Abstract:
A heat dissipating module is mounted on a mainboard of an electronic device. The heat dissipating module includes a guiding cover mounted on the mainboard, and a heat dissipater mounted on the mainboard and received in the guiding cover. A guiding cover switch is electrically connected to the mainboard and the guiding cover, and a heat dissipater switch is electrically connected to the mainboard and the heat dissipater. The connection states of the guiding cover switch and heat dissipater switch are both required to be on, proving that the guiding cover and the heat dissipater are both mounted properly on the mainboard, before allowing startup of the electronic device.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical field 
         [0002]    The disclosure generally relates to heat dissipating modules, and particularly to a heat dissipating module for mainboard of an electronic device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    A mainboard of an electronic device (e.g., a personal computer) generates substantial heat while operating. Usually, a heat dissipating module is mounted on the mainboard to dissipate heat from the mainboard. However, in some systems, prior to use, there is no easy way to determine whether the heat dissipating module is mounted properly. When the heat dissipating module is not properly mounted to the mainboard when assembling or maintaining the electronic device, the mainboard working without the heat dissipating module may be damaged by the heat it generates. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an electronic device having a heat dissipating module, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the heat dissipating module of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a partially assembled, isometric view of the heat dissipating module of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a flow-chart of an operating method of the heat dissipating module of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]      FIG. 1  shows an electronic device  200  having a heat dissipating module  100 , according to an exemplary embodiment. The electronic device  200  may be, for example, a personal computer which includes a mainboard  10 . The heat dissipating module  100  is mounted on the mainboard  10  and dissipates heat from the mainboard  10 .  FIG. 2  shows an exploded view of the heat dissipating module  100  of  FIG. 1 . The heat dissipating module  100  includes a heat dissipater  20 , a heat dissipater switch  22 , a guiding cover  30 , and a guiding cover switch  32 . The heat dissipater  20  and the guiding cover  30  are both mounted on the mainboard  10 , the heat dissipater  20  is received inside the guiding cover  30 . The heat dissipater  20  conducts heat away from the mainboard  10 . The heat dissipating module  100  further includes one or more conventional fans (not shown), a fan generates airflow towards the heat dissipater  20  and the guiding cover  30 , so that airflow collects and dissipates heat from the heat dissipater  20  and the guiding cover  30 . 
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a partially assembled, isometric view of the heat dissipating module  100  of  FIG. 1 . At least one chip  12  is mounted on the mainboard  10 , for example, a central processing unit (CPU). The chip  12  generates heat while operating. The heat dissipater  20  is mounted on the chip  12 . The heat dissipater  20  includes a base  21  and a plurality of fins  23 , which can be made by stamping process. The fins  23  are perpendicular to the base  21 . The base  21  clings to the chip  12 , the base  21  is made of heat conducting material which conducts heat from the chip  12  to the fins  23 . One end of the heat dissipater  20  defines a vertical connecting hole (not shown). The heat dissipater switch  22  is inserted into the connecting hole, and connected to the mainboard  10  and the heat dissipater  20 , and detects when the heat dissipater  20  is properly mounted on the mainboard  10 . When the heat dissipater  20  is mounted at a predetermined position on the mainboard  10 , one end of the heat dissipater switch  22  is electrically connected to the mainboard  10 , while the other end is electrically connected to the heat dissipater  20 , and the heat dissipater switch is closed in this situation; otherwise the heat dissipater switch  22  cuts off. When the heat dissipater switch  22  cuts off, the computer system of the electronic device  200  cannot be started, which avoids the situation of the computer system starting up and running without a functioning heat dissipater  20 . 
         [0012]    The guiding cover  30  is the shape of an upside-down U and has two opposite openings  31 . The guiding cover  30  covers the heat dissipater  20 . The fan or fans are mounted at one end of the guiding cover  30  and are aligned with one of the openings  31 . The airflow generated by the fans passes from one opening  31  to the other opening  31 , taking any heat from below the guiding cover  30 , thus lowering the temperature of the chip  12 . 
