U.S. patent application number 13/762370 was filed with the patent office on 2013-09-26 for electronic apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to COMPAL ELECTRONICS, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is Jia-Yu Hung, Kai-Hsiang Tsao, Chang-Yuan Wu, Hsiang-Tien Wu. Invention is credited to Jia-Yu Hung, Kai-Hsiang Tsao, Chang-Yuan Wu, Hsiang-Tien Wu.
Application Number | 20130250514 13/762370 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49196224 |
Filed Date | 2013-09-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130250514 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tsao; Kai-Hsiang ; et
al. |
September 26, 2013 |
ELECTRONIC APPARATUS
Abstract
An electronic apparatus includes a casing, a separation
structure, a fan, a first heat generating element and a heat
conducting module. The casing has an air inlet and an air outlet.
An inner portion of the casing includes first and second areas
connected to the air inlet and the air outlet respectively. The
separation structure is disposed at a border between the first and
the second areas to separate the first and second areas. The fan is
disposed in the first area adjacent to the air inlet and adapted to
provide a heat dissipation airflow. The heat dissipation airflow
flows through the air inlet, the first area, the second area and
the air outlet sequentially. The first heat generating element is
disposed in the second area. The heat conducting module is
connected between the fan and the first heat generating
element.
Inventors: |
Tsao; Kai-Hsiang; (Taipei
City, TW) ; Wu; Chang-Yuan; (Taipei City, TW)
; Hung; Jia-Yu; (Taipei City, TW) ; Wu;
Hsiang-Tien; (Taipei City, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Tsao; Kai-Hsiang
Wu; Chang-Yuan
Hung; Jia-Yu
Wu; Hsiang-Tien |
Taipei City
Taipei City
Taipei City
Taipei City |
|
TW
TW
TW
TW |
|
|
Assignee: |
COMPAL ELECTRONICS, INC.
Taipei City
TW
|
Family ID: |
49196224 |
Appl. No.: |
13/762370 |
Filed: |
February 8, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61614498 |
Mar 22, 2012 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
361/692 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05K 7/20145 20130101;
G06F 1/203 20130101; H05K 7/20154 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
361/692 |
International
Class: |
H05K 7/20 20060101
H05K007/20 |
Claims
1. An electronic apparatus, comprising: a casing having an air
inlet and an air outlet, wherein an inner portion of the casing
comprises a first area and a second area, the first area is
connected to the air inlet, and the second area is connected to the
air outlet; a separation structure disposed at a border between the
first area and the second area to separate the first area and
second area; a fan disposed in the first area and adjacent to the
air inlet, wherein the fan is adapted to provide a heat dissipation
airflow, the heat dissipation airflow flows through the air inlet,
the first area, the second area and the air outlet sequentially; a
first heat generating element disposed in the second area; and a
heat conducting module connected between the fan and the first heat
generating element.
2. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heat
dissipation airflow flows through the heat conducting module, the
first heat generating element and the air outlet sequentially;
3. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heat conducting
module comprises a heat dissipation fin set and a heat pipe, the
heat dissipation fin set is disposed at an exhaust side of the fan,
and the heat pipe is connected between the heat dissipation fin set
and the first heat generating element.
4. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first heat
generating element is a central processing unit or a graphic
chip.
5. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the casing has a
sidewall, the air inlet and the air outlet are formed on the
sidewall.
6. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the separation
structure is disposed in the casing to surround and define a flow
channel, the flow channel is connected between the air inlet and
the fan.
7. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the separation
structure is disposed in the casing to surround and define a flow
channel, the flow channel is connected between the fan and the air
outlet.
8. The electronic apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a second
heat generating element, wherein the second heat generating element
is disposed inside of the flow channel.
9. The electronic apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first heat
generating element is disposed outside of the flow channel.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the priority benefits of U.S.
provisional application Ser. No. 61/614,498, filed on Mar. 22,
2012. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent applications is
hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this
specification.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention relates to an electronic apparatus. More
particularly, the invention relates to an electronic apparatus
having a fan.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] With the advance of electronic technology, various
electronic products have been widely used in different industries
and consumer products. Electronic apparatuses in the electronic
products may generate heat during operations. Heat dissipation
holes are generally formed on a casing of the electronic product to
ensure the electronic apparatus to operate normally, a heat
dissipation airflow is adapted to carry away heat generated during
operations of the electronic apparatuses through said heat
dissipation holes. Take a notebook computer for instance, the
central processing unit (CPU) or other heat generating elements
therein may generate heat during operations, thus it is required to
have a fan and a heat conducting module disposed within the
notebook computer for a heat dissipation.
