Electronic device

Abstract

Provided is an electronic device capable of suppressing the surface temperature of a housing. The electronic device includes: a housing having a protruding portion provided so as to protrude from a bottom surface and an exhaust port provided in a vertical wall forming a side surface, the housing having an inner surface of the protruding portion such that a portion of an internal space expands in a protruding direction of the protruding portion; a substrate on which a heating element is mounted, one edge portion of the substrate being disposed toward the exhaust port; the cooling module is provided with a fan provided with an air outlet and is used for cooling the heating body; and a partition plate that vertically partitions an upper air flow path and a lower air flow path between one edge portion of the substrate and the exhaust port, the upper air flow path passing through the upper surface side of the substrate from the air outlet of the fan and facing the exhaust port, and the lower air flow path passing through the lower surface side of the substrate from the air outlet of the fan and facing the exhaust port. The lower air flow path passes through the space between the lower surface of the substrate and the inner surface of the protruding part from the air outlet of the fan and faces the air outlet.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an electronic device equipped with a fan. Background Technology

[0002] Electronic devices such as laptop PCs contain heat-generating components such as CPUs. These devices typically include a cooling module that has a fan and heat sink, and absorbs heat generated by the heat-generating components and dissipates it to the outside (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 7371170

[0004] In the structure of Patent Document 1, the left and right fans each have an air outlet on their side surfaces facing each other. Air blown from these outlets flows across the surface of the substrate, directly cooling heat-generating components such as the CPU, before being exhausted out of the housing through the exhaust vents. In this structure, the upper surface of the housing, particularly the rear frame portion (back frame) located behind the keyboard, is exposed to the hot exhaust flowing directly beneath it. As a result, the rear frame can become locally hot. This reduces the user experience and becomes a bottleneck in the overall thermal design of the device. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention was made in view of the problems of the prior art described above, and its purpose is to provide an electronic device capable of suppressing the surface temperature of the housing.

[0006] An electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a housing having a protrusion extending from a bottom surface and an exhaust port provided at a vertical wall forming a side surface, wherein a portion of the internal space expands toward the protrusion through the inner surface of the protrusion; a substrate having a heating element mounted thereon, with one edge disposed toward the exhaust port; a cooling module having a fan having an air outlet for cooling the heating element; and a partition separating an upper airflow path and a lower airflow path in a vertical direction between one edge of the substrate and the exhaust port, wherein the upper airflow path extends from the air outlet of the fan through the upper surface of the substrate toward the exhaust port, and the lower airflow path extends from the air outlet of the fan through the lower surface of the substrate and the inner surface of the protrusion toward the exhaust port.

[0007] According to the above-described method of the present invention, the surface temperature of the casing can be suppressed. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 This is a schematic top view of an electronic device according to one embodiment, viewed from above.

[0009] Figure 2 It is a top view that schematically shows the internal structure of the shell.

[0010] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Enlarged view of the partition and its surrounding area shown.

[0011] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional view of the bottom of the shell as seen from a diagonal front.

[0012] Figure 5 It is along Figure 3 A schematic cross-sectional view of the VV line.

[0013] Figure 6 yes Figure 3 Enlarged view of the partition and its surrounding area involved in the modified example of the partition shown.

[0014] Figure 7 It is along Figure 6 A schematic cross-sectional view of line VII-VII in the diagram.

[0015] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0016] 10...electronic device; 11...cover; 12...casing; 16...display; 18...keyboard device; 24...cooling module; 25...motherboard; 25a...CPU; 28...heat diffusion component; 28a...metal plate; 28b...heat pipe; 30...fan; 34...air outlet; 35...intake port; 40...exhaust port; 42...vertical wall; 44, 60...partition; 48...protrusion; 48a, 48b...side wall. Detailed Implementation

[0017] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the electronic device involved in the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic top view of the electronic device 10 according to one embodiment, viewed from above. (Example) Figure 1 As shown, the electronic device 10 in this embodiment is a clamshell laptop PC. The electronic device 10 has a structure in which the cover 11 and the housing 12 are connected by a hinge 14, allowing them to rotate relative to each other. In this embodiment, an electronic device 10 of a laptop PC is shown, but the electronic device can be, in addition to a laptop PC, a tablet PC, a smartphone, or a portable game console, etc.

