Abstract:
A computer system has a central processing unit installed inside a housing for processing data and programs. The housing has a panel, which includes a plurality of first holes. The computer system further includes an upper duct and a lower duct installed on a region beside the central processing unit and mounted on the upper duct. The upper duct has a predetermined pattern, and a plurality of first hooks for engaging with the plurality of first holes of the housing. The lower duct has a positioning rib for engaging with the predetermined pattern of the upper duct.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a computer system, and more particularly, to an air guide assembly of the computer system. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   In recent years, the dramatic development of computer technologies resulted in processors to run faster and faster. Occasionally, the heat generated by the fast-running processors caused computers to malfunction. 
   In general, components in a computer for ventilating the heat generated by the central processing unit (CPU) comprise a heat sink, an electric fan and an air guide assembly and so on. For example, the electric fan along with the air guide assembly is capable of ventilating heat generated by the CPU to a region outside of the computer and thus keep the CPU to work under an environment of approximately constant temperature. 
   Please refer to  FIG. 1 , which is a prior art showing a perspective of schematic diagram of a computer system  10 . The computer system  10  comprises a housing  12 , a circuit board  14  installed inside the housing  12 , a processor  16  installed on the circuit board  14 , an electric fan  18  installed over the processor  16 , a pipeline  20 , a plurality of screws  22  for fixing the pipeline  20  to the housing  12 , and a slide  24  mounted on the pipeline  20 . Upon a surface of the pipeline  20  has been installed a plurality of parallel-disposed concave ring-shaped slots  26 . A second end of the slide  24  has installed a convex ring  32  corresponding to each of the concave ring-shaped slots  26 . Therefore, the slide  24  is capable of sliding up and down along the pipeline  20  and keeping a predetermined distance between a first end  28  of the slide  24  and the processor  16 ; also, to enhance the heat-ventilating efficiency of an air guide assembly consisting of the pipeline  20  and the slide  24 . 
   According to the prior art as computer system  10 , a method disclosed for fixing the pipeline  20  to the housing with the screws  22  is not only time-consuming but also cost-ineffective. Besides, the slide  24  is likely to be misplaced against the pipeline  20  while the computer system  10  is hit. This situation results in the fact that a distance between the first end  28  of the slide  24  and the processor  16  is not equal to the predetermined distance; furthermore, it results in the reduction of the heat-ventilating efficiency of the air guide assembly. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   It is therefore a primary objective of the claimed invention to provide a computer system to overcome the drawbacks of foregoing prior arts. 
   According to the claimed invention, the computer system comprises a housing having a side plate installed with a plurality of first holes, a central processing unit installed inside the housing for processing data and program codes, a pipeline having a predetermined pattern and a plurality of first hooks to engage with the first holes and fixing the pipeline to the side plate, and a slide installed on a region beside the central processing unit and mounted onto the pipeline, the slide having at least a positioning protrude for engaging with the predetermined pattern of the pipeline. 
   The predetermined pattern comprises an engaging zone and a first protruding rib set. The first protruding rib set comprises a plurality of parallel-disposed first protruding ribs installed on a first side of the engaging zone, and a plurality of first spaces, each of which disposed between two adjacent first ribs of the first protruding rib set. The positioning protruding portion can be engaged into any one of the first spaces. Furthermore, the predetermined pattern comprises a guiding zone and a guiding track installed on the guiding zone, and the slide further comprises a guiding protrude, and a guiding slot installed on the guiding protrude for engaging with the guiding track while the slide is mounting onto the pipeline so that the slide is capable of sliding back and forth along the pipeline. 
   It is an advantage of the claimed invention that the pipeline and heat mask can be fixed to the housing by the engagement of hooks installed on the pipeline and heat mask and holes installed on the housing, therefore saving time to assemble and reduce cost. Moreover, the pipeline comprises a predetermined pattern comprising a first rib set of a plurality of first ribs, and a second rib set of a plurality of second ribs interlaced with the first ribs, enabling a distance between an end of the slide close to the processor and the processor almost equal to the optimal heat distance and promoting the heat-ventilating efficiency of the computer system. Lastly, when a positioning protrude installed on the slide is engaged with any first space of the first rib set or any second space of the second rib set of the pipeline, a guiding track and a fixing track (or a first fixing track and a second fixing track) along with a guiding slot installed on a guiding protrude of the slide are capable of fixing the slide to the pipeline tightly and of preventing the slide away from the pipeline when the computer is hit. 
