Dustproof structure for laptop

1. Technical Field

The disclosure relates to a dustproof structure, and more particularly, to a dustproof structure applied in a laptop.

2. Description of Related Art

Laptop computers (laptops) generate much heat when compared to other handheld devices, such as personal digital assistants. To dissipate the heat generated by the laptops, air vents are defined in the shell of the laptop. During use, air flows from the inside to the outside and vice versa to dissipate the heat. However, when the laptop is powered off or unused, dusts and other particles will enter into the laptop via the air vent and contaminate electrical elements inside the laptop.

Therefore, what is needed is to provide a dustproof for a laptop which can eliminate or at least ameliorate the problem above mentioned.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a dustproof structure applied in a laptop according to the first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a top view of an inside bottom of a shell of the laptop shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is a cross section view of an air vent of the dustproof structure along III-III in FIG. 1 when the air vent is in a close state.

FIG. 4 is a cross section view of an air vent of the dustproof structure along III-III in FIG. 1 when the air vent is in an open state.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a dustproof structure applied in a laptop according to a second exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a top view of an inside bottom of a shell of the laptop shown in FIG. 5 .

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , a dustproof structure 300 used in a laptop 10 according to a first exemplary embodiment is shown. The laptop 10 includes a main body 100 and a display 200 . The dustproof structure 300 is installed in the main body 100 of the laptop 10 for preventing dusts and particles from entering the main body 100 .

The main body 100 includes a shell 110 . The shell 110 defines an air vent 111 therein as the entrance or exit for air, and includes a series of spaced apart fins 111 a which are parallely arranged in the air vent 111 and define a series of first gaps 111 b therebetween. The shell 100 further includes a pair of sliding guides 112 oppositely mounted on opposite edges of the air vent 111 . The air vent 111 is rectangular shaped in this first exemplary embodiment. The heat generated by the laptop 10 is carried and dissipated out of the shell 110 by air flow passing through the first gaps 111 b.

The dustproof 300 includes a rectangular grille-shaped gate 310 , a motor 320 and a controller 330 which may be the central processing unit (CPU) of the laptop 10 .

The gate 310 is slidably engaged with the sliding guides 112 at its two opposite edges, and covers the air vent 111 of the shell 110 . The gate 310 includes a rectangular frame 311 and a series of spaced apart bars 312 parallely arranged in the frame 311 . A series of second gaps 312 a are defined among the bars 312 of the gate 310 . The frame 311 is shaped similar to the air vent 111 of the shell 110 and larger than the air vent 111 in width and length thereby the frame 311 completely covers the air vent 111 . A width of each bar 312 is wider than that of a corresponding first gap 111 b . Referring to FIG. 3 , when the laptop 10 is off, the bars 312 of the gate 310 is aligned with the first gaps 111 b of the shell thereby sealing or shielding the first gaps 111 b to prevent the electrical elements inside the laptop 10 from being contaminated by dusts and particles in the air. Referring to FIG. 4 , when the laptop 10 is on, the bars 312 of the gate 310 is offset from the first gaps 111 b thereby air can flow freely from the inside to the outside of the shell 110 and vice versa through the first and second gaps 111 b , 312 b to dissipate the heat or cool the inside the shell 110 .

The motor 320 (see FIG. 1 ) is mounted on the shell 110 adjacent to the air vent 111 , and connected to the gate 310 by an rotor thereof. The motor 320 is configured for driving the gate 310 to slide along the sliding guide 112 to close or open the air vent 111 . In the first embodiment, the motor 320 is a step motor.

The controller 330 is electrically coupled to the motor 320 to control the motor 320 . In use, when the laptop 10 is powered on, the controller 330 controls the motor 320 to move the gate 310 , thereby opening the air vent 111 to dissipate heat in the shell 110 . In contrast, when the laptop 10 is being powered down, the controller 330 controls the motor 320 to close the air vent 111 with the gate 310 , thereby protecting the electronic element from being contaminated by dusts and particles in the air.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 , a dustproof structure 400 used in the laptop 10 according to a second exemplary embodiment is shown. The dustproof structure 400 includes a gate 410 , a motor 420 and a controller 430 . The motor 420 and the controller 430 in the second embodiment are similar to the motor 320 and the controller 330 in the first embodiment in their structures and functions. The difference between the dustproof structures 400 and 300 is described as follows.

Compared to the dustproof structure 300 , the dustproof structure 400 further includes a driving gear 440 . The gate 410 includes a circular-shaped frame 411 having a hub potion 411 a and a coaxial rim portion 411 b , and a number of bars 412 radially connected between the hub portion 411 a and the rim portion 411 b of the circular-shaped frame 411 . The rim portion 411 b includes a toothed outer circumference 411 c that is meshed with the driving gear 440 . Correspondingly, the shell 110 of the laptop 10 defines a series of spaced apart third gaps 113 a radially arranged on the shell 110 around a center 113 b . The gaps 113 a cooperatively form an air vent 113 for air flowing freely from the inside to the outside of the shell 110 . The gate 410 is pivotally coupled to the center 113 b of the shell 110 by the hub portion 411 a to align with the air vent 113 . It is to be noted that a width of the bar 412 is wider than that of the third gaps 113 a whereby the air vent 113 can be sealed or covered shielded by the gate 410 .

The driving gear 440 is installed to the motor 420 and meshed with the toothed outer circumference 411 c gate.

In use, when the laptop 10 is powered on, the controller 430 actuates the motor 420 to rotate the gate 410 to rotatably offset the bars 412 from the third gaps 113 a , thereby opening the air vent and allowing the air exchanging through the air vent 113 to dissipate the heat or cool the inside the shell 110 . When the laptop 10 is being powered off, the controller 430 actuates the motor 420 to rotate the gate 410 to recover the air vent 113 , thereby prevent the electronic elements inside the laptop 10 from being contaminated by dusts and particles in the air.

In summary, the dustproof structure of present invention employs a gate to automatically close or open the air vent when the laptop 10 is off or on, thereby to prevent the laptop from being contaminated by dusts or particles in the air.

It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the disclosure.