electronic machinery

Abstract

To provide electronic devices that can improve cooling performance. [Solution] The electronic device comprises a housing, a heating element provided within the housing, and a cooling module provided within the housing for cooling the heating element. The housing is provided so as to protrude from the bottom surface and has a protruding portion extending along the width direction. The cooling module is arranged in a line with space between them and has discharge ports on one side facing each other, with a portion of the discharge ports located within the inner space of the protruding portion. It also comprises a pair of fans, a heat diffusion member provided between the pair of fans for absorbing and diffusing heat from the heating element, a metal plate member laminated on the surface of the heat diffusion member between the pair of fans, and a plurality of fins provided so as to protrude from the surface of the plate member and arranged between the discharge ports of the pair of fans within the inner space of the protruding portion.

Description

Technical Field

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[0006] , ,

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[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device equipped with a cooling module.

Background Art

[0002] An electronic device such as a notebook PC is equipped with a heat generating body such as a CPU. Such an electronic device often mounts a cooling module equipped 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 have air outlets on the side faces facing each other. The air that exits the air outlets of the left and right fans flows along the surfaces of heat pipes or vapor chambers arranged between them and is discharged outside the housing.

[0005] By the way, in order to increase the air volume, it is preferable for the fan to secure the maximum thickness within the range that can be installed in the housing. On the other hand, heat dissipation members such as heat pipes arranged between the left and right fans do not have the same thickness as the fan. Therefore, a space with a certain height may be formed between the heat dissipation member and the bottom surface of the housing. In this space, the air discharged from the left and right fans may simply pass through and may hardly contribute to the cooling of the heat generating body. In this case, the cooling module cannot sufficiently obtain the effect of improving the cooling performance by increasing the thickness of the fan to increase the air volume.

[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 improve cooling performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a housing, a heating element provided within the housing, and a cooling module provided within the housing for cooling the heating element, wherein the housing is provided so as to protrude from the bottom surface and has a protruding portion extending along the width direction, the cooling module has a pair of fans arranged side by side with space between them and having discharge ports on one side facing each other, with a portion of the discharge ports located within the inner space of the protruding portion, a heat diffusion member provided between the pair of fans for absorbing and diffusing heat from the heating element, a metal plate member laminated on the surface of the heat diffusion member between the pair of fans, and a plurality of fins provided so as to protrude from the surface of the plate member and arranged between the discharge ports of the pair of fans within the inner space of the protruding portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the above embodiment of the present invention, cooling performance can be improved. [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 perspective view of the bottom of the enclosure, seen from the rear at an angle. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the plate member and heat diffusion member that make up the cooling module. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the housing around the cooling module. [Figure 6]Figure 6 is a schematic front cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the housing around the cooling module. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic plan view of the modified plate member as seen from the Z2 side. [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 material 21 that forms the bottom surface. The housing member 20 has vertical walls 20B formed on the four edges of a 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 material 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 material 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 material 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 14a, which serves as the axis of rotation, is supported at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the hinge housing 14b (see Figure 5). In this embodiment, the hinge 14 is configured in a so-called single-bar shape, with the hinge housing 14b extending along the longitudinal direction of the hinge arrangement groove 12b. The hinge 14 rotates together with the lid 11 and descends diagonally backward (see Figure 5). 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] Figure 2 is a schematic plan view showing the internal structure of the housing 12. Figure 2 is a view of the inside of the housing member 20 from the bottom side after removing the cover material 21.

[0017] As shown in Figure 2, the enclosure 12 houses a cooling module 24, a motherboard 25, and a battery device 26. Various other electronic and mechanical components are also installed inside the enclosure 12.

[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 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 disposed 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. In addition to the CPU 25a, the motherboard 25 can mount various electronic components, such as a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a memory, a communication module, etc. For example, the upper surface (the first surface 25A) of the motherboard 25 serves as the mounting surface for the housing member 20, and the lower surface (the second surface 25B) serves as the mounting surface for the CPU 25a and the like.

