JP2006216594A - Electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic device which can ensure high heat dissipation performance by closing a vacant region on which no electronic unit is mounted and has durability in a dummy member while ensuring conservativeness and manufacturing cost reduction effect. <P>SOLUTION: The electronic device 1 on which plate-like electronic units 4 for operating the device are mounted in multiple stages is provided with a dummy member 5 mounted on the vacant region on which no electronic unit 4 is mounted and consisting of a telescopic expanding shrinking member configured to expand and shrink by allowing a plurality of frame- or box-like parts 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d to slide with each other. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device in which plate-like electronic units for operating the device are mounted in multiple stages.

  In the conventional electronic device 101 having the cooling fan unit 103 that cools the electronic unit 105 while the plate-like electronic unit 104 such as a printed wiring board is mounted in multiple stages, there is a free space where the electronic unit 104 is not mounted. In order to improve the cooling efficiency in the apparatus, a dummy member 105 that does not operate the apparatus is mounted in the empty area (see FIG. 4).

  However, in the conventional electronic device, since the thickness of the electronic unit varies, it is necessary to prepare a dummy member corresponding to the thickness of the electronic substrate. In addition, when a plurality of electronic units are not mounted, a plurality of dummy members are mounted. Therefore, when there are not enough dummy members, it has to be left empty. Furthermore, if the dummy member cannot be mounted in all the empty areas, there is a risk of foreign matter entering the apparatus, and the cooling efficiency may be reduced.

  To solve this problem, the basic mounting printed board and the optional mounting printed board are mixedly mounted, and the empty option mounting position covers the multi-stage empty option mounting positions in the electronic device where the dummy member is mounted. There is disclosed a structure configured to have a telescopic bellows dummy portion that can be extended (see Patent Document 1).

JP-A-9-331127

  However, in the electronic device described in Patent Document 1, since the bellows dummy part has a fold, there is a possibility that the crease may crack and it cannot be used repeatedly.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device in which a dummy member is durable while an empty area in which an electronic unit is not mounted is closed to ensure high heat dissipation and maintainability and cost reduction effect. .

  In the present invention, in an electronic apparatus in which plate-shaped electronic units for operating the apparatus are mounted in multiple stages, the electronic units are mounted in an empty area where the electronic units are not mounted, and a plurality of frame-shaped or box-shaped parts slide relative to each other. A dummy member made of a telescopic expansion / contraction member configured to be extendable and retractable is provided.

  In the electronic device according to the aspect of the invention, it is preferable that each part of the dummy member has a locking portion that locks the dummy member so that the dummy member does not come off when the dummy member is fully extended.

  In the electronic device according to the aspect of the invention, it is preferable that the dummy member has a cover portion that is rotatably disposed on an end surface via a hinge portion.

  In the electronic device according to the aspect of the invention, it is preferable that the cover portion includes a second cover portion that is rotatably disposed via a second hinge portion.

  The electronic device of the present invention preferably includes a cooling fan unit that cools the electronic unit.

  According to the present invention, since the dummy member is made of a telescopic stretchable member without a fold, it has excellent durability and can be used repeatedly. Further, since the empty area where the electronic unit is not mounted is blocked by the dummy member, the cooling air can be efficiently flowed to the area of the mounted electronic unit. In addition, it is possible to block an empty area where one or more electronic boards are not mounted with one dummy member.

(Embodiment 1)
An electronic apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1A is a perspective view, FIG. 1B is a front view, and FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a configuration of an electronic device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 2A and 2B are a perspective view and a cross-sectional view, respectively, illustrating a configuration of a dummy member of the electronic device according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, which are respectively reduced and extended.

  Referring to FIG. 1, an electronic device 1 is an electronic device such as a communication device or a computer, and includes a casing 2, a cooling fan unit 3, an electronic unit 4, and a dummy member 5. In FIG. 1, for convenience of explanation, the surface of the casing 2 on which the cooling fan unit 3 is disposed is the upper surface.

  The casing 2 is a housing for mounting a plurality of electronic units 4 in multiple stages. The casing 2 mounts an electronic component (not shown) electrically connected to the electronic unit 4 via a connector (not shown). A cooling fan unit 3 is mounted on the upper surface side of the casing 2. The inside of the casing 2 has a space for accommodating the electronic substrate 4 a of the electronic unit 4. On the front side of the casing 2, there is an insertion port for inserting the electronic unit 4. The insertion opening of the casing 2 is closed by the front plate 4 b of the electronic unit 4. The casing 2 is provided with a plurality of guide rails (not shown) for holding the electronic unit 4 in an up-down direction. The bottom surface side of the casing 2 has a vent hole (not shown) for allowing outside air to flow in.

  The cooling fan unit 3 is a unit including a cooling fan 3a for cooling the electronic unit 4 (the electronic substrate 4a thereof). The arrangement position of the cooling fan unit 3 is appropriately set in consideration of the cooling efficiency of the electronic unit 4, but is arranged on the upper surface side of the electronic unit 4 (the electronic substrate 4a thereof) as shown in FIG. It can be arranged on the upper part of the casing 2. By discharging the air in the casing 2 by the cooling fan 3a, outside air flows in from a vent (not shown) of the casing 2, and the inflowed air cools the electronic substrate 4a while cooling the electronic substrate 4a. , And the air that has passed over the electronic board 4a is discharged by the cooling fan 3a (see the arrow in FIG. 1C).

