Electronic apparatus

Abstract

To provide an electronic apparatus capable of improving cooling performance and suppressing the occurrence of a failure.SOLUTION: An electronic apparatus includes: a housing; a keyboard device having a plurality of keycaps facing an upper surface of the housing and provided with a communication hole for circulating air in a thickness direction; a substrate provided in the housing; and a pair of fans arranged so as to straddle part of the substrate therebetween and each provided with discharge ports on side surfaces facing each other. The keyboard device has the communication hole in a region excluding a first region vertically overlapping the pair of fans and a second region vertically overlapping a discharge space sandwiched between the discharge ports of the pair of fans.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device equipped with a keyboard device. [Background technology]

[0002] Electronic devices such as notebook PCs are equipped with heat generating elements such as CPUs. Such electronic devices are equipped with fans and heat sinks to cool the heat generating elements (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The present applicant has proposed a cooling structure for such electronic devices in which a communication hole penetrates the keyboard device in the thickness direction, and this communication hole is located directly above the fan (see Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7371170 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6846547 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the configuration of Patent Document 1, the left and right fans each have a pair of outlets, allowing air to be discharged in two directions. The air that leaves one of the outlets passes through a heat sink located immediately behind it and is discharged outside the housing. The air that leaves the other outlet flows along the surface of a circuit board located between the left and right fans, cooling the electronic components mounted on the board before being discharged outside the housing.

[0005] To further improve the cooling performance of such electronic devices, we considered applying the communication holes of the keyboard device of Patent Document 2 to the configuration of Patent Document 1. In this case, if liquid such as a beverage is spilled on the keyboard device, the liquid may be introduced through the communication holes into the fan directly below and then ejected onto the circuit board, potentially causing malfunctions in the electronic components. Furthermore, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, the air pressure between the left and right fans becomes higher than in other spaces due to the fan's ejection pressure. Therefore, when applying the communication holes of Patent Document 2 to the configuration of Patent Document 1, the air pressure difference within the housing must also be taken into consideration, otherwise the communication holes may not function properly.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems of the conventional technology, and aims to provide an electronic device that can improve cooling performance and further suppress the occurrence of malfunctions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing, a keyboard device having a plurality of keycaps facing the top surface of the housing and having communication holes for circulating air in the thickness direction, a substrate provided within the housing, and a pair of fans arranged to straddle a portion of the substrate and each having an outlet on each of the opposing sides, wherein the keyboard device has the communication holes in an area excluding a first area that overlaps vertically with the pair of fans and a second area that overlaps vertically with an outlet space sandwiched between the outlets of the pair of fans. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the above aspects of the present invention, it is possible to improve the cooling performance and further suppress the occurrence of problems. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of an electronic device according to an embodiment, viewed from above. [Figure 2]FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the internal structure of the housing. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view illustrating the installation range of the air intake structure provided on the top surface of the housing. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of the fan and its surroundings in the housing. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic bottom view of the housing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of an electronic device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of an electronic device 10 according to one embodiment, viewed from above. As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic device 10 according to this embodiment is a clamshell notebook PC. The electronic device 10 has a configuration in which a cover 11 and a housing 12 are connected by a hinge 14 so that they can rotate relative to each other. In this embodiment, the electronic device 10 is a notebook PC, but the electronic device may be other than a notebook PC, such as a tablet PC, a smartphone, or a portable game console.

[0012] 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.

[0013] The housing 12 is a thin, flat box. A keyboard device 18 and a touchpad 19 face the top surface 12a of the housing 12. Hereinafter, the housing 12 and each component mounted thereon will be described based on the posture of an operator operating the keyboard device 18, with the width direction (left and right) of the housing 12 referred to as the X1 and X2 directions, the depth direction (front and back) of the housing 12 referred to as the Y1 and Y2 directions, and the thickness direction (top and bottom) of the housing 12 referred to as the Z1 and Z2 directions. The X1 and X2 directions may be collectively referred to as the X direction, and the Y1, Y2 directions and the Z1, Z2 directions may similarly be referred to as the Y direction and the Z direction. These directions are defined for convenience of explanation and may naturally change depending on the usage state or installation posture of the electronic device 10, etc.

