POWER SUPPLY WITH EXTERNALLY MOUNTED FAN DEVICE

The present invention includes a power supply unit composed of a casing and a current conversion unit, a slotted wall, a fan device composed of a fan and a fan support, a chamber, and a slant rim. The fan device is detachably joined to the casing for convenient maintenance and replacement. The fan is housed in the fully open chamber for reduced impedance and noise. The slant rim tapers toward the chamber and facilitates airflow for enhanced heat dissipation performance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention is generally related to power supplies, and more particular to a power supply integrated with an externally mounted fan device.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

Computer power supplies are equipped with one or more fans for heat dissipation. A common problem to computer power supplies is dust accumulation compromising the effect of heat dissipation and causing the fans, the power supply, and the computer to malfunction. These fans are usually internally configured and, as such, they are not convenient to clean and maintain. Due to safety concern, the users are advised not to replace the fans by themselves. These internal fans are also of specific specifications, and are not easy to obtain.

R.O.C Taiwan Patent No. M247926 teaches a power supply with externally mounted fan module. The power supply has a casing with fastener elements and the fan module may be detachably mounted to the casing. As such, the fan module can be hot-swapped and maintained. This teaching still has the following shortcomings.

First, the fan module is mounted to a porous wall of the casing. Noises in addition to those of the fan module itself are produced as air flowing through the porous wall. The porous wall also makes the air flow sluggish, increases the impedance of the fan module, and causes inferior energy conversion efficiency.

Second, if the porous wall allows unidirectional air flow, heat may be accumulated around the wall. If the porous wall allows multidirectional air flow, the heat dissipation may be improved yet the fan module would suffer even greater impedance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A major objective of the present invention is to detachably mount a fan device externally to a power supply unit through fastener elements so that the fan device is convenient to detach, clean, and maintain.

Another major objective of the present invention is to house a fan of the fan device inside a fully-open chamber to effectively reduce fan device's impedance and noise.

A further major objective of the present invention is to have an airflow guiding design to prevent heat accumulation around the fan device for enhanced heat dissipation.

To achieve the above objectives, the present invention mainly includes a power supply unit composed of a casing and a current conversion unit, a slotted wall, a fan device composed of a fan and a fan support, a chamber, and a slant rim. The current conversion unit is housed in the casing. The slotted wall forms the top side of the casing. The fan device is detachably joined to the slotted wall of the casing through fastener elements. The fan support is configured on the casing and surrounds the fan. The chamber is provided on the fan support where the fan is embedded. The chamber has a greater diameter than that of the fan. The slant rim is provided on the fan support around the chamber and tapers towards the chamber.

According to the present invention, the fan device is not configured internally inside the power supply unit, but externally mounted to the casing through fastener elements. Therefore, for cleaning, maintenance, and replacement of the fan device, there is no need to disassemble the casing and, as such, the high-voltage current conversion unit remains sealed inside the casing. In addition, the fan is housed in the fully open chamber for reduced impedance and noise. The fan support protects the fan and the slant rim, as it tapers toward the chamber, facilitates airflow for enhanced heat dissipation performance.

As described above, the present invention obviates the shortcomings of the prior art such as inconvenient maintenance and replacement, high fan device impedance, loud noise, and heat accumulation

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown inFIGS.1to3, a first embodiment of the present invention includes:

a power supply unit (PSU)1including a casing11and a current conversion unit12inside the casing11;

a slotted wall13forming a top side of the casing11;

a fan device2externally joined to the slotted wall13of the casing11through at least a fastener element3, where the fan device2includes a fan21and a fan support22in which the fan21is embedded;

a chamber221on a top side of the fan support22away from the slotted wall13, where the chamber221has a greater diameter than that of the fan21; and

a slant rim222on the top side of the fan support22around the chamber221where the slant rim222tapers towards the chamber221.

The fan device2and the PSU1are separate objects. In the present embodiment, to assemble the fan device2, the fan21is fixed to a cross-shaped stand223at a bottom side of the chamber221so that the fan21is embedded in the fan support22and the fan21's rotation would not be interfered. In the present embodiment, the fastener elements3are pegs extended from the four comers of the fan support22's bottom side, through which the fan device2is fixed to the casing11. However, the present invention is not limited as such. The fastener elements3may provide connection through screwing, locking, or plugging. In the above assembly process, safety is maintained as the high-voltage current conversion unit12remains sealed inside the PSU1. On the other hand, the fan device2may be conveniently removed by releasing the connection of the fastener elements3to the PSU1. The fan21, then, may be cleaned, maintained, or replaced. Depending on user's demand for silence, balance, or performance, a different type of the fan21can be adopted.

As the chamber221has a completely open top side, air flow produced by the fan21is not hindered, thereby effectively reducing the impedance and noise, and enhancing the performance of the fan device. The fan support22, in addition to provide protection to the fan21, has a guiding effect to the air flow by the taper shape of its slant rim222, enhancing the heat dissipation performance.

