Cooling apparatus for electronic equipment

• US 6,795,312 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2002
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hirose, Masashi, Kasahara, Kazuyuki, Aizono, Yoshimitsu, Niwatsukino, Kyo, Narakino, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): DUONG, HUNG V
• Application Number:
  US10/264,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20030214783A1
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679-687, 250/370.15, 165/140, 165/151, 165/153, 165/148, 165/132, 165/144, 625/07, 625/09, 312/223--22
• US Class Current: 361/679.53
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/0308 the conduits being formed by paired plates touching each other F28D1/0358 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0031 Radiators for recooling a coolant of cooling systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/201 Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid

Abstract

A circulation path, a radiator and a reserve tank which can remove air bubbles from the fluid passageway, constitute parts of a closed circulation path, and are formed by joining a flow path wall-forming radiation board on which curved surfaces as flow path walls are formed, with a flat plate-like flow path wall-forming radiation board as another curved surface by welding or the like. Therefore, the efficiency of heat exchange of a cooling apparatus for electronic equipment can be improved, removal of air bubbles from the flow passageway and reduction in size, weight and thickness is made possible without causing air lock.

Claims

1. A radiator, comprising:

a fluid inlet;

a fluid outlet, and

a fluid passageway through which a cooling medium is adapted to flow from said fluid inlet to said fluid outlet, said radiator including a reserve tank fluidly coupled to said fluid passageway for storing cooling medium outside of said fluid passageway; and

a fluid-resistive connection port positioned outside of said fluid passageway for connecting said reserve tank to said fluid passageway.

2. The radiator of claim 1, wherein said reserve tank is arranged and dimensioned so as to be capable of holding air bubbles which were diverted out of said fluid passageway and, in any spatial orientation of said radiator, restricting the return of the air bubbles held in said reserve tank back into the fluid passageway.

3. The radiator of claim 1, wherein a portion of said fluid passageway adjacent said connection port has an increased cross-sectional area relative to other portions of said fluid passageway.

4. The radiator of claim 1, further comprising a protrusion in said fluid passageway positioned adjacent said connection port.

5. The radiator of claim 1, further comprising a protrusion in said reserve tank positioned adjacent said connection port.

6. The radiator of claim 1, wherein a step in positioned at an interface between said connection port and said reserve tank.

7. The radiator of claim 1, further comprising a bump positioned in said connection port adjacent said reserve tank.

8. The radiator of claim 1, further comprising at least one protrusion in said reserve tank.

9. The radiator of claim 1, wherein said connection port is arranged as a bi-directional flow passage.

10. The radiator of claim 1, wherein a wall portion of said fluid passageway extending to said connection port is angled with respect to said connection port such that air bubbles in said cooling medium are guided into said connection port.

11. The radiator of claim 1, wherein a wall portion of said reserve tank extending to said connection port is angled with respect to said connection port such that air bubbles held in said reserve tank are guided away from said connection port.

12. The radiator of claim 1, wherein at least one of a first end of said connection portion adjacent said fluid passageway and a second end of said connection port adjacent said reserve tank is curved.

13. The radiator of claim 1, wherein a first end of said connection port adjacent said fluid passageway is curved with a first radius of curvature and a second end of said connection port adjacent said reserve tank is curved with a second radius of curvature, said first radius of curvature is greater than said second radius of curvature.

14. The radiator of claim 1, wherein said reserve tank is arranged and dimensioned so as to contain an air gap in any spatial orientation of said radiator.

15. The radiator of claim 1, further comprising a single connection port for connecting said reserve tank to said fluid passageway such that only one fluid path exists between said fluid passageway and said reserve tank.

16. The radiator of claim 1, wherein a direction of flow through said connection port intersects a direction of flow through said fluid passageway.

17. The radiator of claim 1, wherein an internal height of said reserve tank is greater than an internal height of said fluid passageway.

18. The radiator of claim 1, further comprising a first and second extension reserve tank which are angled relative to said reserve tank, said first and second extension reserve tanks each having ½

the capacity of the reserve tank.

19. The radiator of claim 1, wherein at least one wall portion of said reserve tank includes at least one baffle extending therefrom.

