electronic machines

Abstract

To ensure cooling performance while suppressing vibration. [Solution] The electronic device comprises a housing having a cover member forming one surface and an exhaust port formed on a wall surface intersecting the one surface; a substrate provided inside the housing and having a space between itself and the inner surface of the cover member that communicates with the exhaust port; a heating element mounted on the substrate; a first fan and a second fan arranged so as to straddle the substrate between them and having discharge ports on opposite sides of each other, thereby capable of discharging air into the space; a partition wall standing between the substrate and the inner surface of the cover member and extending in one direction toward the exhaust port to partition the space between the first fan and the second fan; a first rectifier wall standing between the substrate and the inner surface of the cover member and extending from one end of the partition wall opposite to the exhaust port side toward the discharge port side of the first fan; and a second rectifier wall standing between the substrate and the inner surface of the cover member and extending from the one end of the partition wall toward the discharge port side of the second fan.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device provided with a fan.

Background Art

[0002] An electronic device such as a notebook PC mounts a heat generating body such as a CPU. Such an electronic device often mounts a cooling module provided with a fan and a heat sink. The cooling module can absorb the heat generated by the heat generating body and dissipate it to the outside (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the configuration of Patent Document 1, the left and right fans each have a pair of air outlets and can discharge air in two directions. The air that exits one of the air outlets passes through a heat sink immediately behind it and is discharged outside the housing. The air that exits the other air outlet flows along the surface of a substrate arranged between the left and right fans, cools the mounted components, and is discharged outside the housing while doing so.

[0005] By the way, as described above, the air that exits the other air outlet flows at high speed between the substrate and the back surface of the keyboard device or the like. As a result, it has been found that this air may strike the keyboard device and the housing members, causing the keyboard device and the housing to vibrate. Furthermore, it has also been found that the air discharged from the left and right fans may collide with each other, generating vibration. These vibrations affect the usability of the electronic device. On the other hand, although it is also conceivable to reduce the air volume of the fan in order to suppress the vibration, this causes a decrease in the cooling performance.

[0006] This invention has been made in consideration of the problems of the prior art described above, and aims to provide an electronic device that can suppress the generation of vibrations while ensuring cooling performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a housing having a cover member forming one surface and an exhaust port formed on a wall surface intersecting the one surface; a substrate provided inside the housing and having a space between it and the inner surface of the cover member that communicates with the exhaust port; a heating element mounted on the substrate; a first fan and a second fan arranged so as to straddle the substrate between them and having discharge ports on opposite sides of each other, thereby capable of discharging air into the space; a partition wall standing between the substrate and the inner surface of the cover member and extending in one direction toward the exhaust port to partition the space between the first fan and the second fan; a first rectifier wall standing between the substrate and the inner surface of the cover member and extending from one end of the partition wall opposite to the exhaust port side toward the discharge port side of the first fan; and a second rectifier wall standing between the substrate and the inner surface of the cover member and extending from the one end of the partition wall toward the discharge port side of the second fan. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the above-described aspect of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the generation of vibrations while ensuring cooling performance. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of an electronic device according to one embodiment, viewed from above. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic plan view showing the internal structure of the enclosure. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic bottom view showing the internal structure of the enclosure. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the enclosure. [Figure 5]Figure 5 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of a chassis equipped with a bracket and graphite sheet, and a motherboard. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic plan view of a duct space with a flow-rectifying wall and its surrounding area according to a modified example. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic plan view of a duct space with a flow-rectifying wall and its surrounding area, relating to another modified example. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a schematic plan view of a duct space with a flow-rectifying wall and its surrounding area, relating to yet another modified example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the electronic device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

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

[0012] The lid 11 is a thin, flat, box-shaped enclosure. The lid 11 houses a display 16. The display 16 is, for example, an organic EL display or a liquid crystal display.

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

[0014] The housing 12 is composed of a housing member 20 that forms the top surface and the four sides, and a cover plate 21 that forms the bottom surface. The housing member 20 has vertical walls 20B formed on the four edges of the cover plate 20A that forms the surface 12a of the housing 12. As a result, the housing member 20 has a roughly bathtub shape with an open bottom. The cover plate 21 has a roughly flat shape and serves as a lid that closes the bottom opening of the housing member 20. The housing member 20 and the cover plate 21 are overlapped in the thickness direction and are detachably connected to each other. The vertical walls 20B may also be formed on the cover plate 21. In this case, the housing member 20 may consist only of the cover plate 20A.

