Patent Publication Number: US-2010110627-A1

Title: Thermal module capable of dissipating heat generated by a plurality of heat sources and related computer system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a thermal module and a related computer system, and more particularly, to a thermal module capable of dissipating heat generated by a plurality of heat sources and a related computer system. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     In modern information society, computer systems are becoming necessities, such as desktops, notebook computers, servers, and so on. The operation speed of computers is getting faster and faster so that the computer is becoming powerful and is utilized in a wide variety of fields. Therefore, components of the computer generate more heat while processing operations than before. If the heat generated by the components of the computer can not be dissipated effectively, the stability and operation speed of the computer will be reduced. 
     In addition, a consumer electronic device in the modern society has two major demands. One is microminiaturization, and the other one is diversification. In a period of demanding a smaller product having multi-functions, how to install lots of components in a small casing for providing multi-functions is more important. A computer system capable of outputting high quality images and supporting 3D games is a necessary requirement, and a key point of the computer system is a powerful display card. However, while an image processor of the display card executes an image processing, heat generated by the image processor has increased correspondingly, especially the heat generated enormously by a high level display card or by the image processor processing complicated information, such as a 3D image. Due to constraint of mechanical disposition of internal components on a main board, gaps between slots of the main board and the internal components are narrow so as to constrain the heat generated by the image processor for dissipating. Additionally, a high temperature condition of the display card influences operating stability of the computer systems and decreases service life of the display card, especially for a system host of miniaturization. 
     In order to solve this problem, an exclusive thermal module is used for dissipating the enormous heat generated by the image processor of the display card. However, there are still other heat sources in the computer systems needing exclusive thermal modules for dissipating heat thereof, such as a central processing unit, a north bridge chip, and so on. If several exclusive thermal modules designed for specific heating components need to be disposed in a small mechanical space, the rest space for disposing other components must be decreased or a dimension of the computer system must be increased resulting in failure of miniaturization. Therefore, design of the thermal module suitable for a smaller inner space of the computer system is an important issue nowadays. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the claimed invention, a thermal module includes a base having a first side for connecting to a first heat source so as to conduct heat generated by the first heat source, and a second side disposed opposite to the first side for connecting to a second heat source so as to conduct heat generated by the second heat source. The thermal module further includes a heat dissipating device connected to the base for dissipating the heat conducted to the first side of the base from the first heat source and for dissipating the heat conducted to the second side of the base from the second heat source. A first height difference is formed between the first heat source and the second heat source, and the base is disposed between the first heat source and the second heat source. 
     According to the claimed invention, the base is made of metal material. 
     According to the claimed invention, the base is made of copper or aluminum material. 
     According to the claimed invention, the heat dissipating device further includes a heat pipe connected to the base at an end. 
     According to the claimed invention, the heat dissipating device further includes a plurality of thermal fins connected to the other end of the heat pipe for dissipating heat conducted from the heat pipe. 
     According to the claimed invention, the heat dissipating device further includes a fan disposed on a side of the plurality of thermal fins for dissipating heat of the plurality of thermal fins. 
     According to the claimed invention, the base includes a first base plate whereon the first side is disposed, and a second base plate whereon the second side is disposed. The second base plate is connected to the first base plate, and a second height difference is formed between the first base plate and the second base plate. 
     According to the claimed invention, the first base plate is integrated with the second base plate monolithically. 
     According to the claimed invention, a computer system includes a main board, a first heat source installed on the main board, a slot disposed on a side of the main board, and an interface card for inserting into the slot. A second heat source is disposed on the interface card, and a first height difference is formed between the first heat source and the second heat source. The computer system further includes a thermal module including a base disposed between the first heat source and the second heat source. The base includes a first side for connecting to the first heat source so as to conduct heat generated by the first heat source, and a second side disposed opposite to the first side for connecting to the second heat source so as to conduct the heat generated by the second heat source. The thermal module further includes a heat dissipating device connected to the base for dissipating the heat conducted to the first side of the base from the first heat source and for dissipating the heat conducted to the second side of the base from the second heat source. 
     According to the claimed invention, the first heat source is a chip. 
     According to the claimed invention, the first heat source is a north bridge chip. 
     According to the claimed invention, the slot is a display card slot, the interface card is a display card, and the second heat source is a display card chip. 
     According to the claimed invention, the computer system further includes a central processing unit thermal module disposed on a side of the fan and on a side of the plurality of thermal fins, and the fan is used for dissipating heat of the plurality of thermal fins and the central processing unit thermal module. 
     According to the claimed invention, the computer system further includes a first thermal pad installed between the first side of the base and the first heat source for conducting the heat generated by the first heat source to the first side of the base. 
     According to the claimed invention, the computer system further includes a second thermal pad installed between the second side of the base and the second heat source for conducting the heat generated by the second heat source to the second side of the base. 
     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 functional block diagram of a computer system capable of dissipating heat generated by a plurality of heat sources of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic drawing of a thermal module of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the thermal module disposed between a first heat source and a second heat source according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the thermal module disposed between the first heat source and the second heat source according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic drawing of a central processing unit thermal module of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic drawing of the thermal module and the central processing unit thermal module of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view of a thermal module disposed between the first heat source and the second heat source according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram of a computer system  50  capable of dissipating heat generated by a plurality of heat sources of the present invention. The computer system  50  includes a main board  52 , a first heat source  54  installed on the main board  52 , a slot  56  disposed on a side of the main board  52 , an interface card  58  for inserting into the slot  56 , and a thermal module  62  for dissipating heat generated by the first heat source  54  of the main board  52  and the second heat source  60  of the interface card  58 . The first heat source  54  can be a chip with high power, such as a north bridge chip or a south bridge chip. The slot  56  can be a display card slot, and the interface card  58  can be a display card correspondingly. A second heat source  60  is disposed on the interface card  58 , and the second heat source  60  can be a display card chip correspondingly. The interface card  58  can also be a TV tuner card, a wireless network card, a memory, and so on. The computer system  50  further includes a central processing unit  77  electrically connected to the first heat source  54  and the slot  56  so as to control internal components, such as controlling the first heat source  54  or controlling the interface card  58  via the slot  56 . The computer system  50  further includes a central processing unit thermal module  78  for dissipating the heat generated by the central processing unit  77 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 2  is a schematic drawing of the thermal module  62  of the present invention.  FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the thermal module  62  disposed between the first heat source  54  and the second heat source  60  according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The thermal module  62  includes a base  64  including a first base plate  66  whereon a first side  661  is configured for connecting to the first heat source  54  so as to conduct the heat generated by the first heat source  54 , and a second base plate  68  connected to the first base plate  66 . A second height difference is formed between the first base plate  66  and the second base plate  68  so as to reduce material of the base  64  for cost down. The second base plate  68  includes a second side  681  opposite to the first side  661  of the first base plate  66  for connecting the second heat source  60  so as to conduct the heat generated by the second heat source  60 . The first base plate  66  and the second base plate  68  of the base  64  can be integrated monolithically and can be made of metal material, such as copper or aluminum material, so as to increase heat conductivity. The thermal module  62  further includes a heat dissipating device  70  connected to the base  64  for dissipating the heat conducted to the first base plate  66  from the first heat source  54  and for dissipating the heat conducted to the second base plate  68  from the second heat source  60 . The heat dissipating device  70  includes a heat pipe  72  connected the base at one end. The heat dissipating device  70  further includes a plurality of thermal fins  74  connected to the other end of the heat pipe  72  for dissipating heat conducted from the heat pipe  72 . 
