JP2810282B2 - Electronic equipment and its dust cover - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus, and more particularly to an electronic apparatus having a forced air cooling type cooling means and having improved dustproof performance.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An electronic circuit section, a power supply section, and the like in an electronic device generate heat in use. If heat is generated, reliability is reduced due to thermal stress. Therefore, it becomes necessary to cool the heat generating portion. The main methods of cooling electronic devices are the so-called draw-out cooling method, in which a fan is forcibly drawn into the inside of the housing from the heat-generating part and discharged to the outside, and push-in cooling, which pushes air into the housing from the outside. There are two types of methods. "Heat dissipation design and simulation of electronic devices" (1989.5.12, Masaru Ishizuka et al.)
As described in “4.2 Forced air cooling” in Chapter 4 of the literature of Applied Technology Publishing,
The drawer cooling method that uses a fan for exhaust air is generally
Compared to the push-in cooling method using a fan for suction, it is said that the wind easily flows over a wide area inside the housing, and there is an advantage in that the entire housing can be uniformly cooled with a small number of fans.

On the other hand, when dust is mixed in the electronic equipment, the cooling efficiency is lowered and the insulation is deteriorated. For the above-mentioned reason, in places where there is a lot of dust, the need for dust prevention arises. As a means for preventing dust, there is a method of providing an air filter for filtering cooling air in an intake hole. An example of implementing a dust-proofing method using a drawer cooling method and an air filter is disclosed in
No. 60-183623 ".

[0004]

In the electronic equipment of the drawer cooling system, since the air intake hole is provided with an air filter, dust does not enter the inside of the housing from the air intake hole. In the exhaust hole, dust is not mixed in because the fan sweeps air from the inside of the housing to the outside. If there is no opening of the electronic device other than the intake hole and the exhaust hole, dust does not enter.

However, the following gaps exist in electronic devices. The gap between the connector part of the cable and the electronic equipment body, the clearance around the operation part such as switches and volume, the gap between the optional plug-in and the electronic equipment body,
There are gaps at the interface connection. If the drawer cooling system is used, the pressure of the inside of the housing becomes lower than the outside air pressure due to the action of the fan, so that there is a problem that dust enters through the gap. Although it is possible to seal the gap, there is a problem that the number of parts such as packing for improving the degree of sealing, the number of steps for mounting parts, and the like increase.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a forced-air-cooled electronic device and a dust-proof electronic device in which dust does not enter the inside of the housing from an unsealed gap in an electronic device of a drawer-cooling type in which wind easily flows over a wide area inside the housing. In providing a cover.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a cover having a shape for covering a gap and an exhaust hole which are not affected by the intake and exhaust holes of a housing of an electronic device. The cover is provided with an exhaust hole for discharging air inside the cover to the outside of the cover.

When the cover has a cable connection at a portion covered by the cover, the cover is provided with an opening through which the cable is drawn out of the cover to the outside of the cover.

When the cover has an operation section such as a switch or a volume in a portion covered by the cover, an opening for operating the operation section from outside the cover is provided.

In addition, a front cover is provided for easily replacing the filter and covering storage devices having a high failure rate against dust contamination.

The front cover is provided with a door which can be easily opened and closed for inserting and removing a storage medium such as a storage device.

Further, a window provided on the front cover is provided with a window for visually confirming operation display lamps and the like of electronic devices and storage devices.

[0013]

The exhaust of the fan is discharged into the cover.
Between the inside of the cover and the outside air, there is a flow path resistance of the air by the cover and the opening provided in the cover, so that when the exhaust air of the fan released into the inside of the cover flows out of the cover to the outside of the cover. Pressure loss occurs between the inside of the cover and the outside air. Due to this pressure loss, the pressure inside the cover becomes higher than the pressure of the outside air. Therefore, since air does not flow from the outside of the cover directly to the inside of the cover, dust does not enter the inside of the cover. Since no dust enters the inside of the cover, the dust does not enter the inside of the cover via the gap of the housing.

