U.S. patent application number 11/959436 was filed with the patent office on 2009-06-18 for pump for liquid cooling system.
This patent application is currently assigned to FU ZHUN PRECISION INDUSTRY (SHEN ZHEN) CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to QIAO-LI DING, CHENG-TIEN LAI, ZHI-YONG ZHOU.
Application Number | 20090155099 11/959436 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40753508 |
Filed Date | 2009-06-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090155099 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LAI; CHENG-TIEN ; et
al. |
June 18, 2009 |
PUMP FOR LIQUID COOLING SYSTEM
Abstract
A pump includes a base (10), a case (20) fixed on the base, a
stator (30) embedded into the case, a rotor unit (40) sandwiched
between the base and the case. The rotor unit includes an inner
rotor (42) surrounded by the stator and an outer rotor (44)
surrounding the stator. Magnetic fields produced by the stator have
interior parts interacting with the inner rotor, and exterior parts
interlinking with the outer rotor. Therefore, the magnetic fields
are able to be utilized sufficiently to drive the rotor unit to
have a high speed rotation, and an operation efficiency of the pump
is enhanced accordingly.
Inventors: |
LAI; CHENG-TIEN; (Tu-Cheng,
TW) ; ZHOU; ZHI-YONG; (Shenzhen, CN) ; DING;
QIAO-LI; (Shenzhen, CN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PCE INDUSTRY, INC.;ATT. Steven Reiss
458 E. LAMBERT ROAD
FULLERTON
CA
92835
US
|
Assignee: |
FU ZHUN PRECISION INDUSTRY (SHEN
ZHEN) CO., LTD.
Shenzhen City
CN
FOXCONN TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Tu-Cheng
TW
|
Family ID: |
40753508 |
Appl. No.: |
11/959436 |
Filed: |
December 18, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
417/410.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04D 13/064 20130101;
F04D 13/0673 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
417/410.1 |
International
Class: |
F04B 17/00 20060101
F04B017/00 |
Claims
1. A pump for use with a liquid cooling system, comprising: a base;
a case fixed on the base; a stator embedded into the case; a rotor
unit received between the case and the base, the rotor unit being
separated in a liquid-isolating relationship with the stator,
comprising: an inner rotor surrounded by the stator; an outer rotor
surrounding the stator; and a plurality of blades attached below
the inner rotor and the outer rotor for driving the liquid to
flow.
2. The pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotor comprises a
circular panel, the plurality of blades being fixed on a bottom of
the circular panel, and the inner rotor and the outer rotor being
secured on a top of the circular panel.
3. The pump as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rotor further
comprises a pair of inner coaxial sidewalls extending upwardly from
the top of the circular panel and sandwiching the inner rotor
therebetween, a pair of outer coaxial sidewalls extending upwardly
from the top of the circular panel and sandwiching the outer rotor
therebetween, and a shaft enclosed by the pair of inner coaxial
sidewalls.
4. The pump as claimed in claim 3, wherein the case defines an
annular cavity having an opening oriented upwardly, the stator
being received in the annular cavity.
5. The pump as claimed in claim 4, wherein the case defines a
circular cavity having an opening oriented downwardly and receiving
the shaft of the rotor unit therein, an annular chamber having an
opening oriented downwardly and receiving the pair of inner coaxial
sidewalls of the rotor unit therein, and another annular chamber
having an opening oriented downwardly and receiving the pair of
outer coaxial sidewalls of the rotor unit therein.
6. The pump as claimed in claim 5, wherein the annular cavity of
the case is surrounded by the annular chamber and surrounds the
circular cavity, and the another annular chamber surrounds the
annular chamber.
7. The pump as claimed in claim 5 further comprising a bearing
accommodated in the circular cavity of the case for supporting the
shaft of the rotor unit therein.
8. The pump as claimed in claim 4, wherein a part of the case
surrounded by the annular cavity is shorter than other parts of the
case.
9. The pump as claimed in claim 8 further comprising a printed
circuit board disposed on the stator and in the annular cavity of
the case, wherein a top face of the printed circuit board is
coplanar with a top face of the part of the case surrounded by the
annular cavity.
10. The pump as claimed in claim 4 further comprising a cover fixed
on the case to overlay the stator, cross-sectional areas of the
cover, the case, and the base being equal to each other.
