Fan and frame thereof

Abstract

A fan comprises: a housing including a frame body and a cover body; the first circuit board is arranged in the shell; the control circuit is arranged on the first circuit board to control the operation of the fan; the second circuit board is provided with a connecting part and an end part, and the connecting part is connected to the control circuit; and a plurality of electrical contact portions disposed on the end portion of the second circuit board and electrically connected to the control circuit via the second circuit board, the frame body including: a through hole for the second circuit board to pass through; the protruding part is arranged outside the shell in a protruding mode, at least one part of the end part is arranged on the protruding part, and the end part bears the electric contact parts on at least one surface of the protruding part. When mechanical combination is formed between the protruding part and an external device, the plurality of electric contact parts simultaneously achieve electric connection between the fan and the external device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to a fan and its housing, and more particularly to a fan that achieves external connection through the housing. Background Technology

[0002] Fans are widely used in various electronic devices to provide heat dissipation by driving airflow. As electronic devices become smaller, the usable internal space shrinks, further reducing the space available for fans.

[0003] Generally, fans use electrical connectors to connect with electronic devices, allowing the devices to control the fan's on / off state based on actual operating conditions. For example, wire harnesses are used to pull out electrical connectors for insertion, simultaneously forming a mechanical and electrical connection. Therefore, the shape and location of the electrical connectors affect the fan's assembly and the size of the electronic devices.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to develop a fan with an improved structure to avoid the lack of known technology. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a fan that achieves an electrical connection structure through a frame.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides a fan comprising: a housing including a frame and a cover; a first circuit board disposed inside the housing; a control circuit disposed on the first circuit board for controlling the operation of the fan; a second circuit board having a connecting portion and an end portion, the connecting portion being connected to the control circuit; and a plurality of electrical contacts disposed on the end portion of the second circuit board and electrically connected to the control circuit via the second circuit board, wherein the frame includes: a through hole for the second circuit board to pass through; and a protrusion protruding from the outside of the housing, wherein at least a portion of the end portion is disposed on the protrusion, and the end portion carries the plurality of electrical contacts on at least one surface of the protrusion; and wherein when the protrusion is mechanically coupled to an external device, the plurality of electrical contacts simultaneously achieve electrical connection between the fan and the external device.

[0007] In one embodiment, the second circuit board is a flexible circuit board, a bendable circuit board, or a multi-fold circuit board.

[0008] In one embodiment, the protrusion or the end portion has at least one engaging structure for securing or limiting the end portion to the protrusion.

[0009] In one embodiment, the first circuit board and the second circuit board are circuit boards of the same material or the same type.

[0010] In one embodiment, the at least one surface of the protrusion includes an undulating structure.

[0011] In one embodiment, the perforation is disposed adjacent to or inside the protrusion.

[0012] In one embodiment, an elastomer is further included, which is disposed around the protrusion, covers the perforation, or is disposed opposite to the perforation.

[0013] To achieve the above objectives, this application also provides a fan, comprising: a housing including a frame and a cover; a first circuit board disposed inside the housing; a control circuit disposed on the first circuit board for controlling the operation of the fan; and an electrical connection structure disposed on the frame of the fan for connecting the fan to an external device, the electrical connection structure comprising: a protrusion protruding from the outside of the housing; a plurality of electrical contacts disposed on at least one surface of the protrusion; and a second circuit board carrying the plurality of electrical contacts, the second circuit board passing through the frame and connected to the control circuit.

[0014] In one embodiment, the protrusion is used to form a mechanical connection with the external device, and the plurality of electrical contacts are used to form an electrical connection with the external device.

[0015] In one embodiment, the frame includes a through hole disposed adjacent to or inside the protrusion for the second circuit board to pass through.

[0016] In one embodiment, an elastomer is further included, and the elastomer is disposed around the protrusion, covers the perforation, or is disposed opposite to the perforation.

[0017] In one embodiment, the protrusion or the second circuit board has at least one engaging structure to fix or limit the second circuit board to the protrusion.

[0018] In one embodiment, the first circuit board and the second circuit board are circuit boards of the same material or the same type.

[0019] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides a fan frame for combining with a cover to form a fan housing. The fan frame includes: a through hole for a circuit board to pass through, and the circuit board is electrically connected to a control circuit of the fan; and a protrusion protruding from the outside of the housing, wherein at least a portion of one end of the circuit board is disposed on the protrusion, and the end carries a plurality of electrical contacts on at least one surface of the protrusion to form an electrical connection between the fan and an external device.

