Patent Publication Number: US-2011053485-A1

Title: Server rack with baffle device

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to server racks and, particularly, to a server rack with a baffle device. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Generally, server racks define a number of receiving spaces for receiving a number of modules. A server rack defines an air inlet and a module entry. The air inlet is communicated with the receiving spaces for introducing airflow to cool the modules when the modules are operating. Additionally, two baffles are mounted on opposite sidewalls of a receiving space, close to the module entry by torsion springs. When no module is received in the receiving space, the two baffles are abutted by the torque force of the torsion springs to cover the module entry. When a module is inserted into the receiving space through the module entry, the module overcomes the torque force of the torsion springs to separate the two baffles. However, when the module is removed from the corresponding receiving space, airflow for cooling the server rack will overcome the torque force and flow out of the server rack from the module entry instead of flowing to cool other modules received in other receiving spaces of the server rack. 
     Therefore, it is desirable to provide a server rack with a baffle device which can overcome or at least alleviate the above-mentioned problem. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a server rack used for receiving a number of modules according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the server rack  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of the section III, shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 2 , but showing the section III of  FIG. 2  from another angle. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view showing a module is received in the server rack of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of the disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-2  and  5 , a server rack  10  used for receiving modules  20  according to an exemplary embodiment includes a body  110  and a baffle device  120 . The server rack  10  defines an opening (not shown) for introducing airflow into the server rack  10  to cool any modules  20  received in the server rack  10 . 
     The body  110  includes two parallel side plates  112  and a clapboard  114 . The clapboard  114  is disposed between the two side plates  112  and substantially perpendicular to the two side plates  112 . The clapboard  114  separates the body  110  into two receiving spaces  116 . Each receiving space  116  includes a module entry  116   a , an air inlet  116   b , and two sidewalls  116   c . The module entry  116   a  is opposite to the air inlet  116   b . The air inlet  116   b  is communicated with the opening for introducing airflow to cool the modules  20 . The two sidewalls  116   c  are formed on the inner sidewalls of the two side plates  112  oppositely. The clapboard  114  defines two first through holes  114   a  (see  FIG. 3 ) close to the two side plates  112  correspondingly. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a curtain board  118  extends from the top of each sidewall  116   c  toward the receiving space  116 . The curtain board  118  defines a second through hole  118   a  opposite to the corresponding first through hole  114   a.    
     Referring back to  FIGS. 1-2 , the baffle device  120  is received in the receiving space  116 . The baffle device  120  includes two resisting assemblies  122  installed on the two sidewalls  116   c  of the receiving space  116  oppositely. Each resisting assembly  122  includes a baffle  122   a , a shaft  122   b , and a torsion spring  122   c.    
     Referring together to  FIG. 3 , each baffle  122   a  includes a main body  124 , a securing portion  126 , and a latching portion  128 . The main body  124  is substantially rectangular. The securing portion  126  and the latching portion  128  are disposed on opposite ends of the main body  124 . The securing portion  126  includes two securing blocks  126   a  spaced from each other and rotatably secured to each corresponding sidewall  116   c  by the shaft  122   b . Each securing block  126   a  defines a third through hole  126   b  for receiving the shaft  122   b . The latching portion  128  includes two latching blocks  128   b  spaced from each other. A latching groove  128   c  is formed between the two latching blocks  128   b . The latching portions  128  of the two baffles  122   a  are complementary in structure. That is, the latching blocks  128   b  of one latching portion  128  are staggered relative to the latching blocks  128   b  of the other latching portion  128 . Additionally, a total length of the two baffles  122   a  is a little longer than the width of the receiving space  116 , thereby, the two latching portions  128  abutted each other when the two baffles  122   a  are installed in the receiving space  116  oppositely. When the two latching portions  128  abut, one latching block  128   b  of each latching portion  128  is latched into the latching groove  128   c  of the other latching portion  128 . 
     The torsion spring  122   c  includes two coil portions  122   d  and a resisting portion  122   f . The two coil portions  122   d  are spaced from each other. The resisting portion  122   f  is connected to the two coil portions  122   d.    
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , to install the resisting assembly  122  to the receiving space  116 , firstly the shaft  122   b  is inserted into the second through hole  118   a , the third through hole  126   b , the coil portion  122   d , and the first through hole  114   a  in turn to allow the baffle  122   a  to be secured rotatablely on the sidewall  116   c . The coil portions  122   d  abut against the sidewalls  116   c , and the two baffles  122   a  are pushed to rotate around the shaft  122   b  toward the module entry  116   a  under the torque force generated by the resisting portion  122   f , thus, the latching portions  128  of the two baffles  122   a  are latched together, facing the air inlet  116   b  to prevent the two baffles  122   a  from being opened by the airflow from the air inlet  116   b.    
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , when the module  20  is inserted into the receiving space  116  via the module entry  116   a , the module  20  drives the two baffles  122   a  to overcome the torque force generated by the resisting portion  122   f . The two baffles  122   a  rotate around the shafts  122   b  and the two baffles  122   a  are unlatched from each other. The module  20  is finally fixed between the two baffles  122   a  in the receiving space  116 . When the module  20  is removed from the receiving space  116  via the module entry  116   a , the two baffles  122   a  rotate back under the restoring force generated by the torsion spring  122   c , until the two baffles  122   a  are latched together again. 
     To make the baffles  122   a  firmly latch to each other after the module  20  is removed, each resisting assembly  122  may further includes a restricting member  129 . The restricting member  129  is formed on the corresponding sidewall  116   c  and positioned beside the corresponding shaft  122   b . The restricting member  129  resists the securing block  126   a  of the corresponding baffle  122   a  to limit a rotation range of the baffle  122   a  toward the module entry  116   a , so as to prevent the two baffles  122   a  from being detached by air introduced from the air inlet  116   b.    
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the 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 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.