Heat dissipation module

A heat dissipation module including a first fan and a second fan is provided. The first fan has a first hub and a plurality of first fan blades disposed on the first hub. The second fan has a second hub and a plurality of second fan blades disposed on the second hub. Herein the first hub and the second hub are movably connected to each other in an axial direction such that the first fan and the second fan coincide or are separated from each other.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application Ser. No. 107122836, filed on Jul. 2, 2018. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a heat dissipation module and particularly relates to a heat dissipation module that has an adjustable form.

Description of Related Art

In response to the trend towards thinness in the consumer electronics market, electronic products such as computers and handheld devices have been developed with the double goal of thinness and high efficiency. However, the goal of thinness and the goal of high efficiency often contradict with each other. During the operation of a high-performance component, a large amount of waste heat is generated inside the electronic product. As a result, it is required to dispose a heat dissipation module to dissipate the heat and cool the component. However, due to the limitation of the thinned volume of the electronic product, it is difficult to obtain the required heat dissipation efficiency with the existing heat dissipation module.

Accordingly, a heat-dissipating fan that has adjustable thickness and combines two sets of motors and two sets of fan blades was developed to this end. When the electronic product operates in a high-power mode, the thickness of the heat-dissipating fan is increased to improve the heat dissipation efficiency, and when the electronic product operates in a low-power mode, the thickness of the heat-dissipating fan is decreased to meet the demand for thinness. However, the existing heat-dissipating fan has a problem of speed matching. When the heat-dissipating fan is accelerated or decelerated, the two sets of fan blades are prone to generate resonance and noise. Besides, since it is required to combine two sets of motors and two sets of fan blades, the existing heat-dissipating fan has issues of complicated structure and high power consumption.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a heat dissipation module that may effectively prevent resonance and noise.

The heat dissipation module of the invention includes a first fan and a second fan. The first fan has a first hub and a plurality of first fan blades disposed on the first hub. The second fan has a second hub and a plurality of second fan blades disposed on the second hub. The first hub and the second hub are movably connected to each other in an axial direction such that the first fan and the second fan coincide or are separated from each other.

Based on the foregoing, in the heat dissipation module of the invention, through thickness adjustment, the first fan blades and the second fan blades are either separated from each other to achieve effects of large air volume, great wind pressure and low noise, or the two sets of fan blades are made to coincide with each other to meet the demand for thinness.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1Ais a schematic view showing a heat dissipation module in a slim mode according to an embodiment of the invention.FIG. 1Bis a side view of the heat dissipation module ofFIG. 1A.FIG. 1Cis a schematic view showing the heat dissipation module ofFIG. 1Ain a performance mode.FIG. 1Dis a side view of the heat dissipation module ofFIG. 1C.

With reference toFIG. 1AtoFIG. 1D, a heat dissipation module100of the invention is adapted to be disposed in an electronic device (such as a laptop computer or other similar devices) for excluding the waste heat generated inside the electronic device during operation. In this embodiment, the heat dissipation module100is, for example, a centrifugal fan, and includes a first fan110, a second fan120, a first housing130and a second housing140.

The first fan110has a first hub111and a plurality of first fan blades112circularly disposed on the first hub111. The second fan120has a second hub121and a plurality of second fan blades122circularly disposed on the second hub121. The first hub111and the second hub121are movably connected to each other in an axial direction A such that the first fan110and the second fan120coincide or are separated from each other. In this embodiment, the plurality of first fan blades112disposed on the first hub111are misaligned with the plurality of second fan blades122disposed on the second hub121, and an inner diameter of the second hub121is greater than an outer diameter of the first hub111, so that the second hub121is sleeved on and covers an outer side of the first hub111to accommodate the first hub111in the second hub121.

In this embodiment, materials of the first hub111and the second hub121may be plastic or metal, and materials of each first fan blade112and each second fan blade120may be plastic or metal. Therefore, the first hub111and the plurality of first fan blades112may be integrally formed by injection molding or casting, and the second hub121and the plurality of second fan blades122may also be integrally formed by injection molding or casting. In other embodiments, the hubs and the fan blades are respectively provided with engaging structures or fastening structures combined correspondingly so as to be assembled and fixed together by means of engaging or fastening.

