Fan assembly and display card assembly

Abstract

The utility model discloses a fan assembly and display card subassembly, fan assembly contains assembly frame, center axle seat and fan blade. Center axle seat contains bearing part, center axle part and at least one buckle part. Center axle part sets up in bearing part. At least one buckle part contains elastic section and buckle section. Elastic section and center axle part are respectively protruding on the opposite sides of bearing part. The buckle section is connected to the elastic section and protrudes towards the axis of center axle part. The part of assembly frame is engaged between bearing part and at least one buckle part, so that the center axle seat is detachably installed on the assembly frame. Fan blade is rotatably arranged on the center axle part.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to a fan assembly and a graphics card assembly, and more particularly to a fan assembly and a graphics card assembly in which the fan is assembled by a snap-fit ​​method. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of high-performance computing applications such as gaming, multimedia creation, and artificial intelligence, the market demand for graphics cards, as core components for image processing and output, has also increased. When the operating temperature of a graphics card rises, it directly affects its performance and can even damage hardware components. Therefore, the performance of the cooling system integrated into a graphics card has become one of the important indicators for consumers when choosing a system and evaluating its stability.

[0003] While graphics cards commonly use fans to address cooling issues, the traditional screw-mounted installation method still presents several fundamental structural and technological limitations. Screw mounting requires space for a screwdriver, forcing an increase in blade spacing and limiting the number of blades. Furthermore, the mounting bracket must accommodate cable management, and a minimum 1.3 mm safety clearance between the blades and the support structure restricts fan blade height. For example, the highest fan blade height on a commercially available GeForce RTX™ 5080 graphics card is only about 12.3 mm. These structural bottlenecks reduce airflow, sacrifice fan efficiency, and hinder overall graphics card cooling performance. Moreover, screw-mounted mechanisms require external tools for assembly and disassembly, resulting in cumbersome procedures, increased labor and time costs, and reduced production line efficiency. On the other hand, screws and other connectors also increase material costs and management burdens, which is detrimental to large-scale production or modular applications.

[0004] Therefore, researchers in this field are working to solve problems such as poor heat dissipation performance, poor assembly efficiency, low production capacity, and high labor and material costs that arise from using screw-attached fan components. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, the present invention provides a fan assembly and a graphics card assembly to effectively solve the problems of poor assembly efficiency, low production capacity and high cost derived from the traditional method of using screws to attach fans, while also significantly improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the fan assembly.

[0006] An embodiment of this invention discloses a fan assembly comprising an assembly frame, a central shaft seat, and fan blades. The central shaft seat includes a support portion, a central shaft portion, and at least one snap-fit ​​portion. The central shaft portion is disposed on the support portion. The at least one snap-fit ​​portion includes a resilient section and a snap-fit ​​section. The resilient section and the central shaft portion protrude from opposite sides of the support portion, respectively. The snap-fit ​​section is connected to the resilient section and protrudes toward the axis of the central shaft portion. A portion of the assembly frame engages between the support portion and the at least one snap-fit ​​portion, thereby allowing the central shaft seat to be detachably mounted on the assembly frame. The fan blades are rotatably disposed on the central shaft portion.

[0007] In the aforementioned fan assembly, the assembly frame has at least one positioning hole, and the central shaft seat further includes at least one positioning part, which is connected to the support part and located in the at least one positioning hole.

[0008] In the aforementioned fan assembly, the number of the at least one latching portion is multiple, and the latching portions are located on opposite sides of the assembly frame.

[0009] The aforementioned fan assembly, wherein the elastic segment has a gap with the assembly frame.

[0010] In the aforementioned fan assembly, the mounting bracket has a first surface and a second surface, the first surface facing the central shaft seat and the second surface facing away from the first surface, and the at least one positioning hole extending from the first surface to the second surface. In the aforementioned fan assembly, the latching segment has a contact surface facing the second surface, the contact surface and the second surface forming an angle of 5 to 15 degrees.

[0011] The aforementioned fan assembly further includes a buffer structure sandwiched between the support portion and the assembly frame.

[0012] The aforementioned fan assembly, wherein the fan blade further comprises multiple blades spaced apart from each other.

[0013] The aforementioned fan assembly further includes at least one flexible flat cable and a drive assembly. The at least one flexible flat cable is stacked on the first surface of the assembly frame, and the drive assembly is located on the support portion. One end of the at least one flexible flat cable includes a spring pin, and the at least one flexible flat cable is connected to the drive assembly through the spring pin.