[0019] The cover 11 is a thin, flat, box-shaped housing. The cover 11 is equipped with a display 16. The display 16 is, for example, an organic EL display or a liquid crystal display.

[0020] The housing 12 is a thin and flat box. A keyboard device 18 and a touchpad 19 are provided on the upper surface 12a of the housing 12. Hereinafter, regarding the housing 12 and its structural elements, based on the posture of an operator operating the keyboard device 18, the width direction (left-right) of the housing 12 will be referred to as X1 and X2, the near-far direction (front-back) of the housing 12 will be referred to as Y1 and Y2, and the thickness direction (up-down) of the housing 12 will be referred to as Z1 and Z2. Sometimes, X1 and X2 are collectively referred to as the X direction, and similarly, Y1 and Y2 and Z1 and Z2 are sometimes referred to as the Y direction and Z direction. These directions are defined for ease of explanation and may vary depending on the usage or orientation of the electronic device 10.

[0021] The shell 12 can be constructed from a plate-like member 20 forming the upper surface 12a, a cover member 21 forming the bottom surface 12b, and a vertical wall member 22 forming the surrounding side surfaces 12c (see also). Figure 4 (etc.). The plate-shaped member 20 has a large rectangular opening 20a on which the keyboard device 18 is disposed. A frame 20b surrounding the keyboard device 18 is formed around the opening 20a. The cover member 21 is formed in a plate shape. Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the housing 12 has a protrusion 48 near the Y2 edge of the cover member 21. The wall member 22 stands between the periphery of the plate member 20 and the periphery of the cover member 21, and is generally formed in a frame shape.

[0022] A hinge 14 is provided in a concave hinge mounting groove 12d formed at the rear edge of the housing 12, and connects the housing 12 to the cover 11. The hinge 14 is, for example, constructed such that hinge shafts serving as rotation axes are supported at both ends of the hinge housing 14a in the long side direction. In this embodiment, the hinge 14 is configured as a so-called one-bar shape, with the hinge housing 14a extending along the long side direction of the hinge mounting groove 12d. The hinge housing 14a of the hinge 14 is integral with the cover 11, and the hinge 14 descends obliquely backward while rotating. This configuration of the hinge 14, which changes the rotation angle of the cover 11 in the aforementioned manner, is a so-called dropdown configuration. The hinge 14 can also be configured in other ways than described above.

[0023] Figure 2 It is a top view schematically showing the internal structure of the housing 12. Figure 2 This is a view of the interior of the housing 12 as seen from the lower surface side after removing the cover component 21.

[0024] like Figure 2As shown, a cooling module 24, a motherboard 25, and a battery device 26 are housed inside the housing 12. Various electronic components and mechanical components are also installed inside the housing 12.

[0025] The motherboard (substrate) 25 is a circuit board that serves as the mainboard of the electronic device 10. The motherboard 25 is disposed on the Y2 side of the housing 12 and extends in the X direction. The battery device 26 is a rechargeable battery that serves as the power source for the electronic device 10. The battery device 26 is disposed on the Y1 side of the motherboard 25 and extends in the X direction.

[0026] In this embodiment, the motherboard 25 is equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 25a. In addition to the CPU 25a, the motherboard 25 can also be equipped with various electronic components such as a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), memory, communication module, etc.

[0027] For example, the upper surface (first surface 25A) of the mother plate 25 becomes the mounting surface for mounting the plate-shaped member 20, and the lower surface (second surface 25B) becomes the mounting surface for mounting the CPU 25a and the like.

[0028] Next, the structure of the cooling module 24 will be described.

[0029] CPU 25a is the heat-generating component with the highest heat output among the electronic components housed within housing 12. Cooling module 24 absorbs and diffuses the heat generated by CPU 25a, and dissipates the heat to the outside of housing 12. Cooling module 24 can also be configured to cool other heat-generating components besides CPU 25a, such as GPU.

[0030] like Figure 2 As shown, the cooling module 24 of this embodiment includes a heat diffusion member 28 and a pair of fans 30, 30.