[0015] The hinge 14 is installed in a concave hinge arrangement groove 12b formed on the rear edge of the housing 12, connecting the housing 12 and the lid 11. The hinge 14 has a structure in which, for example, a hinge shaft that serves as the axis of rotation is supported at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the hinge housing 14a. In this embodiment, the hinge 14 is configured in a so-called single-bar shape, with the hinge housing 14a extending along the longitudinal direction of the hinge arrangement groove 12b. The hinge 14 rotates together with the lid 11 and descends diagonally backward. The hinge 14 is a structure that increases the rotation angle of the lid 11 in this way, a so-called drop-down structure. The structure of the hinge 14 may be other than that described above.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the internal structure of the housing 12. FIG. 3 is a bottom view schematically showing the internal structure of the housing 12.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, inside the housing 12, a cooling module 24, a motherboard 25, and a battery device 26 are accommodated. Inside the housing 12, various electronic components, mechanical components, etc. are further provided.

[0018] The motherboard (substrate) 25 is a circuit board that serves as the main board of the electronic device 10. The motherboard 25 is arranged closer to 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 of the electronic device 10. The battery device 26 is arranged closer to the Y1 side of the motherboard 25 and extends in the X direction.

[0019] The motherboard 25 of the present embodiment mounts a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 25a and a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) 25b. The CPU 25a is a processing device that performs operations related to the main control and processing of the electronic device 10. The GPU 25b is a processing device that performs operations necessary for image rendering such as 3D graphics. Around the CPU 25a and the GPU 25b, power components 25c, GPU memory (VRAM: Video Random Access Memory) 25d, a charge circuit 25e, etc. are mounted. The power component 25c serves as the power source for the CPU 25a and the GPU 25b. The GPU memory 25d is the video memory of the GPU 25b, and for example, 4 are mounted around the GPU 25b. The charge circuit 25e is a charge control circuit for the battery device 26. Various electronic components such as a memory module 25f, a storage device 25g, and a communication module are further mounted on the motherboard 25. The memory module 25f is, for example, a CAMM (Compression Attached Memory Modul) or a DIMM (Dual Inline Memory Module). The storage device 25g is, for example, an SSD (Solid State Drive).

[0020] The motherboard 25 has, for example, an upper surface (first surface 25A) serving as an attachment surface to the housing member 20, and a lower surface (second surface 25B) serving as a mounting surface for the CPU 25a and the like.

[0021] The CPU 25a and the GPU 25b are heat generators with the largest heat generation amount 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 the GPU 25b and discharge it outside the housing 12. The cooling module 24 of the present embodiment can also cool heat generators other than the CPU 25a and the GPU 25b, such as the power component 25c, the GPU memory 25d, the charge circuit 25e, and the memory module 25f.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cooling module 24 of the present embodiment includes a pair of heat pipes 27, a pair of heat sinks 28, 28, a pair of fans 30A, 30B, and a heat diffusion member 31.

[0023] The heat pipe 27 is a pipe-type heat transport device. The heat pipe 27 is formed by flattening a metal pipe thinly into an elliptical cross-sectional shape and enclosing a working fluid in the inner sealed space. Examples of the working fluid include water, alternative Freon, acetone, or butane. The heat pipe 27 can be used, for example, in a pair of two. A part of the heat pipe 27 overlaps with the CPU 25a and the GPU 25b in the Z direction and is connected to these CPU 25a and GPU 25b. Both ends of the heat pipe 27 are respectively connected to the left and right heat sinks 28. Thereby, the heat pipe 27 transports the heat generated by the CPU 25a and the GPU 25b to the left and right heat sinks 28 with high efficiency.

[0024] The heat pipe 27 is thermally connected to the CPU 25a and the GPU 25b near the center in the longitudinal direction, for example. A heat diffusion member 31 is interposed between the heat pipe 27 and the CPU 25a and the GPU 25b.

[0025] The heat diffusion member 31 is a thin plate made of a metal with high thermal conductivity, such as copper or aluminum. In this embodiment, the heat diffusion member 31 is a copper plate. The heat diffusion member 31 can absorb and diffuse the heat from the CPU 25a and GPU 25b. The heat diffusion member 31 also functions as a heat transfer member that transfers the heat from the CPU 25a and GPU 25b to the heat pipe 27. The heat diffusion member 31 can also be configured as a vapor chamber.

