Electronic devices and air guide structure

Abstract

An electronic device includes a circuit board, a central processing unit (CPU), an expansion card, an air duct, and a centrifugal fan. The CPU is disposed on the circuit board. The expansion card is disposed on the circuit board and has a built-in fan inlet and a built-in fan outlet connected to each other. The air duct is located between the CPU and the expansion card and has an airflow channel, an air guide inlet on each side of the airflow channel, and a main air guide outlet. The air guide inlet connects to the built-in fan outlet. The main air guide outlet connects to the air guide inlet through the airflow channel. The centrifugal fan is located within the airflow channel.

Description

Electronic devices and air guide structure Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an electronic device, and more particularly to an electronic device comprising a wind-guiding structure. Prior Technology

[0002] In servers, expansion cards serve various purposes, such as image processing, network interface, peripheral device interface, and data storage. Users can install expansion cards to expand the functionality of their servers according to their needs.

[0003] Graphics cards typically have built-in fans to cool the graphics chip inside. As graphics chips become increasingly powerful, their heat generation also increases, necessitating improvements in heat dissipation. One current approach involves designing additional convection openings within the graphics card to enhance the airflow from the built-in fan, allowing it to exit the card more quickly and thus improving heat dissipation efficiency. However, the airflow generated by the fan, after absorbing heat from the graphics chip, flows to other electronic components such as the CPU. This hot air can then impact the performance of these other components. Therefore, one key challenge for developers is to achieve efficient heat dissipation for the graphics card while avoiding disruption to other components like the CPU. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention provides a method that balances heat dissipation efficiency of the expansion card while avoiding interference with the operation of other electronic components such as the central processing unit.

[0005] An embodiment of the present invention discloses an electronic device comprising a circuit board, a central processing unit (CPU), an expansion card, an air guide shroud, and a centrifugal fan. The CPU is disposed on the circuit board. The expansion card is disposed on the circuit board and has a built-in fan inlet and a built-in fan outlet connected thereto. The air guide shroud is located between the CPU and the expansion card and has an airflow channel, an air guide inlet located on either side of the airflow channel, and a main air guide outlet. The air guide inlet connects to the built-in fan outlet. The main air guide outlet connects to the air guide inlet through the airflow channel. The centrifugal fan is located within the airflow channel.

[0006] Another embodiment of this invention discloses an airflow structure for use on an expansion card that includes a circuit board containing a central processing unit (CPU), and includes an airflow shroud and a centrifugal fan. The airflow shroud is positioned between the CPU and the expansion card, and has an airflow channel, an airflow inlet located on either side of the airflow channel, and a main airflow outlet. The airflow inlet is connected to the exhaust port of the expansion card's built-in fan. The main airflow outlet is connected to the airflow inlet through the airflow channel. The centrifugal fan is located within the airflow channel.

[0007] According to the electronic device and airflow structure of the above embodiment, since the airflow guide is located between the central processing unit and the expansion card, and the airflow inlet and main airflow outlet are located on adjacent sides of the airflow channel, the hot air generated by the expansion card after absorbing heat will be guided by the airflow guide and will not blow towards the central processing unit, thereby preventing the hot air from affecting the operating efficiency of the central processing unit. In this way, the airflow guide can be used to balance the heat dissipation efficiency of the expansion card without affecting the operation of other electronic components such as the central processing unit.

[0008] The above description of the present invention and the following description of its embodiments are intended to demonstrate and explain the principles of the present invention, and to provide a further explanation of the scope of the patent application of the present invention. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0009] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the air guide cover of the electronic device in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the air guide cover of the electronic device in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the electronic device in Figure 1. Figure 5 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the sliding of the movable part of the air guide cover relative to the main body in the electronic device of Figure 1. Implementation

[0010] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the air guide cover of the electronic device of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the air guide cover of the electronic device of Figure 1.

[0011] The electronic device 10 of this embodiment includes a circuit board 11, a central processing unit 12, an expansion card 13, a fan shroud 14, and a centrifugal fan 15. The central processing unit 12 is disposed on the circuit board 11. The expansion card 13, for example, is a graphics card and is disposed on the circuit board 11. The expansion card 13 includes at least one built-in fan 130 for dissipating heat from the expansion chip (not shown) of the expansion card 13, and the built-in fan 130 has a built-in fan inlet 131 and a built-in fan outlet 132 that are connected to each other.

[0012] The air shroud 14 is mounted, for example, on a PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) bezel and is positioned between the central processing unit 12 and the expansion card 13. The air shroud 14 has an airflow channel S and an air inlet 141 and a main air outlet 142 located on either side of the airflow channel S. The air inlet 141 connects to the built-in fan outlet 132. The main air outlet 142 connects to the air inlet 141 through the airflow channel S.

