Fan module for electronic equipment

Abstract

The invention discloses a fan module for an electronic device. Systems, apparatus, articles of manufacture, and methods for cooling electronic devices are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a fan module for an electronic device. The fan module includes: a first cover plate; a second cover plate; an input / output (IO) board adjacent to the second cover plate, the second cover plate and the IO board being located below the first cover plate; and a fan located between the first cover plate and the second cover plate, the fan operating over the second cover plate and a portion of the IO board.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to hardware for thermal management systems for electronic devices, and more particularly to fan modules for electronic devices. Background Art

[0002] Electronic devices include heat generating components. Thermal solutions are used to dissipate the heat generated by the heat generating components. Heat dissipation solutions include heat pipes, vapor chambers, and fans. Summary of the invention

[0003] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a fan module for an electronic device is provided, the fan module comprising: a first cover plate; a second cover plate; an input / output (IO) board adjacent to the second cover plate, the second cover plate and the IO board being located below the first cover plate; and a fan located between the first cover plate and the second cover plate, the fan being located above a portion of the IO board and the second cover plate.

[0004] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a device for cooling an electronic device is provided, the device comprising: a first compartment; a second compartment; a wall for separating the first compartment and the second compartment; and a fan located in the first compartment, the fan being used to discharge air from the first compartment and induce airflow in the second compartment.

[0005] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a fan module for an electronic device is provided, comprising: a first cover plate; a second cover plate coupled to the first cover plate; a shell located between the first cover plate and the second cover plate, the shell having a wall defining a first compartment and a second compartment; a fan located in the first compartment, the fan having a fan inlet and a fan outlet, the fan generating a forced airflow through the first compartment between the fan inlet and the fan outlet, the fan generating a low pressure at the fan outlet; and an input / output (IO) compartment having an IO component located in the second compartment, the wall limiting the forced airflow from the first compartment to the second compartment, the shell having a shell inlet and a shell outlet in fluid communication with the second compartment, the shell outlet being in fluid communication with the fan outlet, wherein the low pressure at the fan outlet causes a pressure difference between the shell inlet and the shell outlet to induce the airflow in the IO compartment to flow from the shell inlet to the shell outlet, the wall limiting the induced airflow from the second compartment to the first compartment, the induced airflow taking away the heat generated by the IO component located in the second compartment.

[0006] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a method for cooling an electronic device is provided, the method comprising: positioning a fan in a first compartment, the first compartment being adjacent to a second compartment, a wall separating the first compartment and the second compartment; and operating the fan located in the first compartment, the fan being used to discharge air from the first compartment and induce airflow in the second compartment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1 is a top view of a portion of an exemplary electronic device having an exemplary fan module and exemplary input / output (IO) ports according to the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0008] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A bottom view of a portion of an electronic device.

[0009] Figure 3 This article discloses Figure 1 An exploded view of one of the exemplary fan modules and an exemplary IO board.

[0010] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 An enlarged view of a portion of an electronic device showing one of the exemplary fan modules disclosed herein and an exemplary IO board with the fan top cover removed.

[0011] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A perspective view of an exemplary fan module and an exemplary IO board.

[0012] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional view of a portion of a conventional electronic device.

[0013] Figure 7 Yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a cross-sectional view of a portion of an exemplary electronic device with one of the exemplary fan modules.

[0014] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 An enlarged perspective view of a portion of an exemplary fan housing of one of the exemplary fan modules.

[0015] Fig. 9 yes Figure 8 An enlarged side view of an exemplary fan housing of an exemplary fan module.

[0016] Generally, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] Thermal solutions for electronic devices, such as, for example, laptops, are important features for cooling heat-generating components within the electronic device and improving the user experience. Electronic devices becoming overheated can cause performance issues and / or create a negative user experience. Cooling electronic devices can also enable higher operating power and / or improved performance.

[0018] Disclosed herein is an exemplary fan module for an electronic device, the exemplary fan module comprising a larger fan having a larger width or a larger footprint than a conventional fan. The larger fan can increase or generate a larger airflow than a conventional fan. The increased airflow allows for increased cooling capacity without increasing the thickness (e.g., Z-height) of the electronic device. In the examples disclosed herein, the fan module is replaceable, repairable, and / or reusable, which enhances the sustainability of the electronic device.