As shown inFIGS.4and5, a second embodiment differs from the previous embodiment in that the fastener elements3, other than those on the fan support22, further include a number of sockets131on the slotted wall13and a same number of corresponding through holes311on a fan base31beneath the fan21. By applying screws through the pairs of threaded sockets131and through holes311, the fan21is fixed not to the fan support22but directly to the slotted wall13. The fan base31raises the fan21above the slotted wall13for a distance so that the rotation of the fan21does not contact with the slotted wall13. This design also reduces the impedance caused by the slotted wall13. In the present embodiment, the sockets131are extended from the slotted wall13so that the screws do not penetrate the slotted wall13. The extended sockets131further enlarge the gap between the fan21and the slotted wall13.

As shown inFIGS.6and7, a third embodiment of the present invention differs from the previous embodiment in the following. The casing11includes a bottom piece111on which the current conversion unit12is configured, a top piece112correspondingly joining the bottom piece111, and limiting elements4for joining the bottom piece111and the top piece112. The slotted wall13is formed on the top piece112. In addition, the fan support22is laterally sandwiched between a pair of fastener pieces5. The fastener pieces5replace the pegs of the previous embodiments, and respectively have first locking elements51extended downward for joining with the bottom piece111.

The PSU1of the present embodiment includes a U-shaped bottom piece111and an inverted-U-shaped top piece112. In assembly, the fan21can be first fixed to the slotted wall13of the top piece112. The fan support22is then fixed to the top piece112. As the PSU1involves this two-piece structure, to reduce the vibration from the fan device2, the fastener pieces5are additionally applied. In the present embodiment, there are two fastener pieces5. During assembly, four third locking elements224at the comers of the fan support22are aligned with second locking holes1121of the top piece112, and screws are applied downward through second locking elements55of the fastener pieces5, the first locking elements224, and the second locking holes1121. Then, the first locking elements51of the fastener pieces5are aligned and joined to first locking holes1111of the bottom piece111. As such, the fan device2is simultaneously fixed to the top piece112and the bottom piece111of the PSU1to achieve reduced vibration. Finally, through the engagement of the limiting elements4, the top piece112and the bottom piece111are joined. In the present embodiment, each limiting element4includes a first limiting trough411along an edge of the top piece112and a second limiting trough412along an edge of the bottom piece111. The first limiting troughs411and the second limiting troughs412have interlocking cross-sections so that the top piece111is slid downward to couple with the bottom piece111.

As shown inFIGS.8to11, a fourth embodiment of the present invention differs from the previous embodiments in that a lighting module6is further provided between the casing11and the fan support22. The top side of the fan support22has a translucent section225. The fan support22also has an inward concave section226at the bottom to give way to the lighting module6. Each fastener piece5has an arm segment52respectively at both ends, a hollowed-out segment54between the arm segments52, and a cap segment53between an arm segment52and the hollowed-out segment54. This design is to further enhance the fastener pieces5's strength and anti-vibration performance. The arm segments52increase the tightness between the fastener pieces5and the fan support22. The cap segments53further provides downward press against the fan support22so that the fan support22is closely attached to the top piece112. Therefore, the fan support22, the fastener pieces5, and the top piece112are tightly joined together. Further by the first locking elements51's locking to the bottom piece111, the noise from the fan21and its vibration to the casing11are both reduced to the minimum level.

The lighting module6is locked to the top piece112around the top side of the slotted wall13, and is entirely covered by the concave section226of the fan support22. The translucent section225is made of a semi-transparent, transparent, or light-guiding material and light from the lighting module6may be projected outside the fan support22. The lighting module6includes multiple LEDs of different colors, providing appealing visual effect. The hollowed out segments54on the fastener pieces5allow the light from the lighting module6to pass through, and also reduce the material cost.

In the present embodiment, each limiting element4includes inner flanks42and outer flanks43along a bottom edge of the top piece112, and a corresponding upward flank44on the bottom piece111and a notch45on the upward flank44. In assembly, the notch45receives the outer flank43and the inner flanks42press against the upward flank44from inside of the upward flank44. In other words, the limiting elements4join the bottom piece111and the top piece112through the clamping by the flanks.

As shown inFIGS.12and13, a fifth embodiment of the present invention differs from the previous embodiments in that the fastener elements3include a number of positioning holes132on the slotted wall13and a number of positioning pins312beneath the fan base31. Each positioning pin312has an arrow-shaped tip. By aligning and pressing the positioning pins312against the positioning holes132, the positioning pins312would plug into the positioning holes132, achieving the fixation of the fan21without using tools. In addition, the present embodiment has a single fastener piece5integrally formed as a rectangular frame. The single fastener piece5includes similar cap segments53and arm segments52. The cap segments63still press downward against the fan support22. The arm segments52still adjoin the four corners of the fan support22. However, due to that the fastener piece5is integrally formed, the fastener piece5would be more robust, enhancing its protection to the fan21and the fan support22.

As shown inFIG.14, a sixth embodiment of the present invention differs from the previous embodiments in that the fastener elements3include a number of hooks313beneath the fan base31and the slotted wall13has the slots arranged rectangularly. In assembly, the hooks313run through the slots and engage the slotted wall13at multiple locations. The fixation of the fan21, therefore, can be conducted without using tools, and the fan21is prevented from displacement on slotted wall13.