   These and other objectives of the claimed invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a computer system according to the prior art. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a computer system of the preferred embodiment according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of a housing of the computer system shown in  FIG. 2  according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of a pipeline of the computer system shown in  FIG. 2  according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a front elevational view of a positioning spring plate of the pipeline shown in  FIG. 4  according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of a slide of the computer system shown in  FIG. 2  according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a bottom plan view of a heat mask of the computer system shown in  FIG. 2  according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  is a state diagram showing the pipeline engaged with the slide of the computer shown in  FIG. 2  according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of a computer system of a second embodiment according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 10  is a schematic diagram of an air guide assembly of the computer system shown in  FIG. 9  according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 11  is a schematic diagram of a computer system of a third embodiment according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 12  is a schematic diagram of an air guide assembly of the computer system shown in  FIG. 11  according to the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Please refer to  FIG. 2 , which is a schematic diagram of a computer system  50  of the preferred embodiment according to the present invention. The computer system  50  comprises a housing  52 , a circuit board  54  installed inside the housing  52 , a processor  56  installed on the circuit board  54  for processing data and program codes, an electric fan  57  installed over the processor  56 , a heat mask  58 , a pipeline  60  fixed to the housing  52 , and a slide  64  mounted on the pipeline  60 . The pipeline  60  combines with the slide  64  to form an air guide assembly. 
   Please refer to  FIG. 3 , which is a top plan view of the housing  52  of the computer system  50  according to the present invention. The housing  52  comprises a side plate  70  comprising a plurality of first holes  72 , at least a positioning hole  74 , at least a positioning spring plate  76 , a plurality of second holes  78 , and at least a heat-ventilating hole  80  for ventilating heat generated by the processor  56 . Each of the first holes  72  comprises a first large hole and a first small hole. Each of the second holes  72  comprises a second large hole and a second small hole as well. 
   Please refer to  FIG. 4 , which is a schematic diagram of the pipeline  60  of the computer system  50  according to the present invention. The pipeline  60  has a side surface installed with a predetermined pattern and one end installed with at least a positioning spring plate  84  and a plurality of first hooks  82  for engaging with the first holes  72  and fixing the pipeline  60  to the side plate  70 . The predetermined pattern comprises an engaging zone  85 , at least a first rib set  88  installed on a first side of the engaging zone  85 , at least a second rib set  90  installed on a second side of the engaging zone  85 , a guiding zone  86 , a guiding track  92 , a first fixing track  94 , a second fixing track  96 , and a pipeline hook  98 . The guiding track  92 , the first fixing track  94  and the second fixing track  96  are all disposed on the guiding zone  86 . The first rib set  88  comprises a plurality of parallel-disposed first ribs and a plurality of first spaces, each of which installed between two adjacent first ribs. The first spaces can be all equal in width or at least two ribs of the first ribs are not equal in width. The second rib set  90  comprises a plurality of parallel-disposed second ribs interlaced with the first ribs and a plurality of second spaces, each of which installed between two adjacent second ribs. The second spaces can be all equal in width or at least two ribs of the second ribs are not equal in width. 
   Please refer to  FIG. 5 , which is a front elevational view of the positioning spring plate  84  of the pipeline  60  of the computer system  50  according to the present invention. The positioning spring plate  84  comprises a first end fixed to the pipeline  60  and a second end raised. When the first hook  82  of the pipeline  60  is engaged with the first large hole of the first hole  72  of the side plate  70 , the side plate  70  suppresses the second end of the positioning spring plate  84  to a position as high as the first end of the positioning spring plate  84 . When the first hook  82  of the pipeline  60  is screwed into the first small hole of the first hole  72  of the side plate  70 , the second end of the positioning spring plate  84  is released and raised again and engages into the positioning hole  74 , enabling the first hook  82  already screwed into the first small hole of the first hole  72  of the side plate  70  from departing from the first small hole of the first hole  72 . Since those skilled in the art are familiar with the mechanism about the positioning spring plate  84  and positioning hole  74 , so further description is hereby omitted. 