[0019] Some electronic devices disclosed herein include an input / output (IO) board, which includes a port that enables an external device to be coupled to the electronic device. Some exemplary ports include a universal serial bus (USB) port, a Thunderbolt port, a display port (DisplayPort) (DP) interface, etc. Some ports can achieve large amounts of data and / or power transmission, which can generate heat. The examples disclosed herein can generate airflow (e.g., induce and / or force airflow) on the IO board to enhance the cooling of peripheral device ports and interfaces.

[0020] Figure 1 1 is a top view of a portion of an exemplary electronic device 100 having an exemplary fan module. The fan module in the illustrated example includes an exemplary first fan module 102 (constructed according to the teachings of the present disclosure) and an exemplary second fan module 104 (e.g., a conventional fan module). The first fan module 102 in the illustrated example includes a first fan 106, and the second fan module 104 in the illustrated example includes a second fan 108.

[0021] As used herein, the x-direction refers to a direction along the width of the electronic device 100 (e.g., a direction between lateral edges or side edges), the y-direction refers to a direction along the length of the electronic device 100 (e.g., a direction between the front edge and the rear edge of the electronic device), and the z-direction refers to a direction along the height or thickness of the electronic device 100. References to the xyz directions throughout the specification relate to directions along the width, length, and thickness (or Z-direction), respectively.

[0022] In this example, the first fan module 102 has a first width (e.g., in the x-direction), and the second fan module 104 has a second width (e.g., in the x-direction). The second width is less than the first width. In this example, the first width is 90 millimeters (mm) and the second width is 77.6 mm. Therefore, in this example, the width of the first fan module 102 is increased by 14% compared to the second fan module 104. The length of the first fan module 102 is also increased (e.g., in the y-direction) compared to the second fan module 104. For example, the first length of the first fan module 102 is 90 mm and the second length of the second fan module 104 is 84 mm. The first fan module 102 and the second fan module 104 have the same thickness or Z-height. In some examples, the Z-height is 7.8 mm. Therefore, the larger first fan module 104 does not increase the thickness or Z-height of the electronic device 100. In general, in this example, the size or footprint of the first fan module 102 is (90 mm×90 mm×7.8 mm), and the size or footprint of the second fan module 104 is (77.6 mm×84 mm×7.8 mm). Therefore, in this example, the size (e.g., footprint) of the first fan module 102 is approximately 20% larger than the second fan module 104. In addition, the cooling capacity or performance of the first fan module 102 is greater than the cooling capacity or performance of the second fan module 104.

[0023] Fan performance can be directly scaled by increasing the fan's blade diameter (e.g., see equations 1-4 below). Assuming the original blade diameter of the 77 mm fan is 55 mm and the blade diameter of the 90 mm fan is 62 mm, the 90 mm fan produces a 22% increase in flow rate over the original 77 mm fan. Increasing the fan size can directly improve system performance by adding or generating more airflow to the system.

[0024] Volume flow pressure Absorbed power Sound power level

[0025] In the above equation: q v1 represents the flow rate in the first state (e.g., measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM)), q v2represents the flow rate in the second state (in CFM), n1 represents the fan speed in the first state (e.g., measured in revolutions per minute (RPM)), n2 represents the fan speed in the second state (in RPM), d1 represents the fan diameter in the first state (e.g., measured in mm), d2 represents the fan diameter in the second state (in mm), p1 represents the pressure in the first state (e.g., measured in inches of water column (inH2O)), p2 represents the pressure in the second state (inH2O), ρ1 represents the density in the first state (e.g., measured in kilograms per cubic meter (kg / m 3 ) in units of kg / m 3 Unit), P R1 represents the absorbed power in the first state (e.g., measured in watts (W) or milliwatts (mW), P R2 represents the absorbed power in the second state (in W or mW), PWL1 represents the sound power level in the first state (for example, measured in decibels (dB) or A-weighted decibels (dBA)), and PWL2 represents the sound power level in the second state (in dB or dBA).

[0026] The first fan module 102 in the illustrated example includes an exemplary first cover plate 110. In some examples, the first cover plate 110 is referred to as an upper cover or a top cover. The electronic device 100 in the illustrated example includes a plurality of exemplary input / output (IO) ports 112. In this example, the IO ports 112 are positioned below the first cover plate 110. The second fan module 104 in the illustrated example also includes a cover plate or a top plate 114, which is smaller in size than the first cover plate 110 of the first fan module 102.

