cover and the fan, and the damping pad is made of silicone rubber. The damping pad can damp the fan to reduce the effects of fan vibration on the system. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic structural view according to the present application; 
         FIG. 2  is a left side view according to the present application; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view showing the structure of a fan box rear cover according to the present application; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view showing the structure of a fan box front cover according to the present application; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view showing the structure of a fan according to the present application; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view showing the structure of a damping pad according to the present application; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view showing the structure of a height adjusting block according to the present application; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view showing the assembly of a height adjusting block according to the present application; 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic view showing the structure of a wire plug according to the present application; 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic view showing the structure of a connector fixing seat according to the present application; 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic view showing the structure of a backflow preventing plate according to the present application; and 
         FIG. 12  is a flow chart of a method for adjusting the height of a fan module according to the present application. 
         FIG. 13  is a partial enlarged view showing structures of a trunking and a wire plug according to the present application. 
     
    
    
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Reference Numerals: 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 1 
                 fan box rear cover, 
                 2 
                 fan box front cover, 
               
               
                 3 
                 height adjusting block, 
                 4 
                 fan, 
               
               
                 5 
                 buckle, 
                 6 
                 slot, 
               
               
                 7 
                 trunking, 
                 8 
                 wire plug, 
               
               
                 81 
                 straight side, 
                 82 
                 fixing hook, 
               
               
                 9 
                 latching hole, 
                 10 
                 fan fixing hole, 
               
               
                 11 
                 connector fixing seat, 
                 12 
                 connector, 
               
               
                 13 
                 damping pad, 
                 14 
                 connecting hole, 
               
               
                 15 
                 right angle bending, 
                 16 
                 position scale, 
               
               
                 17 
                 backflow preventing plate, 
                 18 
                 rotating hole, 
               
               
                 19 
                 rotatable shaft, 
                 20 
                 fixing rail, 
               
               
                 21 
                 fixing sliding groove, 
                 22 
                 position stopping cantilever, 
               
