JP3607547B2 - Information processing device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, and more particularly to an information processing apparatus having a function of detecting the presence or absence of an obstacle in the exhaust direction of an exhaust port.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, in an information processing apparatus, the internal temperature rises due to heat generated by electronic components and the like, which may cause a malfunction or failure. Therefore, it is necessary to discharge the heated air in the apparatus to the outside.
[0003]
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-90794 discloses an exhaust port 11 provided in a housing wall portion constituting the projector device 10, an exhaust fan 12 that exhausts hot air in the housing through the exhaust port 11, and A movable louver 13 that opens and closes the exhaust port 11, and a filter 14 that is disposed between the exhaust fan 12 and the movable louver 13 and prevents foreign matter from entering the housing from the exhaust port 11. Based on the temperature sensor 15 that detects the temperature of the exhaust, the obstacle sensor 16 that detects the presence or absence of an obstacle in the exhaust direction of the exhaust port 11, and the exhaust fan 12 based on the detection information of the temperature sensor 15 and the detection information of the obstacle sensor 16. And an exhaust control means 18 comprising a control circuit unit 17 for controlling the movable louver 13. As a result, a technique is disclosed in which a sufficient heat dissipation effect is obtained even if an obstacle or the like is present in the vicinity of the exhaust port 11, and intrusion of foreign matter from the exhaust port 11 to the inside of the apparatus is disclosed.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in this case, there is only one exhaust port of the device, and if an object (obstacle or the like) is placed in front of it for some reason and the exhaust port is blocked, the exhaust of the device becomes insufficient. There is a risk that the internal temperature will rise and eventually the device will be operated incorrectly or a failure will occur.
[0005]
It is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus including an obstacle detection sensor that prevents an increase in temperature inside the apparatus due to such exhaust port closing.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The information processing apparatus according to the present invention includes an exhaust port provided in a plurality of directions of a housing, a plurality of proximity sensors that detect the presence of obstacles provided in the vicinity of the exhaust port, and hot air generated from within the housing. An exhaust fan for discharging the exhaust fan, a movable arm for supporting the exhaust fan, a drive motor for changing the direction of the movable arm, and operations of the exhaust fan and the drive motor based on information from the plurality of proximity sensors and a controlling unit.
[0007]
The control unit operates the motor to turn the exhaust fan in a predetermined direction when the power is turned on. In addition, a plurality of proximity sensors are assigned priorities, and the control unit sequentially confirms the presence or absence of an obstacle in the direction of the exhaust port according to the priorities.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, an information processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a proximity sensor 2a, a proximity sensor 2b, and a proximity sensor 2c that detect the presence of an obstacle, a case 8 provided with exhaust ports 1 in a plurality of directions, and a case. From the exhaust fan 4 for exhausting the hot air generated from the equipment in 8, the movable arm 7 that supports the exhaust fan 4, the motor 3 that moves the movable arm 7, the proximity sensor 2a, the proximity sensor 2b, and the proximity sensor 2c The control unit 5 that controls the operation of the exhaust fan 4 and the motor 3 based on the above information, the buzzer 6 that notifies the presence of an obstacle, and the power source 9 that supplies electricity to the control unit 5 are provided. In this embodiment, the case where there are three exhaust ports is shown.
[0012]
The housing 8 is provided with three exhaust ports 1, each of which is equipped with a proximity sensor 2a, a proximity sensor 2b, and a proximity sensor 2c. When an object (obstacle) approaches the exhaust port 1, its presence is detected. It can be done. The control unit 5 determines information necessary for directing the exhaust fan 4 in the initial setting direction when the power source 9 is turned on, sends the information to the motor 3, and takes in information from each proximity sensor, The rotation direction and angle are determined, and the information is sent to the motor 3. An exhaust fan 4 is attached to the movable arm 7, and the direction of the exhaust fan 4 can be changed by operating the movable arm 7 by operating the motor 3. Further, the buzzer 6 is sounded as necessary to notify the operator of the abnormality of the apparatus.
[0013]