[0031] The heat diffusion component 28 absorbs and diffuses the heat from the CPU 25a. The heat diffusion component 28 has a metal plate 28a and a heat pipe 28b.

[0032] The metal plate 28a is a thin plate made of a metal with high thermal conductivity, such as copper or aluminum. In this embodiment, the metal plate 28a is a copper plate. The metal plate 28a extends along the X direction between the left and right fans 30, 30. The metal plate 28a covers a portion (part 25C) of the motherboard 25 disposed between the left and right fans 30, 30 and the CPU 25a mounted at part 25C from the second surface 25B side (Z2 side) (see also...). Figure 5The metal plate 28a is surface-connected to the CPU 25a. A heat-receiving plate 25b, for example formed of thermal grease and a copper block of approximately the same size as the CPU 25a, is sandwiched between the metal plate 28a and the CPU 25a (see reference). Figure 5 Leaf springs 32 are installed on the edges 28a1, 28a2 along the X direction of the metal plate 28a. The leaf springs 32 are components that press the metal plate 28a against the CPU 25a via the heated plate 25b.

[0033] Heat pipe 28b is a tubular heat transfer device. Heat pipe 28b is constructed by pressing and deforming a metal tube to make it thinner and flatter, forming an elliptical cross-section, and sealing a working fluid within an inner closed space. Examples of working fluids include water, Freon substitutes, acetone, or butane. Heat pipes 28b can be used in pairs, for example. Heat pipes 28b are fixed to the back side of the metal plate 28a, on the surface connecting to the CPU 25a. Each heat pipe 28b overlaps with the CPU 25a in the Z direction near the center of its long side. Thus, the heat pipe 28b is thermally connected to the CPU 25a, which serves as a heat source. The heat pipe 28b enables the heat transferred from the CPU 25a to the metal plate 28a to diffuse more rapidly and efficiently than the heat transferred directly to the metal plate 28a.

[0034] A pair of fans 30, 30 are arranged along the X direction and facing each other, with a heat diffusion member 28 spanning between them. Each fan 30 has an air outlet 34 on its opposing side surface 30a. In other words, the air outlets 34 of the left and right fans 30 face each other with the heat diffusion member 28 between them. Thus, each fan 30 can blow air toward the heat diffusion member 28. Each fan 30 has an intake 35 on at least the Z2 side of its upper and lower end surfaces 30b, 30c facing the Z direction. The intake 35 can also be provided on the Z1 side end surface 30b. The end surfaces 30b, 30c are surfaces orthogonal to the side surface 30a and further orthogonal to the axial direction of the impeller's rotation axis.

[0035] The fan 30 is a centrifugal fan that uses a motor to rotate an impeller housed inside a casing. As a result, the fan 30 can blow air drawn in from the intake 35 out from the outlet 34.

[0036] Next, the intake and exhaust structure that draws air into the housing 12 through the fan 30 and exhausts the air blown out of the fan 30 to the outside of the housing 12 will be described.

[0037] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Enlarged view of the partition 44 and its surrounding area shown. Figure 3 The diagram shows the leaf spring 32 on the Y2 side of the lieutenant general in a removed state. Figure 4 This is a perspective view of the bottom surface 12b of the shell 12 as seen from the oblique front. Figure 5 It is along Figure 3 A schematic cross-sectional view of the VV line. Figure 5 It is a side sectional view schematically showing the internal structure of the housing 12 of the cooling module 24 and its surrounding parts.

[0038] First, such as Figures 2-5 As shown, the exhaust structure of the electronic device 10 can include an exhaust port 40 formed by the vertical wall member 22 at the rear edge (Y2 side edge) of the housing 12. The exhaust port 40 is an opening for discharging air (hot air) blown out from the air outlet 34 of the fan 30 and flowing along the upper and lower surfaces 25A, 25B of the motherboard 25 to the outside of the housing 12. This air becomes high temperature by cooling the motherboard 25, CPU 25a, and heat diffusion member 28 along the way.

[0039] In this embodiment, the wall member 22 on the Y2 side has a hinge arrangement groove 12d extending along its long side and recessed towards the Y1 side. An exhaust vent 40 is provided near the center of the front wall (hereinafter referred to as "wall 42") of the wall member 22 on the Y2 side in the long side direction of the hinge arrangement groove 12d. The exhaust vent 40 can, for example, be composed of a plurality of small windows arranged approximately in the X direction. Based on the arrangement direction (X direction) of the left and right fans 30, 30, the exhaust vent 40 is located between the fans 30, 30.

