U.S. patent application number 11/502530 was filed with the patent office on 2008-02-14 for cooler system.
This patent application is currently assigned to KWO GER METAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.. Invention is credited to Ting-Wei Hsu.
Application Number | 20080035311 11/502530 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39049464 |
Filed Date | 2008-02-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080035311 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hsu; Ting-Wei |
February 14, 2008 |
Cooler system
Abstract
A cooler system includes a metal holder base, a mounting
structure that secures the metal holder base to a circuit board, a
curved heat pipe, which has a mounting portion fastened to one
through hole on the metal holder base and a cooling portion
extending from the mounting portion to the outside of the metal
holder base and the circuit board at an angle, and a heat sink
fastened to the cooling portion of the heat pipe outside the metal
holder base and the circuit board in a parallel relationship
relative to the circuit board for dissipation heat absorbed by the
heat pipe from a heat source at the circuit board into the outside
open air far from the circuit board efficiently.
Inventors: |
Hsu; Ting-Wei; (Shulin City,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE, FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
KWO GER METAL TECHNOLOGY,
INC.
Shulin City
TW
|
Family ID: |
39049464 |
Appl. No.: |
11/502530 |
Filed: |
August 11, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/104.21 ;
165/104.33 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 23/4006 20130101;
H01L 2023/4087 20130101; H01L 2924/0002 20130101; H01L 2924/0002
20130101; F28F 2275/085 20130101; F28D 15/0266 20130101; H01L
2023/4056 20130101; H01L 23/427 20130101; H01L 2924/00
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/104.21 ;
165/104.33 |
International
Class: |
F28D 15/00 20060101
F28D015/00 |
Claims
1. A cooler system comprising: a metal holder base, said metal
holder base having at least one through hole; a mounting structure
fastened to a circuit board to secure said metal holder base to
said circuit board; and a cooler module, said cooler module
comprising a heat sink, and at least one heat pipe respectively
mounted in said at least one through hole of said metal holder base
and adapted to absorb heat from a heat source at said circuit board
and to transfer absorbed heat to said heat sink for dissipation;
wherein said at least one heat pipe each has a mounting portion
respectively mounted in the at least one through hole of said metal
holder base, and a cooling portion extending from said mounting
portion at an angle to the outside of said metal holder base and
fastened to said heat sink to support said heat sink outside said
circuit board in a parallel relationship relative to said circuit
board.
2. The cooler system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mounting
structure comprises a metal clamping device and a plurality of
fastening members adapted to affix said metal clamping device to
said circuit board and said metal holder base.
3. The cooler system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said metal
clamping device comprises a metal upper clamping plate and a metal
bottom clamping plate respectively clamped on top and bottom sides
of said circuit board.
4. The cooler system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said metal
holder base has a plurality of radiation fins at a top side
thereof.
5. The cooler system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least
one heat pipe each is a L-shaped pipe having a first end
terminating in said mounting portion and a second end terminating
in said cooling portion.
6. The cooler system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least
one heat pipe each is a U-shaped pipe having a first end
terminating in said mounting portion and a second end terminating
in said cooling portion.
7. The cooler system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said heat sink
has at least one mounting through hole respectively coupled to said
cooling portion of each of said at least one heat pipe.
8. The cooler system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said heat sink
is comprised of a plurality of radiation fins, said radiation fins
of said heat sink each having at least one mounting through hole
respectively coupled to said cooling portion of each of said at
least one heat pipe.
9. The cooler system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a
holding-down device fastened to said metal holder base to hold down
said heat sink on said at least one heat pipe.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to cooler means for use in an
electronic device and more particularly, to a cooler system, which
absorbs heat from the heat source and transfers absorbed heat to a
heat sink for dissipation into the outside open air far from the
heat source efficiently.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Following fast development of information technology, high
operation speed electronic products such as personal computers,
notebook computers, personal digital assistants, and etc., have
been continuously developed. Following the step of Network Era,
computer has become one of the requisites of most people. Further,
during the operation of a CPU of a computer or a chip of an
electronic device, the CPU or the chip generates much heat. A
relatively higher speed CPU or chip generates a relatively greater
amount of heat energy. In order to keep normal functioning, heat
must be quickly dissipated from the CPU or the chip during its
operation. Conventionally, a heat sink is used with a cooling fan
to dissipate heat from the CPU of a computer or the chip of an
electronic device. The heat sink absorbs heat from the heat source.
The cooling fan induces currents of air toward gaps between the
radiation fins of the heat sink, thereby dissipating heat from the
heat sink into the outside open air. In order to improve the heat
dissipation efficiency, a heat pipe may be used and connected
between the heat source and the heat sink. The heat pipe absorbs
heat from the heat source, and transfers absorbed heat to the heat
sink for dissipation.
