US20130105136A1

US20130105136A1 - Cooling system

Info

Publication number: US20130105136A1
Application number: US13/326,212
Authority: US
Inventors: Chin-Hui Chen; Tai-Wei Lin
Original assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd
Current assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd
Priority date: 2011-10-26
Filing date: 2011-12-14
Publication date: 2013-05-02
Also published as: TW201318542A

Abstract

A cooling system is used for cooling a plurality of electronic components received in a casing. The casing defines an air outlet. The cooling system includes at least one fan received in the casing, an air tachometer, and a controller. The air tachometer is arranged adjacent to the air outlet, and is used for measuring an airflow speed of the air outlet. The controller is electrically connected to the at least one fan and the air tachometer, and used for comparing a threshold value with the airflow speed detected by the air tachometer, and controlling a rotating speed of the at least one fan based on the comparing result.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to cooling systems and, particularly, to a cooling system with the ability to intelligently use the cooling power of fans.
2. Description of Related Art
The cooling systems of computers may run at full speed constantly during the time that computers are working. However, when the number of electronic components decrease (such as, memory chips are dismantled), the computer does not need so much cooling power, and thus it is a waste of power to keep the cooling systems running at full speed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present disclosure should be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The units in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a cooling system including shielding plates and a casing accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the shielding plates being in a first state.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the cooling system and the casing of FIG. 1 without a top plate, the shielding plates being in a second state.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a first shielding plate, a first sliding device, and a first driver of the cooling system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of circuitry of the cooling system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a cooling system 100 is used for cooling a number of electronic components 500 received in a hollow casing 300. The casing 300 may be a computer casing. The casing 300 is substantially cuboid, and includes a first sidewall 31, a second sidewall 32, a third sidewall 33, and a fourth sidewall 34, a bottom plate 35, and a top plate 36. The second sidewall 32 is opposite to the first sidewall 31. The third sidewall 33 is perpendicularly connected between the first sidewall 31 and the second sidewall 32. The fourth sidewall 34 is opposite to the third sidewall 33, and is perpendicularly connected between the first sidewall 31 and the second sidewall 32. The bottom plate 35 is perpendicularly connected to the sidewalls 31-34. The top plate 36 is opposite to the bottom plate 35. The bottom plate 35 is used for fixing the electronic components 500. The electronic components 500 may include a central processing unit (CPU), a memory, and/or a hard disk.
The first sidewall 31 defines a number of first through holes 311, and the second sidewall 32 defines a first air outlet 321. The third sidewall 33 defines a second air outlet 331 adjacent to the second sidewall 32. The fourth sidewall 34 defines a third air outlet 341 adjacent to the second sidewall 32. In this embodiment, the second sidewall 32 defines a number of second through holes 322 adjacent to the third sidewall 33.
Also referring to FIG. 4, the cooling system 100 includes four fans 10, a first shielding plate 11, a first sliding device 12, a first driver 13, a first air tachometer 14, a second shielding plate 15, a second sliding device 16, a second driver 17, a second air tachometer 18, a third shielding plate 19, a third sliding device 20, a third driver 21, a third air tachometer 22, and a controller 23. The number of the fans 10 is not limited to this embodiment.
The four fans 10 are mounted adjacent to the first sidewall 31 side by side. Each of the four fans 10 has an air inlet surface 10 a facing the first through holes 311 and an air outlet surface 10 b facing the second sidewall 32. In this embodiment, the third sidewall 33 defines a number of third through holes 231 adjacent to the fans 10, the fourth sidewall 34 defines a number of fourth through holes 232 adjacent to the fans 10, and thus the fans 10 easily draw cool air from outside of the casing 300 to achieve effective cooling.
The first shielding plate 11 is substantially rectangular, and slidably covers the first air outlet 321 to change an opening size of the first air outlet 321. The first sliding device 12 is positioned on the second sidewall 32, and includes a stripe-shaped first sliding rail 121 and a stripe-shaped second sliding rail 122 parallel to the first sliding rail 121.
The first sliding rail 121 is positioned on a side of the first air outlet 321 adjacent to the top plate 36. The first sliding rail 121 defines a U-shaped first blind sliding slot 120 a facing the bottom plate 35 and has two parallel sidewalls 121 a and a stopper 121 b connecting between the two sidewalls 121 a. The stopper 121 b is on one end of the first sliding rail 121. The two sidewalls 121 a and the stopper 121 b cooperatively form the first sliding slot 120 a.
The second sliding rail 122 is positioned on a side of the first air outlet 321 adjacent to the bottom plate 35. The second sliding rail 122 is similar to the first sliding rail 122, except that a U-shaped second sliding slot 122 a defined in the second sliding rail 122 extending through the second sliding rail 122 along a direction from the top plate 36 to the bottom plate 35.
The first driver 13 is used for driving the first shielding plate 11 to slide, and includes a first motor 131, two wheels 132, a transporting loop 133 sleeving on the two wheels 132, and a connecting element 134. The first motor 131 includes a driving shaft 131 a extending through a center of one of the two wheels 132. One end of the first shielding plate 11 is received in the sliding slot 120 a, and the other end of the shielding plate 11 extends through the second sliding slot 122 a to be fixed on the transporting loop 133. The connecting element 134 is used for connecting the first shielding plate 11 to the transporting loop 133. The first motor 131 is used for driving one of the two wheels 132 to rotate, and thus the transporting loop 133 drives the first shielding plate 11 to slide along the first sliding rail 121 and the second sliding rail 122.
The first air tachometer 14 is positioned adjacent to the first air outlet 321, and is used for measuring the airflow speed of the first air outlet 321.
The configuration of the second shielding plate 15 is substantially the same as that of the first shielding plate 11. The second sliding plate 15 slidably covers the second air outlet 331 to change an opening size of the second air outlet 331. The configurations of the second sliding device 16 and the second driver 17 are substantially the same as those of the first sliding device 12 and the first driver 13 respectively. The second air tachometer 18 is positioned adjacent to the second air outlet 331, and is used for measuring the airflow speed of the second air outlet 331.
The configuration of the third shielding plate 19 is substantially the same as that of the first shielding plate 11, and the third shielding plate 19 slidably covers the third air outlet 341 to change an opening size of the third air outlet 341. The configurations of the third sliding device 20 and the third driver 21 are substantially the same as those of the first sliding device 12 and the first driver 13 respectively. The third air tachometer 22 is positioned adjacent to the third air outlet 341, and is used for measuring the airflow speed of the third air outlet 341.
The controller 23 is electrically connected to the four fans 10, the first driver 13, the first air tachometer 14, the second driver 17, the second air tachometer 18, the third driver 21, the third air tachometer 22, and is used for comparing a first threshold value with an airflow speed of the first air outlet 321, comparing a second threshold value with an airflow speed of the second air outlet 331, and comparing a third threshold value with an airflow speed of the third air outlet 341.
The airflow speeds of the air outlets 321, 331, 341 will change when the number of the electronic components changes. The electronic components 500 can block the flow of the air in the casing 300, therefore, when the number of the electronic components 500 increases, the airflow speeds of the air outlets 321, 331, 341 reduce; when the number of the electronic components 500 decreases, the airflow speeds of the air outlets 321, 331, 341 increases.
When the airflow speed detected by the first air tachometer 14 is less than the first threshold value, the controller 23 controls the first driver 13 to drive the first shielding plate 11 to slide to increase the opening size of the first air outlet 321. When the airflow speed detected by the second air tachometer 18 is less than the second threshold value, the controller 23 controls the second driver 17 to drive the second shielding plate 15 to slide to increase the opening size of the second air outlet 331. When the airflow speed detected by the third air tachometer 22 is less than the third threshold value, the controller 23 controls the third driver 21 to drive the third shielding plate 19 to slide to increase the opening size of the third air outlet 341.
When all of the airflow speeds detected by the first air tachometer 14, the second air tachometer 18, and the third air tachometer 22 are respectively larger than the first threshold value, the second threshold value and the third threshold value, the controller 23 reduces the rotating speeds of the fans 10. When all of the airflow speeds detected by the first air tachometer 14, the second air tachometer 18, and the third air tachometer 22 are respectively less than the first threshold value, the second threshold value and the third threshold value, the controller 23 increases the rotating speeds of the fans 10.
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 exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A cooling system for cooling a plurality of electronic components received in a casing, the casing defining a first air outlet, the cooling system comprising:

at least one fan received in the casing;

a first air tachometer arranged adjacent to the first air outlet, and configured for measuring an airflow speed of the first air outlet; and

a controller electrically connected to the at least one fan and the first air tachometer, the controller configured for comparing a first threshold value with the airflow speed detected by the first air tachometer, and the controller also configured for controlling a rotating speed of the at least one fan based on the comparing result.

2. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the cooling system further comprises a first shielding plate and a first driver, the first shielding plate slidably covers the first air outlet, the first driver is configured for driving the first shielding plate to slide to change an opening size of the first air outlet, the controller is electrically connected to the first driver, and is configured for controlling the first driver to drive the first shielding plate to change the opening size of the first air outlet based on the comparing result.

3. The cooling system of claim 2, wherein the casing comprises a first sidewall, a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall, a third sidewall connecting between the first sidewall and a second sidewall, a fourth sidewall opposite to the third sidewall and connecting between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, and a bottom plate connecting to the first sidewall, the second sidewall, the third sidewall, and the fourth sidewall, the first sidewall defines a plurality of first through holes, the at least one fan is arranged adjacent to the first sidewall and faces the first through holes, the first air outlet is defined on the second sidewall, the bottom plate is configured for fixing the electronic components.

4. The cooling system of claim 3, wherein the cooling system further comprises a sliding device arranged on the second sidewall, the first sliding device comprises a first sliding rail and a second sliding rail parallel to the first sliding rail, the first sliding rail is on a side of the first air outlet away from the bottom plate, and the second sliding rail is one another side of the first air outlet adjacent to the bottom plate, the first shielding plate is slidably positioned between the first sliding rail and the second sliding rail, the first driver is configured for driving the first shielding plate to slide along an extending direction of the first sliding rail and the second sliding rail.

5. The cooling system of claim 4, wherein the first sliding rail defines a U-shaped first sliding slot facing the bottom plate, and has two parallel sidewalls and a stopper connected between the two sidewalls, the stopper is positioned on one end of the first sliding rail, the stopper and the two sidewalls cooperatively define the first sliding slot, one end of the first shielding plate is received in the first sliding slot; the second sliding rail defines a U-shaped second sliding slot, the second sliding slot extends through the second sliding rail; another end of the first shielding plate passes through the second sliding slot and connects to the first driver.

6. The cooling system of claim 5, wherein the first driver comprises a first motor, two wheels, a transmitting loop, and a connecting element, the first motor has a rotating shaft extending through a center of one of the two wheels, the another end of the first shielding plate extends through the second sliding slot and is fixed on the transmitting loop, the connecting element fixes the first shielding plate on the transmitting loop, the first motor is configured for driving the one of the two wheels to rotate, and thus the transmitting loop is capable of driving the first shielding plate to slide along the first sliding rail and the second sliding rail.

7. The cooling system of claim 3, wherein the casing further defines a second air outlet on the third sidewall, the cooling system further comprises a second air tachometer adjacent to the second air outlet and configured for measuring an airflow speed of the second air outlet, the controller is configured for comparing a second threshold value with an airflow speed detected by the second air tachometer, and controlling the rotating speed of the at least one fan based on the comparing result of the second threshold to the airflow speed detected by the second air tachometer, and the comparing result of the first threshold to the airflow speed detected by the first air tachometer; when both of the airflow speeds detected by the first air tachometer and the second air tachometer are respectively larger than the first threshold and the second threshold, the controller reduces the rotating speed of the at least one fan; when both of the airflow speeds detected by the first air tachometer and the second air tachometer are respectively less than the first threshold and the second threshold, the controller increases the rotating speed of the at least one fan.

8. The cooling system of claim 7, wherein the cooling system further comprises a second shielding plate slidably covering the second air outlet for controlling an opening size of the second air outlet, and a second driver for driving the second shielding plate to slide, the controller is electrically connected to the second driver, and is configured for controlling the second driver to drive the second shielding plate to change the opening size of the second air outlet based on the comparing result of the second threshold to the airflow speed detected by the second air tachometer.

9. The cooling system of claim 8, wherein the casing further defines a third air outlet on the fourth sidewall, the cooling system further comprises a third air tachometer adjacent to the third air outlet and configured for measuring an airflow speed of the third air outlet, the controller is configured for comparing a third threshold value with the airflow speed detected by the third air tachometer, and controlling the rotating speed of the at least one fan, based on the comparing result of the third threshold to the airflow speed detected by the third air tachometer, the comparing result of the second threshold to the airflow speed detected by the second air tachometer, and the comparing result of the first threshold to the airflow speed o detected by the first air tachometer; when all of the airflow speeds detected by the first air tachometer, the second air tachometer, and the third air tachometer are respectively larger than the first threshold, the second threshold, and the third threshold, the controller reduces the rotating speed of the at least one fan; when all of the airflow speeds detected by the first air tachometer, the second air tachometer, and the third air tachometer are respectively less than the first threshold, the second threshold, and the third threshold, the controller increases the rotating speed of the at least one fan.

10. The cooling system of claim 9, wherein the cooling system further comprises a third shielding plate slidably covering the third air outlet for controlling an opening size of the third air outlet, and a third driver for driving the third shielding plate to slide, the controller is configured for controlling the third driving device to drive the third shielding plate to slide to change the opening size of the third air outlet, based on the comparing result of the third threshold to the airflow speed detected by the third air tachometer.

11. The cooling system of claim 3, wherein each of the at least one fan has an air inlet surface facing the first through holes and an air outlet surface facing the second sidewall.

12. The cooling system of claim 3, wherein the second sidewall defines a plurality of second through holes adjacent to the third sidewall.

13. The cooling system of claim 3, wherein the third sidewall defines a plurality of third through holes adjacent to the at least one fan.

14. The cooling system of claim 3, wherein the fourth sidewall defines a plurality of fourth through holes adjacent to the at least one fan.