Abstract:
A heat radiator has a thermo-electric cooler and multiple heat radiation modules and the method of the same is capable of applying forced heat conduction on a hot spot on a computer circuit through a plurality of conduction paths. The heat radiator comprises a first heat radiation module with a heat sink simultaneously attached to the hot spot and the thermo-electric cooler and a second radiation module with a heat sink attached on the thermo-electric cooler only, whereby the heat generated in a heat source, such as a central processing unit (CPU) and an accelerated graphic chip, and delivered from the heat absorption terminal to the heat release terminal of the cooler can be dissipated efficiently. The first heat radiation module and the second radiation module further respectively include a first and a second radiating fin sets.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to heat radiators including a thermo-electric cooler, more particularly to a heat radiator having a thermo-electric cooler and multiple heat radiation modules and the method of the same to assist more efficient heat dissipation.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Given the faster and faster computer processors, technology of electronic heat disspasition has become a critical consideration in developing powerful computing. The main purpose of a cooler is to deliver the heat generated in a central processing unit (CPU) or a graphics processing unit (GPU) confined within a computer chassis from a heat sink through a heat conducting pipe and fin set out of the computer, by means of thermal conduction, convention and radiation. Thereby, not only the powerful computing components can operated continuously, but also the electronic elements in a computer can be reliable and durable, under the condition that the operation temperature of a computer system can be limited. Therefore, to assure the effectiveness and security of a computer system, the structure design of the thermal paths distributed in the system is important and needs innovations.  
         [0003]     Thermo-electric coolers (TEC) are heat radiation components utilizing Peltier effect in a semiconductor, whereby heat can be delivered from a spatial point A to another spatial point B; namely, the heat at point A will be transported to point B so that the temperature at A will decrease and that at B will increase. Briefly speaking, heat is absorbed at A and released at B. A typical thermo-electric cooler is composed of a train of pairs of P type and N type semiconductor crystal granules; each of the semiconductor pairs has a metallic (copper or aluminum) conductor disposed between the P type and N type semiconductors to form a circuit loop. The bulk of semiconductor pairs is enclosed by two ceramic plates respectively on both sides of the cooler. When the cooler is charged, the N-type semiconductors will release heat, and the P-type semiconductors will absorb heat. Therefore, a cooler, made of train of N/P pairs, has a heat-absorbing terminal and a heat-releasing terminal, whereby the cooler will achieve heat dissipation by directional heat transport.  
         [0004]     Thermo-electric coolers are often used in the heat dissipation of a central processing unit or any other heat-generating chips in a computer system. As shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , a thermo-electric cooler  5  has a heat-absorbing terminal  51  attached on a heat source and a heat-releasing terminal  52  on a heat dissipation structure  90  including a heat sink and a fin set. Two interfaces of the terminals  51 ,  52  are applied with thermal grease for lowing the contact thermal resistance. Eventually, a fan  61  will blow wind onto the surfaces of the fins, so that forced convection within the heat dissipation structure  90  can be induced. In such an arrangement, the order of heat transportation is: heat source→thermo-electric cooler→heat sink/fins→system chassis→outer environment.  
         [0005]     Practically, the necessary heat dissipation capacity a thermo-electric cooler needs to provide must much exceed the rated heat generating capacity of the cooler since it is electrically powered. The electric power of the cooler is usually at least 30% of a central processing unit it is assigned to. According to the first law of thermodynamics, namely the conservation of energy, the rate of heat release of a cooler is equal to the sum of the absorbing rate at the heat-absorbing terminal, the input electric power, and the rate of increase of internal energy. Therefore, a heat radiator equipped with a thermo-electric cooler will take away not only the heat generated by the CPU or chip it is assigned to but also the electric power sent into the cooler. Briefly speaking, the role played by a thermo-electric cooler in a heat radiator is not only a heat removing device but also a significant heat source. Obviously, a heat radiator equipped with a thermo-electric cooler requires fins having a larger total surface area or a more powerful fan.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of the first set of preferred embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0007]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of the first set of preferred embodiments in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the first set installed in a computer chassis.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the first set of preferred embodiments in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0010]      FIG. 3A  is a local side view of a thermo-electric cooler.  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment in the first set with a different fan location.  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a front view of the preferred embodiment in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the first set installed in a computer chassis with a different module arrangement.  
         [0014]      FIG. 7  indicates the heat transfer paths of the second set of preferred embodiments.  
         [0015]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a typical preferred embodiment in the second set.  
         [0016]      FIG. 9  is an exploded perspective view of a typical preferred embodiment in the second set.  
         [0017]      FIG. 10  is an exploded perspective view of a conventional heat radiator for a computer chip.  
         [0018]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a conventional heat radiator for a computer chip. 
     
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a heat radiator having a thermo-electric cooler and multiple heat radiation modules capable of carrying out heat radiation of heat sources such as a central processing unit (CPU) and an accelerated graphic chip through not only a first heat radiation module but also a second heat radiation module applied at the heat release terminal of a thermo-electric cooler. Thereby, heat can be exhausted through two paths (as shown in  FIG. 7 ):  
         [0020]     Heat conduction path  1 : heat source→first heat radiation module→computer system outer shell, thermo-electric cooler, the second heat radiation module, exterior surrounding;  
         [0021]     Heat conduction path  1 : thermo-electric cooler, first heat radiation module→the second heat radiation module→computer system outer shell→exterior surrounding.  
