Computer including a disk drive, motherboard and fan

A computer includes an enclosure, at least one disk drive, a panel and a fan. The at least one disk drive is located in the enclosure. The panel is mounted to a side of the enclosure. The panel has different material relative to the enclosure. The fan is mounted to the panel. The vibration generated from fan is indirectly transferred to the at least one disk drive.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to computers, especially to small form factor computers.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Small form factor (SFF) computers are smaller than typical desktop computers. They are often used in space-limited areas where normal computers cannot be placed. Some SFF computers employ compact components design relative to the full-size desktop computers, such as compact optical drives, compact memory modules, and compact processors. The small size of SFF cases may limit expansion options, and standard CPU cooling system typically will not fit inside the SFF computer.

Conventional SFF PC includes a disk drive and a fan. The fan and the disk drive are usually mounted to one bracket or contact to an enclosure directly. The disk drive may be affected by vibration of the fan through the enclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIG. 1, a computer according an embodiment refers to a small form factor (SFF) PC. The computer includes an enclosure10, a platform15, a front panel20, a back panel30, and a plurality of hardware arranged inside the enclosure10and the front panel20. The hardware may include a fan40, a plurality of disk drives50, a power supply60, a motherboard70, a heat sink80, at least one memory90and at least one expansion card100.

Referring also toFIG. 2, the enclosure10can be integrally formed. The enclosure10can be made of metal, and in one embodiment, the enclosure10can be made of extruded aluminum. The enclosure10has a square cross section. The enclosure10defines two openings on opposite sides. The enclosure10includes a top wall11, two side walls12and a bottom wall13. The top wall11, the side walls12and the bottom wall13are connected end to end, and cooperatively defining a receiving space. A first direction is defined from the back panel30to the front panel20. A support portion122is formed on each side wall12. The support portion122has a U-shaped cross section, such that it may slidingly receive the platform15. The support portion122extends direction along the first direction. The extending direction is parallel to the top wall11of the enclosure10. Each support portion122may divide the side wall12in the middle. A retaining portion124is formed at each inner corner of the enclosure10. Each retaining portion124defines a retaining hole1242for mounting the front panel20. Two lower retaining portions124define two retaining grooves1246for receiving the motherboard70. The enclosure10may have round corners at an outer surface of each corner.

Referring toFIG. 3, the platform15can be made of plastic. The platform15divides the receiving space of the enclosure10into an upper housing and a lower housing when installed in the enclosure10. The platform15is installed parallel to the top wall11and the bottom wall13. The platform15may evenly partition the receiving space.

The disk drives50and the power supply60is placed in the upper housing. The disk drives50may be 3.5″ hard disks. The platform15may have block tabs (not shown) to separating each disk drive50. The height of the upper housing may be slightly taller than a height of the disk drive50.

In some embodiments, the motherboard70, the heat sink80, the memory90and the expansion card100located in the lower housing. The heat sink80, the memories90and the expansion card100are coupled to the motherboard70. The memory90and the expansion card100parallel to the first direction for heat dissipation.

Referring toFIG. 4, the front panel20can be made from plastic. The fan40can be mounted to an inner surface of the front panel20by fasteners. An airflow area blown by the fan40travelling through the receiving space may be larger than 25 percent of an area of the opening of the enclosure10.

When assembling an embodiment of the computer, the platform15is slid into the enclosure10. The disk drives50are vertically positioned in the upper housing. A top side of each disk drive50may abut the top wall11of the enclosure10and aid in heat dissipation. The power supply60is positioned in the upper housing. The disk drives50and the power supply60can be directly located on the platform15. The heat sink80, the memories90and the expansion card100are mounted to the motherboard70. The motherboard70is slid into the enclosure10via the retaining grooves1246. The fan40is mounted to the front panel20. The front panel20is attached to the enclosure10and covers one opening of the enclosure10. The back panel20is screwed into the enclosure10to cover the other opening of the enclosure10. The computer is assembled. The fan40is located at a side of the heat sink80and the disk drives50. The fan40may leave a distance from the platform15, the heat sink80, and the disk drives50.

When dissipating heat in the enclosure10, the fan40can dissipate heat throughout the entire computer. The fan40creates an air current along the first direction. The air current may be stronger at the heat sink80and weaker at the disk drives50due to a different position of the fan40relative to the heat sink80and the disk drives50. The air current from the front panel20may become warm when travelling through the heat sink80or disk drives50and the warm air current may travel out through the back panel30. The back panel30may define some slots or openings of some kind to allow the warm air current to escape (seeFIG. 1). In this embodiment, only a single fan40is used in the enclosure10for heat dissipation, so the air current blown by the fan40may travel through the receiving space along a straight direction, thus no other fans or air duct for guiding air current is needed in the enclosure10. Therefore, reducing the number of fans and efficiently dissipating heat in the computer.

In conventional computer, a disk drive may be affected by vibrations from an external source, such as a fan, when the disk drive and the fan are mounted to a bracket. However, in the embodiment, the disk drives50and the fan40are located separately. The disk drives50are placed in the enclosure10, and the fan40is mounted to the front panel20. In some embodiments, the enclosure10is made of metal and the fan40is made of plastic. Vibration generated from the fan40is indirectly transferred to the disk drives50. In detail, the vibration generated from the fan40sequentially passes through the plastic front panel20, the metal enclosure10and the plastic platform15. Connection with different material between the enclosure10and the fan40can effectively reduce vibration transfer between the enclosure10and the front panel20. In another embodiment, the fan40can be mounted to the back panel30instead. In addition, a disk drive may generate vibrations that affect the electronic elements coupled on the motherboard when the disk drive is working. In the embodiment, the disk drives50and the motherboard70are separated by the plastic platform15. Effects caused by vibrations from the disk drives50can be reduced.

According some embodiments, the enclosure10is made of single piece of aluminum. This aluminum enclosure10can save conventional assembling cost of enclosure and get better effect of heat dissipation.

In other embodiments, the hardware in the upper housing and the lower housing can be switched. The motherboard70, the heat sink80, the memories90and the expansion card100are placed in the upper housing, and the disk drives50and the power supply60are placed in the lower housing. The fan40is located at a side of the heat sink80and the disk drives50. The upper housing and the lower housing can also be further divided as needed.

It is also to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description of preferred embodiments, together with details of the structures and functions of the preferred embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.