Patent Publication Number: US-2002006029-A1

Title: Electronic device with heat-dissipating unit

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The invention relates to an electronic device, more particularly to an electronic device with a heat-dissipating unit that can achieve enhanced heat dissipation economically.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art  
       [0004] The trend of recent developments of notebook computers is toward increased operational speed of central processing units, more and better functions, and reduced size. However, increased operational speed of the central processing unit entails the problem of dissipation of increased heat generated by the central processing unit during operation without incurring additional costs.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005] Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device with a heat-dissipating unit that can achieve enhanced heat dissipation economically.  
       [0006] Accordingly, the electronic device of this invention includes a connector-mounting side wall, a main circuit board and a heat-dissipating unit. The connector-mounting side wall is formed with a set of connector-mounting holes adapted to be mounted with electrical connectors, and a vent hole. The main circuit board has one edge disposed adjacent to the connector-mounting side wall, and is provided with a heat-generating electronic component. The heat-dissipating unit includes a heat sink, a heat-conducting plate and a heat-exchanger pipe. The heat sink is mounted on the connector-mounting side wall adjacent to the vent hole. The heat-conducting plate is disposed on the main circuit board so as to contact a heat-dissipating side of the electronic component. The heat-exchanger pipe has a first end connected to the heat-conducting plate, and a second end opposite to the first end and mounted on the heat sink for transmitting heat from the heat-conducting plate to the heat sink. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0007] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:  
     [0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of an electronic device according to the present invention;  
     [0009]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an assembly of a connector-mounting side wall and a heat-dissipating unit of the preferred embodiment;  
     [0010]FIG. 3 is a rear bottom perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 2; and  
     [0011]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment prior to mounting of a heat-conducting plate and a heat-exchanger pipe. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0012] Referring to FIGS.  1  to  4 , an electronic device according to the present invention is to be embodied in a notebook computer (not shown) and is shown to include a connector-mounting side wall  1 , a main circuit board  2  and a heat-dissipating unit  3 .  
     [0013] The connector-mounting side wall  1  forms a part of a housing of the notebook computer, and is formed with a set of connector-mounting holes  11  adapted to be mounted with electrical connectors (not shown), and a vent hole  12 . The connector-mounting side wall  1  is preferably made from a magnesium-aluminum alloy that has good heat conductivity.  
     [0014] The main circuit board  3  has a rear edge mounted on the connector-mounting side wall  1 , and is provided with a heat-generating electronic component  30 , such as a central processing unit.  
     [0015] The heat-dissipating unit  2 , which is preferably made from a magnesium-aluminum alloy, includes a heat sink  23 , a heat-conducting plate  21  and a heat-exchanger pipe  22 . The heat sink  23  is mounted on the connector-mounting side wall  1  adjacent to the vent hole  12 . The heat-conducting plate  21  is disposed on the main circuit board  3  so as to contact a heat-dissipating side of the electronic component  30 . The heat-exchanger pipe  22  has a first end connected to the heat-conducting plate  21 , and a second end opposite to the first end and mounted on the heat sink  23  for transmitting heat from the heat-conducting plate  21  to the heat sink  23 . The heat-conducting plate  21  is formed with a plurality of retaining protrusions  211 . The main circuit board  3  is formed with a plurality of retaining holes  31  (see FIG. 4) for engaging the retaining protrusions  211  so as to retain the heat-conducting plate  21  on the main circuit board  3 . The heat sink  23  includes a stack of spaced-apart fin plates  231  which are formed with aligned holes. The second end of the heat-exchanger pipe  22  extends through the aligned holes  232  in the fin plates  231  to transfer the heat from the heat-dissipating plate  21  to the fin plates  231 . Preferably, the heat sink  23  is formed integrally with the connector-mounting side wall  1 .  
     [0016] The heat-dissipating unit  2  further includes a heat-dissipating fan  24  mounted on the connector-mounting side wall  1  between the heat sink  23  and the vent hole  12  to enhance dissipation of heat.  
     [0017] In use, since the heat sink  23  is mounted on the connector-mounting side wall  1 , which has a relatively large area of contact with the ambient air, the heat-dissipating effect is vastly improved. Furthermore, compared with the prior art that utilizes connector-mounting frames which are punched from pig iron and which are therefore relatively heavy, the connector-mounting side wall  1  has the advantage of being light-weight without incurring increased costs.  
     [0018] While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.