Patent ID: 8116082

Claim:
A fan tray for a network element that is installable and removable from the front and back of a network element, wherein the network element includes a housing that forms a tunnel running between the front and back of the network element to create an installation plane, wherein there is an installable position in the tunnel along the installation plane for the fan tray, the fan tray comprising: one or more fans in a housing to provide cooling for the network element; an engagement rod with ends that protrude out a front and back of the housing, wherein the engagement rod is within the installation plane when the fan tray is installed; a first engagement lever at one end of the engagement rod and a second engagement lever at an opposite end of the engagement rod, the first and second engagement levers are movable between an unlocked and locked position, and wherein movement of the first and second engagement levers is tied together; a gearing mechanism coupled to the engagement rod to translate rotational force, to be applied to the engagement levers to move between the unlocked and locked position, into linear force to extend and withdraw a backplane connector assembly coupled to the gearing mechanism; and the backplane connector assembly including a backplane connector to engage and disengage with a fan tray connector of a backplane of the network element in a plane perpendicular to the installation plane of the fan tray according to movement of the engagement levers, the backplane connector to engage and disengage with the fan tray connector responsive to the engagement levers respectively moving to the locked and unlocked position while the fan tray is in the installable position, whereby the fan tray is installable and removable from the front and back of the network element.