Patent Description:
In recent years, with the trend of miniaturization of electronic equipment, the integration density of an electronic device is increasing, and accordingly, heat generated from the electronic equipment is increased. When the heat is not sufficiently discharged to the outside, the performance and lifespan of the electronic equipment may be lowered and the deformation caused by the heat may cause the breakdown of the electronic equipment.

Recently, for example, telematics modules are installed inside a vehicle to use <NUM> communication service, which is a next generation communication service. Such a communication module is installed inside the vehicle's roof to increase antenna performance. However, although the inside of the roof of the vehicle is easy to be heated by external heat, the inside of the roof is very narrow, so there is a problem that it is difficult to install therein a high-performance heat dissipation means such as a heat dissipation fan.

Recently, a heat dissipation means using an ionic wind has been developed to solve this problem. For example, there are a technology which produces an ionic wind by a potential difference occurring between radially arranged heat-dissipating fins and an electrode mounted to an upper surface of a heat sink, and a technology which increases heat transfer efficiency of a heat sink by generating the ionic wind by using a wire electrode mounted to an upper part of the heat sink.

However, to generate an ionic wind, a discharge electrode (an emitter electrode) and a ground electrode (a collector electrode) are required to be installed in a heat dissipation space, so miniaturization of an electronic device is not easy. Particularly, an electronic device for communication among electronic devices includes a shielding component such as a shield can to prevent radio interference between inner components, so it is further difficult to cause the ionic wind to flow into a sealed space narrowed due to the shielding component.

<CIT> discloses a device including a circuit board equipped with a cooling heat sink and an ion wind generator for generating ionic wind.

<CIT> discloses a high-voltage generating circuit section that supplies a high voltage to an ion generating element that generates ions.

<CIT> discloses electrohydrodynamic fluid mover techniques for thin, low-profile or high-aspect-ratio electronic devices.

Additional prior art is known from <CIT> and <CIT>.

Accordingly, the present disclosure has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the related art, and an objective of the present disclosure is to realize the miniaturization of a heat dissipation means generating an ionic wind.

Another objective of the present disclosure is to provide a heat dissipation means capable of causing an ionic wind to flow into a narrow space shielded by a shielding component.

Still another objective of the present disclosure is to increase cooling efficiency by concentrating an ionic wind on a heating element that generates high temperature heat.

The invention is set out in the independent claim.

In order to achieve the above objectives, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an electronic device having a heat dissipation function, the electronic device comprising: a heating element; a shield can covering the heating element to block electromagnetic waves, wherein the shield can comprises: a cover body covering an upper part of the heating element, and mounting legs extending from the cover body and mounted to a circuit board to be grounded, wherein a heat discharge opening open to the outside is provided in the mounting legs to discharge the ionic wind; and a heat dissipation means provided to be adjacent to the heating element and causing an ionic wind to flow into a shielded space of an inner part of the shield can, wherein the heat dissipation means comprises: a wire electrode provided to be adjacent to an entrance of the shielded space and becoming an emitter electrode; and a power module connected to the wire electrode and applying voltage to the wire electrode, wherein the shield can is grounded at the same time of being connected to the power module and becomes a collector electrode such that the ionic wind is generated into the inner part of the shield can, wherein the heating element is mounted to the circuit board, and the shield can is mounted to the circuit board while covering the heating element and is open to the wire electrode, wherein the heat discharge opening is provided at an opposite side of the entrance of the shield can and is open toward the wire electrode such that the ionic wind passing the heating element is discharged, and wherein the power module is mounted to the circuit board. Accordingly, the collector electrode of the emitter electrode and the collector electrode may not be required to be installed as a separate component to generate the ionic wind, so the heat dissipation means may be miniaturized.

In addition, an electrode mounting part of a non-conductive material may be provided at a front of the entrance of the shield can, and the wire electrode, which has a thin and long shape, may be provided in the electrode mounting part in a direction crossing the entrance of the shielded space, so the installation of the wire electrode may be easy.

The electrode mounting part may extend from the entrance of the shield can and may be arch-shaped, and an inlet space of the electrode mounting part may communicate with the shielded space of the shield can to define one heat dissipation space. Particularly, the electrode mounting part may be in close contact with the entrance of the shield can and have the same sectional shape as a sectional shape of the shield can, so the inlet space of the electrode mounting part and the shielded space of the shield can may define the continuous heat dissipation space, which have the same shapes. Accordingly, the ionic wind may further efficiently flow through the heat dissipation space and in the process, may cool a heating means.

The heating element is mounted to a circuit board, and the shield can is mounted to the circuit board while covering the heating element and is open to the wire electrode. A heat discharge opening is provided at an opposite side of the entrance of the shield can and open toward the wire electrode such that the ionic wind passing the heating element is discharged. Such a structure allows a flow path to be created, and an ionic wind may be discharged along the predetermined flow path, so effective heat discharging may be performed.

In addition, the shield can includes: a cover body covering an upper part of the heating element, and mounting legs extending from the cover body and mounted to a circuit board to be grounded, wherein a heat discharge opening open to the outside may be provided in the mounting legs to discharge the ionic wind. That is, the shielded space including the heat discharge opening may be made without significantly altering the structure of an existing shield can.

