Heat exchange – With retainer for removable article – Electrical component
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-20
2002-06-04
Atkinson, Christopher (Department: 3743)
Heat exchange
With retainer for removable article
Electrical component
C165S104330, C361S700000, C361S696000, C361S697000, C361S690000, C361S689000, C257S715000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06397928
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a heat transfer system. More specifically, it relates to using a venturi to create separate air flows in an electronic device to cool components.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many electronic devices have inadequate thermal management. They either get too hot for comfort or so hot that component or system reliability is reduced. Many customers of electronic devices are starting to recognize that manufacturers are cutting corners in thermal design as processor speeds keep increasing.
FIGS. 1A through 1D
represent different prior art approaches using fans by several manufacturers.
FIG. 1A
illustrates one prior art approach to cooling a heat producing component
240
in an electronic device such as a notebook computer. An air-moving device
100
, such as a fan or blower, blows air across the heat producing component
240
and the air then exits the electronic device. While this approach cools the heat producing component, it ignores the rest of the system components
300
which typically comprise one half to two thirds of the system thermal load.
FIG. 1B
illustrates another prior art approach in which the air from air-moving device
100
that cools heat producing component
240
passes over system components
300
before exiting the electronic device. The result of this approach is that the system components
300
are heated by the warm heat producing component
240
air flow and this heating may cause some of the system components
300
to fail prematurely. Additionally, the air that does exit the electronic device is warmer than desired, often to the detriment of the user's comfort.
FIG. 1C
illustrates an alternative prior art arrangement where the cool outside air pulled into the electronic device by air-moving device
100
passes over system components
300
before this air passes across heat producing component
240
. While system components
300
are kept cooler, the efficiency on cooling heat producing component
240
decreases because the air reaching it is warmed by system components
300
. Again, the air exiting the electronic device is warmer than desired causing user discomfort.
FIG. 1D
illustrates a prior art approach to creating two separate air flows for the electronic device
240
and system components
300
by using two fans
100
, one for each heat source and separated by wall
232
. This approach is difficult to implement in smaller electronic devices because it is more expensive, it has higher power consumption and it needs more space for each fan.
Therefore, while fans or blowers have been used in may different configurations as cooling solutions in electronic devices, such as notebook computers, a need exists when using a single fan or blower to separate cooling flows of outside air for the CPU and the rest of the system.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
An electronic device has at least one component that is capable of generating a quantity of heat. The electronic device further has an air-moving device and an air duct. The air moving device is capable of creating a flow of air that removes a portion of the quantity of heat. The flow of air enters the air duct. The air duct has a restriction chamber that includes a venturi vent in which the flow of air into the duct and through the restriction chamber creates a new flow of air into the venturi vent. The new flow of air into the venturi vent does not pass over the at least one component in the electronic device.
In one embodiment, the new flow of air is used to cool additional components in the electronic device.
In another embodiment, the air duct is combined with the at least one component to form a processor module used in the electronic device.
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IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin; vol. 15; No. 12; May 1973; “Uninterruptible Modular Air-Cooled System”; pp 3654-3655.
Computer Packaging Technology; 8307 Electronic Packaging & Production; 34 (1994) Jan.; No. 1; Newton, Mass, USA; “Diffuser Improves Computer Cooling-A Diffuser At The Cabinet Exhaust Converts Dynamic Head To Static Pressure”; pp 42-43.
Atkinson Christopher
Hewlett--Packard Company
Myers Timothy F.
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