Patent Publication Number: US-2012045325-A1

Title: Fan Housing Module

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a fan housing module and, more particularly, to a fan housing module allowing assembly of a plurality of motor fans to form an array arrangement. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
       FIG. 1  shows a cooling module disclosed in Taiwan Utility Model No. M276263. This conventional cooling module  9  includes a base  91  having a plurality of compartments  911  each receiving a cooling fan  92 . Each cooling fan  92  includes an air inlet  921  and an air outlet  922 . Air current is guided into each cooling fan  92  via the air inlet  921  and then exits the air outlet  922  to a pre-determined location. When the cooling fans  92  are mounted to an electronic product such as a computer main body, the cooling fans  92  dissipate heat from various electronic elements in the electronic product to assure smooth operation of the electronic product. 
     The cooling fans  92  can be collectively installed in the conventional cooling module  9  by using the base  91 , and the air outlets  922  of the cooling module  9  are in different locations. By such an arrangement, heat dissipation can be carried out for different electronic elements located on different locations in the electronic product. 
     However, problems are encountered during assembly of the cooling module  9 . Firstly, the assembly is inconvenient. Specifically, the cooling fans  92  can not be mounted in the compartments  911  of the base  91  in sequence until the cooling fans  92  are assembled (such as mounting stators and fan wheels in housings), leading to inconvenience due to troublesome assembling steps. Secondly, the manufacturing costs are high. The base  91  is required in the cooling module  9  for receiving the cooling fans  92  in an array arrangement. Furthermore, each cooling fan  92  must be produced and assembled separately (the components such as the housings must be formed separately). Thus, it is difficult to cut down the manufacturing costs of the cooling module  9 , failing to meet economic ends. Thirdly, miniature designs can not be carried out due to component complexity of the cooling module  9 . In particular, the base  91  can not be omitted. Furthermore, the size of the base  91  must be sufficiently large for receiving and engaging the cooling fans  92 . As a result, it is difficult to reduce the volume of the cooling module  9  for miniaturization purposes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An objective of the present invention is to provide a fan housing module that is easier to assemble to avoid the disadvantages of the conventional fan housing module. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to provide a fan housing module whose manufacturing costs can be effectively cut. 
     A further objective of the present invention is to provide a fan housing module allowing miniature designs. 
     According to a first aspect of the present invention, a fan housing module includes a base unit and a cover unit. The base unit includes a plurality of separate bases each having a shaft engaging portion and a first engaging portion. The cover unit includes a plurality of covers integrally formed with each other to form a structure in the same array arrangement. Each of the plurality of covers includes a second engaging portion. The first engaging portions of the base unit are engaged with the second engaging portions of the cover unit with each of the plurality of bases and one of the plurality of covers together forming a fan housing having an air inlet and an air outlet. 
     According to a second aspect of the present invention, a fan housing module includes a base unit and a cover unit. The base unit includes a plurality of bases integrally formed with each other to form a structure in the same array arrangement. Each of the plurality of bases includes a shaft engaging portion and a first engaging portion. The cover unit includes a plurality of covers each having a second engaging portion. The first engaging portions of the base unit are engaged with the second engaging portions of the cover unit with each of the plurality of bases and one of the plurality of covers together forming a fan housing having an air inlet and an air outlet. 
     The present invention will become clearer in light of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments of this invention described in connection with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The illustrative embodiments may best be described by reference to the accompanying drawings where: 
         FIG. 1  shows an exploded, perspective view of a conventional fan housing module. 
         FIG. 2  shows an exploded, perspective view of a fan housing module of a first embodiment according to the preferred teachings of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  shows a cross sectional view of the fan housing module of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  shows an exploded, perspective view of a fan housing module of a second embodiment according to the preferred teachings of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  shows a cross sectional view of the fan housing module of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     All figures are drawn for ease of explanation of the basic teachings of the present invention only; the extensions of the figures with respect to number, position, relationship, and dimensions of the parts to form the preferred embodiments will be explained or will be within the skill of the art after the following teachings of the present invention have been read and understood. Further, the exact dimensions and dimensional proportions to conform to specific force, weight, strength, and similar requirements will likewise be within the skill of the art after the following teachings of the present invention have been read and understood. 
     Where used in the various figures of the drawings, the same numerals designate the same or similar parts. Furthermore, when the terms “first”, “second”, “side”, “portion”, and similar terms are used herein, it should be understood that these terms have reference only to the structure shown in the drawings as it would appear to a person viewing the drawings and are utilized only to facilitate describing the invention. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A fan housing module of a first embodiment according to the preferred teachings of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The fan housing module includes a base unit  1  and a cover unit  2 . A plurality of motor fans  8  can be mounted to the base unit  1 . The cover unit  2  can be mounted to the base unit  1 . Thus, the motor fans  8  and the fan housing module can together form an array arrangement. 
     The base unit  1  includes a plurality of bases  11 . In this embodiment, the bases  11  are separate from each other and each includes a side having a shaft engaging portion  111  and a first engaging portion  112 . The shaft engaging portion  111  can be in the form of a shaft tube, shaft seat, or other structure for engaging with a shaft of a motor fan  8 . The first engaging portion  112  can be any structure for detachable engagement with the cover unit  2 . In this embodiment, the first engaging portion  112  includes a plurality of engaging blocks surrounding the shaft engaging portion  111  and located in corners of the base  11 . 
