Patent Publication Number: US-2015070837-A1

Title: Heat-dissipating device for interface card

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The instant disclosure relates to a heat-dissipating device for interface card; in particular, to a heat-dissipating device that improves head dissipation efficiency for interface card. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A chip-typed Integrated circuit is typically applied to a computer via interface cards such as a display card, PCI card, AGP card, TV tuner, etc, in which the operating center of the chip tends to generate high temperature heat. Essential elements, such as display cards, convert electronic signals into images. The VGA chip in the display card is the heart of all the operational execution in a display card and directly processes the commands sent from software to produce images onto a display. Since image files are quite large in size, in order to immediately display the images in a short amount of time, the VGA chip has to rapidly read image data that can generate high temperature heat. Thus, the VGA chip of the display card needs highly efficient heat dissipation to maintain the VGA chip below critical operational temperature. 
     Conventional heat dissipation devices for interface cards include a heat sink assembled on the outer surface of the chip and a fan assembled outside the heat sink and directed towards the heat sink in order to improve air convention, but since the direction of air flow is difficult to control, air flow tends to randomly flow and escape through open areas between the heat sink and the interface cards, thus neglecting the efficiency of heat dissipation provided. 
     To address the above issues, the inventor strives via associated experience and research to present the instant disclosure, which can effectively improve the limitation described above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The objective of the instant disclosure is to provide a heat-dissipating device for interface card that can effectively improve heat dissipating efficiency. 
     In order to achieve the aforementioned objectives, according to an embodiment of the instant disclosure, a heat-dissipating device for interface card is provided. The heat-dissipating device is disposed on an interface card. The interface card has a circuit board and a heating element disposed on the circuit board. The heat-dissipating device includes a heat sink, a housing, and a fan. The heat sink has a plurality of heat dissipating fins and a plurality of heat pipes. The heat sink is disposed on the interface card and the heat sink is in contact with the heating element. The housing is disposed on and covers the heat sink. The housing has a top plate and two side plates connected to two sides of the top plate. The top plate has an inlet opening arranged thereon. An inner surface of the top plate proximate to the inlet opening has a protruding wall and an opening arranged thereon. The protruding wall has a curve panel. The fan is arranged in the housing and correspondingly arranged at the inlet opening. The fan has a rotational shaft, a plurality of axial fan blades, and a plurality of centrifugal fan blades. The axial fan blades are connected to an outer edge of the rotational shaft. The centrifugal fan blades are respectively connected to outer edges of the axial fan blades. The rotational shaft is pivotally disposed on a bottom seat. 
     In order to achieve the aforementioned objectives, according to another embodiment of the instant disclosure, a heat-dissipating device for interface card is provided. The heat-dissipating device for interface card is disposed on an interface card. The heat-dissipating device includes a heat sink, a housing, and a fan. The heat sink is disposed on the interface card. The housing is disposed on and covers the heat sink. The housing has a top plate and two side plates connected to two sides of the top plate. The top plate has an inlet opening arranged thereon. An inner surface of the top plate proximate to the inlet opening has a protruding wall and an opening arranged thereon. The protruding wall has a curve panel. The fan is arranged in the housing and correspondingly arranged at the inlet opening. The fan has a rotational shaft, a plurality of axial fan blades, and a plurality of centrifugal fan blades. The rotational shaft is pivotally disposed on a bottom seat. 
     In order to achieve the aforementioned objectives, according to another embodiment of the instant disclosure, a heat-dissipating device for interface card is provided. The heat-dissipating device for interface card is disposed on an interface card. The heat-dissipating device includes a heat sink, a housing, and a fan. The heat sink is disposed on the interface card. The housing is disposed on and covers the heat sink. The housing has a top plate and two side plates connected to two sides of the top plate. The top plate has an inlet opening arranged thereon. An inner surface of the top plate proximate to the inlet opening has a protruding wall and an opening arranged thereon. The fan is arranged in the housing and correspondingly arranged at the inlet opening. The fan has a rotational shaft, a plurality of axial fan blades, and a plurality of centrifugal fan blades. The rotational shaft is pivotally disposed on a bottom seat. 
