Heat dissipation apparatus and fan frame thereof
A heat dissipation apparatus. A fan frame accommodates an impeller therein and includes an air inlet, an air outlet, and a passage for guiding airflow from the air inlet to the air outlet. An inner peripheral wall of the passage radially and outwardly extends a smooth curved expansion portion at the air outlet. The curved expansion portion includes a recess in which the airflow forms an airflow layer, stopping subsequent airflow from directly contacting the inner peripheral wall of the passage.
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The invention relates to a heat dissipation apparatus and a fan frame thereof, and in particular to a fan and a fan frame providing reduced noise.
As performance of electronic devices is promoted, heat dissipation apparatuses or systems are indispensable and thus used in the electronic devices. If heat generated by an electronic device is not efficiently dissipated, performance of the electronic device may deteriorate or the electronic device may be damaged.
Fans serve widely as heat dissipation apparatuses.
Conventionally, when airflow passes through the air outlet 114, the airflow directly contacts the periphery of the inner wall of the central passage 116 (as shown in
Hence, the invention provides a heat dissipation apparatus (a fan) and a frame thereof. The fan and fan frame has a smooth curved expansion portion capable of reducing noise generated by friction between airflow and the inner peripheral wall of the passage, stabilizing and concentrating the airflow, and enhancing performance of the fan. Moreover, the inner peripheral wall of the fan frame outwardly extends, increasing areas of air flow intake or discharge, concentrating the airflow, and enhancing performance of the fan. Further, the fan is easily applied to a heat dissipation system or any other electronic devices which generate heat by assembling without modifying arrangement of the system.
An embodiment of the invention provides a fan frame for a heat dissipation apparatus. The fan frame comprises a casing having a passage for guiding airflow from one opening to another opening. An inner peripheral wall of the passage radially and outwardly extends a smooth curved expansion portion at either one or both openings. The curved expansion portion further comprises a recess in which the airflow forms an airflow layer, stopping subsequent airflow from directly contacting the inner peripheral wall of the passage. The curved expansion portion is radially and outwardly extended out of the casing and is symmetrical with respect to an axis of the passage. Further, the curved expansion portion at either one or both openings has a tapered angle, a bevel angle, a tapered bevel angle, or a large R angle.
An inner peripheral wall of the passage radially and outwardly extends at the air inlet and is symmetrical with respect to the axis of the passage. Alternatively, an inner peripheral wall of the passage at the air inlet is radially and outwardly extended out of the casing and is symmetrical with respect to the axis of the passage. Alternatively, the inner peripheral wall of the passage at the air inlet radially and outwardly extends out of the casing in a circular or elliptical shape and is symmetrical with respect to the axis of the passage. The inner peripheral wall of the passage at the air inlet has a tapered angle, a bevel angle, a tapered bevel angle, or a large R angle with respect to the axis of the passage.
Another embodiment of the invention provides a heat dissipation apparatus comprising an impeller and a fan frame. The fan frame accommodates the impeller therein and comprises a passage for guiding airflow from one opening to another opening. An inner peripheral wall of the passage radially and outwardly extends a smooth curved expansion portion at either one or both openings. The curved expansion portion further comprises a recess in which the airflow forms an airflow layer so as to stop subsequent airflow from directly contacting the inner peripheral wall of the passage. The curved expansion portion is symmetrical with respect to the axis of the passage. Alternatively, the curved expansion portion is radially and outwardly extended out of the fan frame and is symmetrical with respect to the axis of the passage. The curved expansion portion at least one of the openings has a tapered angle, a bevel angle, a tapered bevel angle, or a large R angle.
The heat dissipation apparatus comprises an axial flow fan. The length of blades of the impeller is increased corresponding to the radially and outwardly extended curved expansion portion. The heat dissipation apparatus further comprises a motor base disposed in the fan frame. The impeller is disposed on the motor base. The motor base comprises a slope inclined radially, thereby increasing areas of air flow intake or discharge, and the slope is flat or curved. The fan frame is substantially rectangular, circular, elliptical, or rhomboid.
Still another embodiment of the invention provides a heat dissipation system comprising a system housing, at least one electronic device, and a heat dissipation apparatus. The electronic device is disposed in the system housing. The heat dissipation apparatus is applied to the system housing for dissipating heat generated by the electronic device during operation. The heat dissipation apparatus comprises an impeller and a fan frame accommodating the impeller. The fan frame comprises a passage for guiding airflow from one opening to another opening. An inner peripheral wall of the passage radially and outwardly extends a smooth curved expansion portion at either one or both openings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Referring both to
The fan frame 21 accommodates the impeller 22 therein, and the motor base 26 is disposed in the fan frame 21. The impeller 22 is disposed on the motor base 26. When the fan 2 operates, a motor 23 disposed on the motor base 26 activates the impeller 22 so as to provide airflow to an electronic device (not shown) and dissipating the heat generated by the electronic device.
Referring to
The curved expansion portion F is symmetrical with respect to the axis of the passage 216. Also, another curved expansion portion is radially and outwardly extended from the inner peripheral wall of the passage 216 at the air inlet 212. Moreover, the length of blades of the impeller 22 matches the fan frame 21 and is increased corresponding to the radially and outwardly extended curved expansion portion F so as to increase air volume. Preferably, the curved expansion portion F at the air outlet 214 may be formed with a tapered angle 219a (
Additionally, the inner peripheral wall of the fan frame 21 at the air inlet 212 may be formed with a bevel angle 219b (
Moreover, the curved expansion portion F may be radially and outwardly extended out of the fan frame 21 with respect to the axis of the passage 216 so as to increase the area through which the airflow passes.
