U.S. patent application number 11/939957 was filed with the patent office on 2009-05-14 for fixing frame.
This patent application is currently assigned to INVENTEC CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Kuei-Hua CHEN.
Application Number | 20090122485 11/939957 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40568956 |
Filed Date | 2009-05-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090122485 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CHEN; Kuei-Hua |
May 14, 2009 |
FIXING FRAME
Abstract
A fixing frame is used to fix at least one heat sink fan on a
case of an electronic device. The fixing frame includes a cradle
and at least one fastener. The cradle has two oppositely disposed
plates, and the two plates respectively have a combining portion
and a latching portion, such that at least one accommodation region
is partitioned from the cradle for accommodating the fan, and the
latching portion and the combining portion are combined with each
other to form a clamping region. The fastener is disposed on the
case and clamped in the clamping region, such that the cradle is
fixed on the case.
Inventors: |
CHEN; Kuei-Hua; (Taipei,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MORRIS MANNING MARTIN LLP
3343 PEACHTREE ROAD, NE, 1600 ATLANTA FINANCIAL CENTER
ATLANTA
GA
30326
US
|
Assignee: |
INVENTEC CORPORATION
Taipei
TW
|
Family ID: |
40568956 |
Appl. No.: |
11/939957 |
Filed: |
November 14, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
361/695 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05K 7/20172 20130101;
F04D 19/007 20130101; F04D 29/601 20130101; F04D 25/0613
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
361/695 |
International
Class: |
H05K 7/20 20060101
H05K007/20 |
Claims
1. A fixing frame, for fixing at least one heat sink fan on a case
of an electronic device, comprising: a bracket, having two plates,
wherein the two plates are disposed oppositely and spaced by a
distance, a combining portion is disposed at one side of one of the
plates, and a latching portion is disposed at one side of the other
plate, such that at least one accommodation region is partitioned
from the cradle for accommodating the heat sink fan, and the
latching portion and the combining portion are combined with each
other to form a clamping region; and at least one fastener,
disposed on the case and clamped in the clamping region, such that
the cradle is fixed on the case.
2. The fixing frame as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastener has
a buckling hole, the latching portion has a hook, and the hook
buckles with the buckling hole, such that the fastener is fixed at
the clamping region.
3. The fixing frame as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one
combining hole is respectively disposed on the two plates, and by
penetrating at least one pin through the combining holes, the two
plate parts are adhered to two opposite sides of the heat sink fan,
such that the heat sink fan is fixed in the accommodation
region.
4. The fixing frame as claimed in claim 3, wherein one of the
combining holes has an embedding portion, an embedding segment is
disposed on one end of the pin, and the embedding segment is
embedded in the embedding portion, such that the two plates are
adhered to two opposite sides of the heat sink fan.
5. The fixing frame as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at
least one shock absorber disposed on the fastener for absorbing a
shocking energy.
6. The fixing frame as claimed in claim 5, wherein the shock
absorber has a plurality of first shock absorbing portions
protruding on a surface abutting the combining portion and the
latching portion.
7. The fixing frame as claimed in claim 5, wherein the shock
absorber has a plurality of second shock absorbing portions
protruding on a surface abutting the heat sink fan.
8. The fixing frame as claimed in claim 5, wherein material of the
shock absorber is rubber material.
9. The fixing frame as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastener has
at least one locking hole, at least one fixing hole is disposed on
the case, and by penetrating at least one locking element through
the locking hole to be locked in the fixing hole, the fastener is
fixed on the case.
10. The fixing frame as claimed in claim 1, wherein a clipping
portion extends on the other side of one of the plates opposite to
the accommodation region.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a fixing frame. More
particularly, the present invention relates to a fixing frame for
fixing at least one heat sink fan in an electronic device.
[0003] 2. Related Art
[0004] Recently, with rapid development of electronic science and
technology, and in order to satisfy consumers' requirements on data
processing speed, operation speed of electronic components in the
computer device must be quick. Volume of the electronic components
is slight, such that thermal generation amount of a unit area is
increased. If thermal energy cannot be dissipated in time, over
high temperature will seriously affect stability and efficiency of
the electronic components during operation, such that service life
of the computer device is shortened, and even the computer device
is damaged.
[0005] In order to quickly dissipate the thermal energy generated
by the electronic components, a conventional thermal dissipating
manner is installing a heat sink fan in the computer devices, so as
to blow a forced air flow to the electronic components with high
thermal energy for dissipation, and to lower environmental
temperature in the computer device.
