Low profile computer case and computer

Abstract

A low profile computer case having two centrifugal blowers mounted in a partition therein. An intake port of a first blower faces a bottom panel of the case and an intake port of the second blower faces a top panel of the case. Standoff dimensions are defined between the respective intake ports and panels to permit operation of the blowers.

1. A computer case of a standard height adapted to be mounted in a rack of a standard width, and configured to house plural computer components, said computer case comprising:
 an enclosure defined by a front panel, a back panel, two side panels, a top panel, and a bottom panel;  
 a partition disposed in said enclosure and extending substantially from said bottom panel to said top panel to divide said enclosure into at least a first zone adapted to receive a motherboard and a second zone adapted to receive at least one memory device, an aperture being formed in said partition; and  
 two centrifugal blowers coupled to said aperture and provided back- to - back in a stacked arrangement with one another  to cause air flow between said first zone and said second zone, said two centrifugal blowers comprise  comprising a first blower having an inlet facing said bottom panel and a second centrifugal blower having an inlet facing said top panel.  
 
     
     
       2. A computer case as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a first standoff dimension is defined between said inlet of said first centrifugal blower and said bottom panel, said first standoff dimension multiplied by the perimeter of the inlet of said first centrifugal blower defining an area that is substantially equal to or greater than an inlet area of said first centrifugal blower. 
     
     
       3. A computer case as recited in  claim 2 , wherein a second standoff dimension is defined between said inlet of said centrifugal second blower and said top panel, said second standoff dimension multiplied by the perimeter of said inlet of said second centrifugal blower defining an area that is substantially equal to or greater than an inlet area of said second centrifugal blower. 
     
     
       4. A computer case as recited in  claim 3 , wherein each of said side panels have sliding rails mounted on an outside surface thereof, and wherein said top panel comprises two wrap-around portions than extend over top portions of a respective one of said side panels, said wrap-around portions each extending into a respective void space defined by said sliding rails between said side panels and an outer dimension of said sliding rails. 
     
     
       5. A computer case as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising at least one bent portion formed in an edge of said partition to define a surface on said partition that is offset from the edge of said partition, a wire channel being defined on said surface. 
     
     
       6. A computer case as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said first centrifugal blower and said second centrifugal blower are standard 63 mm blowers. 
     
     
       7. A computer case as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said first centrifugal blower and said second centrifugal blower create a positive pressure in said first zone and a negative pressure in said second zone. 
     
     
       8. A computer case as recited in  claim 3  wherein said first standoff dimension and said second standoff dimension are each in the range of 0.200-0.340 inches, inclusive. 
     
     
       9. A computer case as recited in  claim 3  wherein said first standoff dimension and said second standoff dimension are each in the range of 0.220-0.342 inches, inclusive. 
     
     
       10. A computer case as recited in  claim 1  further comprising three bays defined in said second zone and configured to hold components requiring access through said front panel, two of said bays extending substantially from said from  front panel to said partition, the other of said bays extending from said front panel toward said partition to a lesser degree to define a void space between said partition and said other of said bays, said first centrifugal blower and said second centrifugal blower being disposed in said void space. 
     
     
       11. A computer case as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said partition comprises two offset portions and a connecting portion extending between the offset portions, said aperture being formed in said connecting portion. 
     
     
       12. A computer case of a standard height adapted to be mounted in a rack of a standard width, and configured to house plural computer components, said computer case comprising:
 an enclosure defined by a front panel, a back panel, two side panels, a top panel, and a bottom panel;  
 a partition disposed in said enclosure and extending substantially from said bottom panel to said top panel to divide said enclosure into at least a first zone and a second zone, an aperture being formed in said partition;  
 a first centrifugal blower coupled to said aperture to cause air flow between said first zone and said second zone, an inlet opening of said first centrifugal blower facing towards said bottom panel and a back surface of said first centrifugal blower directly opposite the inlet opening of the first centrifugal blower;  
 a second centrifugal blower coupled to said aperture to cause air flow between said first zone and said second zone, an inlet of said second centrifugal blower facing towards said top panel  the second centrifugal blower comprising an inlet opening facing towards said top panel and a back surface directly opposite the inlet opening of the second centrifugal blower, a top  and said back surface of said second centrifugal blower opposing a bottom  directly opposes said back surface of said first centrifugal blower.  
 
