US006317319B1
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`US 6,317,319 B1
`(10) Patent No.:
`a2) United States Patent
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`(45) Date of Patent:
`Lewis etal.
`Nov.13, 2001
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`(54) LOW-PROFILE COOLING ASSEMBLY FOR
`THE CPU CHIP OF A COMPUTER OR THE
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`LIKE
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`6,141,218 * 10/2000 Miyahara .escccsssssssessseen 361/695
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`6,205,027 *
`3/2001 Nakajima oe 361/719
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`(75)
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`* cited by examiner
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`Inventors: Jeffrey M. Lewis; Michael R. Rolla,
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`both of Maynard; Robert L. Sullivan,
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`Townnsend, all of MA (US)
`(73) Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
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`Houston, TX (US)
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`Primary Examiner—Gregory Thompson
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`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Cesari and McKenna
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`(57)
`ABSTRACT
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`A cooling assembly for cooling a CPU on a motherboard in
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
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`a low profile electronic device. The assembly comprises a
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
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`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days. channel-shaped heat sink havingaflat first wall, an opposite
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`wall, open first and second ends and internal heat exchange
`(21) Appl. No.: 09/626,204
`fins extending between those walls and ends. An electric
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`blower having an inlet and an outlet is mountedto the heat
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`(22)
`sink so that the bloweroutlet is aligned with the first end of
`Jul. 26, 2000
`Filed:
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`(SL) Unt, C07 cae ceccccssssccsssssssssssssussssesnssssesunesee HOSK 7/20__the heat sink and the heatsink is anchoredto the CPU so that
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`(52) US. CU. caecccsccssssseeseeee 361/695; 361/719; 454/184_thefirst wall of the heatsink is flush against the CPU and the
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`(58) Field of Search ......ccsccscsees 165/80.3, 120-127,
`blower inlet overhangs an edge of the motherboard.
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`Preferably, a baffle member is mounted to the heat sink to
`361/687-690, 694-695, 719-720; 454/184
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`direct heated air from the second endof the heat sink to the
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`atmosphere and to prevent recirculation of that air back to
`the blowerinlet.
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`(*) Notice:
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`(56)
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`References Cited
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`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`7 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
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`5,936,836 *
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`8/1999 Scholder wc 361/695
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`SONY- Ex.-1003
`Sony Corporation - Petitioner
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`. 1003
`SON -
`Sony Corporation - Petitioner
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`SONY - Ex.-1003
`Sony Corporation - Petitioner
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`U.S. Patent
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`Nov. 13, 2001
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`Sheet 1 of 3
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`US 6,317,319 B1
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`2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Nov. 13, 2001
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`Sheet 2 of 3
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`US 6,317,319 B1
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`FIG. 2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Sheet 3 of 3
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`Nov. 13, 2001
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`US 6,317,319 B1
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`US 6,317,319 B1
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`Cooling air to be pulled into the inlet of the bloweris
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`provided by tube-axial fans mounted in a perimeter wall of
`the enclosure and which flood the interior of the enclosure
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`with ambient air. This air is sucked into the blower and
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`pushed laterally at a high velocity directly across the heat
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`sink fins to draw heat away from the heat sink and thus from
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`the CPU chip.
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`The assembly also includes flexible air baffles which
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`direct the outlet air from the heat sink smoothly around
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`the enclosure from the inlet fans,
`these air baffles also
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`providing top-to-bottom seals within the enclosure to pre-
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`vent the heated air exhausting from the heat sink from being
`recirculated back into the blower.
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`As will be seen, the cooling assemblyis easily installed in
`an enclosure less than two inches thick and, when installed,
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`it can efficiently cool a CPU chip having a powerrating of
`80 watts or more.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`1
`LOW-PROFILE COOLING ASSEMBLY FOR
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`THE CPU CHIP OF A COMPUTER OR THE
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`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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`1. Field of the Invention
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`This invention relates thin computers such as laptop and
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`notebook computers. It relates especially to a low profile
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`cooling assembly for the CPU chip in such computers.
