Title:

CPU cooling structure

United States Patent Application 20020046826

Kind Code:

A1

Abstract:

A CPU cooling structure includes a heat sink and an axial flow fan adapted to dissipate heat from the CPU of the motherboard in a computer, the heat sink having a hollow center shaft filled up with a heat transfer fluid and a plurality of radiation fins equiangularly radially arranged around the periphery of the center shaft and curved in direction corresponding or reversed to the direction of rotation of the fan blade and hub assembly of the axial flow fan.

Inventors:

Kao, Chao-chih (Taipei, TW)

Application Number:

09/982016

Publication Date:

04/25/2002

Filing Date:

10/19/2001

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Export Citation:

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Primary Class:

165/104.330

Other Classes:

257/E23.099, 257/E23.103, 165/185

International Classes:

(IPC1-7): F28D015/00; F28F007/00

Attorney, Agent or Firm:

RABIN & BERDO, P.C. (Suite 500, Washington, DC, 20005, US)

Claims:

What the invention claimed is:

1. A CPU cooling structure comprising a heat sink disposed in contact with the surface of the CPU (central processing unit) of the motherboard in a computer, and an axial flow fan fastened to a top side of said heat sink and having a fan blade and hub assembly rotated to cause an axial flow of air toward said heat sink and said CPU and to dissipate heat from said heat sink and said CPU, wherein said heat sink comprises a center shaft and a plurality of radiation fins equiangularly radially arranged around the periphery of said center shaft and curved in direction reversed to the direction of rotation of the fan blade and hub assembly of said axial flow fan.

2. The CPU cooling structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said center shaft comprises an enclosed fluid chamber and a heat transfer fluid filled in said enclosed fluid chamber.

3. A CPU cooling structure comprising a heat sink disposed in contact with the surface of the CPU (central processing unit) of the motherboard in a computer, and an axial flow fan fastened to a top side of said heat sink and having a fan blade and hub assembly rotated to cause an axial flow of air toward said heat sink and said CPU and to dissipate heat from said heat sink and said CPU, wherein said heat sink comprises a center shaft and a plurality of radiation fins equiangularly radially arranged around the periphery of said center shaft and curved in direction corresponding to the direction of rotation of the fan blade and hub assembly of said axial flow fan, said center shaft comprising an enclosed fluid chamber and a heat transfer fluid filled in said enclosed fluid chamber.

Description:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a CPU cooling structure adapted to lower the temperature of the CPU of a computer during its operation and, more particularly, to such a CPU cooling structure, which enables induced currents of air to pass toward the CPU and the surrounding electronic component parts to quickly dissipate heat from the CPU and the surrounding electronic component parts.

[0002] Advanced CPUs (central processing units) provide a high operational speed, and simultaneously produce a high temperature during its operation. In order to keep the CPU of the motherboard to function normally, a CPU cooling structure is needed. High performance and low manufacturing cost are important factors in designing a CPU cooling structure. FIG. 13 shows a heat sink for use with a fan in a computer to dissipate heat from the CPU. This structure of heat sink A comprises a flat base A 1 and a plurality of upright radiation fins A 11 arranged in parallel on the top side of the flat base A 1 . When used with an axial flow fan, the axial flow of air induced by the axial flow fan is stopped by the flat base A 1 of the heat sink A and forced sideways, i.e., the axial flow of air does not pass to the CPU and the surrounding electronic component parts. Due to this problem, the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat sink A is low.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention has been accomplished to provide a CPU cooling structure, which eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks. According to one aspect of the present invention, the CPU cooling structure comprises a heat sink and an axial flow fan. The heat sink has a center shaft disposed in contact with the CPU to be cooled down and a plurality of radiation fins equiangularly radially arranged around the periphery of the center shaft. The radiation fins may be curved in direction corresponding or reversed to the direction of rotation of the fan blade and hub assembly of the axial flow fan. During operation, the induced axial flow of air passes through the gaps in between the radiation fins of the heat sink toward the CPU and the surrounding electronic component parts to dissipate heat from the CPU and the surrounding electronic component parts. According to another aspect of the present invention, the center shaft of the heat sink can be made having a hollow structure filled with a heat transfer fluid for quick transfer of heat from the CPU to the radiation fins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a heat sink for a CPU cooling structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0005] FIG. 2 is a side view in section of the heat sink shown in FIG. 1 .