[0027] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 100. The first fan module 102 in the illustrated example includes an exemplary second cover plate 200. In some examples, the second cover plate 200 is referred to as a lower cover or bottom cover. The first fan module 102 in the illustrated example also includes an exemplary IO board 202. The IO board 202 in the illustrated example supports the IO port 112. The second fan module 104 in the illustrated example also includes a cover plate or bottom plate 204, which is smaller in size than the second cover plate 200 and the IO board 202 of the first fan module 102.

[0028] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 and Figure 2 FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the first fan module 102 . Figure 4 yes Figure 1FIG. 1 is an enlarged view of a portion of the electronic device 100 in FIG. 1 , which shows the first fan module 102 with the first cover 110 removed. Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A perspective view of a portion of the electronic device 100 in FIG. Figures 3 to 5 , the first fan module 102 in the illustrated example includes an exemplary fan housing 300. The fan housing 300 in the illustrated example includes an exemplary first wall 302. The wall 302 in the illustrated example is located in an exemplary first compartment or fan compartment 304 ( Figure 4 and Figure 5 ) and the exemplary second compartment or IO compartment 306 ( Figure 4 and Figure 5 ) form a partition or separation between the first fan module 106. The first fan module 102 in the illustrated example includes an exemplary cutwater 308. The first wall 302 and the cutwater 308 define a volute of the first fan 106.

[0029] The first fan 106 of the first fan module 102 in the illustrated example has an inlet 309 for suction or inhalation of air, a first fan outlet 310 and a second fan outlet 312 for exhausting or discharging air. In some examples, the first outlet 310 may be referred to as a main outlet. The first fan 106 exhausts or discharges air from the first outlet 310 and the second outlet 312 (e.g., exhausts or discharges air outwardly from the first outlet 310 and the second outlet 312). In some examples, the first outlet 310 and the second outlet 312 may be referred to as exhaust outlets. The airflow generated by the first fan module 102 in the fan compartment is a forced airflow. In the context of the present disclosure, a "forced" airflow is an airflow discharged by a fan. Therefore, in this example, the airflow downstream of the fan is forced air. The electronic device 100 also includes an exemplary plurality of fins 314 located at or near the second outlet 312. The heat generating components in the electronic device 100 are thermally coupled to the fins 314. The air discharged by the first fan 106 flows through the fins 314, and heat is discharged or dissipated from the fins 314 of the electronic device 100. In some examples, the first fan 106 generates a high wind speed and a low pressure at the second outlet 312 and / or above the fins 314. In addition, the wall 302 may obstruct, restrict, or otherwise block the airflow in the fan compartment 304 from flowing directly through or into the IO compartment 306. Therefore, the forced airflow generated by the fan does not flow through the IO components 112 positioned in the IO compartment 306.

[0030] In the illustrated example, the fan housing 300 includes a housing inlet (or simply referred to as an inlet) 318 and an exemplary third outlet 320 (e.g., a housing outlet) that are connected to the IO compartment 306. In addition, the third outlet 320 is in fluid communication with the second fan outlet 312. Therefore, the pressure of the third outlet 320 is similar to or equal to (e.g., affected by) the pressure of the airflow at the second fan outlet 312. On the contrary, the pressure of the fluid or air at the inlet 318 is greater than the pressure of the air or fluid at the third outlet 320. Therefore, the low pressure at the second outlet 312 and the third outlet 320 induces the high pressure air at the inlet 318 to flow through the IO compartment 306. Therefore, the airflow generated by the first fan module 102 in the IO compartment is an induced airflow. In the context of the present disclosure, an "induced" airflow is an airflow indirectly caused by a fan (e.g., via the pressure difference between the pressure at the inlet 318 and the pressure at the third outlet 320), rather than an airflow directly from the fan outlet. The fan housing 300 in the illustrated example includes an exemplary second wall 316, which has an exemplary inlet 318. The fan housing 300 also includes an exemplary third outlet 320. The first fan 106 induces (e.g., draws) airflow into the IO compartment 306 through the inlet 318, passes through the IO compartment 306, and flows out from the third outlet 320 to reach the low pressure area. The wall 302 can limit, block or hinder the induced airflow in the IO compartment 304 from flowing into the fan compartment 304. In some examples, the airflow through the third outlet 320 extends to the fin 314 or flows through the fin 314. In some examples, the third outlet 320 can be referred to as an exhaust outlet. The induced airflow in the IO compartment 306 is a closed-loop airflow along the edge of the base of the electronic device 100. The induced airflow reduces the temperature of the IO port 112 and / or takes away the heat of the IO port 112.

