Cooling fan with outboard bearings

• US 20060202576A1
• Filed: 03/10/2005
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Franz, John P., Vinson, Wade D.
• Application Number:
  US11/077,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20060202576A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/90
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/062 Details of the bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/056 Bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/059 Roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20172 Fan mounting or fan specifications

Abstract

A cooling fan comprising a housing that connects to a computer chassis supporting an electronic component. A fan blade assembly is disposed within the housing. A windings section is fixably mounted within said housing. The windings section forms a body having opposite ends and a bore there between. A first bearing is disposed outboard of one end of the windings section and rotatably supports the fan blade assembly within the housing.

Claims

1. A cooling fan comprising:

a housing operable to connect to a computer chassis supporting an electronic component;

a fan blade assembly disposed within said housing;

a windings section fixably mounted within said housing, wherein said windings section forms a body having opposite ends and a bore there between; and

a first bearing disposed outboard of one end of said windings section, wherein said first bearing rotatably supports said fan blade assembly within said housing.

2. The cooling fan of claim 1, further comprising a second bearing disposed outboard of the opposite end of said windings section, wherein said second bearing rotatably supports said fan blade assembly within said housing.

3. The cooling fan of claim 2, further comprising a shaft connected to said fan blade assembly and connected to said first and second bearings.

4. The cooling fan of claim 3, wherein said shaft is disposed through the bore of said windings section.

5. The cooling fan of claim 3, further comprising a magnet disposed on said shaft.

6. The cooling fan of claim 1, wherein said blade assembly comprises:

a hub disposed around said windings section; and

a magnet disposed on said hub.

7. The cooling fan of claim 2, wherein said first and second bearings have a diameter larger than the bore.

8. A cooling fan comprising:

a housing operable to connect to a computer chassis supporting an electronic component;

a fan blade assembly disposed within said housing;

a shaft connected to said housing;

first and second bearings rotatably supporting said shaft; and

a windings section mounted within said housing and disposed between said first and second bearings.

9. The cooling fan of claim 8, wherein said windings section comprises a body having opposite ends and a bore there between.

10. The cooling fan of claim 9, wherein said shaft is disposed through the bore of said windings section.

11. The cooling fan of claim 9, wherein said first and second bearings have a diameter larger than the bore.

12. The cooling fan of claim 9, wherein said first bearing is disposed outboard of one end of said windings section and said second bearing is disposed outboard of the opposite end of said windings section.

13. The cooling fan of claim 8, further comprising a magnet disposed on said shaft.

14. The cooling fan of claim 8, wherein said blade assembly comprises:

a hub disposed around said windings section; and

a magnet disposed on said hub.

15. A computer system comprising:

a chassis;

an electronic component disposed within said chassis; and

a cooling fan disposed within said chassis, wherein said cooling fan comprises;

a fan blade assembly disposed within said housing;

a shaft connected to said fan blade and rotatably supported by a first bearing;

a windings section disposed about said shaft, wherein said first bearing is outboard of said windings section.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein said windings section comprises a body having opposite ends and a bore there between, wherein said shaft is disposed through the bore of said windings section.

17. The computer system of claim 15 further comprising a second bearing disposed outboard of said windings section, wherein said windings section is between said first and second bearings.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein said first and second bearings have a diameter larger than the bore.

19. The computer system of claim 17, wherein said first bearing is disposed outboard of one end of said windings section and said second bearing is disposed outboard of the opposite end of said windings section.

20. The computer system of claim 15 further comprising a heat sink thermally coupled to said electronic component.

21. A cooling fan comprising:

a housing operable to connect to a computer chassis supporting an electronic component;

a fan blade assembly disposed within said housing;

a windings section fixably mounted within said housing, wherein said windings section forms a body having opposite ends and a bore there between; and

means for rotatably supporting said fan blade assembly within said housing, wherein said means for rotatably supporting is disposed outboard of said windings section.