Heatsink for digital video recorder
View Patent ↗A heat sink assembly for cooling a DVR enabled set-top box. A heat sink is coupled to a chassis of the set-top box as well as to a storage device within the chassis. Heat is transferred from the storage device to the exterior of the chassis to be vented to the exterior environment surrounding the set-top box.
1. An assembly for regulating temperature of a storage device within an enclosure, said assembly comprising:
a heat sink coupled to a chassis and said chassis at least partially defining said enclosure, wherein said heat sink is sized to be received within an inwardly recessed portion of a portion of said chassis; and
a thermally conductive material positioned in between said heat sink and said storage device.
2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein an opening is defined in said chassis and said heat sink and said storage device are coupled to one another through said opening in said chassis.
3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said heat sink is coupled to an exterior of said chassis and said storage device is positioned on an interior of said chassis.
4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said heat sink of said assembly is positioned between a top cover and said chassis of said enclosure.
5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said heat sink is coupled to said chassis such that heat dissipating from said heat sink is vented to the exterior environment surrounding said enclosure.
6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein an air space is defined between an interior of said enclosure and said chassis for receiving heat dissipated from said heat sink.
7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said thermally conductive material is a thermal pad.
8. The assembly of claim 1 without having a cooling fan.
9. A set-top box comprising:
a top cover and a chassis for defining an enclosure;
a storage device housed within said enclosure;
an outlet to vent air from within said enclosure to the exterior environment surrounding said set-top box; and
a heat sink coupled to said storage device, wherein said chassis comprises a substantially vertically oriented portion, said portion of said chassis having an inwardly recessed portion to receive said heat sink.
10. The set-top box of claim 9 wherein said heat sink is coupled to said chassis.
11. The set-top box of claim 10 wherein said heat sink is coupled to an exterior of said chassis.
12. The set-top box of claim 9 wherein said heat sink is coupled between said chassis and said top cover.
13. The set-top box of claim 9 wherein a side portion of said chassis includes an opening therethrough, said storage device and said heat sink coupled to one another through said opening in said side portion of said chassis.
14. The set-top box of claim 9 further comprising a thermally conductive material positioned in between said storage device and said heat sink when coupled to one another.
15. The set-top box of claim 9 wherein said top cover is coupled to said chassis with said heat sink positioned in between said chassis and said top cover such that heat dissipating from said heat sink is vented through said outlet.
16. The set-top box of claim 9 wherein said outlet comprises a plurality of openings defined in said top cover.
17. The set-top box of claim 9 wherein said heat sink and said storage device are coupled to one another and wherein said heat sink and said storage device are positioned on opposite sides of a portion of said chassis.
18. The set-top box of claim 9 wherein said heat sink is coupled to said chassis such that heat dissipating from said heat sink is vented to the exterior environment surrounding said set-top box.
19. The set-top box of claim 9 wherein an air space is defined between an interior of said top cover and said chassis for receiving heat dissipated from said heat sink.
20. The set-top box of claim 9 free from using a cooling fan.