[0006] Four corners of the conventional heat sink fan are disposed
a fixing hole respectively, and the heat sink fan is locked on the
computer case by passing locking components, such as screw bolts,
through the fixing holes. Alternatively, the fan is sleeved on a
frame fixed on the case, such that the fan is fixed and retained at
the thermal dissipating position.
[0007] However, during the assembling process or the maintaining
process of the heat sink fan, the user must repeatedly assemble and
disassemble the screw bolts or the frame. The process is quite
time-consuming and complex. When it intends to maintain and replace
the heat sink fan, it is necessary to stop the operation of the
computer device, and to disassemble the whole heat sink fan, thus
being quite inconvenient.
[0008] The size of the conventional fan frame is mostly suitable
for specific fan types, and if it intends to replace the heat sink
fans with different sizes, a matching frame must be rearranged. The
volume of the frame is over huge, the space in the computer is
greatly occupied if a plurality of frames is installed and used at
the same time, which does not accord with the recent trend that the
computer device must be light, thin, short, and small.
[0009] Further, in order to have a certain structural strength, the
fan frame is mostly made of rigid material. The heat sink fan
directly contacts with the frame for fixing. The shocking energy
generated during the operation of the fan and the frame are quite
easy to affect with each other to generate resonance, and because
of the resonance frequency of the space in the computer device, the
generated resonance noise is quite serious. The fan tends to be
impacted due to the resonance with the frame, thereby shortening
the service life of the fan.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] In view of the above problem, the present invention provides
a fixing frame, so as to solve the problems of the conventional art
that the assembling and the disassembling processes of the heat
sink fan are complex, size of the fan and the frame are not
matched, and the conventional frame has no shock absorption design,
thereby resulting in over high manufacturing cost, insufficient
fixing stability, and large noise generated during operation.
[0011] The fixing frame of the present invention is used to fix at
least one heat sink fan on a case of an electronic device. The
fixing frame includes a cradle and at least one fastener. The
cradle has two plates disposed oppositely and spaced by a distance.
A combining portion is disposed at one side of one of the plates,
and a latching portion is disposed at one side of the other plate,
such that at least one accommodation region is partitioned from the
cradle for accommodating the heat sink fan. The latching portion
and the combining portion are combined with each other to form a
clamping region. The fastener is fixed on the case and is clamped
in the clamping region, such that the cradle is fixed on the
case.
[0012] In the present invention, the accommodation region and the
clamping region are partitioned by the combining portion and the
latching portion in the fixing frame, for accommodating and fixing
the heat sink fan in the bracket. Further, in the bracket, the heat
sink fan is directly fixed on the case through the clamping and
fixing between the clamping region and the fastener, thereby
greatly saving the assembling and disassembling time and steps for
the heat sink fan.
[0013] Further scope of applicability of the present invention will
become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter.
However, it should be understood that the detailed description and
specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the
invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various
changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the
invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from
this detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The present invention will become more fully understood from
the detailed description given herein below for illustration only,
and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and
wherein:
[0015] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a first embodiment of the
present invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the
present invention;
[0017] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a second embodiment of the
present invention;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the
present invention; and
[0019] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the second embodiment of
the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] The fixing frame of the present invention is disposed in an
electronic device which likes a computer device, such as a desktop
computer, a notebook computer, or a server, but not limit to the
above-mentioned electronic devices. In the detailed description of
the present invention as follows, the server is used as the most
preferred embodiment of the present invention. However, the
accompanying drawings are only used to provide reference and
illustration, and are not used to limit the present invention.
[0021] FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of a first embodiment of
the present invention. A fixing frame 100 of the present invention
is used for fixing a heat sink fan 200 on a case 310 of an
electronic device 300. The fixing frame 100 includes a cradle 110
and a fastener 120. The cradle 110 has two plates 111 disposed
oppositely and spaced by a distance. A combining portion 112
extends on a side of one of the plates 111, a latching portion 113
is disposed on a side of the other plate 111 that corresponding to
the combining portion 112, and the latching portion 113 has a hook
1131. The combining portion 112 and the latching portion 113 are
combined with each other, such that an accommodation region is
partitioned from the cradle 110 for accommodating the heat sink fan
200 in the cradle 110, and a clamping region is formed between the
combining portion 112 and the latching portion 113.
[0022] The combining portion 112, the latching portion 113, and the
plates 111 of the present invention are formed into one piece.
However, those skilled in the art may dispose the combining portion
112 and the latching portion 113 on the two plates 111 by means of
buckling, riveting, welding, or other manners, which is not limited
by this embodiment.
