JP2002305393A - Cooling structure of electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cooling structure of an electric apparatus for realizing superior cooling effect even in a thin frame. SOLUTION: A cooling air ventilating region in an apparatus frame 2 for storing a heating part 1 is separated into upper and lower flow regions by a fan holder 5, in which each cooling fan device 4 is held in plurality of fan holding units 3 so that the cooling wind discharged into the lower flow region can not turn into the upper flow region.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cooling structure for electronic equipment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 shows a conventional example of a cooling structure in an electronic device to which an external storage device (hard disk drive device) capable of hot replacement can be mounted. In this conventional example, a plurality of hard disk drive devices 1A and a mounting board 6 on which a heating element such as a CPU (1B) is mounted are arranged in the device housing 2, and for cooling the inside of the device housing 2, A plurality of cooling fan devices 4 are mounted on the boundary between the hard disk drive device 1A and the mounting board 6. When the cooling fan device 4 is operated, as shown by an arrow in FIG. 5, outside air is introduced into the device housing 2 to cool the hard disk drive device 1A and the heating element 1B.

Further, since the cooling fan device 4 is arranged between the heating element 1B and the hard disk drive device 1A, the hard disk drive device 1A is plug-in connected to a back panel 7 provided separately from the mounting board 6. The back panel 7 and the mounting board 6 are connected by a cable 8 for power supply or signal transmission / reception.

[0004]

On the other hand, as the device housing 2 becomes thinner, the size of the cooling fan device 4 must be reduced, so that in order to perform sufficient cooling, it is necessary to increase the cooling efficiency. There is. However, in the above-described conventional example, since the cooling fan devices 4 are individually fixed to the device housing 2 and the like, the cooling air passing between the cooling fan devices 4 wraps around and achieves high cooling efficiency. There is a drawback that you can not.

[0005] Further, since a cable 8 for connecting the back panel 7 for connecting the hard disk device to the mounting board 6 is required, there is a disadvantage that the cost is increased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described drawbacks, and has as its object to provide a cooling structure of an electronic device which can achieve high cooling efficiency even with a thin casing.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the object is to hold a cooling fan unit 4 in a plurality of fan holding units 3 in a cooling air blowing area in a device housing 2 in which a heat generating component 1 is housed. This is achieved by providing a cooling structure for an electronic device that is divided into an upstream and downstream area by the fan holder 5 and that prevents cooling air discharged to the downstream area from flowing into the upstream area.

The air blowing area of the device housing 2 is divided into upper and lower regions by a fan holder 5, and the cooling fan device 4 is held and fixed by a fan holding portion 3 provided on the fan holder 5. By partitioning the inside of the device housing 2 using the fan holder 5, the cooling air discharged to the downstream region does not go around to the upstream region, and therefore, it is possible to prevent a decrease in cooling efficiency due to the cooling air going around. it can. For this reason, even if a small cooling fan is used, sufficient cooling performance can be exhibited.

The area defined by the fan holder 5, that is, the air blowing area, is not necessarily the area where the heat-generating component 1 to be cooled by the cooling fan is arranged, or the entire area inside the housing.

Further, the cooling fan device 4 is connected to the fan holding portion 3.
If the cooling fan device 4 is configured to be press-fitted into the inside, the workability of mounting the cooling fan device 4 is improved, and the workability of replacement when the cooling fan device 4 breaks down is also improved.

Further, when the heat-generating component 1 is mounted on the same mounting substrate 6, power can be supplied to the upstream and downstream heat-generating components 1 or signals can be transmitted / received via the pattern wiring on the mounting substrate 6, so that the heat-generating component 1 is separately provided. It is not necessary to use the cable 8 and the like, and it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost.

When the fan holder 3 of the fan holder 5 is supported on the inner wall surface of the device housing 2 by penetrating the mounting board 6, the dimension in the height direction of the device housing 2 is determined by the cooling fan device. Since the cooling fan device 4 can be effectively used as it is, the size of the cooling fan device 4 to be mounted can be increased, and the transmission of the vibration of the cooling fan device 4 to the mounting board 6 can be suppressed as much as possible.

[0013]

1 to 4 show an embodiment of the present invention configured as a thin server device. The server device includes a device housing 2 formed by a base case 2a and a top cover 2b, and a hard disk drive device 1A (heat-generating component 1) that can be actively replaced with a mounting board 6 is housed therein.