[0013] The built-in fan outlet 132, air inlet 141, and airflow channel S are not parallel to the central processing unit 12 and are arranged at an angle. That is, the built-in fan outlet 132 of the expansion card 13 is not parallel to the main air outlet 142 of the air guide shroud 14, and the central processing unit 12 is not corresponding to the main air outlet 142. This is so that the cooling airflow flows from the built-in fan outlet 132 toward the central processing unit 12 into the airflow channel S, and is then guided by the airflow channel S of the air guide shroud 14 to flow toward the main air outlet 142, instead of flowing toward the central processing unit 12.

[0014] The angle between the arrangement direction of the aforementioned built-in fan outlet 132, air inlet 141, airflow channel S, airflow channel S, and main air outlet 142 and the arrangement direction of the central processing unit 12 is, for example, between 60 degrees and 90 degrees, but is not limited thereto.

[0015] Centrifugal fan 15 is located in airflow channel S and together with air guide shroud 14 forms airflow structure. When the heat dissipation airflow generated by the built-in fan 130 of expansion card 13 absorbs the heat of expansion chip, the centrifugal fan 15 can guide the heat-absorbing airflow in airflow channel S toward the main air outlet 142, so as to avoid heat accumulation in airflow channel S and thus avoid affecting the operation of expansion card 13.

[0016] In this embodiment, the air guide shroud 14 may also have a secondary air outlet 143. The air inlet 141, the main air outlet 142, and the secondary air outlet 143 are located on opposite sides of the airflow channel S. The secondary air outlet 143 is connected to the airflow channel S and corresponds, for example, to an M.2 heat sink (not shown). By having the air guide shroud 14 have a secondary air outlet 143, the heat-absorbing and dissipating airflow can be further discharged outside the air guide shroud 14.

[0017] In this embodiment, the air guide shroud 14 may further include a main body 144 and a movable part 145. The movable part 145 is movably connected to the main body 144. Specifically, the main body 144 may have a groove 1441, and the movable part 145 may have a plurality of sliders 1451, but the number is not limited thereto. These sliders 1451 are slidably disposed in the groove 1441, so that the movable part 145 can slide relative to the main body 144 and move relatively closer to or away from the main air outlet 142. In this way, the length of the air guide shroud 14 can be adjusted according to the length of the expansion card 13. The centrifugal fan 15 is disposed, for example, in the movable part 145 of the air guide shroud 14.

[0018] In this embodiment, the electronic device 10 may further include a temperature sensor (not shown) and a controller (not shown). The temperature sensor and the controller are disposed on the circuit board 11. The temperature sensor is used to sense the temperature of the cooling airflow guided by the centrifugal fan 15 flowing to the main air outlet 142, so that the controller can control the speed of the centrifugal fan 15 according to the sensed airflow temperature.

[0019] Please refer to Figure 4 as well. Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the electronic device in Figure 1. In this embodiment, when the built-in fan 130 of the expansion card 13 operates, it generates a cooling airflow that flows into the expansion card 13 from the built-in fan inlet 131 in direction A to absorb the heat of the expansion chip. Then, the cooling airflow flows into the airflow channel S along direction A through the built-in fan outlet 132 and the air guide inlet 141. Next, the centrifugal fan 15 located inside the air guide shroud 14 guides the heat-absorbing cooling airflow to flow in direction B within the airflow channel S, and causes the cooling airflow to flow out of the air guide shroud 14 from the main air guide outlet 142. In this way, the heat-absorbing cooling airflow can be discharged through the guidance of the air guide shroud 14.

[0020] In this embodiment, since the air guide shroud 14 is located between the central processing unit 12 and the expansion card 13, and the air inlet 141 and the main air outlet 142 are located on adjacent sides of the airflow channel S, the hot air generated by the expansion card 13 after absorbing heat will be guided by the air guide shroud 14 and will not blow towards the central processing unit 12, thereby preventing the hot air from affecting the operating efficiency of the central processing unit 12. In this way, the air guide shroud 14 can be used to balance the heat dissipation efficiency of the expansion card 13 without affecting the operation of other electronic components such as the central processing unit 12.