         [0022]     The first heat radiation module comprises a first heat radiating fin set and a heat sink on which the heat radiating fin set is mounted. There is a heat conducting tube going through the radiating fin set and the sink. The sink is simultaneously attached to the hot spot and the thermo-electric cooler. Further, the radiating fin set can be made by punching, welding, squeezing and casting.  
         [0023]     The second heat radiation module comprises a second heat radiating fin set and a heat sink on which the heat radiating fin set is mounted. There is a heat conducting tube going through the radiating fin set and the sink. The sink is attached to the thermo-electric cooler only. Further, the radiating fin set can be made by punching, welding, squeezing and casting.  
         [0024]     The secondary objective of the present invention is to provide a multiple heat radiation method capable of supporting multiple paths of heat radiation, whereby the thermo-electric cooler will be effectively operating and the operation of a heat generating circuit element is secured.  
         [0025]     The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0026]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 1 A, the first preferred embodiment of the present invention as a heat radiator comprises a heat pipe going through a heat radiating fin set. The heat radiation module  1  in  FIG. 1  is extended with a lower connection member  10  for mounting its base  4  on an electronic component. The heat radiation module  1  is secured on the circuit board  2  by a set of locking members  12 . Aside the heat radiation module  1 , there is a fan  6  for blowing an air flow onto the heat radiating fin set  14  of the heat radiation module  1 , whereby the flow will take away the heat accumulated on the surfaces of the fins and the heat absorbed by the lower base  4  will continuously propagated through the path of the base  4 , the heat radiating fin set  14  and the air flow.  FIG. 2  shows a mounting configuration of the present invention with in a computer  3 , wherein a fan  6  produced an air flow blown onto the heat radiating fin set  14 , and the heated flow passing the heat radiating fin set  14  continues to go through a wind exit  31  corresponding to the leeward side opposite to the fan  6 . Thereby, the heat generated in the computer  3  will be exhausted by forced convection.  
         [0027]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a thermo-electric cooler  5  is attached onto the base  4  right above a central processing unit at a high temperature due to the computation undergoing therein. As before, the base  4  is secured on a circuit board  2  by a set of locking members  12 . The thermo-electric cooler  5  is powered by wires  50  so that the heat generated in the central processing unit can be absorbed by a heat-absorbing terminal  51  on the lower side of the thermo-electric cooler  5  to a heat-releasing terminal  52 , thereby reducing the temperature of the central processing unit, as shown in  FIG. 3A . The thermo-electric cooler  5  further includes a surrounding heat conducting component  7 , whereby a heat dissipation space  7   a  will form between the thermo-electric cooler  5  and the heat conducting component  7 . A heat conducting pipe  11   b  is inserted into the heat dissipation space  7   a  for conducting away the heat absorbed by the thermo-electric cooler  5  and delivering the heat to a heat radiating fin set  14   b  by thermal conduction. A heat radiator having multiple heat radiation modules of the present invention comprises a first heat radiating fin set  14   a  having a first heat conducting pipe  11   a  whose lower end  111   a  is connected to a heat source and a second heat radiating fin set  14   b  having a second heat conducting pipe  11   b  whose lower end  111   b  is attached on the heat-releasing terminal of a thermo-electric cooler  5 . The first heat radiation module  1   a  further includes a first heat radiating fin set  14   a  connected to the first heat conducting pipe  11   a.  The second heat radiation module  1   b  further includes a second heat radiating fin set  14   b  connected to the second heat conducting pipe  11   b.  A fan  6  is installed on one side of the heat radiation module  1  for driving an airflow onto the first heat radiating fin set  14   a  and the second heat radiating fin set  14   b,  whereby the heat on the surfaces those fins will be carried away. Another fan coupled with the fan  6  (not shown in the figure) for inducing air convention can also be introduced. The lower end  111   a  of the first heat conducting pipe  11   a  is located between the base  4  and a central processing unit. Further, the number of heat pipes associated with the first heat radiation module  1   a  and the second heat radiation module  1   b  is not limited to two; it can be increased in accordance with the necessity of heat dissipation. The contact surfaces on the base  4 , the thermo-electric cooler  5  and the heat conducting component  7  can be applied with heat-dissipation glue to enhance the efficiency of heat conduction.  
         [0028]     The multiple heat radiation method according to the present invention can assist heat dissipation of a central processing unit, whereby its operation temperature can be limited below a predetermined temperature, thereby assuring stable operation of the CPU. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the lower end  111   a  of the first heat conducting pipe  11   a  of the first heat radiation module  1   a  is embedded between the base  4  and the central processing unit. The first heat conducting pipe  11   a  extended from the CPU pierces through the fins of the first heat radiating fin set  14   a,  whereby the heat from the CPU can be uniformly conducted to each of the fins and blown away by an air current produced by the fan  6  installed aside the heat radiation module  1 , achieving the effect of fast heat dissipation.  