As shown in FIG. 4, a mounting connector 6 is mounted on the mounting board 6 at the front end, and a heating element (heating component 1) such as a CPU (1B) having a heat sink 10 mounted on the rear area. A plurality of rectangular holes 6a are formed in an intermediate portion between the connector row and the heating element mounting area. In addition, behind each rectangular hole 6a,
The fan connection connector 11 is arranged corresponding to “a”, and power is supplied to the fan connection connector 11 and the drive connection connector 9 or signal transmission / reception is performed by a printed wiring (not shown) formed on the mounting board 6. It is performed by

As shown in FIG. 2, the hard disk drive 1A is plugged into a drive connector 9 on the mounting board 6 and arranged in a front area in the apparatus housing 2. A drive cage 12 for accommodating the hard disk drive 1A is provided in the device housing 2.
Is fixed. Further, the front opening of each drive cage 12 can be closed by a drive cover 13 having a blower window 13a composed of a number of blow openings, and a front panel 14 is fixed to the front of the device housing 2. Similar to the drive cover 13, the front panel 14 is provided with a blow window 14a including a number of blow openings.

To facilitate replacement of the hard disk drive 1A, the drive cover 13 can be mounted by locking the locking portions 13b projecting from both ends to the drive cage 12, and the front panel 14 can be mounted in advance. It is fixed to the base case 2a by a thumb screw 14b attached to the front panel 14.

The fan holder 5 is fixed on the mounting board 6. As shown in FIG. 3, the fan holder 5 is formed of an insulating material such as a synthetic resin material, and is fastened together with the mounting board 6 to the base case 2a at mounting portions 5a formed at both ends. The lower end of the fan holder 5 is fitted into the rectangular hole 6a of the mounting board 6 so that the base case 2
A plurality of fan holders 3 reaching the bottom of a and having a height dimension such that the upper end contacts the top cover 2b. The fan holding portion 3 is formed by partitioning a housing space opened vertically by a pair of side walls 3a, 3a, a front wall 3b, and a back wall 3c. Each housing space press-fits and fixes the cooling fan device 4. Is formed in such a size as to allow The front wall 3b and the rear wall 3c of the fan holder 3 are provided with ventilation openings 3d corresponding to the intake and exhaust ports of the cooling fan device 4 held in the accommodation space.

Further, the fan holder 5 connects the fan holders 3 with each other, and further includes the fan holders 3 located at both ends.
And a partition wall 3e extending laterally from the partition wall 3e. Partition wall 3e
Has a height dimension such that the upper end edge is in contact with the top cover 2b and the lower end edge is in contact with the upper surface of the mounting board 6, and when the fan holder 5 is fixed, the area of the upper surface of the mounting board 6 is mounted on the hard disk drive 1A. Area (upstream area),
It is partitioned into a mounting area (downstream area) of the CPU (1B).

Therefore, in this embodiment, when the cooling fan device 4 is mounted, the cooling fan device 4 is press-fitted into the fan holding portion 3 provided on the fan holder 5 and then connected to the cooling fan device 4. An external cable is pulled out to the back of the fan holder 5 through a cable insertion groove 3f provided in the side wall 3a of the fan holding portion 3 and the partition wall 3e, and further, the cable is plugged into the fan connection connector 11. This can be easily performed by the reverse procedure.

When the top cover 2b is fixed after the cooling fan device 4 is mounted, as shown in FIG.
Since the space above the mounting board 6 is completely partitioned into the upstream and downstream regions by the fan holder 5 where the cooling fan is arranged, the cooling air sucked from the upstream region does not flow again to the upstream side. .

Further, the hard disk drive 1A
Is connected to the drive connection connector 9 on the mounting board 6 to supply power to the hard disk drive 1A,
Alternatively, transmission and reception of signals can use printed wiring on the mounting board 6. Therefore, unlike the conventional example, no cable is required, and the manufacturing cost is reduced.

[0022]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, high cooling efficiency can be achieved even with a thin casing.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1A and 1B are diagrams showing the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a plan view, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 1B-1B of FIG.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of FIG.

3A and 3B are views showing a fan holder, wherein FIG. 3A is a perspective view seen from above, and FIG. 3B is a perspective view seen from the back.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a mounting board.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Heat generation component 2 Device housing 3 Fan holding part 4 Cooling fan device 5 Fan holder 6 Mounting board

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A cooling air blowing area in an apparatus housing in which a heat-generating component is accommodated is divided into an upstream and downstream area by a fan holder holding a cooling fan device in a plurality of fan holding sections, and cooling air discharged to a downstream area. Cooling structure for electronic equipment that prevents the air from entering the upstream area. 2. The cooling structure for an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said cooling fan device is press-fitted and fixed in a fan holding portion. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat-generating components are arranged in the upstream and downstream regions on the same mounting board, and the fan holding portion of the fan holder is supported on the inner wall surface of the apparatus casing through the mounting board. The cooling structure of the electronic device described in the above.