[0020] Next, the cooling module 24 and the related configuration will be described.

[0021] The CPU 25a is a heat-generating component 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 discharge it outside the housing 12. The cooling module 24 may be configured to cool heat-generating components other than the CPU 25a, such as a GPU.

[0022] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bottom surface 12c of the housing 12 as viewed obliquely from the rear. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the plate member 30 and the heat diffusion member 28 that constitute the cooling module 24. FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view schematically showing the internal structure of the housing 12 at the cooling module 24 and its peripheral part. FIG. 6 is a front cross-sectional view schematically showing the internal structure of the housing 12 at the cooling module 24 and its peripheral part.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 to 6, the cooling module 24 includes a heat diffusion member 28, a plate member 30, and a pair of fans 32, 32.

[0024] The heat diffusion member 28 absorbs and diffuses heat from the CPU 25a. In this embodiment, the heat diffusion member 28 has a configuration of two heat pipes 28a arranged in parallel in the Y direction. The two heat pipes 28a extend in the X direction between the left and right fans 32, 32. One or three or more heat pipes 28a may be used.

[0025] The heat pipe 28a is a pipe-type heat transport device. The heat pipe 28a is constructed by flattening a metal pipe to form an elliptical cross-section, and sealing a working fluid in the sealed space inside. Examples of working fluids include water, alternative refrigerants, acetone, or butane. The heat pipe 28a overlaps with the CPU 25a in the Z direction near its longitudinal center and is connected to the top surface of the CPU 25a. Thermal conductive grease or a copper plate can be interposed between the heat pipe 28a and the CPU 25a. This allows the heat pipe 28a to rapidly and efficiently dissipate heat from the CPU 25a. The heat diffusion member 28 can also be constructed as a vapor chamber, which is a plate-type heat transport device.

[0026] The heat diffusion member 28 can be pressed against the CPU 25a using a pressing component 34. The pressing component 34 has a pair of leaf springs 34a, 34a in the Y direction. The leaf springs 34a are connected, for example, to a thin metal frame located on the Z1 side of the heat diffusion member 28 at their central portions, and press the heat diffusion member 28 against the CPU 25a via this metal frame. Both ends of the leaf springs 34a are screwed to the second surface 25B of the motherboard 25. Both ends of the leaf spring 34a on the Y2 side are screwed to the second surface 25B together with mounting pieces 30b on the Y2 side that are formed to protrude from the plate member 30.

[0027] The plate member 30 is a thin metal plate made of a material with high thermal conductivity, such as copper or aluminum. In this embodiment, the plate member 30 is a copper plate. The plate member 30 extends in the X direction between the left and right fans 32, 32. The plate member 30 is connected to the Z2-side surface 28b of the heat diffusion member 28 and covers the heat diffusion member 28 from the Z2 side. The plate member 30 and the heat diffusion member 28 can be joined, for example, by soldering. This allows the plate member 30 to efficiently receive, diffuse, and dissipate the heat from the CPU 25a that is diffused by the heat diffusion member 28.

[0028] As shown in Figures 2 and 4 to 6, the plate member 30 may have a plurality of fins 36 and a flow straightening member 38. The fins 36 and the flow straightening member 38 protrude from the surface (bottom surface) 30a on the Z2 side opposite to the heat diffusion member 28 side.

[0029] The fins 36 increase the surface area of ​​the plate member 30. The fins 36 are interposed between the discharge ports 40, 40 of the left and right fans 32 within the inner space 48c of the protruding portion 48, which will be described later. This allows the fins 36 to directly exchange heat with the air discharged from the discharge port 40 into the inner space 48c. The fins 36 can have, for example, a rod shape extending in the X direction. Both ends of the fins 36 can have an R shape. The fins 36 can be formed, for example, by press molding the plate member 30. The fins 36 may also be formed by joining rod-shaped parts to the surface 30a by soldering or the like.

