Heat dissipation apparatus

A heat dissipation apparatus includes a heat sink, a fan, and a fixing structure. The fan defines a number of fixing holes. The fixing structure includes a base, two resilient side panels bent from two sides of the base. The base and the side panels bound an accommodating space to accommodate the fan. An airflow opening is defined in the base for allowing air to flow between the heat sink and the fan. First ends of a number of fasteners secure the base of the fixing structure to the heat sink. Second ends of the number of fasteners protrude through the base into the accommodating space, to be accommodated in the corresponding fixing holes of the fan.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to heat dissipation apparatuses and, particularly, to a heat dissipation apparatus for a central processing unit (CPU) of a computer system.

2. Description of Related Art

Generally speaking, a heat dissipation apparatus including a heat sink with a conductive plate and a plurality of cooling fins provided on a top of the plate, a supporter secured to a bottom of the heat sink, and a fan attached to a top of the heat sink, is known to be used for cooling heat-generating components such as central processing units (CPUs). The most common fans used for this purpose are fixed on the tops of the heat sinks with screws, which requires tools and so is complex and inconvenient to assemble.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of a heat dissipation apparatus for a central processing unit (CPU) includes a heat sink10mounted on the CPU to absorb heat from the CPU, a fixing structure20, and a fan40. The fan40includes a first lateral plate41defining an airflow outlet411, and a second lateral plate43defining an airflow inlet431. The first and second lateral plates41,43are opposite to each other to accommodate an impeller45of the fan40therein. The heat sink10includes a square-shaped support board12set on a top of the heat sink10. An intake14is defined in a center of the support board12. Four locking holes16are respectively defined in four corners of the support board12surrounding the intake14.

The fixing structure20includes a base22and two resilient side panels24extend from opposite sides of the base22perpendicularly. An accommodating space26is defined by the base22and the side panels24for receiving the fan40. An airflow opening222is defined in a center of the base22, corresponding to the intake14of the support board12. Four through holes224are respectively defined in four corners of the base22, corresponding to the locking holes16of the support board12. A locking portion242projects inward from an upper portion of each side panel24, and a plurality of first ribs244extends from an outer surface of each side panel24to the base22, for reinforcing the side panel24. A plurality of second ribs246is formed from the top of each locking portion242to a corresponding side panel24, to reinforce the locking portion242.

Four fixing holes42are respectively defined in four corners of the first lateral plate41of the fan40, corresponding to the through holes224of the fixing structure20.

Referring toFIGS. 2 and 3, in assembly, a plurality of fasteners100, such as screws, are respectively passed through the through holes224of the base22of the fixing structure20and locked in the corresponding locking holes16of the support board12. Therefore, the fixing structure20is fixed on the heat sink10. The airflow opening222of the fixing structure20aligns with the intake14of the support board12.

By deforming the side panels24away from each other, the fan40is placed in the accommodating space26of the fixing structure20, and the heads of the fasteners100are respectively accommodated in the corresponding fixing holes42of the fan40to limit a movement of the fan40along the first lateral plate41. The airflow outlet411of the fan40aligns with the airflow opening222of the base22. The side panels24are then restored toward each other, to sandwich the fan40therebetween. The locking portions242of the side panels24are respectively resiliently resisted against the second lateral plate43of the fan40. Therefore, the fan40can be fixed on the heat sink10conveniently.

In use, heat absorbed by the heat sink10can be removed by fan40through the intake14of the support board12and the airflow opening222of the fixing structure20. In other embodiments, the fan40can bring air conditioning to the heat sink10through the airflow opening222of the fixing structure20and the intake14of the support board12.

In disassembling the fan40from the heat sink10, the side panels24of the fixing structure20are deformed away from each other, with the locking portions242of the side panels24respectively departing from the top of the fan40. Therefore, the fan40can be conveniently removed from the accommodating space26of the fixing structure20.

In other embodiments, the side panels24of the fixing structure20can be formed on two neighboring sides of the base22perpendicularly, or three side panels24can be formed on three sides of the base22perpendicularly.

The fan40can be placed in the accommodating space26of the fixing structure20through deforming the side panels24of the fixing structure20. The locking portion242are resiliently engaged with the second lateral plate43of the fan40, and the heads of the fasteners100are respectively accommodated in the corresponding fixing holes42of the fan40, when the fan40is mounted to the fixing structure20. Therefore, the fan40can be easily mounted to or removed from the accommodating space26of the fixing structure20.

The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the disclosure and their practical application so as to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the disclosure and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternately embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from its spirit and scope. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and the exemplary embodiments described therein.