     The instant disclosure provides the following improvements. The fan in the instant disclosure is a composite fan, which provides both axial and centrifugal flow. The housing has protruding walls and openings arranged thereon that can prevent unrestrained air flow as well as guide air to flow along the protruding walls and eventually towards the heat sink via the openings. The instant disclosure optimizes air flow, improve heat dissipation, and effectively improve heat dissipation efficiency. 
     Furthermore, the instant disclosure further provides protruding walls that include pressing portions on the housing. When air flows along the protruding walls and exits through the openings, air is pressurized and air flow is optimized to improve heat dissipation. 
     In order to further understand the instant disclosure, the following embodiments and illustrations are provided. However, the detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the disclosure, rather than limiting the scope being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a heat-dissipating device for interface card in accordance with a first embodiment of the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is another exploded view of the heat-dissipating device for interface card of  FIG. 1  in accordance with the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled view of the heat-dissipating device for interface card of  FIG. 1  in accordance with the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the heat-dissipating device for interface card in accordance with a second embodiment of the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  is another exploded view of the heat-dissipating device for interface card of  FIG. 4  in accordance with the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the heat-dissipating device for interface card in accordance with a third embodiment of the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 7  is another exploded view of the heat-dissipating device for interface card of  FIG. 6  in accordance with the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 8  is an assembled view of the heat-dissipating device for interface card of  FIG. 6  in accordance with the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded view of the heat-dissipating device for interface card in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 10  is another exploded view of the heat-dissipating device for interface card of  FIG. 9  in accordance with the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded view of the heat-dissipating device for interface card in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 12  is another exploded view of the heat-dissipating device for interface card of  FIG. 11  in accordance with the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 13  is an assembled view of the heat-dissipating device for interface card of  FIG. 11  in accordance with the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 14  is an exploded view of the heat-dissipating device for interface card in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the instant disclosure; 
         FIG. 15  is another exploded view of the heat-dissipating device for interface card of  FIG. 14  in accordance with the instant disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 1 to 3 . The instant disclosure provides a heat-dissipating device for interface card  1 , the interface card heat-dissipating device  1  is assembled on an interface card  2  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ). The interface card  2  has a circuit board  21  and a heating element  22  disposed on the circuit board  21 . The heating element  22  can be a wafer that heats up. A side edge of the circuit board  21  has an electrical connection  211 . The interface card  2  can be a display card, sound card, graphics card, or network card. One heating element  22  is provided in the instant embodiment, but it is not limited thereto. 
     The heat-dissipating device  1  includes a heat sink  11 , a housing  12  and at least one fan  13 . The heat-dissipating device  11  is disposed on the heat sink  2 . The heat sink  22  can include a heat conductive block  111 , a plurality of heat-dissipating fins  112  and a plurality of heat pipes  113 . The heat conductive block  111  can be attached on the heating element  22  at a bottom surface of the heating conducting block  111 , such that the heat-dissipating device  11  and the heating element  22  are in contact. The heat dissipating fins  112  is arranged in parallel and spaced apart from the heat conductive blocks  111 . The heat pipes  113  are arranged through the heat-dissipating fins  112  and are in contact with the heat conductive blocks  111 . As a result, heat generated from the heating element  22  can be transferred to the heat-dissipating fins  112  via the heat conductive blocks  111 , and the heating element  22  can rapidly transfer heat to the heat-dissipating fins  112  having relatively large surface areas for heat-dissipation process thereafter. 
     The housing  12  covers and is arranged on the heat sink  11 . The housing  12  has a top plate  121  and two side plates  122  connected to the top plate  121 . The two side plates  122  are bend extensions of the top plate  121  that bends from two opposite sides of the top plate towards the interface card  2 . The heat-dissipating fins  112  can be in parallel with the two side plates  122  of the housing  12 . The top plate  121  has an inlet opening  123  arranged thereon. The inlet opening  123  is arranged at a position corresponding to the fan  12  and the number of inlet opening  123  also corresponds to that of the fan  12 . In the instant embodiment, one fan  13  and one inlet opening  123  are provided. An outlet opening  126  is formed between two oppositely arranged sides and the two side plates  122  of the top plate  121 . 
