Liquid cooling device

A liquid cooling device includes a casing (10) having a container (14) for accommodating liquid therein, and a liquid inlet port (18) in communication with the container (14). A funnel-shaped channel is defined in the liquid inlet port (18), and radiuses of the funnel-shaped channel are descended along a liquid flow direction.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to a U.S. patent anpplication Ser. No. 10/950,736, filed Sep. 27, 2004, entitled “Liquid Cooling Device”, and a U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/070,550, filed Mar. 2, 2005, entitled “Liquid Cooling Device”. The disclosures of the above identified applications are incoroorated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cooling device, and more particularly to a cooling device utilizing liquid for cooling a heat-generating device.

2. Description of Related Art

Liquid cooling devices were commonly utilized to cool huge systems such as furnaces. Today, liquid cooling devices also are used to cool electronic or electrical components, such as chipsets, dies or computer central processing units (CPUs), by circulating the cooling liquid in a channel.

Generally, a liquid cooling device comprises a casing, forming a liquid container made of metal material. The casing comprises a base and a lid covering the base. The base is for contacting a wait-to-be-cooled component. The lid comprises a liquid outlet and a liquid inlet. Liquid pipes respectively connect the liquid outlet and the liquid inlet to a liquid tank. The liquid tank is further provided with a submersible motor therein. In operation to dissipate heat from the cooled component, the liquid in the liquid tank flows through the liquid inlet pipe into the casing, and is drawn by the motor to exit from the casing to the liquid tank for a subsequent circulation.

It is apparent, the liquid inlet is columned-shaped and its inner radius is fixed. As a result, the liquid flows, at a substantially constant speed, through the liquid inlet into the casing. Heat exchange is not sufficient between the fluid and the casing. Heat taken away from the casing by the liquid is limited. So it is difficult to get maximized heat exchange efficiency of the liquid cooling device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid cooling device getting maximized heat exchange efficiency.

In order to achieve the object set out above, a liquid cooling device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a casing having a container for accommodating liquid therein, a liquid inlet port and a liquid outlet port in communication with the container. A funnel-shaped channel is defined in the liquid inlet port, and radiuses of the funnel-shaped channel are descended along a liquid flow direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIGS. 1–3, a liquid cooling device for a heat-generating component in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a casing10, and an actuator50connected to the casing10by a liquid outlet pipe100and a liquid inlet pipe200respectively at opposite locations of the actuator50.

The casing10comprises a base11for intimately contacting a heat generating component or source (not shown) by a side surface thereof to absorb heat therefrom, and a lid12hennetically mounted on the base11. A protrusion (not labeled) projects upwardly from a central portion of the lid12and a flat container14is defined in the protrusion of the lid12to accommodate liquid for circulation. The lid12and the base11are assembled together to form the casing10. The base11and the lid12are hennetizated by calk, packing, shim, or seal, for keeping the liquid from leaking out of the container14. A pair of tubular connectors, for connecting the pipes100,200to the casing10, projects upwardly from the protusion of the lid12. The connectors are respectively named as liquid inlet port18and liquid outlet port19, according to the directions along which the liquid flows in the connectors. The liquid inlet port18and the liquid outlet tort19are at the same side of the container14. The liquid inlet port18is disposed at a middle of the lid12so that the liquid cooled by the fin member30can directly impinge on a central portion of the base11.

The container14, the liquid outlet pipe100, the actuator50and the liquid inlet pipe200cooperatively define a hermetical circulation route or loop for liquid. The acutator50can be a pump, an impeller, a promoter or the like, for actuating liquid to continuosly circulate in the route along the arroww as shown inFIG. 1.

For promoting the cooline efficiency of the device, a radiator is arranged on the liquid circulation route. A fin member30is an example of lthe radiator. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a portion of the liquide outlet pipe100enters into the fin member30, so that heat, still contained in the liquid after naturally cooled in the casing10, is removed to the fin member30and is dissipated to ambient air. Thus, the liquid is extremely cooled before entering the container14for a subsequent circulation. Understandably, a fan (now shown) can be mounted onto the fin member30for enhancing heat dissipation capability of the ffin member30.

In the present invention, the liquid inlet port18defines a funnel-shaped inner channel180by an inner surface181thereof. A height of the channel180of the liquid inlet port18is higher than that of the container14. Radiuses of the channel180are gradually descended along a direction of the liquid flow, i.e., an arrow direction shown inFIG. 3. The inner surface181of the liquid inlet port18is a beeline in an axial direction of the channel180. When the liquid flows within the liquid inlet port18, the liquid flow speed increases gradually because the radiuses of the channel180are descended along the direction of the liquid flow. Thus, a shooting flow is produced when the liquid enters the container14through the liquid inlet port18. The liquid strongly strikes a middle of the base11. A turbulent flow is produced in the container14, after the liquid striking the base11. Heat exchange efficiency between the liquid and the casing10is thereby increased, and the liquid extremely absorbs heat from the base11. Then the liquid flows out from the liquid outlet port19, taking heat away from the casing10.

FIG. 4shows another type of the liquid inlet port18, named by liquid inlet portion38. The liquid inlet portion38defines a funnel-shaped inner channel380by an inner surface381thereof. Radiuses of the channel380are gradually descended along a direction of the liquid flow. The inner surface381of the liquid inlet portion38is concave in an axial direction of the channel380. It is feasible that the inner surface381is convex in the axial direction of the channel380. Other references about the liquid cooling device using the liquid inlet portion38are the same as those about the liquid cooling device using the liquid inlet port18, and are omitted here.

Generally, heat is collected in a middle of the base11, so the liquid inlet portion of the liquid cooling device, whether it is the liquid inlet port18or the liquid inlet portion38, is positioned at a middle of the lid12corresponding to the middle of the base11. The liquid flowing through the liquid inlet port18, or the liquid inlet portion38thereby directly strikes the middle of the base11to extremely absorb heat from the base11. Most importantly, a shooting flow is produced when the liquid enters the container14through the liquid inlet port18, or the liquid inlet portion38. The liquid strongly strikes the middle of the base11. A turbulent flow is produced in the container14after the liquid entering the container14. Heat exchange efficiency between the liquid and the casing10is thereby increased, and the liquid extremely absorbs heat from the base11.

For showing clearly, the casing10, the fin member30and the actuator50are positioned separately, and connected by the100,200in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. However, it is also understood that the fin member30can be directly positioned on the casing10, and the actuator50can be positioned within the fin member30, without the liquid outlet pipe100and the liquid inlet pipe200, to thereby save space occupied by the liquid cooling device.