Fan Securing Device and Fan Assembly Having the Same

• US 20140241875A1
• Filed: 02/21/2014
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Inventors: Tsai, Chi-Ken
• Granted Patent: US 9,565,785 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 415/213.1
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/08 the working fluid being air, e.g. for ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/522 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20172 Fan mounting or fan specifications

Abstract

A fan securing device includes first and second holders. The first holder includes a first holding frame that has two holding slots located in opposite sides of the first holding frame, and two first locking units respectively formed adjacent to the holding slots. The second holder includes a second holding frame that has two connecting arms located on opposite sides of the second holding frame and extending respectively into the holding slots. Each connecting arm has a plurality of second locking units. Each first locking unit engages a selected one of the second locking units of a respective one of the connecting arms so as to clamp at least one cooling fan between the first and second surfaces.

Claims

1. A fan securing device adapted to be secured to at least one cooling fan for an electronic device, said fan securing device comprising:

a first holder including

a first base, and

a first holding frame that is connected perpendicularly to said first base, and that has a first surface, two holding slots respectively located at opposite sides of said first holding frame and formed in said first surface, and two first locking units respectively formed adjacent to said holding slots; and

a second holder including

a second base, and

a second holding frame that is connected perpendicularly to said second base, and that has a second surface and two connecting arms respectively located at opposite sides of said second holding frame, extending beyond said second surface in an extending direction and extendable respectively into said holding slots, each of said connecting arms being formed with a plurality of second locking units spaced apart from each other in the extending direction, each of said first locking units engaging a selected one of said second locking units of the respective one of said connecting arms so as to clamp the cooling fan between said first surface and said second surface.

2. The fan securing device of claim 1, the cooling fan being formed with a plurality of positioning holes located respectively at corners thereof and extending therethrough, wherein said first holding frame further includes a plurality of positioning protrusions protruding from said first surface and adapted to respectively extend into the positioning holes, said second holding frame further including a plurality of positioning protrusions that protrude from said second surface and that are that are adapted to respectively extend into the positioning holes.

3. The fan securing device of claim 2, further comprising two hollow shock absorbing members which are respectively provided on said first surface of said first holding frame and said second surface of said second holding frame, and each of which has a plurality of hollow projections respectively sleeved on said positioning protrusions of the respective one of said first and second holding frames.

4. The fan securing device of claim 1, wherein said first holding frame further includes a first frame body having said first surface and two first side plates spaced apart from each other in a first direction transverse to the extending direction and connected perpendicularly to said first frame body and said first base, opposite sides of said first frame body protruding oppositely and respectively from said first side plates in the first direction and being formed respectively with said holding slots, said second holding frame further including a second frame body that has said second surface and two second side plates that are spaced apart from each other in the first direction and that are connected perpendicularly to said second frame body and said second base, said connecting arms respectively extending from said second side plates.

5. The fan securing device of claim 4, wherein each of said connecting arms has a base portion connected to a respective one of said second side plates, and a flexible portion extending from said base portion in the extending direction and having a through hole so as to have a U-shaped structure that opens toward said base portion, said second locking units being formed on said flexible portions of said connecting arms.

6. The fan securing device of claim 5, wherein each of said second locking units has two protruding blocks protruding respectively from opposite sides of said flexible portion of a corresponding one of said connecting arms in a second direction transverse to the extending direction and the first direction, each of said first locking units including two stop blocks that protrude toward each other for respectively engaging said protruding blocks of the selected one of said second locking units.

7. The fan securing device of claim 5, wherein each of said second locking units has two engaging grooves formed respectively in opposite sides of said flexible portion of a corresponding one of said connecting arms in a second direction transverse to the extending direction and the first direction, each of said first locking units including two stop blocks that protrude toward each other for respectively engaging said engaging grooves of the selected one of said second locking units.

8. The fan securing device of claim 4, wherein each of said connecting arms has a base portion connected to a respective one of said second side plates, and an extending portion extending from said base portion in the extending direction, said second locking units being formed on said extending portions of said connecting arms, each of said second locking units being configured as an elongated engaging hole, each of said first locking units being configured as a protruding rib that engages said engaging hole of the selected one of said second locking units.

