Patents by Inventor Dana S. Royer

Dana S. Royer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Electrohydrodynamic airflow across a heat sink using a non-planar ion emitter array
    Patent number: 8807204
    Abstract: A system for cooling a heat generating device comprises a heat sink and a plurality of ion emitter elements that form an electrohydrodynamic (EHD) air flow device. The heat sink has a base disposed in thermal communication with a heat generating device, such as a processor. A plurality of heat sink fins is coupled to electrical ground to form ion collectors. Ion emitter elements are disposed in a non-planar pattern along first ends of the plurality of fins so that each ion emitter element is equidistant from the first end of a nearest fin. A power supply applies an electrical potential between the plurality of ion emitter elements and the plurality of fins to induce a flow of ions that cause airflow across the heat sink. It is preferable to have at least three ion emitter elements that are equidistant from each fin of the heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael S. June, Chunjian Ni, Dana S. Royer, Mark E. Steinke
  • ELECTROHYDRODYNAMIC AIRFLOW ACROSS A HEAT SINK USING A NON-PLANAR ION EMITTER ARRAY
    Publication number: 20120048529
    Abstract: A system for cooling a heat generating device comprises a heat sink and a plurality of ion emitter elements that form an electrohydrodynamic (EHD) air flow device. The heat sink has a base disposed in thermal communication with a heat generating device, such as a processor. A plurality of heat sink fins is coupled to electrical ground to form ion collectors. Ion emitter elements are disposed in a non-planar pattern along first ends of the plurality of fins so that each ion emitter element is equidistant from the first end of a nearest fin. A power supply applies an electrical potential between the plurality of ion emitter elements and the plurality of fins to induce a flow of ions that cause airflow across the heat sink. It is preferable to have at least three ion emitter elements that are equidistant from each fin of the heat sink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael S. June, Chunjian Ni, Dana S. Royer, Mark E. Steinke