FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to Information Handling Systems (IHSs), and more specifically, to airflow cooling utilized by IHSs.

BACKGROUND

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an Information Handling System (IHS). An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements may vary between different applications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allow for IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, global communications, etc. In addition, IHSs may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.

Groups of IHSs may be housed within data center environments. A data center may include a large number of IHSs, such as servers that are installed within chassis and stacked within slots provided by racks. A data center may include large numbers of such racks that may be organized into rows in a manner that allows administrators to access IHS components via the front and back of a rack. In some instances, administrators may be able to service and replace components of a rack-mounted IHS while the IHS remains operational and installed within the rack. Such replaceable components may be referred to as being hot-pluggable. An administrator may also be able to re-configure aspects of the operation of a rack-mounted IHS through the coupling and de-coupling of cables to the various connectors that may be provided on the back of a chassis of an IHS. In other instances, administrators may remove an IHS from operation in order to service or replace some of its internal components.

In many instances, rack systems are constructed using standardized dimensions that define vertical and horizontal dimensions for components, such as server IHSs, that are installed within such racks. Standardized rack dimensions specify vertical units of space within a rack, where such vertical units of rack space are commonly referred to as RUs (Rack Units). In some instances, a chassis may be one rack unit (1 RU) in height and may house a single IHS, such as a server. In other instances, a chassis be multiple rack units in height and the chassis may include multiple IHSs. For example, a 2 RU chassis may include a set of front bays that receive replaceable storage drives and may house two server IHSs that are each 1 RU in height. In such instances, each of the 1 RU servers may be separately administered and may themselves be replaceable components that may be coupled and de-coupled from a chassis. In some instances, such 1 RU servers are hot-swappable component, such that when one of the 1 RU servers is removed from a 2 RU chassis, the other 1 RU server may continue in operation

SUMMARY

In various embodiments, a chassis houses a first Information Handling System (IHS) and a second IHS. The chassis embodiments include: a lower slot that receives the first IHS; an upper slot that receives the second IHS; and a single-blade air damper that blocks airflow through the upper slot when the first IHS is removed from the upper slot and that blocks airflow through the lower slot when the second IHS is removed from the lower slot.

In additional chassis embodiments, the first IHS and the second IHS couple to a midplane of the chassis and wherein the chassis comprises a plurality of front-facing bays. In additional chassis embodiments, the single-blade air damper comprises a left spring assembly attached to a left sidewall of the chassis and a right spring assembly attached to the right sidewall of the chassis. In additional chassis embodiments, the left spring assembly and the right spring assembly each comprise an unstable state and two stable states. In additional chassis embodiments, the left spring assembly and the right sprint assembly are maintained in the unstable state when the first IHS is installed in the lower slot and the second IHS is installed in the upper slot. In additional chassis embodiments, the single blade of the air damper is maintained between the first IHS and the second IHS when the left spring assembly and the right sprint assembly are maintained in the unstable state. In additional chassis embodiments, the left spring assembly and the right sprint assembly release from the unstable state to a lower stable state when the first IHS is removed from the lower slot. In additional chassis embodiments, the single blade of the air damper blocks airflow through the lower slot when the left spring assembly and the right sprint assembly are positioned in the lower stable state. In additional chassis embodiments, the left spring assembly and the right sprint assembly release from the unstable state to an upper stable state when the first IHS is removed from the upper slot. In additional chassis embodiments, the single blade of the air damper blocks airflow through the upper slot when the left spring assembly and the right sprint assembly are positioned in the upper stable state.

In various additional embodiments, systems include: a first IHS (Information Handling System) installed in the lower slot of a chassis; a second IHS installed in the upper slot of the chassis; and a chassis comprising the upper slot that receives the first IHS and further comprising the lower slot that receives the second IHS, wherein the chassis further comprises a single-blade air damper that blocks airflow through the lower slot when the first IHS is removed from the lower slot and that blocks airflow through the upper slot when the second IHS is removed from the upper slot.

In additional system embodiments, the first IHS and the second IHS couple to a midplane of the chassis and wherein the chassis further comprises a plurality of front-facing bays. In additional system embodiments, the airflow that is blocked by the single-blade air damper when the first IHS is installed in the lower slot is airflow generated, at least in part, by the second IHS that remains operational in the upper slot. In additional system embodiments, the single-blade air damper comprises a left spring assembly attached to a left sidewall of the chassis and a right spring assembly attached to the right sidewall of the chassis. In additional system embodiments, the left spring assembly and the right spring assembly each comprise an unstable state and two stable states, wherein the two stable states correspond to positions blocking airflow through an empty slot of the chassis.

In various additional embodiments, methods are provided for supporting cooling in a chassis capable of hosting a plurality of IHSs (Information Handling Systems). The methods include: inserting a first IHS within a lower slot of the chassis; inserting the second IHS within an upper slot of the chassis, wherein the insertion of the second IHS in the upper slot positions a single-blade air damper within a horizontal gap between the first IHS and the second IHS; removing the first IHS from the lower slot of the chassis, wherein the removal of the first IHS releases the single-blade air damper, wherein the released single-blade air damper blocks airflow through the lower slot of the chassis; replacing the first IHS in the lower slot of the chassis; wherein the replacement of the first IHS in the lower slot re-positions the single-blade air damper within the horizontal gap between the first IHS and the second IHS; and removing the second IHS from the upper slot of the chassis, wherein the removal of the second IHS releases the single-blade air damper, wherein the released single-blade air damper blocks airflow through the upper slot of the chassis.

In additional method embodiments, the first IHS and the second IHS couple to a midplane of the chassis and wherein the chassis comprises a plurality of front-facing bays. In additional method embodiments, the single-blade air damper comprises a left spring assembly attached to a left sidewall of the chassis and a right spring assembly attached to the right sidewall of the chassis. In additional method embodiments, the left spring assembly and the right spring assembly each comprise an unstable state and two stable states. In additional method embodiments, the two stable states correspond to positions blocking airflow through an empty slot of the chassis.