[0014] The housing 12 can be composed of a plate-like member 20 that forms the top surface 12a, a cover member 21 that forms the bottom surface 12b, and standing wall members 22 that form the four peripheral side surfaces 12c. The plate-like member 20 has a large rectangular opening 20a in which the keyboard device 18 is placed. A bezel 20b that surrounds the keyboard device 18 is formed around the opening 20a. The cover member 21 is formed in a plate shape (see FIG. 3). As will be described later, the housing 12 of this embodiment has a protrusion 48 near the Y2 edge of the cover member 21. The standing wall members 22 stand up between the four peripheral edges of the plate-like member 20 and the four peripheral edges of the cover member 21, and form a frame shape as a whole.

[0015] The hinge 14 is installed in a concave hinge placement groove 12d formed in the rear edge of the housing 12, and connects the housing 12 and the cover 11. The hinge 14 has a structure in which, for example, a hinge shaft 14a serving as a rotation axis is supported at both longitudinal ends of a hinge housing 14b (see FIG. 4). The hinge 14 of this embodiment is configured in a so-called one-bar shape, in which the hinge housing 14b extends along the longitudinal direction of the hinge placement groove 12d. The hinge 14 rotates integrally with the cover 11 and descends obliquely rearward (see FIG. 4). The hinge 14 has a structure that increases the rotation angle of the cover 11 in this way, a so-called drop-down structure. The hinge 14 may have a structure other than that described above.

[0016] Fig. 2 is a plan view that schematically shows the internal structure of the housing 12. Fig. 2 is a view of the inside of the housing 12 as seen from above with the plate-shaped member 20 removed.

[0017] 2, the housing 12 accommodates a cooling module 24, a motherboard 25, and a battery device 26. The housing 12 also accommodates various electronic components, mechanical components, and the like.

[0018] The motherboard (substrate) 25 is a circuit board that serves as the main board of the electronic device 10. The motherboard 25 is disposed near 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 near the Y1 side of the motherboard 25 and extends in the X direction.

[0019] The motherboard 25 of this embodiment 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, and a communication module.

[0020] The motherboard 25 has, for example, an upper surface (first surface 25A) as a mounting surface for the CPU 25a and the like, and a lower surface (second surface 25B) as an attachment surface for the housing 12.

[0021] Next, an example of the configuration of the cooling module 24 will be described.

[0022] The CPU 25a is a heat generating element that generates the largest amount of heat among the electronic components mounted in the housing 12. The cooling module 24 can absorb and diffuse the heat generated by the CPU 25a and discharge it to the outside of the housing 12. The cooling module 24 may be configured to cool a heat generating element other than the CPU 25a, such as a GPU.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 2, the cooling module 24 of this embodiment includes a metal plate 27, a heat pipe 28, a pair of heat sinks 29, 29, and a pair of fans 30, 30.

[0024] The metal plate 27 is a thin plate made of a metal with high thermal conductivity, such as copper or aluminum. In this embodiment, the metal plate 27 is a copper plate. The metal plate 27 extends in the X direction between the left and right fans 30. The metal plate 27 covers a portion (portion 25C) of the motherboard 25 disposed between the left and right fans 30 and the CPU 25a mounted on portion 25C from the first surface 25A side (Z1 side). The metal plate 27 functions as a heat diffusion member that absorbs and diffuses heat from the CPU 25a and other components. The metal plate 27 is connected to the surface of the CPU 25a. For example, thermally conductive grease and a copper block of approximately the same size as the outer shape of the CPU 25a are interposed between the metal plate 27 and the CPU 25a. Leaf springs 32 are attached to each edge of the metal plate 27 along the X direction. The leaf springs 32 are components that press the metal plate 27 against the CPU 25a.

[0025] The heat pipe 28 is a pipe-type heat transport device. The heat pipe 28 is configured by flattening a metal pipe to form a thin, elliptical cross section, with a working fluid sealed inside. Examples of the working fluid include water, alternative chlorofluorocarbons, acetone, and butane. The center of the heat pipe 28 in the longitudinal direction is fixed to the backside of the surface of the metal plate 27 that is connected to the CPU 25a. Both ends of the heat pipe 28 are fixed to the Z1-side surfaces (upper portions 29a) of the left and right heat sinks 29, respectively (see FIG. 4). The center of the longitudinal direction of each heat pipe 28 overlaps with the CPU 25a in the Z direction. This allows the heat pipe 28 to efficiently receive heat from the CPU 25a transferred to the metal plate 27 and transport it to the heat sinks 29 at both ends with high efficiency.

