BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous objects, features and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference number throughout the several figures designates a like or similar element.
FIG. 1 depicts a rear perspective view of an information handling system having a shroud coupled to a motherboard heat sink connector to redirect cooling airflow from a fan towards a processing component heat sink;
FIG. 2 depicts a front perspective view of an information handling system having a shroud coupled to a motherboard heat sink connector to redirect cooling airflow from a fan towards a processing component heat sink;
FIG. 3 depicts a front perspective view of a shroud that redirects cooling airflow for an information handling system; and
FIG. 4 depicts a side view of an information handling system having a shroud positioned over an unpopulated CPU socket to redirect cooling airflow to substantially the height of a RAM heat sink.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A shroud positioned over an unpopulated motherboard position in an information handling system provides improved cooling airflow by redirecting the cooling airflow towards a populated motherboard position. For purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personal computer, a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The information handling system may include random access memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, ROM, and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the information handling system may include one or more disk drives, one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a rear perspective view depicts an information handling system 10 having a shroud 12 coupled to a motherboard 14 heat sink connector to redirect cooling airflow from a fan 16 towards a processing component heat sink. A chassis 18 contains motherboard 14, which has a plurality of connectors to couple with processing components for processing information, such as a CPU 20, RAM 22, a disk drive 24 and various daughter cards, such as a graphics card. The processing components cooperate by communication through motherboard 14 to process information. During operation of information handling system 10, the processing components produce heat as a byproduct. The heat is removed by blowing a cooling airflow from a fan 16 across the processing components to an exit on the back side of information handling system 10. Heat sinks 28, depicted with dotted lines, are placed over the processing components to help draw heat from the processing components and into the cooling airflow. Cooling airflow from fan 16 is directed across one or more processing components with a shroud 12 having a nozzle-shape. Shroud 12 couples to motherboard 14 over the position of a motherboard connector that is not populated by a processing component. In the example embodiment depicted by FIG. 1, shroud 12 couples over a CPU socket 26 to redirect cooling airflow towards RAM 22.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a front perspective view depicts an information handling system 10 having a shroud 12 coupled to a motherboard 14 heat sink connector to redirect cooling airflow from a fan 16 towards a processing component heat sink, such as heat sink 28 for RAM 22. Shroud 12 couples over CPU socket connector 26 with a form factor and attachment device of a heat sink 28. An inlet 30 proximate fan 16 accepts cooling airflow and a channel within shroud 12 directs the cooling airflow to an exhaust 32. Exhaust 32 directs the cooling airflow at fins formed in heat sink 28 over RAM 22 to provide improved heat transfer efficiency. Shroud 12 replaces the heat sink that would position over a CPU socket 26 where, in a multi-CPU system, only a single CPU populates motherboard 14. By redirecting airflow from fan 16 with a shroud 12 having a form factor of a heat sink 28, the improvement in heat exchange is provided with minimal disruption to the designed airflow.
Referring now to FIG. 3, a front perspective view depicts a shroud that redirects cooling airflow for an information handling system. Shroud 12 has a housing 34 formed to define a channel 36, such as with a plastic material. An inlet 30 has a surface area substantially similar to that of a heat sink to accept cooling airflow in a manner similar to that designed for the heat sink. Channel 36 focuses the airflow from inlet 30 with a nozzle-like form to exhaust 32, which has a smaller area than inlet 30. The nozzle-shape of channel 36 accelerates cooling airflow at exhaust 32 to provide improved heat exchange for processing components disposed proximate exhaust 32. Shroud 12 has a shroud attachment device 38 that mimics the attachment device of a heat sink so that shroud 12 couples to motherboard 14 with the heat sink connectors 40 present in motherboard 14 to accept the heat sink. Toolless connection of shroud 12 to heat sink connectors 40 provides ease of assembly and ease of replacement if a CPU is subsequently placed in socket 26.
Referring now to FIG. 4, a side view depicts an information handling system 10 having a shroud 12 positioned over an unpopulated CPU socket to redirect cooling airflow to substantially the height of a RAM heat sink 28. The nozzle form of shroud 12 concentrates the cooling airflow at exhaust 32 to provide increased airflow velocity. The momentum of the cooling airflow as it leaves exhaust 32 carries the cooling air to heat sink 28 at substantially the same height as heat sink 28, thus improving cooling airflow through the channels built in heat sink 28. In alternative embodiments, shroud 12 can channel cooling airflow to a variety of processing components, such as a CPU, graphics card or hard disk drive.
Although the present invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Patent Application
20080068796
