Patent Publication Number: US-2009237879-A1

Title: Electronic device having a heat dissipating mechanism

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an electronic device having a heat-dissipating mechanism, and in particular to an electronic device having a heat-dissipating mechanism that includes a cooling chip to dissipate heat efficiently. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Heat-dissipating fans are usually fitted to the housings of common electronic devices (such as a power supply or computer host). Via the heat-dissipating fan, air can be introduced into the housing to dissipate the heat outside the housing, thereby preventing the electronic device from suffering damage due to the excessively high temperature thereof. 
     The conventional electronic device utilizes a heat-dissipating fan to introduce the external air in the housing. However, the external air may not always have a temperature low enough to cool the electronic device sufficiently. Especially in summer, the temperature of the external air is high. 
     Consequently, because of the above technical defects, the inventor keeps on carving unflaggingly through wholehearted experience and research to develop the present invention, which can effectively improve the defects described above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device having a heat-dissipating mechanism that a cooling chip is provided therein to reduce the internal temperature efficiently. 
     In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides an electronic device having a heat-dissipating mechanism, which includes: a housing provided with an intake hole and a plurality of exhausting holes, the interior of the housing being provided with a heat-dissipating fan to correspond to the intake hole; and a cooling device. 
     The cooling device comprises: a cooling chip having a cold end and a hot end; at least one cooler connected to the cold end of the cooling chip, the cooler being arranged at one side of the heat-dissipating fan in the direction of airflow generated by the heat-dissipating fan; and at least one heater connected to the hot end of the cooling chip, the heater being located outside the housing and corresponding to the locations of the exhausting holes. 
     The present invention has advantageous effects as follows. Via the cooling chip, the temperature within the housing of the electronic device can be reduced efficiently. Further the heat generated by the cooling chip can be dissipated by the heat-dissipating fan of the electronic device. Therefore, it is unnecessary to mount an additional heat-dissipating fan, thereby reducing the production cost. 
     Further, the cooling chip and the heater are arranged outside the housing, thereby saving the internal space and exhibiting a better heat-dissipating efficiency. 
     In order to further understand the characteristics and technical contents of the present invention, a detailed description relating thereto will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings are illustrative only, but not used to limit the scope of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an assembled perspective view showing the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an assembled perspective view showing the first embodiment of the present invention taken along another viewing angle; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view showing the first embodiment of the present invention with one side wall of the housing not shown; 
         FIG. 4  is an assembled perspective view showing the cooling device of the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a rear view showing the cooling device of the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view showing the casing of the cooling device of the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is an assembled perspective view showing the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is an assembled perspective view showing the second embodiment of the present invention being connected to the housing body; and 
         FIG. 9  is a side view showing the second embodiment of the present invention being connected to the housing body with one side wall of the housing not shown. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , which show the electronic device having a heat-dissipating mechanism of a first embodiment in accordance with the present invention. For example, the electronic device may be a power supply, a backup power supply, personal computer, an industrial computer, server, uninterruptible power supply, disk array external box, external hard disk box, external optical disk, keyboard, housing of a heat-dissipating plate of a notebook computer, projector or medical measurement and detection instruments. 
     The present embodiment takes a power supply as an example of the electronic device, but it is not limited thereto. The electronic device includes a housing  10  and a cooling device  20 . 
     The housing  10  is square and an end surface thereof is provided with an intake hole  11  for allowing the air outside the housing  10  to enter. The interior of the housing  10  is provided with a heat-dissipating fan  12  to correspond to the intake hole  11 . The heat-dissipating fan  12  has an intake end  121  corresponding to the intake hole  11  of the housing  10 , and an exhausting end  122  opposite to the intake end  121  ( FIG. 3 ). 
     The side surface of the housing  10  is provided with a plurality of exhausting holes  13 . When the heat-dissipating fan  12  rotates, the air outside the housing  10  will be drawn in the housing  10  via the intake hole  11 , and then be exhausted to the outside via the exhausting holes  13 . 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 4 to 6 . The cooling device  20  comprises a casing  21 , a cooling chip  22 , a first heat-conducting block  23 , a second heat-conducting block  24 , at least one cooler  25 , at least one heater  26 , two first heat pipes  27 , and three second heat pipes  28 . The cooling device  20  can drive the cooling chip  22  directly via the power provided by the housing  10 . 
     In the present embodiment, the casing  21  is designed into two pieces, which comprises a first piece  211  and a second piece  212  assembled with the first piece  211  (also refer to  FIG. 6 ). The cooling chip  22 , the first heat-conducting block  23  and the second heat-conducting block  24  are provided between the first piece  211  and the second piece  212  (that is, within the casing  21 ). The casing  21  is provided with first through holes  2111  ( FIG. 4 ) and second through holes  2121  ( FIG. 5 ) respectively for allowing the first heat pipes  27  and second heat pipes  28  to pass through. 
     After being supplied with electricity, the cooling chip  22  can develop a cold end  221  and a hot end  222  ( FIG. 6 ). The hot end  222  and the cold end  221  are arranged in the up-and-down direction and opposite to each other. The first heat-conducting block  23  and the second heat-conducting block  24  are arranged on the cold end  221  and the hot end  222  of the cooling chip  22  respectively. 
     Elastic pieces  213  are provided between the casing  21  of the cooling device  20  and the first heat-conducting block  23  and the second heat-conducting block  24  ( FIG. 6 ). In this way, the first heat-conducting block  23  and the second heat-conducting block  24  can abut against the cold end  221  and the hot end  222  of the cooling chip  22  tightly. 