[0026] The heat sink 29 has a structure in which multiple fins made of thin metal plates are arranged at equal intervals in the X direction. Each fin stands in the Z direction on a predetermined base plate and extends in the Y direction. A gap is formed between adjacent fins of the heat sink 29, allowing air sent from the fan 30 to pass through. The heat sink 29 is made of a metal with high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum or copper. The heat sink 29 is disposed opposite the side surface 30a (outlet port 34a) on the Y2 side of the fan 30.

[0027] The pair of fans 30, 30 are arranged side by side in the X direction, straddling the portion 25C of the motherboard 25 and the metal plate 27 between them, and face each other. Each fan 30 has an outlet 34a on its side surface 30a on the Y2 side. The outlet 34a is adjacent to and faces the heat sink 29 behind it. Each fan 30 has an outlet 34b on its side surface 30b facing the opposite direction. The outlets 34b of the left and right fans 30 face each other, sandwiching the portion 25C between them. Each fan 30 may have an intake port 35 on the lower surface 30d on the Z2 side of its upper and lower surfaces 30c, 30d facing the Z direction. In this embodiment, the upper surface 30c on the Z1 side of the fan 30 abuts the lower surface 18a of the keyboard device 18 (see FIG. 4).

[0028] Fan 30 is a centrifugal fan that rotates impeller 30f housed inside fan housing 30e using a motor (see FIG. 4), allowing fan 30 to draw in air through intake port 35 and discharge it from outlets 34a and 34b.

[0029] Next, an intake / exhaust structure for introducing air into the housing 12 by the fan 30 and discharging the air discharged from the fan 30 to the outside of the housing 12 will be described.

[0030] Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view illustrating the installation range of the air intake structure provided on the upper surface 12a of the housing 12. Fig. 4 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the fan 30 of the housing 12 and its surrounding area. Fig. 5 is a schematic bottom view of the housing 12.

[0031] First, the air intake structure of the electronic device 10 will be described.

[0032] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the air intake structure of the electronic device 10 can have a keyboard vent (communication hole) 36 that opens to the top surface 12a of the housing 12, and a bottom vent 38 that opens to the bottom surface 12b of the housing 12.

[0033] The keyboard vent 36 is a communication hole for circulating air in the thickness direction (Z direction) of the keyboard device 18, thereby introducing air outside the housing 12 into the intake port 35 of the fan 30 inside the housing 12. The keyboard device 18 includes a plurality of key switches 40, a base member 41, and a frame 42.

[0034] Each key switch 40 is supported on the upper surface 41a side of the base member 41. Each key switch 40 is configured such that a key cap 40a is supported so as to be movable up and down by, for example, a scissor-structured guide mechanism and a dome-shaped rubber dome made of an elastic material such as silicone rubber.

[0035] The base member 41 is a laminated plate formed by stacking, for example, from top to bottom, a membrane sheet, a sheet metal member, and a light guide plate. The underside of the base member 41 forms the underside 18a of the keyboard device 18. The membrane sheet is, for example, a three-layer switch sheet whose contacts close when pressed. The membrane sheet's contacts are closed by a rubber dome that is compressed when the keycaps 40a are pressed down. The sheet metal member is a metal plate with cutouts and holes formed in various locations. The light guide plate is a transparent resin plate that guides light emitted by a light source installed on the underside 18a in the left-right direction and irradiates the light onto each keycap 40a. The light guide plate may be omitted, in which case a waterproof sheet or the like may be laminated on the underside of the sheet metal member.

[0036] The frame 42 is a mesh-like plate made of resin, metal, or the like. The frame 42 is an isolation frame that separates the periphery of each keycap 40a. The frame 42 is provided with a plurality of key arrangement holes 42a in which each keycap 40a is arranged so that it can move up and down. In other words, the frame 42 separates each keycap 40a, 40a with partition walls on the periphery of the key arrangement holes 42a. The frame 42 is fixed by having the lower end surfaces 42b of these partition walls supported by the upper surface 41a of the base member 41. The frame 42 may be molded integrally with the plate-like member 20.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 4, the keyboard vent 36 penetrates the base member 41 in the thickness direction, allowing air to circulate. The keyboard vent 36 allows air A that passes through the gaps between the keycaps 40a and the frame 42 from above the keyboard device 18 to circulate to the underside 18a of the base member 41. The dashed-dotted arrows in Fig. 4 schematically show the air flow, and are the same as those in Fig. 2.