[0040] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 5 As shown, a portion 25C of the motherboard 25 is configured such that its rear edge (an edge portion 25D) has a gap C in the Y direction between itself and the vertical wall 42 (exhaust port 40). Although the motherboard 25 could also be arranged such that an edge portion 25D is close to the vertical wall 42, this is not done because other components such as wiring and antenna cables are usually housed in that area, making it practically difficult to place an edge portion 25D close to the vertical wall 42.

[0041] In this embodiment, the electronic device 10 has a partition 44 at the gap C between an edge 25D of the motherboard 25 and the exhaust port 40. The partition 44 is a component (air separator) that separates the upper and lower air flow paths (upper air flow path P1 and lower air flow path P2) from the air outlet 34 of the fan 30 toward the exhaust port 40.

[0042] like Figure 3 and Figure 5As shown, partition 44 is fixed to an edge 25D of portion 25C of mother plate 25 and protrudes towards the Y2 side. Partition 44 is a plate thinner than mother plate 25. Partition 44 is, for example, a thin plate made of metal such as stainless steel, aluminum or copper. Partition 44 can be constructed from a plate that is approximately crank-shaped, bending midway to form a step 44c when viewed from the side.

[0043] The partition 44 may have a fixing part 44a and a rectifier part 44b. The fixing part 44a is the portion of the partition 44 on the Y1 side and extends along the XY direction. The fixing part 44a is positioned one step lower than the rectifier part 44b (on the Z2 side) due to the step 44c. The rectifier part 44b is the portion of the partition 44 on the Y2 side and extends along the XY direction. The rectifier part 44b is positioned one step higher than the fixing part 44a (on the Z1 side) due to the step 44c.

[0044] The fixing part 44a is fixed to the second surface 25B of the mother plate 25, for example, by double-sided adhesive tape 46. The rectifier part 44b is disposed at a position closer to the Z1 side of the second surface 25B by an amount of step 44c. The rectifier part 44b is disposed, for example, near the center of the thickness of the mother plate 25. Thus, the rectifier part 44b is configured to protrude from the end face of an edge part 25D toward the exhaust port 40. The rectifier part 44b is the part that separates the upper air flow path P1 and the lower air flow path P2 vertically, and further rectifies the air A1 and A2 flowing in each air flow path P1 and P2 toward the exhaust port 40.

[0045] Each fan 30 may also have an air outlet on its side surface facing the Y2 side of the vertical wall 42. In this case, the housing 12 may also have an additional exhaust port formed on the vertical wall 42 facing the air outlet.

[0046] Figure 3 Reference numeral 32a in the accompanying drawing indicates the fastening part where the two ends of the leaf spring 32 are screwed to the second surface 25B of the mother plate 25. Figure 3 Reference numeral 32b in the attached drawing indicates a pin that positions the central portion of the leaf spring 32 onto the metal plate 28a.

[0047] Next, the air intake structure of the electronic device 10 includes an air inlet 50 formed in the protrusion 48, which is provided on the bottom surface 12b of the housing 12.

[0048] The protrusion 48 protrudes from the bottom surface 12b in the Z2 direction. The protrusion 48 is a rectangular cylinder that is longer in the X direction and flattened in the Z direction. The X-direction length of the protrusion 48 spans approximately the entire X-direction width of the housing 12. The protrusion 48 is located on the bottom surface 12b near the Y2 side in the front-rear direction (Y direction). The protrusion 48 has a pair of sidewalls 48a, 48b extending along its long side direction (X direction). The Y2-side sidewall 48b is located in front of and adjacent to the vertical wall 42. When viewed from above, the protrusion 48 is positioned vertically overlapping with the left and right fans 30, 30 (see reference). Figure 2 and Figure 5 ).