[0021] Please refer to Figure 5. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the movable part of the air guide cover sliding relative to the main body in the electronic device of Figure 1. In this embodiment, when the user replaces it with, for example, a shorter expansion card 13A according to their own needs, they only need to move the movable part 145 of the air guide cover 14 along direction C. This allows the movable part 145 to slide along direction C through the slider 1451 in the groove 1441 of the main body 144, thus moving closer to the main air outlet 142 to shorten the length of the air guide cover 14 and also shorten the length of the airflow channel SA. In this way, the length of the air guide cover 14 can be adjusted according to the length of the expansion card 13A, thereby improving the flexibility of the air guide cover 14 in terms of installation.

[0022] In this embodiment, the length of the air guide shroud 14 is adjusted by sliding the slider 1451 of the movable part 145 in the groove 1441 of the main body 144 to cooperate with the expansion card 13, but it is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the length of the air guide shroud can also be adjusted to cooperate with the expansion card through other forms of adjustment structures.

[0023] In this embodiment, the air guide shroud 14 has a secondary air outlet 143 corresponding to the M.2 heat sink, but this is not a limitation. In other embodiments, the air guide shroud may not have a secondary air outlet.

[0024] According to the electronic device and airflow structure of the above embodiment, since the airflow guide is located between the central processing unit and the expansion card, and the airflow inlet and main airflow outlet are located on adjacent sides of the airflow channel, the hot air generated by the expansion card after absorbing heat will be guided by the airflow guide and will not blow towards the central processing unit, thereby preventing the hot air from affecting the operating efficiency of the central processing unit. In this way, the airflow guide can be used to balance the heat dissipation efficiency of the expansion card without affecting the operation of other electronic components such as the central processing unit.

[0025] Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to the foregoing embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Anyone skilled in the art may make some modifications and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of patent protection of the present invention shall be determined by the scope of the claims attached to this specification.

[0026] 10: Electronic devices 11: Circuit Board 12: Central Processing Unit 13,13A: Expansion Card 130: Built-in fan 131: Built-in fan air inlet 132: Built-in fan outlet 14: Air guide cover 141: Air inlet 142: Main air outlet 143: Secondary air outlet 144: Main Body 1441: Slide 145: Activities Department 1451: Slider 15: Centrifugal fan S, SA: Airflow channels A~C: Direction

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising: a circuit board; a central processing unit disposed on the circuit board; an expansion card disposed on the circuit board and having at least one built-in fan, the built-in fan having a connected built-in fan inlet and a built-in fan outlet; an air guide shroud disposed between the central processing unit and the expansion card, and having an airflow channel and an air guide inlet and a main air guide outlet located on adjacent sides of the airflow channel, the air guide inlet being connected to the built-in fan outlet, the main air guide outlet being connected to the air guide inlet through the airflow channel; and a centrifugal fan located within the airflow channel.

2. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air guide includes a main body and a movable part, the movable part being movably connected to the main body and being able to move relatively closer to or further away from the main air outlet to adjust the length of the air guide.

3. The electronic device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the main body has at least one groove, the movable part has at least one slider, the at least one slider being slidably disposed in the at least one groove so that the movable part can slide relative to the main body.

4. The electronic device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the centrifugal fan is disposed in the movable part of the air guide shroud.

5. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air guide shroud further has a secondary air guide outlet, the air guide inlet, the main air guide outlet and the secondary air guide outlet are located on opposite sides of the airflow channel, and the secondary air guide outlet is connected to the airflow channel.

6. An airflow guiding structure for mounting on an expansion card comprising a circuit board containing a central processing unit, the expansion card having at least one built-in fan and the built-in fan having a built-in fan outlet, the airflow guiding structure comprising: an airflow guide shroud disposed between the central processing unit and the expansion card, having an airflow channel and an airflow inlet and a main airflow outlet located on adjacent sides of the airflow channel, the airflow inlet being connected to the built-in fan outlet of the built-in fan, the main airflow outlet being connected to the airflow inlet through the airflow channel; and a centrifugal fan located within the airflow channel.

7. The air guide structure as described in claim 6, wherein the air guide shroud includes a main body and a movable part, the movable part being slidably connected to the main body and being able to move relatively closer to or further away from the main air outlet to adjust the length of the air guide shroud.

8. The air guide structure as described in claim 7, wherein the main body has at least one groove, the movable part has at least one slider, the at least one slider being slidably disposed in the at least one groove so that the movable part can slide relative to the main body.

9. The air guide structure as described in claim 7, wherein the centrifugal fan is disposed in the movable part of the air guide shroud.

10. The air guide structure as described in claim 6, wherein the air guide shroud further comprises a secondary air guide outlet, the air guide inlet, the main air guide outlet and the secondary air guide outlet are located on opposite sides of the airflow channel, and the secondary air guide outlet is connected to the airflow channel.

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