[0038] The frame 42 may be provided with a notch 42c to further facilitate the flow of air A through the keyboard vent 36. The notch 42c is formed, for example, by cutting out a recess in a portion of the lower end surface 42b of the frame 42 to form a tunnel-shaped flow path on the upper surface 41a. As shown in FIG. 4, it is preferable that at least the frame 42 above the keyboard vent 36 is provided with a notch 42c in a portion that covers the upper opening of the keyboard vent 36. This allows air A to be introduced into the keyboard vent 36 more smoothly. The notch 42c may also be provided in a location other than directly above the keyboard vent 36. This further facilitates the flow of air A in the X and Y directions along the upper surface 41a, thereby further facilitating the flow of air A into the keyboard vent 36.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 3, when viewed in a plan view, the keyboard device 18 has the keyboard vent 36 arranged within the range of area A0 excluding the first left and right areas A1 and the second area A2 sandwiched between the first left and right areas A1.

[0040] The first area A1 is a range that vertically overlaps with the left and right fans 30. In other words, the first area A1 is a range directly above the fans 30.

[0041] The second region A2 is a region sandwiched between the left and right fans 30, 30, and vertically overlaps with the discharge space S1 (see FIG. 2) from which air is discharged from the discharge ports 34b of each fan 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the X-direction range of the discharge space S1 can be the range enclosed by the space between the side surfaces 30b, 30b of the left and right fans 30, and the space between the left and right heat sinks 29, 29. The Y-direction range of the discharge space S1 can be the range enclosed by the outer wall 22A, which is part of the Y2-side standing wall member 22, and the airtight wall 44a extending to connect the left and right fans 30, 30. The Z-direction range of the discharge space S1 is the range enclosed by the bottom surface 18a of the keyboard device 18 and the top surface of the cover member 21, and in this embodiment, it also includes an inner space 48c of a protrusion 48, which will be described later.

[0042] The airtight wall 44a separates the ejection space S1 from another space S2 within the housing 12. The other space S2 includes an area that vertically overlaps with the above-mentioned area A0. The airtight wall 44a is, for example, a strip-shaped member made of sponge or rubber. The airtight wall 44a does not need to completely block the passage of air, but it does need to have a certain degree of airflow resistance to regulate the direction of air flow. The airtight wall 44a is, for example, a strip-shaped member extending approximately along the X direction so as to connect the Y1-side ends of the side surfaces 30b of the left and right fans 30. The airtight wall 44a is provided to stand between the first surface 25A of the motherboard 25 and the lower surface 18a of the keyboard device 18. The airtight wall 44a is further provided to stand between the second surface 25B of the motherboard 25 and the upper surface of the cover member 21. The airtight wall 44 a in the configuration example shown in FIG. 2 is slightly cranked to avoid various components on the motherboard 25 .

[0043] Airtight walls 44b, 44c similar to the airtight wall 44a may also be provided on the left and right sides of the fan 30. The airtight wall 44b is provided at the ends of the faces 30c, 30d, for example, so as to extend in the Y direction along the side face 30b of the fan 30. The airtight wall 44b continues from the end of the airtight wall 44a. The airtight wall 44c is provided at the ends of the faces 30c, 30d, for example, so as to extend in the X direction along the side face 30b. The airtight wall 44c continues from the end of the airtight wall 44b. In this embodiment, the upper face 30c of the fan 30 abuts against the lower face of the plate-like member 20 (see FIG. 4). Therefore, the airtight walls 44b, 44c need only be provided between the lower face 30d of the fan 30 and the cover member 21, and do not need to be provided between the upper face 30c and the keyboard device 18.

[0044] 4 and 5, the bottom vent 38 is an opening for introducing air outside the housing 12 from the bottom surface 12b side into the intake port 35 of the fan 30. In the present embodiment, the bottom vent 38 is formed so as to straddle the cover member 21 and the side wall 48a of the protrusion 48 protruding from the bottom surface 12b.

[0045] The protrusion 48 has a rectangular cylindrical shape that is long in the X direction and flat in the Z direction. The length of the protrusion 48 in the X direction corresponds to substantially the entire width of the housing 12 in the X direction. The protrusion 48 is provided at a position closer to the Y2 side in the front-to-rear direction (Y direction) of the bottom surface 12b. The protrusion 48 has a pair of side walls 48a, 48b extending along its longitudinal direction (X direction). The Y2-side side wall 48b is located just before the outer wall 22A (described later). The lower portion 29b of the heat sink 29 is inserted into an inner space 48c of the protrusion 48 (see FIG. 4). The protrusion 48 may be omitted, in which case the bottom vent 38 may be formed only in the cover member 21.