[0026] As shown in Figure 3, the heat dissipation member 31 extends in a roughly rectangular shape to fill the space between the left and right fans 30A and 30B and between the left and right heat sinks 28 and 28. The heat dissipation member 31 covers a portion (part 25C) of the motherboard 25, which is positioned between the left and right fans 30A and 30B, and the CPU 25a and other components mounted on part 25C, from the second surface 25B side (Z2 side) (see also Figure 4).

[0027] Each heatsink 28 is positioned near the X1 and X2 side edges of the housing 12. One heatsink 28 is positioned opposite the Y2 side surface (first outlet 30a) of one fan 30A. The other heatsink 28 is positioned opposite the Y2 side surface (first outlet 30a) of the other fan 30B. The heatsinks 28 are made of a metal with high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum or copper. The heatsink 28 has a structure in which multiple fins made of thin metal plates are arranged at equal intervals in the X direction. Each fin stands upright in the Z direction and extends in the Y direction. The upper and lower end faces (Z-direction end faces) of each fin are integrally supported by a thin plate-like portion. Gaps are formed between adjacent fins through which air sent from fans 30A and 30B can pass. This allows air sent from the first outlet 30a of each fan 30A and 30B to pass through each heatsink 28.

[0028] As shown in Figure 2, fans 30A and 30B are respectively positioned close to the Y1 side of the left and right heat sinks 28. Fans 30A and 30B have a first discharge port 30a and a second discharge port 30b. Fans 30A and 30B have an intake port 30c on one or both of their top and bottom surfaces. Fans 30A and 30B are centrifugal fans that rotate an impeller 30d housed inside the housing using a motor (see Figure 4). Fans 30A and 30B draw in air through the intake port 30c and discharge it through the discharge ports 30a and 30b. The intake port 30c can also draw in air from outside the housing 12 through a bottom vent 32 that opens in the bottom surface (cover plate 21) of the housing 12 (see Figure 4).

[0029] The first discharge port 30a discharges air in the Y2 direction. The air sent from the first discharge port 30a passes through the heat sink 28. The air that has passed through the heat sink 28 is discharged to the outside of the housing 12 through the exhaust port 34 formed in the vertical wall 20B on the Y1 side of the housing 12.

[0030] The second discharge port 30b discharges air in the X1 direction or the X2 direction. In Figure 2, the fan 30A located on the X1 side has the second discharge port 30b opening on its X2 side. In Figure 2, the fan 30B located on the X2 side has the second discharge port 30b opening on its X1 side. As a result, the second discharge ports 30b of the left and right fans 30A and 30B face each other, with the portion 25C of the motherboard 25 and the heat diffusion member 31 in between.

[0031] The position of the second discharge port 30b in the Z direction is preferably facing the side end faces of the motherboard 25 and the heat diffusion member 31 (see Figure 4). This allows the second discharge ports 30b of each fan 30A, 30B to discharge air toward the upper and lower surfaces (surfaces 25A, 25B) of the motherboard 25 and the upper and lower surfaces of the heat diffusion member 31. The air discharged from the second discharge port 30b flows along surfaces 25A, 25B, cooling the CPU 25a, GPU 25b, memory module 25f, etc. This air also cools the motherboard 25 and the heat diffusion member 31 that have been heated by these heat-generating components, and is then discharged outside the enclosure 12 through an exhaust port 36 formed in the vertical wall 20B on the Y1 side of the enclosure 12. The exhaust port 36 is located between the left and right exhaust ports 34, 34. The exhaust port 36 is connected to the upper and lower duct spaces SA and SB through which air discharged from the second discharge ports 30b of the left and right fans 30A and 30B flows.

[0032] Next, we will describe examples of the configuration of the duct spaces SA and SB. Figure 4 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the housing 12. In Figure 4, the heat pipes 27 and other components are omitted from the illustration.

[0033] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the upper duct space SA is a low, flat space in the Z direction, formed between the first surface 25A of section 25C and the inner surface 38 of the cover plate 20A. In this embodiment, since the keyboard device 18 is located above section 25C, the inner surface 38 is also the bottom surface of the keyboard device 18. The X-side edges of the duct space SA can be formed by the left and right fans 30A, 30B and the heat sinks 28, 28. The Y2-side edge of the duct space SA can be formed by the Y2-side vertical wall 20B having an exhaust port 36. The Y1-side edge of the duct space SA can be formed by the airtight wall 40A.

