Computer device with low acoustic noise

• US 7,990,701 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2009
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lin, Zhen-Neng, Yeh, Chin-Wen
• Primary Examiner(s): DATSKOVSKIY, MICHAIL V
• Application Number:
  US12/603,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20110063795A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.01, 361/679.02, 361/679.46, 361/679.48, 361690-697, 361724-727, 361/800, 361/816, 361/818, 361/831, 174/50, 174/35.BC, 174/350, 174/358, 174/35.MS, 174/377, 454/184, 427/58, 181/141, 181/208, 181/286, 181/225, 181/290, 181/202, 181/206, 181/198, 181/226, 428/116, 428/324, 428/325, 428/327, 428/328, 428/316.6, 428/304.4, 428/305.5, 428/550, 442/370, 442/120, 442/394, 442/136, 442/414, 442/415, 294/020.2, 294/020.6, 298/40, 298/41, 298/65
• US Class Current: 361/679.48
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/182 with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means

Abstract

A computer system includes a chassis with a fan installed therein, a cover plate adapted to be attached to the chassis, and a noise absorber attached to the cover plate. The fan is capable of generating an amount of air flow for cooling at least a component in the chassis. The noise absorber includes a plurality of protrusions facing the fan and capable of damping the air flow that impacts the cover plate and decreasing an acoustic noise level of the computer system.

Claims

1. A computer device comprising:

a chassis with a first fan and a second fan installed therein;

a cover plate attached to the chassis; and

a noise absorber attached to the cover plate, the noise absorber comprising a plurality of protrusions facing the first fan and capable of damping the air flow that impacts the cover plate;

wherein the first fan is capable of generating airflow that flows to the noise absorber to take heat away from the heat generating component in the chassis along a first direction, and the second fan is capable of generating airflow directed along a second direction to take heat out from the chassis, and the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

2. The computer device of claim 1, wherein the noise absorber comprises a flat bottom attached to the cover plate, the plurality of protrusions extend from the flat bottom towards the fan.

3. The computer device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of protrusions is regularly wave-shaped.

4. The computer device of claim 2, wherein the noise absorber is larger than an air outlet of the fan and capable of fully covering the fan and damping the air flow that impacts the cover plate.

5. The computer device of claim 2, wherein the air outlet of the fan is circular, the bottom of the noise absorber is square, and a width of the noise absorber is greater than a diameter of the circular air outlet of the fan.

6. The computer device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of conductive foams is attached between the cover plate and the chassis for preventing electro-magnetic interference and dampening vibration.

7. A computer device comprising:

a chassis with a first fan and a second fan installed therein, the first fan capable of generating airflow directed along a first direction, the second fan capable of generating airflow directed along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;

a cover plate adapted to be attached to the chassis; and

a noise absorber attached to the cover plate and capable of damping the airflow directed towards the cover plate in the first direction and decreasing an acoustic noise level of the computer device; and

a plurality of conductive foams attached between the cover plate and the chassis.

8. The computer device of claim 7, wherein the noise absorber comprises a flat bottom attached to the cover plate and a plurality of protrusions extending from the flat bottom towards the fan.

9. The computer device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of protrusions is regularly wave-shaped.

10. The computer device of claim 8, wherein the noise absorber is larger than an air outlet of the fan and capable of fully covering the fan for damping the air flow that impacts the cover plate.

11. The computer device of claim 10, wherein the air outlet of the fan is circular, the bottom of the noise absorber is square, and a width of the noise absorber is greater than a diameter of the circular air outlet of the fan.

12. The computer device of claim 7, wherein the noise absorber is in proximity to the second fan and faces the first fan.

13. The computer device of claim 7, wherein the chassis comprises a bottom plate and a rear plate perpendicularly connected to the bottom plate, and the first fan is attached on the bottom plate, and the second fan is attached on the rear plate.

14. The computer device of claim 13, wherein a rear flange is bent from the rear panel, a securing piece extends perpendicularly outwards from the rear panel in proximity to the rear flange, and a securing slot is defined in a flange of the cover plate corresponding to the securing piece.