[0031] In some examples, additional components can be incorporated into the IO compartment 306 of the electronic device 100 due to the induced airflow cooling along the edge of the base. For example, a retimer or redriver can be connected in the IO compartment 306. In addition, using the first fan module 102 of the present disclosure, a retimer or redriver with greater operating capacity can be used without causing the electronic device 100 to overheat. For example, a retimer with a data rate of 80 gigabytes per second (Gbps) can be used in the electronic device 100 instead of a 40Gbps retimer. The 80Gbps retimer may generate an additional 500mW of power and associated heat. The excess heat generated by the 80Gbps placed in the IO compartment 306 is dissipated and / or taken away from the IO compartment 306 by induced airflow (e.g., providing cooling of induced airflow).

[0032] In some examples, the first cover plate 110 includes an exemplary plurality of pin fins 322. In some examples, the pin fins 322 are located on a recessed portion of the first cover plate 110, which extends through an exemplary opening 324 in the fan housing 300 to a position near or on the IO board 202. In other examples, the pin fins 322 can be disposed on the IO board 202 and / or otherwise coupled to the IO board 202. The induced airflow entering the IO compartment 306 flows through the pin fins 322 to dissipate heat generated by the heat-generating components that are thermally coupled to the pin fins 322. Therefore, in some examples, the pin fins 322 function similarly to the fins 314 to promote and / or increase heat dissipation of the electronic device 100. In some examples, the first fan module 102 includes an exemplary seal 326. The seal 326 is positioned on the first cover plate 110, above the pin fins 322. In some examples, the seal 326 includes a polyester film (mylar). In some examples, IO compartment 306 is sealed from fan compartment 304 (eg, via an O-ring, gasket, thermal paste, etc.).

[0033] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of a cross-sectional view of a portion of a conventional electronic device 600 (e.g., taken along the yz plane). Conventional electronic device 600 includes a first cover plate or C cover plate 602, a second cover plate or D cover plate 604, a fan module 606, and an IO port 608 positioned between C cover plate 602 and D cover plate 604. Fan module 606 includes fan blades 610 and motor 612 between fan top cover 614 and fan bottom cover 616. Conventional electronic device 600 includes a wall 618 positioned at the edge of fan bottom cover 616. Wall 618 is spaced apart from IO board 620 supporting IO port 608. In other words, wall 618 isolates IO board 620 from fan module 606. For example, wall 618 hinders or blocks the airflow generated by fan module 606 from flowing to IO board 620. Therefore, fan module 606 generates airflow in fan compartment 622, but does not generate airflow in IO compartment 624. Therefore, the heat generated by the peripheral device connected to the IO port 608 is not dissipated by the operation of the fan module 606. In some examples, the fan module 606 is composed of Figure 1 The second fan module 104 is implemented in.

[0034] Figure 7 It consists of Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional view (e.g., taken along the yz plane) of an electronic assembly 700 implemented as a portion of an exemplary electronic device 100 with a first fan module 102 in FIG. 1 . The exemplary electronic assembly 700 in the illustrated example may be a laptop, tablet, desktop, mobile device, cell phone, smartphone, hybrid or convertible PC, personal computing (PC) device, server, modular computing device, digital photo frame, graphing calculator, smart watch, and / or any other electronic device that employs active cooling or fans.

[0035] The electronic assembly 700 includes an exemplary first device cover 702, which may be a C cover. The electronic assembly 700 also includes an exemplary second device cover 704, which may be a D cover. The first module 102 and the IO port 112 are located between the first device cover 702 and the second device cover 704 (e.g., positioned in a cavity formed between the first device cover 702 and the second device cover 704).

