US20070248460A1

US20070248460A1 - Magnetic-attaching structure for a fan

Info

Publication number: US20070248460A1
Application number: US11/409,976
Authority: US
Inventors: Steven Su
Original assignee: Enermax Technology Corp
Current assignee: Enermax Technology Corp
Priority date: 2006-04-25
Filing date: 2006-04-25
Publication date: 2007-10-25

Abstract

A magnetic-attaching structure for a fan includes a fan body and a magnetic unit. The magnetic unit is mounted with the fan body, and then the magnetic-attaching structure for a fan can be easily assembled or changed so that the air-inhaling or air-exhausting directions are also changed. The fans can be assembled conveniently and quickly, and additional fans can be added as required. No fixing holes are needed for the fans, nor are screws needed to fix the fans in place. The user can assemble or add fans conveniently as suits their requirements.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic-attaching structure for a fan, and in particular to a fan that can be assembled conveniently via a magnetic-attaching structure.
2. Description of Related Art
There are many kinds of circuit boards and electronic elements in a computer housing. When the computer is operating, the temperature in the computer housing will rise because of the heat from the chips on the circuit board and the electronic elements of integrated circuits. If the temperature in the housing goes beyond the maximum limit of the electronic elements, it will cause the electronic elements to fail and the computer may even break down. The computer housing therefore usually has heat-dissipating holes and is assembled with fans, so that the heat from the electronic elements during operation can be exhausted outside the computer housing through the heat-dissipating holes by the air convection of the fans.
A fan structure of prior art is shown in FIG. 1. A fan body 10 a is formed with a through hole 11 a at each of its four corners, respectively. A computer housing 20 a has a plurality of fixing holes 21 a corresponding to the through holes 11 a, and a plurality of heat-dissipating holes 22 a. The fan body 10 a is assembled to the computer housing 20 a by screws 30 a that pass through the fixing holes 21 a and the through holes 11 a. Therefore, the fan body 10 a can exhaust heat outside the computer housing 20 a through the heat-dissipating holes 22 a.
However, the conventional fan structure can only be assembled at the position that is formed with the fixing holes 21 a. It also needs screws 30 a to screw the fan to the computer housing 20 a. Moreover, the air-exhausting and air-inhaling direction of the fan cannot be changed easily. The assembly steps of the fan are troublesome and the application scope is limited, meaning it cannot be assembled at other positions quickly and other fans cannot be added for enhancing heat-dissipating effectiveness.
Accordingly, the present invention aims to propose a magnetic-attaching structure for a fan that solves the above-mentioned problems in the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic-attaching structure for a fan, which allows for fans to be assembled more conveniently and quickly, and also allows for more fans to be added where they are needed. The present invention does not require fixing holes for the fans, nor screws, and as such the user can assemble or add fans more easily to better meet their needs.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic-attaching structure for a fan, which can change the air-inhaling direction or air-exhausting direction of the fans quickly according to the user's requirements. A user can opt have the fan to inhale air or exhaust air, and the fixing manner is not limited and is more convenient.
To achieve the first object, the present invention provides a magnetic-attaching structure for a fan, including a fan body, and a magnetic unit mounted with the fan body.
To achieve the other object, the present invention provides a main housing, a magnetic unit, and a fan body that is magnetically attached to the main housing by the magnetic unit.
Further scope of the applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention can be fully understood from the following detailed description and preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fan assembled with a computer housing of prior art;
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a magnetic-attaching structure for a fan of the first embodiment according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is an assembled perspective view of a magnetic-attaching structure for a fan of the first embodiment assembled with a computer housing according to the present invention;
FIG. 4 is an assembled perspective view of a magnetic-attaching structure for a fan of the first embodiment assembled with a side board according to the present invention;
FIG. 5 is an assembled perspective view of a magnetic-attaching structure for a fan of the first embodiment assembled with another side board according to the present invention;
FIG. 6 is an assembled perspective view of a magnetic-attaching structure for a fan of the first embodiment assembled with another computer housing according to the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a magnetic-attaching structure for a fan of the second embodiment according to the present invention;
FIG. 8 is an assembled perspective view of a magnetic-attaching structure for a fan of the second embodiment assembled with a fan net according to the present invention;
FIG. 9 is an assembled perspective view of a magnetic-attaching structure for a fan of the second embodiment assembled with a filter according to the present invention;
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a magnetic-attaching structure for a fan of the third embodiment according to the present invention;
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a magnetic-attaching structure for a fan of the forth embodiment according to the present invention; and
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a magnetic-attaching structure for a fan of the fifth embodiment according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following detailed description is of the best presently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and is made merely for the purpose of illustrating general principles of embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
Reference is made to FIG. 2. The present invention of a magnetic-attaching structure for a fan includes a fan body 10 and a magnetic unit 20.
The fan can be an axial-flow fan, a centrifugal fan, or a cross-flow fan. In this embodiment, the fan is an axial-flow fan. The fan body 10 has a square-shaped frame 11. The frame 11 is embossed with an indicating mark 12 on its top surface for indicating the air-inhaling direction and the fin-rotating direction. The indicating mark 12 can coordinate with the magnetic unit 20, so that the user can easily identify the air-inhaling direction when assembling the fan body 10. The fan body 10 has an exhausting side 13 and an inhaling side 14 at its front and rear ends, respectively. The exhausting side 13 is opposite to the inhaling side 14. Air is taken into the fan body 10 from the inhaling side 14, and is exhausted outside the fan body 10 from the exhausting side 13. The exhausting side 13 and the inhaling side 14 of the frame 11 respectively form a plurality of magnet receiving parts 15 at their four corners that are symmetrical related to diagonal lines. The magnet receiving parts 15 are circle-shaped and form an opening at their front surfaces, respectively.
