The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 06, 1999
Filed:
Mar. 31, 1998
Julie T Pettit, Colorado Springs, CO (US);
Theodore Ernst Bruning, III, Colorado Springs, CO (US);
Robert Ducharme, Colorado Springs, CO (US);
Michael K Ferris, Colorado Springs, CO (US);
Eugene McNany, Colorado Springs, CO (US);
Digital Equipment Corporation, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
In a multiblower system for cooling electronic components, each blower has a backflow preventor. The backflow preventor has two pieces of flexible material and a screen attached to the intake side of the blower assembly. Each of the pieces of flexible material is scored through to form a petaled opening through which air may pass. The scores on one of the pieces of flexible material are out of alignment with the scores on the other piece when assembled together in the blower assembly. When the blower is running, the petals in the pieces of flexible material open to allow air to pass through the blower assembly. When the blower is stopped, the petals are closed against the screen due to the pressure differential between the inside of the enclosure and the outside of the enclosure caused by the effect of the draw of the other blowers in the system. The non-aligned scores on the two pieces of flexible material causes a seal to be formed through which air may not pass back into the enclosure through the stopped blower. In addition, the flexible material acts as a damper between the blower assembly and the electronics enclosure. Further, the petaled opening of the backflow preventor directs air more toward the center of the blower creating a laminar airflow, reducing the turbulence of the air as it is removed from the enclosure.