Patent Publication Number: US-2003227747-A1

Title: Mechanism to assemble a fan in an electronic device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The invention relates in general to a mechanism to assemble a fan in an electronic device, and more particular to a mechanism to assemble a fan in a server or a personal computer.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art  
       [0004] As computers, such as central processing units, servers, and other similar types of electronic devices grow in speed and capacity, power consumed within the system per unit volume (power density) increases dramatically. Heat dissipation and ventilation became two important issues of computer system design. If the heat in a computer system cannot be properly and quickly transferred out of the enclosure, the computer system will malfunction resulting in serious damage.  
       [0005] Fans are installed to ensure that the components remain within their normal operating temperature ranges. The conventional manner for installing a fan is to use a large number of screws, which is not cost effective and takes long in assembling. Further more, screws are typically small in size and thus can be easily lost.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved and simplified mechanism to assemble a fan on an electronic device without using any screw. The mechanism comprises: (a) a first extension of the housing, wherein in the first extension has a first hole thereon; (b) a first fastener fixed on the electronic device, wherein the first fastener is able to mount in the first hole on the first extension; (c) a second extension of the housing, wherein in the second extension is substantially away from the first extension and has a second hole thereon; and (d) a second fastener fixed on the electronic device, wherein the first fastener is able to mount in the first hole on the first extension and the second fastener is able to mount in the second hole on the second extension while the power input terminal is plugged in the socket.  
       [0007] It is another object of the invention to provide a mechanism to assemble a fan in an electronic device, which comprises: (a) a power input terminal connected to the fan, wherein the power input terminal is able to be plugged in a socket, which is fixed at the electronic device or other component of the electronic device; (b) a first extension of the housing, wherein in the first extension has a first hole thereon; and (c) a first fastener fixed on the electronic device, wherein the first fastener is able to mount in the first hole on the first extension while the power input terminal is plugged in the socket.  
       [0008] It is a further object of the invention to provide a mechanism to assemble a fan in an electronic device, which comprises: (a) a power input terminal connected to the fan, wherein the power input terminal is able to be plugged in a socket, which is fixed at the electronic device or other component of the electronic device; (b) a first extension of the housing, wherein in the first extension has a first hole thereon; (c) a first fastener fixed on the electronic device, wherein the first fastener is able to mount in the first hole on the first extension; (d) a second extension of the housing, wherein in the second extension is substantially away from the first extension and has a second hole thereon; and (e) a second fastener fixed on the electronic device, wherein the first fastener is able to mount in the first hole on the first extension and the second fastener is able to mount in the second hole on the second extension while the power input terminal is plugged in the socket.  
       [0009] Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred but non-limiting embodiments. The following description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0010]FIG. 1 shows a mechanism to assemble a fan in a server, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.  
     [0011]FIG. 2 shows a fan attached on a server base by the mechanism of assembling according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0012] Referring to FIG. 1, a mechanism to assemble a fan in a server, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated. The fan is numbered as  102 . The housing  104  of the fan  102  has at least one extension. A fan  102  with two extensions, the first extension  106  and the second extension (not shown), is taken as an example for further illustration. The second extension is hidden from view by the power input terminal  108 . The first extension  106  and the second extension are substantially away from each other to attach the fan  102  evenly at the server base  110 . The first extension  106  and the second extension (not shown) respectively have the first hole  106   a  and the second hole (not shown). And on the server base  110 ,there are two fasteners, the first fastener  106   b  and the second fastener  112   b,  corresponding to the first hole  106   a  and the second hole (not shown). The two fasteners are preferably rivets fixed on the server base  110 . The plug  114  for the power input terminal  108  of the fan  102  is preferably installed in the server  110  or other component such as a motherboard  116  of the server  110 . While the power input terminal  108  is plugged in the socket  114 , the first fastener  106   b  is able to mount in the first hole  106   a  and the second fastener is able to mount in the second hole.  
     [0013] The fan  102  as stated-above can be therefore attached on the server base  110  by the mechanism, including the first extension  106  with the first hole  106   a,  the second extension with the second hole (not shown), the corresponding fasteners fixed on the server base  110  and a pair of the power input terminal and plug. That is, with these three jointing points, the fan  102  can be firmly attached on the server base  110 . By the mechanism of assembling, the fan  102  can be attached on the server base  110  without any screw and nut, and with the advantages of simple assembling and easy removing.  
     [0014] While the above description constitutes the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation, and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the accompanying claims. Modifications would include a mechanism with only one extension and one hole thereon. Together with the pair of the power input terminal and plug, the fan  102  can be firmly attached on the server base  110  with two jointing points.  
     [0015] Referring to FIG. 2, a fan attached on a server base by the mechanism of assembling is shown. The thickness of the fan  102  is substantially the same as the thickness of the server, so that the top cover  200  can further fix the fan  102  in a horizontal direction.  
     [0016] While the embodiments are illustrated by attaching the fan on a server base, it is to be understood that the fan can be also attached on another electronic device such as a personal computer.  
     [0017] While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.