JP2008243129A - Dust removing device for dust filter, dust removing method for dust filter, and electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a low-cost high-versatile dust removing device for a dust filter with a simple structure, which uses an existing structure as much as possible. <P>SOLUTION: A server computer has a hardware configuration operating according to a command given by an operating system, and the hardware configuration includes a power supply part 20 and a dust removing exhaust fan 51. The power supply part 20 finally stops among the hardware configuration based on a shutdown command given by the operating system. The dust removing exhaust fan 51 starts exhausting air based on the shutdown command and maintains air exhausting until the power supply part 20 stops. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a dustproof filter applied to an electronic device having a cooling function for cooling a heat generating portion by sucking air from a suction port formed in a housing through a dustproof filter provided to cover the suction port. The present invention relates to a dust removing device.

  In an electronic device such as a computer, a device or an element that generates heat when a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or the like is operated is incorporated in the casing. As a cooling means for such a heat generating part, an air inlet and an exhaust port are provided in the housing, a cooling air intake fan is provided in the vicinity of the air intake port, and a cooling exhaust fan is provided in the vicinity of the air exhaust port so that air is circulated in the housing. There is a means for air cooling by applying air to the part that generates heat.

  In the cooling means as described above, dust enters the inside of the housing from the outside through the air inlet. For this reason, many measures are adopted in which a dust-proof filter is provided at the air inlet to prevent dust from entering the housing. However, with the operation of the cooling means, dust is accumulated on the dustproof filter and clogs.

  As a measure for alleviating clogging of the dustproof filter, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a technique for discharging dust accumulated on the dustproof filter by reversely rotating a cooling intake fan.

  Note that Patent Document 1 (paragraphs 0017 and 0037) describes that dust removal may be performed by providing an exhaust fan dedicated to dust removal (referred to as a dust removal exhaust fan) in the vicinity of the dust filter, in addition to the cooling intake fan. Has been. Patent Document 1 (paragraphs 0019, 0020, 0035) and Patent Document 2 (paragraph 0046) describe that the dust removal operation may be performed when the electronic apparatus is finished.

JP 2004-64010 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-235843

  However, in the techniques disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, in the case of a configuration in which the cooling intake fan is rotated in the reverse direction, a fan that can be rotated in the reverse direction and a drive circuit for rotating the fan in the reverse direction only during cooling are provided. is necessary. A reverse-rotating fan is a very special type of this type of fan and is expensive. Also, the drive circuit for rotating the fan in the reverse direction has a complicated configuration and is expensive.

  Further, in the technologies disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, it is described that the dust removal operation by the fan is continued for a predetermined time (paragraph 0011 of patent document 1 and paragraph 0046 of patent document 2). ). This means that it is necessary to provide a time measuring means exclusively for measures to alleviate clogging of the dustproof filter.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is a dust removal device for a dustproof filter having an exhaust fan for dust removal, which can be realized at a low cost with a simple configuration by utilizing an existing configuration as much as possible and having high versatility. It is to provide a dust removal device for a dustproof filter.

  According to the present invention, the present invention is applied to an electronic device having a cooling function for cooling a heat-generating part by sucking air from a suction port formed in a housing through a dustproof filter provided to cover the suction port. In the dust removing device for the dustproof filter for removing dust from the dustproof filter by exhausting the dustproof filter through the dustproof filter by a dust exhausting fan provided in the vicinity of the air inlet, the electronic device has an operating system stored in a storage unit. The power supply unit has a hardware configuration that operates in accordance with a command issued by the system, and includes a power supply unit that supplies power to another hardware configuration as the hardware configuration, and the dust exhaust fan. Is the last of the hardware configurations based on the shutdown command issued by the operating system. The dust removal exhaust fan is configured to start exhaust based on the shutdown command and to continue exhaust until the power supply unit is stopped. can get.

  The electronic device further includes a cooling intake fan that is provided in the vicinity of the intake port and that intakes air through the dust filter as the hardware configuration, and the cooling intake fan is based on the shutdown command. The dust removal exhaust fan may be stopped prior to the start of exhaust.

  The dust removal exhaust fan may be provided in parallel with the cooling intake fan.

  The dust removal exhaust fan may be provided in series with the cooling intake fan.

