Patent Publication Number: US-2011051368-A1

Title: External thermal device and related electronic device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a thermal device, and more particularly, to an external thermal device connected to a thermal module disposed inside an electronic device. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     With the advanced technology, heat dissipating efficiency becomes an important issue in an application of a heat dissipating system. However, the conventional heat dissipating methods are unable to dissipate huge heat generated by a heat source with high power effectively, and various advanced heat dissipating methods are designed to dissipate the heat so as to keep an electronic device in a normal working temperature. Conventional air cooling systems with a fan have drawbacks, such as noise and power consumption. A modern electronic product trends toward a small size, and the conventional heat dissipating component, such as a fan, disposed inside a small space of the electronic product can not dissipate the heat effectively. Thus, design of a thermal device capable of dissipating the heat generated by inner components of the electronic device is an important issue in the electronic industry. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an external thermal device connected to a thermal module disposed inside an electronic device for solving above drawbacks. 
     According to the claimed invention, an external thermal device includes a heat conducting component, an end of the heat conducting component being for inserting into an opening of an electronic device so as to connect to a thermal module disposed inside the electronic device in a removable manner, and the heat conducting component being for conducting heat transmitted from the thermal module, and a heat dissipating component disposed on the other end of the heat conducting component for dissipating heat transmitted from the heat conducting component. 
     According to the claimed invention, an electronic device includes a housing whereon an opening is formed, a heat source disposed inside the housing, a thermal module installed inside the housing and disposed on a side of the heat source for dissipating heat generated by the heat source, and an external thermal device. The external thermal device includes a heat conducting component, an end of the heat conducting component being for inserting into the opening on the housing so as to connect to the thermal module in a removable manner, and the heat conducting component being for conducting heat transmitted from the thermal module, and a heat dissipating component disposed on the other end of the heat conducting component for dissipating heat transmitted from the heat conducting component. 
     According to the claimed invention, an external thermal device includes a heat conducting component, an end of the heat conducting component being for inserting into an opening of an electronic device so as to connect to a thermal module disposed inside the electronic device in a removable manner, and the heat conducting component being for conducting heat transmitted from the thermal module, and a heat storage component disposed on the other end of the heat conducting component for storing heat transmitted from the heat conducting component. 
     According to the claimed invention, an electronic device includes a housing whereon an opening is formed, a heat source disposed inside the housing, a thermal module installed inside the housing and disposed on a side of the heat source for dissipating heat generated by the heat source, and an external thermal device. The external thermal device includes a heat conducting component, an end of the heat conducting component being for inserting into the opening on the housing so as to connect to the thermal module in a removable manner, and the heat conducting component being for conducting heat transmitted from the thermal module, and a heat storage component disposed on the other end of the heat conducting component for storing heat transmitted from the heat conducting component. 
     These and other objectives of the present 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 THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram of an electronic device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram of a thermal module and an external thermal device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram of the thermal module and the external thermal device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of the electronic device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  is a diagram of an electronic device  10  according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The electronic device  10  includes a housing  12  whereon an opening  14  is formed, and a heat source  16  disposed inside the housing  12 . The heat source  16  can be an electronic component, such as a chip and so on. The electronic device  10  further includes a thermal module  18  installed inside the housing  12  and disposed on a side of the heat source  16  for dissipating heat generated by the heat source  16 . The electronic device  10  further includes an external thermal device  20 . The external thermal device  20  includes at least one heat conducting component  22 . The heat conducting component  22  can be a metal stick. An end of the heat conducting component  22  is for inserting into the opening  14  on the housing  12  so as to connect to the thermal module  18  in a removable manner. The heat conducting component  22  can be connected to the thermal module  18  in a tight fit manner. The heat conducting component  22  can further be clamped with the thermal module  18 . The heat conducting component  22  is for transmitting the heat from the thermal module  18 . 
     The external thermal module  20  further includes at least one heat dissipating component  24  disposed on an end of the heat conducting component  22  for dissipating the heat from the thermal module  18  transmitted from the heat conducting component  22 . The heat dissipating component  24  can be a heat sink. The external thermal module  20  can further include an external fan  26  disposed on a side of the heat dissipating component  24  for dissipating the heat from the heat dissipating component  24 . In addition, the electronic device  10  can further include a fan  28  disposed inside the housing  12  for dissipating the heat from the thermal module  18 . The electronic device  10  can further include a switch  30  electrically connected to the fan  28 . The end of the heat conducting component  22  is inserted into the opening  14  of the electronic device  10  for actuating the switch  30 , so that the switch  30  can adjust a rotary speed of the fan  28  or turning on/off the fan  28 . Positions and numbers of the heat conducting component  22  and the heat dissipating component  24  are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment and depend on actual demand. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  is a diagram of the thermal module  18  and the external thermal device  20  according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In order to increase a heat dissipating efficiency of the heat conducting component  22 , a plurality of protruding parts  221  can be formed on the heat conducting component  22  so as to increase a contact area for increasing the heat dissipating efficiency. The protruding part  221  can be a clipping ring. In addition, a plurality of corresponding sunken parts  181  can be formed on the thermal module  18  for wedging with the plurality of protruding parts  221  of the heat conducting component  22 . The plurality of protruding parts  221  and the plurality of sunken parts  181  can be for increasing the contact area between the heat conducting component  22  and the thermal module  18 . The plurality of protruding parts  221  of the heat conducting component  22  can be made of wear-resisting material so as to prevent the protruding part  221  from being worn when the protruding parts  221  of the heat conducting component  22  combine with the sunken parts  181  of the thermal module  18 . Positions, numbers, and shapes of the protruding parts  221  and the sunken parts  181  are not limited to this embodiment and depend on design demand. 
