JP2009211486A

JP2009211486A - Cooling securing mechanism for electronic appliance

Info

Publication number: JP2009211486A
Application number: JP2008054712A
Authority: JP
Inventors: Katsutoshi Mori; 勝俊森
Original assignee: NEC Corp
Current assignee: NEC Corp
Priority date: 2008-03-05
Filing date: 2008-03-05
Publication date: 2009-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 2028-03-05
Also published as: JP5083714B2

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cooling securing mechanism and a cooling securing method for an electronic appliance from which an obstacle blocking a ventilation hole is removed. SOLUTION: The cooling securing mechanism for an electronic appliance includes: a ventilation hole member 30 where a ventilation hole 32a is formed through which air moves inwards or outward a case body 10; and a drive unit 42 for moving the ventilation hole member 30 toward the outside of the case body 10. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

本発明は、電子機器の冷却に関する。 The present invention relates to cooling of electronic equipment.

パーソナルコンピュータやサーバのような電子機器の筐体には、冷却のための空気を外部から吸入するための通風口が設けられることが多い。通風口が塞がれると十分な冷却ができなくなり、電子機器が備えるデバイスの寿命が短くなったり電子機器の動作が不安定になったりする。 A housing of an electronic device such as a personal computer or a server is often provided with a vent for sucking air for cooling from the outside. If the ventilation hole is blocked, sufficient cooling cannot be performed, and the life of the device provided in the electronic device is shortened or the operation of the electronic device becomes unstable.

特許文献１は、冷却風の流れを確保するための電子機器の通風口構造を開示している。通風口構造は、電子機器の筐体の接地面に設けられた突起部と、突起部に設けられた通風口とを備える。 Patent document 1 is disclosing the vent hole structure of the electronic device for ensuring the flow of cooling air. The air vent structure includes a protrusion provided on the grounding surface of the housing of the electronic device, and a vent provided in the protrusion.

特許文献２は、エアフィルタの外面に堆積した塵埃を自動的に除去することが可能な送風冷却装置を開示している。送風冷却装置は、筐体の開口部の内側に設けられた冷却ファンと、開口部に取り付けられたエアフィルタとを備える。冷却ファンは、通常、外部から空気を吸い込んで筐体の内部を冷却する。冷却ファンが備える羽根車の回転面を１８０度回転させることで冷却ファンの送風方向が通常とは逆になる。冷却ファンが通常とは逆向きに送風することでエアフィルタの外面に堆積した塵埃が吹き飛ばされる。 Patent document 2 is disclosing the ventilation cooling device which can remove automatically the dust deposited on the outer surface of the air filter. The blower cooling device includes a cooling fan provided inside the opening of the housing and an air filter attached to the opening. The cooling fan normally sucks air from outside to cool the inside of the housing. By rotating the rotating surface of the impeller included in the cooling fan by 180 degrees, the air blowing direction of the cooling fan is reversed from the normal direction. When the cooling fan blows air in the direction opposite to the normal direction, dust accumulated on the outer surface of the air filter is blown away.

特開２００１−３２６４８６号公報JP 2001-326486 A 特開２００２−２４２８７８号公報JP 2002-242878 A

本発明の目的は、通風口を塞ぐ障害物が除去される電子機器の冷却確保機構及び冷却確保方法を提供することである。 The objective of this invention is providing the cooling ensuring mechanism and cooling ensuring method of an electronic device from which the obstruction which blocks the ventilation hole is removed.

本発明の電子機器の冷却確保機構は、筐体の内側又は外側へ空気が移動するための通風孔が形成された通風口部材と、通風口部材を外側へ向かって移動する駆動装置とを具備する。 An electronic device cooling ensuring mechanism according to the present invention includes a ventilation port member in which a ventilation hole for moving air to the inside or the outside of the housing is formed, and a drive device that moves the ventilation port member toward the outside. To do.

