A computer cooling system

Abstract

The invention relates to computer cooling systems. PROBLEM: a computer with a cooling system doesn't have high enough reliability and maintainability. SOLUTION: Computer cooling system includes: a heat sink panel, said heat sink panel includes at least one pipe for liquid coolant and said heat sink panel is made in such a way that it's a part of a computer's case in such a way that this panel can be attached to parts of the computer case, said heat sink panel can be easily removed or turned around; at least one heat transferelement to be mounted on a heat emitting part of the computer and having shape and dimensions allowing it to be in a thermal contact with the heat sink panel; at least one pump; at least one radiator which is connected to the heat sink panel by flexible hoses; and at least one fan.

Description

[0001] A COMPUTER COOLING SYSTEM

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The invention relates to computer cooling systems, in particular, cooling systems that make its computers have better reliability and are easier to maintain.

[0004] BACKGROUND

[0005] The invention can be used to cool down heat-emitting computer parts.

[0006] A heat emitting device of flat water tank for computers and electrical apparatus is known and described in CN 101636068 A, 2010-01-27or TW 201251591 A, 2012-12-16. This device includes a heat transfer element mounted upon a computer’s heat emitting element (central processing unit) and a heat sink panel that’s connected to it by flexible hoses, the heat sink panel is made in a shape of a computer box wall which includes a liquid transferring channel. The system also includes a pump.

[0007] In the said systems liquid is used to cool only the central processing unit. However, if liquid coolant is to be used for other computer components it will severely increase the amount of hoses and connections and so will increase a possibility of the liquid coolant leak. Moreover, said cooling systems are high-maintenance, e.g., to change a motherboard it is necessary to disconnect all heat transfer elements, to change the motherboard, to drain the liquid coolant, to replace all the heat transfer elements with those compatible with the new motherboard, to mount the new heat transfer elements on the motherboard and to insert the new liquid coolant.

[0008] In US 2022163269 Al, 2022-05-26or CN 210377352 U, 2020-04-21 devices for cooling of heat emitting components of electronic devices are described. These devices include mounting a cooling panel on an electric device components, said cooling panel containing a tube with liquid coolant.

[0009] Said devices are mounted on a heat emitting component of an electronic device or on a load bearing element next to it which limits the cooling panel’s mass and dimensions which, in turn, limits the cooling panel’s cooling efficiency. Additionally, to maintain or replace said components it is necessary to remove the cooling panel which also increases the risk of leaks.

[0010] Additionally, devices for cooling laptops and tablets are described in patents CN 105813442 A, 2016-07-27and CN 16352195 U, 2022-04-19, respectively. Said devices provide heat sinking from the tablet’s back wall and laptop’s bottom part by using heat sink panels which have pipes for liquid coolant.

[0011] However, the devices’ efficiency is low because of a big amount of heat transfer parts, additionally, some of the heat transfer parts aren’t being fully efficient because of a necessity to dismount electronic devices. And the devices itself are rather sizable. The need exists for creating an efficient cooling system for computers which allows easy access to computer’s components for their maintenance or replacement.

[0012] The need also exists for eliminating the necessity for draining the liquid coolant during said maintenance or replacement.

[0013] The need also exists for increasing the safety by lowering a possibility of a leak during said maintenance or replacement and during normal computer usage.

[0014] Additionally, such computer cooling system can be easily recalibrated in particular by adding additional parts.

[0015] It is therefore an object of the invention to raise the safety and maintainability of a computer that’s been equipped with a cooling system.

[0016] SUMMARY

[0017] According to the invention, a computer cooling system includes: a heat sink panel, said heat sink panel includes at least one pipe for liquid coolant and said heat sink panel is made in such a way that it’s a part of a computer’s case in such a way that this panel can be attached to parts of the computer case, said heat sink panel can be easily removed or turned around; at least one heat transferelement to be mounted on a heat emitting part of the computer and having shape and dimensions allowing it to be in a thermal contact with the heat sink panel: at least one pump: at least one radiator which is connected to the heat sink panel by flexible hoses: and at least one fan.