20. The radiator of claim 1, wherein a wall portion of said reserve tank extending to said connection port is angled with respect to said connection port such that cooling medium stored in said reserve tank is guided into said connection port.

21. The radiator of claim 1, wherein a portion of said fluid passageway adjacent said connection port forms a winding path.

22. The radiator of claim 1, wherein said reserve tank is positioned at the center of said radiator and is surrounded by said fluid passageway.

23. The radiator of claim 1, wherein said reserve tank includes a sealable opening for filling the reserve tank with cooling medium.

24. The radiator of claim 1, wherein said reserve tank includes a plurality of overlapping baffles extending alternately from opposing wall portions of said reserve tank.

25. The radiator of claim 1, further comprising at least one extension reserve tank which is angled relative to said reserve tank, said reserve tank is positioned on a first side of said connection port and said fluid passageway is positioned on a second side of said connection port opposite to said first side, at least a portion of said at least one extension reserve tank extending into said second side.

26. The radiator of claim 1, further comprising two radiator boards having good thermal conductivity coupled together whereby at least one of facing surfaces of the coupled radiator boards are configured so as to form patterned space between said facing surfaces, said patterned space forming at least one of said fluid passageway and said reserve tank.

27. A lap-top computer having a cooling apparatus coupled thereto, said cooling apparatus including a radiator as recited in claim 1, wherein said radiator is coupled to the back side of the display device of said lap-top computer.

28. A cooling apparatus including a radiator as recited in claim 1, said cooling apparatus further comprising a cooler and a circulation pump provided in a closed circulation path for circulating the cooling medium, said cooler removing heat from a heating element by using said cooling medium, said radiator radiating the removed heat.

29. A cooling apparatus including a radiator as recited in claim 1, said cooling apparatus further comprising a pump coupled to said radiator for pumping cooling medium through said fluid passageway and a pump casing for housing said pump, said pump casing including a heat-conducting portion having high thermal conductivity adapted to contact a heat-generating element.

30. The radiator of claim 1, wherein the radiator and the reserve tank are integrally formed.

31. The radiator of claim 1, wherein the radiator and the reserve tank are formed by joining at least a pair of radiation boards.

32. The radiator of claim 4, wherein said protrusion is positioned in said fluid passageway so as to divide said fluid passageway into two flow paths around said protrusion.

33. The radiator of claim 14, wherein said reserve tank is arranged and dimensioned such that air bubbles held in said reserve tank flow toward said air gap in any spatial orientation of said radiator.

34. The radiator of claim 21, wherein a part of said portion extending to said connection port includes a concave wall portion facing the fluid passageway.

35. The radiator of claim 23, further comprising one of a cap and a check valve coupled to said opening for selectively sealing said opening.

36. The lap-top of claim 27, wherein said cooling apparatus further comprises a pump coupled to said radiator for pumping cooling medium through said fluid passageway, said pump being thermally directly connected to an electronic component of said lap-top.

37. The cooling apparatus of claim 28, wherein said fluid passageway constitutes a part of said closed circulation path, and

at least one of said fluid passageway and said reserve tank are formed by abutment by joining a radiation board on which curved surfaces as flow path walls of the internal circulation path and the reserve tank are integrally formed, with another radiation board.

38. A cooling apparatus of claim 29, wherein said heat-conducting portion is made of one of aluminum, copper, and stainless steel.

39. The cooling apparatus of claim 37, wherein said fluid passageway and said reserve tank are connected by a bubble outflow limiting path for limiting movement of mingled bubbles in one direction.

40. The cooling apparatus of claim 37, wherein said reserve tank is provided in an upper part of said radiator.

41. The cooling apparatus of claim 37, wherein a first extension reserve tank and a second extension reserve tank which extend downward are provided at both ends of said reserve tank.

42. The cooling apparatus of claim 37, wherein dimples are formed on the radiation board constituting said reserve tank and connect the two radiation boards.

43. The cooling apparatus of claim 37, wherein said reserve tank is arranged in an upward direction and in a lateral direction of said radiator, and baffles inclined obliquely upward are alternately arranged on both lateral sides in said reserve tank.