[0036] The fan module 102 includes a first fan 106, the first fan 106 includes an exemplary fan blade 706 and an exemplary motor 708, the exemplary fan blade 706 and the exemplary motor 708 are located between a first cover plate 110 as a fan top cover and a second cover plate 200 as a fan bottom cover. The electronic device 100 includes an IO board 202 supporting an IO port 112. The IO port 112 is located between the first cover plate 110 and the IO board 202. The electronic device 100 includes a first wall 302 positioned between the first cover plate 110 and the IO board 202. The first wall 302 partitions the first fan module 102 into a fan compartment 304 and an IO compartment 306. Since the first wall 302 is positioned on the IO board 202, a portion of the IO board 202 is located in or forms a boundary of the fan compartment 304. In fact, a portion of the IO board 202 replaces a portion of the fan board or the second cover plate 200. Therefore, the first fan module 102 and the IO board 202 at least partially overlap. In some examples, the IO board 202 is covered by a protective insert. In some examples, the protective insert is a thin layer of plastic (such as, for example, a thin layer of liquid crystal polymer). In some examples, the thickness of the protective insert is 0.2 mm (e.g., in the z-direction). The first fan module 102 also includes a second wall 316 that supports the IO port 112.

[0037] The first fan module 102 generates airflow in the fan compartment 304 and the IO compartment 306. As described above, the airflow generated in the fan compartment 304 is a forced airflow, and the airflow generated in the IO compartment 306 is an induced airflow. Therefore, in addition to dissipating the heat generated by the internal components (i.e., the central processing unit (CPU), the graphics processing unit (GPU), etc.) through the forced airflow, the heat generated by the peripheral devices connected to the IO port 112 is also dissipated by running the induced airflow generated by the first fan module 102.

[0038] The location of the first wall 302 on the IO board 202 allows the first fan module 102 to have a wider width than Figure 6 The conventional fan module 606 in the conventional electronic device 600 in the embodiment has a larger size. Therefore, the first fan module 102 can generate a larger airflow (e.g., an airflow with a larger volume). Even if the electronic device 100 includes a larger fan, the Z-height of the electronic device 100 will not be greater than the Z-height of the conventional electronic device 600. In addition, the number of IO ports 112 in the electronic device 100 can be the same as the number of IO ports 608 in the conventional electronic device 600. Therefore, the first fan module 102 with an increased fan size does not affect the IO port count of the electronic device 100 and / or require the IO ports of the electronic device 100 to be reallocated. Therefore, when the first wall 302 is positioned above the IO board 202, the width conflict between the first fan module 102 and the IO board 202 is resolved to allow the use of a larger fan with the same IO port count.

[0039] The first fan module 102 also includes an insulating layer 710. In some examples, the insulating layer 710 is coupled to a side of the first wall 302, the second cover plate 200 and / or the portion of the IO board 202 in the fan compartment 304. The insulating layer 710 in the illustrated example is oriented toward the fan module 102 and / or the fan compartment 304. In some examples, the insulating layer 710 is located on the portion of the second cover plate 200 and the IO board 202 in the fan compartment 304, rather than on the first wall 302. The insulating layer 710 ensures that there is no gap or step below the first fan 106. The insulating layer 710 allows high components to protrude slightly inside the first fan 106 without increasing the total height of the first fan 102 due to overlapping components (i.e., the insulating layer 710 covering any taller components). The insulating layer 710 forms a smooth surface in the first fan module 102. The smooth surface reduces turbulence and allows the airflow to be smoother or have more laminar flow. In some examples, the insulating layer 710 is a film. In some examples, the insulating layer 710 includes silicone rubber. In some examples, the insulating layer 710 includes insert molded plastic. In some examples, the thickness of the insulating layer is 0.05 mm (eg, in the z-direction).

[0040] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of an exemplary fan housing 300 of a first fan module 102 in FIG. Fig. 9 yes Figure 8 10 is an enlarged side view of the fan housing 300 of the first fan module 102 in FIG. The fan housing 300 includes a second wall 316. The second wall 316 provides a connection stiffener for supporting the IO port 112. In some examples, the second wall 316 is used as a connection stiffener to prevent the IO port 112 from being spaced apart (e.g., spaced apart from the IO board 202). Conventional devices use independent metal reinforcement connectors to support the IO port (such as, for example, a metal rod or a metal bar). Since the second wall 316 provides reinforcement and support functions, a discrete or separate reinforcement connector is not required in the disclosed examples. Therefore, by using the second wall 316 as a port stiffener, fewer components are used in the electronic device 100.

[0041] The first fan module 102 is larger than the second fan module 104. Therefore, the first fan module 102 can generate a larger airflow than the second fan module 104. The larger airflow reduces the junction temperature, GPU and / or CPU temperature and / or surface temperature at the surface of the electronic device 100. The reduced temperature improves the performance of the GPU and / or CPU. The lower temperature can also increase power consumption capabilities and / or use high data rate file transfer peripherals, extended power range charging, faster charging rates and / or high resolution displays without affecting the performance of the electronic device 100.