  The electronic unit 4 is a plate-like unit including an electronic circuit that operates the apparatus. Examples of the electronic unit 4 include a printed wiring board and a PC slot card. The electronic unit 4 is mounted in multiple stages in the casing 2. The electronic unit 4 is detachably attached to the casing 2. The electronic unit 4 is held in a guide rail (not shown) attached to the casing 2 in a state where the electronic unit 4 is erected in the vertical direction. In FIG. 1, the electronic unit 4 includes an electronic substrate 4a and a front plate 4b. The electronic board 4a is formed of a printed wiring board on which electronic components for operating the apparatus are mounted, and is arranged in a vertically standing state in the casing 2. A front plate 4b is attached to the front end face of the electronic substrate 4a. The front plate 4 b is a plate-like member that closes (a part of) the insertion opening of the casing 2 when the electronic unit 4 is mounted on the casing 2.

  The dummy member 5 is a member that becomes a dummy of the electronic unit 4, and is for improving the cooling efficiency when there is an empty area in the casing 2 where the electronic unit 4 is not mounted. The dummy member 5 is a telescopic expansion / contraction member that is configured to be expandable / contractable by sliding a plurality of frame-shaped or box-shaped parts 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d (see FIG. 2). Each part 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d of the dummy member 5 has a locking portion 5e that locks the dummy member 5 so that the dummy member does not fall off when the dummy member is fully extended. The dummy member 5 is not mounted with an electronic component that operates the apparatus. The dummy member 5 is attached to a vacant area of the casing 2 where the electronic unit 4 is not attached, and the expansion and contraction is adjusted according to the size of the vacant area.

  According to the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. The first effect is that the dummy member 5 closes the empty area where the electronic unit 4 is not mounted, so that air can be efficiently flowed to the area of the mounted electronic unit 4 (the electronic substrate 4a thereof). The cooling efficiency is improved compared to when the dummy member 5 is not mounted. The second effect is that, since the dummy member 5 can be expanded and contracted, an empty area where the electronic unit 4 is not mounted can be closed with one dummy member 5 without using a plurality of dummy members, and the number of members can be reduced. The cost reduction effect can be expected. The third effect is that by closing the empty area where the electronic unit 4 is not mounted by the dummy member 5, it is possible to close the noise leakage path of the cooling fan 3 a, thereby achieving quietness. A fourth effect is to prevent foreign matter from entering the apparatus by closing the empty area where the electronic unit 4 is not mounted by the dummy member 5. The fifth effect is that the dummy member 5 is formed of an unfolded telescopic stretchable member, so that it has excellent durability and can be used repeatedly.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, an electronic device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the electronic device according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

  The electronic device 11 according to the second embodiment is a foldable notebook personal computer, and the basic configuration other than the dummy member 15 is the same as that of the first embodiment. For convenience of explanation, the cooling fan unit and the electronic unit are not shown. The dummy member 15 has a telescopic type elastic member similar to the dummy member of the first embodiment (see 5 in FIG. 2), and is rotatably disposed on one end surface of the telescopic type elastic member via a hinge portion 15a. The cover portion 15b is provided. When the electronic unit (not shown) is not inserted into the insertion port 12a of the casing 12, the dummy member 15 is in a state in which the telescopic elastic member is extended and the cover portion 15b is in an open state. It will be attached to the casing 12. In FIG. 3, the cover portion 15b is configured to block the insertion portion of the electronic unit (not shown) one step below, but the second hinge is used in order to cope with the case where it is two steps lower. It may be configured to include a second cover portion (not shown) that is rotatably disposed via a portion (not shown), and further includes a third or more hinge portion and a cover portion. Also good. Thereby, the cover part 15b will block the insertion part of an adjacent electronic unit (not shown).

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, the dummy member 15 can block the empty area where the electronic unit is not mounted and can block the insertion portion of the electronic unit. One dummy member 15 can be used, and the effects of cost reduction by reducing the number of members, noise reduction by reducing noise leakage outlets, prevention of foreign matter contamination, and improvement of the air flow path inside the apparatus can be obtained. Further, since the dummy member 15 is made of a telescopic elastic member without a fold, and the cover portion 15b is also mechanically connected via a hinge portion 15a without a fold, it is excellent in durability and can be used repeatedly.

1A is a perspective view, FIG. 1B is a front view, and FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a configuration of an electronic device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. It is the perspective view and sectional drawing which each relate to the time of the reduction | restoration and the expansion | extension which showed typically the structure of the dummy member of the electronic device which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the disassembled perspective view which showed typically the structure of the electronic device which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is the (A) perspective view, (B) front view, and (C) sectional view which showed typically the structure of the electronic device which concerns on a prior art example.

Explanation of symbols

1, 11, 101 Electronic device 2, 12, 102 Casing 3, 103 Cooling fan unit 3a, 103a Cooling fan 4, 104 Electronic unit 4a, 104a Electronic board 4b, 104b Front plate 5 Dummy member 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d Parts 5e Locking part 12a Insertion slot 15 Dummy member 15a Hinge part 15b Cover part 105 Dummy member

Claims (5)

In an electronic device in which a plurality of plate-like electronic units for operating the device are mounted in multiple stages,
The electronic unit is mounted in an empty area where the electronic unit is not mounted, and includes a dummy member made of a telescopic expansion / contraction member configured to expand and contract by sliding a plurality of frame-shaped or box-shaped parts to each other. Electronic equipment.   The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein each part of the dummy member has a locking portion that locks the dummy member so that the dummy member does not fall out when the dummy member is fully extended.   The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the dummy member has a cover portion that is rotatably disposed on an end surface via a hinge portion.   The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the cover portion includes a second cover portion that is rotatably disposed through a second hinge portion.   The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cooling fan unit that cools the electronic unit.

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