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`2. Description of the Prior Art
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`telecommunications
`The components of a computer,
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`switch or other microprocessor-based device are usually
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`contained within an enclosure or housing. When the device
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`is powered up, these components become heated. This is
`particularly so in the case of the device’s central processor
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`unit (CPU) which consumesa relatively large amount of
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`electrical power. Therefore, such devices invariably include
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`some means for circulating air through the enclosure to
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`conduct heat away from those components, particularly the
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`CPU chip.
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`For computers or other devices having a relatively high
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`profile enclosure,
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`perimeter of the enclosure to circulate air through the
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`enclosure. However, for thin computers and devices it is
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`usually necessary to supplement the perimeter fans with a
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`fan or blower which conducts the cooling air directly to and
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`from the CPU chip in the enclosure. While such cooling
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`meansoperate satisfactorily in a computer enclosure in the
`order of five or more inches thick and which houses a
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`relatively low power CPUchip, e.g. 70 watts orless, they do
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`not suffice to cool higher rated chips in the low profile
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`computers in use today, i.e. those less than two inchesthick.
`SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION
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`Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
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`provide an improved cooling assembly for cooling the CPU
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`chip of a microprocessor-based electronic device.
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`A further object of the invention is to provide a cooling
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`assembly for efficiently cooling a high power-rated CPU
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`chip in a low profile computer.
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`Another object of the invention is to provide a cooling
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`assembly for conducting heat away from a hot CPU chip
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`located in a relatively thin enclosure.
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`Still another object of the invention is to provide an
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`assembly of this type for directing a relatively large volume
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`of air per minute past a high power-rated CPU chip housed
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`in a densely packed enclosure.
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`Other objects will, in part, be obvious and will, in part,
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`appear hereinafter. The invention accordingly comprises the
`features of construction, combination of elements and
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`arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the
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`following detailed description, and the scope of the inven-
`tion will be indicated in the claims.
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`Briefly, our cooling assembly is designed for use in an
`enclosure housing at
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`motherboard within the enclosure. Typically, the enclosure
`has a low profile, e.g. 1.75 inches (1 U); however, it should
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`be understood that aspects of the invention have application
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`for taller enclosures. The assembly includes a thin-fin heat
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`sink mounted directly to the top of the CPU chip, the beat
`sink being as tall as the enclosure will allow. Built into the
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`heat sink are meansto attached a centrifugal blower which
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`is positioned as far away from the CPU aspossible in order
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`to maximize the fin length of the heat sink and so as to
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`overhang the edge of the motherboard as much as possible
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`to maximize the inlet opening into the blower.
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`For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the
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`invention,
`reference should be made to the following
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`detailed description taken in connection with the accompa-
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`nying drawings, in which:
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`FIG. 1 is a plan view, with parts broken away, of a low
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`profile computer incorporating a cooling assembly accord-
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`ing to the invention;
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`FIG. 2 is a fragmentary exploded perspective on larger
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`scale showing elements of the cooling assembly in greater
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`FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the
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`fully assembled cooling assembly.
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
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`EMBODIMENT
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`Refer to FIG. 1 which shows an enclosure indicated
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`generally at 10 which houses the components of a
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`microprocessor-based device, to wit: a computer. Enclosure
`10 includes a front wall 10a, a rear wall 105, a pair of
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`opposite side walls 10c, 10c, as well as a top wall 10d and
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`a bottom wall 10e (FIG. 3). Enclosure 10 is a so-called low
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`profile enclosure having a height or thickness in the order of
`only two inchesorless, e.g. 1 U.
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`The components inside enclosure 10 may include a power
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`supply 12, a disk drive 14, as well as a motherboard 16
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`supporting a CPU chip 18 as well various other components
`22a, 22b, 22c,
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`connectors, etc. Chip 18 is actually mounted to motherboard
`16 via a base 18a (FIG. 2). Also, for reasons that will
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`become apparent, a pair ofrelatively large diameter threaded
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`posts 20 project up from the top of the chip 18. The
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`motherboard also has various printed circuit paths (not
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`shown)electrically interconnecting the various components
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`of the computer.