44. The cooling apparatus of claim 37, wherein said reserve tank has an internal height greater than the internal height of the fluid passageway.

45. The cooling apparatus of claim 37, wherein a joint is provided at least one position on said reserve tank.

46. The cooling apparatus of claim 37, wherein said pump is a volute pump comprising a ring-shaped impeller which has many blades formed omits outer circumference and a rotor magnet provided on its inner circumference, a motor stator provided on the inner circumferential side of said rotor magnet, and a pump casing which has a cylindrical part formed therein to be arranged between said motor stator and said rotor magnet, houses said impeller therein and has an inlet and an outlet, said cylindrical part pivotally supporting said ring-shaped impeller so that said ring-shaped impeller is rotatable.

47. The cooling apparatus of claim 37, further comprising an electronic equipment having a first casing in which an electronic circuit including a central processing unit and a storage unit are housed and which has a keyboard provided on its upper side, and a second casing having a display device capable of displaying the result of processing by said central processing unit, said second casing being rotatably mounted on said first casing.

48. The cooling apparatus of claim 37, wherein said cooling medium is a nonfreezing solution.

49. The cooling apparatus of claim 39, wherein said bubble outflow limiting path is provided at one position.

50. The cooling apparatus of claim 39, wherein the bottom surface of said reserve tank is inclined obliquely downward toward said bubble outflow limiting path.

51. The cooling apparatus of claim 39, wherein the cross-sectional area of the fluid passageway increases near said bubble outflow limiting path.

52. The cooling apparatus of claim 39, wherein the upper surface of the fluid passageway adjacent to the lower part of said reserve tank is inclined obliquely upward toward said bubble outflow limiting path.

53. The cooling apparatus of claim 39, wherein the fluid passageway is winding near said bubble outflow limiting path.

54. The cooling apparatus of claim 39, wherein the bottom surface of said reserve tank is inclined obliquely upward toward said bubble outflow limiting path.

55. The cooling apparatus of claim 39, wherein said fluid passageway and said reserve tank are connected with each other by the bubble outflow limiting path, and said fluid passageway surrounds said reserve tank.

56. The cooling apparatus of claim 41, wherein each of said first extension reserve tank and said second extension reserve tank has a capacity which is ½

of the capacity of said reserve tank.

57. The cooling apparatus of claim 45, wherein said joint has a check valve.

58. The cooling apparatus of claim 47, wherein the radiator is arranged on the back side of the display device of said second casing.

59. A cooling apparatus for electronic equipment comprising:

a closed circulation path for circulating a refrigerant;

a circulation pump for circulating said refrigerant;

a reserve tank for storing said refrigerant; and

a radiator for radiating heat removed from a heating component by said refrigerant;

said radiator, said reserve tank and a part of said closed circulation path being formed by joining at least a pair of radiation boards.

60. The cooling apparatus of claim 59, wherein said reserve tank is provided in an upper part of said radiator.

61. The cooling apparatus of claim 59, wherein said circulation pump is thermally directly connected with said heating component.

62. The radiator of claim 59, wherein an internal height of the reserve tank is greater than an internal height of a part of the closed circulation path included in the radiator.

63. The radiator of claim 59, wherein the reserve tank is provided in an upper part of the closed circulation path of the radiator when said electronic equipment in use.

64. The cooling apparatus of claim 60, wherein an inclined surface is provided on the bottom surface of said reserve tank.

65. The cooling apparatus of claim 61, wherein a copper board is provided between said circulation pinup and said heating component.

66. The cooling apparatus of claim 64, wherein a hole for guiding bubbles in said refrigerant into said reserve tank is provided at least at a part of said inclined surface.

67. The cooling apparatus of claim 66, wherein said circulation pump is thermally directly connected with said heating component.

68. The cooling apparatus of claim 67, wherein a copper board is provided between said circulation pump and said heating component.

69. A radiator, comprising:

a fluid inlet;

a fluid outlet; and

a fluid passageway through which a cooling medium is adapted to flow from said fluid inlet to said fluid outlet, said radiator further comprising two radiator boards having good thermal conductivity coupled together whereby at least one of facing surfaces of the coupled radiator boards are configured so as to form patterned space between said facing surfaces, said patterned space forming said fluid passageway.

