Abstract:
A removable fan module is disclosed for integrating a fixing device of a fan unit with a handle of the fan module. The removable fan module is featured in installing an elastic plate having a protrusion body on the inner surface of the handle of the fan module, wherein the fan main body is fixed in the housing of the fan module via the protrusion body of the elastic plate resisting the fan unit. The present invention is to achieve the purpose of rapidly replacing the fan main body by using the application of the elastic plate of the handle and a hand hole located on the bottom of the fan module.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a removable fan module, and more particularly, to the fan module of which a handle is integrated with a fixing device for securing a fan main body, wherein the fan module is applicable in a computer system.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     It is a common technique to use fans in various industrial equipments for heat dissipation, especially in widely used electronic products. With the increase of various applications, the number of electronic modules installed in one single electronic product also increases. Based on the design consideration of space, the electronic modules are usually stacked vertically in a housing of an electronic product. Since the number of the electronic modules is quite a few, multiple fan modules have to be installed in the electronic product, thereby effectively resolving the heat-dissipation problems of those electronic modules. Generally speaking, the fan modules installed in the electronic product are exposed to the ambiance so as to dissipate heat thereto.  
         [0003]     A fan module often needs to be replaced or repaired, and is deteriorated easily. Therefore, for conveniently repairing the fan module, the conventional fan module deign is generally to dispose the fan module alone in a fan storage area of a housing body, and then to secure the fan module with a fixing device, such as a clipping hook engaged with an opening. However, the application of clipping hook has to occupy quite a lot of space in the housing body. For the current design of increasingly complicated electronic products, it is difficult to impose the fixing device of the clipping hook on the fan module due to the limitation of space. Further, while the fan module is dismantled or installed, there are shortcomings of difficult dismantling and easy fracture for using the fixing device of the clipping hook. On the other hand, a handle device has to be additionally designed for a user to access the fan module easily, causing more bother for designers.  
         [0004]     Hence, there is a need to develop a removable fan module for reducing the space occupied by a fixing device and a handle device; simplifying the steps for dismantling and installing the fan module; preventing the fixing device from being damaged; and synchronously securing the handle device of the fan module, so that the aforementioned shortcomings can be overcome for the conventional fan fixing device.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     It is an object of the present invention to provide a removable fan module, wherein a fixing device of a fan main body is integrated with a handle deice of the fan muddles, thereby saving the space occupied by the fixing device and the handle device; simplifying the steps for dismantling and installing the fan module; preventing the fixing device from being damaged; and synchronously securing the handle device of the fan module.  
         [0006]     According to the aforementioned object of the present invention, the present invention provides a removable fan module for withdrawing a fan main body.  
         [0007]     According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the removable fan module comprises: a housing body, a U-shaped handle, a fan main body and an elastic plate, wherein the U-shaped handle is pivotally connected to two sides of the housing body in a rotatable way, and the fan main body is disposed in one side of the housing body adjacent to the U-shaped handle, and the elastic plate is installed on a handle inner surface of a top side of the U-shaped handle facing the fan main body. The elastic plate has a protrusion body used to resist the fan main body via a contact point of the fan main body, so as to secure the fan main body in a fan storage area of the housing body.  
         [0008]     Further, the elastic plate is composed of a plate fixing portion, a plate connecting portion and a plate open portion. The plate fixing portion is fixed on the handle inner surface, and one end of the plate connecting portion is connected to the plate fixing portion, wherein there is an angle between the plate fixing portion and the surface of the plate connecting portion facing the fan main body, and the angle is greater than 90 degrees and smaller than 180 degrees. The plate open portion is connected to the other end of the plate connecting portion, wherein there is an angle between the surface of the plate connecting portion facing the U-shaped handle and the surface of the plate open portion facing the U-shaped handle, and the angle is greater than 90 degrees and smaller than 180 degrees. There is a gap between the plate open portion and the handle inner surface, so that the elastic plate has the feature of elasticity. Further, the protrusion body is located on the plate fixing portion, and protrudes outwards in the direction towards to the housing body.  
         [0009]     Further, the housing body has a concaved portion used for exposing the plate open portion from the housing body.  
         [0010]     Moreover, according to the aforementioned object of the present invention, the present invention provides a computer system having a removable fan module, and the computer system comprises: an outer housing, a storage device installed in the outer housing, and the aforementioned removable fan module, wherein the removable fan module is installed on a sidewall of the outer housing, and is exposed to the ambiance.  
         [0011]     Hence, with the application of the present invention, the space occupied by the fixing device and the handle device can be greatly reduced; the steps for dismantling and installing the fan module can be greatly simplified; and the fixing device can be prevented from damage; and the handle device of the fan module can be synchronously secured. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a 3-D schematic diagram depicting a removable fan module, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B  are 3-D schematic diagrams showing the structure of an elastic plate used in the preferred embodiment of the present invention from different view angles;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B  are 3-D schematic diagrams respectively showing the handle in rotation, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a 3-D schematic view showing the removable fan of the present invention assembled with a computer system. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0017]     Referring to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 1  is a 3-D schematic diagram depicting a removable fan module, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. A removable fan module of the present invention comprises: a housing body  300 , a U-Shaped handle  200  and an elastic plate  100 . The U-shaped handle  200  is composed of a handle side member  212 , a handle side member  214 , and a handle top member  220  connected to both the handle side member  212  and the handle side member  214 , wherein the handle side members  212  and  214  are pivotally connected to both sides of the housing body  300  in a rotatable way. A fan main body  400  is disposed in the housing body  300 , and is located on one side adjacent to the U-shaped handle  200 . The elastic plate  100  is installed on an inner surface of the handle top member  220  of the U-shaped handle  200  facing the fan main body  400 , and the elastic plate  100  has a protrusion body  122 , so that the protrusion body  122  can resist the fan main body  400  on a contact point  410  when the U-shaped handle  200  is moved to the top of the housing body  300 , thereby securing the fan main body  400  in the housing body  300 , and also fixing the U-shaped handle  200  synchronously.  