[0046] Reference numeral 49 in Fig. 5 denotes rubber feet that serve as feet when placing the electronic device 10 on a placement surface. The rubber feet 49 on the Y2 side are provided on the bottom surface of the protruding portion 48. The rubber feet 49 are not shown in Fig. 4. The protruding portion 48 may also be provided with predetermined input / output ports at each of its longitudinal ends (left and right end faces).

[0047] Next, the exhaust structure of the electronic device 10 will be described.

[0048] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, a hinge arrangement groove 12d recessed toward the Y1 side is provided in the Y2-side edge (rear edge) of the housing 12. The Y2-side standing wall member 22 has an outer wall 22A that forms the back surface of the hinge arrangement groove 12d at a position offset toward the Y1 side. The outer wall 22A is a portion where most of the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the Y2-side standing wall member 22 is recessed toward the Y1 side. The outer wall 22A extends along the arrangement direction (X direction) of the fans 30, 30. The heat sink 29 is disposed between the outer wall 22A and the outlet 34a inside the housing 12. The outer wall 22A can be configured as a plate-shaped member that stands along the Z direction.

[0049] The outer wall 22A can also be formed integrally with the cover member 21. In other words, the standing wall members 22 on all four sides can also be formed integrally with the cover member 21. The outer wall 22A can also be formed separately from the standing wall members 22 on the other three sides (Y1 side, X1 side, and X2 side). In the housing 12 of this embodiment, the outer wall 22A is formed on a structural member (frame member 46) installed inside the housing 12 (see FIG. 4), and is separate from the standing wall members 22 on the other three sides.

[0050] As shown in Fig. 4, the exhaust structure of the electronic device 10 may have an upper ventilation opening 50a, a ventilation opening 50b, and a lower ventilation opening 50c arranged in a three-story structure in the Z direction. Hereinafter, the ventilation openings 50a to 50c arranged in the three upper and lower stages may be collectively referred to as "ventilation opening 50." In Fig. 2, the ventilation openings 50a to 50c are collectively illustrated as ventilation opening 50.

[0051] The upper ventilation opening 50a in the upper row is formed by cutting out a recess in the upper end of the outer wall 22A. The ventilation opening 50b in the middle row penetrates the outer wall 22A in the thickness direction (Y direction). The ventilation opening 50b is located below the upper ventilation opening 50a. The lower ventilation opening 50c in the lower row is formed by penetrating the side wall 48b of the protrusion 48 that protrudes from the bottom surface 12b of the housing 12. Each of the ventilation openings 50a to 40c can be configured by arranging a plurality of small window-like openings along the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the outer wall 22A or the side wall 48b.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 2 , in the electronic device 10 of this embodiment, the ventilation openings 50 can be divided into three positions P1 to P3 in the X direction. The ventilation openings 50a to 50c at the positions P1 to P3 can each be configured as a plurality of small window-like openings arranged in the X direction. The ventilation openings 50 at the left and right ends P1 and P2 exhaust air that has been discharged from the outlet 34a of the fan 30 and passed through the left and right heat sinks 29 to the outside of the housing 12. The ventilation opening 50 at the center position P3 exhausts air that has been discharged from the outlet 34b of the fan 30 and passed through the surface of the central metal plate 27 and the surface of the portion 25C of the motherboard 25 to the outside of the housing 12. In other words, the ventilation opening 50 at position P3 connects the discharge space S1 to the outside of the housing 12 and exhausts air from the discharge space S1 to the outside of the housing 12.

[0053] Next, the cooling operation by the cooling module 24 will be described.

[0054] In the electronic device 10, heat generated by heat generating elements such as the CPU 25a is transferred to the metal plate 27 and diffused, and is also efficiently transported to left and right heat sinks 29 by the heat pipes 28. The left and right fans 30 draw outside air (cool air) from the keyboard vent 36 and the bottom vent 38 into the intake port 35 and discharge it from the exhaust ports 34a and 34b.