   Please refer to  FIG. 6 , which is a schematic diagram of the slide  64  of the computer system  50  according to the present invention. The slide  64  comprises a first end installed with at least a positioning protrude  102  for engaging with the predetermined pattern (the first rib set  88  and the second rib set  90 ) of the pipeline  60 , a guiding protrude  104 , and a guiding slot  106  installed on the guiding protrude  106  for engaging with the guiding track  92  and enabling the slide  64  to slide back and forth along the pipeline  60  when the slide  64  is mounted on the pipeline  60  or for engaging with the first fixing track  94  or with the second fixing track  96  and fixing the slide  64  to the pipeline  60  when the positioning protrude  102  of the slide  64  is engaging with any one of first spaces or with any one of second spaces. 
   Please refer to  FIG. 7 , which is a bottom plat view of the heat mask  58  of the computer system  50  according to the present invention. The heat mask  58  comprises a plurality of second hooks  108  corresponding to the second holes  78  installed on the side plate  70  of the housing  52 , a dust-proven net  109 , and a positioning pillar  110  enabling the second hooks  108  of the heat mask  58  to engage easier with the second holes  78  installed on the side plate  70  by engaging with the positioning spring plate  76 . Similar to the process that the first hook  82  of the pipeline  60  screws into the first large hole and the first small hole of the first hole  72  sequentially screws into the first small hole, the second hook  108  also screws into the second large hole and the second small hole of the second hole  78  sequentially screws into the second small hole as the positioning pillar  110  is engaging into the positioning spring plate  76  positioning the heat mask  58  to the side plate  70 . In the preferred embodiment, the positioning pillar  110  is wedge-shaped and the positioning spring plate  76  installed on the housing  52  has a rectangle shape accordingly. Of course, the positioning pillar  110  can be of another type of shape, such as a cone, and the positioning spring plate  110  corresponding to the shape of the positioning pillar  110 , would then have to have a shape of a circle to correspond to the cone. 
   Please refer to  FIG. 8 , which is a state diagram of the computer system  50  with the slide  64  mounted on the pipeline  60  according to the present invention. In  FIG. 8 , the guiding slot  106  installed on the guiding protrude  104  of the slide  64  is engaged with the guiding track  92 . The slide  64  is capable of sliding up and down along the guiding track  92  and moving to a position that one end of the slide  64  close to the processor  56  has a distance from the processor  56  as close as an optimal heat distance. In other words, as the slide  64  moves back and forth along the guiding track  92  and stands on a position with one end of the slide  64  close to the processor  56  and has a distance from the processor  56  close to the optimal heat distance, the computer system  50  has an optimal heat-ventilating efficiency. At this moment, depending on whether the positioning protrude  102  is moved to a position corresponding to any first space of the first rib set  88  or to any second space of the second rib set  90 , the positioning protrude  102  of the slide  64  can engage into the first space of the first rib set  88  or the second space of the second rib set  90 . While the positioning protrude  102  is engaged with any first space of the first rib set  88 , the guiding slot  106  of the guiding protrude  104  of the slide  64  is engaged into the first fixing track  94 . On the contrary, the guiding slot  106  of the guiding protrude  104  of the slide  64  is engaged with the second fixing track  96  while the positioning protrude  102  is engaged with any second space of the second rib set  90 . Since the first ribs of the first rib set  88  are interlaced with the second ribs of the second rib set  90 , a distance between the end of the slide  64  close to the processor  56  and the processor  56  can be tuned almost simultaneously to the optimal heat distance. The computer system  50  therefore has the optimal heat-ventilating efficiency. 
   The pipeline hook  98  and guiding protrude  104  of the computer system  50  are made of materials of plasticity such as plastic. 
