US20120051940A1

US20120051940A1 - Waterproof Heat-Dissipating Fan

Info

Publication number: US20120051940A1
Application number: US12/868,606
Authority: US
Inventors: Ching-Tang Liu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-08-25
Filing date: 2010-08-25
Publication date: 2012-03-01

Abstract

A waterproof heat-dissipating fan includes a stator and a rotor. The stator includes a fan frame, a coil and a circuit board. The coil is fitted on an axle of the fan frame. The circuit board is fixed under the coil. The axle is provided with a partition board. The fan frame includes a waterproof lid to cover the partition board and a sealed room defined between the waterproof lid and the partition board. The circuit board is located in the sealed room. The coil is located out of the sealed room. The coil is electronically connected with the circuit board through a conductive member which penetrates the sealed room. The sealed room is provided to accommodate the circuit board and the circuit board is connected with the coil out of the sealed room through the conductive member, providing a waterproof protection for the circuit board.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a heat-dissipating fan, and more particularly to a waterproof heat-dissipating fan.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heat-dissipating fans are widely used along with the development of science and technology, from a CPU to a server; from a simple communication apparatus to an outdoor base station. Nowadays, the heat-dissipating fans are gradually important. However, the conventional heat-dissipating fans don't provide a waterproof function. The circuit board in the fan may have a short circuit when being contact with water to result in malfunction of the fan. The expensive server or other apparatus may be burned or damaged.
Therefore, there are some waterproof heat-dissipating fans on the market, which adopt two ways: one is that the circuit board is treated with a vacuum plating film, and the other is treated with glue-filling.
The vacuum plating film is that the surface of the circuit board is plated with a film to provide a waterproof function. But, there are some shortcomings:
1. The cost is expensive, which is unfavorable to competition;
2. The electronic components on the circuit board may be damaged during the process of plating film, which results in malfunction of the fan;
3. It is difficult to find out the damage of the products in case of collision, which is unable to ensure the quality of the products.
The glue-filling uses glue to fill the circumferential and inner spaces of the circuit board to provide a waterproof function. In this way, the glue is thick, which influences the heat dissipation of the circuit board. The circuit board may be burned easily and the fan malfunctions. Besides, to coagulate the glue generates internal stress which may damage the electronic components on the circuit board.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a waterproof heat-dissipating fan which is simple in configuration and has a longer service life to solve the waterproof protection problems of the circuit board.
According to the present invention, there is provided a waterproof heat-dissipating fan which comprises a stator and a rotor. The stator comprises a fan frame, a coil and a circuit board. The coil is fitted on an axle of the fan frame. The circuit board is fixed under the coil. The axle is provided with a partition board. The fan frame includes a waterproof lid to cover the partition board and a sealed room defined between the waterproof lid and the partition board. The circuit board is located in the sealed room. The coil is located out of the sealed room. The coil is electronically connected with the circuit board through a conductive member which penetrates the sealed room. The sealed room is provided to accommodate the circuit board and the circuit board is connected with the coil out of the sealed room through the conductive member, providing a waterproof protection for the circuit board.
Preferably, the partition board has a chamber facing downward. The waterproof lid covers the chamber from bottom to top to form the sealed room between the waterproof lid and the partition board.
Alternatively, the partition board has the chamber facing upward. The waterproof lid covers the chamber from top to bottom to form the sealed room between the waterproof lid and the partition board.
Preferably, a washer is provided between a circumferential portion of the waterproof lid and the chamber.
Preferably, the sealed room has a through hole for insertion of the conductive member and a waterproof sealant is provided between an inner wall of the through hole and the conductive member.
Preferably, the conductive member is a copper needle.
Compared to the prior art, the present invention provides the sealed room to accommodate the circuit board, and the circuit board is connected with the coil out of the sealed room through a conductive member, providing a waterproof protection for the circuit board.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a fan frame according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the fan frame according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing a waterproof lid according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 5, a waterproof heat-dissipating fan according to a first embodiment of the present invention comprises a stator 10 and a rotor 20.
The stator 10 comprises a fan frame 11, a coil 12 and a circuit board 13. The fan frame 11 has an axle 110 extending upward from a bottom of the fan frame 11. The coil 12 is fitted on the axle 110. The axle 110 is provided with a partition board 111. The partition board 111 has a chamber 112 facing downward. The fan frame 11 comprises a waterproof lid 113 to cover the chamber 112 from bottom to top. A sealed room 114 is defined between the waterproof lid 113 and the partition board 111. The waterproof lid 113 has engaging legs 1131 corresponding to engaging recesses 115. A washer 1141 is provided between a circumferential portion of the waterproof lid 113 and the chamber 112. The washer 1141 is made of flexible rubber, providing a sealed effect to the sealed room 114. The circuit board 13 is located in the sealed room 114. The circuit board 13 is electrically connected to the coil 12 out of the sealed room 114 through a copper needle 116. The sealed room 114 has a through hole 1142 for insertion of the copper needle 116. A waterproof sealant 17 is provided between an inner wall of the through hole 1142 and the copper needle 116.
The rotor 20 comprises a bearing 21, a magnetic ring 22 and blades 23. The bearing 21 is inserted in the axle 110. The magnetic ring 22 is fitted on the coil 12 and mounted in the blades 23. The blades 23 have a shaft 231. The shaft 231 is fixed to the bearing 21 to drive the blades 23 along the rotation of the bearing 21.
Referring to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, a second embodiment is substantially similar to the first embodiment with the exceptions described hereinafter. The partition board 111 has the chamber 112 facing upward. The waterproof lid 113 is to cover the chamber 112 from top to bottom. The sealed room 114 is defined between the waterproof lid 113 and the partition board 111 for the circuit board 13 to be received therein.
When in use, the second embodiment and the first embodiment have the same work principle. By using the electromagnetic induction principle, the coil 12 and the magnetic ring 22 generate a magnetic field to drive the bearing 21, and then the blades 23 are driven to turn.
The feature of the present invention is that the sealed room is provided to accommodate the circuit board and the circuit board is connected with the coil out of the sealed room through a conductive member, providing a waterproof protection for the circuit board.
Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A waterproof heat-dissipating fan, comprising a stator and a rotor, the stator comprising a fan frame, a coil and a circuit board, the coil being fitted on an axle of the fan frame, the circuit board being fixed under the coil, characterized by: the axle being provided with a partition board, the fan frame comprising a waterproof lid to cover the partition board and a sealed room defined between the waterproof lid and the partition board, the circuit board being located in the sealed room, the coil being located out of the sealed room, the coil being electronically connected with the circuit board through a conductive member which penetrates the sealed room.

2. The waterproof heat-dissipating fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein the partition board has a chamber facing downward, the waterproof lid covering the chamber from bottom to top to form the sealed room between the waterproof lid and the partition board.

3. The waterproof heat-dissipating fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein the partition board has the chamber facing upward, the waterproof lid covering the chamber from top to bottom to form the sealed room between the waterproof lid and the partition board.

4. The waterproof heat-dissipating fan as claimed in claim 2, wherein a washer is provided between a circumferential portion of the waterproof lid and the chamber.

5. The waterproof heat-dissipating fan as claimed in claim 3, wherein a washer is provided between a circumferential portion of the waterproof lid and the chamber.

6. The waterproof heat-dissipating fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealed room has a through hole for insertion of the conductive member and a waterproof sealant is provided between an inner wall of the through hole and the conductive member.

7. The waterproof heat-dissipating fan as claimed in claim 6, wherein the conductive member is a copper needle.