         [0018]     The elastic plate  100  is composed of a plate fixing portion  110 , a plate connecting portion  120  and a plate open portion  130 . The plate fixing portion  110  is fixed to the U-shaped handle  200  by riveting; or is fixed on the inner surface of the handle top member  220  by using at least on fastening element  240  (such as a screw), and the protrusion body  122  is located on the lower surface of the plate connecting portion  120 , and protrudes outwards in the direction towards to the housing body  300 . Further, the housing body  300  has a concaved portion  310  used for exposing the plate open portion  130  from the housing body  300 , when the U-shaped handle  200  is rotated to the top of the housing body  300 .  
         [0019]     Referring to  FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B ,  FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B  are 3-D schematic diagrams showing the structure of the elastic plate  100  used in the preferred embodiment of the present invention from front and rear view angles respectively. As shown in  FIG. 2A , one end of the plate connecting portion  120  is connected to the plate fixing portion  110 , wherein there is an angle A between the surface of the plate fixing portion  110  facing the fan main body  400  and the surface of the plate connecting portion  120  facing the fan main body  400 , and the angle A is greater than 90 degrees and smaller than 180 degrees. The plate open portion  130  is connected to the other end of the plate connecting portion  120 , wherein there is an angle B between the surface of the plate connecting portion  120  facing the handle top member  220  and the surface of the plate open portion  130  facing the handle top member  220 , and the angle B is greater than 90 degrees and smaller than 180 degrees, whereby a gap is formed between the plate open portion  130  and the inner surface of the handle top member  220 , thus enabling the elastic plate  100  to have the feature of elasticity.  
         [0020]     Further, the protrusion body  122  can be fabricated by a pressing method, wherein the protrusion body  122  is formed extrusively on the plate connecting portion  120  directly, and thus a hole  124  is allowed to exist in the protrusion body  122 , as long as the protrusion body  122  can seize the fan main body. Further, as shown in  FIG. 2B , the protrusion body  122  can be a hollow structure, i.e. the surface of the protrusion body  122  facing the handle top member  220  is a depression region  126 . However, the aforementioned structures of the protrusion body  122  are merely stated as examples for explanation, and the present invention is not limited thereto, so that the protrusion body  122  of the present invention can be any structure that can seize the fan main body. Further, a protrusive edge  132  can be formed to surround at least one portion of the edge of the plate open portion  130 , whereby a user can conveniently apply force to lift the elastic plate  100  to let the protrusion body  122  off the fan main body. The protrusive edge  132  protrudes preferably from the plate open portion  130  to the handle top member  220 .  
         [0021]     It is worthy to be noted that the material forming the elastic plate  100  can be any elastic material. However, for the consideration of saving the molding expense and convenient process, the protrusion body of the present invention can be made of metal material, such as BeCu Alloy or stainless steel, preferably.  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B ,  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B  are 3-D schematic diagrams respectively showing the handle in rotation, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 3A , there is a hand hole  320  located at the bottom of the housing body  300  for users to move the fan main body conveniently. When intending to dismantle the fan main body, the users only have to push the plate open portion  130  upwards, and then to rotate the U-shaped handle  200  along a handle rotating direction  510  after the protrusion body  122  is off the fan main body  400 , so as to force the U-shaped handle  200  to move away from the housing body  300 . Thereafter, with the use of the hand hole  320 , the fan main body can be taken out of the housing body  300  easily. As shown in  FIG. 3B , when intending to secure the fan main body  400  in the housing body  300 , the users only have to release the plate open portion  130 , and then to rotate the U-shaped handle  200  along a handle rotating direction  500  to the top of the housing body  300 , and the plate open portion  130  is automatically seized in the concaved portion  310  (as shown in  FIG. 3A ) due elasticity after the protrusion body  122  resists the fan main body  400 , thereby fixing the fan main body  400  in the housing body  300 .  
         [0023]     Further, the present invention provides a computer system having a removable fan module. Referring to  FIG. 3B  and  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 4  is a 3-D schematic view showing the removable fan of the present invention assembled with a computer system. A computer system  600  comprises: an outer housing  610 , a storage device  620 , and at least one removable fan module  630  (which is identical to the one shown in  FIG. 3B ). A storage device  620  installed in the outer housing  610 , and the removable fan module  630  is installed on a sidewall of the outer housing  610 , and is exposed to the ambiance. When the removable fan module  630  is installed in a computer system  600 , the U-shaped handle  200  can be seized in the outer housing  610 , so that the pressure exerted on the fan main body (as shown in  FIG. 1 ) from the protrusion body  122  (as shown in  FIG. 3B ) of the elastic plate  100  can be reinforced.  
         [0024]     Hence, with the application of the present invention, the fixing device of the fan main body can be integrated with the handle of the fan module, thus overcoming the shortcomings of the conventional fan fixing device.  
         [0025]     It can be known from the aforementioned preferred embodiment of the present invention, the advantages of applying the present invention are: greatly saving the space occupied by the fixing device and the handle device; greatly simplifying the steps for dismantling and installing the fan module; effectively preventing the fixing device from being damaged; and synchronously securing the handle device of the fan module. Thus, the present invention has highly industrial application value.  
         [0026]     As is understood by a person skilled in the art, the foregoing preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated of the present invention rather than limiting of the present invention. It is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structure.