An electronics module includes a housing with: (i) a forced convection chamber including an internal forced convection space; and, (ii) a passive chamber including an internal passive space that is separated from the forced convection space. At least one fan is connected to the housing and adapted to induce forced convection airflow in the forced convection space. A heat sink is connected to the housing and includes: (i) a heat input portion exposed to the passive space; and, (ii) a heat output portion exposed to the forced convection space. A circuit board assembly is located in the passive space and includes at least one electronic component that is thermally engaged with the heat input portion of the heat sink. A clamping plate is secured to the heat sink and captures the circuit board to the heat sink. The circuit board is isolated from the fan-induced forced convection airflow.

A device includes a fan and a processor coupled to the fan. The processor includes a system management unit configured to detect abnormal operation of the fan in response to a speed of the fan satisfying one or more conditions. When the system management unit detects abnormal operation of the fan, the system management unit reduces one or more protection temperatures including a throttling temperature and a shut-off temperature.

Method and system for providing cooling to an electronics enclosure that includes redundant cooling in the event of a failure of a cooling fan. The system includes an enclosure configured to support electrical components and a fan chassis. The system also includes a plurality of cooling fans coupled to the fan chassis. Each of the plurality of cooling fans is rotatable relative to the fan chassis between a first orientation in which the fans are operable to direct air into the enclosure and a second orientation. Spacing between adjacent cooling fans is less when the second cooling fan is in the second orientation than when the second cooling fan is in the first orientation. A third one of the plurality of cooling fans automatically rotates from the second orientation to the first orientation upon the second cooling fan moving to the second orientation.

A separated back plane design within a server rack is provided which allows for the hot-swapping of a control module board. The separated back plane design consists of a base plane board and a control module board which connects to the base plane board. The base plane board can draw power from a power supply and can connect a number of electrical components which are not significantly susceptible to damage or failure. The control module board can consist of a number of other electrical components, which are susceptible to damage or failure. The control module board connects to the base plane board, and can be removed during failure of the control module board. When the control module board is removed from the base plane board, the base plane board and its functions continue to operate, and power need not be shut off in order to replace the control module board.

A system which provides redundant cooling of heat generating components within an electronic system with a single row of fans out the use of counter-rotational fans or multiple rows of fan by displacing failed fans in orthogonal directions. The system includes a fan track that has an orthogonal portion and at least one parallel portion. A failed or failing fan is moved from the orthogonal portion of the fan track to the parallel portion of the fan track. A bank of fans are each upon the orthogonal portion of the track. Each fan in the bank of fans acts upon air to produce an airflow. The bank of fans includes a moved fan at least partially filling a void upon the orthogonal portion of the fan track that is created when the failed or failing fan was moved from the orthogonal portion of the fan track to the parallel portion of the fan track.

An electronics module includes a housing with: (i) a forced convection chamber including an internal forced convection space; and, (ii) a passive chamber including an internal passive space that is separated from the forced convection space. At least one fan is connected to the housing and adapted to induce forced convection airflow in the forced convection space. A heat sink is connected to the housing and includes: (i) a heat input portion exposed to the passive space; and, (ii) a heat output portion exposed to the forced convection space. A circuit board assembly is located in the passive space and includes at least one electronic component that is thermally engaged with the heat input portion of the heat sink. A clamping plate is secured to the heat sink and captures the circuit board to the heat sink. The circuit board is isolated from the fan-induced forced convection airflow.

An industrial automation controller includes a housing with a forced convection chamber. First and second fans are releasably connected to the housing and are adapted to induce airflow through the forced convection chamber. The first and second fans are each connected to the housing by respective first and second latch systems that each include a primary latch and a secondary latch. The secondary latch imposes a time delay during removal and replacement of a fan to facilitate hot swapping of the fan with a replacement fan. A make-last/break-first contact system is provided for each fan such that the fan is shutdown in a controlled manner prior to removal of the fan from the housing. The controller monitors internal temperature and fan speed. The controller initiates, logs, and reports fault conditions based upon the monitored temperature and/or fan speed. The controller is shut down if the monitored temperature exceeds a select temperature level.

Apparatuses and methods are provided for locking an air-moving assembly within a chassis when in operational state. The apparatus includes a locking louver assembly having a louver(s) and locking mechanism. The louver(s) is disposed at an air inlet or outlet of the air-moving assembly, and pivots between operational and quiesced orientations, dependent on presence or absence, respectively, of airflow through the air-moving assembly. The locking mechanism includes a keying element(s) affixed to the louver(s) to pivot therewith, which includes an elongated key(s) oriented in a first direction when the louver(s) is in operational orientation, and a second direction when in quiesced orientation. A key-receiving element(s) is associated with the chassis and includes a key opening(s) which receives and accommodates movement of the elongated key(s) between the first and second directions, and prevents removal of the air-moving assembly from the chassis with the key(s) oriented in the first direction.

A fan assembly includes a first guide, a second guide disposed in a direction vertical to the first guide such that the height of the first guide is adjustable, a slider disposed to move in a horizontal direction along the second guide, and a plurality of fan modules fastened to the slider, wherein each of the plurality of fan modules is fastened to the slider such that the height of the fan module is adjustable. Accordingly, the heights of the plurality of fan modules can be simultaneously adjusted, and the heights of some of the plurality of fan modules can be adjusted different from those of the other fan modules, so that the plurality of fan modules can be optimally installed.

According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus detects an abnormality of at least one of a first fan for a first device in a first housing and a second fan for a second device in a second housing, and includes a receiver and circuitry. The receiver receives a first signal of a first sound collected by a first microphone and a second signal of a second sound collected by a second microphone. The first sound includes a sound produced by a shaft or a bearing of the first fan. The second sound includes a sound produced by a shaft or a bearing of the second fan. The circuitry detects an abnormality of one of the first and second fans by at least using the first sound and the second sound included in the first and second signals.