IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,396,124
Granted Patent B2
US 12,396,124 · App. 17/132,846 · Granted Aug 19, 2025

Fan module interconnect apparatus for electronic devices

Inventors: Chee How Lim (Bukit Mertajam, MY); Khai Ern See (Batu Gaja, MY); Chin Kung Goh (Pulau Pinang, MY); Twan Sing Loo (Butterworth, MY)
Assignee: Intel Corporation
H05K7/20172G06F1/203G06F2200/201
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,396,124
App. No.
17/132,846
Granted
Aug 19, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Fan module interconnect apparatus are disclosed. An example fan module includes a fan and a fan housing to carry the fan. The fan is to rotate in the fan housing. A flange extends from the fan housing and including signal paths to provide an interconnect to electrically couple at least portions of a first electrical circuit and a second electrical circuit of an electronic device.

Claims (32)

1. A fan module comprising:

a fan;

a fan housing to carry the fan, the fan to rotate in the fan housing to remove heat from electronic components of a circuit board; and

a flange extending from the fan housing, the flange including:

one or more electrically conductive traces on at least one of an outer surface or an internal surface of the flange, the one or more electrically conductive traces extending between a first side of the flange and a second side of the flange opposite the first side;

a first electrical connector at the first side of the flange, the first electrical connector to electrically couple at least one of the one or more electrically conductive traces and a first electrical circuit of an electronic device; and

a second electrical connector at the second side of the flange, the second electrical connector to electrically couple the at least one of the one or more electrically conductive traces and a second electrical circuit of the electronic device, and the one or more electrically conductive traces of the flange communicatively couple a first portion of the circuit board and a second portion of the circuit board via the first and second electrical connectors, respectively.

2. The fan module as defined in claim 1 , wherein the flange is to mount the fan module to at least one of a circuit board or a frame of the electronic device.

3. The fan module as defined in claim 1 , wherein the fan housing and the flange are integrally formed as a one-piece structure.

4. An electronic device comprising:

a first circuit board portion;

a second circuit board portion;

a fan;

a fan housing to carry the fan, the fan to remove heat from electronic components of at least one of the first circuit board portion or the second circuit board portion, the fan housing between the first circuit board portion and the second circuit board portion;

a plurality of traces at least one of printed, etched or laminated with a surface of the fan housing;

a first electrical connector carried by a first portion of the fan housing; and

a second electrical connector carried by a second portion of the fan housing, the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector electrically coupled via the traces, the first electrical connector to electrically couple to a third electrical connector of the first circuit board portion, and the second electrical connector to electrically couple to a fourth electrical connector of the second circuit board portion to form a circuit path between the first circuit board portion and the second circuit board portion via at least one of the traces.

5. The electronic device as defined in claim 4 , wherein the first and second circuit board portions are parts of a same circuit board.

6. The electronic device as defined in claim 5 , wherein the traces, the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector are to interconnect one or more first signal paths of the first circuit board portion and one or more second signal paths of the second circuit board portion when the first electrical connector is electrically coupled to the third electrical connector and the second electrical connector is electrically coupled to the fourth electrical connector.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a first circuit board portion including a first electrical connector;

a second circuit board portion including a second electrical connector;

a fan;

a fan housing to carry the fan to remove heat from electronic components of a circuit board, the fan housing at least partially between the first circuit board portion and the second circuit board portion, the fan housing including:

a flange extending from the fan housing, the flange having a third electrical connector, a fourth electrical connector, and a signal path to electrically couple the third electrical connector and the fourth electrical connector, the third electrical connector of the fan housing to electrically couple to the first electrical connector of the first circuit board portion, and the fourth electrical connector of the fan housing to electrically couple to the second electrical connector of the second circuit board portion to form a circuit between the first and second circuit board portions, wherein the first and second circuit board portions are parts of the circuit board.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 , wherein the signal path includes an electrically conductive material and the fan housing includes a thermoplastic material.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the signal path on at least one of an outer surface of the fan housing or between a first outer surface and a second outer surface opposite the first outer surface.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 , wherein the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector include a plurality of pin receptacles and the third electrical connector and the fourth electrical connector include a plurality of pins.

11. The electronic device as defined in claim 4 , wherein the plurality of traces are on an outer surface of the fan housing.

12. The electronic device as defined in claim 4 , wherein the plurality of traces are on an internal surface of the fan housing.

13. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the first circuit board portion is part of a first circuit board and the second circuit board portion is part of a second circuit board separate from the first circuit board.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 , wherein the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector include a plurality of pins and the third electrical connector and the fourth electrical connector include a plurality of pin receptacles.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 29, 2020
From: SEE, KHAI ERN; GOH, CHIN KUNG; LIM, CHEE HOW; LOO, TWAN SING
To: INTEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054768/0552 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210120699A1 · Apr 22, 2021
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