Abstract:
An air duct assembly configured for helping an electronic device to dissipate heat is provided. The air duct assembly includes a left duct, right duct spaced with the left duct, and a middle duct located between the left duct and the right duct. The left and right ducts are detachably coupled to opposite sides of the middle duct. The left duct, the middle duct, and the right duct cooperatively define an airflow passage configured for directing air flowing through to the electronic device.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to air duct assemblies and heat dissipating assemblies, particularly, to a detachable air duct assembly and a heat dissipating assembly having a detachable air duct. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Air duct is popularly used for facilitating heat dissipation of electronic components of a computer system. The air duct covers on the electronic components of the computer system to guide airflow from fans to the electronic components. For a large sized computer system, such as a server system, which has a great number of electronic components, a large sized air duct is needed to carry out a massive amount of heat dissipation of electronic components. When some of the electronic components in the computer system need to be replaced or repaired, the whole air duct must be correspondingly removed. Such process is inconvenient and time consuming. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with references to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is an assembled view of an air duct assembly in accordance with an embodiment. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the air duct assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is an exploded, isometric view of the air duct assembly of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is an assembly view of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is similar to  FIG. 4 , but showing two ducts removed from the electronic device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
         [0012]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a heat dissipating assembly  50  of an embodiment includes an electronic device  10  and an air duct assembly  30  configured for dissipate heat from the electronic device  10 . The electronic device  10  includes a chassis  11  (only a bottom wall is shown), a circuit board  12  disposed in the chassis  11 , and a plurality of fans  13 . A first group of electronic components (such as memories)  15 , a second group of electronic components (such as CPU chips)  16 , and a third group of electronic components  17  are arranged on the circuit board  12 . The first group of electronic components  15  and the third group of electronic components  17  are located at opposite sides of the second group of electronic components  16 . A securing bracket  18  is disposed above the CPU chips  16  to mount a heat dissipating device (not shown) for the CPU chips  16  to the circuit board  12 . Two securing posts  181  protrude from a top wall of the securing bracket  18 . 
         [0013]    Referring also to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the air duct assembly  30  includes a left duct  31 , a middle duct  33 , and a right duct  35  capable of being separated from each other. The left duct  31  and the right duct  35  are coupled to opposite sides of the middle duct  33 . 
         [0014]    The middle duct  33  defines two securing apertures  331  corresponding to the securing posts  181  of the securing bracket  18 . A first bent flange  332  and a second bent flange  335  extend from opposite sides of the middle duct  33 . The first bent flange  332  forms a plurality of first securing blocks  3321  and a first elastic clip  3323 . The first elastic clip  3323  protrudes a first wedge-shaped blocking protrusion  3325  at a free end thereof. The second bent flange  335  forms a plurality of second securing blocks  3351  and a second elastic clip  3353 . The second elastic clip  3353  protrudes a second wedge-shaped blocking protrusion  3355  at a free end thereof. 
         [0015]    The left duct  31  includes a first top wall  311  and a first sidewall  313  generally perpendicular to the first top wall  311 . The first top wall  311  extends a first connecting plate  315 . The first connecting plate  315  defines a plurality of first securing slots  3151  corresponding to the first securing blocks  3321 , and a securing opening  3153  corresponding to the first elastic clip  3323 . 
         [0016]    The right duct  35  includes a third top wall  351  and a third sidewall  353 . The third top wall  351  extends a third connecting plate  355 . The third connecting plate  355  defines a plurality of third securing slots  3551  corresponding to the second securing blocks  3351 , and a third securing opening  3553  corresponding to the second elastic clip  3353 . The first top wall  311  of the left duct  31 , the middle duct  33 , and the third top wall  351  of the right duct  35  have substantially same profiles, which cooperatively defines a smooth guiding passage for the air duct. 
         [0017]    In assembly, the first securing blocks  3321  and the second securing blocks  3351  of the middle duct  33  respectively engage the first securing slot  3151  of the left duct  31  and the third securing slot  3551  of the right duct  35 . The left duct  51  and the right duct  55  are moved relative to the middle duct, so that the first blocking protrusion  3325  of the first elastic clip  3323  and the second blocking protrusion  3355  of the second elastic clip  3353  engage in the first securing opening  3153  and the third securing opening  3553 . Thus, the air duct assembly  30  is assembled. The first top wall  31 , the middle duct  33 , and the third top wall  35  are connected in series to act as a top wall of the air duct assembly  30 . The first sidewall  313  of the left duct  31  and the third sidewall  353  of the right duct  35  act as two sidewalls of the air duct assembly  30 . The top wall and the two sidewalls of the air duct assembly  30  cooperatively define an air flow passage to help the electronic components dissipate heat. 
         [0018]    In use, the air duct assembly  30  is disposed on the circuit board  12  and accommodates the first group of electronic components  15 , the second group of electronic components  16 , and the third group of electronic components  17 . The securing posts  181  of the securing bracket  18  extend through the securing holes  3311  in the middle duct  33 , so as to secure the middle duct  33  to the securing bracket  18 . Thus, the air duct assembly  30  is mounted in the chassis  11 . The airflow passage is aligned with the plurality of fans  13 . The left duct  31  correspondingly located above the first group of electronic components  15 , the middle duct  33  correspondingly located above the second group of electronic components  16 , and the right duct  35  correspondingly located above the third group of electronic components  17 , so as to help the electronic components dissipate heat. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , during replacement of the corresponding electronic components  16  and  18 , the air duct  31  and/or  35  is moved relative to the middle duct  33 . The first elastic securing clip  3323  and/or the second elastic securing clip  3353  are/is deflected so as the first blocking protrusion  3325  and/or the second blocking protrusion  3355  are/is disengaged from the first securing opening  3153  and/or the third securing opening  3553 . Thus, the left duct  31  and/or the right duct  35  are/is disassembled from the middle duct  33 . The corresponding electronic components  16  and  18  may be replaced. 
         [0020]    According to the above description, the air duct assembly  30  is used for dissipating heat for a large amount of electronic components. When some of the components are needed to be replaced or repaired, the duct corresponding to the components is disassembled from the air duct assembly  30 . It is not necessary to detach the whole air duct assembly  30  from the electronic device  10 . 
         [0021]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.