초록 ▼

A method and apparatus for substantially preventing recirculation of heated air from an exhaust outlet of an expansion card to an air inlet of the expansion card, wherein the air inlet and exhaust outlet are both on the same end of the chassis. The apparatus comprises a chassis with a chassis fan, a

A method and apparatus for substantially preventing recirculation of heated air from an exhaust outlet of an expansion card to an air inlet of the expansion card, wherein the air inlet and exhaust outlet are both on the same end of the chassis. The apparatus comprises a chassis with a chassis fan, a motherboard within the chassis having an expansion card connector, and an expansion card in communication with the expansion card connector and secured to the front end of the chassis. The expansion card also includes a card fan configured to move cooling air through the air inlet to the exhaust outlet. An air duct redirects the hot air from the exhaust outlet to prevent recirculation into the expansion card and causes the heated air to exit through the chassis fan. The air duct may include a longitudinal segment through a computer module and a lateral segment selectively securable over the exhaust outlet.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus comprising: a chassis including at least one chassis fan directed to move air in a first direction into the chassis through a front end and out of the chassis through a back end; a motherboard disposed within the chassis, the motherboard having an expansion slot

What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus comprising: a chassis including at least one chassis fan directed to move air in a first direction into the chassis through a front end and out of the chassis through a back end; a motherboard disposed within the chassis, the motherboard having an expansion slot adjacent the front end of the chassis; an expansion card having an edge connector in communication with the expansion slot, a mounting bracket secured to the front end of the chassis, and a card fan configured to move cooling air through a first air inlet, move the cooling air across a portion of the expansion card to remove heat from the expansion card, and direct the heated air to an exhaust outlet in the front end of the chassis; and an air duct having a first end secured in direct communication with the exhaust outlet, wherein the air duct redirects the heated air toward the back end of the chassis to a second end of the air duct that opens into communication with the at least one chassis fan, wherein the air duct substantially prevents recirculation of the heated air from the exhaust outlet to the first air inlet and causes the heated air to exit through the at least one chassis fan, wherein the air duct includes a lateral duct segment and a longitudinal duct segment, wherein the longitudinal duct segment is a channel formed inside the chassis, and wherein the lateral duct segment is selectively attachable to the front end of the chassis to direct the heated air from the exhaust outlet into the longitudinal duct segment. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the expansion slot is a PCI expansion slot and the expansion card is a PCI card. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a riser card interposed between the expansion card and the expansion slot to position the expansion card in a generally parallel orientation with respect to the motherboard. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first air inlet and the exhaust outlet are formed in the mounting bracket. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first air inlet is formed in the front end of the chassis and the exhaust outlet is formed in the mounting bracket. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the exhaust outlet directs the heated air in a second direction that is generally opposite to the first direction. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first air inlet to the expansion card is immediately adjacent the exhaust outlet from the expansion card. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the exhaust outlet is positioned above the first air inlet. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a cap selectively securable over a second air inlet to the longitudinal duct segment in the absence of an installed lateral duct segment. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein securing the cap over the second air inlet to the longitudinal duct segment prevents the passage of cool air through the longitudinal duct segment.