Patent Publication Number: US-9410550-B2

Title: Air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatus

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This Non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 100145167 filed in Taiwan, Republic of China on Dec. 7, 2011, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates a heat dissipating apparatus, and in particular, to an air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatus. 
     2. Related Art 
     Because the performance of the electronic device is continuously promoted, it causes that the heat is increasingly produced when the electronic device runs. Hence, the efficiency of the heat dissipating apparatus is expected to be improved. Conventionally, the air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatus of fans is commonly used. However, the efficiency of heat dissipation of single fan is poor due to its low inhaled air volume. 
     Therefore, in order to improve the heat-dissipating efficiency, the conventional air-extracting type heat-dissipating apparatuses  1   a  and  1   b  as shown in  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B  individually have two fan bodies  11  connected in series and in parallel, respectively, and they have power supply apparatuses  12   a  and  12   b  respectively for driving the fan bodies  11  of the air-extracting type heat-dissipating apparatuses  1   a  and  1   b . However, the space to dispose two of the fan bodies  11  is great, and the power supply apparatus  12   a  and  12   b  also have the requirement of dissipating the heat generated by themselves. But, disposing extra heat dissipating for the power supply apparatus  12   a  and  12   b  not only is restricted by the insufficient interior space but also increases the production cost. 
     Besides, as shown in  FIG. 2 , another conventional air-extracting type heat-dissipating apparatus  2  has a fan body  21  and a power supply apparatus  22 , and openings  211  are disposed on the positive pressure side (air-exhausting side) of the casing of the fan body  21 . Such that, the exhausted air can be diverted through the openings  211  on the casing of the fan body  21  so as to dissipate the heat source of the power supply apparatus and electronic device. However, diversion of the air results in not only reducing the heat dissipating efficiency of the air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatus  2  of the electronic device, but also increasing the noise level as the air-extracting type heat-dissipating apparatus  2  runs. 
     Hence, it has been an important issue to provide an air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatus capable of increasing the heat dissipating efficiency instead of increasing the noise level. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an air-extracting type heat-dissipating apparatus capable of increasing the heat dissipating efficiency instead of increasing the noise level. 
     To achieve the purpose as described above, an air-extracting type heat-dissipating apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes a frame, a fan body, a plurality of air-inhaling holes and a plurality of air-exhaling holes. The side portion of the frame has an accommodating space. The fan body is disposed in the frame and has a first side and a second side. The air-inhaling holes are disposed on the side portion of the frame in corresponding to the accommodating space. The air-exhaling holes are disposed on the frame and located on the second side. An air is inhaled into the accommodating space through the air-inhaling holes, and exhaled to the first side through the air-exhaling holes, and then it is exhaled to the second side by the fan body. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the heat source is disposed in the accommodating space. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the frame has a casing disposed on the side portion of the frame to define the accommodating space. The air-inhaling holes are disposed on the casing and the air-inhaling holes are slit-shaped. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the frame further has an extended channel structure located at the first side, and the air-exhaling holes are disposed at the extended channel structure. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, when the air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatus disposes horizontally and the second side is as the bottom, the height of the air-exhaling holes is greater than the height of the fan body. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the air-exhaling holes are arranged in sequence with increasing sizes from the first side to the second side. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the casing comprises a base and two side walls extending opposite from the base. The air-inhaling holes are disposed on the base or side wall. The air-inhaling hole has a round or rectangular shape. 
     In summary, because a plurality of air-inhaling holes are disposed on the side portion of the frame configured with the accommodating space in the air-extracting type heat-dissipating apparatus of the present invention, and the air-exhaling holes are disposed on the frame and located on the first side (for example, the negative pressure side or air-inhaling side). Therefore, air flow enters the accommodating space from the air-inhaling holes by convection when the fan body runs, such that the heat source (such as the circuit board of the power supply apparatus) positioned in the accommodating space can be dissipated. Further, when the fan body runs, the pressure difference is formed between the first side and the second side (for example positive pressure side or air-exhaling side) and results in forming convection, and the air in the accommodating space is exhaled to the first side through the air-exhaling holes, and exhaled to the second side by the fan body, thereby further dissipating the heat generated by other electronic devices. 
     Hence, the air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatus in accordance with the present invention can dissipate the heat source inside by increasing the inhaled air volume through the air-inhaling holes disposed on the side of the frame, instead of diverting the inhaled air, such that the efficiency of heat dissipation is effectively improved. 