The second housing140is slidably disposed outside the first housing130, that is, the second housing140may be stretched or shrunk in size relative to the first housing130in the axial direction A, and the second housing140and the first housing130have U-shaped appearances and are fitted to each other to form an internal space together. The first fan110and the second fan120are located in the internal space and are rotatably connected to the first housing130and the second housing140respectively. In this embodiment, when the first housing130coincides with the second housing140, the height of an internal space S1is relatively reduced, and the first housing130and the second housing140respectively drive the first hub111and the second hub121to coincide with each other in the axial direction A. When the first housing130is separated from the second housing140, the height of an internal space S2is relatively increased, and the first housing130and the second housing140respectively drive the first hub111and the second hub121to be separated from each other in the axial direction A.

FIG. 2AtoFIG. 2Dare diagrams showing the operational process of the heat dissipation module switched from the slim mode to the performance mode.

With reference toFIG. 1A,FIG. 1CandFIG. 2A, the invention further includes a motor150and a rotation shaft160. The motor150is, for example, a three-phase motor disposed outside the first housing130, and a rotor151of the motor150penetrates the first housing130in the axial direction A and is connected to the first hub111. The rotation shaft160is rotatably disposed on the second housing140and is connected to the second hub121, so the second housing140and the second hub121are freely pivoted to each other. The rotation shaft160is aligned with the rotor151of the motor150(both in the axial direction A). Specifically, through the rotor151, the motor150drives the first hub111to rotate in a first rotation direction D1or in a second rotation direction D2. Since the second hub121and the first hub111are connected to each other, the second hub121is driven by the first hub111to rotate in the first rotation direction D1or the second rotation direction D2. Herein the first rotation direction D1is opposite to the second rotation direction D2.

With reference toFIG. 1BandFIG. 2A, the second hub121further includes an engaging groove G1and a sliding groove G2. The extending direction of the sliding groove G2is parallel to the axial direction A, and the engaging groove G1is perpendicular to the axial direction A and communicates with the sliding groove G2. When the first fan110and the second fan120are driven by the motor150to rotate in the first rotation direction D1, a latch P of the first hub111is engaged with the engaging groove G1so that the first hub111coincides with the second hub121, and the plurality of first fan blades112and the plurality of second fan blades122coincide with each other. The heat dissipation module is thus switched to the slim mode. This mode is adapted for the state in which the electronic device generates less heat.

With reference toFIG. 1DandFIG. 2BtoFIG. 2D, when the electronic device is about to produce greater performance output and is expected to generate more heat, the first fan110and the second fan120are first driven by the motor150to rotate in the second rotation direction D2, so that the latch P of the first hub121is separated from the engaging groove G1in a horizontal direction R perpendicular to the axial direction A. Then, the latch P is moved into the sliding groove G2by the separation of the first housing130and the second housing140, so that the first hub111is separated from the second hub121along the sliding groove G2. At the same time, the plurality of first fan blades112on the first hub111and the plurality of second fan blades122on the second hub121are separated from each other in the axial direction A so that the heat dissipation module is switched to the performance mode.

With reference toFIG. 2AtoFIG. 2D, the heat dissipation module100of the invention is adapted to be installed in a system body200that has adjustable thickness. The first housing130and the second housing140are respectively fixed on two opposite walls C inside the system body200. In actual applications, the user applies a force to the system body200to adjust the thickness thereof. At the same time, by the system body200, the first housing130and the second housing140of the heat dissipation module100are driven to engage in a relative movement in the axial direction A. Furthermore, when the thickness of the system body200is increased, the two opposite walls C move away from each other in the axial direction A and respectively drive the first housing130and the second housing140to be separated from each other, thereby increasing the internal space S2for accommodating the plurality of first fan blades112and the plurality of second fan blades122after they are separated. In contrast, when the thickness of the system body200is decreased, the two opposite walls C move closer to each other in the axial direction A and respectively drive the first housing130and the second housing140to coincide with each other, thereby decreasing the internal space S1for accommodating the plurality of first fan blades112and the plurality of second fan blades122after they coincide.

Besides, the first housing130and the second housing140are fixed inside the system body200by means of engaging, fastening or other methods, for example. However, the invention is not limited thereto.