[0023] A plurality of locking holes 122 is opened at the bottom of
the fastener 120, and a plurality of fixing holes 311 is opened on
the case 310. By penetrating a plurality of locking elements 150,
such as screw bolts, through the locking holes 122 to be locked in
the fixing holes 311, the fastener 120 is secured on the case 310
of the electronic device 300. The external structure of the
fastener 120 matches with the clamping region formed by the
combining portion 112 and the latching portion 113. A buckling hole
121 is disposed at one side of the fastener 120. When the cradle
110 with the installed heat sink fan 200 is disposed on the case
310, the clamping region of the cradle 110 and the fastener 120
clamp with each other, and the hook 1131 is buckled with the
buckling hole 121, such that the fastener 120 is fixed in the
clamping region, thereby avoiding the cradle 110 from loosing or
dislocating.
[0024] Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2, the heat sink fan 200 is
fixed in the cradle 110 by penetrating pins 130 through the two
plates 111 and the heating sink fan 200 at the same time. Two
combining holes 114 are disposed on two opposite corners of the two
plates 111 respectively, and the quantity of the combining holes
114 is not limited to this embodiment. The combining hole 114 of
one plate 111 has an embedding portion 1141, and an embedding
segment 131 with a diameter slightly smaller than body size is
disposed on an end of the pin 130. One end of the pin 130 having
the embedding segment 131 penetrates the combining hole 114 and the
heat sink fan 200, and is embedded into the embedding portion 1141,
such that the two plates 111 are adhered to two opposite sides of
the heat sink fan 200 respectively, and the heat sink fan 200 is
fixed in the accommodation region. The user only needs to directly
combine the cradle 110 with the installed heat sink fan 200 and the
fastener 120 fixed on the case 310, so as to fix the heat sink fan
200 on the case 310 of the electronic device 300 directly, and to
greatly save the assembling and the disassembling time and
steps.
[0025] In addition, a clipping portion 115 extends on the other
side of one plate 111 opposite to the accommodation region. When
the cradle 110 and the fastener 120 clamp with each other for
fixing, the clipping portion 115 clips an electrical connection
port 320 at the same time, thereby increasing the holding force of
the cradle 110 fixed on the case 310, so as to prevent the cradle
110 from loosing from the fastener 120.
[0026] FIG. 3 to FIG. 5 are perspective views of a second
embodiment of the present invention. For the fixing frame 100 of
the second embodiment of the present invention, through the design
of the positions of the combining portion 112 and the latching
portion 113, at least two heat sink fans 200 are correspondingly
accommodated in the cradle 110. However, those skilled in the art
can increase the quantity of the combining portion 112 and the
latching portion 113 according to the practical requirement, such
that the cradle 110 can accommodate more heat sink fans, which is
not limited by the embodiments provided in the present
invention.
[0027] The fixing frame 100 of the second embodiment of the present
invention includes a cradle 110, a fastener 120, a plurality of
combining pins 130, and two shock absorbers 140. The shock
absorbers 140 are made of rubber material. The shock absorbers 140
are disposed on upper side edge of the fastener 120, and slightly
protrude relative to outer edge of the fastener 120. The shock
absorber 140 has a plurality of first shock absorbing portions 141
and a plurality of second shock absorbing portions 142. The first
shock absorbing portions 141 protrudes on a surface abutting the
combining portion 112 and the latching portion 113, the second
shock absorbing portions 142 protrudes on a surface abutting the
heat sink fan 200, thereby increasing the deformable amount of the
shock absorber 140, and enhancing shocking energy absorbing effect
of the shock absorber 140.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 3 to FIG. 5, when the cradle 110 with the
installed heat sink fan 200 clamps with the fastener 120 for
fixing, the first shock absorbing portions 141 contact with the
combining portions 112 and the latching portion 113, and the second
shock absorbing portions 142 contact with the heat sink fan 200, so
as to absorb the shocking energy conducting from the outside to the
fixing frame 100, or to absorb the shocking energy generated when
the heat sink fan 200 operates.
[0029] In the fixing frame provided by the present invention, the
accommodation region and the clamping region are partitioned by the
combining portion and the latching portion for accommodating and
fixing at least one heat sink fan in the bracket. The cradle with
the installed heat sink fan is fixed on the case through the
clamping and fixing between the clamping region and the fastener,
thereby greatly saving the assembling and disassembling time and
steps for the heat sink fan.
[0030] In addition, the shock absorbers of the present invention
further provide shock absorbing protection function, so as to
prevent the fixing frame and the heat sink fan from being affected
by the shocking energy to result in the structural damage or over
high noise.
[0031] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that
the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be
regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention,
and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in
the art are intended to be included within the scope of the
following claims.
* * * * *