     The top plate  121  has an inner surface. The inner surface proximate to the inlet opening  123  has a protruding wall and an opening  124  arranged thereon. The number and location of the protruding wall  124  are not limited thereto. There are two protruding walls  124 , for example, arranged proximate to the inlet opening  123  in the instant embodiment. The protruding walls  124  are oppositely arranged and are located between the two side plates  122 . The number and location of the opening  125  are not limited thereto. There are two openings  125 , for example, arranged between two ends of two protruding walls  124  in the instant embodiment. The openings  125  are oppositely arranged and preferably correspond to one end of the heat pipes  113  to conduct heat away therefrom. 
     The structure of the protruding wall  124  is not limited thereto. In the instant embodiment, each protruding wall  124  has a curve panel  1241 . The curve panel  1241  is extended along peripheral portions of the inlet opening  123 . The curve panel  1241  and the inlet opening  123  can be concentric. Two ends of the curve panel  1241  each have an end plate  1242  formed thereon. The opening  125  is arranged between two opposite end plates  1242 . The end plates  1242  and the two side plates  122  can be arranged in parallel, such that air flow can be guided towards two lateral sides of the housing  12 . The curve panel  1241  can be connected to a bottom plate  1243  that is arranged at a bottom portion thereof. The curve panel  1241  and the top plate  121  are in parallel. 
     The fan  13  is arranged in the housing  12  and correspondingly arranged at the inlet opening  123 . Each fan  13  has a rotational shaft  131 , a plurality of axial fan blades  132 , and a plurality of centrifugal fan blades  133 . The axial fan blades  132  are spaced apart from each other, and the centrifugal fan blades  133  are connected to peripheral portions of the rotational shaft  131 . The centrifugal fan blades  133  are spaced apart from each other and are connected to peripheral portions of the axial fan blades  132 . The rotational shaft  131  is pivotally disposed on a bottom seat  124  to form a composite fan that provides axial and centrifugal air flow. The bottom seat  124  of the fan  13  can be screw locked or fixed on the heat sink  11  through other manners. When the fan rotates, cool or cold air can be drawn from the exterior and into the interior of the housing  12  via the inlet opening  123  and subsequently exits the outlet opening  126 , in the meantime, heat from the heat dissipating fins  112  can be transferred out of the housing  12  via convection. 
     Specifically, the fan  13  has axial fan blades  132  and centrifugal fan blades  133 . When the fan  13  rotates, cool or cold air can be drawn from the exterior and into the interior of the housing  12 , subsequently flow along the axial and radial directions towards the heat dissipating fins  112 , and flow past the heat dissipating fins  112  and exit through the outlet opening  126  in order to transfer heat from the heat dissipating fins out of the housing  12  via convection. 
     Second Embodiment 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Each protruding wall  124  in the instant embodiment has a curve panel  1241 . At least portions of the curve panel  1241  and peripheral portions of the inlet opening  123  are not in parallel. In other words, at least portions of the curve panel  1241  have a pressing portion A arranged thereon. The pressing portion A gradually diverges from the peripheral portions of the inlet opening  123 , such that the curve panel  1241  and the inlet opening  123  are not concentric. When air flows along the protruding wall  124  and is guided to exit through the opening  125 , the air is pressurized, which can optimize air flow and heat dissipation. 
     Third Embodiment 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 6 to 8 . The shape and structure of the heat sink  11  in the instant embodiment are different from previous embodiments. The heat dissipating device  1  in the instant embodiment omits the heat sink  11  and can be directly attached onto the heating element through heating pipes  113 , such that the heat sink  11  and the heating element are in direct contact. Moreover, two fans  13  are provided in the instant embodiment. The housing  12  is correspondingly arranged with the two inlet openings  123 . Each inlet opening  123  of the instant embodiment has two protruding walls  124  and two openings  125  arranged thereon. Two openings  125  are arranged between two ends of the two protruding walls  124 . Each protruding wall  124  has a curve panel  1241  that extends along peripheral portions of the inlet opening  123 . The curve panel  1241  and the inlet opening  123  can be concentric. Portions of two ends of the curve panel  1241  each have an end plate  1242  arranged thereon. The end plates  1242  and the two side plates  122  are parallel to each other. Portions of the curve panel  1241  have an end plate  1242  arranged on one end thereon, and the end plate  1242  is parallel to the two side plates  122 . Two openings  125  located in the middle are arranged at a slanted angle in the instant embodiment. In other words, air can flow along the protruding walls  124  and is guided to slantedly exit via the openings  125 . 