[0030] The number and arrangement of the fins 36 are not limited. In this embodiment, the fins 36 are densely arranged in a position (region R1) close to the discharge ports 40 of the left and right fans 32 (see Figures 2 and 4). In each region R1, for example, rows of 4 or 5 fins 36 arranged in the Y direction with gaps between them are arranged in 3 rows in the X direction with gaps between them. The 3 rows of fins 36 arranged in the X direction can be arranged alternately in the Y direction. This causes the fins 36 of adjacent rows in the X direction to be misaligned in the Y direction, improving the heat exchange efficiency between the air from the discharge port 40 and each fin 36.

[0031] Region (first region) R1 is a predetermined width range extending from both ends of the plate member 30 in the longitudinal direction (X direction). Region R1 faces the discharge port 40 and is a region that can directly receive air from the discharge port 40. This allows the fins 36 to efficiently exchange heat with the air from the discharge port 40.

[0032] The rectifier member 38 is interposed between the discharge ports 40, 40 of the left and right fans 32 within the inner space 48c of the protrusion 48. The rectifier member 38 is a member that smoothly directs the air discharged from the discharge port 40 into the inner space 48c towards the exhaust port 44, which will be described later. The rectifier member 38 can be formed from a metal block made of a metal with high thermal conductivity, such as copper or aluminum. In this embodiment, the rectifier member 38 is the same copper block as the plate member 30. The rectifier member 38 can be joined to the surface 30a, for example, by soldering. The rectifier member 38 may also be formed by press molding or cutting and shaping the plate member 30, for example.

[0033] The rectifier member 38 can have, for example, a triangular shape with one vertex pointing in the Y2 direction. As a result, the rectifier member 38 has a pair of rectifier walls 38a and 38b that gradually incline toward the exhaust port 44 side (Y2 direction) in the direction of air discharge (X direction) from the left and right discharge ports 40. That is, the rectifier walls 38a and 38b extend in a direction intersecting the direction of air discharge from each discharge port 40 of the left and right fans 32. Specifically, in a plan view of the plate member 30 shown in Figure 2, the rectifier wall 38a on the X1 side gradually inclines toward the Y2 direction toward the X2 direction. The rectifier wall 38b on the X2 side gradually inclines toward the Y2 direction toward the X1 direction. As a result, the pair of rectifier walls 38a and 38b are arranged in an arrow shape that tapers toward the exhaust port 44.

[0034] The rectifier member 38 can be positioned near the center (region R2) in the longitudinal direction of the plate member 30. In other words, the rectifier member 38 is located in region R2, which is between regions R1, R1 where the left and right fins 36 are arranged, and forms an upright wall that separates regions R1, R1.

[0035] In the configuration examples shown in Figures 2 and 4, the plate member 30 has a region (second region) R2 in which no fins 36 are provided. This suppresses the influence of the fins 36 on the airflow straightening action of the straightening member 38 in the cooling module 24, allowing air to be guided more smoothly to the exhaust port 44. Depending on the shape and arrangement of the fins 36, it is also possible to provide fins 36 around the straightening member 38 in region R2.

[0036] A pair of fans 32, 32 are arranged side by side in the X direction, straddling the heat diffusion member 28 and the plate member 30 between them, and facing each other. Each fan 32 is aligned along the longitudinal direction of the protrusion 48 and overlaps with the protrusion 48 in the Z direction. Each fan 32 has an outlet 40 on a side 32a facing each other. In other words, the outlets 40 of the left and right fans 32 face each other with the heat diffusion member 28 and the plate member 30 in between. This allows each fan 32 to discharge air toward the heat diffusion member 28 and the plate member 30. Each fan 32 has an intake port 41 on at least the Z2 side end face 32b of the upper and lower end faces facing the Z direction. An intake port 41 can also be provided on the Z1 side end face.

