HEAT DISSIPATING DEVICE AND FIXING BRACKET THEREOF

Abstract

A heat dissipating device includes a heat sink, a fan, and a fixing bracket. The fixing bracket includes a first fixing element and a second fixing element mounted to the first fixing element. An airflow opening is defined in each of the first and second fixing elements. A receiving space communicating with the airflow openings is bounded by the first and second fixing elements, to receive the heat sink. The first and second fixing elements are used to selectively mount the fan.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to heat dissipating devices, and particularly to a heat dissipating device having a fixing bracket.

2. Description of Related Art

Generally speaking, a heat dissipation device includes a heat sink and a fan to cool heat-generating components such as central processing units (CPUs). A fan is generally fixed on the heat sink via a fixing bracket. However, the fixing bracket can only accommodate the fan at a single position, which does not allow fixing the fan at other positions if needed to improve heat dissipation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a heat dissipating device, the heat dissipating device including a fixing bracket.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a circled portion II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a circled portion III of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an assembled, isometric view of the fixing bracket of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an assembled, isometric view of the heat dissipating device of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, an exemplary embodiment of a heat dissipating device 1 for an electronic element, such as a central processing unit (CPU), includes a heat sink 2 to be mounted on the CPU to absorb heat from the CPU, a fan 3, and a fixing bracket 4 to fix the fan 3 to the heat sink 2.

The fixing bracket 4 includes a first fixing element 10 and two second fixing elements 20 engaged with opposite sides of the first fixing element 10.

The first fixing element 10 includes a first base 12 and two panels 14 perpendicularly mounted on the first base 12 near two ends of the first base 12. A first accommodating space 16 is bounded by the first base 12 and the panels 14, for receiving the fan 3. Two bars 121 perpendicularly extend down from opposite sides of a bottom of the first base 12. A T-shaped sliding slot 1211 is horizontally defined in each bar 121. An airflow opening 122 is defined in a center of the first base 12, corresponding to the heat sink 2. A locking portion 142 projects inward from an upper portion of each panel 14. Two first ribs are mounted between each panel 14 and the first base 12, to reinforce the corresponding panel 14.

Each second fixing element 20 includes a second base 22 and three resilient latching elements 21. The second base 22 includes a first surface 222, a second surface 224 opposite to the first surface 222, and two lateral surfaces 226 connected between corresponding sides of the first and second surfaces 222, 224. An airflow opening 223 is defined in a center of the second base 22, extending through the first and second surfaces 222, 224. Two opposite horizontal sliding paths 227 are defined in upper portions of the first and second surfaces 222, 224, respectively; therefore, a T-shaped sliding portion 228 corresponding to the sliding slot 1211 of the first base 12 is formed on the second base 22, between the sliding paths 227. Three pairs of locking holes 225 are defined in the second base 22. Two of the three pairs of locking holes 225 are located at opposite sides of the airflow opening 223, the remaining pair is located below the airflow opening 223. A locking portion 2242 perpendicularly extends from a bottom of the second surface 224 of the second base 22.

Each latching element 21 is L-shaped, and includes a fixing portion 211 and a locating portion 212 perpendicularly extending from a first end of the fixing portion 211. A second rib 2112 is positioned between the fixing portion 211 and the locating portion 212 to reinforce the locating portion 211. A latching block 2114 perpendicularly extends from a second end opposite to the first end of the fixing portion 211, away from the locating portion 212. A pair of through holes 2121 corresponding to a corresponding pair of locking holes 225 of the second base is defined in the locating portion 212, located at opposite sides of the second rib 2112.

Referring to FIG. 4, in assembling the fixing bracket 4, each latching element 21 is mounted to the second base 22, via a pair of screws 50 extending through the pair of through holes 2121 of the latching element 21 to be engaged in the corresponding pair of locking holes 225 of the second base 22. Therefore, the latching elements 21 are fixed to the first surface 222 of the second base 22, with two latching elements 21 located at opposite sides of the airflow opening 223, and a latching element 21 located below the airflow opening 223. A second accommodating space 26 is bounded by the latching elements 21 and the second base 22, for receiving the fan 3. The second bases 22 are engaged in the corresponding sliding slots 1211 of the first base 12, via the sliding portions 228 of the second bases 22 sliding into the sliding slots 1211 of the first base 12. Therefore, the second fixing elements 20 are mounted to the first fixing element 10. A receiving space 40 is bounded by the first base 12 of the first fixing element 10 and the two second bases 22 of the two fixing elements 20. The locking portions 2242 of the two fixing elements 20 are oppositely set to fix the heat sink 2.

Referring to FIG. 5, in assembling the heat sink 2, the second bases 22 are deformed away from each other, the heat sink 2 is placed in the receiving space 40 of the fixing bracket 4. The second bases 22 are released to restore towards each other, to sandwich the heat sink 2 therebetween. The locking portion 2242 of the two second bases 22 respectively resiliently resist against two sides of a bottom of the heat sink 2. Therefore, the heat sink 2 can be fixed to the fixing bracket 4 conveniently.