[0014] Another embodiment of the present invention discloses a graphics card assembly, comprising a graphics card and a fan assembly for cooling the graphics card. The fan assembly includes a mounting bracket, a central bearing, and fan blades. The central bearing includes a support portion, a central shaft portion, and at least one latching portion. The central shaft portion is disposed on the support portion. The at least one latching portion includes a resilient section and a latching section. The resilient section and the central shaft portion protrude from opposite sides of the support portion, respectively. The latching section is connected to the resilient section and protrudes toward the axis of the central shaft portion. A portion of the mounting bracket engages between the support portion and the at least one latching portion, thereby allowing the central bearing to be detachably mounted on the mounting bracket. The fan blades are rotatably disposed on the central shaft portion.

[0015] According to the fan assembly and graphics card assembly of the foregoing embodiments of this invention, the design of the snap-fit ​​portion of the central spindle seat engaging with the assembly frame allows the user to quickly engage or disassemble the central spindle seat with the assembly frame without the need for tools. This significantly simplifies the assembly process of the fan assembly.

[0016] Furthermore, since the latching segment of the latching part is connected to the elastic segment and protrudes towards the axis of the central shaft, for the support part, the latching segment of the latching part protrudes inward from the outer periphery of the support part. Compared with the outward protruding latching segment, the inward protruding latching segment occupies less space and can create a larger air intake space, further improving the overall heat dissipation efficiency of the fan assembly.

[0017] The above description of the present invention and the following description of its embodiments are used 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. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the display card assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 for Figure 1 An exploded view of the graphics card components.

[0020] Figure 3 for Figure 1 An exploded view of the fan assembly of the graphics card component.

[0021] Figure 4 for Figure 1 An exploded view of the fan assembly from another perspective.

[0022] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A partial side view of the fan assembly, omitting the fan blades, cover, and flexible flat cable.

[0023] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A magnified view of a portion of the image.

[0024] Figure 7 for Figure 1 A partial sectional view.

[0025] Figure 8 for Figure 1 A bottom view diagram of the graphics card components.

[0026] Figure 9 This is a partial side view of the fan assembly according to the second embodiment of the present invention, omitting the fan blades, cover, and flexible flat cable.

[0027] The attached figures are labeled as follows: 10: Graphics Card Components 110: Circuit board 120: baffle 200, 200a: Fan assembly 210: Assembly rack 211: Positioning hole 212: First Surface 213: Second Surface 220: Central shaft seat 221: Bearing section 222: Central axis section 223: Buckle section 224: Positioning Department 2231: Elastic segment 2232: Clip Section 22321: Supporting surface 230: Fan blade 231: Blade 240: Cover 241: Reception Section 260: Flexible flat cable 261: Spring Pin 270: Driver Components 250a: Buffer structure D1, D2: Spacing L1: Axis Detailed Implementation The embodiments, features, and advantages of this invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The content is sufficient to enable anyone skilled in the art to understand the technical content of the embodiments of this invention and to implement them accordingly. Based on the disclosure, claims, and drawings in this specification, anyone skilled in the art can easily understand the related objects and advantages of this invention. The following embodiments further illustrate the viewpoints of this invention in detail, but are not intended to limit the scope of this invention in any way.

[0028] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 . Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the display card assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 for Figure 1 An exploded view of the graphics card assembly. In this embodiment, the graphics card assembly 10 includes a graphics card 100, a plurality of fan assemblies 200, and a plurality of fins 300. These fins 300 are mounted above the graphics card 100. These fan assemblies 200 are located on the side of these fins 300 opposite to the graphics card 100, and are used to dissipate heat generated by the graphics card 100.

[0029] In this embodiment, the display card 100 includes a circuit board 110 and a bezel 120. The bezel 120 is disposed on one side of the circuit board 110. Electronic components such as a display chip can be configured on the circuit board 110. The circuit board 110 is mounted to a housing (not shown) via the bezel 120. The bezel 120 may have, for example, but not limited to, multiple openings for corresponding display ports and high-definition multimedia interfaces, for through which input / output connectors (not shown) can pass. The input / output connectors may be signal transmission ports, but are not limited to these.

[0030] Please see Figures 3 to 6 . Figure 3 for Figure 1 An exploded view of the fan assembly of the graphics card component. Figure 4 for Figure 1 An exploded view of the fan assembly from another perspective. Figure 5 for Figure 1 A partial side view of the fan assembly, omitting the fan blades, cover, and flexible flat cable. Figure 6 for Figure 5 A magnified view of a portion of the image.