本発明の電子機器の冷却確保方法は、筐体の内側又は外側へ空気が移動するための通風孔が形成された通風口部材を外側に向かって移動するステップを具備する。 The electronic device cooling ensuring method of the present invention includes a step of moving outward a vent member in which a vent hole for moving air to the inside or outside of the housing is formed.

本発明によれば、通風口を塞ぐ障害物が除去される電子機器の冷却確保機構及び冷却確保方法が提供される。 ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the cooling ensuring mechanism and cooling ensuring method of an electronic device from which the obstruction which block | closes a ventilation hole is removed are provided.

添付図面を参照して、本発明の実施形態に係る電子機器の冷却確保機構及び冷却確保方法を以下に説明する。 With reference to the accompanying drawings, a cooling ensuring mechanism and a cooling ensuring method for an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

（第１の実施形態）
図１は、本発明の第１の実施形態に係る電子機器１の外観を示す。電子機器１は、パーソナルコンピュータやサーバのような据置型の電子機器である。電子機器１は、筐体１０と、筐体１０の開口部１０ａに配置された通風口部材３０と、通風口部材３０に設けられた障害物センサ４１を備える。障害物センサ４１は、超音波障害物センサである。 (First embodiment)
FIG. 1 shows an appearance of an electronic apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The electronic device 1 is a stationary electronic device such as a personal computer or a server. The electronic device 1 includes a housing 10, an air vent member 30 disposed in the opening 10 a of the housing 10, and an obstacle sensor 41 provided in the air vent member 30. The obstacle sensor 41 is an ultrasonic obstacle sensor.

図２は、開口部１０ａの周囲における電子機器１の断面図を示す。通風口部材３０は、筒状部分３１と、筒状部分３１の開口部に設けられた板状部分３２を備える。板状部分３２は筒状部分３１の開口部を閉じるように設けられている。板状部分３２に通風孔３２ａが形成されている。空気が筐体１０の外側から内側に通風孔３２ａを通って移動することで筐体１０内に空気が吸入される。障害物センサ４１は、板状部分３２に設けられる。障害物センサ４１は、通風口部材３０の前の障害物を検知する。筐体１０は、通風口部材３０が筐体１０に対して移動可能なように支持している。駆動装置４２は、通風口部材３０を移動する。駆動装置４２は、例えば、ソレノイドを備える。 FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic device 1 around the opening 10a. The air vent member 30 includes a tubular portion 31 and a plate-like portion 32 provided at the opening of the tubular portion 31. The plate-like portion 32 is provided so as to close the opening of the tubular portion 31. Ventilation holes 32 a are formed in the plate-like portion 32. Air is sucked into the housing 10 as the air moves from the outside to the inside of the housing 10 through the ventilation holes 32a. The obstacle sensor 41 is provided on the plate-like portion 32. The obstacle sensor 41 detects an obstacle in front of the vent member 30. The housing 10 supports the vent member 30 so that it can move with respect to the housing 10. The drive device 42 moves the vent member 30. The drive device 42 includes, for example, a solenoid.

図３は、電子機器１の機能ブロック図を示す。電子機器１は、冷却確保機構２０と、ＣＰＵ（ＣｅｎｔｒａｌＰｒｏｃｅｓｓｉｎｇＵｎｉｔ）５１と、記憶装置５２を備える。冷却確保機構２０は、通風口部材３０と、制御装置４０と、障害物センサ４１と、駆動装置４２を備える。制御装置４０、駆動装置４２、ＣＰＵ５１及び記憶装置５２は、筐体１０内に配置される。スピーカ４３は、筐体１０の表面に配置される。制御装置４０は、例えば、ＣＰＵ５１及び記憶装置５２の電源投入や切断の制御を行うベースボードマネジメントコントローラ（ＢＭＣ）である。制御装置４０は、障害物センサ４１による検知結果に基づいて、駆動装置４２及びスピーカ４３を制御し、電子メールのようなメッセージを外部装置に送信する。外部装置は、例えば、電子機器１の管理者が使用するコンピュータである。 FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the electronic device 1. The electronic device 1 includes a cooling ensuring mechanism 20, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 51, and a storage device 52. The cooling ensuring mechanism 20 includes a vent member 30, a control device 40, an obstacle sensor 41, and a drive device 42. The control device 40, the drive device 42, the CPU 51, and the storage device 52 are disposed in the housing 10. The speaker 43 is disposed on the surface of the housing 10. The control device 40 is, for example, a baseboard management controller (BMC) that controls power on and off of the CPU 51 and the storage device 52. The control device 40 controls the drive device 42 and the speaker 43 based on the detection result by the obstacle sensor 41, and transmits a message such as an e-mail to the external device. The external device is, for example, a computer used by an administrator of the electronic device 1.