[0034] The airtight wall 40A is, for example, a long, narrow member formed from a sponge or rubber in a strip shape. The airtight wall 40A does not need to completely block the passage of air, but it needs to have at least some degree of airflow resistance to restrict the direction of airflow. The airtight wall 40A stands between the first surface 25A of the motherboard 25 and the inner surface 38 of the keyboard unit 18. The airtight wall 40A can be attached to the motherboard 25 or the keyboard unit 18, for example, with double-sided adhesive tape. The airtight wall 40A extends to connect the sides 30e, 30e where the second discharge ports 30b of the left and right fans 30A, 30B are formed. Both ends of the airtight wall 40A are in contact with or close to the Y1 side ends of the side 30e. Both ends of the airtight wall 40A are positioned so as not to block the second discharge ports 30b. As will be described later, since the duct space SA of this embodiment accommodates the rectifying walls 44 and 45, the airtight wall 40A can be omitted (see Figure 7).

[0035] Reference numeral 41 in Figures 2 and 3 indicates an airtight wall formed of the same or similar material as airtight wall 40A. Airtight wall 41 stands between the outer edge of the housings of fans 30A and 30B and the outer edge of the heat sink 28, and the inner surface 38 and the inner surface 21a of the cover plate 21. Airtight wall 40B can be attached to the motherboard 25 or cover plate 21, for example, with double-sided adhesive tape. Airtight wall 41 airtightly seals the X-side edges of duct spaces SA and SB, and further airtightly seals the area around the intake port 30c of fans 30A and 30B.

[0036] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the duct space SA contains a partition wall 42 and a pair of rectifier walls 44 and 45. The partition wall 42 and the rectifier walls 44 and 45 can be made of the same or similar material as the airtight wall 40A described above. The partition wall 42 and the rectifier walls 44 and 45 in this embodiment are sponges that have a certain degree of ventilation resistance and can restrict the direction of airflow. The partition wall 42 and the rectifier walls 44 and 45 can be attached to the motherboard 25, cover plate 20A, or keyboard device 18, etc., for example, with double-sided adhesive tape.

[0037] The partition wall 42 stands upright between the first surface 25A and the inner surface 38. The partition wall 42 extends in a rod-like shape in the Y direction toward the exhaust port 36 between the left and right fans 30A and 30B. As a result, the partition wall 42 can divide the duct space SA into a first space SA1 facing the second discharge port 30b of one fan 30A and a second space SA2 facing the second discharge port 30b of the other fan 30B. The partition wall 42 does not have to completely partition the Y-direction range of the duct space SA. In the example configuration shown in Figure 2, the partition wall 42 partitions only a portion of the Y-direction range of the duct space SA. Specifically, the Y2-side end 42a of the partition wall 42 is located away from the upright wall 20B where the exhaust port 36 is formed. The end 42a may also be located close to the exhaust port 36. The Y1-side end 42b is located away from the airtight wall 40A.

[0038] The Y-direction length of the partition wall 42 is preferably such that it prevents direct collision between the air discharged from the respective outlets 30b of the fans 30A and 30B. Therefore, it is preferable that the Y2-side end 42a of the partition wall 42 is located on the Y2 side of the second outlet 30b of the fans 30A and 30B. The end 42a is located, for example, in a position that overlaps with the left and right heat sinks 28 in the X direction. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the Y1-side end 42b of the partition wall 42 is located in a position that overlaps with the second outlet 30b of the fans 30A and 30B in the X direction. The Y1 side of the partition wall 42 is complemented by the rectifying walls 44 and 45. As a result, direct collision between the air discharged from the respective outlets 30b is avoided.

[0039] The rectifying walls 44 and 45 are erected between the first surface 25A and the inner surface 38. The rectifying walls 44 and 45 are located between the partition wall 42 and the airtight wall 40A in the Y direction. The rectifying walls 44 and 45 form a bypass space (bypass path) SA3 between themselves and the airtight wall 40A. The bypass space SA3 is a space separated from spaces SA1 and SA2 by the rectifying walls 44 and 45.

[0040] The rectifier wall 44 on the X1 side extends in a roughly boomerang shape from the end 42b of the partition wall 42 to the second discharge port 30b of the fan 30A on the X1 side. The rectifier wall 44 directs the air discharged from the second discharge port 30b of the fan 30A along the partition wall 42 to the exhaust port 36. The rectifier wall 44 extends from the end 44a on the partition wall 42 side to the opposite end 44b, gradually sloping towards X1 in the Y1 direction. After that, the rectifier wall 44 bends and extends in the X1 direction toward the second discharge port 30b. In this embodiment, the end 44a is positioned with a gap G between it and the end 42b of the partition wall 42. The end 44b is close to the Y1 side end in the width direction (Y direction) of the second discharge port 30b.