[0042] It can be appreciated from the above that the disclosed exemplary systems, devices, articles, and methods can improve the heat dissipation and / or cooling capabilities of electronic devices. The disclosed systems, devices, articles, and methods improve the efficiency of the use of computing devices by increasing the cooling capabilities of electronic devices, thereby allowing more power consumption and / or heat generation without increasing the size of the electronic device (e.g., occupied space, thickness, etc.), shortening battery life, reducing the number of IO ports, reallocating IO ports, and possibly moving cables closer to users, reducing charging capabilities and / or charging rates, and / or adding more components (such as heat pipes) to IO ports. Therefore, the disclosed systems, devices, articles, and methods are intended to make one or more improvements to the operation of machines such as computers or other electronic and / or mechanical devices.

[0043] As used herein, "include" and "comprising" (and all forms and tenses thereof) are open-ended terms. Thus, whenever a claim employs any form of "includes" or "comprising" (e.g., comprises, includes, comprising, including, having, etc.) as a preamble or in any type of claim recitation, it should be understood that additional elements, items, etc. may be present without exceeding the scope of the corresponding claim or recitation. As used herein, when the phrase "at least" is used as a transitional term, for example, in a preamble to a claim, it is open-ended, just as the terms "comprising" and "including" are open-ended. For example, when the word "and / or" is used in the form of A, B, and / or C, etc., it refers to any combination or subset of A, B, and C, such as, (1) only A, (2) only B, (3) only C, (4) A and B, (5) A and C, (6) B and C, or (7) A, B, and C. The phrase "at least one of A and B" as used herein when describing structures, components, articles, objects and / or things is intended to include embodiments including any of the following: (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B. Likewise, the phrase "at least one of A or B" as used herein when describing structures, components, articles, objects and / or things is intended to include embodiments including any of the following: (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B. The phrase "at least one of A and B" as used herein when describing the execution or performance of processes, instructions, actions, activities and / or steps is intended to include embodiments including any of the following: (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B. Likewise, the phrase "at least one of A or B" as used herein when describing the execution or performance of processes, instructions, actions, activities and / or steps is intended to include embodiments including any of the following: (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B.

[0044] As used herein, the singular (e.g., "a," "an," "first," "second," etc.) does not exclude a plurality. As used herein, the words "a" or "an" object refer to one or more of that object. The words "a" (or "an"), "one or more," and "at least one" may be used interchangeably herein. Furthermore, although listed separately, multiple devices, elements, or actions may be implemented by, for example, the same entity or object. Furthermore, although individual features may be included in different examples or claims, these features may also be combined together, and inclusion in different examples or claims does not mean that a combination of features is not feasible and / or not advantageous.

[0045] Unless otherwise specifically stated, descriptors used herein, such as "first," "second," "third," etc., do not imply or otherwise indicate any meaning of priority, physical order, arrangement in a list, and / or ordering in any manner, but are merely used as labels and / or arbitrary names to distinguish elements to facilitate understanding of the disclosed examples. In some examples, the descriptor "first" may be used to refer to an element in a specific embodiment, while in the claims, the same element may be referred to by different descriptors, such as "second" or "third." In such cases, it should be understood that these descriptors are only used to clearly identify these elements in the context of the discussion (e.g., in the claims), while in other cases, these elements may, for example, share the same name.

[0046] As used herein, "approximately" and "about" modify the subject / value thereof to recognize possible variations in real-world applications. For example, "approximately" and "approximately" may modify dimensions that may not be exact due to manufacturing tolerances and / or other real-world imperfections that can be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. For example, unless otherwise specified in the following description, "approximately" and "approximately" may indicate that such dimensions may be within a tolerance range of + / -10%.

[0047] Disclosed herein are exemplary systems, devices, articles, and methods for cooling electronic devices. Example 1 includes a fan module for an electronic device. The fan module includes: a first cover plate; a second cover plate; an input / output (IO) board adjacent to the second cover plate, the second cover plate and the IO board being located below the first cover plate; and a fan located between the first cover plate and the second cover plate, the fan operating above a portion of the IO board and the second cover plate.