[0055] Here, the keyboard vent 36 is provided at a position included in an area A0 other than areas A1 and A2 that vertically overlap with the fans 30 and the discharge space S1 (see FIG. 3). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, air A that passes through the keyboard vent 36 is introduced into a space S2 outside the discharge space S1 (see also FIG. 2). The air A introduced into the space S2 is smoothly sucked into the air inlet 35 through gaps G formed between the undersides 30d of each fan 30 and the cover member 21, and gaps formed between the side surfaces of the fans 30 other than the side surfaces 30a and 30b and the frame member 46.

[0056] The air discharged from the outlets 34a of the left and right fans 30 passes through and is cooled by the heat sink 29. The cooled air (warm air) is discharged to the outside of the housing 12 through the vents 50 to 52 belonging to the positions P1 and P2.

[0057] The air discharged from the outlets 34b of the left and right fans 30 passes through the discharge space S1 and is exhausted to the outside of the housing 12 through the vents 50-52 located at position P3 facing the Y2 side of the discharge space S1. Specifically, the air from the outlets 34b flows along the surface of the metal plate 27, cooling the metal plate 27 and the heat pipe 28, and at the same time directly cooling the portion 25C and the electronic components of the CPU 25a mounted thereon. The cooled air (warm air) is exhausted to the outside of the housing 12 through the vents 50-52 located at position P3.

[0058] As described above, electronic device 10 of this embodiment includes housing 12, keyboard device 18, motherboard 25, which is a circuit board provided within housing 12, and a pair of fans 30, which are arranged to straddle portion 25C, which is a part of motherboard 25, and have outlets 34b provided on opposing side surfaces 30b. Keyboard device 18 has a plurality of keycaps 40a facing top surface 12a of housing 12, and is provided with keyboard vents 36, which are communication holes for circulating air A in the thickness direction. Here, keyboard device 18 has keyboard vents 36 in area A0 excluding first area A1 that vertically overlaps with the pair of fans 30 and second area A2 that vertically overlaps with ejection space S1.

[0059] Therefore, the electronic device 10 can introduce outside air (air A) from above the housing 12 through the keyboard vent 36 into the intake port 35 of the fan 30 inside the housing 12. This allows the electronic device 10 to increase the airflow rate of the fan 30 and improve cooling performance. Furthermore, by having the keyboard vent 36, the electronic device 10 can omit the bottom vent 38 or minimize the opening area. As a result, the bottom surface 12b of the housing 12 of the electronic device 10 can be configured to have a flat appearance, improving the design.

[0060] Moreover, the electronic device 10 of this embodiment is provided with the keyboard vent 36 in the area A0 excluding the areas A1 and A2.

[0061] First, consider a configuration in which the keyboard vent 36 is provided in the first area A1, which is the area directly above the fan 30. In this configuration, when liquid such as a beverage is spilled on the keyboard device 18, the liquid is introduced directly into the fan 30 located directly below through the keyboard vent 36. The liquid is then ejected from the outlet 34b of the fan 30 into the ejection space S1. As a result, in this configuration, there is a possibility that malfunctions may occur in the motherboard 25 and electronic components mounted thereon, such as the CPU 25a. In this regard, the electronic device 10 of this embodiment can prevent such malfunctions by not providing the keyboard vent 36 in the first area A1.

[0062] Second, consider a hypothetical configuration in which the keyboard vent 36 is located in the second area A2, directly above the discharge space S1. First, within the housing 12, the discharge space S1 is under positive pressure due to the discharge pressure from the discharge ports 34b of the left and right fans 30, while the other space S2 is under negative pressure due to air being drawn into the intake ports 35 of the fans 30. Therefore, if the keyboard vent 36 is located in the second area A2, the discharge space S1 directly below it is under positive pressure, preventing smooth introduction of air A into the housing 12. Furthermore, high-temperature exhaust gas in the discharge space S1 may flow back through the keyboard vent 36 due to the pressure difference with the outside air and be discharged above the keyboard device 18. This raises the concern that the user may experience discomfort from the high-temperature exhaust gas spraying upward from the keyboard device 18. Second, with this configuration, for example, if liquid, such as a beverage, is spilled on the keyboard device 18, the liquid may directly splash onto the motherboard 25 and electronic components mounted thereon, such as the CPU 25a, causing malfunctions. In this regard, the electronic device 10 of the present embodiment does not provide the keyboard vent 36 in the second area A2, thereby ensuring normal operation of the keyboard vent 36 and preventing the occurrence of these problems.