11. The pump as claimed in claim 2, wherein the base defines a
transverse hole in an upper portion thereof, a horizontal hole in a
lower portion thereof, and an upright hole from a top to a bottom
thereof, the upright hole communicating the horizontal hole with
the transverse horizontal hole and receiving the plurality of
blades of the rotor unit therein.
12. The pump as claimed in claim 11 further comprising an annulus
received in the upright hole and at a middle of a height of the
base to separate the horizontal hole with the transverse hole of
the base, wherein the rotor unit is located above the annulus.
13. The pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the inner rotor
and the outer rotor has alternating N and S magnetic poles
distributed evenly therearound, a number of the N and S magnetic
poles of the inner rotor being essentially identical to that of the
outer rotor.
14. The pump as claimed in claim 13, wherein each of the N magnetic
poles of the inner rotor faces each of the S magnetic poles of the
outer rotor, both of which have an equal angular width.
15. The pump as claimed in claim 13, wherein the magnetic poles of
the inner rotor and the magnetic poles of the outer rotor in facing
relationship have opposite polarities.
16. The pump as claimed in claim 13, wherein each of the S magnetic
poles of the inner rotor and each of the N magnetic poles of the
outer rotor are staggered each other with an acute angle defined
therebetween.
17. The pump as claimed in claim 15, wherein the stator comprises a
plurality of teeth positioned in a circumferentially equidistant
relationship therein, a number of the teeth is identical to the
number of the S and N magnetic poles of the inner rotor.
18. A liquid pump, comprising: a casing defining therein a chamber,
an inlet and an outlet both being in flow communication with the
chamber; a rotor received in the chamber and being rotatable to
drive liquid to enter the chamber via the inlet and to exit the
chamber via the outlet, the rotor comprising a cylindrical outer
wall, a cylindrical inner wall and a substrate connecting with a
bottom end of the outer and inner walls, an agitator being formed
on a bottom surface of the substrate; an outer magnetic ring
embedded in the outer wall of the rotor and an inner magnetic ring
embedded in the inner wall of the rotor; a stator received in the
chamber to drive the rotor to rotate; a partition seat received in
the chamber and arranged between the stator and the rotor to space
the stator and the rotor; and a top cover mounted to a top of the
casing.
19. The liquid pump as described in claim 18, wherein each of the
outer and inner magnetic rings have a plurality of alternating N
and S poles, and have different poles at opposing surfaces thereof
so that a attractive force exists therebetween.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a pump, and more
particularly to a pump incorporating a pair of rotors for raising
an operating efficiency thereof.
[0003] 2. Description of related art
[0004] With continuing development of the computer technology,
electronic packages such as the CPUs are generating more and more
heat that is required to be dissipated immediately. The
conventional heat dissipating devices such as combined heat sinks
and fans are not competent for dissipating so much heat any more.
Liquid cooling systems have thus been increasingly used in computer
technology to cool these electronic packages.
[0005] A typical liquid cooling system comprises a heat absorbing
unit for absorbing heat from a heat source, and a heat dissipating
unit which is filled with liquid. The liquid conducts heat exchange
with the heat absorbing unit, thereby taking away the heat of the
heat absorbing unit when the liquid is circulated. Typically, a
miniature pump is used to circulate the liquid in the liquid
cooling system.
[0006] A conventional pump comprises a stator secured in a case,
and a rotor rotatably mounted in the case and enclosing the stator.
When an electric current is delivered to armature coils of the
stator, a magnetic field is produced from the stator, and interacts
with another magnetic field generated by a permanent magnetic
sleeve of the rotor to repulse and attract the permanent magnetic
sleeve, whereby the rotor is driven to rotate.
[0007] The magnetic field produced by the stator simultaneously
distributes at an interior and an exterior of the stator. However,
only the exterior part of the magnetic field can interact with the
another magnetic field produced by the rotor, which results in the
interior part of the magnetic field being wasted. The magnetic
field being not able to be utilized sufficiently causes an
operating efficiency of the pump limited.
