Cooling system having independent fan location

Abstract

The present invention comprises a heatsink adjacent a first device wherein a gas supply can be located to provide gas in any direction with respect to the heatsink. The gas supply may be realized as a fan, a blower, or a compressed gas source. The gas supply may be provided in any direction or in multiple directions. The heatsink is in thermal communication with a first heat-producing device such as a microprocessor. In a preferred embodiment the heatsink comprises a radial shaped folded fin heatsink arranged for axial flow.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A cooling system comprising: 
 a first group of at least one heatsink; and    a first gas supply disposed proximate said first group of at least one heatsink and positionable in any direction with respect to said first group of at least one heatsink, said gas supply capable of providing cooling gas to said first group of at least one heatsink.    
     
     
         2 . The cooling system of  claim 1  wherein said first group of at least one heatsink includes a first heatsink and a second heatsink, said second heatsink disposed adjacent said first heatsink.  
     
     
         3 . The cooling system of  claim 2  wherein at least one of said first heatsink and said second heatsink have a section removed such that said first heatsink does not overlap with said second heatsink.  
     
     
         4 . The cooling system of  claim 3  wherein first heatsink and said second heatsink has approximately the same amount of material removed therefrom.  
     
     
         5 . The cooling system of  claim 1  wherein said first gas supply is selected from the group including fans, blowers and compressed gas sources.  
     
     
         6 . The cooling system of  claim 1  wherein at least one heatsink of said first group of at least one heatsink comprises a radial heatsink.  
     
     
         7 . The cooling system of  claim 1  further comprising a second group of at least one heatsink, said second group of at least one heatsink disposed adjacent said first group of at least one heatsink.  
     
     
         8 . The cooling system of  claim 7  wherein at least one heatsink of said second group of at least one heatsink comprises a linear heatsink.  
     
     
         9 . The cooling system of  claim 1  further comprising a housing disposed over at least a portion of said first group of at least one heatsink and extending to said first gas supply.  
     
     
         10 . The cooling system of  claim 10  said housing further extends over at least a portion of said second group of at least one heatsink.  
     
     
         11 . The cooling system of  claim 9  wherein said housing includes at least one flapper valve disposed adjacent said first gas supply, said flapper valve movable between an open position when said first gas supply is providing gas to said first group of at least one heatsink and a closed position when said first gas supply is not providing gas to said first group of at least one heatsink.  
     
     
         12 . The cooling system of  claim 1  further comprising a second gas supply, said second gas supply positionable in any direction with respect to said first group of at least one heatsink, said second gas supply capable of providing cooling gas to said first group of at least one heatsink.  
     
     
         13 . The cooling system of  claim 12  wherein said second gas supply is operational in the event said first gas supply becomes inoperable.  
     
     
         14 . The cooling system of  claim 13  further comprising a housing disposed over at least a portion of said first group of at least one heatsink and extending to said first gas supply and said second gas supply.  
     
     
         15 . The cooling system of  claim 1  wherein said second gas supply is selected from the group including fans, blowers and compressed gas sources.  
     
     
         16 . The cooling system of  claim 14  wherein said housing further comprises: 
 a first group of at least one flapper valve disposed adjacent said first gas supply, said first group of at least one flapper valve movable between an open position when said first gas supply is providing gas to said first group of at least one heatsink and a closed position when said first gas supply is not providing gas to said first group of at least one heatsink; and  
 a second group of at least one flapper valve disposed adjacent said second gas supply, said second group of at least one flapper valve movable between an open position when said second gas supply is providing gas to said first group of at least one heatsink and a closed position when said second gas supply is not providing gas to said first group of at least one heatsink.  
 
     
     
         17 . The cooling system of  claim 1  further comprising a gas removal assembly disposed proximate said first group of at least one heatsink, said gas removal assembly capable of removing gas from said first group of at least one heatsink.  
     
     
         18 . The cooling system of  claim 17  wherein said gas removal assembly comprises at least one fan.