70. The radiator of claim 69, wherein at least one of said two radiator boards is made of aluminum, copper, or stainless steel.

71. The radiator of claim 69, wherein said two radiator boards are welded together.

72. A radiator, comprising:

a fluid inlet;

a fluid outlet;

a fluid passageway through which a cooling medium is adapted to flow from said fluid inlet to said fluid outlet, said radiator including a reserve tank fluidly coupled to said fluid passageway for storing cooling medium outside of said fluid passageway; and

a connection port for connecting said reserve tank to said fluid passageway,

wherein at least one of a first end of said connection portion adjacent said fluid passageway and a second end of said connection port adjacent said reserve tank is curved.

73. A radiator, comprising:

a fluid inlet;

a fluid outlet;

a fluid passageway through which a cooling medium is adapted to flow from said fluid inlet to said fluid outlet, said radiator including a reserve tank fluidly coupled to said fluid passageway for storing cooling medium outside of said fluid passageway; and

a connection port for connecting said reserve tank to said fluid passageway,

wherein a first end of said connection port adjacent said fluid passageway is curved with a first radius of curvature and a second end of said connection port adjacent said reserve tank is curved with a second radius of curvature, said first radius of curvature is greater than said second radius of curvature.

74. A radiator, comprising:

a fluid inlet;

a fluid outlet;

a fluid passageway through which a cooling medium is adapted to flow from said fluid inlet to said fluid outlet, said radiator including a reserve tank fluidly coupled to said fluid passageway for storing cooling medium outside of said fluid passageway; and

a connection port for connecting said reserve tank to said fluid passageway,

wherein a wall portion of said reserve tank extending to said connection port is angled with respect to said connection port such that cooling medium stored in said reserve tank is guided into said connection port.

75. A radiator, comprising:

a fluid inlet;

a fluid outlet;

a fluid passageway through which a cooling medium is adapted to flow from said fluid inlet to said fluid outlet, said radiator including a reserve tank fluidly coupled to said fluid passageway for storing cooling medium outside of said fluid passageway; and

a connection port for connecting said reserve tank to said fluid passageway,

wherein a portion of said fluid passageway adjacent said connection port forms a winding path.

76. The radiator of claim 75, wherein a part of said portion extending to said connection port includes a concave wall portion facing the fluid passageway.

77. A radiator, comprising:

a fluid inlet;

a fluid outlet; and

a fluid passageway through which a cooling medium is adapted to flow from said fluid inlet to said fluid outlet, said radiator including a reserve tank fluidly coupled to said fluid passageway for storing cooling medium outside of said fluid passageway,

wherein said reserve tank includes a scalable opening for filling the reserve tank with cooling medium, said radiator further comprising one of a cap and a check valve coupled to said opening for selectively sealing said opening.

78. A radiator, comprising:

a fluid inlet;

a fluid outlet; and

a fluid passageway through which a cooling medium is adapted to flow from said fluid inlet to said fluid outlet, said radiator including a reserve tank fluidly coupled to said fluid passageway for storing cooling medium outside of said fluid passageway,

wherein said reserve tank includes a plurality of overlapping baffles extending alternately from opposing wall portions of said reserve tank.

79. A radiator, comprising:

a fluid inlet;

a fluid outlet;

a fluid passageway through which a cooling medium is adapted to flow from said fluid inlet to said fluid outlet, said radiator including a reserve tank fluidly coupled to said fluid passageway for storing cooling medium outside of said fluid passageway;

a connection port for connecting said reserve tank to said fluid passageway; and

at least one extension reserve tank which is angled relative to said reserve tank, said reserve tank is positioned on a first side of said connection port and said fluid passageway is positioned on a second side of said connection port opposite to said first side, at least a portion of said at least one extension reserve tank extending into said second side.

80. A radiator, comprising:

a fluid inlet;

a fluid outlet;

a fluid passageway through which a cooling medium is adapted to flow from said fluid inlet to said fluid outlet, said radiator including a reserve tank fluidly coupled to said fluid passageway for storing cooling medium outside of said fluid passageway; and

two radiator boards having good thermal conductivity coupled together whereby at least one of facing surfaces of the coupled radiator boards are configured so as to form patterned space between said facing surfaces, said patterned space forming at least one of said fluid passageway and said reserve tank.

