Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6827549
-
Patent Number
6,827,549
-
Date Filed
Friday, June 20, 200321 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, December 7, 200419 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
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US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 415 1994
- 415 1995
- 415 193
- 415 2091
- 415 2131
- 415 2141
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International Classifications
-
Abstract
A heat-dissipating module including a first fan unit, a second fan unit, and a connecting arrangement for connecting the first fan unit and the second fan unit in a serial manner. The first fan unit is located on an air inlet side and includes a casing and a fan wheel received in the casing of the first fan unit. The second fan unit is located on an air outlet side and includes a casing and a fan wheel received in the casing of the second fan unit. At least one side air inlet is defined between the casing of the first fan unit and the casing of the second fan unit for increasing an air inlet amount and an air outlet amount of the second fan unit.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat-dissipating module. In particular, the present invention relates to a heat-dissipating module including a plurality of serially connected heat-dissipating fans.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 1
is an exploded perspective view of a conventional heat-dissipating module.
FIG. 2
is a perspective view of the conventional heat-dissipating module. The heat-dissipating module includes a first fan unit
10
, a second fan unit
20
that is serially connected to the first fan unit
10
, and a stationary blade
30
. The first fan unit
10
is located on the air inlet side, and the second fan unit
20
is located on the air outlet side. The stationary blade
30
is provided on a base portion of a casing
100
of the first fan unit
10
for guiding air current and for increasing the wind pressure. Generally, the casing
100
of the first fan unit
10
includes a plurality of engaging notches or grooves
111
and the casing
200
of the second fan unit
20
includes a plurality of engaging tabs
21
for engaging with the engaging grooves
11
, thereby serially connecting the first fan unit
10
and the second fan unit
20
together. Thus, air is driven by a fan wheel (not shown) of the first fan unit
10
and a fan wheel
22
of the second fan unit
20
, thereby rapidly blowing the air from the air inlet side to the air outlet side.
Although the amount of blown air and the velocity of the air are increased through the use of the above-mentioned heat-dissipating module, several problems still exist. Firstly, cool air can only be sucked into the heat-dissipating module via a single air inlet of the first fan unit
10
on the air inlet side under normal operation of the first fan unit
10
and the second fan unit
20
. The overall air output amount is limited. Second, when the first fan unit
10
operates abnormally, the speed of the first fan wheel is lowered and thus adversely affects the air-blowing efficiency of the second fan wheel
22
and the overall heat-dissipating efficiency. Third, when the first fan unit
10
operates abnormally, the air density distribution is not uniform since the air velocity at the first fan wheel is different from that at the second fan wheel
22
, resulting in poor static pressure-flow rate characteristics and poor P-Q characteristics and generating wind noise.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a heat-dissipating module including two serially connected fan units and at least one side air inlet for introducing more air into the heat-dissipating module. The overall air inlet amount and the overall air outlet amount are increased, and the overall heat-dissipating efficiency is improved.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a heat-dissipating module include two serially connected fan units and at least one side air inlet for introducing more air into the heat-dissipating module when the first fan unit operates abnormally and thus fails to provide a sufficient air inlet amount. Non-uniform air density distribution in the heat-dissipating module is avoided, and the noise generated during operation of the heat-dissipating module is reduced. The overall heat-dissipating efficiency is thus improved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the aforementioned objects, the present invention provides a heat-dissipating module including a first fan unit, a second fan unit, and connecting means for connecting the first fan unit and the second fan unit in a serial manner. The first fan unit is located on an air inlet side and includes a casing and a fan wheel received in the casing of the first fan unit. The second fan unit is located on an air outlet side and includes a casing and a fan wheel received in the casing of the second fan unit. At least one side air inlet is defined between the casing of the first fan unit and the casing of the second fan unit for increasing an air inlet amount and an air outlet amount of the second fan unit.
The air inlet amount and the air outlet amount of the second fan unit are increased. Thus, when the fan wheel of the first fan unit operates abnormally and thus results in a low air-blowing efficiency, the fan wheel of the second fan unit compensates the shortage of air inlet amount resulting in abnormal operation of the fan wheel of the first fan unit by introducing air into the heat-dissipating module via the side air inlet. The air density distribution is uniform, and the noise during operation is reduced.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of this invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is an exploded perspective view of a conventional heat-dissipating module;
FIG. 2
is a perspective view of the conventional heat-dissipating module;
FIG. 3
is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a heat-dissipating module in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 4
is a perspective view of the heat-dissipating module in
FIG. 3
;
FIG. 5
is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the heat-dissipating module in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 6
is a perspective view of the heat-dissipating module in
FIG. 5
;
FIG. 7
is an exploded perspective view of a third embodiment of the heat-dissipating module in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 8
is a perspective view of the heat-dissipating module in
FIG. 7
;
FIG. 9
is an exploded perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the heat-dissipating module in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 10
is a perspective view of the beat-dissipating module in
FIG. 9
; and
FIG. 11
is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the heat-dissipating module in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Preferred embodiments of the present invention are now to be described hereinafter in detail, in which the same reference numerals are used in the preferred embodiments for the same parts as those in the prior art to avoid redundant description.