図４は、本実施形態に係る電子機器の冷却確保方法のフローチャートを示す。電子機器の冷却確保方法は、ステップＳ１〜Ｓ６を備える。 FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of a cooling ensuring method for an electronic device according to the present embodiment. The electronic device cooling ensuring method includes steps S1 to S6.

障害物センサ４１は、電子機器１が商用交流電源に接続されている場合には常時、板状部分３２の前に障害物がないか監視する。 The obstacle sensor 41 always monitors for an obstacle in front of the plate-like portion 32 when the electronic device 1 is connected to a commercial AC power source.

ステップＳ１において、制御装置４０は、障害物センサ４１が板状部分３２の前の障害物を検知しているかどうか確認する。障害物センサ４１が板状部分３２の前の障害物を検知していない場合、制御装置４０は、障害物センサ４１が板状部分３２の前の障害物を検知していることが確認されるまでステップＳ１を繰り返す。障害物センサ４１が板状部分３２の前の障害物を検知していることを制御装置４０が確認した場合、ステップＳ２に進む。 In step S 1, the control device 40 confirms whether the obstacle sensor 41 detects an obstacle in front of the plate-like portion 32. When the obstacle sensor 41 does not detect an obstacle in front of the plate-like portion 32, the control device 40 confirms that the obstacle sensor 41 detects an obstacle in front of the plate-like portion 32. Step S1 is repeated until. When the control device 40 confirms that the obstacle sensor 41 detects an obstacle in front of the plate-like portion 32, the process proceeds to step S2.

板状部分３２の前に障害物がある場合、通風孔３２ａを通って筐体１０内に吸入される空気の流れが障害物によって妨げられ、筐体１０内の冷却が不十分になる恐れがある。 When there is an obstacle in front of the plate-like portion 32, the flow of air sucked into the housing 10 through the ventilation holes 32a is obstructed by the obstacle, and there is a possibility that the cooling in the housing 10 becomes insufficient. is there.

そこで、ステップＳ２において、制御装置４０は、スピーカ４３に警報音を発生させ、又は、板状部分３２の前の障害物を検知したことを示すメッセージを外部装置に送信し、障害物が検知されたことを管理者へ通知する。 Therefore, in step S2, the control device 40 generates an alarm sound on the speaker 43 or transmits a message indicating that an obstacle in front of the plate-like portion 32 is detected to the external device, and the obstacle is detected. To the administrator.

ステップＳ３において、制御装置４０は、駆動装置４２に障害物を除去するための動作を実行させる。駆動装置４２は、通風口部材３０が筐体１０から突き出すように、図１及び図２に示された通常位置から筐体１０の外側に向かって通風口部材３０を移動する。このとき、前方に移動する板状部分３２が障害物を開口部１０ａの近傍領域から押し出す。通風口部材３０が通常位置にあるとき、板状部分３２が筐体１０の表面と面一になるように配置される。 In step S3, the control device 40 causes the drive device 42 to execute an operation for removing the obstacle. The driving device 42 moves the ventilation port member 30 from the normal position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 toward the outside of the housing 10 so that the ventilation port member 30 protrudes from the housing 10. At this time, the plate-like portion 32 that moves forward pushes the obstacle out of the vicinity of the opening 10a. When the vent member 30 is in the normal position, the plate-like portion 32 is arranged so as to be flush with the surface of the housing 10.