[0049] Input / output ports 54 can be provided on the ends (left and right end faces) along the long side of the protrusion 48. Examples of input / output ports 54 include ports conforming to the HDMI (registered trademark) standard and ports conforming to the USB 3.0 communication standard. Thus, the electronic device 10 has a tapered surface on its side surface 12c, and can be equipped with input / output ports 54 at a certain height. Furthermore, the protrusion 48 also functions as a rear leg that raises the rear of the housing 12, which is placed on a mounting surface such as the top surface of a table, higher than the front. Therefore, the electronic device 10 can be tilted in a forward and downward tilting posture when in use, improving operability. Figure 4 Reference numeral 55 in the accompanying drawings refers to a rubber leg that serves as a leg when the electronic device 10 is placed on the mounting surface. The rubber leg 55 on the Y2 side is provided on the bottom surface of the protrusion 48.

[0050] The protrusion 48 has an air inlet 50, thus also functioning as part of the air intake structure of the electronic device 10. The air inlet 50 is provided on the side wall 48a on the Y1 side. The air inlet 50 is, for example, composed of a plurality of small windows arranged close together in the X direction. A pair of air inlets 50 are provided on the left and right sides, respectively located on the Y1 side of the left and right fans 30, 30 in the X direction. Alternatively, an air inlet identical to the air inlet 50 may also be provided on the side wall 48b of the protrusion 48.

[0051] like Figure 5 As shown, the end face 30c of each fan 30 with an intake 35 faces the inner space 48c of the protrusion 48. The inner space 48c is a groove-shaped space that is recessed from the inner surface 21a of the cover member 21 in a Z2 direction by the height of the protrusion 48. The inner space 48c expands the internal space of the housing 12 in the Z direction. In other words, the housing 12 expands a portion of its internal space in the protruding direction (Z2 direction) of the protrusion 48 by the inner surface 48d of the protrusion 48. The end face 30c with the intake 35 is positioned at the upper part of the inner space 48c. Thus, the fan 30 can smoothly draw air from outside the housing 12 into the intake 35 through the air inlet 50.

[0052] For the fan 30 in this embodiment, the intake port 35 (end face 30c) is inserted into the inner space 48c (see reference). Figure 5 The end face 30c forms the lowermost part 24a of the cooling module 24. In the vertical direction within the housing 12, the lowermost part 24a is located below the surface (inner surface) 56 extending from the upper end 48b1 of the side wall 48b toward the vertical wall 42. Furthermore, considering only the structural element of being enclosed by the lower airflow path P2, the lowermost part 24a of the cooling module 24 becomes the lower surface 28b1 of the heat pipe 28b. The lower surface 28b1 of the heat pipe 28b is also located below surface 56.

[0053] Next, the cooling effect based on the cooling module 24 will be explained. Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 5 The single-dotted arrow shown schematically represents airflow. Figure 6 and Figure 7 The same.

[0054] In the electronic device 10, the heat generated by the heat-generating element such as the CPU 25a is transferred to the heat diffusion member 28 for efficient diffusion. Fans 30 located on both sides of the heat diffusion member 28 draw in outside air through the air inlet 50 (cold air) to the intake 35 and blow it out from the air outlet 34. The heat diffusion member 28 is not limited to having a structure with a metal plate 28a and a heat pipe 28b, as long as it can diffuse the heat from the heat-generating element such as the CPU 25a.

[0055] Air blown from the outlets 34 of the left and right fans 30 flows up and down on the motherboard 25. An upper airflow path P1 is formed on the upper surface of the motherboard 25, passing between the first surface 25A and the lower surface 18a of the keyboard assembly 18 and heading towards the exhaust port 40 (see reference). Figure 5 The air A1 flowing in the upper airflow path P1 cools the motherboard 25, which has been heated by the CPU 25a, etc.

[0056] A lower airflow path P2 is formed on the lower surface side of the mother plate 25, passing between the second surface 25B and the bottom (inner surface 48d) of the protrusion 48 and heading towards the exhaust port 40 (see reference). Figure 5 Air A2 flowing in the lower airflow path P2 circulates along the upper and lower surfaces of the metal plate 28a. Air A2 flowing on the upper surface of the metal plate 28a cools the mother plate 25, CPU 25a, heating plate 25b, and metal plate 28a. Air A2 flowing on the lower surface of the metal plate 28a cools the metal plate 28a and heat pipe 28b.