[0020] In one embodiment, the protrusion is mechanically coupled to the external device.

[0021] In one embodiment, the protrusion or the end portion has at least one engaging structure for securing or limiting the end portion to the protrusion.

[0022] In one embodiment, the perforation is disposed adjacent to or inside the protrusion so that the circuit board can pass through it.

[0023] In one embodiment, the at least one surface of the protrusion includes an undulating structure.

[0024] The fan of this application has a protrusion on the frame to provide a mechanical connection structure, and an electrical contact point extending from the inside of the fan is provided on the protrusion to achieve electrical connection while mechanically connecting. Therefore, an electrical connection structure with an external device can be formed by assembly, which has the advantages of simple assembly, space saving, low cost and high application flexibility. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1A This diagram shows a fan according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0026] Figure 1B This shows another angle view of the fan in an embodiment of this application.

[0027] Figure 2 This diagram shows an exploded view of a fan according to an embodiment of this application.

[0028] Figure 3 This diagram shows an assembly schematic of a fan according to an embodiment of this application.

[0029] Figure 4 This diagram shows the relative relationship between the second circuit board of the fan and the protrusion.

[0030] Figures 5A to 5C This diagram shows the connection between the protrusion of the fan in this application and the second circuit board.

[0031] Figures 6A to 6D This diagram shows the protrusions and perforations of the fan in this application.

[0032] Figure 7 This diagram shows the perforations and elastomer of the fan in this application.

[0033] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0034] 1: Fan,

[0035] 10: Cover,

[0036] 20: Fan body,

[0037] 21: First circuit board,

[0038] 30: Frame,

[0039] 31: Protruding part

[0040] 311: Surface,

[0041] 313: Containment section

[0042] 312, 312a, 312b, 312c: First card assembly,

[0043] 314: Depression,

[0044] 315, 315a: Support section,

[0045] 32, 32a, 32b: perforated

[0046] 40: Second circuit board

[0047] 41: Connecting parts

[0048] 42: Extension section

[0049] 43: End,

[0050] 431, 431a, 431b: Second card section,

[0051] 44: Electrical contact parts,

[0052] 50, 50a: Elastomer,

[0053] W1, W2, W3, W4: Width. Detailed Implementation

[0054] Some typical embodiments embodying the features and advantages of this application will be described in detail in the following description. It should be understood that this application can have various variations in different ways, but none of them depart from the scope of this application, and the descriptions and drawings therein are for illustrative purposes only and not for limiting this application.

[0055] Please see Figures 1A to 1B , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 . Figure 1A This diagram shows a fan according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 1B This diagram shows another angle view of the fan in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 This diagram shows an exploded view of a fan according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 3 This diagram shows the assembly relationship of the fan according to an embodiment of this application, and Figure 4This diagram illustrates the relative relationship between the second circuit board and the protrusion of the fan in this application. The fan 1 of this application includes a fan body 20 and a housing for accommodating the fan body 20, wherein the housing is formed by combining a cover 10 and a frame 30. The fan body 20 includes a first circuit board 21, on which a control circuit (not shown) is provided to control the operation of the fan 1.

[0056] The fan 1 of this application further includes a second circuit board 40 electrically connected to the first circuit board 21. The second circuit board 40 includes a connecting portion 41, an extension portion 42, and an end portion 43. The connecting portion 41 is used to connect to the first circuit board 21, the extension portion 42 connects the end portion 43 and the connecting portion 41, and a plurality of electrical contacts 44 are provided on the surface of the end portion 43. The electrical contacts 44 are connected to the control circuit on the first circuit board 21 through the lines in the second circuit board 40. The first circuit board 21 and the second circuit board 40 can be circuit boards made of the same or different materials, or the same or different types of circuit boards, without limitation.