[0037] The fan 32 can be configured as a centrifugal fan in which an impeller 32c housed inside the housing is rotated by a motor (see Figure 6). This allows the fan 32 to draw in air from the intake port 41 and discharge it from the discharge port 40.

[0038] As shown in Figures 2 and 5, the housing 12 may be provided with an exhaust port 44 formed in the vertical wall 20B (outer wall 42) of its rear edge (Y2 side edge). The exhaust port 44 is an opening that can discharge the air (warm air) discharged from the discharge port 40 of each fan 32 and flowing around the motherboard 25, heat diffusion member 28, and plate member 30 to the outside of the housing 12.

[0039] In this embodiment, the vertical wall 20B on the Y2 side extends along its longitudinal direction and has a hinge arrangement groove 12b recessed towards the Y1 side. The outer wall 42 is the bottom wall (front wall) of the hinge arrangement groove 12b. The exhaust port 44 is provided near the center of the outer wall 42 in the longitudinal direction. The exhaust port 44 is composed of, for example, a plurality of small windows arranged in close proximity in the X direction. The exhaust port 44 is located between the left and right fans 32, 32 when the direction of alignment of the left and right fans 32, 32 (X direction) is taken as a reference. The exhaust port 44 is located on the Y2 side of the rectifier member 38. The vertical wall 20B can also be configured without the hinge arrangement groove 12b. In this case, the exhaust port 44 can be formed in the vertical wall 20B itself, which is the outer wall.

[0040] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the housing 12 may be provided with an air intake port 50 in a protruding portion 48 that extends from the bottom surface 12c. The air intake port 50 is an opening that can supply air (cold air) from outside the housing 12 to the intake port 41 of the fan 32.

[0041] The protruding portion 48 protrudes from the bottom surface 12c. The protruding portion 48 is a rectangular tube shape that is elongated in the X direction and flattened in the Z direction. The length of the protruding portion 48 in the X direction can extend approximately the entire length of the width of the housing 12 in the X direction. The protruding portion 48 is located on the Y2 side in the front-rear direction (Y direction) of the bottom surface 12c. The protruding portion 48 has a pair of side walls 48a, 48b that extend along its longitudinal direction (X direction). The side wall 48b on the Y2 side is located immediately in front of the outer wall 42.

[0042] Two input / output ports 54 are provided at each of the longitudinal ends (left and right end faces) of the protruding portion 48. Examples of input / output ports 54 include those conforming to the HDMI® standard and those conforming to the USB 3.0 communication standard. This allows the electronic device 10 to have tapered surfaces on the left and right (X1, X2 sides) vertical walls 20B to reduce its apparent thickness while still being able to install input / output ports 54 that require a certain height. The protruding portion 48 also functions as a rear leg that raises the rear of the housing 12 higher than the front when it is placed on a surface such as the top of a desk. Reference numeral 55 in Figures 3, 5, and 6 indicates rubber feet that serve as legs when the electronic device 10 is placed on a surface. The rubber foot 55 on the Y2 side is provided on the bottom surface of the protruding portion 48.

[0043] The air intake 50 is located on the side wall 48b on the Y2 side, in the longitudinal direction, opposite each fan 32. The air intake 50 is composed of, for example, multiple small windows arranged in close proximity in the X direction. The air intake 50 can also be provided on the side wall 48a on the Y1 side (see Figure 5). The air intake 50 may also be provided on the vertical wall 20B or the bottom surface 12c of the housing 12.

[0044] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, a portion of the discharge port 40 of each fan 32 is located within the inner space 48c of the protruding portion 48. In other words, a portion of the fan 32 on its Z2 side (lower part) is inserted into the inner space 48c, and the lower part of the discharge port 40 is positioned to discharge air into the inner space 48c.