[0041] The rectifier wall 45 on the X2 side extends in a rod shape from the end 42b of the partition wall 42 to the second discharge port 30b of the fan 30B on the X2 side. The rectifier wall 45 directs the air discharged from the second discharge port 30b of the fan 30B along the partition wall 42 to the exhaust port 36. The rectifier wall 45 extends from the end 45a on the partition wall 42 side to the opposite end 45b, gradually sloping towards the X2 side in the Y1 direction. In this embodiment, the end 45a is in contact with or close to the end 42b of the partition wall 42. In this case, the ends 44a and 45a of the rectifier walls 44 and 45 can be located closer to the Y2 side than the end 42b of the partition wall 42. That is, the end 42b and the ends 44a and 45a can be in positions that overlap each other with respect to the X direction.

[0042] The end 45b of the rectifier wall 45 is located far from the second discharge port 30b of the fan 30B. In other words, in this embodiment, the rectifier wall 45 on the X2 side is shorter than the rectifier wall 44 on the X1 side. The end 45b of the rectifier wall 45 forms a gap (inlet 46) between the second discharge port 30b of the fan 30B and the airtight wall 40A. That is, one end of the rectifier wall 45 furthest from the exhaust port 36 (end 45b) is located closer to the exhaust port 36 than the other end of the discharge port 30b of the fan 30B furthest from the exhaust port 36 (the Y1 side end of the discharge port 30b). The inlet 46 is the entrance for introducing the air discharged from the second discharge port 30b of the fan 30B into the bypass space SA3. The exit of the bypass space SA3 is the gap G. The inlet 46 may be formed by positioning one end of the rectifier wall 44 furthest from the exhaust port 36 (end 44b) closer to the exhaust port 36 than the other end of the discharge port 30b of the fan 30A furthest from the exhaust port 36 (the Y1 side end of the discharge port 30b). The inlet 46 may be formed on both the rectifier walls 44 and 45.

[0043] As mentioned above, the memory module 25f is, for example, a CAMM. Therefore, components such as brackets are exposed on the first surface 25A, which is the back surface of the mounting surface of the memory module 25f. For this reason, the rectifier wall 45 is formed to be shorter than the rectifier wall 44, partly to avoid the memory module 25f. In a plan view, at least a portion of the memory module 25f overlaps with the duct space SA both vertically and horizontally.

[0044] Reference numeral 48 in Figure 2 indicates a spacer. The spacers 48 are formed, for example, in a rectangular shape and arranged in groups of four approximately evenly within the duct space SA. The spacers 48 can be made of the same or similar material as the airtight wall 40A described above. The spacers 48 stand upright between the first surface 25A and the inner surface 38, serving as supports for the duct space SA. The shape and arrangement of the spacers 48 can be changed as appropriate. The spacers 48 may also be omitted.

[0045] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the lower duct space SB is a low, flat space in the Z direction, formed between the second surface 25B of portion 25C and the inner surface 21a of the cover plate 21. The X-side edges of the duct space SB can be formed by the left and right fans 30A, 30B and heat sinks 28, 28. The Y2-side edge of the duct space SB can be formed by the Y2-side vertical wall 20B having an exhaust port 36. The Y1-side edge of the duct space SB can be formed by an airtight wall 40B.

[0046] The airtight wall 40B can be made of the same or similar material as the airtight wall 40A. The airtight wall 40B stands between the second surface 25B of the motherboard 25 and the inner surface 21a of the cover plate 21. The airtight wall 40B may be provided only between the heat diffusion member 31 and the inner surface 21a. The longitudinal shape of the airtight wall 40B can be made to be substantially the same as the airtight wall 40A in plan view.

[0047] Next, the cooling operation and effects of the electronic device 10 will be described.

[0048] In the electronic device 10, heat generated by the CPU 25a and GPU 25b is transferred to the heat pipe 27 and efficiently transported to the heat sink 28. The heat transported to the heat sink 28 is then discharged outside the enclosure 12 by air flowing from the first discharge port 30a of fans 30A and 30B to the exhaust port 34. The dashed lines in Figures 2 to 8 schematically show the airflow discharged from fans 30A and 30B.

[0049] Some of the heat generated by the CPU 25a and GPU 25b is transferred to the motherboard 25. The motherboard 25 also receives heat generated by other heat sources such as the power component 25c, GPU memory 25d, charge circuit 25e, and memory module 25. This heat is also transferred to the first surface 25A, which is the back surface of the mounting surface (second surface 25B) of the motherboard 25. The heat transferred to the motherboard 25 is cooled by air circulating through the duct spaces SA and SB from the second outlet 30b of fans 30A and 30B.

