Patent ID: 7016194

Claim:
An embedded computer chassis, comprising: a plurality of outer surfaces comprising a rear surface, a top surface, a first side surface and a second side surface, wherein the rear surface is substantially perpendicular to the first side surface and the second side surface, and wherein the top surface is substantially perpendicular to the rear surface; a module portion, comprising: a backplane disposed substantially vertically within the embedded computer chassis, wherein the backplane is substantially parallel to the rear surface; a front module coupled to a front portion of the backplane, wherein the front module is substantially horizontally disposed; a rear module coupled to a rear portion of the backplane, wherein the rear module is substantially horizontally disposed; and a separation plate horizontally disposed between the front module and the top surface; a first interspace region defined by the module portion, the first side surface and the rear surface, wherein the first interspace region comprises a front surface substantially perpendicular to the top surface; a second interspace region defined by the top surface and the separation plate, wherein the second interspace region comprises an upper front surface substantially perpendicular to the top surface and substantially parallel to the front surface, wherein a cooling air mass is drawn into the embedded computer chassis through the front surface and the upper front surface in a direction substantially perpendicular to the front surface and the upper front surface; and a third interspace region defined by the module portion, the second side surface and the rear surface, wherein the third interspace region is coupled to receive a first portion of the cooling air mass, and wherein the cooling air mass exhausts from the embedded computer chassis through the rear surface in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rear surface.