Integrated computer module with airflow accelerator
First Claim
1. An integrated computer module adapted for removable insertion into a docking bay within a host assembly, and upon such insertion for connecting to a host computer, the integrated computer module comprising:
- an enclosure defined by a front wall, a back wall opposite the front wall, a first side wall, a second side wall opposite the first side wall, a floor wall, and a ceiling wall;
a main printed circuit board assembly (main PCBA) located in the enclosure, the main PCBA including a microprocessor dissipating heat;
a module connector electrically connected to the main PCBA and supported at the enclosure'"'"'s back wall for connection to the host connector upon insertion of the integrated module into the docking bay in the host assembly;
a plurality of front and back cooling apertures in the front and back walls of the enclosure, respectively;
a cooling tunnel located between the plurality of front and back cooling apertures;
a cooling fan located adjacent to the plurality of front cooling apertures, the cooling fan having an exit profile of a first area, the cooling tunnel having a tunnel profile of a second area that is smaller than the first area of the fan'"'"'s exit profile;
tapering means for accelerating cooling air that is flowing from the fan'"'"'s exit profile into the cooling tunnel;
a heat sink bonded to the microprocessor and extending upward therefrom into the cooling tunnel through which the accelerated cooling air is passing;
a disk drive including a case and a controller PCBA mounted on one side of the casing, the main PCBA and the disk drive being in a stacked arrangement with one another; and
a conductor assembly electrically connecting the main PCBA to the controller PCBA, wherein the tapering means for accelerating cooling air that is flowing from the fan'"'"'s exit profile into the cooling tunnel comprises the conductor assembly.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is an integrated computer module having a cooling tunnel which efficiently cools a microprocessor or other heat generating component on a main PCBA inside of the module. The module includes its own cooling fan so that the module can safely and effectively operate with high power microprocessors which generate significant amounts of heat. A heat sink bonded to the microprocessor extends up into the cooling tunnel. A tapering section accelerates air leaving the cooling fan into the cooling tunnel such that the module may use a quieter, more cost effective cooling fan. The tapering section may be formed from a folded section of a ribbon cable which connects the main PCBA to the disk drive.
258 Citations
36 Claims
-
1. An integrated computer module adapted for removable insertion into a docking bay within a host assembly, and upon such insertion for connecting to a host computer, the integrated computer module comprising:
-
an enclosure defined by a front wall, a back wall opposite the front wall, a first side wall, a second side wall opposite the first side wall, a floor wall, and a ceiling wall;
a main printed circuit board assembly (main PCBA) located in the enclosure, the main PCBA including a microprocessor dissipating heat;
a module connector electrically connected to the main PCBA and supported at the enclosure'"'"'s back wall for connection to the host connector upon insertion of the integrated module into the docking bay in the host assembly;
a plurality of front and back cooling apertures in the front and back walls of the enclosure, respectively;
a cooling tunnel located between the plurality of front and back cooling apertures;
a cooling fan located adjacent to the plurality of front cooling apertures, the cooling fan having an exit profile of a first area, the cooling tunnel having a tunnel profile of a second area that is smaller than the first area of the fan'"'"'s exit profile;
tapering means for accelerating cooling air that is flowing from the fan'"'"'s exit profile into the cooling tunnel;
a heat sink bonded to the microprocessor and extending upward therefrom into the cooling tunnel through which the accelerated cooling air is passing;
a disk drive including a case and a controller PCBA mounted on one side of the casing, the main PCBA and the disk drive being in a stacked arrangement with one another; and
a conductor assembly electrically connecting the main PCBA to the controller PCBA, wherein the tapering means for accelerating cooling air that is flowing from the fan'"'"'s exit profile into the cooling tunnel comprises the conductor assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. An integrated computer module adapted for removable insertion into a docking bay within a host assembly, and upon such insertion for connecting to a host computer, the integrated computer module comprising:
-
an enclosure defined by a front wall, a back wall opposite the front wall, a first side wall, a second side wall opposite the first side wall, a floor wall, and a ceiling wall;
a main printed circuit board assembly (main PCBA) located in the enclosure, the main PCBA including a microprocessor dissipating heat;
a module connector electrically connected to the main PCBA and supported at the enclosure'"'"'s back wall for connection to the host connector upon insertion of the integrated module into the docking bay in the host assembly;
plurality of front and back cooling apertures in the front and back walls of the enclosure, respectively;
a cooling tunnel located between the plurality of front and back cooling apertures, the cooling tunnel being defined by the main PCBA, the ceiling wall, the first side wall, and a partition member with a vertical dimension that extends substantially between the main PCBA and the ceiling wall and a horizontal dimension that extends substantially between the front wall and the back wall;
a cooling fan located adjacent to the plurality of front cooling apertures, the cooling fan having an exit profile of a first area, the cooling tunnel having a tunnel profile of a second area that is smaller than the first area of the fan'"'"'s exit profile;
tapering means for accelerating cooling air that is flowing from the fan'"'"'s exit profile into the cooling tunnel;
a heat sink bonded to the microprocessor and extending upward therefrom into the cooling tunnel through which the accelerated cooling air is passing;
a disk drive including a casing and a controller PCBA mounted on one side of the casing, the main PCBA and the disk drive being in a stacked arrangement with one another; and
a conductor assembly electrically connecting the main PCBA to the controller PCBA, wherein the tapering means for accelerating cooling air that is flowing from the fan'"'"'s exit profile into the cooling tunnel comprises the conductor assembly. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
-
-
35. An integrated computer module adapted for removable insertion into a docking bay within a host assembly, and upon such insertion for connecting to a host computer, the integrated computer module comprising:
-
an enclosure defined by a front wall, a back wall opposite the front wall, a first side wall, a second side wall opposite the first side wall, a floor wall, and a ceiling wall;
a main printed circuit board assembly (main PCBA) located in the enclosure, the main PCBA including a microprocessor dissipating heat;
a module connector electrically connected to the main PCBA and supported at the enclosure'"'"'s back wall for connection to the host connector upon insertion of the integrated module into the docking bay in the host assembly;
a plurality of front and back cooling apertures in the front and back walls of the enclosure, respectively;
a cooling tunnel located between the plurality of front and back cooling apertures;
a cooling fan located adjacent to a plurality of cooling apertures, the cooling fan having an exit profile of a first area and the cooling tunnel has a tunnel profile of a second area that is smaller than the fan'"'"'s exit profile;
tapering means for accelerating cooling air that is flowing from the fan'"'"'s exit profile into the cooling tunnel;
heat sink bonded to the microprocessor and extending upward therefrom into the cooling tunnel through which the accelerated cooling air is passed;
a disk drive including a case and a controller PCBA mounted on one side of the casing, the main PCBA and the disk drive being in a stacked arrangement with one another; and
a conductor assembly electrically connecting the main PCBA to the controller PCBA, wherein the tapering means for accelerating cooling air that is flowing from the fan'"'"'s exit profile into the cooling tunnel comprises the conductor assembly. - View Dependent Claims (36)
-
Specification