The fan 3 can be fixed to the first fixing element 10 or each of the second fixing elements 20. Fixing modes of the first fixing element 10 and each of the second fixing elements 20 are the same. The fan 3 fixed to a second fixing element 20 is described as an example. The latching elements 21 at opposite sides of the airflow opening 223 are deformed away from each other, the fan 3 is placed in the second accommodating space 26, and supported on the latching element 21 below the airflow opening 223. The latching elements 21 are released to restore towards each other. The latching blocks 2114 of the latching elements 21 respectively resiliently resist against edges of a surface of the fan 3 opposite to the airflow opening 223. Therefore, the fan 3 is fixed to the second fixing element 20.

In use, heat absorbed by the heat sink 2 can be removed by the fan 40 through the airflow openings 223 of the second bases 22. In other embodiments, the fan 3 can bring air flow to the heat sink 10 through the airflow openings 223 of the second bases 22 of the second fixing element 20.

In disassembling the fan 3 from the fixing bracket 4, the latching elements 21 of the fixing bracket 4 are deformed away from each other, with the latching blocks 2114 of the latching elements 21 respectively departing from the side surfaces of the fan 3. Therefore, the fan 3 can be conveniently removed from the second accommodating space 26 of the fixing bracket 4.

In disassembling the heat sink 2 from the fixing bracket 4, the two second bases 22 of the fixing bracket 4 are deformed away from each other, with the locking portions 2242 of the two second bases 22 respectively disengaging from the bottom of the heat sink 2. Therefore, the heat sink 2 can be conveniently removed from the receiving space 40 of the fixing bracket 4.

In one embodiment, the second fixing elements 20 can be moved relative to the first fixing element 10. Therefore, the fan 3 can be fixed to other positions of the fixing bracket 4.

In other embodiments, the sliding slot 1211 of the first fixing element 10 can be omitted, therefore, the two second fixing elements 20 are fixedly mounted to the opposite sides of the first base 12. The latching elements 21 can be other shapes, where the fixing mode for fixing the latching elements 21 to the second bases 22 can be changed according to shapes of the latching elements 21. The latching elements 21 can be shaped to fix on the second bases 22 to fix the fan 3 on the second bases 22. The number of the latching elements 21 can be changed. The latching elements 21 can also be omitted, and the fan 3 fixed to the second bases 22 or the first base 12 indirectly via fasteners.

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 structure and function of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

1. A heat dissipating device comprising:

a heat sink;

a fan; and

a fixing bracket comprising: a first fixing element defining a first airflow opening corresponding to the fan; and at least one second fixing element mounted to the first fixing element, and defining a second airflow opening corresponding to the fan; wherein the at least one second fixing element and the first fixing element bound a receiving space to receive the heat sink, wherein the receiving space communicates with the first airflow opening and the second airflow opening of each of the at least one second fixing element, wherein the fan is selectively mounted to one of the first fixing element and the at least one second fixing element.

2. The heat dissipating device of claim 1, wherein the first fixing element comprises a first base and two side panels mounted on the first base, a first accommodating space is bounded by the first base and the panels for receiving the fan, wherein a locking portion projects inward from an upper portion of each panel to lock the fan, the first airflow opening is defined in the first base, each second fixing element is mounted on one side of the first base.

3. The heat dissipating device of claim 2, wherein at least one bar extend downwards from a bottom of the first base, a sliding slot is defined in each bar, to engage with a corresponding second fixing element.

4. The heat dissipating device of claim 3, wherein each of the at least one second fixing element comprises a second base, the second airflow opening is defined in the second base, two opposite sliding paths are defined in opposite surfaces of an upper portion of the second base, to form a sliding portion between the sliding paths, to engage in the corresponding sliding slot of the first base.

5. The heat dissipating device of claim 4, wherein a locking portion perpendicularly extends from a bottom of the second base to lock the heat sink, each second fixing element further comprises at least one latching element, each latching element comprises a fixing portion to fix the fan, and a locating portion perpendicularly extends from a first end of the fixing portion to locate the fan on the second base, wherein a latching block perpendicularly extends from a second end opposite to the first end of the fixing portion, away from the locating portion.

6. A fixing bracket to fix a fan on a heat sink, the fixing bracket comprising:

a first fixing element defining a first airflow opening corresponding to the fan; and

at least one second fixing element mounted to the first fixing element and defining a second airflow opening corresponding to the fan, wherein a receiving space is bounded by the first fixing element and the at least one second fixing element, communicating with the first and second airflow openings, to receive the heat sink;

wherein one of the first fixing element and the at least one second fixing element is operable to mount the fan.

7. The fixing bracket of claim 6, wherein the first fixing element comprises a first base and two panels mounted on opposite ends of the first base, a first accommodating space is bounded by the first base and the panels for receiving the fan, a locking portion projects from an upper portion of each panel towards the other panel to lock the fan, the first airflow opening is defined in the first base.

8. The fixing bracket of claim 7, wherein at least one bar extends downwards from the first base, a sliding slot is defined in each bar to slidably engage with the corresponding second fixing element.

9. The fixing bracket of claim 8, wherein each of the at least one second fixing element comprises a second base, the second airflow opening is defined in the second base, wherein a sliding portion is formed on a top of the second base, to slidably engage in the corresponding sliding slot of the first base.

10. The fixing bracket of claim 9, wherein a locking portion perpendicularly extends from a bottom of the second base to lock the heat sink, each second fixing element further comprises at least one latching element, each latching element comprises a fixing portion to fix the fan, and a locating portion perpendicularly extends from a first end of the fixing portion to locate the fan on the second base, a latching block perpendicularly extends from a second end opposite to the first end of the fixing portion, away from the locating portion.