Heat dissipation apparatus

This Application claims priority to Taiwan Patent Application No. 091121848 entitled “Heat Dissipation Apparatus”, filed Sep. 24, 2002.

The present invention relates to a computer heat dissipation apparatus, and more particularly, to a heat dissipation apparatus for a computer chassis.

Computer chassis are used to prevent components in computers from the dust and moisture damage. Further, the computer chassis reserve venting apertures on the back plate for the ventilation purpose. In addition; the computer chassis reserve fixed venting apertures on the side plate to assist the fluid flow. Without using any active heat dissipation device, i.e. fans, the suitable apertures may lower temperatures of hard discs and AGP card components.

Therefore, current computer chassis are designed to have many venting apertures on the side plates. Further, some computer chassis have venting apertures over all side plates. However, this results in the de-concentration of fluid flows and deteriorates cooling effect.

As shown in FIG. 1, the venting apertures 103 of traditional computer chassis 100 are located on the rear area of the side plate 101 . The venting apertures 103 may increase the air flow to cool the peripheral component interconnect (PCI) interface components 105 . The venting apertures 203 of another traditional computer chassis 200 are located on the front area of the side plate 201 as shown in FIG. 2 . The venting apertures 203 may increase the air flow to cool the hard disc.

Different main board designs have different inner components configurations. Therefore, the venting aperture locations need to cope with the inner components configurations. To meet demands of different venting aperture locations, the designer needs to design suitable computer chassis. The requirements bring inconvenience to the designers.

In order to solve the problem mentioned above, the present invention provides a venting apparatus for a computer. Users may change the locations or shapes of the venting apertures on a chassis plate to match various needs.

The venting apparatus for a computer includes a chassis plate and a venting plate. The chassis plate has a first hole and a second hole. The venting plate has a plurality of venting apertures. The venting plate is selectively disposed over first hole and second hole. The apparatus further includes a dummy plate. The dummy plate is disposed over the second hole when venting plate is disposed over the first hole. The dummy plate is disposed over the first hole when venting plate is disposed over the second hole.

In addition, the present invention provides another venting apparatus for computer. The apparatus includes a venting plate and a chassis plate. The venting plate has a plurality of venting apertures. The chassis plate has a hole, a first guide, and a second guide. The hole defines a first position and a second position. The venting plate slidably engages with the first guide and the second guide, and is selectively disposed over a first position and a second position.

The venting apparatus further includes a dummy plate. The dummy plate slidingly engages with the first guide and the second guide. The dummy plate is disposed over the second position when the venting plate is disposed over the first position. The dummy plate is disposed over the first position when the venting plate is disposed over the second position.

FIG. 1 shows a venting apparatus of prior art;

FIG. 2 shows another venting apparatus of prior art;

FIG. 3 shows the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows the structure of a venting plate; and

FIG. 6 shows the assembly of a venting plate and a fan.

The present invention provides a venting apparatus. The apparatus uses a chassis plate, a venting plate, and a dummy plate to vent heats. The chassis plate has a first hole and a second hole. The venting plate has a plurality of venting apertures.

These venting plate may be selectively disposed over the first hole and the second hole. The apparatus further includes a dummy plate. The dummy plate has no venting apertures. The dummy plate is disposed over the second hole of the chassis plate when the venting plate is disposed over the first hole. The dummy plate is disposed over the first hole of the chassis plate when the venting plate is disposed over the second hole.

FIG. 3 shows the first embodiment of the present invention. The computer chassis 300 has chassis plate 301 . The chassis plate 301 has 9 holes 302 , 303 , 304 , 305 , 306 , 307 , 308 , 309 , and 310 . Dummy plates 311 , 313 , 315 and 316 are respectively disposed over the holes 302 , 305 , 304 , and 309 . Venting plates 312 , 314 , and 317 are respectively disposed over the holes 303 , 306 , and 310 . A venting plate may be selectively disposed over one of the holes of the chassis plate to cool the components in the corresponding area while a dummy plate is disposed over the other holes. The hole number of the chassis plate may change with the needs. The venting plate number may also change with the needs as well as the dummy plate number. It should be noted that disposing venting plates over all holes of the chassis plate or disposing dummy plates over all holes of the chassis plate deteriorates cooling effect.

The present invention provides another venting apparatus. The apparatus has chassis plate, first guide, second guide, and venting plate. The chassis has a hole. The hole defines a first position and a second position. The venting plate has a plurality of venting apertures for venting heats.

The venting plate engages with the first guide and the second guide, and is selectively disposed over the first position and the second position. Further, the, present invention includes a dummy plate. The dummy plate engages with the first guide and the second guide. The dummy plate is disposed over the second position when the venting plate is disposed over the first position. The dummy plate is disposed over the first position when the venting plate is disposed over the second position.

FIG. 4 shows the second embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment has a chassis plate 400 . The chassis plate 400 has 3 holes 401 , 402 , and 403 . The hole 401 has guides 4011 , and 4013 . The hole 402 has guides 4021 , and 4023 . The hole 403 has guides 4031 , and 4033 . As shown in FIG. 4, each hole defines 3 positions. For example, the hole 403 defines a first position 4061 , a second position 4063 , and a third position 4065 . The venting plates and the dummy plates may selectively engage with the guides.

In the embodiment, dummy plate 451 engages with guide 4011 and 4013 , and is. disposed over the first position 4071 . Venting plate 453 engages with guide 4011 and 4013 , and is disposed over the second position 4073 to cool the computer components in the corresponding area. Venting plate 455 engages with guide 4031 and 4023 of the hole 402 . It should be noted that disposing venting plates over all holes of the chassis plate or disposing dummy plates over all positions of the chassis plate deteriorates cooling effect.

As shown in FIG. 5, the venting plate 304 further has an elastomer 3041 on edges. The venting plate 304 uses the elastomer 3041 to connect with the edge of the hole. The elastomer 3041 is a conductive rubber preventing the computer form electromagnetic interference. Similarly, the dummy plate 305 also has an elastomer 3051 on edges. The dummy plate 305 also uses the elastomer 3051 to connect with the edge of the hole. In addition, the location of venting apertures on the venting plate may change with the needs. The venting plate and dummy plate may have various colors.

A fan 3081 is selectively connected with the venting plate 304 of the present invention as shown in FIG. 6 . The fan 3081 provides active fluid flow to enhance the cooling effect. The fan 304 is connected with the venting plate 304 by using the venting apertures 3043 , 3045 , 3047 , and 3049 on the edges of the venting plate 304 . The venting plate 304 connected with fan 3081 may dispose over any holes on the chassis or engage with any guides on the chassis.

While this invention has been described with reference to an illustrative embodiment, this embodiment is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the illustrative embodiment, as well as other embodiments of the invention, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to this description. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments as falling within the true scope of the invention.