The wire electrode may be installed at a position inner from an entrance of the electrode mounting part toward the shield can to cross the inlet space of the electrode mounting part. In this case, the wire electrode may be located inside the inlet space, so the risk of electric shock or the possibility of interference with other components may be reduced.

Furthermore, when a height at which the wire electrode is installed is smaller than or the same as a thickness of the heating element, the possibility of interfering with the surface of the heating element may be increased as the ionic wind flows, so effective heat exchange may be performed in the process.

Meanwhile, the wire electrode may be multiply provided in the electrode mounting part to be parallel to each other, or the wire electrode may be multiply provided such that the wire electrodes are installed to be adjacent to at least two surfaces of four surfaces of the shield can, with the shield can disposed therebetween. Accordingly, the multiple wire electrodes may be used to increase the amount of the ionic wind to be generated.

In addition, a connection wire provided in the power module is connected to the wire electrode and supply power thereto, but the connection wire and the power module may be electrically connected to each other by a pattern of the circuit board to which the shield can is mounted. In this case, a separate connection wire may be omitted.

The electronic device having the heat dissipation function of the present disclosure as described above has the following effects.

In the present disclosure, the heat dissipation means cools the heating element of an electronic device by generating an ionic wind, and the shield can covering the heating element is grounded and becomes a collector electrode. Accordingly, a collector electrode of the emitter electrode and the collector electrode is not required to be installed as a separate component to generate the ionic wind, so the heat dissipation means may be miniaturized.

In addition, the heat dissipation means of the present disclosure can be applied to a structure poor in heat dissipation in which the heating element generating high temperature such as the communication module is provided and the heating element is required to be covered by the shield can to block electromagnetic waves. Accordingly, the heat dissipation means can improve heat dissipation performance by increasing convective heat transfer efficiency. As a result, product performance and durability are improved.

In addition, in the present disclosure, the shield can shielding the heating element becomes a collector electrode for generating the ionic wind, so a distance between the shield can and the emitter electrode (the wire electrode) can be minimized. Accordingly, as the flow distance of the ionic wind increases, the ionic wind flows around the surface of the heating element prior to thickening of a laminar boundary layer. Accordingly, convective heat transfer efficiency can be further increased.

Furthermore, in the present disclosure, the wire electrode, which is the emitter electrode, is installed to cross the entrance of the shield can and can widely dissipate the ionic wind to the inner space of the shield can. Accordingly, convective heat transfer performance can be improved in the shielded space between the heating element and the shield can in which thermal resistance is large but very narrow and in which heat dissipation design is very difficult.

Additionally, the heat dissipation means of the present disclosure is implemented when the wire electrode and the power module alone are mounted to the circuit board. Accordingly, the heat dissipation means can be applied without significantly changing the design of a conventional electronic device, thereby having a high degree of compatibility and design freedom.

In addition, the present disclosure cools the heating element by using the ionic wind generated by an emitter electrode (the wire electrode) and a collector electrode (the shield can), which causes no noise and vibration as compared to a cooling fan operated by a motor. Accordingly, the present disclosure can be applied to various electronic devices requiring low noise/vibration.

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present disclosure will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:.

Hereinbelow, some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same reference numerals are assigned to the same components as much as possible even though they are shown in different drawings. In addition, in describing the embodiments of the present disclosure, detailed descriptions of related known configurations or functions are omitted when it is determined that the understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure is disturbed.

In addition, in describing the components of the embodiments of the present disclosure, terms such as first, second, A, B, a, and b may be used. These terms are only to distinguish the components from other components, and the nature or order, etc. of the components is not limited by the terms. When a component is described as being "connected", "coupled", or "joined" to other components, that component may be directly connected or joined to the other components, and it will be understood that other components between each component may be "connected", "coupled", or "joined" to each other.

The present disclosure relates to an electronic device having a heat dissipation function, and the electronic device of the present disclosure can realize high heat dissipation performance by being applied to a structure in which a heating element <NUM> generating much heat is provided and heat dissipation is difficult due to the shield can <NUM> (a shield). To this end, the heat dissipation means <NUM> of the present disclosure generates an ionic wind, and a collector electrode of an emitter electrode and the collector electrode which generates the ionic wind is not provided as a component, and the shield can <NUM> itself functions as the collector electrode.

Here, the ionic wind uses movements of ions during corona discharge. The ions generated in a discharge electrode are moved from the emitter electrode (the discharge electrode) to a collector electrode (a ground electrode) by an electric field between the electrodes, that is, by coulomb force. The ions moving in this manner move air molecules in the same direction via the collision with the air molecules, and the movements of the air molecules are joined together and are finally used as a blowing force.

Hereinbelow, the specific structure of the present disclosure will be described by focusing on the heat dissipation means <NUM> generating the ionic wind.

<FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a first embodiment of an electronic device having a heat dissipation function according to the present disclosure, and <FIG> is a conceptual diagram illustrating circuit configuration for generating an ionic wind in the first embodiment illustrated in <FIG>.