     The cover unit  2  includes a plurality of covers  21  with a desired geometric shape. The covers  21  are integrally formed with each other. As an example, the covers  21  are integrally formed as the same array arrangement. In this embodiment, each cover  21  is substantially square in cross section and has an edge integrally formed with an adjoining edge of an adjacent cover  21  such that the covers  21  together form a structure in the same array. Furthermore, each cover  21  includes a side having a second engaging portion  211  detachably engaged with the first engaging portion  112  of one of the bases  11 . Further, the second engaging portions  211  are grooves located in corners of each cover  21 . The quantity, shapes, and locations of the grooves correspond to those of the first engaging portions  112  in the form of engaging blocks for engagement purposes. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , after the first engaging portions  112  of the base unit  1  are engaged with the second engaging portions  211  of the cover unit  2 , each base  11  and one of the covers  21  together form a fan housing A having an air inlet  22  and an air outlet  23 . The air inlet  22  and the air outlet  23  can be in predetermined locations of the base  11  or the cover  21 . In this embodiment, the air inlet  22  and the air outlet  23  are formed in predetermined locations of the cover  21 . The air inlet  22  is a through-hole extending through the cover  21 , and the air outlet  23  is in the form of a notch in a side of the cover  21 . Furthermore, a sidewall  24  is formed between the base  11  and the cover  21  of each fan housing A for effectively separating the fan housings A. The sidewall  24  can be formed along a perimeter of the base  11  or the cover  21 . In this embodiment, the sidewall  24  is formed along the perimeter of the cover  21 . 
     Still referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , each fan housing A is provided for assembly of a motor fan  8 . Each motor fan  8  includes a coil unit  81  and a fan wheel  82 . The coil unit  81  is mounted to a side of the base  11 , and the fan wheel  82  is rotatably engaged with the shaft engaging portion  111  of the base  11 . When the fan housing module according to the preferred teachings of the present invention is mounted in an electronic product, the coil unit  81  of each fan housing A can drive the fan wheel  82  of the fan housing A to rotate, driving in air currents into the fan housing A via the air inlet  22 . Then, the air currents exit the air outlet  23  and guided to a plurality of electronic elements in different locations of the electronic product, assuring smooth operation of the electronic product. 
     The primary feature of the fan housing module according to the preferred teachings of the present invention is that the covers  21  of the cover unit  2  are integrally formed as the same array arrangement, a plurality of fan housings A in the same array is formed after the bases  11  of the base unit  1  respectively engage with the covers  21 . Thus, the fan housings A allow assembly of a plurality of motor fans  8  for dissipating heat from heating generating sources in different locations. 
     More specifically, in assembly of the fan housing module according to the preferred teachings of the present invention, after the motor fans  8  are mounted in the bases  11  of the base unit  1  in sequence, the assembling procedure can be accomplished by simply engaging each base  11  with the cover unit  2  that is integrally formed as an array arrangement. The assembling procedure is simple and easy due to the design of the fan housing module according to the preferred teachings of the present invention. Furthermore, only the base unit  1  and the cover unit  2  are required for assembling the motor fans  8  in the fan housings A to form a fan array. No additional members are required for the assembly. Thus, the fan housing module according to the preferred teachings of the present invention has a fewer number of elements and low manufacturing costs while allowing miniaturization of the products. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  show a fan housing module of a second embodiment according to the preferred teachings of the present invention including a base unit  3  and a cover unit  4 . 
     The base unit  3  includes a plurality of bases  31  that are integrally formed. As an example, each base  31  has an edge integrally formed with an adjoining edge of an adjacent base  31  such that the bases  31  together form a structure in the same array. Furthermore, each base  31  includes a side having a shaft engaging portion  311  and a first engaging portion  312 . The shaft engaging portion  311  and the first engaging portion  312  are substantially the same as the shaft engaging portion  111  and the first engaging portion  112  of the first embodiment and, therefore, not described in detail to avoid redundancy. 
     The cover unit  4  includes a plurality of covers  41  that are separate from or integrally formed with each other. In this embodiment, the covers  41  are integrally formed with each other to form a structure in the same array. This further simplifies the assembly of the base unit  3  and the cover unit  4 . Furthermore, each cover  41  includes a side having a second engaging portion  411  that is substantially the same as the second engaging portion  211  of the first embodiment and, therefore, not described in detail to avoid redundancy. 
     With reference to  FIG. 5 , after engagement of the first engaging portions  312  of the base unit  3  with the second engaging portions  411  of the cover unit  4 , each base  31  and one of the covers  41  form a fan housing A having an air inlet  42 , an air outlet  43 , and a sidewall  44  that are substantially the same as the air inlet  22 , the air outlet  23 , and the sidewall  24  of the first embodiment and, therefore, not described in detail to avoid redundancy. 
     The difference between the first and second embodiments is that the covers  21  of the cover unit  2  in the first embodiment are integrally formed as the same array arrangement whereas the bases  31  of the base unit  3  in the second embodiment are integrally formed as the same array arrangement. Thus, in assembly, only engagement of the cover unit  4  and the base unit  3  is required after the motor fans  8  are mounted in the bases  31  of the base unit  3  in sequence, obtaining the same advantages of the first embodiment. 
     The fan housing module according to the preferred teachings of the present invention can be assembled easily by engaging the base unit  1  or  3  with the cover unit  2  or  4  such that the motor fans  8  engaged in the fan housings A are in the same array arrangement, providing enhanced assembling convenience. 
     Furthermore, the covers  21  of the cover unit  2  or the bases  31  of the base units  3  are integrally formed as a structure in the same array arrangement such that the fan housing module according to the preferred teachings of the present invention allows the motor fans  8  to be assembled as a fan array without using any other member, reducing the manufacturing costs. 
     Furthermore, the overall structure of the fan housing module according to the preferred teachings of the present invention has fewer elements and is simple, effectively reducing the volume of the fan housing module and allowing miniaturization of the products. 
     Thus since the invention disclosed herein may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or general characteristics thereof, some of which forms have been indicated, the embodiments described herein are to be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is to be indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.