[0050] In this configuration, the duct space SA is divided into left and right spaces SA1 and SA2 by a partition wall 42. As a result, the air discharged from the second outlet 30b of the fan 30A into the first space SA1 flows smoothly along the partition wall 42 under the rectifying action of the rectifying wall 44 and heads towards the exhaust port 36. The air flowing through the first space SA1 cools the heat transferred from the GPU 25b, GPU memory 25d, and charge circuit 25e to the motherboard 25, and is then discharged from the exhaust port 36.

[0051] The air discharged from the second outlet 30b of fan 30B into the second space SA2 flows smoothly along the partition wall 42 under the rectifying action of the rectifying wall 45 and heads towards the exhaust port 36. The air flowing through the second space SA2 cools the heat transferred from the CPU 25a and memory module 25f to the motherboard 25 and is discharged from the exhaust port 36. A portion of the air discharged from fan 30B into the second space SA2 passes through the inlet 46 and flows into the bypass space SA3. The air that flows through the bypass space SA3 passes through the gap G and flows into the first space SA1 and heads towards the exhaust port 36. The air flowing through the bypass space SA3 cools the memory module 25f in particular and is discharged from the exhaust port 36.

[0052] As described above, the electronic device 10 of this embodiment includes a housing 12 having a cover member (cover plate 20A) that forms a surface 12a. The housing 12 has an exhaust port 36 in a vertical wall 20B that forms a wall surface intersecting with the surface 12a. The electronic device 10 includes a motherboard 25 that forms a space (duct space SA) communicating with the exhaust port 36 between the cover plate 20A or the inner surface 38 of the keyboard device 18. Inside the housing 12 are fans 30A and 30B, which are arranged so as to straddle the motherboard 25 (part 25C) between them and each has a second discharge port 30b on its opposite side 30e. Inside the housing 12, there is further a partition wall 42 that extends in one direction toward the exhaust port 36 to partition the space between the fans 30A and 30B, and rectifying walls 44 and 45 that extend from the end 42b of the partition wall 42 toward the second discharge port 30b side of each fan 30A and 30B.

[0053] Therefore, in the electronic device 10, the air discharged from the second outlets 30b of each fan 30A and 30B into the duct space SA is rectified along the partition wall 42 via the rectifying walls 44 and 45, respectively, and smoothly discharged to the exhaust port 36. This prevents the electronic device 10 from vibrating due to the kinetic energy of the air, which would otherwise cause the casing 12 to vibrate as the high-speed airflow in the duct space SA becomes turbulent and collides with the inner surface 38. At the same time, the partition wall 42 and the rectifying walls 44 and 45 prevent direct collisions between the air discharged from the left and right second outlets 30b that face each other. This also prevents the electronic device 10 from vibrating due to collisions between the air discharged from the fans 30A and 30B. In this way, the electronic device 10 can suppress vibration without reducing the airflow of the fans 30A and 30B. Therefore, the electronic device 10 can improve usability while ensuring cooling performance.

[0054] In this configuration, the partition wall 42 and the rectifying walls 44 and 45 can overlap each other in the X direction, where the second discharge ports 30b of fans 30A and 30B face each other. This ensures that fans 30A and 30B are reliably separated by the partition wall 42 and the rectifying walls 44 and 45. As a result, the electronic device 10 can further suppress vibrations caused by collisions between the air discharged from fans 30A and 30B.

[0055] It is preferable that the partition wall 42 does not come into contact with the airtight wall 40A. If the end portion 44b of the partition wall 42 extends to the airtight wall 40A, a dead space may be created at the corner between the partition wall 42 and the airtight wall 40A where air can accumulate. This would reduce the cooling performance in that area.

[0056] Incidentally, the keyboard device 18 is the part that the operator touches with their fingertips. Therefore, suppressing vibrations of the keyboard device 18 contributes to a more significant improvement in usability. For this reason, it is preferable that the partition wall 42 and the rectifier walls 44, 45 are installed in the duct space SA formed between the keyboard device 18 and the motherboard 25.

