1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an airflow-guiding device, and more particularly to a computer system airflow-guiding device.
2. Description of Related Art
Rapid development of computer technology has rendered the problem of heat generation more serious. Central processing unit (CPU), as the core of a computer, is generating more and more heat, and, accordingly, the heat sink for dissipating the heat from the CPU is larger and larger. Besides CPU, other electronic devices in the computer, such as south-bridge chipset, north-bridge chipset, VGA card chipset and so on, are also generating more and more heat during their operation, which also needs to be cooled. On the other hand, minimization is a trend of computer innovation. An inner space of a computer system is getting smaller and smaller. The heat sink mounted on the CPU has occupied a sizeable space. Mounting of heat sinks to the other heat generating electronic devices is difficult and not preferred, since these heat sinks hinder a smooth flow of a system airflow through the computer system. The major heat-generating electronic components, except for the CPU in the computer system, are entirely cooled by the system airflow provided by a system fan which is generally mounted to the backside of the computer. It is desired that the system airflow can flow through every heat-generating electronic components in the computer system, including the CPU.
Referring to
Therefore, it is desired to develop an airflow-guiding device to overcome above-mentioned problems.
Accordingly, what is needed is an airflow-guiding device used in a computer system for changing direction of system airflow automatically and periodically so as to increase covered regions of the system airflow in the computer system.
An airflow-guiding device for being mounted into a computer system to periodically change direction of airflow passing therethrough, comprises a motor, a gearing driven by the motor and a plurality of airflow-guiding plates linked to the gearing and driven thereby to turn back and forth periodically. The gearing comprises a cam driven by the motor and a sliding board always contacting with the cam and sliding to and fro in a line with the rotation of the cam. The airflow-guiding plates are pivotally connected to a frame and each have a portion linked to the sliding board. The airflow-guiding plates periodically turn within a given angle following the continuous rotation of the cam so as to change direction of airflow passing through the airflow-guiding plates.
Other advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe a computer system airflow-guiding device 1 (
Referring to
Referring to
The motor 10 is generally a low-speeded mini-type motor having a long life-span and low noise.
The gearing 20 comprises an elongate rectangle soleplate 30 provided with two parallel ribs 31 extending along front and rear sides thereof. A cover board 40 having the substantially same dimension as the soleplate 30 is located on the soleplate 30. The cover board 40 and the soleplate 30 are fixedly connected to each other by pins (not labeled) formed on the cover board 40 fitted into holes (not labeled) defined in the soleplate 30. A rectangle opening 41 is defined in the cover plate 40. The motor 10 is mounted onto a lateral side of the cover board 40 and adjacent to an end of the opening 41. A cam 50 is pivotally disposed between the soleplate 30 and the cover board 40, and driven by the motor 10 to rotate on a plane parallel to the soleplate 30 and the cover board 40 and around a same axis with the motor 10. The cam 50 has such a contour that a distance from the contour to the axis is continuously varied. A sliding board 60 is slideably mounted between the cover board 40 and the soleplate 30, and has one lateral end in constant contact with the cam 50. An extension rod 62 extends from another lateral end of the siding board 60. The extension rod 62 forms a step (not labeled) pushed by a spring 70 toward the cam 50 and a slender portion (not labeled) extending from the step into the spring 70. The spring 70 pushes the sliding board 60 toward the cam 50 and makes them always contact with each other. Thus, continuous rotation of the cam 50 causes the sliding board 60 to reciprocate on the soleplate 30.
To minimize resistance of movement of the sliding board 60 on the soleplate 30, three pairs of rollers 64 are formed on front and rear sides of the sliding board 60. The rollers 64 are supported by the ribs 31 of the soleplate 30 so as to make the sliding board 60 move smoothly relative to the soleplate 30. On the other hand, each of the rollers 64 is provided with an enlarged head 641 engaging with an outer edge of a corresponding rib 31 to prevent the sliding board 60 from disengagement with the soleplate 30 and the cam 50, and from deviating from a predetermined sliding track. The sliding board 60 defines a plurality of elongate slots 66 arrayed along an extension direction of the sliding board 60 with each slot 66 extending perpendicularly to the extension and sliding direction of the sliding board 60. In other words, each slot 66 extends along a direction from front to rear sides of the sliding board 60.
An erect rectangle frame 80 is located above and fixed to the cover board 40. The frame 80 comprises a bottom wall 82 fixed to the cover board 40, a top wall 81 opposite to and parallel to the bottom wall 82, and a pair of parallel sidewalls 83, 84 located between and perpendicular to the top and bottom walls 81, 82. The four walls 81, 82, 83, 84 connect each other to form the frame 80 and define a ventilating opening (not labeled) between the four walls 81, 82, 83, 84.
Referring to
The computer system airflow-guiding device 1 operates as follows:
Referring to
Particularly referring to
The continuous rotation of the cam 50 driven by the motor 10 renders the airflow-guiding plates 90 to turn to and fro within a given angle determined by the first ultimate position and the second ultimate position; the airflow passing through the airflow-guiding device 1 is deflected to periodically change its direction and reach different regions. As a result, more electronic devices in the computer system 300 can be directly and effectively cooled by the fan 100.
It is believed that the present invention and its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.