[0045] The inner space 48c is a groove-shaped space that is deeper on the Z2 side by the height of the protrusion 48 from the inner surface 21a of the cover material 21 that forms the bottom surface 12c (see Figures 5 and 6). In other words, the inner space 48c expands the internal space of the housing 12 in the Z direction. By partially inserting the fan 32 into this Z-expanded inner space 48c, the fan can secure the maximum thickness within the housing 12 and increase the airflow.

[0046] Next, the cooling action of the cooling module 24 will be explained. The dashed arrows shown in Figures 2, 3, 5, and 6 schematically represent the airflow, and the same applies to Figure 7.

[0047] In the electronic device 10, heat generated by heat-generating elements such as the CPU 25a is transferred to the heat diffusion member 28 and efficiently diffused. A portion of the heat transferred to the heat diffusion member 28 is transferred to the plate member 30 and diffused throughout the entire plate member 30, including the fins 36. The left and right fans 32 draw in outside air (cold air) through the intake port 50 into the intake port 41 and discharge it from the discharge port 40.

[0048] A portion of the air discharged from the exhaust ports 40 of the left and right fans 32 flows along the first surface 25A of the motherboard 25, where it is cooled and then expelled outside the case 12 through the exhaust port 44.

[0049] Another portion of the air discharged from the left and right outlets 40 flows between the second surface 25B of the motherboard 25 and the heat diffusion member 28, and along the surface 30a side of the plate member 30. This air cools the heat diffusion member 28, plate member 30, fins 36, CPU 25a, etc., and is then discharged outside the enclosure 12 through the exhaust port 44.

[0050] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the lower part of each fan 32 is inserted into the inner space 48c of the protruding portion 48, and a portion of the discharge port 40 is located within the inner space 48c. Therefore, another portion of the air discharged from the left and right discharge ports 40 is discharged into the inner space 48c. In this case, the electronic device 10 has fins 36 interposed between the left and right discharge ports 40, 40 within the inner space 48c. Therefore, the air discharged into the inner space 48c flows through the gaps between each fin 36, cooling each fin 36, and is then discharged outside the housing 12 through the exhaust port 44.

[0051] In this configuration, the plate member 30 is equipped with a flow straightening member 38 in the region R2 between the left and right regions R1, R1 where the fins 36 are installed. As a result, the air discharged into the inner space 48c and used to cool each fin 36 is smoothly guided along the flow straightening walls 38a and 38b to the exhaust port 44.

[0052] As described above, the electronic device 10 according to this embodiment has a protruding portion 48 that extends along the width direction and is provided to protrude from the bottom surface 12c of the housing 12. The cooling module 24 mounted inside the housing 12 has a pair of fans 32, 32, a heat diffusion member 28, and a metal plate member 30. Each fan 32 is arranged side by side with space between them and has an outlet 40 on one side 32a facing each other. A portion of the outlet 40 is located within the inner space 48c of the protruding portion 48. The heat diffusion member 28 is positioned between the pair of fans 32, 32 and absorbs and diffuses heat from a heat-generating element (e.g., CPU 25a). The plate member 30 is stacked on the surface 28b of the heat diffusion member 28 between the pair of fans 32, 32. The cooling module 24 further has a plurality of fins 36 that protrude from the surface 30a of the plate member 30 and are positioned between the outlets 40, 40 of the pair of fans 32, 32 within the inner space 48c.

[0053] Thus, by providing a protrusion 48 on a part of the bottom surface 12c of the housing 12, the electronic device 10 expands a part of the internal space of the housing 12 in the Z2 direction. Each fan 32 is positioned such that a part of the discharge port 40 is located in the internal space 48c. In other words, the fan 32 can increase its thickness by utilizing the internal space 48c of the protrusion 48, thereby increasing its airflow.