[0018] Additionally, at least one radiator, at least one heat sink panel and connective flexible hoses contain liquid coolant.

[0019] In one embodiment at least one heat sink panel consists of two interconnected layers, at least one of the layers includes an open carving which, upon having the first and the second layers connect, becomes at least one pipe for liquid coolant.

[0020] At least one heat transfer element and at least one heat sink panel additionally include carved means of interconnection with each other.

[0021] The system includes several heat transfer elements, and at least two of said heat transfer elements have shape and dimensions allowing them to be in heat transferring contact with one heat sink panel.

[0022] The system includes several heat sink panels, said heat sink panels are connected with each other and, at least one radiator by flexible hoses.

[0023] Heat transfer between at least one heat transfer element and at least one heat sink panel is additionally achieved by using thermal pads or thermal paste.

[0024] At least one fan is included to create an air flow affecting at least one radiator.

[0025] The first layer or the second layer or both layers of the heat sink panel are madeout of copper, aluminum or an alloy based on copper or aluminum.

[0026] At least one heat transfer element is made out of copper, aluminum or an alloybased on copper or aluminum. It should be noted that the abovementioned embodiment of the invention allows for easier access to computer parts for their maintenance or replacement, in particular, by eliminating a necessity of a liquid coolant drain from the system. This embodiment also increases safety by lowering a chance of a leak caused by replacing or repairing computer elements. It is caused, in particular, by the fact that the liquid coolant is contained only in the heat sink panels, radiators and hoses that connect them together while heat transfer elements that are being mounted on computer parts don’t contain any liquid coolant.

[0027] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] FIG. 1 is a computer equipped with the said computer cooling system, one of the heat sink panels is embodied as a turning part of a side wall of a computer case, said one of the heat sink panels is open.

[0029] FIG. 2a is a computer equipped with the said computer cooling system, a heat sink panel is embodied as a turning part of a side wall of a computer case, said heat sink panel is closed (cross-section, schematic drawing).

[0030] FIG. 2b is a computer equipped with the said computer cooling system, a heat sink panel is embodied as a turning part of a side wall of a computer case, said heat sink panel is open (cross-section, schematic drawing).

[0031] FIG. 3 a is a computer case equipped with the said computer cooling system, a view on the heat sink panels (with the outer decorative panels removed)

[0032] FIG. 3b is a computer case equipped with the said computer cooling system, a sample embodiment.

[0033] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] As shown on the Figures, the computer cooling system includes at least one heat sink panel (1) which contains at least one pipe for liquid coolant and said heat sink panel can be mounted on computer case elements. FIG. 1, FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b show samples where the computer cooling system includes several heat sink panels (1). In addition, said Figures depict the fact that at least one heat sink panel (1) can be detached or can turn (FIG. 1 and FIG. 2b).

[0035] It is not shown on the Figures but the computer cooling system includes at least one radiator, and one or more heat sink panels (1) are connected with each other and with the radiator by flexible hoses. In addition, at least one radiator, at least one heat sink panel and flexible connecting hoses contain liquid coolant.

[0036] The computer cooling system includes at least one pump (2). FIG. 1 depicts pump (2) mounted on one of the heat sink panels (1) but a pump can be mounted not on a heat sink panel.

[0037] FIG. 1, FIG. 3a, and FIG. 3b show that the computer cooling system includes at least one fan (3), which is added to create an air flow which affects at least one radiator (in the depicted examples the radiator is placed behind the fans). FIG. 1, FIG. 2a, and FIG. 2b show at least one heat transfer element (4) which can be mounted upon a heat emitting element of a computer (5), said heat emitting element of a computer (5) has shape and dimensions allowing for it to be in thermal contact with the heat sink panel (1) and to allow heat transfer from the heat emittingelement of a computer (5) towards the heat sink panel (1).