[0057] The frame 30 has a protrusion 31 that protrudes from the outside of the housing, and a through hole 32 adjacent to the protrusion 31. The through hole 32 allows the second circuit board 40 to pass through, so that the end 43 is located outside the fan 1 and the connecting part 41 is located inside the fan 1 (e.g., Figure 3 (As shown). Depending on the requirement to extend between the inside and outside of the housing, the second circuit board 40 can be implemented as a flexible circuit board. For example, the connecting portion 41, the extension portion 42, and the end portion 43 are constituted by the same flexible circuit board, or implemented as a bendable circuit board or a multi-fold circuit board. In another example, the connecting portion 41 and / or the end portion 43 are implemented as rigid circuit boards, and the extension portion 42 connecting the two is implemented as a flexible circuit board, thus forming a bendable form. The protrusion 31 has a surface 311 for providing at least a portion of the end portion 43 such that the electrical contact portion 44 is located on the other side of the contact surface between the end portion 43 and the surface 311, that is, at least a portion of the end portion 43 carries the electrical contact portion 44 on the surface 311 of the protrusion 31.

[0058] With the above configuration, the protrusion 31, the end portion 43, and the electrical contact portion 44 provided on the end portion 43 together form the electrical connection structure for external connection of the fan 1. The protrusion 31 can be mechanically engaged with the corresponding slot on the external device, and the electrical contact portion 44 can be electrically connected with the electrical contacts within the slot of the external device. More specifically, in this application, the second circuit board 40 and its wiring are used to achieve the electrical connection function of a wire harness in the prior art; the protrusion 31 on the frame 30 is used to achieve the mechanical engagement function of a prior art electrical connector; and the electrical contact portion 44 on the end portion 43 is used to achieve the electrical contact function of a prior art electrical connector. Accordingly, depending on different electrical contact requirements, the end portion 43 and the electrical contact portion 44 can also be simultaneously provided on two or more surfaces of the protrusion 31, which can be varied according to actual needs.

[0059] In this way, firstly, the extension 42 of the second circuit 40 is in the form of a flexible circuit board, which can be flexibly adapted to spatial configuration and occupies very little space, allowing it to be installed within the existing internal configuration of the fan 1 without modification. Secondly, the protrusion 31 is located outside the frame 30, which also does not affect the internal spatial configuration of the fan 1, and even if design changes are required based on the slot structure and electrical contact position of different external devices, this can be easily achieved. For example, this can be addressed by changing the physical shape of the protrusion 31, the shape of the correspondingly changed end 43, and the placement of the electrical contact 44. Moreover, the placement position of the protrusion 31 outside the frame 30 can also be changed according to actual needs. Accordingly, the electrical connection between the fan and the external device is not limited to the specifications of existing electrical connectors, and it also helps to adapt to the trend of the gradual reduction in the size of electronic devices. Therefore, it is a highly flexible and cost-effective design.

[0060] Furthermore, the end 43 and / or protrusion 31 of the second circuit board 40 may be provided with a locking structure to fix or limit the end 43 to the protrusion 31, further ensuring the stability of the end 43 and positioning the electrical contact 44. For example, in one embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, the protrusion 31 is provided with a first engaging portion 312, for example, a column provided on the surface 311. The end portion 43 is provided with a second engaging portion 431, which engages with the first engaging portion 312, for example, a hole corresponding to the column. The end portion 43 and the electrical contact portion 44 are fixed and positioned by the column passing through the hole. In another embodiment, as... Figure 5A As shown, the protrusion 31 is provided with a first engaging portion 312a, for example, a clamping portion. The end portion 43 is provided with a second engaging portion 431a, for example, a corresponding recess. The clamping portion is received in the recess to achieve a fixing and positioning effect. In another embodiment, as... Figure 5BAs shown, the protrusion 31 is provided with a first engaging portion 312b, for example, implemented as a blocking and positioning portion. The end portion 43 is provided with a second engaging portion 431b, for example, implemented as a hole corresponding to the end of the blocking and positioning portion. In this case, the blocking and positioning portion can prevent the end portion 43 from moving upward, and can also achieve a positioning effect by engaging the end with the hole. In another embodiment, as Figure 5C As shown, the protrusion 31 is provided with a first engaging portion 312c, for example, a blocking portion. By forming a gap with the surface 311 that is approximately equal to the thickness of the end portion 43, the effect of preventing the end portion 43 from moving is achieved. In this case, the engaging structure may not be provided on the end portion 43. In another embodiment, the engaging structure may also be provided only on the end portion 43, and the end portion 43 engages with the protrusion 31 through structural changes to achieve fixation or limitation. In other embodiments, the above-described implementations of the engaging structure can also be used in combination. Therefore, provided that fixation and limitation between the protrusion 31 and the end portion 43 can be achieved, the structure of their mutual engagement can vary depending on the actual implementation and is not limited.

