Cooling device capable of reducing thickness of electronic apparatus

• US 7,474,533 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2007
• Issued: 01/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Client Computing Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Tanaka, Atsuko, Ohnishi, Masuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson; Gregory D
• Application Number:
  US11/905,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20080030948A1
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 361/719
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops

Abstract

A printed circuit board unit with a cooling device includes a printed circuit board; a ventilation fan including blades rotating around a rotation axis intersecting the printed circuit board; a housing wall standing from a surface of the printed circuit board at a periphery of the ventilation fan; an inlet defined in the printed circuit board inside the housing wall and located under the blades of the ventilation fan; and an outlet defined in the housing wall to open in parallel with the surface of the printed circuit board. An electronic apparatus is also provided which further includes an electronic component mounted on the printed circuit board.

Claims

1. A printed circuit board unit with a cooling device, comprising:

a printed circuit board;

a ventilation fan attached to the printed circuit board, the ventilation fan including blades rotating round a rotation axis intersecting the printed circuit board;

a housing wall standing from a surface of the printed circuit board at a periphery of the ventilation fan, the housing wall defining a space for the ventilation fan, the space being covered with the printed circuit board;

an inlet defined in the printed circuit board inside the housing wall and located under the blades of the ventilation fan; and

an outlet defined in the housing wall to direct airflow in parallel with the surface of the printed circuit board.

2. The printed circuit board unit with the cooling device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an electronic component mounted on the printed circuit board; and

an electrically conductive wiring pattern extending aver the surface of the printed circuit board inside the housing wall and connected to the electronic component.

3. The printed circuit board unit with the cooling device according to claim 2. further comprising a radiation fin, connected to the electrically conductive wiring pattern.

4. The printed circuit board unit with the cooling device according to claim 3, further comprising an electronic component mounted on the printed circuit board inside the housing wall.

5. The printed circuit board unit with the cooling device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a ceiling wall connected to an upper end of the housing wall and extending along a datum plane parallel to the surface of the printed circuit board; and

an inlet defined in the ceiling wall.

6. The printed circuit board unit with the cooling device according to claim 5, further comprising:

an electronic component mounted on the printed circuit board; and

an electrically conductive wiring pattern extending over the surface of the printed circuit board inside the housing wall and connected to the electronic component.

7. The printed circuit board unit with the cooling device according to claim 6, further comprising a radiation fin connected to the electrically conductive wiring pattern.

8. The printed circuit board unit with the cooling device according to claim 7, further comprising an electronic component mounted on the printed circuit board inside the housing wall.

9. The printed circuit board unit with the cooling device according to claim 1, further comprising an electronic component mounted on the printed circuit board inside the housing wall.

10. The printed circuit board unit with the cooling device according to claim 5, wherein the housing consists essentially of the housing wall, the ceiling wail, and the inlet defined in the ceiling wall.

11. The printed circuit board unit with the cooling device according to claim 5, comprising a gap between the ventilation fan arid the printed circuit board within the inner space surrounded by the printed circuit board, the housing wall, and the ceiling wall.

16. The electronic apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a ceiling wall connected to an upper end of the housing wall and extending along a datum plane parallel to the surface of the printed circuit board; and

an inlet defined in the ceiling wall.

12. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a printed circuit board;

an electronic component mounted on the printed circuit board;

a ventilation fan attached to the printed circuit board, the ventilation fan including blades rotating around a rotation axis intersecting the printed circuit board;

a housing wall standing from a surface of the printed circuit board at a periphery of the ventilation fan, the housing wall defining a space for the ventilation fan, the space being covered with the printed circuit board;

an inlet defined in the printed circuit board inside the housing wall and located under the blades of the ventilation fan; and

an outlet defined in the housing wall to direct airflow in parallel with the surface of the printed circuit board.

13. The electronic apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

an electronic component mounted on the printed circuit board; and

an electrically conductive wiring pattern extending over the surface of the printed circuit board inside the housing wall and connected to the electronic component.

14. The electronic apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a radiation fin connected to the electrically conductive wiring pattern.

15. The electronic apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising an electronic component mounted on the printed circuit board inside the housing wall.

17. The electronic apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the housing consists essentially of the housing wall, the ceiling wall, and the inlet defined in the ceiling wall.

18. The electronic apparatus according to claim 12. comprising a gap between the ventilation fan and the printed circuit board within the inner space surrounded by the printed circuit board, the housing wall, and the ceiling wall.