U.S. patent application number 11/452070 was filed with the patent office on 2007-12-13 for structure of air duct and manufacturing process of the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to ASIA VITAL COMPONENTS CO.,LTD.. Invention is credited to Wen-Ji Lan.
Application Number | 20070286722 11/452070 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38822192 |
Filed Date | 2007-12-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070286722 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lan; Wen-Ji |
December 13, 2007 |
Structure of air duct and manufacturing process of the same
Abstract
A method of manufacturing an air duct is provided. First, a
plastic material is heated until the plastic material is melted.
Next, the molten plastic material is sucked into a mold and then
the molten plastic material inside the mold is cooled to form the
air duct. Finally, the air duct is removed from the mold. The air
duct comprises a housing including passageway for air to flow
there-through, a first air inlet/outlet formed on a side thereof,
and a joint portion formed on another side thereof corresponding to
the first air inlet/outlet to fix to a fan. The joint portion has a
second air inlet/outlet. When the fan rotates, airflow is
generated, which carries the heat generated by the operation of the
devices via the second air inlet/outlet and then exits out via the
first air inlet/outlet.
Inventors: |
Lan; Wen-Ji; (Taipei,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Asian Vital Components Co., Ltd.
P.O. BOX 1-195
YUNG HO
omitted
|
Assignee: |
ASIA VITAL COMPONENTS
CO.,LTD.
TAIPEI
TW
|
Family ID: |
38822192 |
Appl. No.: |
11/452070 |
Filed: |
June 12, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
415/200 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04D 29/545 20130101;
B29C 45/00 20130101; F04D 25/166 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
415/200 |
International
Class: |
F04D 29/44 20060101
F04D029/44 |
Claims
1. A method of manufacturing an air duct, comprising: heating a
plastic material until the plastic material is melted; sucking the
molten plastic material into a mold comprising a predetermined
structure of the air duct and cooling the molten plastic material
inside the mold to form the air duct; and removing the air duct
from the mold.
2. A structure of an air duct formed according to the method as
claimed in claim 1, wherein said air duct comprises at least a
housing including a first air inlet/outlet formed on a side
thereof, and a joint portion formed on another side thereof, and
wherein said joint portion comprises a plurality of protruding
buckles.
3. The structure of an air duct according to claim 2, wherein said
joint portion is buckled to a fan.
4. The structure of an air duct according to claim 2, wherein said
housing comprises a second air inlet/outlet formed in an indented
portion of said housing on which a fan is mounted thereon.
5. The structure of an air duct according to claim 4, wherein said
housing comprises a plurality of protruding buckles to collectively
form the joint portion.
6. A structure of an air duct comprising at least a housing
including a first air inlet/outlet formed on a side thereof; and a
plurality of protruding buckles formed on another side thereof to
collectively form a joint portion, wherein said joint portion
surrounds a second air inlet/outlet.
7. The structure of an air duct according to claim 6, wherein said
joint-portion is adopted for buckling to a fan.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a structure of an air duct
and a manufacturing process of the same. More particularly, the
present invention relates to a structure of an air duct comprising
a lip portion and joint portion formed two sides thereof such that
the reverse flow of the heat may be prevented and the heat
dissipating effect may be effectively promoted.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] The operation of the computer devices usually generate heat,
which may significantly increase the temperature and may cause
abnormal operation of the devices or even damage the devices. The
service life of the devices may be reduced if the heat is not
timely dissipated. Accordingly, it is important to dissipate the
heat generated by the operation of the devices for proper operation
thereof. One way of dissipating heat is by using a heat sink device
comprising a fan and an air duct.
[0005] In a conventional heat sink device, the fan is fixed on the
air duct using screws and the air duct supports the fan. The air
duct is formed by a plastic injection mold process, therefore the
air duct has a thick body, which is inconvenient to stack with
other components during the transportation. Thus, the air duct must
be packaged separately during the transportation. Therefore, the
space occupied of the air duct is large and the transportation cost
is high. Besides, the fan is fixed on the air duct using screws,
which is laborious and time consuming process that would further
increase the cost. In addition, the airflow created by the fan may
flow in a reverse direction that would adversely affect the heat
dissipation effect of the heat sink device. Therefore, it is
important to resolve the defects of the conventional heat sink
device described above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Accordingly, in the view of the foregoing, the present
invention provides a method of manufacturing an air duct capable of
reducing its space occupation during the transportation and thereby
reduce the transportation cost. According to an aspect of the
present invention, first a plastic material is heated until the
plastic material melts or softens, and then the softened plastic
material is sucked into a mold having a predetermined structure of
an air duct. Next, the resulting structure is cooled to form the
air duct. Thus, the thickness of the air duct can be thinner than
that of the conventional air duct. Furthermore, the air duct of the
present invention may be stacked on each other. Thus the space
occupied by the air duct can be reduced and the cost of the
transportation can also be reduced.