     Besides, because the openings in convention are disposed on the exhaling side of the apparatus to divert the air, it results in the problem of increasing noise level. However, since the air-exhaling holes of the present invention are disposed on the first side (air-inhaling side) and are not used to divert the air, it can not cause the problem. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B  are schematic figures illustrating the appearance conventional air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatus; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic figure illustrating the appearance of another conventional air-extracting type heat-dissipating apparatus; 
         FIG. 3A  is a schematic figure illustrating the appearance of an air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3B  is a laterally cross-sectional figure of the air-extracting type heat-dissipating apparatus along section line A-A in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  to  FIG. 9  are schematic figures illustrating the appearance of the air-extracting type heat-dissipating apparatus in accordance with different aspects of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same references relate to the same elements. 
       FIG. 3A  shows an air-extracting type heat-dissipating apparatus  3  according to a preferable embodiment of the present invention. The air-extracting type heat-dissipating apparatus  3  includes a frame  31 , a fan body  32 , a plurality of the air-inhaling holes  33  and a plurality of the air-exhaling holes  34 . 
     The shape of the frame  31  is not limited and one side of the frame  31  has an accommodating space  311 . A heat source H is positioned the inside of the accommodating space  311 , and it can be for example but not limited to a circuit board of the power supply apparatus. 
     The fan body  32  is disposed in the frame  31 , and has a first side  321  and a second side  322 . The first side  321  is, for example, a negative pressure side or an air-inhaling side and the second side  322  is, for example, a positive pressure side or an air-exhaling side. 
     The air-inhaling holes  33  are disposed on the side portion of the frame  31  in corresponding to the accommodating space  311 . In this embodiment, the air-inhaling holes  33  are slit-shaped and can be respectively disposed on the upper and lower parts of both sides of the accommodating space  311  (only one side shown in  FIG. 3A ). The air-inhaling holes  33  can be also for example but not limited to non-slit-shaped, or disposed on one side of the accommodating space  311 , or just disposed on the upper part or the lower part of both sides of the accommodating space  311  if necessary. However, the configuration of the air-inhaling holes  33  should be still considered to increase the inhaled air volume and the efficiency of the inhaled air in priority. 
     The air-exhaling holes  34  are disposed on the frame  31  and located on the first side  321 . In this embodiment, an example of the air-exhaling holes  34  illustrated herein is two air-exhaling holes  34 . In addition,  FIG. 3B  shows the cross-sectional view of the air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatus  3  along section line A-A. As shown in  FIG. 3B , when the air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatus  3  is disposed horizontally and the second side  322  is as the bottom, the height H 2  of the air-exhaling holes  34  is greater than the height H 1  of the fan body  32 . Therefore, when the air in the accommodating space  311  is exhaled to the first side  321 , it can be successfully exhaled to the second side  322  by the fan body  32 . 
     Hence, when the fan body  32  runs, the air enters the accommodating space  311  through the air-inhaling holes  33  caused by convection, so as to dissipate the heat source H (such as a circuit board of the electronic device) positioned in the accommodating space  311 . Besides, when the fan body  32  runs, the pressure difference is formed between the first side  321  and the second side  322  (for example positive pressure side or air-exhaling side) and results in forming convection, so that the air in the accommodating space  311  is exhaled to the first side  321  through the air-exhaling holes  34 , and exhaled to the second side  322  by the fan body  32 , thereby further dissipating the heat generated by other electronic devices. 
     Hence, the air-extracting type heat-dissipating apparatus  3  of the present embodiment can dissipate the heat source H inside due to increasing the inhaled air volume by means of disposing the air-inhaling holes  33  disposed on the side portion of the frame  31  and instead of diverting the inhaling air, such that the efficiency of heat dissipation is effectively improved. Besides, the openings in convention are disposed on the exhaling side of the apparatus to divert the air and results in the problem of increasing noise level. However, since the air-exhaling holes  34  of the present invention are disposed on the first side  321  (air-inhaling side) and are not used to divert the air, they can not cause the problem. 
       FIG. 4  shows an air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatus  3   a  of another aspect of the present invention. The difference between the air-extracting type heat-dissipating apparatus  3   a  and the air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatus  3  is that the frame  31   a  has a casing  312  disposed on the side portion of the frame  31   a  to configure the accommodating space  311   a . The air-inhaling holes  33  are disposed on the casing  312  and the air-inhaling holes  33  are similarly for example but not limited to slit-shaped. 
     The casing  312  can be combined with the frame  31   a  by wedging, sticking, buttoning, or embedding to configure an accommodating space  311   a . In this embodiment, the casing  312  can be combined with the frame  31   a  by buttoning to configure an accommodating space  311   a . In addition, the inner side of the casing  312  faced the accommodating space  311   a  can be also, for example but not limited to, configured with a conducting structure to improve the efficiency of heat dissipation. 