The front cover covers a gap not covered by the suction / exhaust holes and the cover, thereby preventing dust from entering the portion covered by the front cover.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an electronic apparatus 11 showing one embodiment of the present invention. The electronic device 11 includes a heating unit 18 including an electronic circuit, a power supply, and a mechanical unit, a housing 16 for storing the heating unit 18, fans 15 a and 15 b for cooling the heating unit 18, and filtering cooling air. Of the air filter 14. The housing 16 is provided with an intake hole 12 for sucking cooling air and an exhaust hole 13 for discharging cooling air. Hereafter, Fan 1
5a and 15b are collectively called a fan 15. The air filter 14 is provided near the intake hole 12.
The fan 15 is provided near the exhaust hole 13, and the wind direction 15 c during operation is a direction from the intake hole 12 to the exhaust hole 13. The housing 16 has a gap 10 a and a gap 10 b in addition to the intake hole 12 and the exhaust hole 13.
Hereinafter, the gap 10a and the gap 10b are collectively referred to as the gap 10.

In this embodiment, the housing 16 is provided with a cover 17 for covering the exhaust hole 13 and the gap 10. The cover 17 has openings 19a, 19b and 19c.
The openings 19a, 19b and 19c are collectively referred to as the opening 1
Call it 9.

FIG. 2 is a diagram in which FIG. 1 is modeled as a circuit diagram in order to analyze the air volume calculation of FIG. 1 by the flow of wind of FIG. FIG. 3 is an approximate equivalent circuit diagram used for analyzing the air volume calculation when the cover 17 is not provided in FIG. FIG. 2 is an approximate equivalent circuit diagram used for calculating the flow rate of the cooling air when the cover 17 is not provided. The operation of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The flow of cooling air in the drawer cooling method in the conventional case without the cover 17 will be described with reference to FIG. In this figure, R1 represents the flow resistance of the air by the intake hole 12, the air filter 14, and the heat generating portion 18 of the housing 16, and R2 represents the flow resistance of the air in the gap 10. In addition, since the air flow path resistance of the exhaust hole 3 of the fan 15 is minute compared with other parts,
Omitted. Q is the air volume swept from the fan, Q
Reference numeral 1 represents the amount of air flowing through the flow path resistance R1 of the air, and Q2 represents the amount of air flowing through the flow path resistance R2 of the air. P
a indicates the atmospheric pressure of the outside air, and Pi indicates the atmospheric pressure inside the housing 16. When the fan 15 operates, the cooling air is pulled from the intake hole 12 to the exhaust hole 13, so that the air flow Q1 flows in the directions of arrows C1 and C2 in the drawing. When the air volume Q1 passes through the flow path resistance R1 of air, a pressure loss occurs due to the flow path resistance R1 of air, so that the air pressure Pi inside the housing 16 which is leeward is lower than the air pressure Pa of outside air which is leeward. . P
Since i <Pa, the air volume Q2 flowing through the flow path resistance R2 of the air in the gap 10 is in the direction of the arrow C3 shown in FIG.
That is, it flows from the outside of the housing 16 to the inside.
Therefore, in the structure without the cover 17, dust enters from the outside of the housing 16 via the gap 10.

