JPH10270879A - Structure for cooling electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To keep the cooling performance of an apparatus securely even when the exhaust hole of the apparatus is blocked with an obstacle. SOLUTION: This cooling structure is provided with a number of suction holes or exhaust holes on at least the side surface part of side surface part and rear surface part in a horizontal or vertical type electronic apparatus including a fan for suction or exhausting inside and a frame body 13 for suction and exhaust hole where a specified curved part 12 is formed in the internal direction of the apparatus, and a heat within the apparatus is discharged to the outside through the part 12.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cooling structure for a deskside computer, a printer, and other electronic devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in an electronic device such as a desk-side computer, a plurality of component mounting boards 2 in which various electronic components are incorporated in a rectangular box-shaped device housing 1 as shown in FIG. The structure is such that the layers are arranged at predetermined intervals.

In such an electronic device, the component mounting board 2
Are disposed, a large amount of heat is generated from these component mounting boards 2. Moreover, in recent years, it has become more and more important to increase the density of electronic components in conjunction with the miniaturization of electronic devices. However, with this high-density mounting, the amount of heat generated from the entire electronic components has increased more and more. Therefore, when such an electronic device is operated for a long period of time, the temperature inside the device increases due to the heat generated from each electronic component, and further large heat is generated from the electronic component along with the temperature increase. This causes a problem that each electronic component cannot exhibit its original function and characteristics, shortens the life of the electronic component, and causes damage.

Conventionally, from the viewpoint of improving the performance and securing the reliability of an electronic device, a planar exhaust hole frame having a large number of exhaust holes provided in a mesh on one or both side surfaces of the device housing 1. The body 3 is detachably or fixedly attached. Further, a cooling fan (not shown) is installed inside the device housing facing the exhaust hole frame 3, and heat generated from the electronic components by the cooling fan is supplied to a large number of exhaust holes of the exhaust hole frame 3. From the housing.

[0005]

However, the following problems have been pointed out in the electronic devices having the above-described cooling structure. (1) When the electronic device is placed on the office desk,
A file or various documents may be placed near the side of the electronic device, or a wall or the like may face the side of the electronic device. There is a problem that the exhaust hole is almost completely blocked from the outside. Therefore, in such a state, even if the cooling fan inside the electronic device is operated, since the exhaust holes are closed, the heat inside the device cannot be discharged to the outside of the housing, and the cooling performance is significantly reduced. However, there is a problem that the original function and characteristics of each electronic component are significantly affected. (2) Under the current office environment, vertical electronic devices may be used in order to reduce the installation area. However, as long as the exhaust hole frame 3 is provided on the side surface of the electronic device housing 1, As described above, the air flow path of the exhaust hole is blocked, and a decrease in cooling performance is inevitable. (3) Further, in a vertical electronic device, it is conceivable to provide an exhaust hole frame 3 on the bottom surface of the device housing 1, but in this case, the bottom surface of the device housing must be lifted from the desk surface. Since the air inside the device cannot be exhausted, it is necessary to separately prepare a dedicated stand for mounting the device housing, which causes problems such as an increase in cost and an increase in the stand installation area. (4) Therefore, from the viewpoint of improving the above-mentioned problems and ensuring the safety in use, it is conceivable to install a cooling fan having a large air volume, but it occupies a large space for installing the cooling fan inside the device. However, there is a problem that the design is difficult due to restrictions such as attachment of the component mounting board 2. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a cooling structure for an electronic device that minimizes the influence of an obstacle and reliably maintains the cooling performance of the device.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a horizontally or vertically mounted electronic device having a built-in intake or exhaust fan. A large number of intake holes or exhaust holes are formed in at least one of the part and the rear part, and
The suction and
This is a cooling structure for an electronic device provided with an exhaust hole frame.

By taking such measures, even when obstacles such as documents and walls are present on the side surface of the device, the suction / exhaust hole frame on the side surface of the device has a predetermined curved shape toward the inside of the device. As a result, the air inside the device can be discharged to the outside of the device through the concave portion of the curved portion, and the cooling performance of the device can be reliably maintained.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an intake / exhaust hole frame having a large number of intake holes or exhaust holes formed in a bottom surface of a device, and a bottom portion of a front portion, a bottom portion of a side portion, and a back portion of the device. This is a cooling structure for an electronic device in which an air flow path space notched in a predetermined shape is formed in any one or more of the bottom side.