[0005] FIG. 6 shows a conventional cooler system. According to this
design, the cooler system comprises a heat sink A formed of a
plurality of radiation fins A1 that are arranged in parallel, a
heat absorber module C, a plurality of heat pipes B connected
between the heat sink A and the heat absorber module C, and a clamp
D, which is fastened to an interface card F to hold the heat
absorber module C in close contact with a heat source D1 at the
interface card F. This design of cooler system is still not
satisfactory in function due to the following drawbacks:
[0006] 1. Because the heat sink A is kept perpendicular to the
interface card F, the cooler system greatly increases the height of
the interface card F. Therefore, the interface card F requires much
motherboard installation space. After installation of the interface
card F with the cooler system in the motherboard, the interface
card F and the cooler system may affect the installation of other
component parts in the motherboard.
[0007] 2. Because the heat sink A is kept perpendicular to the
interface card F, the interface card F stops currents of air
induced by the cooling fan at the motherboard from flowing toward
the heat sink A, resulting in low heat dissipation efficiency of
the heat sink A.
[0008] FIG. 7 shows another design of cooler system according to
the prior art. According to this design, the cooler system
comprises a metal holder block G1, which has a flat top contact
wall G11 disposed in close contact with a processor H1 at a display
card H and a heat transferring bottom block G12, a heat sink K, and
a plurality of heat pipes G2 connected between the metal holder
block G1 and the heat sink K. The heat pipes G2 each have one end
respectively inserted through and fixedly secured to the heat
transferring bottom block G12 of the metal holder block G1 and the
other end, namely, the free end G22 respectively inserted through
the heat sink K to the outside of the case of the computer.
Further, each heat pipe G2 has a U-turn G21 between the metal
holder block G1 and the heat sink K. This design of cooler system
also has drawbacks as follows:
[0009] 1. The heat pipes G2 have a certain length and hold the heat
sink K at a distance away from the metal holder block G1, therefore
the heat transferring speed of the heat pipes G2 is low.
[0010] 2. The heat pipes G2 hold the heat sink K at one lateral
side of the display card H in a perpendicular manner, thereby
increasing the installation height of the display card H in the
motherboard.
[0011] 3. Because the heat sink K is fastened to the free ends G22
of the heat pipes G2 and the free ends G22 of the heat pipes G2
extend respectively to the outside of the case of the computer, the
surrounding temperature outside the computer may affect the
performance of the heat sink K. Further, the free ends G22 of the
heat pipes G2 may be covered with outside dust, affecting the
performance of the heat sink K.
[0012] The aforesaid two prior art designs greatly increase the
installation height of the interface card, affecting the
installation of other members in the motherboard. Therefore, it is
desirable to provide a cooler system that eliminates the aforesaid
drawbacks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The present invention has been accomplished under the
circumstances in view. According to one aspect of the present
invention, the cooler system comprises a metal holder base, which
has at least one through hole, a mounting structure fastened to a
circuit board to secure the metal holder base to the circuit board,
and a cooler module, which comprises a heat sink, and at least one
heat pipe respectively mounted in the at least one through hole of
the metal holder base and adapted to absorb heat from a heat source
at the circuit board and to transfer absorbed heat to the heat sink
for dissipation. The at least one heat pipe each has a mounting
portion respectively mounted in the at least one through hole of
the metal holder base, and a cooling portion extending from the
mounting portion at an angle to the outside of the metal holder
base and fastened to the heat sink to support the heat sink outside
the circuit board in a parallel relationship relative to the
circuit board.
[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, the
cooling portion of each heat pipe is suspending outside the circuit
board and kept in parallel to one lateral side of the circuit board
such that currents of air induced by an external cooling fan toward
the circuit board flow over the heat sink at the cooling portion of
each heat pipe to carry heat away from the heat sink.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is an oblique front elevation of a cooler system
according to the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the cooler system according to
the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 3 is an oblique back elevation of the cooler system
according to the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 4 is an applied view of the present invention, showing
the cooler system installed in a circuit board.
[0019] FIG. 5 is a sectional side view of FIG. 4.
[0020] FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a cooler system according to
the prior art.
[0021] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of another design of cooler
system according to the prior art.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0022] Referring to FIGS. 1.about.3, a cooler system in accordance
with the present invention is shown comprising a holder base 1 and
a cooler module 2.
[0023] The holder base 1 is a metal member of high coefficient of
heat transfer, having a through hole 11, a plurality of radiation
fins 12 protruded from the top wall thereof, and a mounting
structure 13 provided at the bottom wall thereof. The mounting
structure 13 comprises a metal clamping device 131. The metal
clamping device 131 is comprised of a metal upper clamping plate
1311 and a metal bottom clamping plate 1312. The metal upper
clamping plate 1311 and the metal bottom clamping plate 1312 are
fastened to the bottom wall of the holder base 1 with fastening
members 1313.
[0024] The cooler module 2 comprises a heat pipe 21, a heat sink
22, and a holding-down device 23. The heat pipe 21 is an angled or
U-shaped metal pipe having one end terminating in a mounting
portion 211 and the other end terminating in a cooling portion 212.
The cooling portion 212 is connected to the heat sink 22. The heat
sink 22 is comprised of a plurality of radiation fins 221. The
radiation fins 221 each have a mounting through hole 2211, which is
coupled to the cooling portion 212 of the heat pipe 21, and two
retaining notches 2212 disposed at two opposite sides. The
holding-down device 23 comprises two retaining arms 231
respectively secured to the retaining notches 2212 of the radiation
fins 221 of the heat sink 22, and a holding-down plate 232.