[0008] What is needed, therefore, is a pump which can overcome the
above-mentioned disadvantage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] A pump includes a base, a case fixed on the base, a stator
embedded into the case, a rotor unit sandwiched between the base
and the case. The rotor unit includes an inner rotor surrounded by
the stator, and an outer rotor surrounding the stator. Magnetic
fields produced by the stator have interior parts interacting with
the inner rotor and exterior parts interlinking with the outer
rotor. Therefore, the magnetic fields are able to be utilized
sufficiently to drive the rotor unit to have a high speed rotation,
and an operation efficiency of the pump is enhanced
accordingly.
[0010] Other advantages and novel features of the present invention
will become more apparent from the following detailed description
when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] Many aspects of the present apparatus can be better
understood with reference to the following drawings. The components
in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis
instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of
the present apparatus. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference
numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several
views.
[0012] FIG. 1 is an assembled, isometric view of a pump in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with a cover and a
printed circuit board being removed for clarity;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of FIG.1;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a view of an operation principle of the pump of
FIG. 1; and
[0017] FIG. 6 is a view of an operation principle of a pump in
accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a pump in accordance with a
preferred embodiment of the present invention is used in a liquid
cooling system (not shown) for driving liquid to flow. The pump
comprises a base 10, a case 20 fixed on the base 10, a stator 30
embedded in the case 20, and a rotor unit 40 rotatably received
into the case 20 with an inner rotor 42 and an outer rotor 44
thereof sandwiching the stator 30 therebetween.
[0019] The base 10 has a substantially square shape with an
upright, circular hole 12 defined in a central area from a top to a
bottom thereof. A first pipe 14 and a second pipe 16 (seen in FIG.
3) are formed horizontally and outwardly from a sidewall (not
labeled) of the base 10, wherein the first pipe 14 is located at an
upper portion of the base 10, and the second pipe 16 is located at
a lower portion of the base 10. Each of the first pipe 14 and the
second pipe 16 has a perforation 140, 160 communicating with the
circular hole 12 for allowing the first pipe 14 to function as a
water-inlet, and the second pipe 16 to act as a water-outlet. An
annular step 18 is formed at a middle of a height of the base 10
and around an inner circumference of the base 10 for supporting an
annulus 70 thereon.
[0020] The case 20 is fixed on the base 10 by bringing four screws
(not shown) to extend four corners of the case 20 and be threadedly
engaged in the base 10. A ring pad 80 is disposed between the case
20 and the base 10 for preventing a liquid leakage from occurring.
The case 20 also has a square configuration that has a
cross-section identical to that of the base 10. An annular area of
a top face of the case 20 is concaved downwardly to form a
cylindrical post 220 in a center of the case 20, and a first cavity
22 surrounding the cylindrical post 220 for receiving the stator 30
therein. A plurality of areas of a bottom face of the case 20 is
concaved upwardly to form a second cavity 24, a third cavity 26,
and a forth cavity 28 (illustrated in FIG. 4), all of which are
coaxial with the first cavity 22, wherein the second cavity 24 has
a circular shape, the third cavity 26 and the forth cavity 28 have
annular shapes, respectively. The second cavity 24 is enclosed by
the first cavity 22, and the third cavity 26 is surrounded by the
forth cavity 28 and surrounds the first cavity 22. The first cavity
22 has an opening (not labeled) oriented upwardly, the second
cavity 24, the third cavity 26, and the forth cavity 28 have
openings (not labeled) oriented downwardly, in other words, an
interior of the case 20 is divided into two separated spaces by an
interlayer (not labeled), for preventing the liquid from
penetrating into the first cavity 22, and ensuring the stator 30 to
be isolating from the liquid, as the pump is in operation. A height
of the cylindrical post 220 is less than other parts of the base
20, whereby a printed circuit board 50 is able to be received in
the first cavity 22 with a top face of the cylindrical post 220
being coplanar with a top face of the printed circuit board 50
(shown in FIG. 4). A groove 222 is defined at the top face of the
case 20 and communicates with the first cavity 22 for allowing
power cords (not labeled) of the printed circuit board 50
therethrough.