[0054] Now, let's consider a configuration (comparative example) in which a plate member 30 having fins 36 is not laminated on the surface 28b of the heat diffusion member 28. In the comparative example, a blank space is formed in the inner space 48c between the discharge ports 40, 40 of the left and right fans 32, where no fins 36 are interposed. In this space, the air discharged from the left and right fans 32 contributes almost nothing to the cooling of the heat-generating elements and simply passes through the space and is discharged to the exhaust port 44. In particular, in this configuration, the air flowing through this space contributes almost nothing to the cooling of the CPU 25a, keyboard device 18, cover plate 20A, etc. As a result, in the configuration of the comparative example, even though the thickness of the fan 32 is increased and the airflow is increased, a sufficient improvement in cooling performance is not obtained.

[0055] On the other hand, in this embodiment, the electronic device 10 has a plate member 30 having fins 36 between the heat diffusion member 28 and the bottom surface of the inner space 48c. This allows the cooling module 24 to cool each fin 36 with air discharged into the inner space 48c from the left and right outlets 40. As a result, the electronic device 10 can effectively utilize the capacity of the fan 32 with increased thickness and improve its cooling performance. In other words, by cooling the fins 36 with air flowing through the inner space 48c, the cooling efficiency of the CPU 25a and the heat diffusion member 28 is improved, and the keyboard device 18 and cover plate 20A can also be cooled.

[0056] The surface 30a of the plate member 30 can have a flow straightening member 38 that directs the air discharged from the discharge ports 40 of the pair of fans 32, 32 and flowing within the inner space 48c toward the exhaust port 44 provided on the outer wall 42. As a result, the air that has cooled each fin 36 is guided more smoothly to the exhaust port 44 by the flow straightening member 38. Therefore, the cooling module 24 has a smoother flow of air from the discharge port 40 to the exhaust port 44 after it has flowed around the fins 36, and the cooling capacity is further improved.

[0057] In other words, within the inner space 48c, each fin 36 may act as resistance to the airflow from the discharge port 40. However, by providing a flow straightening member 38 within the inner space 48c, the flow toward the exhaust port 44 becomes smoother, and a decrease in wind speed and airflow can be suppressed. Furthermore, the flow straightening member 38 also functions as a partition wall that prevents the air discharged from the left and right fans 32 from colliding and causing a decrease in wind speed and airflow. The flow straightening member 38 may be omitted depending on, for example, the arrangement or shape of the fins 36, or the arrangement of the exhaust port 44.

[0058] Thus, the surface 30a of the plate member 30 can have a pair of regions R1, each with multiple fins 36 positioned facing the discharge port 40 of each fan 32, and a region R2 located between regions R1 and R1. Region R2 is provided with flow straightening walls 38a and 38b extending in a direction intersecting the air discharge direction from each discharge port 40 of each fan 32. This allows the air that has cooled each fin 36 to be guided more smoothly to the exhaust port 44 by the flow straightening walls 38a and 38b. The flow straightening member 38 may be configured to have, for example, a rod-shaped flow straightening wall along the Y direction.

[0059] In this case, the fins 36 may not be provided in region R2. That is, each fin 36 has a rod shape that extends in the direction of air discharge from the discharge port 40. For this reason, if fins 36 are present around the rectifier member 38, the rectifying effect of the rectifier member 38 may be reduced. Therefore, it is preferable that the plate member 30 does not have fins 36 in region R2, especially when using rod-shaped fins 36.

[0060] Figure 7 is a schematic plan view of the modified plate member 60 as seen from the Z2 side.

[0061] The plate member 60 shown in Figure 7 includes a plurality of fins 62 and flow straighteners 64, which have a different configuration from the fins 36 and flow straighteners 38 of the plate member 30 shown in Figures 2 and 4. The plate member 60 can also be made of, for example, a copper plate.

[0062] The fin 62 is a roughly square-shaped projection. The fin 62 protrudes from the Z2-side surface 60a of the plate member 60. The fin 62 can be formed, for example, by press molding the plate member 60. The fin 62 may also be formed by joining block-shaped parts to the surface 60a by soldering or the like.