Next, the operation of this embodiment configured as described above will be described in detail. Referring to FIG. 1, first, when the power supply 9 is turned on, the control unit 5 determines information for moving the exhaust fan 4 to an initial setting position, and sends the information to the motor 3. As a result, the exhaust fan 4 always faces the determined direction immediately after the power is turned on.
[0014]
When each proximity sensor 2a, proximity sensor 2b, and proximity sensor 2c detects the presence of an obstacle nearby, the information is sent to the control unit 5. The proximity sensor 2a, the proximity sensor 2b, and the proximity sensor 2c are given a priority in advance, and the control unit 5 determines the exhaust direction according to the priority (for example, the order of the proximity sensor 2a → the proximity sensor 2b → the proximity 2c). Check for the presence of obstacles. Then, when the direction in which no obstacle exists is confirmed, the operation of the motor 3 necessary for turning in the direction is determined.
[0015]
The operation information is sent from the control unit 5 to the motor 3 to change the direction of the movable arm 7 and direct the exhaust fan 4 in a higher priority direction and in a direction without an obstacle nearby. In addition, even if all sensor detection information is covered, if the direction in which there is no obstacle cannot be confirmed, that is, if there is an obstacle in all directions, the control unit 5 sounds the buzzer 6 to work. Inform the user that there is a problem with the exhaust of the information processing device. As a result, exhaust shortage due to the exhaust port 1 being blocked can be prevented.
[0016]
Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described.
[0017]
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention. Unlike the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the present invention is provided with exhaust ports (in this embodiment, there are three exhaust ports) in a plurality of directions of the housing 8, each of which includes a proximity sensor 2a and a proximity sensor. Sensor 2b, proximity sensor 2c, exhaust fan 4a, exhaust fan 4b, and exhaust fan 4c are attached.
[0018]
Referring to FIG. 2, each proximity sensor 2 a, proximity sensor 2 b, and proximity sensor 2 c detects the presence of an obstacle nearby and sends the information to the control unit 5. Priorities (for example, the order of proximity sensor 2a → proximity sensor 2b → proximity 2c) are assigned in advance to each of the sensor 2a, proximity sensor 2b, and proximity sensor 2c, and the control unit 5a follows the priority order. Check if there is an obstacle in the exhaust direction. When the direction in which there is no obstacle is confirmed, it is determined whether to operate at least one of the exhaust fan 4a, the exhaust fan 4b, and the exhaust fan 4c.
[0019]
The operation information is sent only to the exhaust fan selected from the control unit 5a, and operates the exhaust fan arranged in the higher priority direction and in the vicinity of the exhaust port nearby without an obstacle. In addition, if the direction in which there is no obstacle cannot be confirmed even if all the sensor detection information is covered, that is, if there is an obstacle in all directions, the control unit 5a sounds the buzzer 6 to work Inform the user that there is a problem with the exhaust of the information processing device. As a result, exhaust shortage due to exhaust port blocking can be prevented.
[0020]
In the two embodiments described above, the control unit may be provided with a function for changing the rotational speed of the exhaust fan. As a result, finer exhaust control is possible. Further, it is obvious that the present invention is not limited to the information processing apparatus, but can be applied to other apparatuses including a casing that houses an electronic device or the like.
[0021]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the information processing apparatus of the present invention detects an obstacle in front of the exhaust port, and can prevent the temperature inside the information processing device from rising due to insufficient exhaust due to the exhaust port being blocked. Therefore, there is an effect that it is possible to prevent malfunctions and failures from occurring.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of exhaust in a conventional apparatus.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Exhaust port 2a, 2b, 2c Proximity sensor 3 Motor 4, 4a, 4b, 4c Exhaust fan 5 Control part 6 Buzzer 7 Movable arm 8 Case 9 Power supply 10 Projector apparatus 11 Exhaust port 12 Exhaust fan 13 Movable louver 14 Filter 15 Temperature sensor 16 Obstacle sensor 17 Control circuit 18 Exhaust control means

Claims (2)

An exhaust port provided in a plurality of directions of the housing, a plurality of proximity sensors for detecting the presence of obstacles provided in the vicinity of the exhaust port, an exhaust fan for exhausting hot air generated in the housing, and A movable arm that supports the exhaust fan, a drive motor that changes the direction of the movable arm, and a control unit that controls operations of the exhaust fan and the drive motor based on information from the plurality of proximity sensors. Information processing apparatus. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit operates the motor to turn the exhaust fan in a predetermined direction when the power is turned on.

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