81. A cooling apparatus, comprising:

a radiator comprising;

a fluid inlet;

a fluid outlet; and

a fluid passageway through which a cooling medium is adapted to flow from said fluid inlet to said fluid outlet;

said radiator including a reserve tank fluidly coupled to said fluid passageway for storing cooling medium outside of said fluid passageway;

a cooler; and

a circulation pump provided in a closed circulation path for circulating the cooling medium, said cooler removing heat from a heating element by using said cooling medium, said radiator radiating the removed heat,

wherein said fluid passageway constitutes a part of said closed circulation path, and

at least one of said fluid passageway and said reserve tank are formed by abutment by joining a radiation board on which curved surfaces as flow path walls of the internal circulation path and the reserve tank are integrally formed, with another radiation board.

82. The cooling apparatus of claim 81, wherein said fluid passageway and said reserve tank are connected by a bubble outflow limiting path for limiting movement of mingled bubbles in one direction.

83. The cooling apparatus of claim 81, wherein said reserve tank is provided in an upper part of said radiator.

84. The cooling apparatus of claim 81, wherein a first extension reserve tank and a second extension reserve tank which extend downward are provided at both ends of said reserve tank.

85. The cooling apparatus of claim 81, wherein dimples are formed on the radiation board constituting said reserve tank and connect the two radiation boards.

86. The cooling apparatus of claim 81, wherein said reserve tank is arranged in an upward direction and in a lateral direction of said radiator, and baffles inclined obliquely upward are alternately arranged on both lateral sides in said reserve tank.

87. The cooling apparatus of claim 81, wherein said reserve tank has an internal height greater than the internal height of the fluid passageway.

88. The cooling apparatus of claim 81, wherein a joint is provided at least one position on said reserve tank.

89. The cooling apparatus of claim 81, wherein said pump is a volute pump comprising a ring-shaped impeller which has many blades formed on its outer circumference and a rotor magnet provided on its inner circumference, a motor stator provided on the inner circumferential side of said rotor magnet, and a pump casing which has a cylindrical part formed therein to be arranged between said motor stator and said rotor magnet, houses said impeller therein and has an inlet and an outlet, said cylindrical part pivotally supporting said ring-shaped impeller so that said ring-shaped impeller is rotatable.

90. The cooling apparatus of claim 81, further comprising an electronic equipment having a first casing in which an electronic circuit including a central processing unit and a storage unit are housed and which has a keyboard provided on its upper side, and a second casing having a display device capable of displaying the result of processing by said central processing unit, said second casing being rotatably mounted on said first casing.

91. The cooling apparatus of claim 81, wherein said cooling medium is a nonfreezing solution.

92. The cooling apparatus of claim 82, wherein said bubble outflow limiting path is provided at one position.

93. The cooling apparatus of claim 82, wherein the bottom surface of said reserve tank is inclined obliquely downward toward said bubble outflow limiting path.

94. The cooling apparatus of claim 82, wherein the cross-sectional area of the fluid passageway increases near said bubble outflow limiting path.

95. The cooling apparatus of claim 82, wherein the upper surface of the fluid passageway adjacent to the lower part of said reserve tank is inclined obliquely upward toward said bubble outflow limiting path.

96. The cooling apparatus of claim 82, wherein the fluid passageway is winding rear said bubble outflow limiting path.

97. The cooling apparatus of claim 82, wherein the bottom surface of said reserve tank is inclined obliquely upward toward said bubble outflow limiting path.

98. The cooling apparatus of claim 82, wherein said fluid passageway and said reserve tank are connected with each other by the bubble outflow limiting path, and said fluid passageway surrounds said reserve tank.

99. The cooling apparatus of claim 84, wherein each of said first extension reserve tank and said second extension reserve tank has a capacity which is ½

of the capacity of said reserve tank.

100. The cooling apparatus of claim 88, wherein said joint has a check valve.

101. The cooling apparatus of claim 90, wherein the radiator is arranged on the back side of the display device of said second casing.