  The present invention is also applied to an electronic device having a cooling function for cooling a heat-generating part by sucking air from a suction port formed in a housing through a dustproof filter provided to cover the suction port. In the dust removal method of the dustproof filter for removing dust from the dustproof filter by exhausting through the dustproof filter by the dust removal exhaust fan provided in the vicinity of the intake port, the electronic device is stored in the storage unit. A hardware configuration that operates according to a command issued by an operating system, and includes a power supply unit that supplies power to another hardware configuration as the hardware configuration, and the dust exhaust fan; Based on the shutdown command issued by the system, the power supply unit is the last of the hardware configurations. A step of stopping, a step of causing the dust removal exhaust fan to start exhaust based on the shutdown command, and a step of maintaining the exhaust in the dust removal exhaust fan until the power supply unit stops. A dust-removing method for a dustproof filter can be obtained.

  The electronic device has, as the hardware configuration, a cooling intake fan that is provided in the vicinity of the intake port and sucks air through the dust-proof filter, and the cooling intake fan is provided on the basis of the shutdown command. It may further include a step of stopping prior to the start of exhaust of the dust removal exhaust fan.

  The dust removal exhaust fan may be provided in parallel with the cooling intake fan.

  The dust removal exhaust fan may be provided in series with the cooling intake fan.

  According to the present invention, there is further provided an electronic device having a cooling function for cooling a heat generating portion by sucking air from a suction port formed in a housing through a dustproof filter provided to cover the suction port. An electronic apparatus having a dust removing device for the dust filter is obtained.

  The dust removing device for a dustproof filter according to the present invention can be realized at low cost with a simple configuration by utilizing an existing configuration as much as possible, and has high versatility.

  The dust removing device for a dustproof filter according to the present invention is applied to an electronic device having a cooling function for cooling a heat generating part by sucking air from a suction port formed in a housing through a dustproof filter provided to cover the suction port. It is a dust removing device for a dustproof filter that is applied and removes dust from the dustproof filter by exhausting through the dustproof filter with a dust removal exhaust fan provided in the vicinity of the air inlet.

  An electronic device has a hardware configuration that operates according to a command issued by an operating system stored in a storage unit, and is mainly assumed to be a computer device. As the operating system, general-purpose computers can be used for all computer devices.

  As the hardware configuration, the electronic device includes a power supply unit that supplies power to another hardware configuration, and a dust removal exhaust fan.

  The power supply unit stops last in the hardware configuration based on a shutdown command issued by the operating system to each hardware device.

  The dust removal exhaust fan starts exhausting based on the shutdown command, and continues to exhaust and performs dust removal operation by receiving power supply from the power supply unit until the power supply unit stops.

  The dust removing device for a dustproof filter according to the present invention configured as described above has high versatility because the operating system is installed as standard in electronic equipment such as computer equipment. That is, the present invention can be applied to any electronic device as long as an operating system is installed.

  In addition, in the dust removing means of the conventional dustproof filter as listed in the background section of the present specification, the dust removal operation by the fan is continued for a predetermined time. However, in the present invention, since the exhaust fan for dust removal is operated until the power supply unit is stopped and the power supply is stopped after the shutdown command is generated, No means is required and the configuration is simple. The power supply unit stops when all hardware configurations except the power supply unit and fans are stopped. In this type of electronic equipment, the time required for all hardware configurations to stop after the operating system issues a shutdown signal (also called termination processing time) is the amount of hardware configuration and software Although it depends on the contents, in practice, there is no instantaneous interruption, and it is about several seconds to several tens of seconds or hundreds of seconds. Such end processing time is sufficient for the execution of the dust removal operation by the dust exhaust fan.

  Note that the electronic device may further include a cooling intake fan that is provided in the vicinity of the intake port and intakes air through a dust-proof filter as a hardware configuration. The cooling intake fan is stopped prior to the start of exhaust of the dust removal exhaust fan based on the shutdown command.

  Further, the dust removal exhaust fan may be provided in parallel with the cooling intake fan. Alternatively, the dust removal exhaust fan may be provided in series with the cooling intake fan.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a dust removing device for a dustproof filter according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  Referring to FIG. 1, the dust removing device for a dustproof filter according to the present invention is applied to a server computer as an electronic apparatus having a cooling function.

  This cooling function takes in air by the rotation operation of the cooling intake fan 42 through the dustproof filter 41 provided so as to cover the intake port 32 from the intake port 32 formed in the front panel 31 of the housing 30 of the server computer. At the same time, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) mounted on the mother board 10 is exhausted by the rotational operation of the cooling exhaust fan 43 from the exhaust port 33 formed on the back surface of the housing 30 to flow air into the housing 30. Unit) is a function of cooling a portion that generates heat, such as 11.