[0031] Please see Figure 3 and Figure 4 In this embodiment, the fan assembly 200 is used to dissipate heat from the graphics card 100. The fan assembly 200 includes a mounting bracket 210, a central bearing 220, fan blades 230, and a cover 240.

[0032] In this embodiment, the assembly frame 210 has a positioning hole 211, a first surface 212, and a second surface 213. The first surface 212 faces the central shaft seat 220. The second surface 213 faces away from the first surface 212. The positioning hole 211 extends from the first surface 212 to the second surface 213.

[0033] In this embodiment, the central shaft seat 220 includes a support portion 221, a central shaft portion 222, and a plurality of snap-fit ​​portions 223. The central shaft portion 222 is erected on the support portion 221.

[0034] Please see Figure 5 and Figure 6 Each of the four latching portions 223 includes an elastic segment 2231 and a latching segment 2232. The elastic segment 2231 and the central shaft portion 222 protrude from opposite sides of the bearing portion 221, respectively. The latching segment 2232 is connected to the elastic segment 2231 and protrudes toward the central axis L1 of the central shaft portion 222.

[0035] In this embodiment, the elastic segment 2231 is located outside the periphery of the bearing portion 221, but this is not a limitation. In other embodiments, the elastic segment may be moved toward the central axis of the central shaft portion and located inside the periphery of the bearing portion.

[0036] The assembly frame 210 partially engages with the support portion 221 and the four latching portions 223, allowing the central shaft seat 220 to be detachably mounted on the assembly frame 210. Specifically, the elastic segment 2231 can undergo elastic deformation under stress during assembly, allowing the latching segment 2232 to securely engage with the central axis L1 of the central shaft portion 222 and a portion of the assembly frame 210. In this embodiment, the contact surfaces between the four latching portions 223 and the assembly frame 210 can be, for example but not limited to, flattened, to improve stability and safety during assembly.

[0037] In this embodiment, there are four latching parts 223, but this is not a limitation. In other embodiments, the number of latching parts may be only one or more. In this embodiment, the four latching parts 223 are located on opposite sides of the assembly frame 210, but this is not a limitation. In other embodiments, only a portion of the four latching parts are located on opposite sides of the assembly frame.

[0038] In this embodiment, the snap-fit ​​segment 2232 has an abutment surface 22321. The abutment surface 22321 faces the second surface 213 of the assembly frame 210. The abutment surface 22321 and the second surface 213 are positioned at an angle θ. The angle θ is, for example, any angle value between about 5 degrees and about 15 degrees, such that the abutment surface 22321 is inclined relative to the second surface 213. In this embodiment, the angle θ is, for example, 10 degrees, but is not limited thereto. The design of the abutment surface 22321 in this embodiment can prevent interference between the snap-fit ​​part 223 and the assembly frame 210, thus preventing them from being properly engaged, thereby forming a more stable mechanical connection between the snap-fit ​​part 223 and the assembly frame 210. In this way, it can also prevent the connection of the fan assembly 200 from becoming loose due to vibration or external force during operation.

[0039] In this embodiment, when the central shaft seat 220 is mounted on the assembly frame 210, because the abutment surface 22321 is inclined relative to the second surface 213, the contact point between the abutment surface 22321 and the assembly frame 210 can be located at a position recessed inward from the end edge of the abutment surface 22321, rather than at the end edge, so that there can be a distance D1 between the elastic segment 2231 and the assembly frame 210. The distance D1 can be, for example, but not limited to, 0 mm to X mm. In detail, because the distance D1 provides a gap for the latching part 223 to snap in, the tightness of the snap-fit ​​between the central shaft seat 220 and the assembly frame can be further improved.

[0040] In this embodiment, the central shaft seat 220 may further include a positioning part 224. The positioning part 224 is connected to the support part 221 and passes through the positioning hole 211 of the assembly frame 210.

[0041] The number of positioning holes 211 matches the number of positioning parts 224. In this embodiment, both the number of positioning holes 211 and positioning parts 224 is one, but this is not a limitation. In other embodiments, the number of positioning holes 211 and positioning parts 224 may be multiple. The positioning parts 224 and positioning holes 211 are designed to guide the central shaft seat 220 to be accurately installed on the assembly frame 210, avoiding abnormal engagement caused by incorrect installation direction or angular deviation during the assembly process, thereby reducing the incidence of damage to parts such as the snap-fit ​​part 223.

[0042] In this embodiment, a flexible flat cable 260 may also be included. The flexible flat cable 260 is stacked on the first surface 212 of the assembly frame 210. One end of the flexible flat cable 260 includes a spring pin 261.

