Patent ID: 8139358

Claim:
An apparatus for changing a direction of a flow of air moving through an electronic equipment enclosure, the electronic equipment enclosure having a front wall, a back wall, opposing first and second sidewalls, and one or more fans that move air in a lateral direction through the electronic equipment enclosure, each of the opposing sidewalls of the electronic equipment enclosure having one or more vents through which air enters or exits the electronic equipment enclosure, the apparatus comprising: a first conduit attached externally to one of the opposing sidewalls of the electronic equipment enclosure, the first conduit having an open end, a closed end opposite the open end, and a side having one or more vents, the one or more vents in the side of the first conduit being aligned with the one or more vents in the sidewall of the electronic equipment enclosure to which the first conduit is attached, the first conduit taking air in through the open end, channeling the air in a direction substantially orthogonal to the lateral direction of the air moving through the electronic equipment enclosure, and passing the air into the electronic equipment enclosure through the aligned vents; a second conduit attached externally to the other of the opposing sidewalls of the electronic equipment enclosure, the second conduit having an open end, a closed end opposite the open end of the second conduit, and a side having one or more vents, the one or more vents in the side of the second conduit being aligned with the one or more vents in the sidewall of the electronic equipment enclosure to which the second conduit is attached, the second conduit receiving the air moved through the electronic equipment enclosure by way of the one or more vents in the side of the second conduit, channeling the air in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to the direction of the air moving through the electronic equipment enclosure, and exhausting the air through the open end of the second conduit; and a first side rail and a second side rail, each side rail having a first end and a second end, each end of each slide rail having a flange extending therefrom for mounting to a vertical rail of an equipment rack, and wherein the first conduit is integrated into the first side rail and the second conduit is integrated into the second side rail.