Computer cooling fan

Abstract

A cooling apparatus to increase airflow over electronic components is disclosed. The cooling apparatus comprises a non-flat hub disposed substantially centered about an axis of rotation. A plurality of fan blades, each of the plurality of fan blades is connected at a first end to an outer shell of the non-flat hub to form a first intersection angle greater than approximately 10 degrees between a top surface of the first end and the axis of rotation. Each of the plurality of fan blades has a substantially convex shaped outer surface to sweep air substantially parallel to the axis of rotation for passage through an effective channel surface area formed by an outer surface of the non-flat hub and a top surface of the plurality of fan blades.

1 . A cooling apparatus to increase air flow over electronic components, comprising: 
 a non-flat hub disposed substantially centered about an axis of rotation; and    a plurality of fan blades, each of the plurality of fan blades is connected at a first end to an outer shell of the non-flat hub to form a first intersection angle greater than approximately 10 degrees between a top surface of the first end and the axis of rotation,    wherein each of the plurality of fan blades has a substantially convex shaped outer surface to sweep air substantially parallel to the axis of rotation for passage through an effective channel surface area formed by an outer surface of the non-flat hub and a top surface of the plurality of fan blades.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of each of the plurality of fan blades has an outwardly projected intersection with the non-flat hub to increase the effective channel surface area.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of each of the plurality of fan blades has a convex shaped curved surface.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first intersection angle is greater than approximately 10 degrees and less than approximately 45 degrees.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first intersection angle is greater than approximately 10 degrees and less than approximately 60 degrees.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of the fan blades has a second end and a second intersection angle formed between a top surface of the second end and the axis of rotation, the second intersection angle is greater than the corresponding first intersection angle.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of the fan blades has a non-uniform radius of curvature along a longitudinal direction of the fan blade extending from the first end to a second end.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the non-flat hub is generally dome shaped.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the non-flat hub is substantially cone shaped.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of the fan blades has a radius of curvature that is swept progressively forward along a lateral direction from the first end to a second end to increase the effective channel surface area.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an outer wall and wherein a second end of each of the plurality of the fan blades has a slanted edge surface relative to the outer wall to increase a volume of air through the effective channel surface area.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising an outer wall having a top surface and a bottom surface of the cooling apparatus, wherein the plurality of the fan blades is substantially closer at a top edge than a bottom edge of each of the plurality of the fan blades to at least one of the top surface and the bottom surface.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a motor disposed in a secondary dome within the non-flat hub to rotate the plurality of the fan blades about the axis of rotation.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first intersection angle for each of the plurality of fan blades are not all the same.  
   
   
       15 . A cooling apparatus to increase air flow over electronic components, comprising: 
 a non-flat hub disposed substantially centered about an axis of rotation; and    a plurality of fan blades, each of the plurality of fan blades has a substantially convex shaped outer surface to sweep air substantially parallel to the axis of rotation for passage through an effective channel surface area and is connected at a first end to an outer shell of the non-flat hub to form a first intersection angle greater than approximately 10 degrees and less than approximately 60 degrees between a top surface of the first end and the axis of rotation,    wherein each of the plurality of fan blades has a radius of curvature that sweeps progressively forward along a lateral direction from the first end to a second end to increase a volume of air through the effective channel surface area.    
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the first end of each of the plurality of fan blades has an outwardly projected intersection formed with the non-flat hub to increase airflow passing through the effective channel surface area.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the non-flat hub is generally dome shaped and the second end has a top surface that forms a second intersection angle with the axis of rotation greater than the first intersection angle.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of fan blades has a non-uniform radius of curvature along a longitudinal direction extended from the first end to the second end.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the second end has a slanted edge surface relative to an outer wall of cooling apparatus to increase a volume of air passing through the effective channel surface area channel.  
   
   
       20 . A cooling apparatus to increase airflow over electronic components, comprising: 
 a generally dome shaped hub disposed substantially centered about an axis of rotation;    a plurality of fan blades, each of the plurality of fan blades has a substantially convex shaped outer surface to sweep air substantially parallel to the axis of rotation passing through an effective channel surface area and is connected at a first end to an outer surface of the generally dome shaped hub to form a first intersection angle greater than approximately 10 degrees and less than 60 degrees between a top surface of the first end and the axis of rotation; and    an outer wall, wherein a second end of each of the plurality of fan blades has a slanted edge surface relative to the outer wall to increase a volume of air through the air flow channel,    wherein a second intersection angle formed between a top surface of the second end of each of the plurality of fan blades and the axis of rotation is greater than the corresponding first intersection angle.