[0038] In particular, thermal contact between at least one heat transfer element (4) and at least one the heat sink panel (1) is additionally achieved by using thermal pads or thermal paste (6). Additionally at least one heat transfer element (4) and at least one the heat sink panel (1) can have carved means of interconnection with each other (not pictured on the Figures). For example, carved orifice in the heat transfer element, an orifice in a heat sink panel and a carved fixation means like a screw or a bolt.

[0039] Additionally, FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b show that the computer cooling system contains several heat transfer elements (4) and at least two of the said heat transfer elements (4)have shape and dimensions allowing them to be in thermal contact with one heat sink panel (1). FIG. 1 depicts one heat sink panel (1) being in a thermal contact with three heat transfer elements (4)and FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b depict one heat sink panel (1) being in a thermal contact with five heat transfer elements (4), said heat transfer elements (4) are mounted on the RAM or a chip. In order to achieve high thermal transfer at least one heat transfer element (4) is made out of copper, aluminum or an alloy based on copper or aluminum.

[0040] At least one heat sink panel (1) consists of two interconnected layers, at least one of the layers includes an open carving which, upon having the first and the second layers connect (by, for example, gluing or screwing them together with paddings or sealing) becomes at least one pipe for liquid coolant. In a depicted variant one of the layers (the outer layer) is at least, made out of partially transparent plastic. Also, in order to achieve high thermal transfer the inner layer (the first layer or the second layer) or both layers of the heat sink panel (1) is made out of copper, aluminum or an alloy based on copper or aluminum.

[0041] Computer cooling system is built in the following manner.

[0042] Heat transfer elements (4) are mounted by mechanic fastening such as carving or springing elements such as thermal paste or thermal pads, said heat transfer elements (4) are mounted on heat emitting computer components (5) such as Central Processing Unit, chip set, RAM, M.2 SSD, video card’s memory and processing unit, other heat emitting elements such as elements of power unit.

[0043] Each heat transfer element (4) is a three-dimensional body which is made out of copper, aluminum or an alloy based on copper or aluminum. Each heattransfer element (4) has such shape and dimensions (in particular, height) allowing it to be in thermal contact with a heat sink panel (1) and allowing for heat transfer from a heat emitting computer component (5) towards aheat sink panel (1) (FIG. 2a) also it includes means for mounting it on a heat emitting computer component (5) such as support wth orifices or clutches. Additionally, in order to improve thermal contact, heat transfer element (4) can have a carved orifice for carved connection with a heat sink panel (1).

[0044] FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b show five heat transfer elements (4) have shapes and dimensions allowing them to be in a thermal contact with one heat sink panel (1). Additionally thermal contact is provided by use of thermal pads and thermal paste (6). In a depicted example thermal contact occurs in one plane, however, it’s not impossible to have a ladder-like heat sink panel (1) which, therefore, provides thermal contact with heat transfer elements (4) in different planes.

[0045] Heat sink panel (1) is made out of two layers connected with each other, one layer includes am open carving which, when the first and the second layers get connected (for example, by gluing them together orscrewing them together with the help of pads or sealing) they form a pipe for liquid coolant. At least the inner layer (the layer that is in a thermal contact with heat transfer elements (4)) of a heat sink panel (1) is made out of copper, aluminum or an alloy based on copper or aluminum. One or several heat sink panels (1) are interconnected between each other and at least one radiator by flexible hoses.

[0046] The computer cooling system includes a pump (2) which can be made separately and then be connected by flexible hoses or can be mounted directly on the heat sink panel (l). (FIG.l).

[0047] The inner space inside the said system elements connected with flexible hoses is filled with liquid coolant.

[0048] The radiator and the pump (if the pump is made separately) are being mount on or in the computer case and are attached to it. Additionally, at least one fan (3) is being mount on or inside the computer case, said fan creating air flow affecting the radiator. It is possible to mount the fan directly on the radiator.