     
     
       13. A computer case as recited in  claim 12 , wherein a first standoff dimension is defined between said intake port of said first centrifugal blower and said bottom panel, said first standoff dimension multiplied by the perimeter of said inlet of said first centrifugal blower defining an area that is substantially equal to or greater than an inlet area of said first centrifugal blower. 
     
     
       14. A computer case as recited in  claim 13 , wherein a second standoff dimension is defined between said intake port of said second centrifugal blower and said top panel, said second standoff dimension multiplied by the perimeter of said second centrifugal blower defining an area that is substantially equal to or greater than an inlet area of said second centrifugal blower. 
     
     
       15. A computer case as recited in claim  12   14 , wherein said first standoff dimension and said second standoff dimension are each in the range of 0.200-0.340 inches, inclusive. 
     
     
       16. A computer case as recited in claim  12   14 , wherein said first standoff dimension and said second standoff dimension are each in the range of 0.220-0.342 inches, inclusive. 
     
     
       17. The computer case of  claim 12  wherein a distance between the top and bottom panels along a rotational axis of either the first centrifugal blower or the second centrifugal blower is smaller than a distance between the front and back panels and a distance between the two side panels. 
     
     
       18. A computer case of a standard height adapted to be mounted in a rack of a standard width, and configured to house plural computer components, said computer case comprising:
   an enclosure defined by a plurality of panel pairs, each panel pair comprising two panels positioned opposing one another;        a partition disposed in said enclosure and extending substantially between a first panel and a second panel of at least one of said plurality of panel pairs to divide said enclosure into at least a first zone adapted to receive a motherboard and a second zone adapted to receive at least one memory device, an aperture being formed in said partition; and        two centrifugal blowers coupled to said aperture to cause air flow between said first zone and said second zone, said two centrifugal blowers comprising:      a first blower having an inlet facing said first panel; and        a second blower and having an inlet facing said second panel and provided back - to - back in a stacked arrangement with the first blower.       
     
     
       19. A computer case as recited in  claim 18 , wherein a first standoff dimension is defined between said inlet of said first blower and said first panel, said first standoff dimension multiplied by the perimeter of the inlet of said first blower defining an area that is substantially equal to or greater than an inlet area of said first blower. 
     
     
       20. A computer case as recited in  claim 19 , wherein a second standoff dimension is defined between said inlet of said second blower and said second panel, said second standoff dimension multiplied by the perimeter of said inlet of said second blower defining an area that is substantially equal to or greater than an inlet area of said second blower. 
     
     
       21. A computer case as recited in  claim 20 , further comprising at least one bent portion formed in an edge of said partition to define a surface on said partition that is offset from the edge of said partition, a wire channel being defined on said surface. 
     
     
       22. A computer case as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said first blower and said second blower are standard  63  mm blowers. 
     
     
       23. A computer case as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said first blower and said second blower create a positive pressure in said first zone and a negative pressure in said second zone. 
     
     
       24. A computer case as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said first standoff dimension and said second standoff dimension are each in the range of  0 . 200 - 0 . 340  inches, inclusive. 
     
     
       25. A computer case as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said first standoff dimension and said second standoff dimension are each in the range of  0 . 220 - 0 . 342  inches, inclusive. 
     
     
       26. A computer case as recited in  claim 18 , wherein said partition comprises two offset portions and a connecting portion extending between the offset portions, said aperture being formed in said connecting portion. 
     
     
       27. A computer case as recited in  claim 18 , wherein said first panel is a bottom panel of said computer case, and said second panel is a top panel of said computer case. 
     
     
       28. A computer case of a standard height adapted to be mounted in a rack of a standard width, and configured to house plural computer components, said computer case comprising:
   an enclosure defined by a plurality of panel pairs, each panel pair comprising two panels positioned opposing one another;        a partition disposed in said enclosure and extending substantially between a first panel and a second panel of at least one of said plurality of panel pairs to divide said enclosure into at least a first zone and a second zone, an aperture being formed in said partition;        a first centrifugal blower coupled to said aperture to cause air flow between said first zone and said second zone, said first centrifugal blower comprising a housing including an inlet opening facing towards said first panel and a outer surface directly opposite the first inlet opening;        a second centrifugal blower coupled to said aperture to cause air flow between said first zone and said second zone, said second centrifugal blower comprising a housing including an inlet having opening facing towards and said second panel, and an outer surface of the housing directly opposite the inlet opening of the second centrifugal blower.     
     