[0057] Here, we will explain the results of a comparative experiment on the vibration intensity of the configuration of the embodiment, in which partition walls 42 and rectifying walls 44 and 45 are provided in the duct space SA as shown in Figure 2, and the configuration of the comparative example, in which partition walls 42 and rectifying walls 44 and 45 are not provided in the duct space SA. In the experiment, the vibration intensity (dB) at the keytop surface of the keyboard device 18 was measured for both the embodiment and the comparative example. As a result of the experiment, the vibration intensity of the embodiment was 69.1 (dB), and the vibration intensity of the comparative example was 73.2 (dB). This shows that the embodiment can reduce the vibration generated by the discharged air of fans 30A and 30B compared to the comparative example.

[0058] The electronic device 10 can have a gap G between the end 42b of the partition wall 42 and the end 44a of the rectifier wall 44. This allows the electronic device 10 to circulate air that has flowed into the Y2 side of the rectifier walls 44 and 45 through the gap G to the exhaust port 36. As a result, the cooling performance of the electronic device 10 is further improved.

[0059] The electronic device 10 may be equipped with an airtight wall 40A extending between the opposing sides 30e, 30e of the fans 30A and 30B. The duct space SA may have a bypass space SA3 between the airtight wall 40A and the rectifying walls 44, 45 into which air discharged from the second outlet 30b of the fan 30B is introduced. In this way, the electronic device 10 can efficiently cool the heat from a heat-generating element (e.g., a memory module 25f) located in the bypass space SA3 with the air from the second outlet 30b. The air introduced into the bypass space SA3 flows smoothly through the gap G to the exhaust port 36.

[0060] Figure 5 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the enclosure 12, which is equipped with a motherboard 25 and a bracket 50 and a graphite sheet 52.

[0061] As shown in Figure 5, a bracket 50 can be provided on the first surface 25A of the motherboard 25. The bracket 50 is a sheet metal part formed in a grid or mesh pattern in plan view, and is made of, for example, stainless steel (SUS). The bracket 50 is a reinforcing part that suppresses warping of the motherboard 25 and prevents mounted components from falling off. In this case, it is preferable that the partition wall 42 and the rectifier walls 44, 45 are installed on or avoid the bracket 50, respectively. In the configuration example shown in Figure 5, the entire length of the partition wall 42 is positioned on the bracket 50. This allows the partition wall 42 to be formed from, for example, a single piece of sponge, eliminating the need to use sponges of different thicknesses and reducing the number of parts. Similarly, in the configuration example shown in Figure 5, the entire length of the rectifier walls 44, 45 is positioned where there is no bracket 50. Therefore, the number of parts for the rectifier walls 44, 45 can also be reduced.

[0062] As shown in Figure 5, a graphite sheet 52 can also be provided on the first surface 25A of the motherboard 25. The graphite sheet 52 can be laid out to cover most of the portion 25C. The graphite sheet 52 is a heat dissipation member that promotes heat dissipation from the motherboard 25. In this case, the partition wall 42 and the rectifier walls 44, 45 should be placed on top of the graphite sheet 52.

[0063] As shown by the dashed line in Figure 5, the partition wall 42 and the rectifier walls 44, 45 can also be installed in the duct space SB. In this case, the partition wall 42 and the rectifier walls 44, 45 can be erected between the second surface 25B of the motherboard 25 and the inner surface 21a of the cover plate 21. As shown by the dashed line in Figure 5, the partition wall 42 and the rectifier walls 44, 45 may also be configured to be erected between the heat diffusion member 31 and the inner surface 21a of the cover plate 21. Thus, the electronic device 10 can also have the partition wall 42 and the rectifier walls 44, 45 installed in one or both of the duct spaces SA, SB.

[0064] Figure 6 is a schematic plan view of a duct space SA having flow-rectifying walls 44A and 45A according to a modified example, and its surrounding area.

[0065] The rectifier wall 44A shown in Figure 6 is shorter in overall length than the rectifier wall 44 shown in Figure 2. The rod-shaped portion in the X direction from the bent portion between ends 44a and 45b toward end 44b is shorter than that of the rectifier wall 44A. The rectifier wall 45A shown in Figure 6 is shorter in overall length than the rectifier wall 45 shown in Figure 2 and is formed in a shape that is approximately symmetrical to the rectifier wall 44A. The ends 44b and 45b of the rectifier walls 44A and 45A are located away from the sides 30e of the fans 30A and 30B, respectively. An inlet 46 for the bypass space SA3 is formed between the ends 44b and 45b of the rectifier walls 44A and 45A and the airtight wall 40A. The end 45a of the rectifier wall 45A may be positioned with a gap G between it and the end 42b of the partition wall 42. The ends 44a and 45a of the rectifying walls 44A and 45B only need to have a gap G between at least one of them and the partition wall 42, and the other end may be in contact with the partition wall 42.