     In regard to a principle of the thermal device  70 , when an end of the heat pipe  72  is disposed on the base  64  as a high temperature end and the other end of heat pipe  72  is disposed on the plurality of heat thermal fins  74  as a low temperature end, the heat pipe  72  starts to conduct the heat. The heat transfer procedure of the heat pipe  72  is provided as follows. First, the heat goes through a wall of a metal pipe and then enters the capillary organization. At this time, the working liquid in the capillary organization starts evaporating into vapor due to being heated. The said vapor moves to the other end of the heat pipe  72 . Because the other end of the heat pipe  72  is disposed on the low temperature end, the said vapor arrives at the low temperature end and condenses into liquid again. At this time, the heat is conducted from the evaporated working liquid to an outward heat pipe  72  as the low temperature end via the capillary organization and the metal pipe. Then, the liquid generated during condensation of the said vapor flows back to the high temperature end due to capillary pumping. The heat conducted from the high temperature end to the low temperature end is a basic principle of the heat conduction, and a phenomenon as mentioned above is in circles. In addition, heat-dissipating efficiency of the heat pipe  72  is extremely high. For example, in the same temperature difference, heat-dissipating efficiency of the heat pipe  72  is at least 1000 times that of a metal rod. In the present invention, the plurality of thermal fins  74  is arranged perpendicularly to a direction of the heat pipe  72 . A slot corresponding to a dimension and a shape of the heat pipe  72  is formed on the plurality of thermal fins  74  for installing the heat pipe  72 . The plurality of thermal fins  74  can be arranged as lattices for increasing heat dissipating surfaces so as to conduct the heat conducted from the heat pipe  72  into surroundings. An interface between the heat pipe  72  and the plurality of radiation fins  74  can be coated with heat dissipating material for increasing conductive surfaces and for dissipating the heat effectively. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 3 . The first heat source  54  is disposed on the main board  52 , such as the north bridge chip embedded on the main board  52 , and the interface card  58  is inserted inside the slot  56  with a predetermined height distant from the main board  52 . The predetermined height between the slot  56  and the main board  52  can be less than 15 mm. Therefore, a first height difference is formed between the first heat source  54  and the second heat source  60  of the interface card  58 . The thermal module  62  can be installed between the main board  52  and the slot  56  so that the first side  661  of the first base plate  66  of the base  64  contacts with the first heat source  54  and the second side  681  of the second base plate  68  of the base  64  contacts with the second heat source  60 , respectively. The heat conducted to the first base plate  66  from the first heat source  54  can be dissipated with the heat conduction, and the heat conducted to the second base plate  68  from the second heat source  60  can be dissipated with the heat conduction too. Thicknesses of the first base plate  66  and the second base plate  68  can be 1.5 mm, respectively. According to a stack mechanism of the first heat source  54 , the first base plate  66  of the base  64 , the second base plate  68  of the base  64 , and the second heat source  60 , a space between the interface card  58  and the main board  52  can be utilized effectively for installing the thermal module  62 . The thermal module  62  can be used for dissipating the heat generated by a plurality of heating components simultaneously without disposing an exclusive thermal module for each heat source. Therefore, the present invention not only can utilize the space between the interface card  58  and the main board  52  effectively, but also can reduce amounts of heat dissipating components for cost down. Furthermore, if the present invention uses the north bridge chip as the first heat source  54  and the display card chip as the second heat source  60 , the north bridge chip and the display card chip installed with the same thermal module  62  can have a preferred efficiency of heat dissipation due to the north bridge chip and the display card chip having contrary loadings in a same period while image processing. In addition, the base  64  can include a plurality of the base plates for contacting with the plurality of heat sources respectively so as to dissipate the heat generated by the plurality of heat sources simultaneously. The working principle is the same as the one mentioned according to above embodiment, and detail description is omitted herein for simplicity. 