     Moreover,  FIG. 5  shows an air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatus  3   b  of an aspect of the present invention. Depending on the types of the casing  312   b , the air-exhaling holes can be configured for example but not limited to by incorporating the casing  312   b  with the frame  31   b . However, the casing  312   b  can be other types in accordance with requirements. 
     Thus, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the air-exhaling holes  33  can be firstly disposed on the casing  312 , and then the casing  312  is incorporated with the frame  31   a  to configure the accommodating space  311   a . Such that, it can simplify the manufacturing process, reduce the production cost and increase the producing efficiency of the air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatus  3   a.    
       FIG. 6  shows an air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatus  4  of an aspect of the present invention. The difference between the air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatus  4  and the air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatuses of the embodiments as mentioned above is that the frame  41  further has an extended channel structure  413  located the first side  421 , and the casing  412  is disposed on the extended channel structure  413  disposed on the side portion of the frame  41  to configure an accommodating space  411 . And, the air-exhaling holes  44  can be disposed at the extended channel structure  413 . 
     The extended channel structure  413  of the air-extracting type heat-dissipating apparatus  4  of the present embodiment can be used to form a difference pressure between the first side  421  and the second side  422  of the fan body  42 , so as to further increase the volume of the inhaled air and effectively improve the efficiency of the heat dissipation. 
       FIG. 7  shows an air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatus  5  of another aspect of the present invention. The difference between the air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatus  5  and the air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatuses of the embodiments as mentioned above is that the air-exhaling holes  53  disposed on the side portion of the frame  51  are arranged in sequence with increasing sizes. In this embodiment, the air-exhaling holes  53  are, for example, arranged in sequence with increasing sizes from the first side  521  to the second side  522 . Generally speaking, because the air-inhaling holes  53  near the first side  521  are also close to the air-exhaling holes  54  disposed on the first side  521 , they are easily influenced by the extracting effect occurred in the air-exhaling holes  54  and inhales relatively much more volume of air; conversely, because the air-inhaling holes  53  away from the first side  521  are far from the air-inhaling holes  53  disposed on the first side  521 , they are less influenced by the extracting effect occurred in the air-exhaling holes  54  and inhales relatively small volume of air. However, the difference in the volume of inhaled air between them causes that the volume of air in the accommodating space is not uniform. To improve the air distributed evenly in the accommodating space, the air-exhaling holes  53  of this embodiment are arranged in sequence with increasing sizes from the first side  521  to the second side  522 , such that the volume of air inhaled by each of the air-inhaling holes  53  is equal, so as to improve the efficiency of the heat dissipation. Of course, the air-inhaling holes  53  of the air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatus  5  of the present invention can be different aspects and disposed in the limited depositing space to improve the efficiency of the heat dissipation. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the casing comprises a base  4121  and two side walls  4122  extending opposite from the base. The air-inhaling holes are disposed on the base as shown in  FIG. 8  or the side walls as shown in  FIG. 9  The air-inhaling hole has a round or rectangular shape as shown in  FIGS. 7-8 . 
     It should be noted that, the air-inhaling holes  53  can be arranged in irregular form with different sizes for the purpose of increasing the volume of inhaled air and improving the efficiency of heat dissipation of the air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatus. 
     In summary, because a plurality of air-inhaling holes are disposed on the side portion of the frame configured with the accommodating space in the air-extracting type heat-dissipating apparatus of the present invention, and the air-exhaling holes are disposed on the frame and located on the first side (for example, the negative pressure side or air-inhaling side). Therefore, air flow enters the accommodating space from the air-inhaling holes by convection when the fan body runs, such that the heat source (such as the circuit board of the power supply apparatus) positioned in the accommodating space can be dissipated. Further, when the fan body runs, the pressure difference is formed between the first side and the second side (for example positive pressure side or air-exhaling side) and results in forming convection, and the air in the accommodating space is exhaled to the first side through the air-exhaling holes, and exhaled to the second side by the fan body, thereby further dissipating the heat generated by other electronic devices. 
     Hence, the air-extracting type heat dissipating apparatus in accordance with the present invention can dissipate the heat source inside by increasing the inhaled air volume through the air-inhaling holes disposed on the side of the frame, instead of diverting the inhaled air, such that the efficiency of heat dissipation is effectively improved. 
     Besides, because the openings in convention are disposed on the exhaling side of the apparatus to divert the air, it results in the problem of increasing noise level. However, since the air-exhaling holes of the present invention are disposed on the first side (air-inhaling side) and are not used to divert the air, it can not cause the problem. 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover all modifications that fall within the true scope of the invention.