Next, the flow of cooling air in the drawer cooling system when the cover 17 is provided will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is an approximate equivalent circuit diagram used for calculating the air volume of the cooling air when the cover 17 is provided. R1 represents the air flow path resistance of the air intake hole 12, the air filter 14, and the heat generating portion 18 of the housing 16. R2 is the gap 1
This represents the air flow path resistance of zero. R3 represents the resistance of the air flow path of the cover 17. Q1
Represents the air volume flowing through the air flow path resistance R1 and the air flow path resistance R3. Q2 represents the amount of air flowing through the flow path resistance R2 of the air, and flows in the direction of arrow C3 shown in the figure by the action of the air flow of FIG.
Pa indicates the air pressure of the outside air, Pi indicates the air pressure inside the housing 16, and Pc indicates the air pressure inside the cover 17. Fan 15
Operates, the cooling air flows from the intake holes 12 to the exhaust holes 13.
, The air volume Q1 flowing through the air flow path resistance R1 and the air flow path resistance R3 is C4 in FIG.
C5, C7, C8 Flow in the direction of the arrow. Therefore, the air pressure Pa of the leeward outside air is determined by the flow path resistance R3 of the air.
It becomes lower than the air pressure Pc inside the cover 17 which is windward. That is, Pa <Pc. By the air flow path resistance R1,
The pressure Pi inside the housing 16 which is leeward is lower than the pressure Pa of the outside air which is leeward. That is, Pi <Pa.
Since Pa <Pc and Pi <Pa, Pi <Pa
<Pc. Since Pi <Pa, air flows from the outside air into the housing 16 via the air flow path resistance R1. However, the air filter 1 has an air flow path resistance R1.
Since the air filter 4 is provided, the air flowing through the air flow path resistance R1 is filtered by the air filter 14. The air filtered by the air filter 14 flows into the cover 17 through the exhaust hole 13 of the housing 16 by the fan 15. When Pa <Pc, the outside air does not flow into the cover 17 from the opening 19 of the cover 17 and the air flowing into the cover 17 from the exhaust hole 13 of the housing 16 is filtered by the air filter 14. Only the air filtered by the air filter 14 flows into the housing 16. Therefore, dust does not enter the cover 17 from outside air. Since Pi <Pc, air flows from the inside of the cover 17 to the inside of the housing 16 via the air flow path resistance R2 of the gap 10. However, only air filtered by the air filter 14 flows into the inside of the cover 17, so that no dust enters the inside of the housing 16. Due to the above-described action due to the pressure difference between Pi <Pa and Pa <Pc, dust is prevented from entering the inside of the housing 16 from the inside of the cover 17 via the gap 10.

The specific structure of the cover 17 will be described below with reference to FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an external structure of the electronic device 11. The housing 16 of the electronic device 11 has the exhaust hole 1
3, a switch operation part 21, a cable connection part 22, a cable 25, and a nail mounting hole 24 for mounting the cover 17. The cover 17 has an exhaust hole 1
9a, a cable outlet 19b, an opening of a switch operation hole 19c, and a claw 23 for attaching the cover 17 to the housing 16 are provided.

A front cover 26 is provided in front of the housing 16.

Even if the cover openings 19a, 19b and 19c are present, the cover opening 19 is replaced with the cover opening 19.
a, 19b, and 19c can be represented as a combined opening. As long as the air flow resistance R3 of the opening 19 of the cover is not so small as not to be considered to be absent compared to the other air flow resistances, the inside of the housing 16 is similar to the above,
Since Pa <Pc, air does not directly enter the cover from the outside air via the opening 19, so that dust can be prevented from being mixed.

The cooling effect can be improved by discharging the exhaust air of the fan 15 to the outside of the cover 17 through the opening 19a provided in the cover 17.

The cable 25 can be drawn out of the cover 17 from the connection portion 22 of the cable existing in the area covered by the cover 17 through the opening 19b provided in the cover 17. Further, since the cover 17 covers the cable connection portion 22, the cable connection portion 22 is protected from pressure due to the small bending R of the cable, pressure generated when the cable is pulled, and the like.

The switch operating portion 21 existing in the area covered by the cover 17 is provided with an opening 19 c provided in the cover 17.
Can be operated via

The cover 17 is connected to the switch operating section 21.
, The switch operation unit 21 is protected so that the switch is not inadvertently pressed.

In the mounting structure of the cover 17 in this embodiment, even if there is a small gap between the cover 17 and the housing 16, on the dust-proof surface, the outside air passes through the gap and the dust enters the inside of the cover 17. There is no problem because there is no mixing. It is not necessary to increase the degree of sealing for the reasons described above.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a structure of mounting the electronic device 11 and the cover 17. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a structure of mounting the electronic device 11 and the cover 17. FIG.
The structure of the cover 17 in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The lower pawl 23 provided on the cover 17 is inserted downward into a vertical mounting hole 24 provided on the housing 16 and hooked to fix the lower part. The upper pawl 23 provided on the cover 17 is
And the upper part is fixed by fitting with the claw 23 into the claw mounting hole 24 opened in the horizontal direction. A simple mounting structure in the form of the upper and lower fixing methods can be provided.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the front cover 2 of this embodiment will be described.
6 will be described.