In practical application, the heat dissipation apparatus 2 can be applied to a heat dissipation system 5 which includes a system housing 3 and multiple electronic devices, as shown in
In conclusion, the fans (heat dissipation apparatus) and fan frame of the present invention provide curved expansion portions capable of reducing noise from friction between airflow and the frame wall, thereby stabilizing the airflow, and thus enhancing performance of the fans. Moreover, without interfering with other heat dissipation devices originally disposed in the fans, the inner peripheral walls of the fan frames outwardly extend to increase the area through which the airflow passes, thereby enhancing heat dissipation of the fans. Further, the fan is easily applied to a heat dissipation system or any other electronic devices which generate heat by assembling without modifying arrangement of the system.
While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.
Claims
1. A fan frame for a heat dissipation apparatus, comprising:
- a casing comprising a passage for guiding airflow from one opening to another opening, wherein the casing further comprises a smooth curved expansion portion being radially and outwardly extended from an inner peripheral wall of the passage at either one or both openings.
2. The fan frame as claimed in claim 1, wherein the curved expansion portion further comprises a recess in which the airflow forms an airflow layer, stopping subsequent airflow from directly contacting the inner peripheral wall of the passage.
3. The fan frame as claimed in claim 1, wherein the openings are an air inlet and an air outlet, and the smooth curved expansion portion is radially and outwardly extended from the inner peripheral wall of the passage at the air outlet.
4. The fan frame as claimed in claim 3, wherein the curved expansion portion at the air outlet is radially and outwardly extended out of the casing and is symmetrical with respect to an axis of the passage.
5. The fan frame as claimed in claim 3, wherein the curved expansion portion at the air outlet has a tapered angle, a bevel angle, a tapered bevel angle, or a large R angle.
6. The fan frame as claimed in claim 3, wherein the casing further comprises another smooth curved expansion portion, being radially and outwardly extended from the inner peripheral wall of the passage at the air inlet, which is symmetrical with respect to an axis of the passage.
7. The fan frame as claimed in claim 3, wherein the smooth curved expansion portion is radially and outwardly extended out of the casing from the inner peripheral wall of the passage at the air inlet and is symmetrical with respect to an axis of the passage.
8. The fan frame as claimed in claim 3, wherein the smooth curved expansion portion is radially and outwardly extended from the inner peripheral wall of the passage at the air inlet in a circular or elliptical shape with respect to an axis of the passage.
9. The fan frame as claimed in claim 3, wherein the inner peripheral wall of the passage at the air inlet has a tapered angle, a bevel angle, a tapered bevel angle, or a large R angle and is symmetrical with respect to an axis of the passage.
10. A heat dissipation apparatus, comprising:
- an impeller; and
- a fan frame for accommodating the impeller therein and comprising a passage for guiding airflow from one opening to another opening, wherein the fan frame further comprises a smooth curved expansion portion being radially and outwardly extended from an inner peripheral wall of the passage at either one or both openings.
11. The heat dissipation apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the curved expansion portion further comprises a recess in which the airflow forms an airflow layer, stopping subsequent airflow from directly contacting the inner peripheral wall of the passage.
12. The heat dissipation apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the openings are an air inlet and an air outlet, and the smooth curved expansion portion is radially and outwardly extended from the inner peripheral wall of the passage at the air outlet.
13. The heat dissipation apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the length of blades of the impeller is increased corresponding to the radially and outwardly extended curved expansion portion.
14. The heat dissipation apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the heat dissipation apparatus is an axial flow fan.
15. The heat dissipation apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a motor base disposed in the fan frame, wherein the impeller is disposed on the motor base, and the motor base comprises a slope inclined radially, thereby increasing areas of air flow intake or discharge.
16. The heat dissipation apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the slope is flat or curved.
17. A heat dissipation system, comprising:
- a system housing;
- at least one electronic device, disposed in the system housing; and
- a heat dissipation apparatus applied to the system housing for dissipating heat generated by the electronic device, wherein the heat dissipation apparatus comprises an impeller and a fan frame for accommodating the impeller therein, the fan frame comprises a passage for guiding airflow from one opening to another opening, and the fan frame further comprises a smooth curved expansion portion being radially and outwardly extended from an inner peripheral wall of the passage at either one or both openings.
18. The heat dissipation system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the curved expansion portion further comprises a recess in which the airflow forms an airflow layer, stopping subsequent airflow from directly contacting the inner peripheral wall of the passage.
19. The heat dissipation system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the openings are an air inlet and an air outlet, and the casing further comprises a smooth curved expansion portion being radially and outwardly extended from the inner peripheral wall of the passage at the air outlet.
20. The heat dissipation system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the curved expansion portion at the air outlet has a tapered angle, a bevel angle, a tapered bevel angle, or a large R angle.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 21, 2005
Publication Date: Nov 16, 2006
Applicant:
Inventors: Shih-Hua Ho (Taoyuan Hsien), Hao-Ming Chen (Taoyuan Hsien), Tsung-Yu Lei (Taoyuan Hsien), Wen-Shi Huang (Taoyuan Hsien)
Application Number: 11/230,450
International Classification: F04D 19/00 (20060101);