[0006] More specifically, said heat conducting module may include a
heat pipe and a heat dissipation fin set, the heat pipe is
connected between the heat generating element and the heat
dissipation fin set, so as to conduct heat generated by the heat
generating elements to the heat dissipation fin set, and the fan
may generate a heat dissipation airflow to perform the heat
dissipation to the heat dissipation fin set. In come specific
designs of the notebook computer, the heat dissipation fin set is
disposed between the fan and an air outlet of the casing so the fan
may move air in the casing to flow towards the heat dissipation fin
set and exhaust outside of the air outlet, such that the air in the
casing may be utilized to perform the heat dissipation to the heat
dissipation fin set. However, in the notebook computer, a
temperature of the air in the casing of the notebook computer is
generally higher than a temperature of air outside of the casing,
so it is difficult to acquire a favorable heat dissipation
efficiency when the heat dissipation is performed to the heat
dissipation fin set by using the air in the casing.
[0007] FIG. 1 illustrates an electronic apparatus having a fan in
conventional art (U.S. Pat. No. 6,111,748). As shown in FIG. 1, a
heat pipe 320 is connected between a heat generating element 315
and a fan 200, the fan 200 brings the air from the outside into the
casing through an air inlet 330 of the casing of the electronic
apparatus, so as to perform the heat dissipation to the heat pipe
320 by utilizing the air from the outside. Although said technology
in conventional art may improve a heat dissipation effectiveness by
performing the heat dissipation to the heat pipe 320 using the air
from the outside with a lower temperature, the heat dissipation
airflow flowed through the heat pipe 320 is then exhausted through
an air outlet 340 of the casing immediately, so that the heat
dissipation airflow may no longer flow inside of the casing and
continue to perform the heat dissipation to the heat generating
element 315 or other heat generating sources, resulting a poor
efficiency in utilizing the heat dissipation airflow.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The invention is directed to an electronic apparatus having
a favorable heat dissipation effectiveness, which may efficiently
utilize a heat dissipation airflow.
[0009] The invention provides an electronic apparatus including a
casing, a separation structure, a fan, a first heat generating
element and a heat conducting module. The casing has an air inlet
and an air outlet. An inner portion of the casing includes a first
area and a second area. The first area is connected to the air
inlet, and the second area is connected to the air outlet. The
separation structure is disposed at a border between the first area
and the second area to separate the first area and the second area.
The fan is disposed in the first area and adjacent to the air
inlet. The fan is adapted to provide a heat dissipation airflow.
The heat dissipation airflow flows through the air inlet, the first
area, the second area and the air outlet sequentially. The first
heat generating element is disposed in the second area. The heat
conducting module is connected between the fan and the first heat
generating element.
[0010] According to the present embodiment, the heat dissipation
airflow flows through the heat conducting module, the first heat
generating element and the air outlet sequentially.
[0011] According to an embodiment of the invention, the heat
conducting module includes a heat dissipation fin set and a heat
pipe, the heat dissipation fin set is disposed at an exhaust side
of the fan, and the heat pipe is connected between the heat
dissipation fin set and the first heat generating element.
[0012] According to an embodiment of the invention, the first heat
generating element is a central processing unit or a graphic
chip.
[0013] According to an embodiment of the invention, the casing has
a sidewall, and the air inlet and the air outlet are formed on the
sidewall.
[0014] According to an embodiment of the invention, the separation
structure is disposed in the casing to surround and define a flow
channel, the flow channel is connected between the air inlet and
the fan.
[0015] According to an embodiment of the invention, the separation
structure is disposed in the casing to surround and define a flow
channel, the flow channel is connected between the fan and the air
outlet.
[0016] According to an embodiment of the invention, the electronic
apparatus further includes a second heat generating element, in
which the second heat generating element is disposed inside of the
flow channel.
[0017] According to an embodiment of the invention, the first heat
generating element is disposed outside of the flow channel.
[0018] Based on above, the fan of the invention is disposed in the
first area and adjacent to the air inlet of the casing, and the
first heat generating element is disposed in the second area
instead of the first area, so the fan may form the heat dissipation
airflow by using air with a lower temperature from the outside or
in the first area, such that the heat dissipation may be performed
to the heat conducting module in the casing by using the heat
dissipation airflow with the lower temperature, so as to improve
the heat dissipation efficiency of the electronic apparatus.
