Abstract:
A liquid cooling device includes a casing ( 10 ) having a container ( 14 ) for accommodating liquid therein, a base ( 11 ) and a liquid inlet port ( 18 ) in communication with the container ( 14 ). The base ( 11 ) comprises a heat-absorbing surface and a rough surface for exchanging heat with liquid, and the rough surface is opposing to the heat-absorbing surface.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is related to a U.S. patent application entitled “LIQUID COOLING DEVICE”, recently filed with the same assignee as the instant application. The disclosure of the above identified application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a cooling device, and more particularly to a cooling device utilizing liquid for cooling a heat-generating device.  
         [0004]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0005]     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.  
         [0006]     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 cooled component and comprises an upper surface. 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.  
         [0007]     However, the upper surface of the base is generally flat. Heat exchange surface between the base and the liquid is limited As a result, the liquid is only to flow in a limited surface in the casing. It is difficult to get maximized heat exchange efficiency.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid cooling device getting maximized heat exchange efficiency.  
         [0009]     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, a liquid inlet port and a liquid outlet port in communication with the container. The casing comprises a container for accommodating liquid therein and a base. The base comprises a heat-absorbing surface and a rough surface for exchanging heat with liquid. The rough surface is opposing to the heat-absorbing surface.  
         [0010]     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is an assembled, isometric view of a liquid cooling device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a view of a casing of the liquid cooling device of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 2 , taken along line III-III;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a view of a base of a casing of a liquid cooling device in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a view of a base of a casing of a liquid cooling device in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , a liquid cooling device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a casing  10 , and an actuator  50  connected to the casing  10  by a liquid outlet pipe  100  and a liquid inlet pipe  200  respectively at opposite locations of the actuator  50 .  
         [0017]     The casing  10  comprises a base  11  for intimately contacting a heat generating component or source (not shown) by a side surface thereof and a lid  12  cooperating with the base  11  to form a container  14  therebetween to accommodate liquid for circulation. The base  11  and the lid  12  are hermetizated by calk, packing, shim, or seal, for keeping the liquid from leaking out of the container  14 . A pair of tubular connectors, for connecting the pipes  100 ,  200  to the casing  10 , extends outwardly from the lid  12 . The connectors are respectively named as liquid inlet port  18  and liquid outlet port  19 , according to the directions along which the liquid flows in the connectors. The liquid inlet port  18  is disposed at a middle of the lid  12 .  
         [0018]     The container  14 , the liquid outlet pipe  100 , the actuator  50  and the liquid inlet pipe  200  cooperatively define a hermetical circulation route or loop for liquid. The actuator  50  can be a pump, an impeller, a promoter or the like, for actuating liquid to continuously circulate in the route along the arrow as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0019]     For promoting the cooling efficiency of the device, a radiator is arranged on the liquid circulation route. A fin member  30  is an example of the radiator. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a portion of the liquid outlet pipe  100  enters into the fin member  30 , so that heat, still contained in the liquid after naturally cooled in the casing  10 , is removed to the fin member  30  and is dissipated to ambient air. Thus, the liquid is extremely cooled before entering the container  14  for a subsequent circulation. Understandably, a fan (now shown) can be mounted onto the fin member  30  for enhancing heat dissipation capability of the fin member  30 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  shows a base  11  of a casing  10  of the liquid cooling device in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The base  11  comprises an upper surface  110 . The upper surface  110  defines a plurality of grooves  111  therein. The upper surface  110  is divided into a plurality of blocks by the grooves  111  so as to form a recessed structure. Heat exchange surface between the base  11  and the liquid is increased. The liquid enters into the container  14  from the liquid inlet port  18 . The liquid flows on the upper surface  110  and in the grooves  111  to sufficiently absorb heat from the base  11 , so that heat exchange efficiency between the liquid and the base  11  is improved.  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  shows another type of a base  41 . The base  41  comprises an upper surface  410 . The upper surface  410  defines a plurality of cavities  411  therein. Depth of each cavity  411  is less than that of the base  41 . The design of the base  41  having the cavities  411 , also increases heat exchange surface between the base  41  and the liquid.  
         [0022]     Moreover, it is understood that other rough surfaces, such as a wave-like surface, can be competent to increase heat exchange surface between the base and the liquid.  
         [0023]     For showing clearly, the casing  10 , the fin member  30  and the actuator  50  are positioned separately, and connected by the  100 ,  200  in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. However, it is also understood that the fin member  30  can be directly positioned on the casing  10 , and the actuator  50  can be positioned within the fin member  30 , without the liquid outlet pipe  100  and the liquid inlet pipe  200 , to thereby save space occupied by the liquid cooling device.  
         [0024]     It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the present example and embodiment is to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.