   In the above-described computer system  50 , the slide  64  comprises the positioning protrude  102  and the guiding protrude  104 , and the pipeline  60  comprises the guiding track  92 , the first fixing track  94  and the second fixing track  96 , all of which disposed in the guiding zone  86 . Alternatively, the slide  64  can comprise the guiding protrude  104  only, while the pipeline  60  can comprises the guiding track  92 , the first fixing track  94  and the second fixing track  96 , all of which disposed in the engaging zone  85  correspondingly. Please refer to  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10 .  FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of a computer system  130  of a second embodiment according to the present invention. The computer system  130  comprises a housing  132 , a circuit board  134  installed inside the housing  132 , a processor  136  installed on the circuit board  134 , the electrical fan  57  installed over the processor  136 , a heat mask  138 , and an air guide assembly  140  fixed to the housing  132 . The housing  132  and the heat mask  134  have structures same as those of the housing  52  and the heat mask  58  of the computer system  50 , so further description is hereby omitted. 
     FIG. 10  is a schematic diagram of the air guide assembly  140  of the computer system  130  according to the present invention. The air guide assembly  140  comprises a pipeline  142  and a slide  144  mounted on the pipeline  142 . Generally, the pipeline  142  and the slide  144  of the computer system  130  have structures similar to those of the pipeline  60  and the slide  64  of the computer system  50 . In other words, the pipeline  142  has an end installed with a positioning spring plate  146  and a plurality of first hooks  148  for engaging with the housing  132 . The pipeline  142  further has a side surface installed with a predetermined pattern comprising an engaging zone  150 , at least a first rib set  152  installed on a first side of the engaging zone  150 , at least a second rib set  154  installed on a second side of the engaging zone  150 , a guiding track  156 , a first fixing track  158 , a second fixing track  160 , and a slide hook (not shown), whose functions and location are same as those of the slide hook  98  of the slide  60  of the computer system  50 . Please note that the predetermined pattern of the pipeline  142  does not have a guiding zone, and the guiding track  156 , the first fixing track  158  and the second fixing track  160  are all disposed on the engaging zone  150 . The first rib set  152  comprises a plurality of parallel-disposed first ribs and a plurality of first spaces, each of which is installed between two adjacent first ribs. The first spaces can be equal in width, if they are not at least two ribs of the first ribs are not equal in width. The second rib set  154  comprises a plurality of parallel-disposed second ribs interlaced with the first ribs and a plurality of second spaces, each of which installed between two adjacent second ribs. The second spaces can be all equal in width or at least two ribs of the second ribs are not equal in width. 
   The slide  144  of the air guide assembly  140  comprises a first end installed with at least a guiding protrude  162  for engaging with the predetermined pattern (the first rib set  152  and the second rib set  154 ) of the pipeline  142 , and a guiding slot  164  installed on the guiding protrude  162  for engaging with the guiding track  156  when the slide  144  is mounted on the pipeline  142  so that the slide  144  is capable of sliding back and forth along the pipeline  142 , or for engaging with either the first fixing track  158  or with the second fixing track  160  when the guiding protrude  162  of the slide  144  is engaged with any first space of the first rib set  152  or any second space of the second rib set  154 , so as to fix the slide  144  to the pipeline  142 . According to the above-mentioned, when the guiding protrude  162  is engaged with any first space of the first rib set  152  or with any second space of the second rib set  154 , the guiding protrude  162  provides a function similar to that the positioning protrude  102  of the slide  64  of the computer system  50  provides, that is fixing the slide  144  to the pipeline  142 . 
   The pipeline hook (similar to the pipeline hook  98  of the computer system  50 ) and guiding protrude  162  of the computer system  130  are made of materials of plasticity such as plastic. 
   Please refer to  FIG. 11  and  FIG. 12 .  FIG. 11  is a schematic diagram of a computer system  170  of a third embodiment according to the present invention. The computer system  170  comprises a housing  172 , a circuit board  174  installed inside the housing  172 , a processor  176  installed on the circuit board  174 , the electric fan  57  installed over the processor  176 , a heat mask  178 , an air guide assembly  180  fixed to the housing  172 . The housing  172  and heat mask  178  have structures similar to those of the housing  52  and heat mask  58  of the computer system  50 , so further description is hereby omitted. 