<FIG> illustrates the structure of a circuit board <NUM> constituting the electronic device. When the electronic device is a communication module, other components including antennas may be added. The heating element <NUM> is mounted to the circuit board <NUM>, and the shield can <NUM> is provided to cover the heating element <NUM>. In <FIG>, the heating element <NUM> is not seen due to the shield can <NUM>, and the heating element <NUM> is seen in <FIG>. Furthermore, an electrode mounting part <NUM> is provided in a front of the shield can <NUM>, and a power module <NUM> applying power to a wire electrode <NUM> mounted to the electrode mounting part <NUM> is mounted to the circuit board <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the ionic wind flows into an entrance <NUM>' of an inlet space <NUM> of the electrode mounting part <NUM> and flows up to a shielded space <NUM> (see <FIG>) defined by the shield can <NUM> and the circuit board <NUM>. In the process, the heating element <NUM> is cooled. The ionic wind is generated both by the wire electrode <NUM> (the emitter electrode) mounted to the electrode mounting part <NUM> and by the shield can <NUM> (the collector electrode).

<FIG> illustrates a circuit configuration for generating an ionic wind. As illustrated in <FIG>, the power module <NUM> generates a high voltage direct current and functions to receive external power and supply the power to the wire electrode <NUM>. In the embodiment, the power module <NUM> is installed at a side of the circuit board <NUM> and generates the voltage of 5kv, and the magnitude of the voltage may change. For reference, in <FIG>, the shield can <NUM> and the electrode mounting part <NUM> are indicated with dotted lines, and the heating element <NUM> shielded by the shield can <NUM> is illustrated therewith.

The wire electrode <NUM> and the shield can <NUM> are connected to the power module <NUM>. In the embodiment, the wire electrode <NUM> is connected to a positive electrode of the power module <NUM>, and the shield can <NUM> is connected to a negative electrode thereof. Furthermore, the shield can <NUM> is grounded through the circuit board <NUM>.

The wire electrode is the positive electrode. In this case, a connection wire <NUM> is provided between the power module <NUM> and the wire electrode <NUM>, and the power module <NUM> is electrically connected to the wire electrode <NUM>.

In this connected state, when a high voltage direct current is applied to the wire electrode <NUM> by the power module <NUM>, the wire electrode <NUM> becomes the emitter electrode and the shield can <NUM> becomes the collector electrode, so that the ionic wind is generated. More particularly, ions generated in the wire electrode <NUM> by corona discharge are moved from the emitter electrode (the wire electrode <NUM>) to the ground electrode (the shield can <NUM>) by an electric field between the electrodes, that is, by coulomb force. The ions moving in this manner move air molecules in the same direction via the collision with the air molecules, and the movements of the moving air molecules are joined together and finally generate a blowing force.

Accordingly, in the present disclosure, the wire electrode <NUM>, the shield can <NUM>, and the power module <NUM> constitute the heat dissipation means <NUM>, wherein the heat dissipation means <NUM> functions to cool the heating element <NUM> positioned in the shield can <NUM> by generating the ionic wind. In the embodiment, the heat dissipation means <NUM> is installed to be adjacent to the heating element <NUM> and causes the ionic wind to flow into the shielded space <NUM> of an inner part of the shield can <NUM>. Accordingly, when only the wire electrode <NUM> and the power module <NUM> are mounted to the circuit board <NUM>, the heat dissipation means <NUM> of the present disclosure can be implemented. Accordingly, the heat dissipation means can be applied to a conventional electronic device without significantly changing the design of the conventional electronic device.

<FIG> illustrates an exploded perspective view of components constituting the embodiment of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the heating element <NUM>, the shield can <NUM>, the electrode mounting part <NUM>, and the power module <NUM>, which are described above, are mounted to the circuit board <NUM>. The circuit board <NUM> includes a heating element seating part <NUM> on which the heating element <NUM> sits, wherein multiple shield can mounting holes <NUM> and <NUM> are provided by surrounding the vicinity of the heating element seating part <NUM>. Left and right legs <NUM> and a rear leg <NUM> of the shield can <NUM>, which will be described below, are fitted into the shield can mounting holes <NUM> and <NUM> and grounded. In the embodiment, a total of three shield can mounting holes <NUM> and <NUM> are provided, but the number and positions of the shield can mounting holes <NUM> and <NUM> may vary according to the structure of the shield can <NUM>.

The circuit board <NUM> includes electrode mounting holes <NUM>. The electrode mounting part <NUM> is fitted into the electrode mounting holes <NUM>. In the embodiment, two electrode mounting holes <NUM> are provided to be spaced apart from each other, and are located in a front of each of the shield can mounting holes <NUM> and <NUM>, which is described above. When the electrode mounting part <NUM> is fitted into the electrode mounting holes <NUM>, the electrode mounting part <NUM> is arranged to be parallel to the shield can <NUM>.