[0061] In other embodiments, the protrusion 31 may be configured to have a receiving portion 313 that conforms to the shape of the extension 42 on the surface of the extension 42, so as to achieve the effect of limiting / positioning the second circuit board 40 by receiving the extension 42.

[0062] The surface 311 of the protrusion 31 for providing the end 43 may be configured to have an undulating shape to further ensure electrical contact between the electrical contact 44 and the external device. For example, in one embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, the protrusion 31 may further include a recess 314 to form a support 315 corresponding to the electrical contact 44 on the surface 311, thereby further ensuring the formation of electrical contact during insertion. In another embodiment, as Figure 6C As shown, the support portion 315a can also be formed in a form that intersects with the electrical contact portion 44. For example, a form perpendicular to the electrical contact portion 44 can also achieve the effect of ensuring electrical contact. Therefore, the undulation of the surface 311 can be changed according to actual needs and is not limited to the drawing shown.

[0063] The position and size of the through holes on the frame 30 for housing the second circuit board 40 can also vary depending on the implementation. On one hand, the through holes can be located outside or inside the protrusion 31. For example, in one embodiment, such as... Figure 6A and Figure 6D As shown, the through holes 32 and 32b are located adjacent to the protrusion 31, meaning that the extension 42 of the second circuit board 40 is located outside the protrusion 31. In another embodiment, as... Figure 6B and Figure 6CAs shown, the through hole 32a is disposed inside the protrusion 31, meaning that a portion of the extension 42 of the second circuit board 40 passes through the protrusion 31. On the other hand, the size of the through hole can also vary. For example, in one embodiment, as... Figure 6A As shown, the width W2 of the perforation 32 is less than the width W1 of the protrusion 31, and approximately corresponds to the width of the plate body of the extension 42. In this case, the second circuit board 40 is assembled such that the connecting portion 41 passes through the housing from the outside of the housing into the housing. In other embodiments, such as Figure 6B and Figure 6C As shown, the widths W3 and W4 of the through holes 32a and 32b, respectively, are implemented to be slightly less than or equal to the width W1 of the protrusion 31. In this case, the second circuit board 40 can be inserted from the outside of the fan 1 through the connecting portion 41 to the inside, or from the end portion 43 from the inside of the fan 1 to the outside. Therefore, the position and size of the through holes can be changed according to the actual application. For example, it can vary depending on the board width of the extension portion 42 of the second circuit board 40, the process requirements for assembling the second circuit board 40, etc., without limitation.

[0064] In this application, the width of each portion of the second circuit board 40 is implemented as follows: Figure 4 In addition to the form where the width of the plate at end 43 is greater than the width of the plate at extension 42 and connecting portion 41, it can also be implemented in other forms. For example, the widths of the plate at extension 42 and end 43 can be similar or the same, and / or the width of the plate at connecting portion 41 can be greater than the width of the plate at extension 42, and correspondingly, the width of the perforation can be varied to achieve a balance between assembly procedures, installation stability, and other aspects.

[0065] The fan 1 of this application also includes an elastomer 50 for fixing the second circuit board 40. For example, the elastomers 50 and 50a can be made of elastic materials such as foam or rubber, but are not limited thereto. In one embodiment, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the elastic body 50 is implemented as a closed ring, sleeved around the protrusion 31, and the second circuit board 40 is sandwiched between the elastic body 50 and the protrusion 31, thereby maintaining the relative position between the second circuit board 40 and the protrusion 31, and thus achieving the effect of fixing the second circuit board 40. In another embodiment, as Figure 7 As shown, the elastomer 50a is implemented in the form of a strip and is provided corresponding to the through hole 32b. For example, it can be inserted into the through hole 32b to fix the second circuit board 40 inserted in the through hole 32b; in addition, the strip-shaped elastomer 50a is also suitable for applications such as... Figure 6B and Figure 6CThe perforation 32a shown can also serve to fix the second circuit board 40 inserted therein. Furthermore, the elastomers 50 and 50a can be configured to simultaneously cover the perforations 32, 32a, and 32b to provide dustproof and waterproof functions.

[0066] In one embodiment, the protrusion 31 may be integrally formed with the frame 30. For example, it may be formed by injection molding. In this case, the process is simpler and the manufacturing cost is lower. In another embodiment, the protrusion 31 may be externally provided on the outside of the frame 30. For example, it may be formed by mechanical engagement or ultrasonic bonding. In this case, the variability of the solid shape of the protrusion 31 is further increased. For example, there may be more variations in the mechanical engagement shape with external devices, and / or more options for the engagement structure with the end 43. Therefore, it can be changed according to actual implementation requirements.