[0057] The air (hot air) flowing in airflow paths P1 and P2 passes through the exhaust port 40, which opens at the center of the vertical wall 42, and is discharged outside the housing 12. At this time, the electronic device 10 has a partition 44 between one edge 25D of the motherboard 25 and the exhaust port 40. Therefore, the airflow paths P1 and P2 are separated vertically by the partition 44 between one edge 25D and the exhaust port 40. As a result, the air A1 and A2 pass through the exhaust port 40 in a state of vertical separation without substantially merging.

[0058] Hereinafter, the border 20b extending along the X direction on the rear side of the keyboard device 18 will be referred to as the rear border 20b. For example... Figure 5 As shown, the rear frame 20b is located directly above the exhaust port 40. In other words, the rear frame 20b is in a position where it is exposed to the high-temperature exhaust gas passing through the exhaust port 40, and its temperature is prone to rise. In this embodiment, the rear frame 20b receives heat from the air A1 flowing in the upper airflow path P1, causing its temperature to rise. However, the air A2 flowing in the lower airflow path P2, which is separated by the partition 44, hardly reaches the rear frame 20b. Therefore, the heat received by the rear frame 20b from the air A2 is suppressed, and its temperature hardly rises due to the air A2.

[0059] In this embodiment, on the one hand, air A1 absorbs heat only from the motherboard 25 on the side of the first surface 25A, and is at a relatively low temperature. On the other hand, air A2 absorbs heat not only from the motherboard 25 on the side of the second surface 25B, but also from the CPU 25a, the metal plate 28a, and the heat pipe 28b, and is at a considerably high temperature. In other words, the partition 44 can prevent the rear frame 20b from being heated by air A2, which is significantly hotter than air A1. Therefore, compared to a structure without the partition 44 where air A2 directly heats the rear frame 20b, the electronic device 10 can significantly suppress the temperature rise at the rear frame 20b.

[0060] Alternatively, the partition 44 can be fixed to a structural element other than the mother plate 25, for example, to the edge 28a2 of the metal plate 28a. The partition can also have other structures if it can separate the air flow paths P1 and P2 vertically between an edge 25D of the mother plate 25 and the exhaust port 40 as described above.

[0061] Figure 6 yes Figure 3 Enlarged view of the partition 60 and its surrounding portion involved in the modified example of the partition 44 shown. Figure 7 It is along Figure 6 A schematic cross-sectional view of line VII-VII in the diagram.

[0062] Figure 6 and Figure 7The partition 60 shown is a structural element provided in the cooling module 24. The partition 60 can be integrally formed with the metal plate 28a, for example. The partition 60 is, for example, a structure formed by partially extending the metal plate 28a made of copper, aluminum, etc.

[0063] The partition 60 has an inclined portion 60a and an end portion 60b. Viewed from the side, the partition 60 is approximately boomerang-shaped. The partition 60 protrudes from the edge portion 28a2 of the metal plate 28a. The inclined portion 60a has an inclined surface that gradually slopes upwards (towards the Z1 side) from the edge portion 28a2 towards the rear (Y2 side). The end portion 60b bends from the Y2 side end of the inclined portion 60a and protrudes in the Y2 direction along the XY direction. The height position of the end portion 60b in the Z direction is, for example, near the center of the thickness of the mother plate 25. Thus, the partition 60 can vertically separate the upper and lower airflow paths P1 and P2 from the air outlet 34 of the fan 30 towards the exhaust port 40. In a structure with such a partition 60, it is also possible to prevent the air A2 from directly heating the rear frame 20b, thus suppressing the temperature rise of the rear frame 20b.

[0064] As described above, the electronic device 10 of this embodiment includes a housing 12, which has a protrusion 48 that protrudes from the bottom surface 12b, and an exhaust port 40 is provided at the vertical wall 42 forming the side surface 12c. The housing 12 is equipped with a motherboard 25 on which a heat-generating element (e.g., CPU 25a) is mounted and one edge 25D is positioned facing the exhaust port 40, and a cooling module 24 having a fan 30. The housing 12 contains an upper airflow path P1 that extends from the exhaust port 34 of the fan 30 through the upper surface (first surface 25A) of the motherboard 25 toward the exhaust port 40; and a lower airflow path P2 that extends from the exhaust port 34 of the fan 30 through the space between the lower surface (second surface 25B) of the motherboard 25 and the inner surface 48d of the protrusion 48 toward the exhaust port 40. Furthermore, the electronic device 10 has a partition 44 (60) that separates the air flow paths P1 and P2 vertically between an edge 25D of the motherboard 25 and the exhaust port 40.