The circuit board <NUM> includes a power module seating part <NUM>, and the power module <NUM> is mounted to the power module seating part <NUM>. When the power module <NUM> is mounted to the power module seating part <NUM>, the power module is connected to a pattern of the circuit board <NUM> to receive external power.

The heating element <NUM> is mounted to the heating element seating part <NUM> of the circuit board <NUM>. The heating element <NUM> is electrically connected to other components by being mounted to the circuit board <NUM> and be a part performing various functions, and be covered by the shield can <NUM>. Accordingly, the heating element <NUM> is covered by the shield can <NUM> and thus is in a condition fundamentally very disadvantageous in heat dissipation. Here, the heating element <NUM> may be various components that generate heat by power consumed during operation, such as a communication chip constituting the communication module, a CPU, a microchip, and an IC. In <FIG>, only one heating element <NUM> is illustrated, but two or more heating elements may be provided.

The heating element is covered by the shield can <NUM>. The shield can <NUM> is mounted to the circuit board <NUM> and covers the heating element <NUM>, and functions to block electromagnetic waves. For such a function of blocking electromagnetic waves, the shield can <NUM> is made of metal such as stainless steel.

The shield can <NUM> is mounted to the circuit board <NUM> by covering the heating element <NUM>, but is not in direct contact with the heating element <NUM> but is spaced apart by a predetermined distance from the heating element <NUM>. That is, the heating element <NUM> may be regarded to be located in the shielded space <NUM> defined between the shield can <NUM> and the circuit board <NUM>. In the embodiment, a lower surface of the shield can <NUM> and an upper surface of the heating element <NUM> are spaced apart from each other, so the ionic wind can flow therebetween.

The shield can <NUM> is made of a conductive material and, as described above, is electrically connected to the power module <NUM> and at the same time is grounded to become the collector electrode. Accordingly, the ionic wind can be generated to flow in a direction of the shield can <NUM> from the wire electrode <NUM>. That is, the shield can <NUM> itself becomes the collector electrode, without the need for a separate component to make the collector electrode. Accordingly, the ionic wind can be naturally introduced into the narrow shielded space <NUM>.

Referring to the structure of the shield can <NUM>, the shield can <NUM> includes the cover body <NUM> covering an upper part of the heating element <NUM> and mounting legs <NUM> and <NUM> mounted to the circuit board <NUM>. The cover body <NUM> has an approximately flat plate structure and has an area larger than an area of the heating element <NUM>. The cover body <NUM> and the mounting legs <NUM> and <NUM> are configured to be integrated with each other. The mounting legs <NUM> and <NUM> extend from edges of the cover body <NUM> and are fitted into the shield can mounting holes <NUM> and <NUM> of the circuit board <NUM> to be grounded. The mounting legs <NUM> and <NUM> may be fixed to the shield can mounting holes <NUM> and <NUM> by soldering.

Referring to <FIG>, the heating element <NUM> is located at a position withdrawing from an entrance of the shield can <NUM> to an opposite side of the wire electrode <NUM>. That is, an end part L2 of a front surface of the cover body <NUM> of the shield can <NUM> is closer to the wire electrode <NUM> than an end part L1 of a front surface of the heating element <NUM>. Due to such a structure, the function of blocking electromagnetic waves of the shield can <NUM> is sufficiently realized and the ionic wind flowing to the shield can <NUM> from the wire electrode <NUM> can pass more surfaces of the heating element <NUM>.

The mounting legs <NUM> and <NUM> may be multiply provided. In the embodiment, the mounting legs <NUM> and <NUM> include a pair of the left and right legs <NUM> covering sides of the heating element <NUM> by being bent from opposite sides of the cover body <NUM>, and the rear leg <NUM> connecting the left and right legs <NUM> to each other and covering a rear surface of the heating element <NUM> by being bent from a rear of the cover body <NUM>. That is, a total of three mounting legs <NUM> and <NUM> are provided and cover three surfaces of the vicinity of the heating element <NUM>. Alternatively, the mounting legs <NUM> and <NUM> may consist of the left and right legs <NUM> without the rear leg <NUM>, or may include only any one of the pair of left and right legs <NUM>.

The entrance of a shielded space <NUM> of the shield can <NUM> is provided between the mounting legs <NUM> and <NUM>. The entrance of the shielded space <NUM> is open in a direction of the wire electrode and functions as an entrance through which the ionic wind is introduced. In the embodiment, the entrance of the shielded space <NUM> is open toward the electrode mounting part <NUM> which will be described hereinbelow, and communicates with the inlet space <NUM> of the electrode mounting part <NUM>. The entrance of the shielded space <NUM> is preferably open only to the wire electrode <NUM> such that the ionic wind is introduced only through the entrance of the shielded space <NUM>.

The shield can <NUM> includes a heat discharge opening <NUM>. The heat discharge opening <NUM> is a part communicating the shielded space <NUM> with the outside and may be regarded as a kind of an exit allowing the ionic wind introduced through the entrance of the shielded space <NUM> to be discharged through the shielded space <NUM> to the outside. Accordingly, the heat discharge opening <NUM> is preferably provided at an opposite side of the entrance of the shielded space <NUM>. In the embodiment, the heat discharge opening <NUM> is provided between the left and right legs <NUM> and the rear leg <NUM> since the left and right legs and the rear leg are spaced apart from each other. Of course, alternatively, the heat discharge opening <NUM> may be provided in a cut portion of each of the left and right legs <NUM> or the rear leg <NUM> or may be provided in the form of a heat dissipation hole (not shown) formed through each of the left and right legs <NUM> or the rear leg <NUM>.