図５は、通風口部材３０が筐体１０から突き出した状態の電子機器１の外観を示す。図６は、このときの、開口部１０ａの周囲における電子機器１の断面図を示す。通風口部材３０が筐体１０の外側に向かって移動するときに筒状部分３１が板状部分３２と筐体１０との間の隙間を塞ぐため、筐体１０内に異物が入ることが防止される。 FIG. 5 shows the external appearance of the electronic device 1 in a state where the vent member 30 protrudes from the housing 10. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic device 1 around the opening 10a at this time. When the air vent member 30 moves toward the outside of the housing 10, the cylindrical portion 31 closes the gap between the plate-like portion 32 and the housing 10, thereby preventing foreign matter from entering the housing 10. Is done.

ステップＳ３において、制御装置４０は、駆動装置４２に通風口部材３０を筐体１０の内側に向かって移動させ、通風口部材３０を通常位置に戻す。 In step S 3, the control device 40 causes the drive device 42 to move the vent member 30 toward the inside of the housing 10, and returns the vent member 30 to the normal position.

ステップＳ４において、制御装置４０は、障害物が除去されたかどうか判定する。制御装置４０は、障害物センサ４１が障害物を検知している場合に障害物が除去されなかったと判定し、障害物センサ４１が障害物を検知していない場合に障害物が除去されたと判定する。障害物が除去されなかったと判定された場合、ステップＳ５に進む。障害物が除去されたと判定された場合、ステップＳ６に進む。 In step S4, the control device 40 determines whether the obstacle has been removed. The control device 40 determines that the obstacle is not removed when the obstacle sensor 41 detects the obstacle, and determines that the obstacle is removed when the obstacle sensor 41 does not detect the obstacle. To do. If it is determined that the obstacle has not been removed, the process proceeds to step S5. If it is determined that the obstacle has been removed, the process proceeds to step S6.

ステップＳ５において、制御装置４０は、スピーカ４３に警報音を発生させ、又は、板状部分３２の前の障害物が除去されなかったことを示すメッセージを外部装置に送信し、障害物が除去されなかったことを管理者へ通知する。通知を受けた管理者は、障害物を除去した後、制御装置４０をリセットする。その後、電子機器の冷却確保方法が再び開始される。 In step S5, the control device 40 generates an alarm sound on the speaker 43 or transmits a message indicating that the obstacle in front of the plate-like portion 32 has not been removed to the external device, and the obstacle is removed. Notify the administrator that it did not exist. The administrator who has received the notification resets the control device 40 after removing the obstacle. Thereafter, the method for ensuring the cooling of the electronic device is started again.

ステップＳ６において、制御装置４０は、板状部分３２の前の障害物が除去されたことを示すメッセージを外部装置に送信し、障害物が除去されたことを管理者に通知する。その後、ステップＳ１に戻る。 In step S6, the control device 40 transmits a message indicating that the obstacle in front of the plate-like portion 32 has been removed to the external device, and notifies the administrator that the obstacle has been removed. Then, it returns to step S1.

本実施形態によれば、通風口が塞がれないように通風口構造を特殊な形状にしなくても、筐体１０内の冷却が確保される。 According to the present embodiment, cooling in the housing 10 is ensured without making the ventilation hole structure special so that the ventilation hole is not blocked.

本実施形態に係る電子機器１の構成及び動作は、適宜変更することが可能である。例えば、超音波障害物センサのかわりに赤外線超音波センサを障害物センサ４１として用いることが可能である。 The configuration and operation of the electronic apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment can be changed as appropriate. For example, an infrared ultrasonic sensor can be used as the obstacle sensor 41 instead of the ultrasonic obstacle sensor.