     Besides, thermal pads can be disposed respectively between the first base plate  66  of the base  64  and the first heat source  54 , and between the second base plate  68  and the second heat source  60  so as to increase efficiency of heat conduction. Please refer to  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the thermal module  62  disposed between the first heat source  54  and the second heat source  60  according to a second embodiment of the present invention. A thermal pad  76  can be disposed respectively between the first base plate  66  of the base  64  and the first heat source  54 , and between the second base plate  68  and the second heat source  60 . The thermal pad  76  can be used for conducting the heat generated by the first heat source  54  to the first base plate  66  and for conducting the heat generated by the second heat source  60  to the second base plate  68  so as to increase the efficiency of heat conduction. The thermal pad  76  can be disposed selectively. That is to say, the thermal pad  76  can be merely disposed between the first base plate  66  and the first heat source  54 , or can be merely disposed between the second base plate  68  and the second heat source  60 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 5  is a schematic drawing of a central processing unit thermal module  78  of the present invention.  FIG. 6  is a schematic drawing of the thermal module  62  and the central processing unit thermal module  78  of the present invention. The central processing unit thermal module  78  includes a heat sink  80  disposed on a top of the central processing unit  77  so as to dissipate heat generated by the central processing unit  77 . The central processing unit thermal module  78  further includes at least one heat pipe  82  connected to the heat sink  80  at one end. The central processing unit thermal module  78  further includes a plurality of thermal fins  84  connected to the other side of the heat pipe  82  for dissipating heat conducted from the heat pipe  82 . The heat pipe  82  can conduct the heat conducted to the heat sink  80  from the central processing unit  77  to the plurality of thermal fins  84 . The plurality of thermal fins  84  can dissipate heat conducted from the heat pipe  82  into the surroundings. In addition, the thermal device  70  further includes at least one fan  86  disposed on a side of the plurality of thermal fins  74  of the thermal device  70  and the plurality of thermal fins  84  of the central processing unit thermal module  78 . The fan  86  can be used for dissipating the heat conducted from the plurality of thermal fins  74  of the thermal device  70 , and for dissipating the heat conducted from the plurality of thermal fins  84  of the central processing unit thermal module  78 . That is to say, the thermal module  62  and the central processing unit thermal module  78  can utilize the single fan  86  as a heat dissipating component in common without adding extra fans for dissipating the heat generated from the first heat source  54 , the second heat source  60 , and the central processing unit  77 , respectively. The present invention can economize a mechanism space and cost of components effectively. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 7 .  FIG. 7  is a sectional view of a thermal module  102  disposed between the first heat source  54  and the second heat source  60  according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The thermal module  102  includes a base  104 . The base  104  can be a plate having uniform thickness, which is a single structure without height difference. The base  104  includes a first side  1041  for connecting to the first heat source  54  so as to conduct the heat generated by the first heat source  54 , and a second side  1042  opposite to the first side  1041  for connecting to the second heat source  60  so as to conduct the heat generated by the second heat source  60 . The base  104  can be made of metal material so as to increase the efficiency of heat conduction, such as copper and aluminum material. The thermal module  62  includes the heat dissipating device  70  connected to the base  104  for dissipating the heat conducted to the first side  1041  of the base  104  from the first heat source  54  and for dissipating the heat conducted to the second side  1042  of the base  104  from the second heat source  60 . The thermal device  70  includes the heat pipe  72  connected to the base  104  at one end. The heat dissipating device  70  further includes the plurality of thermal fins  74  connected to the other end of the heat pipe  72  for dissipating heat conducted from the heat pipe  72 . The working principle of the thermal module  102  is the same as the one mentioned according to above embodiment, and detailed description is omitted herein for simplicity. 
     In contrast to the prior art, the present invention utilizes the stack mechanism of different heat sources disposed on the base of the thermal module so as to economize the space between the interface card and the main board effectively for installing the thermal module. A set of the thermal module can be used for dissipating the heat generated by the plurality of heating components simultaneously without disposing the exclusive thermal module for individual heating component. Therefore, the present invention not only can utilize the mechanism space effectively, but can also reduce amounts of the heat dissipating components for cost down. 
     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.