ELECTRONIC APPARATUS

• US 20120106082A1
• Filed: 10/27/2011
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Compal Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Compal Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: WU, Chang-Yuan, CHANG, Hui-Lian
• Granted Patent: US 8,693,184 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/697
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops

Abstract

An electronic apparatus includes a housing, a fan module, a heat-dissipating module, and a channel. The housing includes a first heat-dissipating vent and a second heat-dissipating vent. The fan module is disposed in the housing and includes a first outlet and a second outlet. The first outlet is substantially aligned with the first heat-dissipating vent and has a first airflow. The second outlet has a second airflow. The heat-dissipating module is disposed in the housing between the first outlet and the first heat-dissipating vent. The channel is located between the second outlet and the second heat-dissipating vent for guiding the second airflow out of the housing from the second heat-dissipating vent. The temperature of the first heat-dissipating vent is higher than that of the second heat-dissipating vent.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a housing comprising a first heat-dissipating vent and a second heat-dissipating vent;

a fan module disposed in the housing and comprising a first outlet and a second outlet, wherein the first outlet is substantially aligned with the first heat-dissipating vent and has a first airflow, and the second outlet has a second airflow;

a heat-dissipating module disposed in the housing between the first outlet and the first heat-dissipating vent; and

a channel located between the second outlet and the second heat-dissipating vent for guiding the second airflow out of the housing from the second heat-dissipating vent, wherein the temperature of the first heat-dissipating vent is higher than that of the second heat-dissipating vent.

2. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a circuit board and a first heat source, the first heat source being connected to the circuit board, the circuit board being disposed in the housing, the heat-dissipating module being thermally connected to the first heat source, wherein the first airflow passes through the heat-dissipating module from the first outlet and then is exhausted through the first heat-dissipating vent.

3. The electronic apparatus of claim 2, wherein the heat-dissipating module further comprises:

a plurality of heat-dissipating fins located between the first outlet and the first heat-dissipating vent, wherein the first airflow passes through the heat-dissipating fins from the first outlet and then is exhausted through the first heat-dissipating vent; and

a heat pipe thermally connected to the first heat source and connected to the heat-dissipating fins for conducting the heat generated by the first heat source to the heat-dissipating fins.

4. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a circuit board and at least one second heat source, the second heat source being located on the circuit board and in the channel, wherein the second airflow passes over the second heat source from the second outlet along the channel and then is exhausted through the second heat-dissipating vent.

5. The electronic apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a guiding structure, the guiding structure comprising two walls and having a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the periphery of the second outlet, the second end being connected to the periphery of the second heat-dissipating vent, the channel being formed by the housing, the circuit board, and the walls, the second airflow passing over the second heat source from the second outlet along the channel and then being exhausted through the second heat-dissipating vent.

6. The electronic apparatus of claim 5, wherein the housing further comprises at least one inlet located between the walls, and the air outside of the housing is attracted to enter the housing via the inlet by the second airflow when the second airflow passes over the inlet.

7. The electronic apparatus of claim 5, wherein the housing and the guiding structure are connected to each other using a glue adhesive, a co-injection molding method, a hot-melt adhesive, or a screw fastening method.

8. The electronic apparatus of claim 5, wherein the circuit board and the guiding structure are connected to each other using a glue adhesive, a co-injection molding method, a hot-melt adhesive, or a screw fastening method.

9. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fan module comprises a fan housing, the first outlet and the second outlet are located on the fan housing, and the fan housing comprises a protuberance located at the edge of the second outlet for controlling an angle with which the second airflow flows out of the second outlet.

10. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the air volume of the first airflow is larger than that of the second airflow.