通風孔３２ａが吸入孔である場合について説明したが、通風孔３２ａは、筐体１０内から空気が排気される排気孔であってもよい。この場合、空気が筐体１０の内側から外側に通風孔３２ａを通って移動する。 Although the case where the ventilation hole 32a is a suction hole has been described, the ventilation hole 32a may be an exhaust hole through which air is exhausted from the inside of the housing 10. In this case, air moves from the inside of the housing 10 to the outside through the ventilation hole 32a.

また、駆動装置４２は、筐体１０内の温度が基準温度より高いことが検出された場合に通風口部材３０を筐体１０の外側に向かって移動してもよい。 Further, the drive device 42 may move the vent member 30 toward the outside of the housing 10 when it is detected that the temperature in the housing 10 is higher than the reference temperature.

図１は、本発明の第１の実施形態に係る電子機器の通常時の状態を示す外観図である。FIG. 1 is an external view showing a normal state of the electronic apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 図２は、第１の実施形態に係る電子機器の通常時の状態を示す断面図である。FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a normal state of the electronic apparatus according to the first embodiment. 図３は、第１の実施形態に係る電子機器の機能ブロック図である。FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the electronic device according to the first embodiment. 図４は、第１の実施形態に係る電子機器の冷却確保方法のフローチャートである。FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the electronic device cooling ensuring method according to the first embodiment. 図５は、第１の実施形態に係る電子機器の障害物除去動作時の状態を示す外観図である。FIG. 5 is an external view illustrating a state during an obstacle removing operation of the electronic device according to the first embodiment. 図６は、第１の実施形態に係る電子機器の障害物除去動作時の状態を示す断面図である。FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state during an obstacle removal operation of the electronic device according to the first embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

１…電子機器
１０…筐体
１０ａ…開口部
２０…冷却確保機構
３０…通風口部材
３１…筒状部分
３２…板状部分
３２ａ…通風孔
４０…制御装置
４１…障害物センサ
４２…駆動装置
４３…スピーカ
５１…ＣＰＵ
５２…記憶装置 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electronic device 10 ... Housing | casing 10a ... Opening part 20 ... Cooling ensuring mechanism 30 ... Ventilation member 31 ... Cylindrical part 32 ... Plate-like part 32a ... Ventilation hole 40 ... Control apparatus 41 ... Obstacle sensor 42 ... Drive apparatus 43 ... Speaker 51 ... CPU
52. Storage device

Claims

A vent member formed with a vent hole for air to move to the inside or outside of the housing;
An electronic device cooling ensuring mechanism, comprising: a driving device that moves the vent member toward the outside.

Further comprising an obstacle sensor provided on the vent member,
The electronic device cooling ensuring mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the driving device moves the vent member toward the outside based on a detection result of the obstacle sensor.

The electronic device cooling ensuring mechanism according to claim 2, further comprising a speaker that generates an alarm sound based on a detection result of the obstacle sensor.

The electronic device cooling ensuring mechanism according to claim 2, further comprising a baseboard management controller that transmits a message indicating a detection result of the obstacle sensor to an external device.

The vent member is
A cylindrical part;
A plate-like portion provided in the opening of the cylindrical portion,
The ventilation hole is formed in the plate-like portion,
5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical portion closes a gap between the plate-like portion and the housing when the vent member moves toward the outside. Cooling securing mechanism.

The electronic device cooling ensuring mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the driving device includes a solenoid.

A method for ensuring cooling of electronic equipment, comprising the step of moving a ventilation port member formed with a ventilation hole for moving air to the inside or outside of a casing toward the outside.

Further comprising detecting an obstacle in front of the vent member;
The method for ensuring cooling of an electronic device according to claim 7, wherein in the step of moving toward the outside, the vent member is moved forward.

Returning the vent member to a position before moving to the outside;
Determining whether the obstacle has been removed;
The method according to claim 8, further comprising: generating an alarm sound based on the result of the determination.