[0043] Please see Figures 7 to 8 . Figure 7 for Figure 1 A partial sectional view. Figure 8 for Figure 1 A bottom view schematic diagram. In this embodiment, the fan blade 230 is rotatably mounted on the central shaft portion 222. The fan blade 230 may further include a plurality of blades 231 arranged at intervals. When these blades 231 rotate, they generate airflow to dissipate heat from the graphics card 100 and together create an airflow space, so that the airflow generated by the fan assembly 200 blows towards the graphics card 100 through the airflow space.

[0044] In this embodiment, as Figure 1 The cover 240 shown can be mounted on the assembly frame 210. The cover 240 may include a receiving portion 241 to receive the fan blades 230. The number of receiving portions 241 matches the number of fan blades 230. In this embodiment, the number of receiving portions 241 and the number of fan blades 230 are both three, but this is not a limitation.

[0045] In this embodiment, the fan assembly 200 may further include a drive assembly 270. The drive assembly 270 and its corresponding stator and rotor (not shown) are located on the support portion 221 to drive the fan blades 230 to rotate relative to the central shaft portion 222. The drive assembly 270 may be, for example, but not limited to, a printed circuit board. A flexible flat cable 260 is electrically connected to the drive assembly 270 via a spring pin 261 mounted at one end, thereby completing the electrical transmission of the drive signal.

[0046] In this embodiment, because the flexible flat cable 260, which replaces the wire structure, is extremely thin, the spacing D2 between the blade 231 and the flexible flat cable 260 can be increased when the flexible flat cable 260 is stacked on the first surface 212 of the assembly frame 210. The spacing D2 can be, for example, but not limited to, 3.5 mm. Therefore, when there is a need to increase airflow and air pressure, and a safety spacing of at least 1.3 mm must be maintained between the flexible flat cable 260 and the blade 231, this embodiment can provide an additional 2.2 mm of space to increase the height and number of blades compared to the structure of a conventional screw-mounted fan. In this way, the airflow and air pressure of the fan assembly 200 can be increased and its heat dissipation performance can be enhanced.

[0047] In other embodiments, to integrate the flexible flat cables, a portion of the mounting bracket for stacking the flexible flat cables can be designed as a horizontal bar structure, allowing the flexible flat cables 260 to be configured to connect to the drive assembly 270 with the shortest possible distance. This not only reduces resistance and signal attenuation caused by excessively long flexible flat cables, but also, compared to conventional designs with multiple staggered or vertically arranged support bars, this simplified mounting bracket design provides the necessary mechanical strength while reducing obstruction of airflow paths, thereby improving the heat dissipation performance of the fan assembly.

[0048] In detail, simulation tests and prototype tests were conducted on fan assemblies with different blade heights at a speed of 3000 RPM. The simulation test results show that, compared to the fan assembly with a blade height of 12.3 mm and an airflow of 59.5 cubic feet per minute (CFM) and a maximum static pressure of 5.8 millimeters of water column (mmAq), the fan assembly 200 of this embodiment with a blade height of 14.5 mm has an airflow of 68.8 CFM (±7%) and a wind pressure of 4.6 mmAq (±10%). This demonstrates that the overall airflow simulation performance of the fan assembly 200 of this embodiment is improved by approximately 10%.

[0049] Furthermore, the results of the actual sampling tests also show that the measured airflow of the fan assembly with a blade height of 12.3 mm is 61 CFM and the air pressure is 5.8 mmAq, while the measured airflow of the fan assembly 200 of this embodiment with a blade height of 14.5 mm is 65 CFM and the air pressure is 5.5 mmAq. The airflow of the fan assembly 200 of this embodiment is also increased by about 7%, which is consistent with the trend of the simulation test results. It is evident that the fan assembly 200 of this embodiment with a blade height of 14.5 mm has significant advantages over the fan assembly with a blade height of 12.3 mm in terms of airflow and heat dissipation efficiency.

[0050] Other embodiments will be listed below for illustration. It must be noted that the following embodiments use the component reference numerals and some content from the foregoing embodiments, employing the same reference numerals to represent the same or similar components, and omitting descriptions of identical technical content. For explanations of the omitted parts, please refer to the foregoing embodiments; these will not be repeated in the following embodiments.