9. The fan securing device of claim 8, wherein said first frame body further has two flexible sections respectively corresponding in position to said holding slots, each of said flexible sections having a gap and a pressing portion that spans said gap and that extends outwardly in the first direction, said first locking units respectively extending inwardly from said pressing portions of said flexible sections.

10. The fan securing device of claim 4, wherein said second holder further includes a connecting mechanism including a male connecting member and a female connecting member that are respectively and symmetrically provided on said connecting arms at positions close to said second side plates.

11. A fan assembly, comprising:

at least one cooling fan for an electronic device; and

a fan securing device including

a first holder that includes

a first base, and

a first holding frame connected perpendicularly to said first base, and having a first surface, two holding slots that are respectively located in opposite sides of said first holding frame and that are formed in said first surface, and two first locking units that are respectively formed adjacent to said holding slots, and

a second holder that includes

a second base, and

a second holding frame connected perpendicularly to said second base, and having a second surface and two connecting arms that are respectively located on opposite sides of said second holding frame, that extend beyond said second surface in an extending direction and that extend respectively into said holding slots, each of said connecting arms being formed with a plurality of second locking units spaced apart from each other in the extending direction, each of said first locking units engaging a selected one of said first locking units of a respective one of said connecting arms, so as to clamp said cooling fan between said first surface and said second surface.

12. The fan assembly of claim 11, wherein said cooling fan is formed with a plurality of positioning holes located respectively at corners thereof and extending therethrough, said first holding frame further including a plurality of positioning protrusions that protrude from said first surface and that respectively extend into said positioning holes, said second holding frame further including a plurality of positioning protrusions that protrude from said second surface and that respectively extend into said positioning holes.

13. The fan assembly of claim 12, wherein said fan securing device further includes two hollow shock absorbing members respectively provided on said first surface of said first holding frame and said second surface of said second holding frame, and each of which has a plurality of hollow projections respectively sleeved on said positioning protrusions of the respective one of said first and second holding frames.

14. The fan assembly of claim 11, wherein said first holding frame further includes a first frame body having said first surface and two first side plates spaced apart from each other in a first direction transverse to the extending direction and connected perpendicularly to said first frame body and said first base, opposite sides of said first frame body protruding oppositely and respectively from said first side plates in the first direction and being formed respectively with said holding slots, said second holding frame further including a second frame body that has said second surface and two second side plates that are spaced apart from each other in the first direction and that are connected perpendicularly to said second frame body and said second base, said connecting arms respectively extending from said second side plates.

15. The fan assembly of claim 14, wherein said each of said connecting arms has a base portion connected to a respective one of said second side plates, and a flexible portion extending from said base portion in the extending direction and having a through hole so as to have a U-shaped structure that opens toward said base portion, said second locking units being formed on said flexible portions of said connecting arms.

16. The fan assembly of claim 15, wherein each of said second locking units has two protruding blocks that protrude respectively from opposite sides of said flexible portion of a corresponding one of said connecting arms in a second direction transverse to the extending direction and the first direction, each of said first locking units including two stop blocks protruding toward each other for respectively engaging said protruding blocks of the selected one of said second locking units.

17. The fan assembly of claim 15, wherein each of said second locking units has two engaging grooves formed respectively in opposite sides of said flexible portion of a corresponding one of said connecting arms in a second direction transverse to the extending direction and the first direction, each of said first locking units including two stop blocks that protrude toward each other for respectively engaging said engaging grooves of the selected one of said second locking units.

18. The fan assembly of claim 14, wherein each of said connecting arms respectively have a base portion connected to a respective one of said second side plates, and an extending portion extending from said base portion in the extending direction, said second locking units being formed on said extending portions of said connecting arms, each of said second locking units being configured as an elongated engaging hole, each of said first locking units being configured as a protruding rib that engages said engaging hole of the selected one of said second locking units.

19. The fan assembly of claim 18, wherein said first frame body further has two flexible sections respectively corresponding in position to said holding slots, each of said flexible sections having a gap and a pressing portion that spans said gap and that extends outwardly in the first direction, said first locking units respectively extending inwardly from said pressing portions of said flexible sections.

20. The fan assembly of claim 14, wherein said second holder further includes a connecting mechanism including a male connecting member and a female connecting member that are respectively and symmetrically provided on said connecting arms at positions close to said second side plates.