[0048] Example 2 includes the fan module of Example 1, further comprising a housing having a wall coupled to the IO board, the wall defining a first compartment and a second compartment.

[0049] Example 3 includes the fan module of Example 2, wherein the fan is located in the first compartment, the fan generates a forced airflow in the first compartment, and the fan generates an induced airflow in the second compartment.

[0050] Example 4 includes the fan module of Example 3, wherein the second compartment includes one or more IO ports.

[0051] Example 5 includes the fan module of any of Examples 2-4, further comprising an insulating layer on a side of the wall, a portion of the IO board, and the second cover plate, and the insulating layer is oriented in the first compartment.

[0052] Example 6 includes the fan module of any of Examples 2-5, wherein the second compartment includes an inlet and a plurality of pin fins adjacent to the inlet.

[0053] Example 7 includes the fan module of any of Examples 2-6, wherein the wall is a first wall and the housing includes a second wall for supporting one or more IO ports.

[0054] Example 8 includes the fan module of any of Examples 2-7, wherein the first compartment includes a first exhaust outlet and a second exhaust outlet, and the second compartment includes a third exhaust outlet.

[0055] Example 9 includes the fan module of Example 8, wherein the fan creates a low pressure at the second exhaust outlet and the third exhaust outlet.

[0056] Example 10 includes the fan module of any of Examples 8 or 9, further comprising a plurality of fins located at or near the second exhaust outlet and the third exhaust outlet.

[0057] Example 11 includes an apparatus for cooling an electronic device. The apparatus includes: a first compartment; a second compartment; a wall for separating the first compartment from the second compartment; and a fan located in the first compartment, the fan for exhausting air from the first compartment and inducing airflow in the second compartment.

[0058] Example 12 includes the apparatus of Example 11, further comprising a first cover plate over the first compartment and the second compartment.

[0059] Example 13 includes the apparatus of Example 12, further comprising a second cover plate below the first compartment and an input / output (IO) board below the second compartment, a portion of the IO board being located in the first compartment.

[0060] Example 14 includes the apparatus of Example 13, further comprising an insulating layer on a portion of the IO board below the first compartment and on the second cover plate.

[0061] Example 15 includes the device of any of Examples 11-14, further comprising an input / output (IO) board located below the first compartment and the second compartment.

[0062] Example 16 includes the device of any of Examples 11-15, wherein the wall is a first wall, and the device further comprises: one or more input / output (IO) ports located in the second compartment; and a second wall comprising a connection reinforcement for the one or more IO ports.

[0063] Example 17 includes the apparatus of any of Examples 11-16, further comprising an insulating layer on the wall in the first compartment.

[0064] Example 18 includes the apparatus of any of Examples 11-17, wherein the first compartment has a first outlet and the second compartment has a second outlet, the second outlet being adjacent to the first outlet, and the fan is used to create a low pressure at the first outlet and at the adjacent second outlet, the low pressure inducing airflow in the second compartment.

[0065] Example 19 includes the device of any of Examples 11-18, wherein the induced airflow is a closed loop airflow along an edge of a base of the electronic device.

[0066] Example 20 includes a fan module for an electronic device, the fan module comprising: a first cover plate; a second cover plate coupled to the first cover plate; a housing located between the first cover plate and the second cover plate, the housing having walls defining a first compartment and a second compartment; a fan located in the first compartment, the fan having a fan inlet and a fan outlet, the fan generating a forced airflow through the first compartment between the fan inlet and the fan outlet, the fan generating a low pressure at the fan outlet; and an input / output (IO) compartment having an IO component located in the second compartment, the wall limiting the forced airflow from the first compartment to the second compartment, the housing having a housing inlet and a housing outlet fluidly connected to the second compartment, the housing outlet being fluidly connected to the fan outlet so that the low pressure at the fan outlet causes a pressure difference between the housing inlet and the housing outlet to induce an airflow in the IO compartment to flow from the housing inlet to the housing outlet, the wall limiting the induced airflow from the second compartment to the first compartment, the induced airflow carrying away heat generated by the IO component located in the second compartment.

[0067] The attached claims are incorporated by reference into the detailed description. Although certain exemplary systems, devices, articles, and methods are disclosed herein, the coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all systems, devices, articles, and methods within the scope of the claims of this patent.