         [0029]     At the same time, the thermo-electric cooler  5  is attached to the upper face of the base  4 , whereby the heat at point A can be delivered to point B by Peltier effect. Therefore, the temperature at A can be reduced, whereas the temperature at B increased. The heat propagated to the contact surface (i.e., the heat-absorbing end  51 ) between the thermo-electric cooler  5  and the base  4  will be delivered to the opposite surface (i.e., the heat-releasing end  52 ) of the thermo-electric cooler  5 . The lower end  111   b  of the second heat conducting pipe  11   b  of the second heat radiation module  1   b  is embedded in the heat dissipation space  7   a  between the thermo-electric cooler  5  and the enclosed heat conducting component  7 . The second heat conducting pipe  11   b  extended from the heat dissipation space  7   a  pierces through the fins of the second heat radiating fin set  14   b,  whereby the heat from the thermo-electric cooler  5  can be uniformly conducted to each of the fins and blown away by an air current produced by the fan  6  installed aside the heat radiation module  1 , achieving the effect of fast heat dissipation.  
         [0030]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the fan  6  is installed on a lateral side of the first heat radiation module  1   a.  Since the heat generating rate of the CPU is higher than that of the thermo-electric cooler  5 , the cold airflow will firstly blow the first heat radiating fin set  14   a  connected to the first heat conducting pipe  11   a.  However, the location of the fan  6  in  FIGS. 4 and 5  is on the lateral side jointing the first heat radiating fin set  14   a  of the first heat radiation module  1   a  and the second heat radiating fin set  14   b  of the second heat radiation module  1   b,  whereby the airflow produced by the fan  6  will cool the heat radiating fin set first heat radiating fin set  14   a  and the second heat radiating fin set  14   b  at the simultaneously. Therefore, the cold airflow will exchange heat with the surfaces of the fins in  14   a  and  14   b  at the same time, whereby the heat conducted through the first heat conducting pipe  11   a  and the second heat conducting pipe  11   b  will be guided away, achieving the heat dissipation of the CPU and the thermo-electric cooler  5 .  
         [0031]     If allowed by the inner space of a computer chassis, the first heat radiation module  1   a  and the second heat radiation module  1   b  can be independently located, with their respective heat pipes extended from the same heat source and with respective fans, so as to dissipate heat from the heat source. For instance, the lower end  111   a  of the first heat conducting pipe  11   a  of the first heat radiation module  1   a  may be extended away from the CPU to the first heat radiating fin set  14   a,  on which heat is uniformly spread and carried away by the airflow blown by a fan hidden underneath the circuit board. Meanwhile, the lower end  111   b  of the second heat conducting pipe  11   b  of the second heat radiation module  1   b  may be extended away from the thermo-electric cooler  5  on the CPU to the second heat radiating fin set  14   b  and carried away by the airflow sucked away by a fan installed on the rear wall of the computer chassis.  
         [0032]     Referring to FIGS.  7  to  9 , the second preferred embodiment of the present invention may take another configuration.  
         [0033]     Referring to FIGS.  7  to  9 , a first heat conduction module  1   a ′ has a structure composed of a heat sink and a fin set, made of punching, welding, squeezing and casting. The first heat radiating fin set  14   a ′ is connected to the heat sink  15   a  by punching or welding. Regardless of the actual manufacturing method, the heat sink  15   a  of the first heat conduction module  1   a ′ is attached to both of a heat source  4 ′ (such as a CPU) and a thermo-electric cooler  5 ′. This preferred embodiment further includes a second heat conduction module  1   b ′ also having a heat sink and a fin set made of punching, welding, squeezing and casting. The second heat radiating fin set  14   b ′ is connected to the heat sink  15   b  by punching or welding. The heat sink  15   b  of the second heat conduction module  1   b ′ is attached to the thermo-electric cooler  5 ′ only. Therefore, the structure of this preferred embodiment, from the bottom to the top, is: heat source  4 ′ (such as a CPU), the first heat radiation module  1   a ′, the thermo-electric cooler  5 ′ and the second heat radiating module  1   b′.    
         [0034]     The heat generated in the heat source  4 ′, such as a CPU or another chipset, is guided from the heat sink  15   a  to the first heat radiating fin set  14   a ′ along the first heat conduction module  1   a ′. Meanwhile, the thermo-electric cooler  5 ′ attached on the upper face of the heat sink  15   a  will deliver heat from a lower heat-absorbing terminal  51 ′ to an upper heat-releasing terminal  52 ′ by Peltier effect. Since the heat-releasing terminal  52 ′ is attached to the heat sink  15   b  of the second heat conduction module  1   b ′, the second heat conduction module  1   b ′ provides another path to dissipated heat from the source  4 . Further, a fan  6 ′ is placed adjacent to the fin sets, whereby a cold airflow will be blown by the fins and lower the temperature of the source  4 ′. This preferred embodiment takes away not only the heat of the source but also the heat of the cooler.  
         [0035]     The present invention is thus described, and 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 present 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.