[0066] Figure 7 is a schematic plan view of a duct space SA having a rectifying wall 45B and its surrounding area, relating to another modified example.

[0067] The rectifier wall 45B shown in Figure 7 is longer in overall length than the rectifier wall 45 shown in Figure 2. The rectifier wall 45B is formed in a shape that is approximately symmetrical to the rectifier wall 44 shown in Figures 2 and 7. The end 45b of the rectifier wall 45B is located close to the side surface 30e of the fan 30B. The configuration example shown in Figure 7 is suitable for configurations that do not use an airtight wall 40A, for example. That is, in the configuration example shown in Figure 7, air that flows into the Y1 side of the rectifier walls 44 and 45B through the small gap between the rectifier walls 44 and 45B and the side surface 30e can be discharged to the exhaust port 36 through the gap G, thereby ensuring cooling performance. The gap G between the rectifier walls 44 and 45B and the partition wall 42 can also allow heat from inside the housing 12 on the Y2 side of the rectifier walls 44 and 45B to pass through to the exhaust port 36.

[0068] Figure 8 is a schematic plan view of a duct space SA and its surrounding area having rectifying walls 44B and 45C according to yet another modified example.

[0069] The rectifier walls 44B and 45C shown in Figure 8 differ from the rectifier walls 44A and 45A shown in Figure 6 in that they are not bent shapes with a bend in the middle, but rather have an overall curved shape in an arc. Compared to the rectifier walls 44A and 45A shown in Figure 6, the rectifier walls 44B and 45C allow for a smoother airflow from the second discharge port 30b to the exhaust port 36. The curved shape of the rectifier walls 44B and 45C can also be applied to the rectifier walls 44 and 45 shown in Figure 2.

[0070] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be freely modified without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0071] 10 Electronic equipment 11 Lid 12 cabinets 18 Keyboard device 24 Cooling Modules 25 Motherboards 25a CPU 25b GPU 25f memory module 30A, 30B Fan 30a 1st discharge port 30b 2nd discharge port 34,36 Exhaust vents 40A, 40B, 41 Airtight walls 42 Partition wall 44, 44A, 44B, 45, 45A, 45B, 45C Rectifying wall

Claims

1. It is an electronic device, A housing having a cover member forming one surface and an exhaust port formed on a wall surface intersecting the aforementioned surface, A substrate provided inside the housing, having a space between it and the inner surface of the cover member that communicates with the exhaust port, A heating element mounted on the aforementioned substrate, A first fan and a second fan are arranged so as to straddle the substrate between them, and each has an outlet on one side facing each other, thereby enabling them to discharge air into the space. A partition wall stands upright between the substrate and the inner surface of the cover member and extends in one direction toward the exhaust port so as to separate the first fan and the second fan, A first rectifier wall stands upright between the substrate and the inner surface of the cover member, and extends from one end of the partition wall opposite to the exhaust port side toward the discharge port side of the first fan, A second rectifier wall stands upright between the substrate and the inner surface of the cover member, and extends from one end of the partition wall toward the discharge port side of the second fan, An electronic device characterized by having the following features.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, A gap is provided between one end of the partition wall and at least one of the first and second rectifying walls. An electronic device characterized by the following features.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, An airtight wall is provided that rises between the substrate and the inner surface of the cover member, extends to connect one side of the first fan and the second fan, and forms a duct space between it and the exhaust port that houses the partition wall, the first rectifier wall and the second rectifier wall. Between the airtight wall and the first and second rectifier walls, a bypass space is formed in which air discharged from at least one of the discharge ports of the first and second fans is introduced, and the introduced air flows through the gap to the exhaust port. An electronic device characterized by the following features.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, In a plan view of the substrate, the heating element is positioned between the first and second rectifier walls and the exhaust port, and another heating element is positioned in the bypass space. An electronic device characterized by the following features.

5. The electronic device according to claim 2, At least one of the first and second rectifier walls is positioned such that one end furthest from the exhaust port is closer to the exhaust port than the other end of the discharge port furthest from the exhaust port. An electronic device characterized by the following features.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, The enclosure is equipped with a keyboard device facing one side, The partition wall, the first rectifier wall, and the second rectifier wall are erected between the substrate and the keyboard device. An electronic device characterized by the following features.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, The partition wall, the first straightening wall, and the second straightening wall overlap each other in the direction in which the discharge ports of the first fan and the second fan face each other. An electronic device characterized by the following features.

Images