In this embodiment, the magnetic units 20 are circular permanent magnets, which are embedded and received in the openings of the magnet receiving part 15 to be fixed in the fan body 10. Because the magnetic units 20 are magnetic, the exhausting side 13 and the inhaling side 14 of the fan body 10 can all be attached where required.
Reference is made to FIG. 3. The computer housing 30 is made of iron. The computer housing 30 is formed with a plurality of heat-dissipating holes 31 at its rear end, which allows heat in the computer housing 30 to be exhausted out. The exhausting side 13 of the fan body 10 is attached magnetically to the computer housing 30 around the heat-dissipating holes 31 by the magnetic units 20, and then the fan body 10 is mounted on the computer housing 30. The heat in the computer housing 30 can be exhausted outside through the heat-dissipating holes 31 by means of the operation of the fan body 10 with cooling effect.
Reference is made to FIG. 4. The computer housing has one side board 40 that is made of iron. The side board 40 is formed with a plurality of circular heat-dissipating holes 41, which allow air outside the side board 40 to be taken in. The inhaling side 14 of the fan body 10 is attached magnetically to an inside surface of the side board 40 by the magnetic units 20, and then the fan body 10 is mounted to the side board 40. Air can be inhaled from the inhaling side 14 when the fan body 10 is operating. The cool air outside the side board 40 can be taken into through the heat-dissipating holes 41 of the side board 40, which lowers the temperature inside the computer housing for fulfilling the cooling goal.
Reference is made to FIG. 5. The computer housing has another side board 50 that is made of iron. The side board 50 forms a plurality of rectangular-shaped heat-dissipating holes 51. The exhausting side 13 of the fan body 10 is attached magnetically to an inside surface of the side board 50 by the magnetic units 20, and then the fan body 10 is mounted to the side board 50. The heat in the side board 50 can be exhausted outside through the heat-dissipating holes 51 by means of the operation of the fan body 10.
Reference is made to FIG. 6. A computer housing 60 is formed with a plurality of ventilating holes 61. The inhaling side 14 of the fan body 10 is attached magnetically to a section of the computer housing formed with the ventilating holes 61 by the magnetic units 20, and then the fan body 10 is mounted with the computer housing 60. The air outside the computer housing 60 can be taken in the computer housing 60 through the ventilating holes 61 for cooling by operation of the fan body 10.
Reference is made to FIG. 7. A fan body 70 has a rectangular-shaped frame 71 that is made of a magnet or an electromagnet. A magnetic unit 80 is formed integrally with the frame 71 of the fan body 70. The frame 71 is embossed with an indicating mark 72 on its top surface for indicating the air-inhaling direction and the fin-rotating direction. The fan body 70 has an exhausting side 73 and an inhaling side 74 at a front surface and rear surface, respectively. The exhausting side 73 is opposite to the inhaling side 74, and both can be attached magnetically via the magnetic units 80 as required by the user.
Reference is made to FIG. 8. The inhaling side 74 of the fan body 70 is further attached magnetically to a fan net 90, which is made of iron, by the magnetic unit 80, and then the fan net 90 is mounted with the fan body 70. The user therefore cannot touch the fins directly, and the net provides a protective function. The exhausting side 73 of the fan body 70 also can be attached as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6. On the other hand, the fan net 90, the exhausting side 73, and the inhaling side 74 can be attached to any other position (as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6) as deemed appropriate by the user.
Please refer to FIG. 9. The present invention can have a filter 100 attached to the inhaling side 74 of the fan body 70 by the magnetic unit 80. The filter 100 has an iron rim 101 and a plurality of meshes 102 connected with the rim 101. The filter 100 is attached to the inhaling side 74 for preventing impurities or dust in the air from being inhaled. The exhausting side 73 can be attached to another position for cooling.
Please refer to FIG. 10. In this embodiment, the magnetic unit 20 of the present invention includes four magnets that are L-shaped and are embedded respectively to four corners of the fan body 10. The fan body 10 is attached magnetically to the heat-dissipating holes 41 of the side board 40 by the magnetic unit 20.
Please refer to FIG. 11. In this embodiment, the magnetic-attaching structure for a fan of the present invention includes a main housing 30′, a magnetic unit 20, and a fan body 10.
The main housing 30′ can be a power supply, an emergency power supply, a personal computer, an industry computer, a server, an uninterruptible power supply, a disk array external enclosure, an external HDD enclosure, an external disc drive, a keyboard, a notebook heat sink, a housing of an overhead projector, or medical laboratory measuring instruments. In this embodiment, the main housing 30′ is a personal computer and has a shell 31′. The shell 31′ has eight accommodating portions 32′ adjacent to the heat-dissipating holes 311′. Each of the accommodating portions 32′ forms an opening at it's front surface, respectively.
The magnetic unit 20 includes eight permanent magnets, which are embedded and received in the opening of the accommodating portion 32′, and the magnetic unit 20 can be mounted to the shell 31′ of the main housing 30′.
The frame 11 of the fan body 10 can be made of iron or embedded with at least one iron sheet (not shown) therein, so that the fan body 10 can be attached magnetically to the main housing 30′ by the magnetic unit 20 on the shell 31′.
Please refer to FIG. 12, the main housing 30′ has a magnetic or electromagnetic shell 31′. A magnetic unit 80′ is formed integrally with the shell 31′of the main housing 30′, and then the iron frame 11 of the fan body 10 can be attached magnetically to the main housing 30′ by the magnetism of the magnetic unit 80′.
As described above, the advantages of the present invention are listed as follows:
Firstly, the magnetic-attaching structure for a fan of the present invention is easier to assemble than conventional fans, which require many fixing holes and screws for attachment to the computer housing. The user can assemble the fan conveniently and quickly to wherever them deem heat-dissipation to be necessary, such as a housing of a power supply, a housing of an emergency power supply, a housing of a personal computer, a housing of an industrial computer, a housing of a server, a housing of a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply), a housing of a disk array external enclosure, a housing of an External HDD Enclosure, a housing of an external disc drive, a housing of a keyboard, a housing of a notebook heat sink, a housing of an overhead projector, or housing of medical laboratory measuring instruments, or other housing mounted with cooling fans. The application scope is very wide, and the user can add fans freely. The air-inhaling direction or air-exhausting direction can changed quickly. If the exhausting side is attached magnetically to the computer housing, the airflow direction is exhausted from the housing. All that is required to change the direction of the airflow is attaching the inhaling side of the fan to the computer housing. Conversely, the airflow direction can be changed from air-inhaling to air-exhausting.
While the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, the description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments as may fall within the scope of the invention defined by the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A magnetic-attaching structure for a fan, comprising:

a fan body; and

a magnetic unit, mounted with said fan body.

2. The magnetic-attaching structure for a fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fan body is an axial-flow fan, a centrifugal fan, or a cross-flow fan.

3. The magnetic-attaching structure for a fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fan body forms at least one magnet receiving part, said magnetic unit is received in said magnet receiving part.

4. The magnetic-attaching structure for a fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fan body forms an indicating mark corresponding to an action direction of said fan body.

5. The magnetic-attaching structure for a fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fan body has a frame made of a magnet, said magnetic unit is formed integrally with said frame of said fan body.

6. The magnetic-attaching structure for a fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said magnetic unit comprises at least one permanent magnet.

7. The magnetic-attaching structure for a fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said magnetic unit comprises at least one electromagnet.

8. The magnetic-attaching structure for a fan as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fan net made of iron, said fan net magnetically attaches to said fan body by said magnetic unit.

9. The magnetic-attaching structure for a fan as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a filter made of iron, said filter magnetically attaches to said fan body by said magnetic unit.

10. The magnetic-attaching structure for a fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said magnetic unit comprises at least one magnet.

11. A magnetic-attaching structure for a fan, comprising:

a main housing;

a magnetic unit; and

a fan body, magnetically attaches to said main housing by said magnetic unit.

12. The magnetic-attaching structure for a fan as claimed in claim 11, wherein said main housing is a power supply, an emergency power supply, a personal computer, an industrial computer, a server, an Uninterruptible Power Supply, a disk array external enclosure, an External HDD Enclosure, an external disc drive, a keyboard, a notebook heat sink, a housing of an overhead projector, or medical laboratory measuring instruments.

13. The magnetic-attaching structure for a fan as claimed in claim 11, wherein said main housing forms at least one accommodating portion, said magnetic units are received in said accommodating portion correspondingly.

14. The magnetic-attaching structure for a fan as claimed in claim 11, wherein said main housing has a shell made of magnetic material, said magnetic unit is formed integrally with said shell of said main housing.

15. The magnetic-attaching structure for a fan as claimed in claim 11, wherein said magnetic unit comprises at least one permanent magnet.

16. The magnetic-attaching structure for a fan as claimed in claim 11, wherein said magnetic unit comprises at least one electromagnet.

17. The magnetic-attaching structure for a fan as claimed in claim 11, wherein said magnetic unit comprises at least one magnet.

18. The magnetic-attaching structure for a fan as claimed in claim 11, wherein said magnetic unit is assembled with said main housing.

19. The magnetic-attaching structure for a fan as claimed in claim 11, wherein said fan body has a frame made of iron.

20. The magnetic-attaching structure for a fan as claimed in claim 11, wherein said fan body has a frame, said frame has at least one iron sheet mounted thereon.