         [0013]    The guiding cover  30  includes a connecting portion  33  formed on one end thereof. The guiding cover switch  32  is inserted through the connecting portion  33  and is connected to the mainboard  10  and the guiding cover  30 . The guiding cover switch  32  is activated (that is, turns on) when the guiding cover  30  is properly mounted on the mainboard  10 . When the guiding cover  30  is mounted at a predetermined position on the mainboard  10 , one end of the guiding cover switch  32  is electrically connected to the mainboard  10 , while the other end is electrically connected to the guiding cover  30 , and the guiding cover switch  32  is closed in this situation; otherwise the guiding cover switch  32  cuts off. When the guiding cover switch  32  cuts off, the computer system cannot be started, which avoids the situation of the computer system starting up without the guiding cover  30  being properly mounted. 
         [0014]    In the present embodiment, the personal computer further includes a chassis switch (not shown), thus when the chassis is closed (that is, fully assembled), the chassis switch is closed, and the fans mounted inside the chassis can work as designed. When the chassis switch is cut off, the computer system controls the fans to work at a higher speed to ensure additional heat dissipation from the chassis. 
         [0015]    In the present embodiment, the connecting state of the heat dissipater switch  22  and of the guiding cover switch  32  are included in a startup item of the computer system, such as the POST procedure. When the computer system starts up, the computer system detects the connecting state of the heat dissipater switch  22  and of the guiding cover switch  32 , and when the heat dissipater switch  22  and the guiding cover switch  32  are both closed, the computer system does start up; otherwise the computer system does not proceed to start up, and a warning is displayed on a monitor of the computer regarding the heat dissipater  20  and the guiding cover  30 . 
         [0016]      FIG. 4 . is a flow chart of an operating method of the heat dissipating module  100  of the electronic device  200  of  FIG. 1 , the operating method of the heat dissipating module  100  includes the following steps: 
         [0017]    Step  01 , mounting the heat dissipater  20  and the guiding cover  30  to the correct and predetermined positions of the mainboard  10 . 
         [0018]    Step  02 , connecting the heat dissipater switch  22  to the mainboard  10  and the heat dissipater  20 , while connecting the guiding cover switch  32  to the mainboard  10  and the guiding cover  30 . 
         [0019]    Step  03 , starting electronic device system of the electronic device and detecting whether the heat dissipater switch  22  is closed. In the present embodiment, the electronic device system can be a computer system, and when the heat dissipater switch  22  is closed, step  04  is invoked; otherwise step  05  is applied. In the present step  03 , the heat dissipater switch  22  is closed when the heat dissipater  20  is mounted to the predetermined position of the mainboard  10 . 
         [0020]    Step  04 , detecting whether the guiding cover switch  32  is closed. When the guiding cover switch  32  is closed, step  06  is invoked; otherwise step  05  is followed. In the present step  04 , the guiding cover switch  32  is closed when the guiding cover  30  is mounted to the predetermined position of the mainboard  10 . 
         [0021]    Step  05 , preventing a start up of the electronic device system, and displaying information regarding the heat dissipater switch  22  and the guiding cover switch  32 . The monitor of the electronic device displays the information. 
         [0022]    Step  06 , successfully starting the electronic device system to bring about normal running. 
         [0023]    Steps  03  and  04  can be exchanged, the detection of the connecting state of the heat dissipater switch  22  and of the guiding cover switch  32  can be in any order. 
         [0024]    Thus, the heat dissipating module  100  mounts the heat dissipater switch  22  between the mainboard  10  and the heat dissipater  20 , and mounts the guiding cover switch  32  between the mainboard  10  and the guiding cover  30 , to ensure that the heat dissipater  20  and the guiding cover  30  are both mounted to predetermined positions of the mainboard  10 , avoiding the electronic device system starting up without a heat dissipating module  100  which is working properly. Thus, the electronic device  200  using the heat dissipating module  100  has more protection and is safer. 
         [0025]    Although numerous characteristics and advantages of the exemplary embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the exemplary embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of arrangement of parts within the principles of disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.