[0006] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the CPU cooling structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0007] FIG. 4 is an installed view of FIG. 3 .

[0008] FIG. 5 is a side view in section of FIG. 4 .

[0009] FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing showing radiation fins of the heat sink curved in direction reversed to the direction of rotation of the axial flow fan according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the CPU cooling structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] FIG. 8 is an installed view of the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 9 is a schematic drawing showing radiation fins of the heat sink curved in direction corresponding to the direction of rotation of the axial flow fan according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] FIG. 10 is an installed view of the CPU cooling structure according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] FIG. 11 is a side view in section of FIG. 10 .

[0015] FIG. 12 is a schematic drawing showing radiation fins of the heat sink curved in direction reversed to the direction of rotation of the axial flow fan according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 13 is an elevational view of a heat sink according to the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0017] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , a heat sink 1 is shown comprising a hollow center shaft 11 , an enclosed fluid chamber 111 defined in the center shaft 11 , a heat transfer fluid 113 filled in the enclosed fluid chamber 111 , and a plurality of radiation fins 12 radially arranged around the periphery of the center shaft 11 . The center shaft 11 has a flat bottom contact surface 112 .

[0018] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 and FIG. 2 again, the heat sink 1 is used with an axial flow fan 2 to cool the temperature of the CPU 31 in a motherboard 3 . Tie screws 4 are mounted in respective mounting holes 21 of axial flow fan 2 and threaded into gaps 121 in between the radiation fins 12 to secure the axial flow fan 2 to the top side of the heat sink 1 . The flat bottom contact surface 112 of the hollow center shaft 11 of the heat sink 1 is disposed in contact with the top surface of the CPU 31 . Further, the radiation fin 12 of the heat sink 1 are smoothly arched and radially curved in direction reverse to the direction of rotation of the fan blade and hub assembly 22 of the axial flow fan 2 .

[0019] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 and FIG. 4 again, during operation of the CPU 31 , heat is transferred from the CPU 31 to the heat transfer fluid 113 through the flat bottom contact surface 112 of the hollow center shaft 11 of the heat sink 1 , and then quickly transferred from the heat transfer fluid 113 to the radiation fins 12 , the axial flow of air induced by the axial flow fan 2 continuously passes through the gaps 121 in between the radiation fins 12 toward the top surface of the CPU 31 and the surrounding electronic component parts 32 to quickly dissipate heat from the heat sink 1 , the CPU 31 , and the surrounding electronic component parts 32 .

[0020] FIGS. from 7 through 9 show an alternate form of the present invention. According to this alternate form, the radiation fins 12 are smoothly arched and radially curved in direction corresponding to the direction of rotation of the fan blade and hub assembly 22 of the axial flow fan 2 . During operation, heat is transferred in proper order from the CPU 31 to the flat bottom contact surface 112 of the hollow center shaft 11 , the heat transfer fluid 113 , and the radiation fins 12 , and at the same time the axial flow of air induced by the axial flow fan 2 continuously passes through the gaps 121 in between the radiation fins 12 toward the top surface of the CPU 31 and the surrounding electronic component parts 32 to quickly dissipate heat from the heat sink 1 , the CPU 31 , and the surrounding electronic component parts 32 .

[0021] FIGS. from 10 through 12 show another alternate form of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the center shaft 11 of the heat sink 1 is a solid shaft, and the radiation fins 12 are smoothly arched and radially curved in direction reversed to the direction of rotation of the fan blade and hub assembly 22 of the axial flow fan 2 . During operation, heat is transferred from the CPU 31 to the solid center shaft 11 and then the radiation fins 12 , and at the same time the axial flow of air induced by the axial flow fan 2 continuously passes through the gaps 121 in between the radiation fins 12 toward the top surface of the CPU 31 and the surrounding electronic component parts 32 to quickly dissipate heat from the heat sink 1 , the CPU 31 , and the surrounding electronic component parts 32 .

[0022] A prototype of heat sink has been constructed with the features of the annexed drawings of FIGS. 1 ˜ 12 . The heat sink functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier.

[0023] Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.