The front cover 26 covers the magnetic tape device 41 and the floppy disk drive 42, and has the air inlet 12 and the air filter 14. The front cover 26 is provided with a door 34 for inserting and removing the storage medium of the magnetic tape device 41 and the floppy disk drive 42. The operation indicator lamp 43a of the magnetic tape device 41, the operation indicator lamp 43b of the floppy disk drive 42, and the operation indicator lamp 43 of the electronic device 11 are provided on the door 34.
c, 43d can be visually checked with the door closed.
Is provided. The front cover 26 is provided with a filter cover 31 for easily replacing the air filter 14, a mounting hole 33 for mounting the front cover 26 and the filter cover 31, a reset switch 36 with an erroneous operation prevention function which is not pressed unintentionally. Is provided. The filter cover 31 has a catch 3 for attaching the intake hole 12, the front cover 26, and the filter cover 31.
2. A reset switch mounting hole 37 with an erroneous operation prevention function is provided.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of an electronic apparatus 11 showing an embodiment in which the cover 17 of the present invention is modified.

A modification of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 1, when the gaps 10 a and 10 b are not on the periphery of the exhaust hole of the fan but on the side surface, the cover 17 is covered to the side surface, and Pa <Pc allows the outside air to enter the inside of the cover directly from the outside through the opening 19. Since air does not enter, dust can be prevented from entering.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of an electronic apparatus 11 showing an embodiment in which the cooling system of the present invention is changed.

A modification of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

The electronic device 11 includes a heating section 18 including an electronic circuit, a power supply, and a mechanical section, a housing 16 for storing the heating section 18, and fans 15a and 1 for cooling the heating section 18.
5b, and an air filter 14 for filtering cooling air. The housing 16 is provided with an intake hole 12 for sucking cooling air and an exhaust hole 13 for discharging cooling air. Hereinafter, the fans 15a and 15b are collectively called the fan 15. Air filter 1
4 is provided near the intake hole 12. Fan 15
Is provided in the vicinity of the intake hole 13, and the wind direction 15 c during operation is a direction from the intake hole 12 to the exhaust hole 13. The housing 16 has a gap 10 a and a gap 10 b in addition to the intake hole 12 and the exhaust hole 13. Hereinafter, the gap 10a and the gap 10b are collectively referred to as the gap 10.

In this embodiment, the housing 16 is provided with the cover 17 for covering the exhaust hole 13 and the gap 10. The cover 17 has openings 19a, 19b and 19c.
The openings 19a, 19b and 19c are collectively referred to as the opening 1
Call it 9.

In the electronic equipment 11 of the push-in cooling method of the present embodiment, the number of rotations of the fan 15 is increased or the size of the fan 15 is increased to increase the inflow of air.
A pressure difference between the inside of the cover 17 according to the embodiment of FIG. 1 and the outside air is generated, and the action of the embodiment of FIG. 1 prevents dust from entering the housing 16 through the gap 10 from inside the cover 17. Preventing.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in a drawer-cooling type electronic apparatus, a hard disk drive having a cover for covering an unsealed gap other than an intake / exhaust port and an exhaust port, an intake port and an air filter, , Magnetic tape device,
By attaching the front cover that covers the floppy disk drive and the like, the dustproof effect can be improved.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, while ensuring the dust-proof effect, the cable is connected to the outside of the cover from the connection portion of the cable provided in the area where the cover is covered by the cover by the opening of the cover. Can be pulled out.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the switch provided in the area where the cover is covered by the cover by the opening of the cover while securing the dustproof effect.
An operation unit such as a volume can be operated without removing the cover.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the cover can have a snap-fit structure that can be easily attached and detached.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, a storage medium such as a magnetic tape device, a floppy disk drive, or the like is provided by a door provided on the front cover which is easily opened and closed so as to cover a magnetic tape device, a floppy disk drive, etc. Can be inserted and removed. According to the embodiment of the present invention, an operation indicator lamp of an electronic device, a magnetic tape device, a floppy disk drive, or the like is visually inspected with the door closed by a window made of a light-transmitting material provided on the door. You can check.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, in the filter cover attached to the front cover,
A snap-fit structure that can be easily removed can be provided.