     FIG. 12  is a schematic diagram of the air guide assembly  180  of the computer system  170  according to the present invention. The air guide assembly  180  comprises a pipeline  182  and a slide  184  mounted on the pipeline  182 . Generally, the pipeline  182  and the slide  184  of the computer system  170  have structures similar to those of the pipeline  60  and the slide  64  of the computer system  50 . In other words, the pipeline  182  has an end installed with a positioning spring plate  146  and a plurality of first hooks  188  for engaging with the housing  172 . The pipeline  182 , a side surface installed with a predetermined pattern comprising an engaging zone  190 , at least a first rib set  192  installed on a first side of the engaging zone  190 , at least a second rib set  194  installed on a second side of the engaging zone  190 , a guiding track  196 , a first fixing track  198 , and a slide hook (not shown), whose functions and location are similar to those of the slide hook  98  of the slide  60  of the computer system  50 . Please note that the predetermined pattern of the pipeline  182  does not have a guiding zone or a second fixing track, and the guiding track  196  and the first fixing track  198  are both disposed on the engaging zone  190 . The first rib set  192  comprises a plurality of parallel-disposed first ribs and a plurality of first spaces, each of which installed between two adjacent first ribs. The first spaces can be all equal in width or at least two ribs of the first ribs are not equal in width. The second rib set  194  comprises a plurality of parallel-disposed second ribs interlaced with the first ribs and a plurality of second spaces, each of which installed between two adjacent second ribs. The second spaces can be all equal in width otherwise at least two ribs of the second ribs are not equal in width. 
   The slide  184  of the air guide assembly  180  comprises a first end installed with at least a guiding protrude  200  for engaging with the predetermined pattern (the first rib set  192  and the second rib set  194 ) of the pipeline  182 , a first guiding slot  202  and a second guiding slot  204 , both of which installed on the guiding protrude  200  for respectively engaging with the guiding track  196  and with the first fixing track  198  when the slide  184  is mounted on the pipeline  182  so that the slide  184  is capable of sliding back and forth along the pipeline  182 , for respectively engaging with nothing and with the guiding track  196  when the guiding protrude  200  of the slide  184  is engaged with any first space of the first rib set  192 , or for respectively engaging with the first fixing track  198  and with nothing when the guiding protrude  200  of the slide  184  is engaged with any second space of the second rib set  194 , so as to fix the slide  184  to the pipeline  182 . According to the above-mentioned, when the guiding protrude  200  is engaged with any first space of the first rib set  192  or with any second space of the second rib set  194 , the guiding protrude  200  provides a function similar to that the positioning protrude  102  of the slide  64  of the computer system  50  provides, that is fixing the slide  184  to the pipeline  182 . 
   The pipeline hook and guiding protrude  200  of the computer system  170  are made of materials of plasticity such as plastic. 
   In contrast to the prior art, the present invention can provide a computer system comprising a housing, a processor, a heat mask, a pipeline and a slide. The pipeline and heat mask can be fixed to the housing by the engagement of hooks installed on the pipeline and a heat mask and holes installed on the housing, therefore saving time to assemble and a reduction in cost. Moreover, the pipeline comprises a predetermined pattern comprising a first rib set of a plurality of first ribs, and a second rib set of a plurality of second ribs interlaced with the first ribs, enabling a distance between an end of the slide close to the processor and the processor almost equal to the optimal heat distance, which in then promotes the heat-ventilating efficiency of the computer system. Lastly, when a positioning protrude installed on the slide is engaged with any first space of the first rib set or any second space of the second rib set of the pipeline, a guiding track and a fixing track (or a first fixing track and a second fixing track) along with a guiding slot installed on a guiding protrude of the slide are capable of fixing the slide to the pipeline tightly and of preventing the slide to move away from the pipeline when the computer is hit by a damaging force. 
   Following the detailed description of the present invention above, those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.