The mounting legs <NUM> and <NUM> of the shield can <NUM> are bent from the cover body <NUM>, and portions at which the cover body <NUM> and the mounting legs <NUM> and <NUM> are connected to each other are extended roundly in a curved shape. That is, each of edges of the cover body <NUM> of the shield can <NUM> has a curved surface shape, and the curved surface shape removes dead space in the shielded space <NUM> such that the ionic wind flows efficiently.

The electrode mounting part <NUM> is provided in the front of the shield can <NUM>. The electrode mounting part <NUM> is made of a non-conductive material, and the wire electrode <NUM> is mounted to the electrode mounting part <NUM>. Since the electrode mounting part <NUM> is made of a non-conductive material, the electrode mounting part <NUM> is not electrically connected to the shield can <NUM> although the electrode mounting part <NUM> is in contact with the shield can <NUM>. Accordingly, the wire electrode <NUM> can also be insulated from the shield can <NUM>.

The electrode mounting part <NUM> is fitted into the electrode mounting holes <NUM> of the circuit board <NUM>. When the electrode mounting part <NUM> is fitted into the electrode mounting holes <NUM>, the electrode mounting part <NUM> is arranged to be parallel to the shield can <NUM>. In the embodiment, the electrode mounting part <NUM> extends from the entrance of the shield can <NUM> and is arch-shaped, and the inlet space <NUM> of the electrode mounting part <NUM> communicates with the shielded space <NUM> of the shield can <NUM>. The shielded space <NUM> and the inlet space <NUM> define one continuous heat dissipation space <NUM>, <NUM> and the ionic wind can pass through the heat dissipation space <NUM>, <NUM>.

The electrode mounting part <NUM> is in close contact with the entrance of the shield can <NUM>, and in the embodiment, the electrode mounting part <NUM> has the same sectional shape as a sectional shape of the shield can <NUM>, so the inlet space <NUM> of the electrode mounting part <NUM> and the shielded space <NUM> of the shield can <NUM> may define the continuous heat dissipation space <NUM>, <NUM>, of the same shape. That is, in the embodiment, the arch-shaped section of the electrode mounting part <NUM> is the same as an arch-shaped section defined by the cover body <NUM> and the mounting legs <NUM> and <NUM> of the shield can <NUM>. Accordingly, the heat dissipation space <NUM>, <NUM> may be continuously defined such that the ionic wind efficiently flows.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the electrode mounting part <NUM> includes the cover plate <NUM> and fixing legs <NUM> connected to the cover plate <NUM>. The cover plate <NUM> has a plate shape; constitutes a roof of the electrode mounting part <NUM>; and is connected to the cover body <NUM> of the shield can <NUM>. The fixing legs <NUM> are parts extending from opposite ends of the cover plate <NUM>, and end parts of the fixing legs are fitted into the electrode mounting holes <NUM> of the circuit board <NUM>. The fixing legs <NUM> are connected to the left and right legs <NUM> of the shield can <NUM> described above. The cover plate <NUM> and the fixing legs <NUM> define the inlet space <NUM> in cooperation with an upper surface of the circuit board <NUM>, and the inlet space <NUM> communicates with the shielded space <NUM>.

The cover plate <NUM> and the fixing legs <NUM> constituting the electrode mounting part <NUM> are connected to each other to have curved shapes therebetween, so each of edges of the inlet space <NUM> is rounded. Accordingly, the inlet space <NUM> prevents dead spaces interfering with the flow of the ionic wind from being defined therein.

In the above embodiment, the electrode mounting part <NUM> is a part separated from the shield can <NUM>, but may be integral thereto. For example, the electrode mounting part <NUM> may be made integrally to the shield can <NUM> by insert injection, or may be made by applying a non-conductive material to some surfaces of the shield can <NUM>.

The wire electrode <NUM> is mounted to the electrode mounting part <NUM>. The wire electrode <NUM> constituting the heat dissipation means <NUM> is installed to be adjacent to the entrance of the shielded space <NUM> and becomes the emitter electrode. More particularly, the wire electrode <NUM> is mounted to the electrode mounting part <NUM>, and one end 75a of the wire electrode is connected to one end 86b of the connection wire <NUM> of the power module <NUM> such that the wire electrode receives power. Furthermore, the shield can <NUM> spaced apart from the wire electrode <NUM> becomes the ground electrode, so the ionic wind is generated in the direction of the shield can <NUM> from the wire electrode <NUM>.

The wire electrode <NUM> may be made of a highly conductive material, for example, metal such as tungsten or steel. Unlike the connection wire <NUM>, the conductive material of the wire electrode <NUM> is exposed to the outside without a sheath and has a thin and long shape in the embodiment.

