JP2004014825A - Cooling mechanism of electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize a cooling mechanism which discharges cooling air sucked from a front surface effectively from a device rear surface in a device which hardly ensures a large suction opening in a device front surface such as a device wherein a number of connectors are disposed in the device front surface. <P>SOLUTION: In an inside of the device, a push-type fan for spraying cooling air flow to a heating component which is an object of cooling is provided in a suction opening provided to a device front surface. Air flow sucked from the suction opening is increased and an air flow guide path for guiding cooling air flow in an inside of the device is formed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention realizes a cooling mechanism that efficiently exhausts cooling air sucked from the front of the device from the back of the device in a device in which it is difficult to secure a large intake port on the front of the device, such as a device in which a number of connectors are arranged on the front of the device. It is related to the technology to do.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Here, the definitions of the following terms according to the present invention applied here and the technical background thereof will be described to clarify the concepts included therein.
[0003]
Here, the push-type fan and the pull-type fan are both concepts that define the use of the fan, and do not define the type or shape of the fan itself. That is, the former push-type fan refers to a fan used for an operation of blowing the air volume generated by the fan to an object, and uses a positive pressure generated by the fan. On the other hand, the latter pull-type fan uses the negative pressure generated by the fan to apply it to exhaust air or the like.
[0004]
For example, in the case of a device in which a large number of connectors are arranged on the front of the device to make connections, it is difficult to secure a large intake port on the front of the device unless the size of the device is increased. A method has been adopted in which a port and an exhaust port are provided to force the flow of air to pass through the device, thereby efficiently cooling the heat generated by the heating element built in the device.
[0005]
With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, a cooling mechanism of a conventional device will be described.
[0006]
FIG. 4 shows a main configuration of an electronic device according to the related art. That is, a plurality of printed board units 54 are housed in a housing structure 51 constituting an outer housing of the electronic device 50, and connectors (not shown) mounted on each of the printed board units 54 are provided on the front of the device. It is exposed and used for external connection.
[0007]
Therefore, in the electronic device 50, the region where the air inlet is provided on the front surface of the device is limited, so that the air inlet is normally provided on the side surface of the device (the right side surface in the illustrated example), and the opposite side surface (the left side surface in the illustrated example). Provide an exhaust port at
[0008]
In the casing structure 51, a pull-type fan 53 is disposed on a side surface near the printed board unit 54, and an air flow including heat generated by electronic components mounted on the printed board unit 54 is sent from the electronic device 50 to the fan 50. Discharge to the outside.
[0009]
The electronic device 50 includes a built-in unit 55 such as a power supply device. As will be described later, the built-in unit 55 has its own intake port and exhaust port, and forcibly passes the air flow through the built-in unit 55 to cool the built-in heating element.
[0010]
FIG. 5 schematically shows the flow of air used for cooling the inside of the electronic device 50 shown in FIG.
[0011]
The printed board units 54 housed in the electronic device 50 are fixed at their end surfaces by the connection board unit 54a, respectively, and the connectors 54b mounted on the respective printed board units 54 are exposed on the front surface of the electronic device 50. And is fixed via the connector 54b.
[0012]
The casing structure 51 has an intake port 51a on the right side and a pull-type fan 53 on an exhaust port (not shown) on the left side.
[0013]
The air flow drawn in from the air inlet port 51a by the negative pressure in the electronic device 50 generated by the pull fan 53 passes between the boards composed of the respective printed board units 54 and the respective printed board units. The amount of heat generated from the electronic components mounted on 54 is taken out, and the air is discharged as warm air from the apparatus by the pull fan 53.
[0014]
Further, the negative pressure in the built-in unit 55 generated by the pull-type fan 55b built in the built-in unit 55 draws a part of the air flow drawn in from the intake port 51a from the intake port 55a, and The heat generated from the electronic components incorporated in the assembly unit 55 is taken away, and the heated air is discharged out of the apparatus by the pull-type fan 55b.
[0015]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, an electronic device having a cooling mechanism that discharges an airflow sucked from an intake port provided on a side surface to an opposite side surface can be said to be a mechanism that efficiently discharges heat generated from built-in electronic components. The following problems arise in that intake and exhaust are performed from the side.