[0007] According to another aspect of the present invention, the
fan can be assembled to the air duct using buckles. Thus, not only
the structure of the air duct is reinforced but also the defects
due to the use of the screws, as required in the conventional air
duct, may be avoided. Thus, the throughput may be increased and
cost may be substantially reduced.
[0008] According to another aspect of the present invention, the
air duct of the present invention comprises lip portion formed in
the air inlet/outlet to prevent reverse air flow to effectively
promote the heat dissipation effect.
[0009] According to another aspect of the present invention, a
process of manufacturing the air-duct is provided. The process of
manufacturing the air duct according to an embodiment of the
present invention comprises the following steps. At step S1, the
plastic material is heated until the plastic material is melted.
Next, at step S2, the molten plastic material is sucked into a mold
and then the resulting structure is cooled to form the air duct.
Next, at step S3, the air duct is removed from the mold. The air
duct comprises a housing including passageways for air to flow, a
first air inlet/outlet formed on a side thereof, and a joint
portion formed on another side corresponding to the first air
inlet/outlet for fixing to the fan. The joint portion comprises a
second air inlet/outlet. When the fan rotates, airflow is
generated. The airflow carries heat generated by the operation of
the devices and enters via the second air inlet/outlet, and then
exits to outside via the first air inlet/outlet.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0010] For a more complete understanding of the present invention,
reference will now be made to the following detailed description of
preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the following
accompanying drawings.
[0011] FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a manufacturing process
of an air duct according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an air duct according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing the air duct and a fan
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the air duct and a fan
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 5 is an air duct and a fan according to another
embodiment of the present invention.
DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a manufacturing process
of an air duct according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 1, at step S1, the plastic material is heated
until the plastic material is melted. Next, at step S2, the molten
plastic material is sucked into a mold and then the resulting
structure is cooled to form the air duct. Next, at step S3, the air
duct is removed from the mold. The thickness of the air duct can be
thinner than that of the conventional air duct. Furthermore, the
air duct of the present invention may be stacked on each other,
just like stacking the paper cups as shown in FIG. 2. Thus the
storage space of the air duct can be substantially reduced and the
transportation cost can also be substantially reduced.
[0017] FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing the air duct and a fan
according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a
perspective view of the air duct and a fan according to an
embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 3 and 4, the
air duct comprises least a housing 1 suitable to be positioned over
a heating element, for example, an electronic device, a heat
dissipating propeller (not shown). The housing 1 comprises a
passageway for air to flow there-through. The housing 1 comprises a
first air inlet/outlet 11 formed on a side thereof, and a joint
portion 12 formed on another side corresponding to the first air
inlet/outlet 11 for fixing to a fan 2. The joint portion 12
surrounds a second air inlet/outlet 121 of the air duct. The fan 2
may be positioned above a heating element, for example a CPU, a
heat dissipating blade or the like. When the fan 2 rotates, airflow
is generated and the heat generated due to the operation of the
heating-element is guided into the-second air inlet/outlet 121 and
then exited to outside via the first air inlet/outlet 11 as
depicted in FIG. 5, where it is shown the air flows from side A to
side A? and vice versa. That is, alternatively, the air may also be
made to flow from side A? to side A due to the rotation of the fan
2 to suck or draw cooler air from outside and blow it on the
heating element and thereby dissipate the heat generated due to the
operation of the heating element.
[0018] The fan 2 is fixed on the housing 1 by buckling the frame 21
of the fan 2 to the joint portion 12. According to an embodiment of
the present invention, the housing 1 comprises a second air
inlet/outlet 121 formed in an indented portion of a side thereof on
which the fan 2 may be positioned. The non-indented portion or the
edge portion of the housing 1 surrounding the second air
inlet/outlet 121 comprises a plurality of protruding buckles 120
that collectively form the joint portion 12, and the function of
the joint portion 12 has already been described in the preceding
paragraph. Thus, the assembly throughput may be increased and the
overall cost of the air duct is reduced.
[0019] FIG. 5 shows an air duct according to another embodiment of
the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5, the first air
inlet/outlet 11 of the housing 1 comprises an outwardly inclined or
expanded lip portion 110. The lip portion 110 prevents the air from
flowing in a reverse direction. Thus, the heat dissipation effect
of the fan 2 and the air duct can be effectively promoted.
[0020] While the invention has been described in conjunction with a
specific best mode, it is to be understood that many alternatives,
modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in
the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is
intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and
variations in which fall within the spirit and scope of the
included claims. All matters set forth herein or shown in the
accompanying drawings are to be interpreted in an illustrative and
non-limiting sense.
* * * * *