By taking such a measure, the air inside the equipment casing passes through the intake / exhaust hole frame, and the bottom side of the front part,
A notched air flow path space is provided on at least one of the bottom side of the side surface and the bottom side of the back surface, so there is no need for a stand for mounting the equipment, and electronic equipment can be cooled reliably and cooling performance is sufficient. And reliability can be ensured.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, an intake / exhaust hole frame is provided on at least a side surface of the side and rear portions of the electronic device, and the number of intake / exhaust hole frames is two or more. In one of the surface areas, a planar intake / exhaust hole having a number of intake holes or exhaust holes is formed,
The remaining surface area is a cooling structure for an electronic device in which a curved intake / exhaust hole having a large number of intake holes or exhaust holes is formed.

By adopting such means, even if there are obstacles such as documents and walls on the side surface of the electronic device, the curved intake / exhaust holes having a large number of intake holes or exhaust holes are formed. Since it serves as an air intake or exhaust passage, the cooling performance of the equipment can be reliably maintained.

[0012]

FIG. 1 is an external view of an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing one embodiment of a cooling structure for the electronic apparatus. In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a rectangular box-shaped electronic device housing, which relates to a main structure of the present invention described later. For example, as shown in FIG. In addition to the above description, the present invention can be similarly applied to an electronic device housing (vertical mounting type) whose vertical direction is longer than the horizontal direction, or an electronic device housing having the same length in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. is there.

On one side surface or both side surfaces of the electronic device housing 11, a curved shape portion 12 having an arbitrary design recessed toward the inside of the device housing including an inner surface portion excluding a corner portion of the side surface portion is formed. Exhaust hole frame 13 having many exhaust holes
Is detachably or fixedly attached. In addition,
The exhaust hole frame 13 may be formed in a curved shape uniformly in the interior direction of the electronic device housing, but it is necessary to consider the appearance in design and a large number of components such as switches and lamps attached to the front surface of the electronic device housing. For example, as shown in the figure, it is desirable that only one side located on the front side of the side surface portion be the non-curved portion 14.

One or a plurality of component mounting boards 15 incorporating various electronic components are laminated at predetermined intervals inside the electronic equipment housing 11 as in the conventional case. In the case of an electronic device in which cooling of the electronic component is considered in advance, since the component mounting board is conventionally disposed at a predetermined gap distance inward from the side surface of the housing 11, the curved shape portion 12 is not provided. Even if it is formed in the inside of the electronic device housing, the arrangement of the component mounting board 14 is not particularly affected.

Therefore, according to the cooling structure of the electronic device described above, when the electronic device is placed on the desk of the office, the exhaust hole frame 13 on the side surface of the device housing may obstruct files, documents, walls and the like. Even when the object is closed by an object, for example, the inner sides of the other three sides excluding the front side of the side surface of the housing are depressed into a curved shape to form an air flow path, and the exhaust hole is formed. Since the exhaust hole portion of the frame 13 is not closed, heat generated from the electronic component flows out of the device through the curved portion 12 from the exhaust hole of the exhaust hole frame 13,
The heat generated from the electronic components inside the device can be smoothly discharged to the outside of the housing by the cooling fan, and the cooling performance can be maintained.

Further, since the entire surface of the exhaust hole frame 13 is formed in the curved portion 12, the area of the air flow path portion is larger than that of the conventional flat exhaust hole frame 3, so that the cooling air is cooled. Performance can be greatly improved. (Other Embodiment 1) FIG. 2 is an external view of a device showing a cooling structure of an electronic device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

In the cooling structure of the electronic device, a concave / convex curved portion or a conventional flat exhaust hole frame is attached to the bottom side of the electronic device irrespective of the vertical or horizontal configuration. By raising the bottom of the electronic device by a predetermined height from the device installation surface, and providing a cutout of the required curved portion 16 on the bottom side of the side portion, front portion and back portion of the electronic device, This is a structure in which air passage spaces 17 are provided on the side, front, and back of the device.

Considering the appearance of the design and the mounting space for the switches and lamps mounted on the front of the electronic equipment housing, the air flow path space 17 may be provided only on the side and rear parts of the equipment except the front part. Good.