The wire electrode <NUM> is mounted to the electrode mounting part <NUM> in a direction crossing the entrance of the shielded space <NUM> of the shield can <NUM> from left to right. More particularly, as illustrated in <FIG>, opposite ends 75a and 75b of the wire electrode <NUM> are fixed to the fixing legs <NUM> at opposite sides of the electrode mounting part <NUM> mounted to the circuit board <NUM>. Accordingly, the wire electrode is installed to cross the inlet space <NUM> of the electrode mounting part <NUM> from left to right. Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the wire electrode <NUM> is installed in the direction crossing the entrance of a front surface of the electrode mounting part <NUM>. Accordingly, the wire electrode <NUM> crosses the entrance of the electrode mounting part <NUM>, which is wide, and so may have length equal to or more than a distance between the opposite fixing legs <NUM> of the electrode mounting part <NUM>.

In this case, in the embodiment, an area in which the ionic wind is generated is distributed widely so that the ionic wind can be generated in a large area, and the ionic wind can be widely dissipated to the inner space of the shield can <NUM> by the heat dissipation means <NUM>. Accordingly, convective heat transfer performance can be improved in the shielded space <NUM> between the heating element <NUM> and the shield can <NUM> in which thermal resistance is large but very narrow and in which heat dissipation design is very difficult.

In the embodiment, the wire electrode <NUM> is mounted to a front surface of each of the fixing legs <NUM> corresponding to the entrance <NUM>' of the inlet space <NUM> of the electrode mounting part <NUM>. That is, each of the opposite ends 75a and 75b of the wire electrode <NUM> is fixed to the front surface of the fixing leg <NUM>, and the end 75a of the wire electrode is connected to an end 86b of the connection wire <NUM>. Accordingly, the wire electrode <NUM> can generate the ionic wind to an inner side of the inlet space <NUM> from the entrance thereof.

Alternatively, although not shown, the wire electrode <NUM> may be installed at a position inner from the entrance of the electrode mounting part <NUM> toward the shield can <NUM>. In this case, a position at which the ionic wind occurs is at a relatively inner side of the electrode mounting part, and the wire electrode <NUM> is less exposed to the outside. Accordingly, interference of the wire electrode with other components or the risk of electric shock caused by the wire electrode touching an operator's hand may be reduced.

Referring to <FIG>, a height H2 at which the wire electrode <NUM> is installed is smaller than a thickness H1 of the heating element <NUM>. When the height H2 at which the wire electrode <NUM> is installed is smaller than the thickness H1 of the heating element <NUM>, the ionic wind generated by the wire electrode <NUM> does not pass an upper side of the heating element <NUM>, but may flow by passing side surfaces of the heating element <NUM>. Of course, when the height H2 of the wire electrode <NUM> and a height H0 of the heat dissipation space <NUM>, <NUM> are low, the ionic wind has the low possibility of passing the upper side of the heating element <NUM> without passing the side surfaces thereof. When the height H2 of the wire electrode <NUM> is relatively smaller than the thickness H1 of the heating element <NUM>, the ionic wind can flow more evenly inside the heat dissipation space <NUM>, <NUM>. The height H2 at which the wire electrode <NUM> is installed may be the same as the thickness H1 of the heating element <NUM>.

In the embodiment, one wire electrode <NUM> is mounted to the electrode mounting part <NUM>, but multiple wire electrodes may be mounted thereto. For example, the multiple wire electrodes <NUM> may be mounted to the electrode mounting part <NUM> to be parallel to each other.

Each of the wire electrodes <NUM> is connected to the power module <NUM>. The power module <NUM> is mounted to the circuit board <NUM> to supply power to the wire electrode <NUM> through the connection wire <NUM>. The connection wire <NUM> has one end 86a connected to the power module <NUM> and the opposite end 86b connected to the wire electrode <NUM>.

The power module <NUM> is a part mounted directly to the circuit board <NUM>. Alternatively, the power module <NUM> may not be mounted to the circuit board <NUM>, but mounted to an outside spaced apart from the circuit board <NUM>. In addition, as illustrated above, the connection wire <NUM> may be a separate wire, but may also be the pattern of the circuit board <NUM>.

Although not illustrated in <FIG>, the power module <NUM> and the shield can <NUM> are also electrically connected to each other by a ground wire. The wire electrode <NUM> is connected to the positive electrode of the power module <NUM>, and the shield can <NUM> is connected to the negative electrode thereof, wherein the shield can <NUM> is grounded through the circuit board <NUM>. Alternatively, the ground wire may be omitted, and the shield can <NUM> and the power module <NUM> may be electrically connected to each other by the pattern of the circuit board <NUM> to which the shield can <NUM> is mounted.

