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John P. Franz, Houston US

John P. Franz, Houston, TX US

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20080239665COOLING FAN MODULE - A cooling fan module comprising a module housing and a fan assembly. The fan assembly comprises a blade assembly coupled to a motor disposed within a fan housing that is disposed within the module housing. The fan housing has an inlet and an outlet that is disposed within the module housing. A fan control circuit board is disposed within the module housing and outside of the fan housing. The fan control circuit board is coupled to the motor. An electrical connector is coupled to the fan control circuit board and projects outside of the module housing.10-02-2008
20080303225FAN FLOW SEAL DOCKING COLLAR - A fan docking collar for sealing between a fan housing of a fan and an enclosure wall to improve fan performance by preventing flow recirculation. The docking collar includes a pliable body that defines an opening for air flow. The body has a seal for mating with the fan housing and a rim for sealing against the enclosure wall.12-11-2008
20080303360INSULATED BEARING MOTOR ASSEMBLY - A motor with improved bearing life has a shaft rotatably supported by a pair bearings. The motor further has a stator and a rotor, wherein one of the stator and the rotor is mounted to the shaft and the other of the stator and the rotor surrounds the shaft so that the stator and rotor can rotate with respect to one another. The motor has one or more features to protect at least one of the bearings from heat emitted by at least one of the stator and the rotor.12-11-2008
20080304223Adaptable plug-in mezzanine card for blade servers - A computer system is provided that includes a chassis, a system board coupled to the chassis, and a first connector extending from the system board at a first height and configured to receive a first printed circuit board, wherein the first printed circuit board is configured to be parallel to the system board when received by the first connector, and a second connector extending from the system board at a second height and configured to receive a second printed circuit board, wherein the second printed circuit board is configured to be parallel to the system board when received by the second connector. Other computer systems are provided that include a first mezzanine card and a second mezzanine card or multiple connectors and a plurality of printed circuit boards.12-11-2008
20080304230Heat-Sink Structure With Small Fin Gap Area - A heat-sink structure includes a base and fins, the latter defining gaps with a cross-sectional area less than 24 mm12-11-2008
20080304234FAN MODULE LATCHING DEVICE - A fan module latching device includes a bezel, a base adapted for enclosing a fan, and a handle assembly rotatably retained between the bezel and the base. The handle assembly has a rearwardly depending cam member and a frontwardly extending handle for actuating the handle assembly between a neutral position and an actuated position. A module latch, attached to the base, includes a cam follower and at least one latching tab, the cam follower engaging the cam member such that when the handle assembly is in the neutral position the latching tab is extended outwardly with respect to the base and when the handle assembly is in the actuated position the latching tab is retracted inwardly with respect to the base.12-11-2008
20080310103AIR BACKFLOW PREVENTION IN AN ENCLOSURE - An air backflow prevention member includes a frame assembly including a plurality of vanes and a plurality of stops. The plurality of vanes are rotatable between an open position, wherein the plurality of vanes are oriented oblique to a direction of airflow and in contact with the plurality of stops, and a closed position, wherein the plurality of vanes are oriented perpendicular to the direction of airflow.12-18-2008
20080310123Toolless Configuration Of A Computer Enclosure - Included are embodiments for toolless configuration of a computer enclosure. At least one embodiment of an apparatus includes a computer enclosure configured to support a plurality of components, the computer enclosure including a plurality of dividing walls, the dividing walls including a first opening and a second opening. Some embodiments include a divider configured for insertion into the computer enclosure and between the dividing walls, the divider including a first tab for coupling with the first opening, the divider including a second tab for coupling with the second opening, the divider further including a locking tab for locking the divider in place within the computer enclosure.12-18-2008
20080310967INTELLIGENT AIR MOVING APPARATUS - An intelligent air moving apparatus for cooling an electronics enclosure includes a motor for driving a fan at a variable rotational speed and a microcontroller for controlling the rotational speed of the motor. The microcontroller includes a speed sensor for sensing the rotational speed such that when the sensed rotational speed deviates below a target speed, the microcontroller detects a locked rotor condition.12-18-2008
20090009962COMPUTER SYSTEM WITH MOTOR COOLER - A computer system comprises a chassis, an electronic component disposed within the chassis, and a cooling fan that comprises a motor support fixed to a housing that is coupled to the chassis and a hub disposed within the housing. A plurality of blades extend radially from the hub. A motor is disposed within a motor enclosure formed by the motor support and the hub. The hub is rotatably coupled to the motor such that the plurality of blades generates a flow of air around the motor enclosure. The system comprises a motor cooler comprising a flow path through the motor enclosure, where the flow path has a first opening and a second opening, and where the second opening is disposed within an area of lowered downstream pressure so as to develop a differential pressure between the first and second openings and generate a flow of air through the motor enclosure.01-08-2009
20090010771MOTOR COOLER - A cooling fan comprises an outer housing. A motor support is fixed to the outer housing and a motor is mounted to the motor support. A hub is rotatably coupled to the motor and, with the motor support, forms a motor enclosure that substantially surrounds the motor. A plurality of blades extends radially from the hub and are arranged so as to generate a flow of air around the motor enclosure when the blades are rotated. The cooling fan also comprises a motor cooler comprising a flow path through the motor enclosure, wherein the flow path has a first opening and a second opening, wherein the second opening is disposed within an area of lowered downstream pressure so as to develop a differential pressure between the first and second openings and generate a flow of air through the motor enclosure as the motor operates.01-08-2009
20090016010COMPONENT LAYOUT IN AN ENCLOSURE - An electronic module includes an enclosure having front face and a rear face. An electronic circuit board is positioned in the enclosure and a processor is mounted to the electronic circuit board. A data storage device is positioned in the enclosure such that the processor is positioned between the data storage device and the electronic circuit board.01-15-2009
20090104053Fan Unit and Methods of Forming Same - The described embodiments relate to fans units. One exemplary fan unit includes a housing supporting a motor. The fan unit also includes an impeller coupled to the motor and configured to be rotated by the motor. The impeller comprises at least a first structure configured to move air past the housing and at least one second different structure configured to force air into the housing04-23-2009
20090231804COOLING FAN MODULE - A cooling fan module is disclosed. The cooling fan module includes a module housing, a fan assembly, a fan control circuit board, and an electrical connector. The fan assembly is disposed within the module housing and includes a fan housing, a motor disposed within the fan housing, and a blade assembly coupled to the motor. The fan control circuit board is disposed between the module housing and the fan housing, and is coupled to the motor. The electrical connector is coupled to the fan control circuit board and projects outside of the module housing.09-17-2009
20100097758FLEXIBLE AIRFLOW BAFFLE FOR AN ELECTRONIC SYSTEM - A baffle manages airflow through optionally mounted electronic components by using flexible members formed to extend to empty connectors and flex away from the connectors to accommodate electronic components mounted to the connectors.04-22-2010
20110007473BLADE SERVER FOR INCREASED PROCESSING CAPACITY - A blade server for increasing the amount of processing capacity per rack bay is disclosed. The blade server includes a housing having a top portion and a bottom portion, a first printed circuit assembly adjacent to the top portion of the housing, a second printed circuit assembly positioned in the bottom portion of the housing opposite the first printed circuit assembly, and a connector attaching the first and second printed circuit assembly to one another.01-13-2011
20110030323DISCHARGING AIR FILTER - An apparatus comprises a moving, continuously cleaning filter that removes contaminants from air as the air enters an equipment rack and discharges the contaminants into the air as the air exits the equipment rack.02-10-2011
20110081851FLOW CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD - Embodiments of a flow control system and method are disclosed. An exemplary method may include causing air to move along an air flow path through at least one inlet formed in the housing over at least a portion of an electronic device, causing the air to move adjacent one or more component of the electronic device, and causing the air to move through at least one outlet formed in the housing. The method may also include adjusting at least one baffle in the air flow path between different positions based on configuration and power requirements of the electronic device to control the air flow through the housing along the air flow path.04-07-2011

Patent applications by John P. Franz, Houston, TX US