[0016]
When the electronic device is used independently, no particular problem is found.For example, when the electronic device is placed side by side with other devices or devices, make sure that the side intake and exhaust ports are not blocked. It must be arranged to avoid abnormal temperature rise in the equipment.
[0017]
Similar to the above arrangement, it is necessary to take care that the exhaust of the electronic device does not become the intake of the electronic device arranged adjacently.
[0018]
Also, when a large number of devices of the same type are housed in a rack or the like, a cooling mechanism for taking in and exhausting air from the side according to the conventional technology is provided, for example, air discharged from the mutual devices circulates in the rack. In electronic devices, there is a risk that a thermally unsuitable state may be created.
[0019]
Thus, in an electronic device in which a large area required for an air inlet is not provided on the front surface, the present invention is provided with a cooling mechanism that suctions air from the front surface of the device and exhausts air from the rear surface of the device while suppressing the device from becoming large. Is the problem to be solved.
[0020]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has taken the following measures.
[0021]
An intake port is arranged on the front surface of the electronic device, and a push-type fan is arranged near the cooling object in the vicinity of the intake port.
[0022]
Inside the electronic device, an airflow guide path for guiding a flow of air for cooling to a heat generating portion is formed, and a pull-type fan is disposed at an exhaust port.
[0023]
By taking these measures, the electronic device has an effect of being equipped with a cooling mechanism that takes in air from the front surface of the device and exhausts air from the back surface of the device, while suppressing an increase in the size of the device.
[0024]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
The present invention takes the following forms.
[0025]
In a cooling mechanism of an electronic device provided with an intake port on a front surface of the device and an exhaust port provided with a pull-type fan on a rear surface of the device, a push-type fan and an internal airflow generated by the push-type fan are generated inside the device. And an airflow guideway for guiding the airflow.
[0026]
By taking this form, the electronic device draws in the cooling airflow from the intake port by the negative pressure generated by the push-type fan, and simultaneously converts the airflow generated by the positive pressure generated by the push-type fan into the airflow guide path. As a result, a cooling mechanism that guides to a heat generating portion and exhausts air by a pull fan is obtained.
[0027]
In the cooling mechanism of the electronic device, a spare intake port is provided on a side surface of the device together with an intake port provided on a front surface of the device, and a spare intake port provided on a side surface of the device is opened when necessary.
[0028]
By taking this form, the electronic device has an effect of being equipped with a cooling mechanism provided with a switchable air inlet.
[0029]
【Example】
A representative embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0030]
FIG. 1 shows main elements constituting a cooling mechanism of an electronic apparatus to which a representative embodiment of the present invention is applied. That is, a plurality of printed circuit board units 14 are housed in a housing structure 11 constituting an outer case of the electronic device 10, and connectors (not shown) mounted on each of the plurality of printed circuit board units 14 are provided. The front surface of the electronic device 10 is exposed to be used for external connection.
[0031]
A push-type fan 12 is disposed near the side surfaces of the plurality of printed board units 14, and the airflow from the push-type fan 12 is directed to respective gaps formed by the plurality of printed board units 14. Sprayed.
[0032]
A pull-type fan 13 is disposed on the back of the housing structure 11 to discharge airflow from the inside of the electronic device 10.
[0033]
Further, a built-in unit 15 such as a power supply device is built in the electronic device 10. As will be described later, the built-in unit 15 is provided with its own intake port and exhaust port to force the flow of air through the built-in unit 15 to cool the built-in heating element.
[0034]
FIG. 2 schematically shows the flow of air used for cooling the inside of the electronic device 10 shown in FIG.
[0035]
The printed board units 14 housed in the electronic device 10 are fixed at their end faces by the connection board unit 14a, and the connectors 14b mounted on the respective printed board units 14 are exposed on the front surface of the electronic device 10 and The position where each printed board unit 14 is fixed is determined via the connector.
[0036]
An intake port 11a is provided on the front surface of the electronic device 10. Since the intake port 11a is provided so as to avoid the area where the connector 14b is exposed, the opening area is limited. However, the intake port 11a is formed by the negative pressure generated by the push-type fan 12 provided near the inside. Since the speed of the airflow passing through 11a is increased, the air intake 11a having the limited opening area can efficiently take in a necessary amount of air by having the push-type fan 12.