Looking at a process in which the ionic wind is generated with reference to <FIG>, first, when a high voltage direct current is applied to the wire electrode <NUM> by the power module <NUM>, the wire electrode <NUM> becomes the emitter electrode and the shield can <NUM> becomes a collector electrode, so that the ionic wind is generated. More particularly, ions generated in the wire electrode <NUM> by corona discharge are moved from the emitter electrode (the wire electrode <NUM>) to the ground electrode (the shield can <NUM>) by an electric field between the electrodes, that is, by coulomb force. The ions moving in this manner move air molecules in the same direction (a direction of arrow of <FIG>) via the collision with the air molecules, and the movements of the moving air molecules are joined together and finally generate a blowing force.

Accordingly, in the present disclosure, the wire electrode <NUM>, the shield can <NUM>, and the power module <NUM> constitute the heat dissipation means <NUM>, and the heat dissipation means <NUM> functions to cool the heating element <NUM> positioned in the shield can <NUM> by generating the ionic wind. In the embodiment, the heat dissipation means <NUM> is installed to be adjacent to the heating element <NUM> and causes the ionic wind to flow into the shielded space <NUM> of the inner part of the shield can <NUM>.

The ionic wind uses the movements of ions occurring during corona discharge. The ions generated by the discharge electrode are moved from the emitter electrode (a discharge electrode) to the collector electrode (the ground electrode) by an electric field between the electrodes, that is, by coulomb force. The ions moving in this manner move air molecules in the same direction via the collision with the air molecules, and the movements of the air molecules are joined together and are finally used as a blowing force.

Accordingly, the heat dissipation means <NUM> of the present disclosure can be applied to a structure poor in heat dissipation in which the heating element <NUM> generating high temperature such as a communication module is provided and the heating element <NUM> is required to be covered by the shield can <NUM> to block electromagnetic waves.

Meanwhile, the ionic wind exchanges heat with the heating element <NUM> via convective heat transfer while passing the heating element <NUM> in the shielded space <NUM>, and the ionic wind exchanging the heat is discharged through the heat discharge opening <NUM>. Since such a process is performed continuously, the heating element <NUM> can be cooled. Accordingly, the heat dissipation means <NUM> of the present disclosure cools the heating element <NUM> of the electronic device by generating the ionic wind, and the shield can <NUM> covering the heating element <NUM> is grounded and becomes the collector electrode. Accordingly, the collector electrode of the emitter electrode and the collector electrode for generating the ionic wind is not required to be installed as a separate component, so the heat dissipation means <NUM> is miniaturized and causes no noise and vibration as compared to a cooling fan operated by a motor.

In this, in the present disclosure, the collector electrode for generating the ionic wind becomes the shield can <NUM> shielding the heating element <NUM>, so a distance between the collector electrode and the emitter electrode (the wire electrode <NUM>) can be minimized. Accordingly, as the flow distance of the ionic wind increases, the ionic wind flows around the surface of the heating element <NUM> prior to thickening of a laminar boundary layer. Accordingly, heat dissipation efficiency can be further increased.

Next, other embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to <FIG>. For reference, the description of the same parts as in the above-described embodiment will be omitted.

Sectional shapes of the electrode mounting part <NUM> are illustrated in <FIG>. Here, each of arrows indicates a direction in which the ionic wind flows. As illustrated in <FIG>, the cover plate <NUM> of the electrode mounting part <NUM> may have a predetermined thickness, but as illustrated in <FIG>, the cover plate may become thicker toward a rear thereof, i.e. toward the shield can <NUM>, and have a sloping surface. Accordingly, the sloping surface 61a may be formed in an inner surface <NUM> of the electrode mounting part and guide the ionic wind in a direction of the heating element <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a second embodiment of the electrode mounting part <NUM>. The cover plate <NUM> of the previous embodiment may be omitted in the electrode mounting part <NUM> and the electrode mounting part <NUM> may consist of only a pair of fixing legs <NUM> arranged on left and right. The wire electrode may be installed by crossing the fixing legs <NUM>, and an upper part of each of the pair of fixing legs <NUM> is open. The wire electrode <NUM> may be installed at the front surface of each of the fixing legs <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>.

In the embodiment illustrated in <FIG>, an upper part of the electrode mounting part <NUM> is open, so a portion of the ionic wind may not be introduced to the shielded space <NUM> but escape to the upper part thereof. However, when the wire electrode <NUM> is installed at a side of the inner surface <NUM> of the fixing leg <NUM> to be located at a position closer to the shield can <NUM>, escaping of the ionic wind can be prevented to some extent. Meanwhile, the electrode mounting part <NUM> may not be installed as a separate component, but may be a part of the circuit board <NUM>. That is, a part of the circuit board <NUM> protrudes upward to constitute the electrode mounting part <NUM>, or a pre-installed part may be used as the electrode mounting part <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a third embodiment of the wire electrode <NUM>. As illustrated herein, the wire electrode <NUM> may be mounted to the electrode mounting part <NUM> to extend in upward and downward directions of the shielded space <NUM> of the shield can <NUM>. In the previous embodiment, the wire electrode <NUM> is installed in a left to right direction of the shield can <NUM>, that is, by crossing the electrode mounting part <NUM>, but in the embodiment, the wire electrode <NUM> is installed in the upward and downward directions of the shielded space <NUM> of the shield can <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the wire electrode <NUM> includes a connection electrode connected to the connection wire <NUM> and two wire electrodes <NUM> and <NUM> branching from the connection electrode, which are a first electrode and a second electrode respectively. The first electrode <NUM> and the second electrode <NUM> are installed in the upward and downward directions. More particularly, in the electrode mounting part <NUM>, each of the first electrode <NUM> and the second electrode <NUM> extends in a direction of an upper surface of the circuit board <NUM>, and is parallel to each other. Each of the first electrode <NUM> and the second electrode <NUM> functions as the emitter electrode, and one end part 75b mounted to the upper surface of the circuit board <NUM> is not electrically connected to the circuit board <NUM>, but is simply mounted thereto.