     Fourth Embodiment 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 9 and 10 . Two fans  13  are provided in the instant embodiment. The housing  12  is correspondingly arranged with the two inlet openings  123 . Each inlet opening  123  of the instant embodiment has two protruding walls  124  and two openings  125  arranged thereon. Two openings  125  are arranged between two ends of the two protruding walls  124 . Each protruding wall  124  in the instant embodiment has a curve panel  1241 . At least portions of the curve panel  1241  and peripheral portions of the inlet opening  123  are not in parallel. In other words, at least portions of the curve panel  1241  have a pressing portion A arranged thereon. The pressing portion A gradually diverges from the peripheral portions of the inlet opening  123 , such that the curve panel  1241  and the inlet opening  123  are not concentric. When air flows along the protruding wall  124  and is guided to exit through the opening  125 , the air is pressurized, which can optimize air flow and heat dissipation. 
     Fifth Embodiment 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 11 to 13 . Two fans  13  are provided in the instant embodiment. The housing  12  is correspondingly arranged with the two inlet openings  123 . Each inlet opening  123  of the instant embodiment has one protruding wall  124  and one opening  125  arranged thereon. The protruding wall  124  is bent to resemble a U shape. The opening  125  is arranged between two ends of the protruding wall  124 . The protruding wall  124  has a curve panel  1241  that extends along peripheral portions of the inlet opening  123 . The curve panel  1241  and the inlet opening  123  can be concentric. Two ends of the curve panel  1241  each have an end plate  1242  arranged thereon. The opening  125  is arranged between the two end plates  1242 . The end plates  1242  and the two side plates  122  are parallel to each other, so that air can be guided towards two sides of the housing  12 . 
     Sixth Embodiment 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 14 and 15 . Two fans  13  are provided in the instant embodiment. The housing  12  is correspondingly arranged with the two inlet openings  123 . Each inlet opening  123  of the instant embodiment has one protruding wall  124  and one opening  125  arranged thereon. The protruding wall  124  is bent to resemble a U shape. The opening  125  is arranged between two ends of the protruding wall  124 . The protruding wall  124  has a curve panel  1241 . At least portions of the curve panel  1241  and peripheral portions of the inlet opening  123  are not in parallel. In other words, at least portions of the curve panel  1241  have a pressing portion A arranged thereon. The pressing portion A gradually diverges from the peripheral portions of the inlet opening  123 , such that the curve panel  1241  and the inlet opening  123  are not concentric. When air flows along the protruding wall  124  and is guided to exit through the opening  125 , the air is pressurized, which can optimize air flow and heat dissipation. 
     The fan in the instant disclosure is a composite fan, which provides both axial and centrifugal flow. The housing has a protruding wall and opening arranged thereon that can prevent unrestrained air flow as well as guide air to flow along the protruding wall and eventually towards the heat sink via the opening. The instant disclosure optimizes air flow, improves heat dissipation, and effectively improves heat dissipation efficiency. 
     Furthermore, the instant disclosure further provides protruding walls that include pressing portions on the housing. When air flows along the protruding walls and exits through the openings, the air is pressurized and the air flow is optimized to improve heat dissipation. 
     The figures and descriptions supra set forth illustrate the preferred embodiments of the instant disclosure; however, the characteristics of the instant disclosure are by no means restricted thereto. All changes, alterations, combinations or modifications conveniently considered by those skilled in the art are deemed to be encompassed within the scope of the instant disclosure delineated by the following claims.