[0021] Also referring to FIG. 4, the rotor unit 40 is sandwiched
between the case 20 and the base 10. The rotor unit 40 comprises a
circular panel 400, a plurality of blades 402 raidally attached on
a bottom face of the circular panel 400, a pair of inner coaxial
sidewalls 404 extending upwardly and vertically from a top face of
the circular panel 400, a pair of outer coaxial sidewalls 406
extending upwardly and vertically from the top face of the circular
panel 400 and enclosing the pair of inner coaxial sidewalls 404,
and a shaft 408 extending upwardly and perpendicularly from the top
face of the circular panel 400 and enclosed by the pair of inner
coaxial sidewalls 404. The plurality of blades 402 is for being
received in the circular hole 12 of the base 10 and located above
the annulus 70, and agitating the liquid that enters into the pump
via the first pipe 14, whereby the liquid is driven to flow in a
downwardly volute manner through a hole 700 of the annulus 70, and
to be expelled out of the pump via the second pipe 16. An inner
rotor 42 and an outer rotor 44 are sandwiched between the pair of
inner coaxial sidewalls 404 and the pair of outer coaxial sidewalls
406, respectively. In the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the inner rotor 42 and the outer rotor 44 act as an
inner permanent magnetic sleeve 42 and an outer permanent magnetic
sleeve 44, respectively. Also shown in FIG. 5, each of the inner
permanent magnetic sleeve 42 and the outer permanent magnetic
sleeve 44 has alternating N and S magnetic poles 420, 422, 440, 442
distributed evenly thereon, wherein each of the N magnetic poles
422, 440 is located adjacent to each of the S magnetic poles 420,
442 and has an angular width of 360/N degrees (N is a total number
of the N and S magnetic poles 420, 422, 440, 442 of each of the
inner permanent magnetic sleeve 42 and the outer inner permanent
magnetic sleeve 44). Each of the N magnetic poles 422 of the inner
permanent magnetic sleeve 42 faces each of the S magnetic poles 442
of the outer permanent magnetic sleeve 44, and each of the S
magnetic poles 420 of the inner permanent magnetic sleeve 42
confronts each of the N magnetic poles 440 of the outer permanent
magnetic sleeve 44, that is to say, the poles 440, 442 of the outer
permanent sleeve 44 and the poles 420, 422 of the inner permanent
sleeve 42 in face-to-face relationship have opposite polarities. A
bearing 46 is sleeved onto the shaft 408 of the rotor unit 40 for
supporting the rotor unit 40 when the bearing 46 is accommodated in
the second cavity 24 of the case 20, with the pair of inner coaxial
sidewalls 404 received in the third cavity 26 of the case 20, and
the pair of outer coaxial sidewalls 406 received in the forth
cavity 28 of the case 20.
[0022] Shown in FIGS. 3-4, the stator 30 is for being received in
the first cavity 22 of the case 20. The stator 30 comprises a
plurality of yokes 32 stacked with each other, a plurality of teeth
34 extending inwardly from and equidistantly around inner
peripheries of the plurality of yokes 32, a plurality of armature
coils 36 respectively wound spirally onto necks of the plurality of
teeth 34. A part of the plurality of armature coils 36 wound on
each of the plurality of teeth 34 have opposite spirally wound
configurations in respect to that of another part of the plurality
of armature coils 36 wound on an adjacent one of the plurality of
teeth 34; thus, each of the plurality of teeth 34 produces a
magnetic field opposite to that produced by the adjacent one of the
plurality of teeth 34. Each of the plurality of teeth 34 forms a
piece 38 at an inner end thereof, which is wider than the neck of
each of the plurality of teeth 34 for producing homogenous magnetic
field as the plurality of armature coils 36 is energized. The
pieces 38 of the stator 30 are distributed in a circumferentially,
equidistantly spaced relationship around the inner peripheries of
the plurality of yokes 32, and have a number identical to that of
the N and S magnetic poles 420, 422, 440, 442 of each of the inner
permanent magnetic sleeve 42 and the outer permanent magnetic
sleeve 44 of the rotor unit 40. The stator 30 is received in the
first cavity 22 of the case 20 and around the cylindrical post 220
with outer circumferences of the plurality of yokes 32 thereof
abutting against an outer rim of the first cavity 22, inner faces
of the pieces 38 thereof contacting an inner periphery of the first
cavity 22.