     In the present embodiment, the cooler  25  is a metallic net, but it is not limited thereto. The cooler  25  may be a heat-dissipating fins assembly. The cooler  25  is arranged at one side of the heat-dissipating fan  12  adjacent to the exhausting end  122  along the direction of airflow generated by the heat-dissipating fan  12  ( FIG. 3 ), and is located within the housing  10 . 
     In the present embodiment, the heater  26  is a heat-dissipating fins assembly, but it is not limited thereto. The heater  26  is located outside the housing  10  to correspond to the locations of the exhausting holes  13 . 
     One end of each first heat pipe  27  is connected to the surface of the first heat-conducting block  23 , thereby connecting to the cold end  221  of the cooling chip  22 . The other end of the first heat pipe  27  is connected to the cooler  25 , so that the cooler  25  can be connected with the cold end  221  of the cooling chip  22  via the first heat pipe  27  and the heat-conducting block  23 . 
     One side of the housing  10  is provided with at least one through holes  14  to correspond to the first heat pipes  27  ( FIG. 2 ). The other end of the first heat pipe  27  extends into the housing  10  via the through hole  14 . 
     One end of each second heat pipe  28  is connected to the second heat-conducting block  24  and in turn connected to the hot end  222  of the cooling chip  22 . The other end of the second heat pipe  28  is connected to the heater  26 , so that the heater  26  can be connected with the hot end  222  of the cooling chip  22 . 
     A support  29  is provided between the casing  21  of the cooling device  20  and the housing  10 , thereby supporting the casing  21  of the cooling device  20  ( FIG. 2 ). The support  29  is assembled with the casing  21  of the cooling device  20  and the housing  10  via screw elements or other fixing means. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 3 . When the present invention is in use, the cold end  221  of the cooling chip  22  cooperates with the first heat-conducting block  23 , the first heat pipes  27  and the cooler  25 , thereby generating cold air around the cooler  25 . When the heat-dissipating fan  12  rotates, the cold air can be blown toward the electronic elements (not shown) in the housing  10  directly. In this way, the temperature of the electronic elements can be reduced by means of the cold air, thereby achieving a better heat-dissipating effect. 
     At this time, the hot end  222  of the cooling chip  22  cooperates with the second heat-conducting block  24 , the second heat pipes  28  and the heater  26 , thereby conducting the heat generated by the cooling chip  22  to the heater  26 . The above-mentioned cold air is exhausted via the exhausting holes  13  of the housing  10  ( FIG. 2 ) and blows toward the heater  26 . Also, the heat generated in the housing  10  and by the cooling chip  22  can be dissipated outside. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 7 , which shows a second embodiment of the present invention. The difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is as follows. 
     The cooler  25  is provided at one side of the heat-dissipating fan  12  adjacent to the intake end  121  along the direction of the airflow generated by the heat-dissipating fan  12  ( FIG. 9 ), and is located outside the housing  10 . Via this arrangement, it is unnecessary to provide a through hole  14  on the housing  10  like the first embodiment, and the second heat pipes  28  do not extend into the housing  10 . 
     The electronic device of the present invention can be further provided with an adjusting device (not shown) that is connected to the cooling device  20 , thereby setting the operating time of the cooling device  20  or performing the setting of the temperature. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , which show the second embodiment of the present invention being arranged in a housing body  30 . Of course, the electronic device of the first embodiment can be combined with the housing body  30 . 
     The housing body  30  is provided with an open hole  31  corresponding to the exhausting hole  13  of the housing  10  ( FIG. 8 ). The exhausting holes  13  are exposed to the open hole  31 . 
     One side of the housing body  30  is provided with at least one through holes  32  to correspond to the first heat pipe  27 . The other end of the first heat pipe  27  extends into the housing body  30  via the through hole  32 . The cooler  25  is located in the housing body  30 . The cooler  25  is provided at one side of the heat-dissipating fan  12  adjacent to the intake end  121 , and is located outside the housing  10 . 
     A support  29  is also provided between the casing  21  of the cooling device  20  and the housing body  30 , thereby supporting the casing  21  of the cooling device  20 . 
     In use, similarly, the cold end  221  of the cooling chip  22  cooperates with the first heat-conducting block  23 , the first heat pipes  27  and the cooler  25 , thereby generating cold air around the cooler  25 . The cold air is introduced into the housing  10  via the heat-dissipating fan  12  and the intake hole  11  ( FIG. 1 ), so that the temperature of the electronic elements (not shown) inside the housing  10  can be reduced by means of the cold air, thereby achieving a better heat-dissipating effect. 
     Similarly, the heat of the heater  26  can be taken away by the cold air exhausted from the exhausting holes  13  of the housing  10  ( FIG. 2 ). Therefore, the present invention can produce some advantageous effects as follows. 
     (1) With the provision of the cooling chip, the temperature inside the housing of the electronic device can be reduced efficiently. 
     (2) The cooling chip and the heater are located outside the housing. Therefore, the space within the housing may not be occupied, thereby saving the internal space. 
     (3) The heat generated by the cooling chip is conducted to the heater. Further, the airflow generated by the heat-dissipating fan of the electronic device can be used to dissipate the heat. Therefore, it is unnecessary to provide an additional heat-dissipating fan, thereby reducing the production cost. 
     (4) The heater of the cooling device is provided outside the housing. Thus, the heat dissipated may not affect the interior of the housing directly. 
     (5) The heat-dissipating, efficiency of the present invention is better, and thus the high temperature generated in the housing can be reduced efficiently. 
     While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.