Patent Document

BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to server racks, and particularly to a server rack with effective heat dissipation and an electronic system incorporating the server rack. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A server center generally includes a server rack and a plurality of servers stacked in the server rack. When the servers are working, they generate a large amount of heat, and therefore effective heat dissipation is necessary. 
     Cooling fans are generally provided to cool the server center. Airflow generated by the fans flows through the servers, and is expelled to an outer environment, whereby heat generated by the servers is dissipated. However, sometimes some of the servers are not working, and the airflow generated by the fans still flows through these servers. This wastes energy. 
     What is needed, therefore, is a server rack which can overcome the above-described problems. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present embodiment(s) can be better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiment(s). Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an assembled, isometric view of a server rack in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the server rack of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but showing covers of the server rack rotated to positions where they are attached to a left board of the server rack. 
         FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 3 , but showing one of the covers rotated to a position where it is attached to a front board of the server rack. 
         FIG. 5  shows a schematic side cross-sectional view of airflow passing through the server rack of  FIG. 4 , wherein a plurality of servers are received in the server rack except for a top portion of the server rack. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the  FIGS. 1 and 5 , a server rack  100  in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure is shown. The server rack  100  comprises a cuboid box  10 , a plurality of pivoting members (or hinge members)  20  pivotally connected to the box  10 , and a plurality of covers respectively 30 fixed to the pivoting members  20 . 
     The box  10  defines a cavity  15  therein, and the cavity  15  is divided into a plurality of receiving rooms  151 . A server  200  can be correspondingly received in one receiving room  151 . The box  10  has four upright lateral boards, i.e., a left board  11 , a right board  12 , a front board  13 , and a back board  14 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2  also, a plurality of engaging portions  111  extending outwardly from a lateral side of the box  10 . In the illustrated embodiment, the engaging portions  111  are in the form of knuckles, and extend outwardly from the left board  11 . The engaging portions  111  are located close to a junction of the left board  11  and the front board  13 . The engaging portions  111  are spaced from and aligned with each other. In this embodiment of the disclosure, there are five engaging portions  111 . The engaging portions  111  are arranged evenly from a top end to a bottom end of the box  10 . A vertical axial hole  112  is defined at a center of each engaging portion  111 . The axial holes  112  of the engaging portion  111  are all coaxial with one another. 
     A plurality of first through holes  130  are defined in the front board  13 . The first though holes  130  are spaced from each other and arranged evenly in a matrix across substantially an entire expanse of the front board  13 . A plurality of second through holes  140  are defined in the back board  14 . The second though holes  140  are spaced from each other and arranged evenly in a matrix across substantially an entire expanse of the back board  14 . The first and second through holes  130 ,  140  communicate the receiving rooms  151  of the box  10  with the outer environment. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4  also, each of the pivoting members  20  comprises a main body  21 , and two posts  22  extending outwardly from two opposite top and bottom faces of the main body  21  respectively. The posts  22  are located adjacent a lateral side of the main body  21 . Two fixing holes  24  are defined in the top and bottom faces of the main body  21  respectively, adjacent to an opposite lateral side of the main body  21 . The two posts  22  of the pivoting member  20  are inserted into two axial holes  112  of two corresponding adjacent engaging portions  111  of the box  10  respectively, whereby the pivoting member  20  is pivotally connected to the box  10  and rotatable about the engaging portions  111 . The pivoting members  20  can be rotated relative to the box  10  from the left board  11  to the front board  13 . In this embodiment of the disclosure, each two adjacent pivoting members  20  share a corresponding engaging portion  111  therebetween, so that there are four pivoting members  20  engaging with the five engaging portions  111 . 
     Each of the covers  30  comprises a rectangular plate  31 , two protruding blocks  32  respectively protruding outwardly from a lateral side of the plate  31 , and two protruding poles (or posts)  33  extending inwardly toward each other from inner lateral faces of the protruding blocks  32 , respectively. The two protruding blocks  32  are located at two opposite top and bottom ends of the lateral side of the plate  31 . The protruding blocks  32  are parallel to each other, have a same thickness as the plate  31 , and are substantially coplanar with the plate  31 . A distance between the two protruding blocks  32  is substantially equal to a length of the main body  21  of the pivoting member  20 . The protruding poles  33  are coaxial with each other. 
     Each of the covers  30  is engaged with a corresponding pivoting member  20 . In particular, the main body  21  is sandwiched between the two protruding blocks  32  of the cover  30 , and the two protruding poles  33  are inserted into the two fixing holes  24  of the main body  21 , whereby the cover  30  is fixed to the pivoting member  20 . Thus, the covers  30  can be rotated relative to the engaging portions  111  of the box  10  via the pivoting members  20 . In this embodiment of the disclosure, there are four covers  30  engaging with the four pivoting members  20  respectively. A width of each cover  30  is equal to that of the front board  13  of the box  10 , and a total height of the covers  30  is substantially equal to a height of the front board  13 , whereby when all of the covers  30  are rotated to be attached to the front board  13 , the first through holes  130  are covered by the covers  30 , in more detail, each of the covers  30  is used for being operated to cover corresponding part of the first through holes  130  of the box  10 . 
     The server rack  100  can be further provided with an air conditioner  40  adapted for providing cool airflow towards the box  10 , and a plurality of exhaust fans  201  correspondingly disposed in the receiving rooms  151  of the box  10 . In use, the airflow passes through the first through holes  130  of the front board  13 , then through the receiving rooms  151  in which the servers  200  are received, and finally through the second through holes  140  of the back board  14  to the outer environment. Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5  again, when some of the servers  200  are not working and/or when some of the receiving rooms are empty without servers  200  disposed therein, one or more of the covers  30  corresponding thereto can be rotated to be attached to the front board  13 . Thereby, the corresponding first holes  130  are covered by the cover(s)  30 , so as to bar (block) airflow from entering the corresponding receiving rooms  151 . As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a top portion of the cavity  15  have no servers  200  mounted therein, and thus a topmost cover  30  is rotated to overlap a top portion of the front board  13  corresponding to the top portion of the cavity  15 , thereby barring (blocking) airflow from entering the top portion of the cavity  15 . Accordingly, the airflow can be more efficiently utilized, and the heat dissipation efficiency of the server rack  100  is thus enhanced. 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiment(s) have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiment(s), the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and 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.

Technology Category: h