[0065] In this way, the electronic device 10 can prevent the high-temperature air A2 flowing in the lower airflow path P2 from directly heating the rear frame 20b through the rectification effect of the partition 44 (60). Therefore, the electronic device 10 can suppress the temperature rise of the rear frame 20b and suppress the surface temperature of the housing 12. In particular, the heat pipe 28b, which is the hottest part of the electronic device 10 inside the housing 12, is surrounded by the lower airflow path P2. In other words, the air A2 flowing around the heat pipe 28b is significantly hotter than the air A1 flowing in the upper airflow path P1. As a result, the electronic device 10 can more effectively suppress the temperature rise of the rear frame 20b through the partition 44 (60).

[0066] In particular, the electronic device 10 has a protrusion 48 that protrudes from the bottom surface 12b toward the Z2 side. A lower airflow path P2 for the flow of high-temperature air A2 is formed between the mother plate 25 and the inner surface 48d of the protrusion 48. As a result, in the electronic device 10, air A2 flowing at the lower airflow path P2 can rise along the inner surface of the sidewall 48b of the protrusion 48. This air A2a (refer to...) Figure 5 and Figure 7 Air A2a is an airflow directed rearward and diagonally upward. Therefore, assuming that in a structure without the partition 44 (60), air A2a blows straight along the inner surface of the sidewall 48b to the rear frame 20b, the temperature rise of the rear frame 20b would become more significant. At this point, the electronic device 10 can rectify the upward-directed air A2a into a rearward-directed airflow through the partition 44 (60). Thus, since the electronic device 10 has a structure with the protrusion 48, it can effectively prevent the hot air A2a from blowing onto the rear frame 20b.

[0067] Here, it is preferable that the partition 44 (60) overlaps the side wall 48b vertically. Thus, the partition 44 (60) can more effectively prevent the air A2a rising along the inner surface of the side wall 48b from blowing onto the rear frame 20b.

[0068] The electronic device 10 allows the lowermost part 24a of the cooling module 24 to be positioned below the surface 56 extending from the upper end 48b1 of the side wall 48b toward the vertical wall 42. In other words, with the lowermost part 24a positioned below the surface 56, the flow rate of air A2 flowing in the lower airflow path P2 increases in the inner space 48c of the protrusion 48, and the flow rate of air A2a rising along the inner surface of the side wall 48b also increases. In this case, the electronic device 10 also includes a partition 44 (60), thereby effectively suppressing the temperature rise of the rear frame 20b.

[0069] Preferably, the rectifier portion 44b of the partition 44 and the end portion 60b of the partition 60 are horizontal planes along the XY direction. This prevents air A1 and A2 from being blown towards the rear frame 20b.

[0070] Figure 5 The partition 44 shown is fixed to one edge 25D of the mother plate 25. Therefore, the partition 44 can be easily positioned between one edge 25D and the exhaust port 40. Furthermore, the partition 44 can be easily positioned on the extension line of the mother plate 25 that separates the airflow paths P1 and P2. Thus, the partition 44 can be positioned at a location sufficiently separated from the upper end 48b1 of the side wall 48b and the surface 56. For example, as... Figure 5As shown, a sufficient distance L1 can be ensured between the surface 56 and the partition 44. As a result, the electronic device 10 restricts the height of the lower airflow path P2 on the downstream side by means of the partition 44, which can suppress the reduction of the airflow of air A2. In particular, air A2 is the air used to cool the CPU 25a and the heat diffusion member 28, so ensuring sufficient airflow also helps to improve the overall cooling efficiency of the cooling module 24. Preferably, the partition 44 has a thickness that is thinner than that of the mother plate 25. In this way, the distance L1 can be ensured to be larger, which can increase the airflow of air A2. In addition, the partition 44, through the step 44c, places the rectifier 44b one step higher than the fixed part 44a. As a result, the vertical width between the rectifier 44b and the surface 56 can be increased, which can ensure the flow rate of air A2.