[0025] During the assembly process, the mounting portion 211 of the
heat pipe 21 is inserted into the through hole 11 of the metal
holder base 1, and then the heat sink 22 is attached to the cooling
portion 212 of the heat pipe 21 outside the metal holder base 1,
and then the holding-down device 23 is fastened to one side of the
metal holder base 1 to hold down the heat sink 22 in place, and
then the metal clamping device 131 of the mounting structure 13 is
fastened to the bottom wall of the metal holder base 1 with the
fastening members 1313. When assembled, the radiation fins 221 of
the heat sink 22 are kept in a parallel relationship relative to
the radiation fins 12 of the metal holder base 1.
[0026] As indicated, the cooling portion 212 of the heat pipe 21 is
connected to the heat sink 22. During application of the present
invention, the heat pipe 21 absorbs heat energy from the heat
source and transfers absorbed heat energy to the cooling portion
212 for dissipation into the outside open air by the heat sink
22.
[0027] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the metal holder base 1 and the
cooler module 2 can be fastened to a circuit board (interface card)
3. In this case, the metal upper clamping plate 1311 and metal
bottom clamping plate 1312 of the metal clamping device 131 are
respectively clamped on the top and bottom sides of the circuit
board 3 and then fastened with the circuit board 3 to the bottom
wall of the metal holder base 1 with the fastening members 1313.
When installed, the metal holder base 1 is firmly secured to the
top side of the circuit board 3, the cooling portion 212 of the
heat pipe 21 extends outside the circuit board 3 in parallel to one
side edge of the circuit board 3, and the radiation fins 221 of the
heat sink 22 are supported on the cooling portion 212 of the heat
pipe 21 at one lateral side of the circuit board 3 in parallel to
the radiation fins 12 of the metal holder base 1. Therefore, the
installation of the cooler system does not occupy much surface
space of the circuit board 3, allowing the circuit board 3 to be
conveniently inserted into one interface slot of a motherboard (not
shown) without interfering with surrounding electronic component
parts at the motherboard, i.e., the invention fits the requirement
for light, thin, small and short characteristics.
[0028] After installation of the cooler system in the circuit board
3, the heat module 2 is suspending outside the circuit board 3 and
deviated from the heat dissipation direction and the radiation fins
221 of the heat sink 22 are disposed in parallel to the radiation
fins 12 of the metal holder base 1 at the top side of the circuit
board 3. When the external cooling fan (not shown) is started to
induce currents of air toward the circuit board 3, the induced
currents of air simultaneously carry heat away from the radiation
fins 221 of the heat sink 22 of the cooler module 2. During
operation of the circuit board 3, the heat pipe 21 absorbs heat
from a heat source (CPU) 31 at the circuit board 3 and transfers
absorbed heat to the heat sink 22 for dissipation into the outside
open air.
[0029] As stated above, the cooler system of the present invention
comprises a metal holder base 1, a cooler module 2 connected to the
metal holder base 1 at one lateral side in such a manner that the
radiation fins 221 of the heat sink 22 of the cooler module 2 are
kept in parallel to the radiation fins 12 at the top side of the
metal holder base 1, and a mounting structure 13 provided at the
bottom side of the metal holder base 1 for securing the metal
holder base 1 to a circuit board 3. Because the heat sink 22 of the
cooler module 2 is suspending outside the circuit board 3, the
cooler system does not occupy much surface space of the circuit
board 3. When the circuit board 3 is installed in a motherboard,
the cooler system does not interfere with the surrounding component
parts at the motherboard.
[0030] In actual practice, the cooler system of the present
invention has benefits as follows:
[0031] 1. The cooler module 2 is suspending from one lateral side
of the metal holder base 1 away from the heat dissipation direction
and connected to the metal holder base 1 in a non-parallel manner.
When the metal holder base 1 is affixed to a circuit board
(interface card) 3, the angled or U-shaped heat pipe 21 of the
cooler module 2 extends out of the circuit board 3 (metal holder
base 1) to a distance and supports the heat sink 22 in such a
position that the radiation fins 221 are kept in parallel to the
radiation fins 12 at the metal holder base 1. Therefore, the cooler
system does not occupy much surface space of the circuit board 3,
i.e., the size (width) of the circuit board 3 can be minimized.
[0032] 2. The cooler module 2 is abutted at one lateral side of the
metal holder base 1 so that the cooler module 2 can absorb heat
from the metal holder base 1 and dissipate absorbed heat into the
outside open air efficiently.
[0033] 3. The cooler module 2 is kept in parallel to the circuit
board (interface card) 3. When cold air from the external cooling
fan is flowing toward the circuit board 3, the flowing currents of
cold air also flows over the cooler module 2 to carry heat away
from the cooler module 2.
[0034] A prototype of cooler system has been constructed with the
features of FIGS. 1.about.5. The cooler system functions smoothly
to provide all of the features discussed earlier.
[0035] Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been
described in detail for purposes of illustration, various
modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *