HEAT DISSIPATION DEVICE

Abstract

An exemplary heat dissipation device includes a fan, a fin unit, and a mounting frame connected the fan and the fin unit together. The fan includes a casing and an impeller received in the casing. The casing defines an air outlet at one side thereof. The fin unit is arranged at the air outlet of the fan. The mounting frame connects the fan and the fin unit together. The mounting frame includes a supporting member for supporting the fan thereon and a connecting member substantially covering three sides of the fin unit and connected to the supporting member. The fan is pivotably connected to the mounting frame.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The disclosure generally relates to device cooling, and more particularly to a heat dissipation device incorporating a mounting frame for assembling a fin unit and a fan together before the heat dissipation device is attached to a heat-generating component.

2. Description of Related Art

As a result of the higher frequencies and faster operation of modern electronic components, the amount of heat generated by such components is commensurately high. If the heat generated in a modern electronic device is not quickly dissipated, the components may overheat, and the operation and stability of the electronic device may be adversely affected.

In order to remove heat from heat-generating components, heat dissipation devices are often provided. A typical heat dissipation device includes a fan, a fin unit, a heat pipe, and a heat absorption plate. The heat absorption plate contacts a heat-generating component to absorb heat generated therefrom. The fan is arranged away from the heat-generating component, and the fin unit is mounted at an air outlet of the fan. The heat pipe is thermally connected between the heat absorption plate and the fin unit, for the timely transfer of heat from the heat absorption plate to the fin unit for dissipation.

When the heat dissipation device is attached to the heat-generating component, each of the heat absorption plate, the fan and the fin unit needs to be fixed to predetermined positions of the electronic device one by one. This makes assembly and installation of the heat dissipation device complicated. In addition, different locking devices and a number of fasteners are needed for respectively mounting the heat absorption plate, the fan, and the fin unit in the electronic device. Thus, the heat dissipation device has a large size and occupies a large internal space of the electronic device. This runs against the trend to make lightweight and miniaturized electronic devices.

What is desired, therefore, is a heat dissipation device which can overcome the described limitations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric, partially exploded view of a heat dissipation device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the heat dissipation device includes a fan, a mounting frame and a fin unit.

FIG. 2 is an assembled view of the heat dissipation device of FIG. 1, wherein the fan is rotatably connected the mounting frame and free to pivot.

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2, but showing the fan fixed in position on the mounting frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made to the figures to describe the present heat dissipation device in detail.

Referring to FIG. 1, a heat dissipation device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a fin unit 10, a fan 20, a heat absorption plate 30, a mounting frame 40 and three heat pipes 50.

Each of the heat pipes 50 is substantially U-shaped, and includes an evaporating section 51, a condensing section 52 substantially parallel to the evaporating section 51 and an adiabatic section 53 connected between the evaporating section 51 and the condensing section 52. The heat pipes 50 have round cross-sections, except that the evaporating sections 51 of the heat pipes 50 are flattened somewhat. In alternative embodiments, the number of heat pipes 50 can vary according to different requirements.

The fin unit 10 includes a number of plated fins 11 stacked together. The fin unit 10 overall is rectangular shaped, and defines three through holes 13 for respectively receiving the condensing sections 52 of the heat pipes 50. Each of the through holes 13 extends horizontally along a length of the series of fins 11. An elongated cutout 15 is defined in a bottom end of the fin unit 10. The cutout 15 extends horizontally along the length of the series of fins 11, and is parallel to the through holes 13.

The fan 20 is a centrifugal fan, and includes a casing 22 and an impeller 24 received in the casing 22. The casing 22 includes a bottom plate 221, an opposite top plate 222 and a volute side plate 223 connected between the bottom plate 221 and the top plate 222. The bottom plate 221, the top plate 222 and the side plate 223 cooperatively define a space (not shown) receiving the impeller 24. Each of the bottom plate 221 and the top plate 222 defines an air inlet 23 at a central portion thereof. A substantially rectangular air outlet 25 is defined in one side of the side plate 223. Two pivot pins 26 extend perpendicularly outward in opposite directions from a top end of the side plate 223 at two opposite sides of the air outlet 25, respectively. A mounting tab 27 extends outward from one end of the bottom plate 221 that is far away from the air outlet 25. The mounting tab 27 defines a mounting hole 270 in a central portion thereof.

The mounting frame 40 includes a supporting member 42 and a connecting member 43. The supporting member 42 includes a substantially rectangular heat absorption plate 421, four mounting arms 422 extending outward from four corners of the heat absorption plate 421, and a supporting arm 425 connected between two neighboring mounting arms 422. Each of the mounting arms 422 defines a circular hole 420 at a distal end thereof. The supporting arm 425 is U-shaped, and includes two first bar frames 423 respectively extended from the two mounting arms 422, and a second bar frame 424 connected between distal ends of the first bar frames 423. A distance between the two first bar frames 423 is slightly smaller than a width of the fan 20. The second bar frame 424 is longer than the air outlet 25 of the fan 20. The second bar frame 424 defines two locating holes 426 at two opposite ends thereof.

A mounting ring 427 extends upward from a top surface of the heat absorption plate 421. The mounting ring 427 defines a central hole 428 along an axis thereof. A recess 429 is defined in a bottom surface of the heat absorption plate 421 for receiving the evaporating sections 52 of the heat pipes 50 therein. A depth of the recess 429 is substantially equal to a thickness of each of the evaporating sections 52, and a width of the recess 429 is substantially equal to a sum of the widths of the evaporating sections 52 of the three heat pipes 50. Thus, the evaporating sections 52 of the heat pipes 50 can be embedded in the recess 429 of the heat absorption plate 421 side by side, with bottom sides of the heat pipes 50 coplanar with the bottom surface of the heat absorption plate 421.

The connecting member 43 overall is U-shaped, and includes an elongated horizontal wall 431, two vertical walls 432 respectively extending downward from two opposite ends of the horizontal wall 431, two flanges 436 respectively extending aslant from rear sides of the vertical walls 432, and two tabs 435 respectively extending horizontally outwardly from bottom ends of the vertical walls 432. The horizontal wall 431 has a width substantially equal to that of the fin unit 10. Each of the vertical walls 432 has height substantially equal to that of the fin unit 10, and defines three retaining holes 430 corresponding to the three through holes 13 of the fin unit 10. The horizontal wall 431 and the vertical walls 432 cooperatively define a receiving room for receiving the fin unit 10 therein. A pivot hole 437 is defined in a top end of each of the vertical walls 432. The pivot holes 437 respectively correspond to the pivot pins 26 of the fan 20. The two flanges 436 extend divergently from the vertical walls 432, such that a front of the fan 20 can easily be installed into the connecting member 43 when the front of the fan 20 passes between the two flanges 436. Once the front of the fan 20 is received in the connecting member 43, the pivot pins 26 are aligned with and become movably engaged in the pivot holes 437. Each of the tabs 439 defines a mounting hole 439 therein.

Referring to FIG. 2, before the heat dissipation device 100 is assembled to an electronic device, the fan 20, the fin unit 10 and the heat pipes 50 are assembled together by the mounting frame 40. The fin unit 10 is arranged on the supporting member 42, with the second bar frame 425 of the supporting arm 42 received in the cutout 15 of the fin unit 10. The connecting member 43 abuttingly covers the fin unit 10, wherein the horizontal wall 431 abuts a top surface of the fin unit 10. The vertical walls 432 respectively abut two outmost fins 11 of the fin unit 10, and the mounting holes 439 of the two tabs 439 are respectively aligned with the locating holes 426 of the second bar frame 424. Two fasteners 45 extend through the mounting holes 439 and screw onto the locating holes 426, to connect the connecting member 43 and the supporting member 42 together. Thus, the fin unit 10 is fixed on the supporting member 42 with the connecting member 43.

Each of the heat pipes 50 is connected between the heat absorption plate 421 and the fin unit 10. In particular, the condensation section 51 of each heat pipe 50 extends through corresponding retaining holes 430 is interference fitted in a corresponding through hole 13, and the evaporating section 52 is interference fitted in the recess 429. Alternatively, solder can be added between the condensation sections 51 of the heat pipes 50 and the fin unit 10, and/or between the evaporating sections 52 of the heat pipes 50 and the heat absorption plate 421, to affix the heat pipes 50, the fin unit 10, and the mounting frame 40 together.

The fan 20 is then arranged on the supporting arm 425, with the air outlet 25 adjacent to the fin unit 10. The bottom plate 221 of the fan 20 is supported by the first bar frames 423 of the supporting arm 425. The pivot pins 26 of the fan 20 are pivotably received in the pivot holes 437 of the vertical walls 432 of the connecting member 43, respectively, such that the fan 20 is movably assembled to the mounting frame 40. In this condition, the fan 20 is rotatable between a first state where the mounting tab 27 is spaced apart from the mounting ring 427 (FIG. 2) and a second state where the mounting tab 27 contacts the mounting ring 427 (FIG. 3). When the fan 20 is in the first state, the first bar frames 423 and the two corresponding mounting arms 422 are exposed. When the fan 20 is in the second state, the fan 20 covers the first bar frames 423 and the two mounting arms 422, and the mounting hole 270 is aligned with the central hole 428.

When the heat dissipation device 100 is fixed in an electronic device for dissipating heat from a heat-generating component 30 received in the electronic device, the evaporating sections 52 of the heat pipes 50 and the bottom surface of the heat absorption plate 421 directly contact the heat-generating component 30. The fan 20 is first rotated upward to the first state to expose the two mounting arms 422 which connect the supporting arm 425. A number of fasteners 45 are respectively extended through the circular holes 420 of the mounting arms 422, and are further screwed onto a printed circuit board that supports the heat-generating component 30 thereon. Thereby, the mounting frame 40 is fixed on the heat-generating component 30. Then the fan 20 is rotated downward to the second state, with the mounting hole 270 becoming aligned with the central hole 428 of the mounting ring 427. An elastic mounting element 46 is extended through the mounting hole 270 of the mounting tab 27 and screwed into the central hole 428 of the mounting ring 427, to fix the fan 20 on the mounting frame 40.

In the present heat dissipation device 100, the fan 20, the fin unit 10 and the heat pipes 30 are assembled together with the mounting frame 40 before the heat dissipation device 100 is attached to the heat-generating component 30. Thus, extra locking devices for respectively mounting the fan 30 and the fin unit 10 in predetermined positions of the electronic device are not needed. This reduces a manufacturing cost of the heat dissipation device 100, and allows assembly of the fin unit 10 and the fan 20 to be simple and convenient. In addition, the fan 20 pivotably connects to the mounting frame 40 before the heat dissipation device 100 is attached to the heat-generating component 30. Therefore the fan 20 can first be rotated upward for mounting the mounting arms 422 on the printed circuit board conveniently, and then rotated downward to overlap the supporting arm 425 and the two mounting arms 422 that connect the supporting arm 422. With this configuration and arrangement, a total size of the heat dissipation device 100 can be smaller. Therefore, the heat dissipation device 100 is suitable for lightweight and miniaturized electronic devices.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

1. A heat dissipation device, comprising:

a fan comprising a casing and an impeller received in the casing, the casing defining an air outlet at one side thereof;

a fin unit arranged at the air outlet of the fan; and

a mounting frame connected the fan and the fin unit together, the mounting frame comprising a supporting member for supporting the fan thereon and a connecting member substantially covering three sides of the fin unit and connected to the supporting member, the fan pivotably connected to the mounting frame.

2. The heat dissipation device of claim 1, wherein one of the fan and the mounting frame comprises a plurality of pivot pins thereof, and the other one of the fan and mounting frame defines a plurality of pivot holes corresponding to the pivot pins therein.

3. The heat dissipation device of claim 2, wherein the pivot pins extend outward from the casing, and the pivot holes are defined in the connecting member.

4. The heat dissipation device of claim 3, wherein the connecting member comprises two vertical walls abutting two opposite sides of the fin unit, the pivot pins comprising two in number and arranged at two opposite sides of the air outlet, respectively, the pivot holes being defined in the vertical walls, respectively.

5. The heat dissipation device of claim 4, wherein a plurality of tabs depend outward from the vertical walls and connect the supporting member.

6. The heat dissipation device of claim 3, wherein the connecting member further comprises a horizontal wall connected between the vertical walls and abutting another side of the fin unit.

7. The heat dissipation device of claim 3, wherein the fan comprises a mounting tab extending outward from one end of the casing that is far way from the air outlet, the mounting tab being configured to connect the supporting member.

8. The heat dissipation device of claim 1, wherein the supporting member comprises a heat absorption plate, a plurality of mounting arms extending outward from the heat absorption plate and a supporting arm connected two of the mounting arms, the fan being arranged on the supporting arm, one side of the fan that is far away from the pivot pins connected the supporting member.

9. The heat dissipation device of claim 8, wherein the supporting arm comprises two first bar frames extending outward from the two of the mounting arms, respectively, and a second bar frame connected between the first bar frames, the connecting member connected the second bar frame.

10. The heat dissipation device of claim 9, wherein the fin unit defines a cutout in a bottom end thereof for receiving a part of the second bar frame therein.

11. The heat dissipation device of claim 8, wherein the fan comprises a mounting tab extending outward from one end of the casing that is far away from the air outlet, the mounting tab defining a mounting hole therein, a central hole corresponding to the mounting hole being defined in the heat absorption plate.

12. The heat dissipation device of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of heat pipes each having one end connected the fin unit and another end received in a recess which is defined in a bottom surface of the heat absorption plate.

13. A heat dissipation device, comprising:

a fan comprising a casing and an impeller received in the casing, the casing defining an air outlet at a first side thereof and comprising a mounting tab at a second side thereof opposite to the first side;

a fin unit arranged at the air outlet of the fan; and

a mounting frame connecting the fan and the fin unit together, the mounting frame comprising a supporting member for supporting the fan thereon and a connecting member substantially covering three sides of the fin unit and connected to the supporting member;

wherein one of the fan and the mounting frame comprises a plurality of pivot pins thereof, and the other one of the fan and mounting frame defines a plurality of pivot holes corresponding to the pivot pins therein, the fan being rotatable between a first state where the mounting tab is spaced apart from the supporting member and a second state where the mounting tab substantially abuts the supporting member.

14. The heat dissipation device of claim 13, wherein the connecting member comprises two vertical walls abutting two opposite sides of the fin unit, the pivot pins comprising two in number and arranged at two opposite sides of the air outlet, respectively, the pivot holes being defined in the vertical walls, respectively.

15. The heat dissipation device of claim 14, wherein a plurality of tabs depend outward from the vertical walls and connect the supporting member.

16. The heat dissipation device of claim 14, wherein the connecting member further comprises a horizontal wall connected between the vertical walls and abutting another side of the fin unit.

17. The heat dissipation device of claim 13, wherein the supporting member comprises a heat absorption plate, a plurality of mounting arms extending outward from the heat absorption plate and a supporting arm connected two of the mounting arms, the fan being arranged on the supporting arm, the mounting tab being configured to connect the heat absorption plate.

18. The heat dissipation device of claim 17, wherein the mounting tab defines a mounting hole therein, a central hole corresponding to the mounting hole being defined in the heat absorption plate.

19. The heat dissipation device of claim 17, wherein the supporting arm comprises two first bar frames extending outward from the two of the mounting arms, respectively, and a second bar frame connected between the first bar frames, the connecting member connected the second bar frame.

20. The heat dissipation device of claim 19, wherein the fin unit comprises a plurality of fins stacked together and defines a cutout in a bottom end thereof for receiving a part of the second bar frame therein, the cutout extending horizontally along a length of the series of fins.