Therefore, according to the above-described embodiment, conventionally, when an exhaust hole frame is mounted on the bottom surface side inside the electronic device, the device mounting stand or the Although it was necessary to prepare a pedestal, the cooling structure of the present invention eliminates the need for a stand and a pedestal, etc. By installing electronic devices, reliable cooling can be ensured and cooling performance can be maintained. (Embodiment 2) FIG. 3 is an external view of a device showing a cooling structure of an electronic device according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

The cooling structure of this electronic device is such that the exhaust hole frame 18 is detachably or fixedly attached to one side surface or both side surfaces of the electronic device irrespective of the vertical type or the horizontal type. The vertical direction of the hole frame body 18 is divided into three areas, of which an intermediate area is formed with a flat intermediate exhaust hole part 18b, while upper and lower areas are depressed in the interior of the electronic device housing. Upper and lower exhaust holes 18a and 18c having the following curved shapes are formed.

Further, the intermediate exhaust hole portion 18b in the intermediate area
Plane stepped exhaust holes 18d and 18e facing upward or downward are also formed on the stepped wall portion extending from the upper and lower areas to the upper and lower exhausted holes 18a and 18c.

Therefore, according to such an embodiment,
When the electronic device is placed on the office desk, even if the exhaust hole frame 18 on the side of the electronic device is blocked by obstacles such as files, documents, and walls, the upper and lower exhaust holes 18a and 18c. Since the air flow path is formed by the stepped exhaust holes 18d and 18e, the air exhausted by the cooling fan passes through the upper and lower exhaust holes 18a and 18c and the stepped exhaust holes 18d and 18e, and the air is discharged from the casing. Can be discharged outside. Further, the stepped exhaust holes 18d and 18e directly discharge air not only from the upper and lower exhaust holes 18a and 18c, but also air exhausted from the upper and lower exhaust holes 18a and 18c. Can be smoothly discharged to the outside of the housing, and the cooling performance can be improved.

In this embodiment, the exhaust hole frames 16 and 18 are attached to the side surfaces of the electronic device. However, for example, the exhaust hole frames 16 and 18 may be additionally provided on the rear surface of the housing. Good.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the front side and the back side of the side portion are flattened and the upper and lower sides are formed in a curved shape as shown in the figure. , 18c, the air discharged to the outside of the housing can be discharged not only in the vertical direction but also in the rear direction if the rear side is formed to be slightly recessed inside the device as compared with the front side. (Other Embodiments) In each of the above embodiments, an exhaust hole for exhausting heat generated from inside the electronic device has been considered. In the case of exhausting from the same, the same can be applied to the intake hole.

Although the description has been given by taking the desk side computer as an example, the present invention can be applied to an electronic device which is not installed on a desk, and can be applied to a printer and other general electronic devices other than the computer.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cooling structure for an electronic device that can reduce the influence of an obstacle on the side surface of the device and reliably maintain the cooling performance of the device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a device showing an embodiment of a cooling structure of an electronic device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a device showing another embodiment of a cooling structure for an electronic device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an external view of a device showing a still further embodiment of a cooling structure for an electronic device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a device external view illustrating a cooling structure of a conventional electronic device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Electronic device housing 12 ... Curved-shaped part 13, 18 ... Exhaust-hole frame 16 ... Curved-shaped part 17 ... Air flow path space

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A horizontal or vertical electronic device having a built-in intake or exhaust fan, wherein a large number of intake holes or exhaust holes are formed on at least one of a side surface and a back surface of the device. A cooling structure for an electronic device, comprising a suction / exhaust hole frame formed and formed with a predetermined curved portion in a direction toward the inside of the device. 2. A horizontal or vertical electronic device having a built-in intake or exhaust fan, wherein a plurality of intake or exhaust holes are formed in a bottom surface of the device.
An electronic device, wherein an exhaust hole frame is provided, and an air flow path space cut into a predetermined shape is formed in at least one of a bottom side of a front portion, a bottom side of a side portion, and a bottom side of a rear portion of the device. Equipment cooling structure. 3. A horizontal or vertical electronic device having a built-in intake or exhaust fan, wherein at least a side portion of a side portion and a back portion of the device is provided with an intake / exhaust hole frame. The intake / exhaust hole frame is divided into two or three or more areas, one of which has a planar intake / exhaust hole having a large number of intake holes or exhaust holes in one surface area, and the other surface area. A cooling structure for an electronic device, wherein a curved intake / exhaust hole having a large number of intake holes or exhaust holes is formed.