Electronic device with a fan module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9521784-B1
Application number	US-201514808545-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 24, 2015
Priority date	Jun 9, 2015
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

An electronic device includes a case, a mother board disposed on the case and a fan module disposed on the case. The fan module includes a frame, adapters and a transmission assembly. The frame has an air path. The adapters are mounted on the frame. Each adapter includes a first connector and a second connector. The first connector is attached to the frame. The second connector is inserted into the frame and located within the air path. The transmission assembly includes third connectors, a fourth connector, a fifth connector and a cable set, the cable set connected to the third connectors, the fourth connector and the fifth connector. The third connectors are detachably plugged into the first connector. The fourth connector and the fifth connector are plugged into the mother board. Each fan unit has a sixth connector which is plugged into the second connector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a case;
a mother board disposed on the case; and
a fan module disposed on the case, the fan module comprising:
a frame comprising a base and two side plates, the base having a top surface and a bottom surface, the two side plates being connected to two sides of the base that are opposite to each other, the top surface of the base and the two side plates together form at least one air path, one of the two side plates having a cable-management opening, the bottom surface of the base having a cable-management groove and a plurality of cable-management members, one end of the cable-management groove being connected to the cable-management opening, and the plurality of cable-management members being adjacent to the cable-management groove;
a plurality of adapters being mounted on the base of the frame, each of the plurality of adapters comprising a first connector and a second connector, a plugging direction of the first connector and a plugging direction of the second connector being substantially orthogonal to each other, the first connector being attached to the bottom surface of the base, and the second connector being inserted on the base, protruding outward from the top surface of the base and located within the at least one air path;
a transmission assembly comprising a plurality of third connectors, a fourth connector, a fifth connector and a cable set, the cable set connecting the plurality of third connectors and the fourth connector and connecting the plurality of third connectors and the fifth connector, the plurality of third connectors being detachably plugged into the first connectors, respectively, the fourth connector and the fifth connector being connected to an end of the cable set which is opposite to the plurality of third connectors, the transmission assembly passing through the frame from the cable-management opening via the plurality of cable-management members and the cable-management groove, allowing the fourth connector and the fifth connector to be located out of the frame and detachably plugged into the mother board; and
a plurality of fan units each comprising a sixth connector, the plurality of fan units being located within the at least one air path, the sixth connector being detachably plugged into the second connector, and the plurality of fan units for being electrically connected to the mother board through the transmission assembly.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein when the plurality of adapters are mounted on the bottom surface of the base, the plurality of third connectors of the transmission assembly are plugged into and electrically connected to the first connectors, respectively, and the cable set of the transmission assembly is fixed to the plurality of cable-management members of the base and the cable-management groove and passes though the cable-management opening so as to fix the frame to the case.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein when the plurality of fan units is inserted in the at least one air path of the frame, the sixth connector is plugged into and electrically connected to the second connector, and when the plurality of fan units is unplugged from the at least one air path of the frame, the sixth connector is unplugged from and electrically disconnected from the second connector.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the fan unit has a hook for hooking the frame.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the base further has a plurality of mounting holes, the second connector of one of the plurality of adapters passes through one of the plurality of mounting holes and is joined to the base.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of adapters is hooked on the base.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one air path is plural in number, the frame further comprises a plurality of partition plates, the partition plates are spaced apart from each other, connected to the base, and located between the two side plates, and the plurality of partition plates and the base together form the air paths.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the first connector of the plurality of the adapters is a male connector, the second connector is a female connector.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the first connector of each of the plurality of adapters is a female connector, the second connector is a male connector.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of third connectors and the sixth connector are insertion ports for receiving plugs transmitting a fan control signal and a power signal, respectively.

11. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the fourth connector is a power connector.

12. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the fifth connector is a fan control signal connector.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the fan module is disposed in a middle part of the case.

14. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of third connectors are connected to one end of the cable set.

15. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the fourth connector and the fifth connector are connected to an end of the cable set that is opposite to the plurality of third connectors.

16. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the cable set includes a plurality of core wires, some of the plurality of core wires are connected to the plurality of third connectors and the fourth connector for transmitting data signals, and the other core wires are connected to the plurality of third connectors and the fifth connector, respectively, for transmitting power signals.

Assignees

• Inventec Pudong Tech Corp
• Inventec Corp

Inventors

• Huang wen-long

Classifications

• H05K7/20736 Primary

  within cabinets for removing heat from server blades · CPC title

• H05K7/1492

  having electrical distribution arrangements, e.g. power supply or data communications · CPC title

• H05K7/1489

  characterized by the mounting of blades therein, e.g. brackets, rails, trays (H05K7/1491 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05K7/20172

  Fan mounting or fan specifications · CPC title