[0067] In summary, the fan of this application provides an electrical connection structure by setting a protrusion on the frame and cooperating with a circuit board extending from the inside of the fan to provide electrical connection. This structure can simultaneously achieve mechanical connection and electrical connection with external devices. Compared with electrical connectors using wire harnesses in the prior art, it not only occupies less space and is more cost-effective, but also has greater application flexibility.

[0068] It should be noted that the above are merely preferred embodiments for illustrating this application, and this application is not limited to the described embodiments. The scope of this application is determined by the appended claims. Furthermore, this application can be modified in various ways by those skilled in the art, but none of these modifications shall depart from the protection sought by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A fan, characterized in that, Include: A housing comprising a frame and a cover; A first circuit board is disposed inside the housing; A control circuit is provided on the first circuit board to control the operation of the fan; A second circuit board having a connecting portion and an end portion, the connecting portion being connected to the control circuit; and Multiple electrical contacts are disposed on this end of the second circuit board and are electrically connected to the control circuit via the second circuit board. The frame contains: A perforation is provided for the second circuit board to be inserted therein; as well as A protrusion protrudes from the exterior of the housing, wherein at least a portion of an end portion is disposed on the protrusion, and the end portion carries the plurality of electrical contacts on at least one surface of the protrusion; and When the protrusion forms a mechanical connection with an external device, the multiple electrical contacts simultaneously achieve an electrical connection between the fan and the external device.

2. The fan according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second circuit board is a flexible circuit board, a bendable circuit board, or a multi-fold circuit board.

3. The fan according to claim 1, characterized in that, The protrusion or the end portion has at least one engaging structure for fixing or limiting the end portion to the protrusion.

4. The fan according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first circuit board and the second circuit board are circuit boards made of the same material or of the same type.

5. The fan according to claim 1, characterized in that, The protrusion has at least one surface with an undulating structure.

6. The fan according to claim 1, characterized in that, The perforation is located adjacent to or inside the protrusion.

7. The fan according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an elastomer disposed around the protrusion, covering the perforation, or corresponding to the perforation.

8. A fan, characterized in that, Include: A housing comprising a frame and a cover; A first circuit board is disposed inside the housing; A control circuit, disposed on the first circuit board, controls the operation of the fan; and An electrical connection structure is disposed on the frame of the fan for connecting the fan to an external device, the electrical connection structure comprising: A protrusion protrudes from the outside of the housing; Multiple electrical contacts are disposed on at least one surface of the protrusion; and A second circuit board carries the plurality of electrical contacts and passes through the frame to connect to the control circuit.

9. The fan according to claim 8, characterized in that, The protrusion is used to form a mechanical connection with the external device, and the plurality of electrical contacts are used to form an electrical connection with the external device.

10. The fan according to claim 8, characterized in that, The frame includes a through hole, which is located adjacent to or inside the protrusion, for the second circuit board to pass through.

11. The fan according to claim 10, characterized in that, It also includes an elastomer, which is disposed around the protrusion, covers the perforation, or is disposed opposite to the perforation.

12. The fan according to claim 8, characterized in that, The protrusion or the second circuit board has at least one engaging structure to fix or limit the second circuit board to the protrusion.

13. The fan according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first circuit board and the second circuit board are circuit boards made of the same material or of the same type.

14. A fan frame for combining with a cover to form a fan housing, characterized in that, The fan's frame includes: A perforation is provided for a circuit board to be inserted through it. And the circuit board is electrically connected to a control circuit of the fan; and A protrusion is provided on the outside of the housing, wherein at least a portion of one end of the circuit board is provided on the protrusion, and the end carries a plurality of electrical contacts on at least one surface of the protrusion to form an electrical connection between the fan and an external device.

15. The fan frame according to claim 14, characterized in that, The protrusion is mechanically connected to the external device.

16. The fan frame according to claim 14, characterized in that, The protrusion or the end portion has at least one engaging structure for fixing or limiting the end portion to the protrusion.

17. The fan frame according to claim 14, characterized in that, The perforation is located adjacent to or inside the protrusion so that the circuit board can be inserted therethrough.

18. The fan frame according to claim 14, characterized in that, The protrusion has at least one surface with an undulating structure.

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