Referring to
FIGS. 3 and 4
, a first embodiment of a heat-dissipating module in accordance with the present invention includes a first fan unit
10
, a second fan unit
20
, connecting means for connecting first fan unit
10
and the second fan unit
20
, and at least one side air inlet
101
. The first fan unit
10
is located on the air inlet side and includes a casing
100
in which a fan wheel (not shown) is received. The second fan unit
20
is located on the air outlet side and includes a casing
200
in which a fan wheel
22
is received.
In this embodiment, the connecting means includes a plurality of engaging grooves
11
defined in the casing
100
of the first fan unit
10
and a plurality of engaging tabs
21
extending from the casing
200
of the second fan unit
20
for engaging with the engaging groove of the casing
100
of the first fan unit
10
, thereby serially connecting the first fan unit
10
and the second fan unit
20
.
At least one side air inlet
101
is defined between the first fan unit
10
and the second fan unit
20
after serial connection of the first fan unit
10
and the second fan unit
20
. In this embodiment, there are four side air inlets
101
respectively in the four sides of the heat-dissipating module, and each side air inlet
101
is a recess formed in one of two mutually facing end faces respectively of the casing
100
of the first fan unit
10
and the casing
200
of the second fan unit
20
. An air passage
12
in the heat-dissipating module is communicated with the outside via the side air inlets
101
. Thus, the amount of inlet air and the amount of the outlet air can be increased through provision of the side air inlets
101
. More specifically, when the first fan unit
10
operates abnormally and thus causes low air-blowing efficiency (i.e., the amount of air sucked by the first fan unit
10
into the heat-dissipating module is decreased), the fan wheel
22
of the second fan unit
20
compensates the shortage of air supposed to be provided by the first fan unit
10
through the side inlets
101
. Also, the air sucked into the heat-dissipating module through the side inlets
101
compensates the temporarily existing zone with non-uniform air density distribution resulting from the difference between the amount of air driven by the first fan unit
10
and the amount of air blown by the second fan unit
20
.
The heat-dissipating module in accordance with the present invention may include at least one stationary blade
30
for guiding air current and for increasing the wind pressure. The stationary blade
30
may be provided on the air inlet side or the air outlet side of the casing
100
of the first fan unit
10
. Alternatively, the stationary blade
30
is provided on the air inlet side or the air outlet side of the casing
200
of the second fan unit
20
.
FIGS. 5 and 6
illustrate a second embodiment of the heat-dissipating module in accordance with the present invention, wherein the second fan unit
20
includes four recesses
201
in the end face of the casing
200
of the second fan unit
20
that face and communicate with the recess of the casing
100
of the first fan unit
10
. This increases the area for introducing ambient air into the heat-dissipating module. Namely, the side air inlets
101
and
201
are larger. The amount of air introduced into the heat-dissipating module is increased accordingly.
FIGS. 7 and 8
illustrate a third embodiment of the heat-dissipating module in accordance with the present invention, wherein each engaging tab
21
of the second fan unit
20
includes a spacing portion
211
(in the form of a thickened portion in this embodiment). Thus, when the first fan unit
10
and the second fan unit
20
are serially connected, the spacing portions
211
of the engaging tabs
21
allow the second fan unit
20
to be spaced apart from the first fan unit
10
, thereby forming four side air inlets
101
′. The side air inlets
101
′ increase the air input amount and the air output amount of the second fan unit
20
without modifying the basic designs of the casings
100
and
200
of the first and second fan units
10
and
20
.
FIGS. 9 and 10
illustrate a fourth embodiment of the invention, wherein the connecting means in this embodiment includes a plurality of spacers
41
and a plurality of fasteners
40
such as bolts. Each fastener
40
is extended through a respectively through-hole
23
in the second fan unit
20
and a respective spacer
41
into a respective screw hole
13
of the first fan unit
10
, thereby serially connecting the first fan unit
10
and the second fan unit
20
together. Further, the spacers
41
allow the first fan unit
10
and the second fan unit
20
to be spaced apart from each other, thereby forming at least one side air inlet
101
′ between the mutually facing end faces respectively of the first fan unit
10
and the second fan unit
20
. The side air inlets
101
′ increase the air input amount and the air output amount of the second fan unit
20
without modifying the basic designs of the casings
100
and
200
of the first and second fan units
10
and
20
.