     Positions of the protruding parts  221  and the sunken parts  181  in the above-mentioned embodiment can be exchanged with each other. Please refer to  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  is a diagram of the thermal module  18  and the external thermal device  20  according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Comparing to the second embodiment, a plurality of sunken parts  223  can be formed on the heat conducting component  22  in the third embodiment so as to increase the contact area for improving the heat dissipating efficiency. In addition, a plurality of corresponding protruding parts  183  can be formed on the thermal module  18  for wedging with the plurality of sunken parts  223  of the heat conducting component  22 . The plurality of sunken parts  223  and the plurality of protruding parts  183  are for increasing the contact area between the heat conducting component  22  and the thermal module  18 . The plurality of protruding parts  183  of the thermal module  18  can be made of wear-resisting material so as to prevent the protruding part  183  from being worn when the protruding parts  183  of the thermal module  18  combine with the sunken parts  223  of the heat conducting component  22 . Positions, numbers, and shapes of the sunken parts  223  and the protruding parts  183  are not limited to this embodiment and depend on design demand. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3 , the external thermal device  20  of the present invention can be a stick-shaped structure. The external thermal device  20  is inserted into the opening  14  on the housing  12  and connected to the thermal module  18  disposed inside the electronic device  10 . When the external thermal device  20  is connected to the thermal module  18 , there is no thermal connection of the thermal module  18  and the housing  12 , so that temperature of the opening  14  is not increased by the heat from the thermal module  18 , and the electronic device  10  only utilizes the fan  28  to dissipate the heat from the thermal module  18  uniformly. On the other hand, when the external thermal device  20  is connected to the thermal module  18 , the heat conducting component  22  can transmit the heat from the thermal module  18  to the heat dissipating component  24 , so that the electronic device  10  can utilize the heat dissipating component  24  disposed outside the electronic device  10  to dissipate the heat transmitted from the heat conducting component  22  rapidly. In addition, the external fan  26  can further dissipate the heat from the heat dissipating component  24  in a forced convection manner. In order to achieve preferred heat dissipating efficiency, the external thermal device  20  can be connected to the thermal module  18  in a tight fit manner, or the external thermal device  20  can further be clamped with the thermal module  18 , so as to increase the contact area between the external thermal device  20  and the thermal module  18 . In addition, the plurality of protruding parts and the plurality of corresponding sunken parts can be formed on the heat conducting component  22  of the external thermal device  20  and the thermal module  18 , respectively. When the heat conducting component  22  is connected to the thermal module  18 , the plurality of protruding parts can wedge with the plurality of corresponding sunken parts so as to increase the contact area and to improve stability. Connecting mechanism of the heat conducting component  22  and the thermal module  18  is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment and depends on actual demand. For example, the heat conducting component  22  can be connected to the thermal module  18  tightly with an elastic clip, a screw, and so on. 
     Furthermore, when the end of the heat conducting component  22  is inserted into the opening  14  of the electronic device  10 , the heat conducting component  22  can transmit the heat from the thermal module  18  to the heat dissipating component  24 , so as to dissipate the heat out of the electronic device  10 . The switch  30  can be actuated when the end of the heat conducting component  22  is inserted into the opening  14  of the electronic device  10 , so that the switch  30  outputs a signal for controlling the fan  28 . That is to say, the switch  30  can be actuated when the external thermal device  20  is connected to the thermal module  18  correctly, so as to adjust the rotary speed of the fan  28 , such as decreasing the rotary speed of the fan  28  or shutting down the fan  28 , because the external thermal device  20  can assist the thermal module  18  to dissipate the heat generated by the heat source  16 . Therefore, the external thermal device  20  can economize power consumption of the electronic device  10  and decrease noise of the fan  28 . Operating states (turn on/off) and rotary speed (high/low speed) of the external fan  26  and the fan  28  can be adjusted according to the heat generated by the heat source  16  and the connection between the thermal module  18  and the external thermal device  20 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  is a diagram of the electronic device  10  according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, elements having the same numerals as the above-mentioned embodiment have the same structures and function, and the detailed description is omitted herein for simplicity. The electronic device  10  can further include a heat storage component  32  disposed on the other end of the heat conducting component  22  for storing the heat from the thermal module  18  transmitted from the heat conducting component  22 . The heat storage component  32  can be a heater, such as a heating container whereinside essential oils can be accommodated. When the heat is transmitted from the heat conducting component  22  to the heat storage component  32 , the heat storage component  32  can heat the essential oils for transpiring good smell. In addition, the heat storage component  32  can further be a heat conducting plate whereon objects intending to be warmed can be put, such as a thermos bottle. When the heat is transmitted from the heat conducting component  22  to the heat storage component  32 , the heat storage component  32  can warm or heat the objects. Because the heat from the thermal module  18  transmitted from the heat conducting component  22  is waste heat, the heat storage component  32  can store the waste heat or recycle the waste heat to warm or heat other objects, such as an essential oil lamp, a water cup, and so on. Function of the heat storage component  32  is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment and depends on actual demand. 
     Comparing to the prior art, the external thermal device of the present invention inserts the heat conducting component into the opening on the electronic device so as to connect to the thermal module disposed inside the electronic device directly, so that the external thermal device can transmit the heat from the thermal module out of the electronic device effectively. The plurality of protruding parts and the plurality of corresponding sunken parts can be formed on the heat conducting component and the thermal module for increasing the contact area between the external thermal device and the thermal module so as to improve the heat dissipating efficiency. In addition, the electronic device of the present invention can utilize the switch to detect whether the external thermal device is installed correctly and to adjust the rotary speed of the fan according to the detecting result, so as to economize the power and decrease the noise. 
     Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention.