US 11,683,907 B2
Apparatus for cooling electronic circuitry
Albert Pedoeem, West Orange, NJ (US); Kriss Replogle, Brookside, NJ (US); Sanjay Upasani, Manalapan, NJ (US); and Don Florczak, Tenafly, NJ (US)
Assigned to Crestron Electronics, Inc., Rockleigh, NJ (US)
Filed by Crestron Electronics, Inc., Rockleigh, NJ (US)
Filed on Jul. 14, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/375,045.
Application 17/375,045 is a continuation of application No. 16/534,398, filed on Aug. 7, 2019, granted, now 11,076,501.
Application 16/534,398 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/602,334, filed on May 23, 2017, abandoned.
Prior Publication US 2021/0345521 A1, Nov. 4, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H05K 7/20 (2006.01)
CPC H05K 7/20154 (2013.01) [H05K 7/20145 (2013.01); H05K 7/20445 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
6. An apparatus for cooling electronic circuitry, the apparatus comprising:
an enclosure configured to surround the electronic circuitry, the enclosure having a plurality of panels, wherein
a plurality of air intake holes are disposed in at least one of the plurality of panels, and
a plurality of air exhaust holes are disposed in at least another one of the plurality of panels;
an air plenum piece disposed within the enclosure and including
a substantially planar portion configured to divide an interior region of the enclosure into a first volume into which the plurality of air intake holes open and a second volume into which the plurality of air exhaust holes open, the substantially planar portion including a region having a smaller width than at least another region of the substantially planar portion,
the air plenum piece having an air plenum hole disposed in the region having the smaller width and that forms an opening between the first volume and the second volume,
the at least another region having a width that increases with increasing distance from the air plenum hole, and one or more wall portions extending away from the substantially planar portion;
a heat sink configured to be in thermal contact with the electronic circuitry and conduct heat generated by the electronic circuitry; and
a fan located in coaxial alignment with the air plenum hole such that when the fan operates, cooling air is drawn from an exterior of the enclosure through the plurality of air intake holes into the first volume, then through the air plenum hole into the second volume, and thereafter from the second volume through the plurality of air exhaust holes into the exterior of the enclosure, the movement of the cooling air drawing the heat away from the heat sink; and
the heat sink being further configured to be in thermal contact with the enclosure so that when the fan does not operate, heat is still drawn from the electronic circuitry to the enclosure via the heat sink and is dissipated from the exterior of the enclosure.