The first fan unit
10
, the spacers
41
, and the second fan unit
20
can be integrally formed with one another by injection molding without the need of the fasteners
40
.
FIG. 11
illustrates a fifth embodiment of the invention, wherein a third fan unit
50
is serially connected to the first fan unit
10
at the air inlet side of the first fan unit
10
, with at least one side air inlet
501
being formed between two mutually facing end faces of the first fan unit
10
and the third fan unit
50
. Alternatively, the third fan unit
50
can be serially connected to the second fan unit
20
at the air outlet side of the second fan unit
20
. It is noted that the engaging grooves
11
and the engaging tabs
211
of
FIG. 3
, the engaging grooves
11
and the engaging tabs
21
of the type having a spacing portion
21
of
FIG. 7
, and the fasteners
40
and spacers
41
of
FIG. 9
can be used in this embodiment. Further, the connecting means may include a board
60
on which the casings
100
,
200
, and
500
respectively of the first fan unit
10
, the second fan unit
20
, and the third fan unit
50
are fixed (e.g., by bonding, snapping, screwing, welding, etc.). The three fan units
10
,
20
, and
50
can be thus serially fixed on the board
60
and spaced apart from one another to directly form at least one side air inlet
101
,
501
between two adjacent fan units
10
and
20
;
10
and
50
. Thus, the air input amount and the air output amount of the first fan unit
10
are increased by the side air inlets
501
, and the air input amount and the air output amount of the second fan unit
20
are increased by the side air inlets
101
. The basic designs of the first fan unit
10
and the second fan unit
20
are not affected.
The air input amount of the heat-dissipating module in accordance with the present invention is increased, and the overall heat-dissipating efficiency is improved. Further, the noise generated during operation of the heat-dissipating module is reduced.
While the principles of this invention have been disclosed in connection with specific embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that these descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, and that any modification and variation without departing the spirit of the invention is intended to be covered by the scope of this invention defined only by the appended claims.
Claims
- 1. A heat-dissipating module, comprising:a first fan unit located on an air inlet side, said first fan unit including a casing; a second fan unit located on an air outlet side, said second fan unit including a casing and a fan wheel received in the casing of said second fan unit; and connecting means for connecting said first fan unit and said second fan unit in a serial manner; at least one side air inlet being defined between said casing of said first fan unit and said casing of said second fan unit for increasing an air inlet amount and an air outlet amount of said second fan unit, and wherein said at least one side air inlet is defined in one of two mutually facing end faces respectively of said casing of said first fan unit and said casing of said second fan unit.
- 2. The heat-dissipating module as claimed in claim 1, further including at least one stationary blade for guiding an air current and increasing wind pressure, said at least one stationary blade being provided on one of an air inlet side and an air outlet side of said first fan unit.
- 3. The heat-dissipating module as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connecting means include a plurality of engaging grooves defined in said first fan unit and a plurality of engaging tabs formed on said second fan unit.
- 4. The heat-dissipating module as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connecting means includes a board on which said casing of said first fan unit and said casing of said second fan unit are serially, securely fixed, said first fan unit and said second fan unit being spaced apart from each other to thereby define said at least one side air inlet.
- 5. The heat-dissipating module as claimed in claim 1, further including a further fan unit serially connected to one of an air inlet side of said first fan unit and an air outlet side of said second fan unit.
- 6. A heat-dissipating module comprising,a first fan unit located on an air inlet side, said first fan unit including a casing; a second fan unit located on an air outlet side, said second fan unit including a casing and a fan wheel received in the casing of said second fan unit; and connecting means for connecting said first fan unit and said second fan unit in a serial manner; at least one side air inlet being defined between said casing of said first fan unit and said casing of said second fan unit for increasing an air inlet amount and an air outlet amount of said second fan unit, wherein said at least one side air inlet is defined in each of two mutually facing end faces respectively of said casing of said first fan unit and said casing of said second fan unit.
- 7. A heat-dissipating module comprising,a first fan unit located on an air inlet side, said first fan unit including a casing; a second fan unit located on an air outlet side, said second fan unit including a casing and a fan wheel received in the casing of said second fan unit; and connecting means for connecting said first fan unit and said second fan unit in a serial manner; at least one side air inlet being defined between said casing of said first fan unit and said casing of said second fan unit for increasing an air inlet amount and an air outlet amount of said second fan unit, wherein said connecting means include a plurality of engaging grooves defined in said first fan unit and a plurality of engaging tabs formed on said second fan unit, and wherein each said engaging tab includes a spacing portion, allowing said first fan unit and said second fan unit to be spaced apart from each other, thereby forming said at least one said air inlet when said engaging tabs are engaged with said engaging grooves.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
92113404 A |
May 2003 |
TW |
|
US Referenced Citations (10)