Moreover, after flowing through the fan located at the first area
in the casing, the heat dissipation airflow may flow through the
second area in the casing before being exhausted from the casing
through the air outlet. Accordingly, before being exhausted from
the electronic apparatus, the heat dissipation airflow may perform
the heat dissipation to the first heat generating element or other
heat generating sources located at the second area in the casing,
so as to utilize the heat dissipation airflow more efficiently.
[0019] To make the above features and advantages of the invention
more comprehensible, several embodiments accompanied with drawings
are described in detail as follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates an electronic apparatus having a fan in
conventional art.
[0021] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of an electronic apparatus
according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0022] FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of an electronic apparatus
according to another embodiment of the invention.
[0023] FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of an electronic apparatus
according to another embodiment of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0024] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of an electronic apparatus
according to an embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 2,
an electronic apparatus 100 of the present embodiment includes a
casing 110, a fan 120, a first heat generating element 130 and a
heat conducting module 140. According to the present embodiment,
the electronic apparatus 100 may be, for example, a host of a pad
computer or a notebook computer, the first heat generating element
130 may be, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) on a
motherboard 50 of the notebook computer. In other embodiments, the
electronic apparatus 100 may also be other electronic apparatuses,
and the first heat generating element 130 may be a graphic chip or
other heat generating elements, the invention is not limited
thereto.
[0025] The casing 110 has an air inlet 110a and an air outlet 110b.
An inner portion of the casing 110 includes a first area 110c and a
second area 110d. The first area 110c is connected to the air inlet
110a and the second area 110d is connected to the air outlet 110b.
The fan 120 is disposed in the first area 100c and adjacent to the
air inlet 110a. The first heat generating element 130 is disposed
in the second area 110d. The heat conducting module 140 is
connected between the fan 120 and the first heat generating element
130. The fan 120 is adapted to provide a heat dissipation
airflow.
[0026] After the heat dissipation airflow is flowed into the first
area 110c in the casing 110 through the air inlet 110a, the heat
dissipation airflow may flow through the air inlet 110a, the first
area 110c, the second area 110d and the air outlet 110b
sequentially, as indicated by an arrow illustrated in FIG. 2. In
other words, according to the present embodiment, the heat
dissipation airflow provided by the fan 120 may flow through the
heat conducting module 140, the first heat generating element 130
and the air outlet 110b sequentially.
[0027] With above-said disposition, the fan 120 is disposed in the
first area 110c and adjacent to the air inlet 110a of the casing
110, and the first heat generating element 130 is disposed in the
second area 110d instead of the first area 110c so the fan 120 may
form the heat dissipation airflow by using air with a lower
temperature from the outside or in the first area 110c, such that a
heat dissipation efficiency of the electronic apparatus 100 may be
improved by performing the heat dissipation to the inner portion of
the casing 110 using the heat dissipation airflow with the lower
temperature. In addition, since air from the outside has the lower
temperature, the air may have a temperature lower than the heat
generating sources (e.g., the first heat generating element 130) in
the casing 110 after the air performs the heat dissipation to the
heat conducting module 140. Also, after being flowed through the
fan 120 of the first area 110c in the casing 110, the heat
dissipation airflow may flow through the second area 110d in the
casing 110 before being exhausted from the casing 110 through the
air outlet 110b. Accordingly, before being exhausted from the
electronic apparatus 100, the heat dissipation airflow may perform
the heat dissipation to the first heat generating element 130 or
other heat generating sources located at the second area 110d in
the casing 110, so as to utilize the heat dissipation airflow more
efficiently. In addition, besides performing the heat dissipation
to the heat conducting module 140 and the first heat generating
element 130 as described above, the heat dissipation airflow may
further reduce a temperature of the casing 110, so as to prevent a
discomfort one user may feel due to the casing 110 being too hot
when the casing 110 is touched by the user.
[0028] More specifically, the heat conducting module 140 of the
present embodiment includes a heat dissipation fin set 142 and a
heat pipe 144. The heat pipe 144 is connected between the heat
dissipation fin set 142 and the first heat generating element 130,
so as to conduct heat generated by the first heat generating
element 130 to the heat dissipation fin set 142. The heat
dissipation fin set 142 is disposed at an exhaust side of the fan
120, so the heat dissipation airflow provided by the fan 120 may
perform the heat dissipation to the heat dissipation fin set
142.
[0029] According to the present embodiment, the casing 110 has a
sidewall 112, the air inlet 110a and the air outlet 110b are both
formed on the sidewall 112 instead of a bottom portion of the
casing 110. Accordingly, since the bottom portion of the casing 110
is not disposed with any openings, a modern design concept in
preventing an overall appearance of the casing 110 being damaged
may also be achieved.