Accordingly, although the wire electrode <NUM> extends in the upward and downward directions of the shielded space <NUM> of the shield can <NUM>, the wire electrode <NUM> can generate the ionic wind, and as illustrated in <FIG>, the wire electrode may include two or more electrodes or only one electrode.

<FIG> illustrates a fourth embodiment of the wire electrode <NUM> provided multiply. The wire electrodes <NUM> may be installed to be adjacent to at least two surfaces of four surfaces of the shield can <NUM>, with the shield can <NUM> disposed therebetween. In the embodiment, each of the wire electrodes <NUM> is installed at opposite sides of the shield can <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, in the embodiment, each of a first electrode mounting part <NUM> and a second electrode mounting part <NUM>' is provided at the opposite sides of the shield can <NUM>, and a first electrode and a second electrode are mounted to the first electrode mounting part <NUM> and the second electrode mounting part <NUM>' respectively, which is not illustrated in the drawings. Each of the first electrode and the second electrode becomes the emitter electrode and generates the ionic wind to flow in the direction of the shield can <NUM>. The generated ionic wind is introduced into the shielded space <NUM> of the shield can <NUM> and then is discharged through heat discharge openings <NUM>. Each of the heat discharge openings <NUM> is provided between the shield can <NUM> and the first electrode mounting part <NUM>, and between the shield can <NUM> and the second electrode mounting part <NUM>', so the ionic wind can be discharged.

Meanwhile, the heating element <NUM> and the heat dissipation means <NUM> are not required to be mounted to the circuit board <NUM>, which is rigid. In the above embodiments, the heating element <NUM> is mounted to a general rigid printed circuit board <NUM> as an example, but may be mounted to a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) or mounted directly inside a connector or an electronic device without being mounted to the circuit board <NUM>. In other words, when the heating element <NUM> and the shield can <NUM> covering the heating element are provided, the electronic device having a heat dissipation function of the present disclosure can be implemented.

In the above description, the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to these embodiments, although all elements constituting the embodiments according to the present disclosure are described as being combined or operating in combination. That is, within the scope of the present disclosure, all of the components may be selectively combined to operate in one or more. In addition, the terms "include", "constitute", or "having" described above mean that the corresponding component may be inherent unless otherwise stated. Accordingly, it should be construed that other components may be further included instead of being excluded. All terms, including technical and scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by ones of ordinary skills in the art to which the present disclosure belongs unless otherwise defined. Commonly used terms, such as those defined in a dictionary, should be construed as consistent with the contextual meaning of the related art and shall not be construed in an ideal or excessively formal sense unless explicitly defined in the present disclosure.

Claim 1:
An electronic device having a heat dissipation function, the electronic device comprising:
a heating element (<NUM>);
a shield can (<NUM>) covering the heating element (<NUM>) to block electromagnetic waves, wherein the shield can (<NUM>) comprises:
a cover body (<NUM>) covering an upper part of the heating element (<NUM>), and
mounting legs (<NUM>) extending from the cover body (<NUM>) and mounted to a circuit board (<NUM>) to be grounded,
wherein a heat discharge opening (<NUM>) open to the outside is provided in the mounting legs (<NUM>) to discharge the ionic wind; and
a heat dissipation means (<NUM>) provided to be adjacent to the heating element (<NUM>) and causing an ionic wind to flow into a shielded space (<NUM>) of an inner part of the shield can (<NUM>),
wherein the heat dissipation means (<NUM>) comprises:
a wire electrode (<NUM>) provided to be adjacent to an entrance of the shielded space (<NUM>) and becoming an emitter electrode; and
a power module (<NUM>) connected to the wire electrode (<NUM>) and applying voltage to the wire electrode (<NUM>),
wherein the shield can (<NUM>) is grounded at the same time of being connected to the power module (<NUM>) and becomes a collector electrode such that the ionic wind is generated into the inner part of the shield can (<NUM>),
wherein the heating element (<NUM>) is mounted to the circuit board (<NUM>), and the shield can (<NUM>) is mounted to the circuit board (<NUM>) while covering the heating element (<NUM>) and is open to the wire electrode (<NUM>),
wherein the heat discharge opening (<NUM>) is provided at an opposite side of the entrance of the shield can (<NUM>) and is open toward the wire electrode (<NUM>) such that the ionic wind passing the heating element (<NUM>) is discharged, and
wherein the power module (<NUM>) is mounted to the circuit board (<NUM>).