[0071] Figure 7 The partition 60 shown is formed by extending the edge portion 28a2 of the metal plate 28a. Here, the metal plate 28a is located below the mother plate 25, therefore, the partition 60 is also located below the mother plate 25. Thus, the partition 60 is a structure that allows the air A2 (hereinafter referred to as "air A3") flowing in the upper part of the lower airflow path P2 to merge with the upper airflow path P1. Air A3 is the air flowing between the second surface 25B and the upper surface of the metal plate 28a.

[0072] Thus, in the structure using partition 60, air A3 merges with air A1 flowing in the upper airflow path P1 and flows directly below the rear frame 20b. As a result, the temperature rise suppression effect at the rear frame 20b based on partition 60 is better than that based on... Figure 5 The partition 44 shown may have a low effect on suppressing temperature rise. Furthermore, since the partition 60 is located below the mother plate 25, the distance L2 between the partition 60 and the surface 56 is also smaller than the distance L1, which may result in a lower airflow rate for the fan 30 compared to the mother plate 25. Figure 5 The partition 44 shown may be reduced in size. However, the partition 60 can be integrally assembled with the metal plate 28a within the housing 12 as part of the metal plate 28a. Therefore, it is easier to install the partition 60 into the housing 12, which has the advantage of improving the efficiency of the assembly operation of the electronic device 10. Moreover, since the partition 560 is part of the metal plate 28a, the surface area of ​​the metal plate 28a can be increased, which also has the advantage of improving its cooling effect.

[0073] like Figure 2As shown, the electronic device 10 can also form a space (duct structure 58) inside the housing 12 to facilitate smoother airflow from the fan 30. The duct structure 58 is a space surrounded by airtight walls 58a. The airtight walls 58a are, for example, components formed from sponge or rubber in a strip shape. The airtight walls 58a do not need to completely block the passage of air, but they need to have a certain degree of air resistance to limit the direction of airflow. For example, the airtight walls 58a are erected between the first surface 25A of the mother plate 25 and the lower surface 18a of the keyboard device 18, and between the second surface 25B and the inner surface 21a of the cover member 21.

[0074] As a result, the air from the outlet 34 of the fan 30 flows within the duct structure 58 and is more smoothly discharged to the exhaust port 40. Consequently, the electronic device 10 is able to prevent the hot air that has cooled the heat diffusion member 28 and the heat source (CPU 25a) from flowing back into the intake port 35 of the fan 30 within the housing 12, further improving cooling efficiency.

[0075] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and it is self-evident that it can be freely modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising: Possessing: a housing having a protrusion provided so as to protrude from a bottom surface and an exhaust port provided at a standing wall that forms a side surface, and a partial inside space is expanded toward a protruding direction of the protrusion by an inner surface of the protrusion; a substrate having a heat generating body mounted thereon, and one edge portion is disposed toward the exhaust port; a cooling module having a fan provided with an air outlet, and cooling the heat generating body; and a partition plate that divides an upper air flow path and a lower air flow path in a vertical direction between the one edge portion of the substrate and the exhaust port, the upper air flow path passing through an upper surface side of the substrate toward the exhaust port from the air outlet of the fan, and the lower air flow path passing through between a lower surface of the substrate and the inner surface of the protrusion toward the exhaust port from the air outlet of the fan.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein: the protrusion has a side wall that protrudes from the bottom surface of the housing and extends in a long direction of the standing wall, the partition plate overlaps the side wall in the vertical direction.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein: a lowermost portion of the cooling module is positioned lower than a surface that extends toward the standing wall from an upper end of the side wall.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein: the cooling module has a heat pipe that is thermally connected to the heat generating body, the heat pipe is disposed on a lower surface side of the substrate and is sandwiched by the lower air flow path.

5. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: the partition plate is fixed to the one edge portion of the substrate.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein: a plate thickness of the partition plate is thinner than a plate thickness of the substrate.

7. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: the cooling module has a metal plate that covers the heat generating body, the partition plate is formed by elongating a partial portion of the metal plate. ​

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