[0030] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the electronic apparatus 100 of
the present embodiment includes a separation structure 160. The
separation structure 160 is disposed at a border between the first
area 110c and the second area 110d to separate the first area 110c
and the second area 110d. Based on above, the first area 110c and
the second area 110d may be reliably separated, so the second area
110d having the first heating element 130 may become a hot area
with a higher temperature while the first area 110c not having the
first heat generating element 130 may become a cool area with a
lower temperature, thereby ensuring that airflow sucked in by the
fan 120 may have the lower temperature. A material of the
separation structure 160 may be, for example, a sponge, in which an
elastic deformation characteristic of the sponge may be used to
separate the first area 110c and the second area 110d, reliably. In
other embodiments, the separation structure 160 may also be other
suitable materials, the invention is not limited thereto.
[0031] FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of an electronic apparatus
according to another embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG.
3, in an electronic apparatus 100' of the present embodiment,
disposition of the casing 110, the fan 120, the first heat
generating element 130 and the heat conducting module 140 are
identical to the same in the electronic apparatus 100 depicted in
FIG. 1, so related description is omitted herein.
[0032] A difference between the electronic apparatus 100' and the
electronic apparatus 100 lies where: a separation structure 160' of
the electronic apparatus 100' is disposed in the casing 110
surrounding the fan 120 and the air inlet 110a, so as to surround
and define a flow channel 160a. The flow channel 160a is connected
between the air inlet 110a and the fan 120 to ensure the airflow
that enters the fan 120 is a cool air from the outside of casing
110, so as to further improve the heat dissipation efficiency of
the fan 120.
[0033] FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of an electronic apparatus
according to another embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG.
4, in an electronic apparatus 100'' of the present embodiment,
disposition of the casing 110, the fan 120, the first heat
generating element 130, the heat conducting module 140 and the
separation structure 160' are identical to the same in the
electronic apparatus 100' depicted in FIG. 3, so it is omitted
herein. A difference between the electronic apparatus 100'' and the
electronic apparatus 100' lies where: A separation structure 160''
is disposed in the casing 110 to surround and define a flow channel
160b. The flow channel 160b is connected between the fan 120 and
the air outlet 110b, so the heat dissipation airflow may be
directed to reach the air outlet 110b along a specific path to be
exhausted from the casing 110. Accordingly, the heat dissipation
airflow is prevented from being exhausted from an unexpected
position (e.g., a keypad area) of the electronic apparatus 100''
which may discomfort the user. In addition, the electronic
apparatus 100'' may further include a second heat generating
element 130', the second heat generating element 130' is disposed
inside of the flow channel 160b whereas the first heat generating
element 130 is disposed outside of the flow channel 160b, and the
heat dissipation airflow being directed by the separation structure
160'' is adapted to perform the heat dissipation to the second heat
generating element 130'.
[0034] In view of above, a fan of the invention is disposed in a
first area and adjacent to an air inlet of a casing, and a first
heat generating element is disposed in a second area instead of the
first area, so the fan may form a heat dissipation airflow by using
air with a lower temperature from the outside or in the first area,
such that a heat dissipation may be performed to a heat conducting
module in the casing by using the heat dissipation airflow with the
lower temperature, so as to improve a heat dissipation efficiency
of an electronic apparatus. Moreover, after flowing through the fan
located at the first area in the casing, the heat dissipation
airflow may flow through the second area in the casing before being
exhausted from the casing through the air outlet. Accordingly,
before being exhausted from the electronic apparatus, the heat
dissipation airflow may perform the heat dissipation to the first
heat generating element or other heat generating sources located at
the second area in the casing, so as to utilize the heat
dissipation airflow more efficiently. In addition, besides
performing the heat dissipation to the heat conducting module and
the first heat generating element as described above, the heat
dissipation airflow may further reduce a temperature of the casing,
so as to prevent a discomfort the user may feel due to the casing
being too hot when the casing is touched by the user. Furthermore,
the air inlet and the air outlet are both formed on the sidewall
instead of the bottom portion of the casing. Accordingly, air may
not enter the electronic apparatus from the bottom portion of the
electronic apparatus, so as to prevent dust from the outside to
flow and gather at the bottom of the electronic apparatus along
with flowing of the airflow.
[0035] Although the present invention has been described with
reference to the above embodiments, it will be apparent to one of
ordinary skill in the art that modifications to the described
embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit of the
invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention will be defined
by the attached claims and not by the above detailed
descriptions.
* * * * *