     
       29. A computer case as recited in  claim 28 , wherein a first standoff dimension is defined between said intake port of said first centrifugal blower and said first panel, said first standoff dimension multiplied by the perimeter of said inlet of said first centrifugal blower defining an area that is substantially equal to or greater than an inlet area of said first centrifugal blower. 
     
     
       30. A computer case as recited in  claim 29 , wherein a second standoff dimension is defined between said intake port of said second centrifugal blower and said second panel, said second standoff dimension multiplied by the perimeter of said second centrifugal blower defining an area that is substantially equal to or greater than an inlet area of said second centrifugal blower. 
     
     
       31. A computer case as recited in  claim 30 , wherein said first standoff dimension and said second standoff dimension are each in the range of  0 . 200 - 0 . 340  inches, inclusive. 
     
     
       32. A computer case as recited in  claim 30 , wherein said first standoff dimension and said second standoff dimension are each in the range of  0 . 220 - 0 . 342  inches, inclusive. 
     
     
       33. A computer case as recited in  claim 28 , wherein said first panel is a bottom panel of said computer case, and said second panel is a top panel of said computer case. 
     
     
       34. A blower arrangement adapted to be mounted in a computer case, said blower arrangement comprising:
   a first blower having an inlet and an outlet port; and        a second blower directly secured to said first blower, said second blower having an inlet and an outlet port;        wherein said second blower is directly secured to said first blower in a manner that said inlet of said second blower is open toward a direction opposite to said inlet of said first blower, and said outlet port of said second blower is open toward a same direction as said outlet port of said first blower.     
     
     
       35. The blower arrangement of  claim 34 , wherein air is drawn into said inlets of said first blower and said second blower in opposite directions. 
     
     
       36. The blower arrangement of  claim 35 , wherein air is expelled from said outlets of said first blower and said second blower in a substantially same direction. 
     
     
       37. The blower arrangement of  claim 36 , wherein said inlet of said first blower is substantially perpendicular to said outlet port of said first blower, and said inlet of said second blower is substantially perpendicular to said outlet port of said second blower. 
     
     
       38. The blower arrangement of  claim 34 , wherein air is expelled from said outlets of said first blower and said second blower in a substantially same direction. 
     
     
       39. The blower arrangement of  claim 34 , wherein said inlet of said first blower is substantially perpendicular to said outlet port of said first blower. 
     
     
       40. The blower arrangement of  claim 34 , wherein said inlet of said second blower is substantially perpendicular to said outlet port of said second blower. 
     
     
       41. The blower arrangement of  claim 34 , wherein said outlet of said first blower and said outlet of said second blower are mounted to a partition in said computer case. 
     
     
       42. The blower arrangement of  claim 34 , wherein said second blower is secured to said first blower via fasteners. 
     
     
       43. A blower arrangement adapted to be mounted in a computer case, said blower arrangement comprising:
   a first blower having an inlet and an outlet port, said inlet being substantially perpendicular to said outlet port; and        a second blower directly secured to said first blower, said second blower having an inlet and an outlet port, said inlet of said second blower being substantially perpendicular to said outlet port of said second blower;        wherein said inlet of said second blower is open toward a direction opposite to said inlet of said first blower so that air is drawn into said inlets of said first blower and said second blower in opposite directions, and said outlet port of said second blower is open toward a same direction as said outlet port of said first blower so that air is expelled from said outlets of said first blower and said second blower in a substantially same direction.     
     
     
       44. The blower arrangement of  claim 43 , wherein said outlet of said first blower and said outlet of said second blower are mounted to a partition in said computer case. 
     
     
       45. The computer case of  claim 1 , wherein a distance between the top and bottom panels along a rotational axis of either the first centrifugal blower or the second centrifugal blower is smaller than a distance between the front and back panels and a distance between the two side panels.