  The dust removing device exhausts through the dust filter 41 by the rotation of the dust removing exhaust fan 51 provided in the vicinity of the air inlet 32, so that the dust removing device is operated in accordance with the operation of the server computer, particularly the operation of the cooling function. This is a device for removing dust accumulated on the filter 41. The dust removal exhaust fan 51 has a rotational speed higher than that of the cooling intake fan 42 and the cooling exhaust fan 43, and a fan diameter larger than that of the cooling intake fan 42 and the cooling exhaust fan 43. For example, it is preferable to increase the volume of exhaust air and discharge the exhaust gas in a discharge manner to reliably remove dust.

  The dust removal exhaust fan 51 is arranged in parallel with the cooling intake fan 42. A shroud is provided between the dust exhaust fan 51 and the cooling intake fan 42 and the dust filter 41. For this reason, the exhaust by the dust removal exhaust fan 51 passes through the entire surface of the dust-proof filter 41 through the space defined by the shroud. Therefore, even if the dust is accumulated in any part of the dust filter 41, the dust is reliably removed.

  The server computer has a hardware configuration that operates in accordance with commands issued by the operating system stored in the storage unit 12 mounted on the motherboard 10. This operating system is, for example, general-purpose for computer equipment in general. The operating system may be stored in a hard disk drive (not shown).

  As the above hardware configuration, the server computer includes a power supply unit 20 that supplies power to other hardware configurations, a dust removal exhaust fan 51, a cooling intake fan 42, and a cooling exhaust fan 43, not shown. A hard disk drive and a display adapter (not shown) mounted on a motherboard for driving a display (not shown) are included.

  The power supply unit 20 stops last among all the hardware configurations based on a shutdown command issued by the operating system to each hardware device.

  Contrary to other hardware configurations, the dust removal exhaust fan 51 starts exhausting based on a shutdown command. Together with this, the dust removal exhaust fan 51 is connected to the power supply unit 20 from the power supply unit 20 until the power supply unit 20 stops, that is, the time required for the end processing time until all the hardware components other than the power supply unit and the fans are completed. By receiving the supply, inevitably, high-speed exhaust is maintained and dust removal is performed.

  The shutdown command is issued from the operating system to each hardware configuration in accordance with, for example, the following operation. That is, a device operation stop operation by pressing a power switch (not shown) provided in the housing 30, a device operation stop operation by clicking a shutdown button as a software button displayed on the display, or For example, a device operation stop operation by clicking a restart button as a software button.

  In addition, the cooling intake fan 42 and the cooling exhaust fan 43 are stopped prior to the start of exhaust of the dust removal exhaust fan 51 based on the shutdown command.

  FIG. 2 shows an operation sequence relating to the start and stop of the operation of the server computer.

  As is clear from FIG. 2, when the operation start operation is performed, the operating system is started. The activated operating system issues a wake-up command to each hardware configuration excluding the dust removal exhaust fan 51. In response to the wake-up command, each hardware configuration including the power supply unit 20 and the cooling intake fan 42 and the cooling exhaust fan 43 starts operating. If an operation stop operation is performed during operation, the operating system issues a shutdown command. In response to the shutdown command, the cooling intake fan 42 and the cooling exhaust fan 43 are first stopped. Next, contrary to other hardware configurations, the dust removal exhaust fan 51 is activated by receiving a shutdown command, and performs dust removal operation of the dustproof filter 41 by high speed rotation. On the other hand, the hardware configuration excluding the power supply unit 20 and the fans is stopped after an end processing time of about several seconds or more. The power supply unit 20 that has received the shutdown command stops at the end of the hardware configuration. The dust removal exhaust fan 51 that has been supplied with power from the power supply unit 20 inevitably stops when the power supply from the power supply unit is cut off. In the figure, the standby power supply is means for supplying power to a necessary part while the power supply unit 20 is stopped.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the dust removal method of the dustproof filter by this invention is demonstrated.

  Along with the operation of the server computer (step S1), power is supplied from the power supply unit 20, and the cooling intake fan 42 and the cooling exhaust fan 43 operate to cool the equipment (step S2).

  When a shutdown command is issued from the operating system based on the operation stop operation (step S3), first, the cooling intake fan 42 and the cooling exhaust fan 43 are stopped (step S4).

  Next, the dust removal exhaust fan 51 is supplied with power from the power supply unit 20 to start high speed rotation, and the dust removal operation is started (step S5).

  Furthermore, after all the hardware configurations excluding the power supply unit 20 (and the dust removal exhaust fan 51) are stopped, for example, over several tens of seconds (step S6), the power supply unit 20 is stopped (step S7).

  Then, when the power supply from the power supply unit 20 is cut off, the dust removal exhaust fan 51 stops rotating and the dust removal operation ends (step S8).