[0045]

According to the present invention, in a drawer-cooling type electronic device in which wind can easily flow in a wide area inside a housing, dust does not enter the housing through an unsealed gap.
A forced air-cooled electronic device and its dustproof cover can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of an electronic apparatus illustrating an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an approximate equivalent circuit diagram used for calculating a flow rate of cooling air when a cover 17 is attached to the electronic device 11 of a drawer cooling system.

FIG. 3 is an approximate equivalent circuit diagram used for calculating a flow rate of cooling air when the cover 17 is not provided in the electronic device 11 of the drawer cooling system.

FIG. 4 is a view showing an example of an external structure of the electronic device 11;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a structure of mounting an electronic device and a cover.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a structure of attaching an electronic device and a cover.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a structure of mounting a filter cover on a front cover.

FIG. 8 is a view showing a state where a door is opened in a front cover.

FIG. 9 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of an electronic apparatus illustrating a modified example of the cover of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic apparatus 11 showing an embodiment in which a cooling system of the present invention is changed.

[Explanation of symbols]

12 ... intake hole, 13 ... exhaust hole, 14 ... air filter,
Reference numeral 15 denotes a fan, 16 denotes a housing, 17 denotes a cover, 19 denotes an opening provided in the cover 17, 23 denotes a claw provided in a cover for mounting the electronic device and the cover, and 24 denotes a mounting to the electronic device and the cover. Mounting holes provided on the electronic device, 26 ... front cover, 31 ... filter cover, 34 ... door, 35 ... window.

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification symbol FI H05K 5/02 H05K 5/02 L (72) Inventor Shoji Yamaguchi 5-2-1 Omika-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture Hitachi, Ltd. Inside the Omika Plant (72) Inventor Masashi Suenaga 5-2-1 Omika-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture Hitachi, Ltd. Inside the Omika Plant (72) Inventor Yoshiteru Kimura 5-2-1 Omika-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Co., Ltd. Hitachi, Ltd. Omika Plant (72) Inventor Terumi Kinashi 5-2-1, Omika-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture Hitachi, Ltd. Omika Plant (72) Inventor Tomokazu Minemura 5-2-1, Omika-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture Hitachi, Ltd. Omika Plant (72) Inventor Takayoshi Shiga 5-2-1 Omika-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture Hitachi Process Computer Engineering in Inc. (56) References Patent Sho 61-224498 (JP, A)

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] An electronic circuit portion, a housing having an intake hole and an exhaust hole for storing the electronic circuit portion, an air filter provided near the intake hole of the housing for filtering air, An electronic device including a fan provided near a housing exhaust hole and configured to flow cooling air from inside the housing toward the outside of the housing via the exhaust hole,
An electronic device, wherein a cover that covers an opening other than the intake hole and the exhaust hole and has at least one opening is provided outside the housing, and the pressure inside the cover is increased by exhausting a fan. 2. The cover used in the electronic device according to claim 1,
Oite, dust cover of an electronic device and having an opening for drawing out the cable to the cover externally from the connecting portion of the cable provided in the area covered by the cover. 3. The cover used in the electronic device according to claim 1,
Oite, dust cover of the electronic device, characterized in that it comprises a switch provided in the area covered by the cover, an opening for operating the operating unit such as a volume without removing the cover. 4. The electronic device according to claim 1 , further comprising a front cover that covers the hard disk device, the magnetic tape device, the floppy disk drive, and the like having the air filter and the air intake hole and having a high failure rate against dust contamination. the said magnetic tape device before the cover, to cover the floppy disk drive or the like, a magnetic tape device, insert the storage medium such as a floppy disk drive, electronic, characterized in that providing an openable door for insertion and removal Equipment . 5. The front cover used in the electronic device according to claim 4.
In the above , by providing a window made of a material that allows light to pass through the door , an operation indicator lamp of an electronic device, a magnetic tape device, a floppy disk drive, or the like can be operated in a state where the door is closed.
A dust-proof cover for electronic devices that can be visually checked.