               
                 23 
                 position stopping buckle, 
                 24 
                 position stopping slot 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 11 , a height adjustable fan fixing structure is provided, which includes a fan box rear cover  1 , a fan box front cover  2 , the fan box rear cover  1  and the fan box front cover  2  are engaged to fix a fan  4 . The structure further includes a height adjusting block  3 , and the height adjusting block  3  is installed on the whole structure after the fan box rear cover  1  and the fan box front cover  2  being connected and is adjustable, a trunking  7  is provided at a lower end of each side of two sides of the height adjusting block  3 , a rotatable wire plug  8  is provided in the trunking  7  (as show in  FIG. 13 ), and the fan box rear cover  1  and the fan box front cover  2  are provided with latching holes  9  at positions corresponding to both ends of the wire plug  8 , and the both ends of the wire plug  8  are inserted into the latching holes  9 . The structure further includes a connector fixing seat  11 , and the connector fixing seat  11  is fixed to a connector  12 , and is installed on the fan box rear cover  1  and is adjustable. 
     The fan box rear cover  1  is provided with a buckle  5 , the fan box front cover  2  is provided with a slot  6  at a position corresponding to the buckle  5 , and the buckle  5  is engaged to the slot  6  for fixing. The fan box front cover  2  and the fan box rear cover  1  are connected by the engagement of the buckle  5  and the slot  6 , which is convenient for connection. The fan  4  is located between the fan box front cover  2  and the fan box rear cover  1  to limit the fan  4  in a horizontal direction; the fan box rear cover  1  and the fan box front cover  2  are made of engineering plastic PC+ABS. 
     A damping pad  13  is respectively provided between the fan box rear cover  1  and the fan  4  and between the fan box front cover  2  and the fan  4 , and the damping pad  13  is made of silicone rubber. The four corners at two sides of the fan  4  are provided with connecting holes  14 , and eight connecting holes  14  are provided. The fan box rear cover  1  and the fan box front cover  2  are provided with fan fixing holes  10  at positions corresponding to the connecting holes  14  provided at the four corners of the fan  4 . Eight damping pads  13  are provided. The eight damping pads  13  respectively pass through the fan fixing holes  10  on the fan box rear cover  1  and the fan box front cover  2 , and the connecting holes  14  at the four corners of the fan  4 . The damping pads  13  can damp the fan  4  to reduce the effects of vibration of the fan  4  on the system; the damping pads  13  position the fan  4  in the vertical direction. 
     The periphery of the height adjusting block  3  is provided with a right angle bending  15 , the right angle bending  15  is engaged with the fan box rear cover  1  and the fan box front cover  2 . The right angle bending  15  is engaged with four vertical sides of the whole formed by the connection of the fan box rear cover  1  and the fan box front cover  2 . A middle of the wire plug  8  is of an arc shape, two ends of the wire plug  8  are respectively provided with a straight side  81 , and two ends of the straight side  81  are provided with fixing hooks  82  perpendicular to a plane of the wire plug  8 , and the fixing hooks  82  are engaged with the latching holes  9 . When the height adjusting block  3  is required to be adjusted, the middle arc portion of the wire plug  8  is pulled. At this time, the straight sides  81  at the two ends of the wire plug  8  are rotated in the trunking  7 , and the fixing hooks  82  are protruded from the latching holes  9 , and then the height adjusting block  3  is adjusted to a suitable position, and the wire plug  8  is rotated to make the fixing hooks  82  engage with the latching holes  9  to latch the height adjusting block  3 , which achieves tool-free operation and is simple and convenient, and the latching is firm. The height adjusting block  3  can be made of engineering plastic PC+ABS. 
     The fan box rear cover  1  is provided with a position scale  16  in a vertical direction. During the adjustment of the position of the height adjusting block  3 , the position scale  16  can serve as a reference, making the position adjustment more accurate. 
     The height adjusting block  3  is provided with a backflow preventing plate  17 , an upper end of the height adjusting block  3  is provided with a rotating hole  18 , a front end of the backflow preventing plate  17  is provided with a rotatable shaft  19 , and the backflow preventing plate  17  is rotatably connected to the height adjusting block  3  through the rotatable shaft  19  and the rotating shaft hole  18 . When the height adjusting block  3  is pulled up, the backflow preventing plate  17  is rotated and opened by gravity to block the blank area above the fan  4 , and the backflow of the airflow is blocked to prevent heat from backflowing due to the pulling up of the height adjusting block  3 , which affects heat dissipation. The backflow preventing plate  17  may be made of engineering plastic PC+ABS. 
     The fan box rear cover  1  is provided with a fixing rail  20 , the connector fixing seat  11  is provided with a fixing sliding groove  21 , the fixing rail  20  is engaged with the fixing sliding groove  21 , an upper end of the connector fixing seat  11  is provided with a position stopping cantilever  22 , the position stopping cantilever  22  is provided with a position stopping buckle  23 , the fixing sliding groove  21  is provided with a position stopping slot  24  in the vertical direction, and the position stopping buckle  23  is engaged with the position stopping slot  24 . 
     The connector fixing seat  11  is made of nylon plus glass fiber PA66+GF. 
     As shown in  FIG. 12 , a method for adjusting the height of a fan module, which utilizes the above height adjustable fan fixing structure and includes: 
     S1: loosening the wire plugs  8  on both sides to open it, in which the wire plugs  8  on the left and right side is rotated outward and disengaged; 
     S2: pulling up the height adjusting block  3  according to the required height; 
     S3: upward buckling the wire plugs  8  on both sides after the height adjusting block  3  is in position, in which the height adjusting block  3  is aligned with the fan box and slide in from top to bottom, after the height adjusting block  3  reaches the required height, the wire plugs  8  on the left and right side are buckled, and as a spare part, the height adjustable hot-plugging fan module can be quickly replaced to chassis of different height application scenarios; 
     S4: disengaging the position stopping cantilever  22  on the connector fixing seat  11 , and adjusting the height of the connector fixing seat  11  up and down according to the requirement, wherein after the adjustment is completed, the position stopping cantilever  22  is released, so that the position stopping buckle  23  is engaged with the position stopping slot  24 . 
     In step S2, the height adjusting block is adjusted according to the position scale  16  on the fan box rear cover  1  during the adjustment. 
     The installation process of the fan module is: the eight damping pads  13  are installed into the fan fixing hole  10 . The fan box front cover  2  and the fan box rear cover  1  are fastened by four buckles  5  to fix the fan  4 . The connector fixing seat  11  slides into the fixing rail  20  on the fan box rear cover  1  after alignment, and installation is completed. The height can be adjusted according to the configuration by disengaging the position stopping cantilever  22 . The fan connector  12  is pushed into the connector fixing seat  11 . The wire plug  8  and the backflow preventing plate  17  are assembled to the height adjusting block  3  and the wire plugs  8  on the left and right side are rotated outward and disengaged. The height adjusting block  3  slides in from top to bottom the fan box after alignment, and the wire plugs  8  on the left and right side are fastened after the height adjusting block  3  reaching the required height. 
     The embodiments of the present disclosure are described above in conjunction with the drawings. However, the embodiments are not intended to limit the present disclosure, and various modifications or variations made by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure.