Heat-dissipating device with dissipating fins drivable to move within and ambient fluid

Abstract

A heat-dissipating device includes a hollow housing adapted to contact a heat source and for receiving a heat-conducting fluid therein, a heat-conducting member contacting the heat-conducting fluid, and a heat-dissipating fin unit driven to move within an ambient fluid so as to dissipate heat from the fin unit to the ambient fluid.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A heat-dissipating device for dissipating heat from a heat source unit to an ambient fluid, said heat-dissipating device comprising: 
 a heat-absorbing mechanism including a hollow primary housing that is made of a heat-conducting material and that is adapted to contact the heat source unit so as to permit heat transfer from the heat source unit to said primary housing, and a heat-conducting fluid that is received within said primary housing so as to permit heat transfer from said primary housing to said heat-conducting fluid; and    a heat-dissipating mechanism including 
 a heat-conducting member that contacts said heat-conducting fluid so as to permit heat transfer from said heat-conducting fluid to said heat-conducting member,  
 a heat-dissipating fin unit that is mounted to said heat-conducting member so as to permit heat transfer from said heat-conducting member to said heat-dissipating fin unit and that is adapted to be exposed within the ambient fluid so as to permit heat transfer from said dissipating fin unit to the ambient fluid, and  
 a driving unit connected to said heat-dissipating fin unit so as to drive said heat-dissipating fin unit to move within the ambient fluid.  
   
     
     
         2 . The heat-dissipating device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said driving unit is configured as an electrical motor, said conducting member being configured as a motor shaft that is rotated by said electrical motor, said heat-dissipating fin unit including a plurality of fins that are connected fixedly to and that extend radially and outwardly from said motor shaft so that said electrical motor can rotate said fins about said motor shaft.  
     
     
         3 . The heat-dissipating device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said primary housing has an interior chamber for receiving said heat-conducting fluid therein, said motor shaft being hollow and being formed with a central bore that has a closed end proximate to said electrical motor, and an open end in fluid communication with said interior chamber in said primary housing.  
     
     
         4 . The heat-dissipating device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said heat-dissipating mechanism further includes a plurality of tubes that are connected respectively and fixedly to said fins, each of said tubes having a closed outer end, and an open inner end in fluid communication with said central bore in said motor shaft.  
     
     
         5 . The heat-dissipating device as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein each of said tubes extends along a spiral path on a respective one of said fins.  
     
     
         6 . The heat-dissipating device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein each of said fins is hollow, and is formed with an interior space that has a closed radial outer end and an open radial inner end, which is in fluid communication with said central bore in said motor shaft.  
     
     
         7 . The heat-dissipating device as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said heat-absorbing mechanism further includes a hollow secondary housing that is adapted to contact the heat source unit so as to permit heat transfer from the heat source unit to said secondary housing, and a conduit that is connected removably to and that is in fluid communication with said primary and secondary housings.  
     
     
         8 . The heat-dissipating device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said heat-dissipating mechanism further includes a bearing unit, said motor shaft being journalled on said primary housing by means of said bearing unit, said primary housing having a contacting wall that is adapted to contact the heat source unit, and a mounting wall that is parallel to said contacting wall and that is formed with a circular hole therethrough, said motor shaft extending into said primary housing through said circular hole and being formed with an outward flange that is disposed in said primary housing and that has a diameter which is larger than that of said circular hole in said primary housing so as to prevent removal of said motor shaft from said primary housing.