[0063] The rectifier member 64 has a pair of rectifier walls 64a and 64b that gradually incline toward the exhaust port 44 (Y2 direction) in the direction of air discharge (X direction) from the discharge ports 40 of the left and right fans 32, 32. The pair of rectifier walls 64a and 64b are also arranged in an arrow shape that tapers toward the exhaust port 44. The rectifier member 64 can be formed, for example, by cutting and shaping a plate member 60.

[0064] By laminating such a plate member 60 onto the surface 28b of the heat diffusion member 28, the fins 62 and the rectifier member 64 can be interposed between the outlets 40, 40 of the left and right fans 32 within the inner space 48c. As a result, even in the cooling module 24 equipped with the plate member 60, the capacity of the fan 32, whose thickness has been increased by utilizing the inner space 48c, can be effectively utilized, thereby improving cooling performance.

[0065] 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.

[0066] The plate members 30 and 60 may omit the rectifier members 38 and 64 and have fins 36 and 62 installed over their entire surfaces 30a and 60a. However, in a configuration where the direction of air discharge from the discharge port 40 of the fan 32 intersects with the opening direction of the exhaust port 44, as shown in Figure 2, it is preferable to provide the rectifier members 38 and 64 to smooth the airflow from the discharge port 40 to the exhaust port 44. This is because an improvement in cooling capacity can be expected due to an increase in the airflow volume and wind speed of the fan 32. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0067] 10 Electronic equipment 11 Lid 12 cabinets 24 Cooling Modules 25 Motherboards 25a CPU 28 Heat Diffusion Member 30,60 Plate members 32 Fans 36.62 Fins 38,64 Rectifying members 38a,38b,64a,64b Rectifying wall 40 outlet 44 Exhaust vents 48 Protrusion 48c inner space

Claims

1. It is an electronic device, The casing and A heating element provided inside the aforementioned housing, A cooling module provided within the aforementioned housing for cooling the heat-generating element, Equipped with, The housing is provided so as to protrude from the bottom surface and has a protruding portion that extends along the width direction, The cooling module is A pair of fans are arranged side by side with space between them, each having an outlet on one side facing the other, and a portion of the outlet is located within the inner space of the protruding part. A heat diffusion member is positioned between the pair of fans and absorbs and diffuses the heat from the heat-generating element, A metal plate member is laminated on the surface of the heat diffusion member between the pair of fans, A plurality of fins are provided so as to protrude from the surface of the plate member and are arranged between the discharge ports of the pair of fans within the inner space of the protruding portion, has An electronic device characterized by the following features.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, The aforementioned enclosure is The outer wall extends along the longitudinal direction of the aforementioned protrusion, An exhaust port provided on the outer wall, located between the pair of fans when the direction in which the pair of fans are aligned is used as a reference, It has, On the surface of the plate member, The plurality of fins are provided, and a pair of first regions are located at positions facing the discharge ports of the pair of fans, A second region located between the pair of first regions, A system was established, The second region is provided with a flow-straightening wall that extends in a direction intersecting the direction of air discharge from each of the outlets of the pair of fans. An electronic device characterized by the following features.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, The aforementioned flow straightening walls are provided in pairs, The pair of rectifying walls are gradually inclined toward the exhaust port in the direction of air discharge from each of the pair of fan outlets. An electronic device characterized by the following features.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, The pair of rectifying walls are arranged in an arrow shape that tapers toward the exhaust port. An electronic device characterized by the following features.

5. An electronic device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, The fins are not provided in the second region. An electronic device characterized by the following features.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, The aforementioned enclosure is The outer wall extends along the longitudinal direction of the aforementioned protrusion, An exhaust port provided on the outer wall and located between the pair of fans with respect to the direction in which the pair of fans are aligned, It has, The surface of the plate member is provided with a flow straightening member that directs the air discharged from the outlets of the pair of fans and flowing through the inner space of the protrusion toward the exhaust port. An electronic device characterized by the following features.

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