`One or more tube-axial fans 24 are mounted to the
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`enclosure front wall 10a for conducting cooling air into
`enclosure 10 as shown by the arrows A,, and one or more
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`exhaust or purging fans 26 are mounted to the enclosure rear
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`wall 105 to conduct heated air out of enclosure 10 as shown
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`by arrow Agnr.-
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`In accordance with the invention, a low profile cooling
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`assembly shown generally at 32, positioned in enclosure 10
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`directly above CPU chip 18, utilizes the incoming air
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`streams from fans 24 to very efficiently and effectively
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`conduct heat away from CPU chip 18 so that the chip may
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`heat sink 33 at a relatively high volumetric rate of flow. Thus
`have a relatively high powerrating, i.e. 80 watts or more. As
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`heat can be drawnefficiently and effectively away from CPU
`will be seen, the cooling assembly 32 is actually mounted
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`chip 18. This placement of the blower also maximizes the
`directly to the top of chip 18.
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`length of channel 34 and thus of the finned heat exchange
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`As best seen in FIG. 2, cooling assembly 32 comprises a
`member 36 therein.
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`thermally conductive heat sink shown generally at 33 and
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`Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, in order to further efficiently
`comprised of a channel 34. That channel has a generally
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`rectangular bottom wall 34a andapair of opposite side walls direct the flow of cooling air past chip 18, the cooling
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`346, 346 extending up from the bottom wall. The channel is
`assembly also includes a baffle member shown generally at
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`topped off by a top wall or cover 34c and the opposite ends
`74 which provides a defined flow path for the heated air
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`Aour &xiting cooling assembly 32 on the way to the exhaust
`of the heat sink remain open. Positioned within the channel
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`fan 26 (FIG. 1).
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`is a heat exchange member 36 in the form ofvertical fins or
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`folds of sheet metal or other thermally conductive material,
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`Baffle member 74 may be a simple inexpensive plastic
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`that member occupying substantially the entire internal
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`part which is relatively flexible. It comprises a generally
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`volumechannel 34. Preferably, the upper and lower surfaces
`rectangular top wall 76 whose dimensions are more or less
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`of the heat exchange member36 are braised or welded to the
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`the same as those of the housing top wall 34c. Member 74
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`upper and lower walls of channel 34 so that the channel and
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`also includesa pair of walls 78a and 78b which extend down
`heat exchange memberare an intimate thermal contact with
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`from top wall 76 at the front and rear edges thereof. Member
`each other.
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`74 is dimensioned so that when top wall 76 is placed flush
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`Still referring to FIG. 2, a pair of laterally spaced-apart
`against the top wall 34c of the heat sink 33, walls 78a and
`78b extend down in front of and behind the heat sink
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`holes 38 are provided in the top wall 34c of channel 34.
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`Collinear holes 39 are also provided in the housing bottom
`housing 34 as shown in FIG. 3. A pair of holes 82 are
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`wall 34a as well as through the heat exchange member 36.
`provided in top wall 76 to provide clearance for the tops of
`the barrel nuts 72.
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`These holes are adapted to receive the threaded posts 20
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`projecting up from CPU chip 18 as will be described later.
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`25
`The front wall 78a of the baffle member 74 is provided
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`with a generally rectangular extension 84 at the left hand end
`The housing top wall 34c is formed witharelatively large
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`of the baffle member. Also, the top wall 76 is provided with
`end extension 42 which overhangs the right-hand end of
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`relatively large end extension 86at the right hand end of the
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`channel 34 to provide a mounting surface for a low profile
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`baffle member, the dimensions of extension 86 being more
`electric centrifugal blower shown generally at 44. The
`or less the sameas those of top wall extension 42 of the heat
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`blower 44 includes a housing 46 having a large area inlet
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`exchanger. Furthermore, extension 86 is provided with a
`opening 48 in the bottom wall of the housing and an exit
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`depending skirt 88 which extends down vertically from
`opening 52 at the side of the housing facing heat sink 33,
`extension 86 at the rear of the baffle member. As shown in
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`which opening has the same dimensionsas the end openings
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`FIG. 2, skirt 88 extends well beyond the right hand end of
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`into the heat sink channel 34. Blower housing 46 contains a
`extension 86.
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`motor driven rotor 54 which, when operating, drawsair into
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`the housing through opening 48 and expels the air through
`For ease of manufacture, baffle member may be formed as
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`the exit opening 52. Blower 44 may be secured to the
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`a flat sheet and bent to the shape shownin FIG. 2. To retain
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`underside of the channel top wall extension 42 by means of
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`that shape, extension 86 is provided with a flap 86a which
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`suitable fasteners. Thus,in the illustrated assembly, a pair of
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`engages under the right hand end of the top wall 76 and a
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`long internally threaded headed pins 56 extend up through
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`second, forwardly extending flap 86b is secured by a fas-
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`vertical passages 58 at opposite sides of the blower housing
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`tener 90 to a tab 76a extending from the right hand end of
`wall 76.
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`46 and through registering holes 62 in extension 42. The pins
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`When the baffle member 74 is seated on heat sink 33
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`56 are held in place by threaded fasteners 64 screwed into
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`the upper ends of posts 56. When blower 44 is secured to
`fastened to CPU 18, the flexible extension 84 is flexed or
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`bent so that it forms a rounded inside corner between the
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`extension 42 thusly, its exit opening 52 is aligned with the
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`outlet end of the channel 34 and the flat surface of the
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`adjacent end opening into heat sink channel 34.
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`After the blower 44 is secured to the heat sink 33 as
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`adjacent computer component 224 as shown in FIGS. 1 and
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`In a similar manner,
`the member skirt 88 is flexed
`3.
`aforesaid, that subassembly is mounted directly to the top of
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`the CPU chip 18. More particularly,
`the subassembly is
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`rearwardly so thatits free end bears againsttheflat side-wall
`positioned so that the holes 39, 38 in the heat sink are
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`of power supply 12 as shownin those same drawingfigures.
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`aligned with the threaded posts 20 extending up from the
`Preferably, extension 84 and skirt 88 extend the full height
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`CPU chip and lowered onto the chip so that the bottom wall
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`of the enclosure 10 interior. The baffle member may be held
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`34a of the heat sink channel34 is flush against the top of the
`in place simply by frictional engagement with the heat sink
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`chip 18 with the posts 20 projecting up through the openings
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`33 or by suitable threaded fasteners (not shown).
`39 in the bottom wall 34a of channel 34. Heat sink 33 is
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`When fans 24 and 26 and cooling assembly 32 are in
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`releasably secured to the CPU chip by a pair of barrel nuts
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`operation, air is drawn into enclosure 10 as shown by the
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`72 which are passed down through the openings 38 in the
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`arrows A,, in FIG. 1, with the flow of that incoming air
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`channel top wall 34c and threaded onto posts 20. Enlarge-
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`being directed to the inlet opening 48 of blower 44. That
`ments at the ends of each nut engage the top and bottom
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`cooling air is sucked into the blower and discharged through
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`walls of channel 34 thereby pressing the channel against
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`the heat sink 33 at a relatively high flow rate thereby
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`CPU chip 18 thereby obtaining good thermal contact
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`efficiently and effectively conducting heat away from the
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`between the heat sink 33 and the chip 18.
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`heat sink and CPU chip 18 in intimate thermal contact
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`therewith. The heated air A,,,, from the heat exchangeris
`When the cooling assembly 32 is secured thusly to chip
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`redirected 90° by extension 84 along a defined flow path
`18, it is important to note that blower 44 extends out beyond
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`the edge of motherboard 16 so that the blowerinlet opening
`toward the exhaust fan 26 thereby minimizing the formation
`of eddies that could reduce the flow rate. As the heated air
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`48 is completely unobstructed. Accordingly, cooling air A;
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`Aour nears exhaustfan 26, it is again redirected 90° by skirt
`can flow freely into the blower and be expelled through the
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`45
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`60
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`65
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`6
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`

`

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`
`US 6,317,319 B1
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`5
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`88 directly into fan 26 so that the flow rate of the heated air
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`exiting enclosure 10 is maximized. Also, the full height skirt
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`88 prevents recirculation of that heated air from the heat sink
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`33 back to the blowerinlet 48. Thus, the low profile cooling
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`assembly 32 enables the use of a high power CPU chip in an
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`enclosure 10 which is thin enough to be used for a desk top
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`or lap top computer or other low profile electronic device.
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`It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among
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`those made apparent from the preceding description, are
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`efficiently attained. Also, since certain changes may be made
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`in the above construction without departing from the scope
`of the invention,it is intended that all matter contained in the
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`above description or shown in the accompanying drawings
`shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
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`It is also to be understood that the following claims are
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`intended to coverall of the generic and specific features of
`the invention described herein.
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`Whatis claimedis:
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`1. A cooling assembly for cooling a CPU on a mother-
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`board in an electronic device, said assembly comprising:
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`a channel-shaped heat sink having a flat first wall, an
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`opposite wall, open first and second ends and internal
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`heat exchange fins extending between said walls and
`said ends;
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`an electric blower having an inlet and an outlet;
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`means mounting the blower to the heat sink so that the
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`blower outlet is aligned with the first end of the heat
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`sink, and means anchoring the heat sink to the CPU so
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`that the first wall of the heat sink is flush against the
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`CPU and the blower inlet overhangs an edge of the
`motherboard.
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`2. The assembly defined in claim 1 wherein the mounting
`means comprise
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`an end extension of said opposite wall which overhangs
`the first end of the heat sink, and
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`meansfastening the blower to said end extension.
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`3. The assembly defined in claim 1 wherein the anchoring
`means comprise
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`6
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`at least one threaded post extending from the CPU and a
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`corresponding numberof holes in the first wall of the
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`heat sink, each hole being sized to receive a said post,
`and
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`a nut threaded onto said at least one post and tightened
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`down against said first wall of the heat sink.
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`4. The assembly defined in claim 3 wherein the anchoring
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`means include a plurality of said posts, holes and nuts.
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`5. The assembly defined in claim 3 wherein the nut on said
`at least one post nut is a threaded barrel nut that extends
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`through a hole in the opposite wall of the heat sink that is
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`collinear to the corresponding hole in the first wall thereof
`so that when the barrel nut is tightened on said at least one
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`post, it engages both the first and opposite walls of the heat
`sink.
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`6. The assembly defined in claim 1 and further including
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`a baffle member, said baffle member having a top wall and
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`a pair of opposite first and second walls depending from the
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`top wall, said baffle memberbeing sized to engage over the
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`opposite-wall of the heat sink, said baffle having flexible end
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`extensions which extend in opposite directions from the top
`wall so that when the baffle member is seated on the heat
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`sink, said first end extension has a free end located appre-
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`ciably beyond the second endofthe heat sink and the second
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`end extension has a free end located appreciably beyond the
`first end of the heat sink;
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`means for maintaining the free end of the first end
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`extension opposite the second end of the heat
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`exchangersink so that the first end extension forms an
`inside corner at the second end of the heat sink, and
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`means for maintaining the free end of the second end
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`extension away from the first end of the heat sink so
`that the second end extension forms an outside corner
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`at the first end of the heat sink.
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`7. The assembly defined in claim 6 and further including:
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`an inlet fan for conducting air to the blowerinlet, and
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`an outlet fan for drawing air away from the second end of
`the heat sink.
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`7
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`

`

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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARKOFFICE
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`CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION
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`Page 1 of 1
`PATENT NO.—: 6,317,319 B1
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`: November 13, 2001
`DATED
`INVENTOR(S)_: Jeffrey M. Lewisetal.
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`It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patentis
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`hereby corrected as shown below:
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`Title page,
`Item [75], Inventors, change "Michael R. Rolla"to -- Michael P. Rolla --
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`Signed and Sealed this
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`Sixth Day of August, 2002
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`Altest:
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`Attesting Officer
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`JAMESE. ROGAN
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`Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
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`8
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