The operational process of the system body200and the heat dissipation module100switched from the slim mode to the performance mode is briefly described as follows. With reference toFIG. 2A, when the components inside the system body200operate in a low-power state (such as word processing, audio display, and a standby mode), the heat dissipation module100only needs to adopt the slim mode. At this time, the thickness of the system body200is reduced to a minimum, and the first hub111and the second hub121coincide with each other, so that each first fan blade112and each second fan blade122are arranged circularly in equal height. In the slim mode, the heat dissipation module100has characteristics of small volume and lesser air intake, and is adapted for the system body200that does not generate a large amount of waste heat in the low-power state. The overall thickness of the system body200is also reduced to facilitate carrying, storing or placing.

With reference toFIG. 2BtoFIG. 2D, when the components inside the system body200operate in a high-power state (such as game playing, image processing, and high speed operation), the heat dissipation module100needs to adopt the performance mode to improve the heat dissipation efficiency. First, through an external command input, the motor150is activated to drive the first fan110and the second fan120to rotate in the second rotation direction D2, so that the latch P of the first hub111is separated from the engaging groove G1of the second hub121in the horizontal direction R to release the engaging state of the first hub111and the second hub121. Then, the user applies a force to the system body200such that the two opposite walls C thereof move away from each other to increase the thickness. The two opposite walls C respectively drive the first housing130and the second housing140to be separated from each other in the axial direction A. At the same time, the first housing130and the second housing140further pull the first hub111and the second hub121respectively to move the latch P in the sliding groove G2in the axial direction A. Finally, the first hub111and the second hub121respectively drive each first fan blade112and each second fan blade122to be separated from each other and to be alternatively arranged. In the performance mode, the heat dissipation module100has characteristics of large volume and more air intake, and is adapted for the system body200that generates a large amount of waste heat in the high-power state, thereby preventing system overheating of the system body200.

Furthermore, when the heat dissipation module100is adjusted to the performance mode, the first fan110and the second fan120are separated from each other to thicken the heat dissipation module100. Through the interlacing of the first fan blade112and the second fan blade122and the configuration of the shape, the air flowing between the plurality of first fan blades112, after obtaining power, directly enters between the plurality of second fan blades122to be pressurized, thereby increasing the transmission speed of the airflow and facilitating airflow circulation and heat dissipation efficiency. In this embodiment, each first fan blade112and each second fan blade122are the same in shape and number. Besides, by the optimal design, the second fan blade122may have rectifying and muting effects with respect to the first fan blade112so as to prevent loss of kinetic energy and to fulfill purposes of low noise, high static pressure and high outflow. In other embodiments, each first fan blade and each second fan blade may be configured to different in shape and number according to requirements.

With reference toFIG. 2DtoFIG. 2A, the operational process of the system body200and the heat dissipation module100switched from the performance mode to the slim mode is briefly described as follows. The user applies a force to the system body200such that the two opposite walls C thereof move closer to each other to reduce the thickness. The two opposite walls C respectively drive the first housing130and the second housing140to coincide with each other in the axial direction A. At the same time, the first housing130and the second housing140further drive the first hub111and the second hub121respectively to move the latch P in the sliding groove G2in the axial direction A. Finally, the first hub111and the second hub121respectively drive each first fan blade112and each second fan blade122to coincide with each other and cause the latch P to correspond to the engaging groove G1. Then, the motor150is activated to drive the first fan110and the second fan120to rotate in the first rotation direction D1, so that the latch P enters and is engaged with the engaging groove G1in the horizontal direction R.

In summary, in the heat dissipation module of the invention, through thickness adjustment of the first housing and the second housing, the two sets of fan blades are either separated from each other to achieve effects of large air volume, great wind pressure and low noise, or are made to coincide with each other to meet the demand for thinness. Besides, the invention adopts a single motor to drive the first fan blades and the second fan blades, and may achieve advantages of simple structure and low cost compared with the existing heat dissipation module.

Besides, when the heat dissipation module is applied to an electronic device, the thickness of the heat dissipation module may be adjusted according to the operating power consumption of the electronic device, so that the double purpose of thinness in appearance and heat dissipation performance is achievable.

Although the embodiments are already disclosed as above, these embodiments should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope or spirit of this invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the invention covers modifications and variations provided that they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.