Aerodynamically enhanced cooling fan

Abstract

A cooling fan comprising a fan housing that connects to a chassis supporting an electronic device. A motor is disposed within the fan housing. A blade assembly is rotatably coupled to the motor. The fan housing has a length at least 10 mm longer than a distance between a leading edge and a trailing edge of the blade assembly.

1 . A cooling fan comprising: 
 a fan housing that connects to a chassis supporting an electronic device;    a motor disposed within said fan housing; and    a blade assembly rotatably coupled to said motor, wherein said fan housing has a length at least 10 mm longer than a distance between a leading edge and a trailing edge of said blade assembly.    
   
   
       2 . The cooling fan of  claim 1  wherein the conical hub has a diameter at least twice its length.  
   
   
       3 . The cooling fan of  claim 1  wherein said blade assembly is recessed from an inlet disposed on said housing.  
   
   
       4 . The cooling fan of  claim 3  wherein said blade assembly is recessed from the inlet a distance at least equal to a diameter of said blade assembly.  
   
   
       5 . The cooling fan of  claim 1  wherein said motor has a length at least twice its diameter.  
   
   
       6 . The cooling fan of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of stator blades fixably disposed within said housing such that an airflow generated by said blade assembly passes over said stator blades.  
   
   
       7 . The cooling fan of  claim 6  wherein said stator blades have a backward sweeping trailing edge and the blades of said blade assembly have a forward swept leading edge.  
   
   
       8 . The cooling fan of  claim 1  wherein the blades of said blade assembly have an asymmetrical trailing edge.  
   
   
       9 . The cooling fan of  claim 1  wherein the blades of said blade assembly have an expanded mid-section.  
   
   
       10 . The cooling fan of  claim 1  wherein said fan housing has a tapered inlet.  
   
   
       11 . The cooling fan of  claim 1  wherein said fan housing has a tapered outlet.  
   
   
       12 . The cooling fan of  claim 1  wherein said fan housing comprises disturbance reducing ripples disposed near an outlet.  
   
   
       13 . A computer system comprising: 
 a chassis;    an electronic component disposed within said chassis; and    an aerodynamically enhanced cooling fan disposed within said chassis, wherein said cooling fan comprises a fan housing that connects to said chassis, wherein said fan housing said fan housing has a length at least 10 mm longer than a distance between a leading edge and a trailing edge of a blade assembly disposed within the housing.    
   
   
       14 . The computer system of  claim 13  wherein the blade assembly is rotatably coupled to a motor and comprises a plurality of blades extending radially from a conical hub having a diameter at least twice its length.  
   
   
       15 . The computer system of  claim 13  wherein said blade assembly is recessed from an inlet disposed on said housing a distance at least equal to a diameter of said blade assembly.  
   
   
       16 . The computer system of  claim 13 , wherein said aerodynamically enhanced cooling fan comprises further comprises a plurality of stator blades fixably disposed within said housing such that an airflow generated by said blade assembly passes over said stator blades.  
   
   
       17 . The computer system of  claim 13 , wherein said fan housing has a tapered inlet and a tapered outlet.  
   
   
       18 . A cooling fan comprising: 
 means for connecting the fan to a chassis supporting an electronic device;    means for rotating a blade assembly; and    means for reducing pressure disturbances in a flow of air through the fan, wherein said means for reducing pressure disturbances comprises a fan housing having a length at least 10 mm longer than a distance between a leading edge and a trailing edge of the blade assembly.    
   
   
       19 . The cooling fan of  claim 18  wherein said means for reducing pressure disturbances comprises at least one aerodynamic enhancement to the blade assembly selected from the group consisting of a blade having a sweeping edge, a blade having an asymmetrical edge, and a blade having an expanded mid-section.  
   
   
       20 . The cooling fan of  claim 18  wherein said means for reducing pressure disturbances comprises an aerodynamic enhancement to the fan housing selected from the group consisting of a tapered inlet, a tapered outlet, and ripples in an edge of the housing at an outlet.