Claims

1. A fan module for an electronic device, the fan module comprising: first cover plate; A second cover plate; an input / output (IO) board adjacent to the second cover plate, the second cover plate and the IO board being located below the first cover plate; as well as A fan is located between the first cover plate and the second cover plate, and the fan is located above a portion of the IO board and the second cover plate.

2. The fan module of claim 1, further comprising a housing having a wall coupled to the IO board, the wall defining a first compartment and a second compartment.

3. The fan module according to claim 2, wherein: The fan is located in the first compartment, the fan is used to generate a forced airflow in the first compartment, and the fan is used to generate an induced airflow in the second compartment.

4. The fan module according to claim 3, wherein: The second compartment includes one or more IO ports. 5 . The fan module of claim 2 , further comprising an insulating layer on a side of the wall in the first compartment, a portion of the IO board, and the second cover plate.

6. The fan module according to claim 2, wherein: The second compartment includes an inlet and a plurality of pin fins adjacent to the inlet.

7. The fan module according to claim 2, wherein: The wall is a first wall, and the housing includes a second wall for supporting one or more IO ports.

8. The fan module according to claim 2, wherein: The first compartment includes a first exhaust outlet and a second exhaust outlet, and the second compartment includes a third exhaust outlet.

9. The fan module according to claim 8, wherein: The fan generates a low pressure at the second exhaust outlet and the third exhaust outlet. 10 . The fan module of claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of fins located at or near the second exhaust outlet and the third exhaust outlet.

11. A device for cooling an electronic device, the device comprising: First compartment; Second compartment; a wall for separating the first compartment from the second compartment; as well as A fan is located in the first compartment, the fan being used to exhaust air from the first compartment and induce air flow in the second compartment.

12. The device of claim 11, further comprising a first cover plate over the first compartment and the second compartment.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a second cover plate below the first compartment and an input / output (IO) board below the second compartment, a portion of the IO board being located in the first compartment. 14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising an insulating layer on a portion of the IO board below the first compartment and the second cover plate.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising an input / output (IO) board located below the first compartment and the second compartment.

16. The device according to claim 11, wherein The wall is a first wall, and the apparatus further comprises: one or more input / output (IO) ports located in the second compartment; and The second wall includes a connection reinforcement for the one or more IO ports.

17. The device of claim 11, further comprising an insulating layer on the wall in the first compartment.

18. The device according to claim 11, wherein The first compartment has a first outlet and the second compartment has a second outlet adjacent to the first outlet, the fan being used to create a low pressure at the first outlet and adjacent to the second outlet to induce airflow in the second compartment.

19. The device according to claim 11, wherein: The induced airflow is a closed loop airflow along the edge of the chassis of the electronic device.

20. A fan module for an electronic device, comprising: first cover plate; a second cover plate coupled to the first cover plate; a housing located between the first cover plate and the second cover plate, the housing having walls defining a first compartment and a second compartment; a fan located in the first compartment, the fan having a fan inlet and a fan outlet, the fan being configured to generate a forced airflow through the first compartment between the fan inlet and the fan outlet, the fan being configured to generate a low pressure at the fan outlet; as well as An input / output (IO) compartment having an IO component located in the second compartment, the wall restricting the forced airflow from the first compartment to the second compartment, the housing having a housing inlet and a housing outlet fluidly connected to the second compartment, the housing outlet being fluidly connected to the fan outlet, wherein a low pressure at the fan outlet causes a pressure difference between the housing inlet and the housing outlet to induce an airflow in the IO compartment to flow from the housing inlet to the housing outlet, the wall restricting the induced airflow from the second compartment to the first compartment, the induced airflow being used to reduce the heat generated by the IO component located in the second compartment.

21. A method for cooling an electronic device, the method comprising: positioning a fan in a first compartment, the first compartment being adjacent to a second compartment, a wall separating the first compartment from the second compartment; as well as The fan located in the first compartment is operated to exhaust air from the first compartment and induce air flow in the second compartment.

22. The method according to claim 21, comprising: positioning an input / output (IO) board below the second compartment, a portion of the IO board being located in the first compartment; as well as An insulating layer is added on a portion of the IO board below the first compartment.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein: The first compartment has a first outlet and the second compartment has a second outlet adjacent to the first outlet, and wherein operating the fan includes creating a low pressure at the first outlet and adjacent to the second outlet to induce airflow in the second compartment.

24. The method according to any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein: The induced airflow is a closed loop airflow along the edge of the chassis of the electronic device.

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