[0063] The housing 12 may have an outer wall 22A facing the discharge space S1 and extending along the X direction, which is the alignment direction of the pair of fans 30, and a vent 50 formed in the outer wall 22A that connects the discharge space S1 to the outside of the housing 12. The electronic device 10 has an airtight wall 44a inside the housing 12, located on the opposite side of the vent 50 as viewed from the discharge space S1. The airtight wall 44a is provided to connect the pair of fans 30, thereby separating the discharge space S1 from another space S2 inside the housing 12. The keyboard vent 36 may be positioned so as to overlap the other space S2 vertically. This allows the electronic device 10 to more reliably separate the space S2 directly below the keyboard vent 36 from the discharge space S1. As a result, the electronic device 10 can more reliably ensure normal air intake function at the keyboard vent 36 and more reliably prevent liquid from leaking through the keyboard vent 36 into the discharge space S1.

[0064] The electronic device 10 can also have an airtight wall (second airtight wall) 44b that is provided along the side surface 30b of the fan 30 so as to be continuous with the airtight wall 44a, thereby separating the discharge space S1 from the suction port 35 of the fan 30. In this way, the discharge space S1 can be more reliably separated from the other space S2 within the housing 12.

[0065] The fan 30 may include an impeller 30f, a fan housing 30e having an upper surface 30c and a lower surface 30d and rotatably housing the impeller 30f, and an intake port 35 formed in the lower surface 30d of the fan housing 30e. The upper surface 30c of the fan housing 30e may be in contact with the lower surface 18a of the keyboard device 18. This allows the fan 30 to maximize its height and increase the airflow. Moreover, by placing the upper surface 30c in contact with the keyboard device 18, the fan 30 can be easily installed in the narrow vertical space within the housing 12.

[0066] In this case, the fan 30 may not have an air inlet on the top surface 30c of the fan housing 30e. That is, if the top surface 30c of the fan 30 is configured to abut against the bottom surface 18a of the keyboard device 18, providing an air inlet on the top surface 30c will hardly increase the amount of air suction. Therefore, in this embodiment, there is almost no advantage to providing an air inlet on the top surface 30c. Moreover, as described above, the electronic device 10 can smoothly introduce air A that has passed through the keyboard vent 36 into the air inlet 35 on the bottom surface 30d. Therefore, the electronic device 10 can ensure a sufficient amount of air suction from the fan 30, and a large airflow can be ensured.

[0067] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be freely modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 10 Electronic equipment 11 Lid 12. Case 14 Hinge 16 Display 18 Keyboard Device 22 Vertical wall member 24 Cooling Module 25 Motherboard 29 Heatsink 30 fans 34a,34b Discharge port 30e Fan Case 36 Keyboard vent 44a~44c Airtight wall 50a Top Vent 50b Ventilation hole 50c bottom vent

Claims

1. An electronic device, The housing and a keyboard device having a plurality of key caps facing the upper surface of the housing and having communication holes for circulating air in a thickness direction; a substrate provided within the housing; a pair of fans arranged so as to straddle a part of the substrate and each having an outlet on a side surface facing each other; Equipped with The keyboard device has the communication holes in an area excluding a first area that overlaps vertically with the pair of fans and a second area that overlaps vertically with an ejection space sandwiched between the ejection ports of the pair of fans. An electronic device characterized by:

2. 10. The electronic device according to claim 1, The housing includes: an outer wall disposed facing the discharge space and extending along an arrangement direction of the pair of fans; a vent formed in the outer wall and connecting the discharge space to the outside of the housing; and an airtight wall is provided in the housing, located on the opposite side of the vent port as seen from the discharge space, and provided to connect the pair of fans, thereby separating the discharge space from other spaces in the housing; The communication hole is located at a position where it overlaps vertically with the other space. An electronic device characterized by:

3. 3. The electronic device according to claim 2, a second airtight wall that is provided along a side surface of the fan so as to be continuous with the airtight wall and that separates the discharge space from the suction port of the fan; An electronic device characterized by:

4. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The fan is The impeller and a fan housing having an upper surface and a lower surface and rotatably housing the impeller; an intake port formed on a lower surface of the fan housing; and The fan has an upper surface of the fan housing that abuts against the lower surface of the keyboard device. An electronic device characterized by:

5. 5. The electronic device according to claim 4, The fan does not have an intake port on the top surface of the fan housing. An electronic device characterized by:

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