Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-24
2001-04-10
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2841)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S689000, C361S689000, C361S688000, C361S689000, C361S690000, C361S692000, C257S721000, C062S003200, C062S003700, C062S259200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06215660
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a heat-dissipating apparatus for an electronic appliance, more particularly to an electronic appliance with a thermoelectric heat-dissipating apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1
illustrates a conventional heat-dissipating device
2
for dissipating heat generated by an electronic component, such as a CPU, inside a computer housing
1
. The computer housing
1
is formed with a device port
11
. The conventional heat-dissipating device
2
is mounted in the device port
11
, and includes a frame unit and a fan unit. The frame unit includes a mounting plate
21
mounted in the device port
11
and having three mounting holes
22
, and two engaging plates
23
extending from opposite ends of the mounting plate
21
and into the computer housing
1
for engaging the latter. The fan unit includes three fans
24
mounted in the mounting holes
22
. The conventional heat-dissipating device
2
further includes a grille frame
25
connected to the mounting plate
21
, and a filter member
22
disposed between the grille frame
25
and the mounting plate
21
. The fan unit is operable so as to draw air to the exterior of the computer housing
1
.
A main drawback of the conventional heat-dissipating device
2
resides that the limited heat dissipating effect provided thereby is affected by the room temperature. During summer, the conventional heat-dissipating device
2
cannot provide adequate heat-dissipation for the electronic component, thereby resulting in a shorter service life and lower operating efficiency for the electronic component.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide an electronic appliance with a thermoelectric heat-dissipating apparatus to result in an improved heat-dissipation effect.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an electronic appliance includes a housing, and a heat-dissipating apparatus mounted in the housing.
The housing has a heat-producing electronic component disposed therein, and is formed with a main air outlet.
The heat-dissipating apparatus includes a thermoelectric semiconductor module, a cool air blower unit and a hot air exhaust unit. The thermoelectric semiconductor module is formed as a plate body, and is operable so as to provide a low temperature surface and a high temperature surface opposite to the low temperature surface. The cool air blower unit includes a first fan casing made of a heat conductive material and in heat-conductive contact with the low temperature surface of the thermoelectric semiconductor module. The first fan housing has a first air inlet and a first air outlet. The cool air blower unit further includes a first fan mounted in the first fan casing and operable so as to draw air into the first fan casing via the first air inlet and so as to blow the air out of the first fan casing via the first air outlet. The air passing from the first air inlet to the first air outlet is cooled when the thermoelectric semiconductor module is operated due to contact between the first fan casing and the low temperature surface of the thermoelectric semiconductor module. The hot air exhaust unit includes a second fan casing made of a heat conductive material and in heat-conductive contact with the high temperature surface of the thermoelectric semiconductor module. The second fan casing has a second air inlet and a second air outlet disposed adjacent to the main air outlet of the housing. The hot air exhaust unit further includes a second fan mounted in the second fan casing and operable so as to draw air into the second fan casing via the second air inlet and so as to blow the air out of the second fan casing and the housing via the second air outlet and the main air outlet.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a heat-dissipating apparatus is adapted to be mounted in a housing of an electronic appliance. The housing has a heat-producing electronic component disposed therein, and is formed with a main air outlet. The heat-dissipating apparatus includes a thermoelectric semiconductor module, a cool air blower unit and a hot air exhaust unit.
The thermoelectric semiconductor module is formed as a plate body, and is operable so as to provide a low temperature surface extending along a horizontal plane, and a high temperature surface opposite and parallel to and disposed above the low temperature surface.
The cool air blower unit includes a first fan casing made of a heat conductive material. The first fan casing has a first wall in heat-conductive contact with the low temperature surface of the thermoelectric semiconductor module, a second wall formed with a first air inlet, and a third wall transverse to the first and second walls and formed with a first air outlet. The cool air blower unit further includes a first fan mounted in the first fan casing and operable so as to draw air into the first fan casing via the first air inlet and so as to blow the air out of the first fan casing via the first air outlet. The air passing from the first air inlet to the first air outlet is cooled when the thermoelectric semiconductor module is operated due to contact between the first fan casing and the low temperature surface of the thermoelectric semiconductor module.
The hot air exhaust unit includes a second fan casing made of a heat conductive material. The second fan casing has a first casing wall in heat-conductive contact with the high temperature surface of the thermoelectric semiconductor module, a second casing wall formed with a second air inlet, and a third casing wall transverse to the first and second casing walls and formed with a second air outlet. The second air outlet is adapted to be disposed adjacent to the main air outlet of the housing. The hot air exhaust unit further includes a second fan mounted in the second fan casing and operable so as to draw air into the second fan casing via the second air inlet and so as to blow the air out of the second fan casing via the second air outlet. The air passing through the second air outlet can flow out of the housing via the main air outlet.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a heat-dissipating apparatus is adapted to be mounted in a housing of an electronic appliance. The housing has a heat-producing electronic component disposed therein, and is formed with a main air outlet. The heat-dissipating apparatus includes a heat-conductive support plate extending along a horizontal plane, a thermoelectric semiconductor module, a cool air blower unit, and a hot air exhaust unit.
The thermoelectric semiconductor module is formed as a plate body, and is operable so as to provide a low temperature surface and a high temperature surface opposite and parallel to and disposed below the low temperature surface. The thermoelectric semiconductor module is mounted on the support plate such that the high temperature surface is in heat-conductive contact therewith.
The cool air blower unit includes a first fan casing made of a heat conductive material and having a first air inlet and a first air outlet. The first fan casing is mounted on the support plate, and is in heat-conductive contact with the low temperature surface of the thermoelectric semiconductor module. The cool air blower unit further includes a first fan mounted in the first fan casing and operable so as to draw air into the first fan casing via the first air inlet and so as to blow the air out of the first fan casing via the first air outlet. The air passing from the first air inlet to the first air outlet is cooled when the thermoelectric semiconductor module is operated due to contact between the first fan casing and the low temperature surface of the thermoelectric semiconductor module.
The hot air exhaust unit includes a second fan casing made of a heat-conductive material and mounted on the support plate adjacent to the thermoelectric semiconductor module. The second fan casing is formed with a second air inlet and a second air outlet. The second air
Datskovsky Michael
Lin Hao-Cheng
Picard Leo P.
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
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