[0023] The printed circuit board 50 is disposed on the stator 30,
with its power cords extending through the cutout 222 of the case
20, and a top of the cylindrical post 220 received into a center
thereof. An exterior diameter of the printed circuit board 50 is
slightly less than that of the first cavity 22 of the case 20 so
that the printed circuit board 50 can be substantially accommodated
therein. The printed circuit board 50 interconnects the stator 30
with a power source (not shown), for providing an alternating
electric current to the stator 30.
[0024] The pump further comprises a cover 60 lying over the printed
circuit board 50 and firmly coupling with the case 20 by screws.
The cover 60 has a cross section identical to that of the base 10,
so that when the pump is assembled to be an integral, it has a
shape similar to a cube. The cover 60 is used for protecting the
inner elements of the pump.
[0025] As shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, in use, the alternating
electric current produced by the printed circuit board 50 flows
through the plurality of armature coils 36 to make the plurality of
armature coils 36 generate the magnetic fields (it is called
magnetic effect of electric current). Since the different spiral
wound configurations of the plurality of armature coils 36 on the
plurality of teeth 34, the stator 30 generates magnetic fields
distributed at an interior and exterior thereof, some of which are
oriented inwardly, and other of which intervening into the some of
magnetic fields are oriented outwardly. Due to symmetrical
constructions of the stator 30 and the rotor unit 40, only a part
thereof is described as given below: when a predetermined electric
current is delivered to the stator 30, one of the plurality of
teeth 34 of the stator 30 is magnetized in a manner such that an
inner end thereof exhibits an S polarity, and an outer end thereof
exhibits an N polarity, thereby defining a first magnetic field
having a radially outward orientation; the adjacent one of the
plurality of teeth 34 is magnetized in a manner such that an inner
end thereof exhibits an N polarity, and an outer end thereof
presents an S polarity, thereby defining a second magnetic field
having a radially inward orientation. An interior part of the first
magnetic field interlinks with the S magnetic pole 420 of the inner
permanent magnetic sleeve 42, and an exterior part of the first
magnetic field interacts with the N magnetic pole 440 of the outer
permanent magnetic sleeve 44, to generate first turning torques,
which respectively repulse the S magnetic pole 420 of the inner
permanent magnetic sleeve 42 and the N magnetic pole 440 of the
outer permanent magnetic sleeve 44, to render the rotor unit 40 to
have an anticlockwise rotation. An interior part of the second
magnetic field interlinks with the N magnetic pole 422 of the inner
permanent magnetic sleeve 42, and an exterior part of the second
magnetic field interacts with the S magnetic pole 442 of the outer
permanent magnetic sleeve 44, to generate second turning torques,
which has orientations identical to that of the first turning
torques, to respectively repulse the N magnetic pole 422 of the
inner permanent magnetic sleeve 42 and the S magnetic pole 442 of
the outer permanent magnetic sleeve 44, to further render rotor
unit 40 to rotate anticlockwise. The alternating electric current
changes its direction with a high frequency, which is synchronized
with the rotation of the rotor unit 40, in order to make sure that
the stator 30 changes its polarities in time, thereby to provide
the inner permanent magnetic sleeve 42 and the outer permanent
magnetic sleeve 44 with corresponding turning torques, which are
able to drive the rotor unit 40 to rotate continuously.
[0026] Since the inner permanent magnetic sleeve 42 and the outer
permanent magnetic sleeve 44 respectively located into and out of
the stator 30, the interior parts and the exterior parts of the
magnetic fields exerted by the stator 30 is able to be utilized
sufficiently, and produce more turning torques. The more turning
torques acting on the rotor unit 40 could cause the rotor unit 40
to rotor much rapidly. Therefore, a high speed rotation of the
rotor unit 40 is obtained, and an operation efficiency of the pump
is enhanced accordingly.
[0027] Referring to FIG. 6, it can be understood, in order to
resolve a problem of "dead point", which may cause the pump is not
able to start itself, the inner permanent magnetic sleeve 42 is
staggered with the outer permanent magnetic sleeve 44, to enable
that a boundary of two adjacent N and S magnetic poles 420, 422 of
the inner permanent magnetic sleeve 42 defines an acute angle with
a corresponding intermediate line between two adjacent N and S
magnetic poles 440, 442 of the outer permanent magnetic sleeve
44.
[0028] It is believed that the present invention and its advantages
will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be
apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of
its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely
being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.
* * * * *