[0049] Heat sink panels (1) are being attached to computer case elements, in particular, by being made into parts of computer case walls. At least one heat sink panel (1) is made so it can be easily removed or turned around, e.g., by using hinges (FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b). Additionally, the heat sink panel (1) can include carved orifices for connecting the said heat sink panel to heat transfer elements, with screws or bolts.

[0050] Therefore when the heat sink panel (1) is being mounted or is being turned into a closed state the heat sink panel (1) inner layer enters the thermal contact with heat transfer elements (4).

[0051] It has been noted that thermal contact can be improved by usage of thermal paste or thermal pads (6) and / or by usage of a carved connection with a heat sink panel (1).

[0052] Computer cooling system provides the following processes of heat transfer: heat from heat emitting computer components (5), e.g., through thermal paste or thermal pads, goes to heat transfer elements (4) and then it goes, through thermal paste or thermal pads (6) to the inner layer of a heat sink panel (1). Liquid coolant, passing through the pipes in the heat sink panel (1) removes the heat energy and carries it into the radiators of the computer cooling system. By using materials with good thermal conductivity such as copper or aluminum or copper or aluminum-based alloys and by precise production of, in particular, heat transfer elements (4) and heat sink panels (1) it is possible to maximize thermal conductivity from computer heat emitting components (5) to the liquid coolant. Additionally, thermal contact between heat transfer elements (4) and heat sink panel (1) can be improved by additional means of interconnecting them, such as by using carved means of interconnection, as it’s been said.

[0053] Meanwhile, the heat sink panel (1) includes a sizable surface by which part of the heat is transferred to the outside air, the liquid coolant also gets sent to the radiator by the pump, said radiator also transfers heat to the outside air, in particular, by a fan(3)- produced air flow affecting it or without it.

[0054] Computer cooling system allows easy access to computer’s components, in particular, heat-emitting components. To get an access to the computer components the user simply needs to remove or turn the hinge-affixed heat sink panel (1). Additionally, heat transfer elements (4) which are mounted on computer’s heat emitting elements (5) don’t contain liquid coolant and thus, heat transfer elements (4) and computer’s heat emitting elements (5) as well as other computer’s components can e easily maintained (e.g., replacing thermal paste) or replaced without the need to drain the liquid coolant and without a risk of a leak.

Claims

CLAIMS1.A computer cooling system, including: at least one heat sink panel, said heat sink panel includes at least one pipe for liquid coolant and said heat sink panel is made in such a way that itcan be attached to parts of the computer case; at least one heat sink panel is made in such a way that it’s a part of a computer’s case, additionally, at least one heat sink panel is made in such a way that itcan be easily removed or turned around; at least oneheat transfer elementto be mounted on a heat emitting part of the computer and having shape and dimensions allowing it to be in a thermal contact with the heat sink panel and to provide heat transfer from a heat emitting part of the computer towards the heat sink panel; at least one pump; at least one radiator which is connected to the heat sink panel by flexible hoses; and at least one fan; additionally, at least one radiator, at least one heat sink panel and connecting flexible hoses contain liquid coolant.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein at least one heat sink panelconsists of two interconnected layers, at least one of the layers includes an open carving which, upon having the first and the second layers connect, becomes at least one pipe for liquid coolant.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein at least one heat transfer element and at least one heat sink panel additionally include carved means of interconnection with each other.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein the system includes several heat transfer elements, at least two of said elements have shape and dimensions allowing them to be in a thermal contact with one heat sink panel.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the system includes several heat sink panels, said heat sink panels are interconnected with each other and at least one radiator by flexible hoses.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the thermal contact between at least one heat transfer element and at least one heat sink panel is additionally provided by means of using thermal pads or thermal paste7. The system according to claim 1 wherein at least one fan is being mount to create air flow affecting at least one radiator.

8. The system according to claim 2 wherein the first layer or the second layer or both layers of the heat sink panel are made out of copper, aluminum or an alloy based on copper or aluminum.

9. The system according to claim 1 wherein at least one heat transfer element is made out of copper, aluminum or an alloy based on copper or aluminum.

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