[0037]
The air flow blown by the push-type fan 12 passes between the respective printed circuit board units 14 to take away the heat generated by the electronic components mounted on the printed circuit board unit 14 and cool the same. Is guided by the negative pressure formed by the pull-type fan 13 provided around the apparatus, and goes around the back of the apparatus from between the printed board units 14 to be exhausted by the pull-type fan 13.
[0038]
The air flow passing between the printed board units 14 is parallel to the two printed board units 14, the front cover part of the housing structure 11, and the connecting board unit for fixing the printed board unit 14. The space formed by the space 14a flows as a passage.
[0039]
By providing an opening in a part of the connection board unit 14a that forms a passage through which the air flow flows, the air flow flowing through the passage forms a shunt and reaches the intake port 15a provided in the built-in unit 15. .
[0040]
Since the built-in unit 15 is exhausted to the outside of the apparatus by a built-in pull-type fan 15b, the inside thereof has a negative pressure, and air near the intake port 15a flows into the built-in unit 15 through the intake port 15a, Cools the heat-generating electronic components mounted in the unit.
[0041]
FIG. 3 is based on another representative embodiment of the present invention. In addition to the configuration shown in FIG. 2, a releasable air inlet 11b is provided on the side surface of the electronic device 10. .
[0042]
That is, by providing the intake port 11b, a more sufficient opening can be secured, and the amount of cooling airflow taken into the electronic device 10 can be easily increased.
[0043]
That is, when there is a margin in the space in the side direction as the installation condition of the electronic device 10, the cooling in the device can be reliably performed by opening the intake port 11b.
[0044]
If there is an exhaust port of another electronic device adjacent in the side direction as an installation condition of the electronic device 10, the intake port 11b is closed by closing the intake port 11b with a shielding plate or the like prepared in advance as necessary. It is limited to the intake port 11a provided on the front surface, and does not suck in the warm air exhausted from the adjacent electronic device as in the embodiment shown in FIG.
[0045]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the following effects can be expected.
[0046]
In a cooling mechanism of an electronic device provided with an intake port on a front surface of the device and an exhaust port provided with a pull-type fan on a rear surface of the device, a push-type fan and an internal airflow generated by the push-type fan are generated inside the device. And an airflow guideway for guiding the airflow.
[0047]
By taking this measure, the electronic device draws the cooling airflow from the intake port by the negative pressure generated by the push-type fan, and simultaneously converts the airflow generated by the positive pressure generated by the push-type fan into the airflow guide path. The cooling mechanism that guides the heat to the heat-generating part and exhausts the air with a pull-type fan is configured. The effect of constituting a cooling mechanism for guiding to a location is obtained.
[0048]
In the cooling mechanism of the electronic device, a spare intake port is provided on a side surface of the device together with an intake port provided on a front surface of the device, and a spare intake port provided on a side surface of the device is opened when necessary.
[0049]
By taking this measure, the electronic device is equipped with a cooling mechanism provided with a switchable air intake, so that when necessary, a sufficient air flow for cooling is obtained from the spare air intake provided on the side of the device. Get the effect.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle according to a representative embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the principle according to a representative embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the principle according to a representative embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of the principle according to a conventional technique.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the principle according to a conventional technique.
[Explanation of symbols]
10: Electronic device 11: Housing structure 11a, 11b: Inlet 12: Push fan 13: Pull fan 14: Printed board unit 14a: Connecting board unit 14b: Connector 15: Built-in unit 15a: Inlet 15b: Pull type fan

Claims (2)

In the cooling mechanism of an electronic device provided with an intake port on the front of the device and an exhaust port provided with a pull-type fan on the back of the device,
A push-type fan and an airflow guide path for guiding an internal airflow generated by the push-type fan to a heat generating portion are arranged inside the device,
Cooling mechanism for electronic devices. In the cooling mechanism of the electronic device,
A spare intake port is provided on the side of the apparatus together with the intake port provided on the front of the apparatus, and a spare intake port provided on the side of the apparatus is opened when necessary.
The cooling mechanism for an electronic device according to claim 1.

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