  As shown in FIG. 4, the dust removal exhaust fan 51 may be superposed in series (in tandem) with the cooling intake fan 42. A shroud is provided between the dust-exhaust exhaust fan 51 and the cooling intake fan 42 and the dust-proof filter 41 which are arranged in an overlapping manner. For this reason, the exhaust by the dust removal exhaust fan 51 passes through the entire surface of the dustproof filter 41 through the space defined by the shroud. Therefore, even if the dust is accumulated in any part of the dust filter 41, the dust is reliably removed.

  Alternatively, although not illustrated, the cooling intake fan 42 and the dust removal exhaust fan 51 are disposed opposite to the dust filter 41 at an angle of 90 degrees or more so that one side of each frame abuts each other. Also good. In such an arrangement, a shroud is not always necessary, but dust that has accumulated in any part of the dust filter 41 can be reliably removed.

  The dust removing device and dust removing method of the dust filter according to the present invention are suitable for a server computer used in a store office of a retail industry (supermarket, convenience store, etc.) where outside air enters.

  It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the technical scope thereof.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the server computer as an electronic device to which the dust removal apparatus of the dustproof filter by the Example of this invention was applied. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the operation | movement sequence regarding the operation start and operation stop of the server computer shown by FIG. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement of the dust removal apparatus of the dustproof filter by the Example of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the server computer to which the dust removal apparatus of the dustproof filter by the modification of the Example of this invention was applied.

Explanation of symbols

10 Motherboard 11 CPU (Central Processing Unit)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12 Memory | storage part 20 Power supply part 30 Housing | casing 31 Front panel 32 Intake port 33 Exhaust port 41 Dust-proof filter 42 Cooling intake fan 43 Cooling exhaust fan 51 Dust removal exhaust fan

Claims (9)

Applied to an electronic device having a cooling function for cooling a heat generating portion by sucking air from a suction port formed in a housing through a dustproof filter provided to cover the suction port. In a dust removing device for a dustproof filter that removes dust from the dustproof filter by exhausting through the dustproof filter by a dust exhausting fan provided,
The electronic device has a hardware configuration that operates according to a command issued by an operating system stored in a storage unit, and a power supply unit that supplies power to other hardware configurations as the hardware configuration; An exhaust fan for dust removal,
The power supply unit is the last to stop among the hardware configurations based on a shutdown command issued by the operating system,
The dust removing filter dust removing device according to claim 1, wherein the dust removing exhaust fan starts exhausting based on the shutdown command and continues exhausting until the power supply unit stops.   The electronic device further includes a cooling intake fan that is provided in the vicinity of the intake port and that intakes air through the dust filter as the hardware configuration, and the cooling intake fan is based on the shutdown command. The dust removing device for a dustproof filter according to claim 1, wherein the dust removing filter is stopped prior to the start of exhausting of the dust exhausting fan.   The dust removal device for a dustproof filter according to claim 2, wherein the dust removal exhaust fan is provided in parallel with the cooling intake fan.   The dust removal device for a dust filter according to claim 2, wherein the dust exhaust fan is provided in series with the cooling intake fan. Applied to an electronic device having a cooling function for cooling a heat generating portion by sucking air from a suction port formed in a housing through a dustproof filter provided to cover the suction port. In a dust removal method for a dustproof filter that removes dust from the dustproof filter by exhausting through the dustproof filter with a dust exhaust fan provided,
The electronic device has a hardware configuration that operates according to a command issued by an operating system stored in a storage unit, and a power supply unit that supplies power to other hardware configurations as the hardware configuration; An exhaust fan for dust removal,
A step of finally stopping the power supply unit in the hardware configuration based on a shutdown command issued by the operating system;
Starting the exhaust fan for dust removal based on the shutdown command;
A dust removal method for the dustproof filter, comprising: a step of keeping the dust exhaust fan to keep exhausting until the power supply unit is stopped. The electronic device has a cooling intake fan that is provided in the vicinity of the intake port as the hardware configuration and intakes air through the dust filter,
6. The dust removal method for a dustproof filter according to claim 5, further comprising the step of stopping the cooling intake fan prior to the start of exhaust of the dust removal exhaust fan based on the shutdown command.   The dust removal method for a dustproof filter according to claim 6, wherein the dust removal exhaust fan is provided in parallel with the cooling intake fan.   The dust removal method for a dustproof filter according to claim 6, wherein the dust removal exhaust fan is provided in series with the cooling intake fan.   5. An electronic device having a cooling function for cooling a heat generating portion by sucking air from a suction port formed in a housing through a dustproof filter provided to cover the suction port. An electronic apparatus comprising the dust removal device for the dustproof filter according to any one of the above.

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