[0051] Please see Figure 9 . Figure 9 This is a partial side view of the fan assembly according to the second embodiment of the present invention, omitting the fan blades, cover, and flexible flat cable. The difference between the structure of the fan assembly 200a according to the second embodiment and the fan assembly 200 according to the first embodiment is that the fan assembly 200a in this embodiment further includes a buffer structure 250a. Specifically, the buffer structure 250a of the fan assembly 200a is sandwiched between the bearing portion 221 of the central shaft seat 220 and the assembly frame 210. The fan assembly 200a of this embodiment can replace the fan assembly 200 of the aforementioned embodiments in the graphics card assembly 10. In this way, by installing the buffer structure, the vibration generated by the fan assembly during operation can be effectively absorbed, while noise can be reduced and the assembly stability of the fan assembly and the graphics card assembly can be improved. The buffer structure 250a can be a structure made of an elastic material, such as, but not limited to, foam or rubber.

[0052] According to the fan assembly and graphics card assembly of the foregoing embodiments of this invention, the design of the snap-fit ​​portion of the central spindle seat engaging with the assembly frame allows the user to quickly engage or disengage the central spindle seat from the assembly frame without the need for tools. This significantly improves process productivity and reduces assembly time and labor costs. Furthermore, compared to the traditional method of screwing fans in place, the snap-fit ​​design of the fan assembly in the foregoing embodiments of this invention allows the fan assembly to be more securely engaged with the graphics card assembly.

[0053] Furthermore, since the latching segment of the latching part in the aforementioned embodiment of this novel invention is connected to the elastic segment and protrudes towards the axis of the central shaft, for the support portion, the latching segment of the latching part protrudes inward from the periphery of the support portion. Compared to the outward-protruding latching segment, the inward-protruding latching segment occupies less space and can create a larger air intake space, further improving the overall heat dissipation efficiency of the fan assembly.

[0054] Furthermore, compared to the cable management structure of traditional screw-attached systems, the extremely thin thickness of the flexible flat cable in the aforementioned embodiment of this novel design allows for increased spacing between the blades and the cable when stacked on the assembly frame. This enables the fan to be equipped with more blades or designed with a more compact blade shape, further increasing the fan's output airflow and air pressure, thereby significantly enhancing overall heat dissipation efficiency.

[0055] Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to the foregoing embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person 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 protection of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A fan assembly, characterized in that, Include: A set of racks; A central shaft seat includes a support portion, a central shaft portion, and at least one snap-fit ​​portion. The central shaft portion is disposed on the support portion. The at least one snap-fit ​​portion includes an elastic segment and a snap-fit ​​segment. The elastic segment and the central shaft portion protrude from opposite sides of the support portion, respectively. The snap-fit ​​segment is connected to the elastic segment and protrudes towards the axis of the central shaft portion. A portion of an assembly frame engages between the support portion and the at least one snap-fit ​​portion, allowing the central shaft seat to be detachably mounted on the assembly frame. A single blade is rotatably mounted on the central shaft.

2. The fan assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The assembly frame has at least one positioning hole, and the central shaft seat further includes at least one positioning part, which is connected to the bearing part and located in the at least one positioning hole.

3. The fan assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The number of at least one latching part is multiple, and these latching parts are located on opposite sides of the assembly frame.

4. The fan assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, There is a gap between the elastic segment and the assembly frame.

5. The fan assembly as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that, The assembly frame has a first surface and a second surface, the first surface facing the central shaft seat and the second surface facing away from the first surface, and the at least one positioning hole extending from the first surface to the second surface.

6. The fan assembly as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, The latching segment has a contact surface facing the second surface, and the contact surface and the second surface are at an angle of 5 to 15 degrees.

7. The fan assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The fan assembly further includes a buffer structure sandwiched between the support portion and the assembly frame.

8. The fan assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The fan blades consist of multiple blades spaced apart from each other.

9. The fan assembly as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, The fan assembly further includes at least one flexible flat cable and a drive assembly. The at least one flexible flat cable is stacked on the first surface of the assembly frame, and the drive assembly is located on the support portion. One end of the at least one flexible flat cable includes a spring pin, and the at least one flexible flat cable is connected to the drive assembly through the spring pin.

10. A graphics card assembly, characterized in that, Include: A graphics card; and A fan assembly for cooling the graphics card, the fan assembly comprising: A set of racks; A central shaft seat includes a support portion, a central shaft portion, and at least one snap-fit ​​portion. The central shaft portion is disposed on the support portion. The at least one snap-fit ​​portion includes an elastic segment and a snap-fit ​​segment. The elastic segment and the central shaft portion protrude from opposite sides of the support portion, respectively. The snap-fit ​​segment is connected to the elastic segment and protrudes towards the axis of the central shaft portion. A portion of an assembly frame engages between the support portion and the at least one snap-fit ​​portion, allowing the central shaft seat to be detachably mounted on the assembly frame. A single blade is rotatably mounted on the central shaft.

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