Electronic equipment

Abstract

To provide an electronic device capable of suppressing the surface temperature of a housing. [Solution] The electronic device comprises a housing having a protrusion protruding from the bottom surface and an exhaust port provided in a vertical wall forming a side surface, with a portion of the internal space expanded in the protruding direction of the protrusion by the inner surface of the protrusion, a substrate on which a heat generating element is mounted and one edge facing the exhaust port, a cooling module having a fan with an outlet and cooling the heat generating element, and a partition plate that separates an upper air flow path from the fan outlet passing through the upper side of the substrate toward the exhaust port, and a lower air flow path from the fan outlet passing between the underside of the substrate and the inner surface of the protrusion toward the exhaust port, between one edge of the substrate and the exhaust port.

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] Electronic devices such as notebook PCs are equipped with heat generating elements such as a CPU. This type of electronic device is usually equipped with a cooling module that includes a fan and a heat sink and absorbs heat generated by the heat generating element and dissipates it to the outside (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

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

[0004] In the configuration of Patent Document 1, the left and right fans have outlets on the sides facing each other. The air discharged from these outlets flows over the surface of the board, directly cools heat sources such as the CPU, and is then discharged outside the case through the exhaust port. In such a configuration, the upper surface of the case, particularly the bezel part (rear bezel) behind the keyboard device, is exposed to high-temperature exhaust air flowing directly below it. As a result, the rear bezel may become locally hot. This can reduce the user's comfort and become a bottleneck in the thermal design of the entire device.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems with the conventional technology, and has an object to provide an electronic device capable of suppressing the surface temperature of the housing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a housing having a protrusion protruding from a bottom surface and an exhaust port provided in a vertical wall forming a side surface, with a portion of the internal space expanded in the protruding direction of the protrusion by the inner surface of the protrusion, a substrate on which a heat generating element is mounted and one edge of which is positioned facing the exhaust port, a cooling module having a fan with an outlet and which cools the heat generating element, and a partition plate which divides an upper air flow path from the outlet of the fan through the upper side of the substrate toward the exhaust port, and a lower air flow path from the outlet of the fan through between the underside of the substrate and the inner surface of the protrusion toward the exhaust port, into upper and lower portions between one edge of the substrate and the exhaust port. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the above aspect of the present invention, the surface temperature of the housing can be suppressed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of an electronic device according to an embodiment viewed from above. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a schematic internal structure of the housing. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the partition plate and its surrounding area shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bottom surface of the housing as viewed obliquely from the front. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a partition plate and its periphery according to a modification of the partition plate shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] 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.

[0010] 1 is a schematic plan view of an electronic device 10 according to an embodiment, viewed from above. As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic device 10 according to this embodiment is a clamshell-type notebook PC. The electronic device 10 has a cover 11 and a housing 12 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.

[0011] 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.

[0012] The housing 12 is a thin, flat box. A keyboard device 18 and a touch pad 19 face an upper surface 12a) of the housing 12. Hereinafter, the housing 12 and each of the components mounted thereon will be described with reference to 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 (up and down) 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 be similarly referred to as the Y direction and the Z direction. These directions are determined for the sake of convenience, and may of course change depending on the usage state or installation posture of the electronic device 10.

[0013] The housing 12 can be composed of a plate-like member 20 forming the top surface 12a, a cover member 21 forming the bottom surface 12b, and a standing wall member 22 forming the four peripheral side surfaces 12c (see also FIG. 4, etc.). The plate-like member 20 has a large rectangular opening 20a in which the keyboard device 18 is disposed. The periphery of the opening 20a forms a bezel 20b surrounding the keyboard device 18. The cover member 21 is formed in a plate shape. As shown in FIG. 4, the housing 12 of this embodiment has a protrusion 48 near the Y2 edge of the cover member 21. The standing wall member 22 stands between the four peripheral edges of the plate-like member 20 and the four peripheral edges of the cover member 21, and forms a frame shape as a whole.

[0014] The hinge 14 is installed in a concave hinge arrangement 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 a hinge shaft serving as a rotation axis is supported at both ends of the hinge housing 14a in the longitudinal direction. The hinge 14 of this embodiment is configured in a so-called one-bar shape in which the hinge housing 14a extends along the longitudinal direction of the hinge arrangement groove 12d. The hinge 14 descends diagonally backward while the hinge housing 14a rotates together with the cover 11. The hinge 14 has a structure that increases the rotation angle of the cover 11 in this way, that is, a so-called drop-down structure. The structure of the hinge 14 may be other than the above.

[0015] Fig. 2 is a plan view that shows a schematic internal structure of the housing 12. Fig. 2 shows the inside of the housing 12 from the bottom side with the cover member 21 removed.

[0016] 2, a cooling module 24, a motherboard 25, and a battery device 26 are housed inside the housing 12. Inside the housing 12, various electronic components, mechanical components, and the like are also provided.

[0017] The motherboard (substrate) 25 is a circuit board that serves as a main board of the electronic device 10. The motherboard 25 is disposed toward the Y2 side of the housing 12, and extends in the X direction. The battery device 26 is a rechargeable battery that serves as a power source for the electronic device 10. The battery device 26 is disposed toward the Y1 side of the motherboard 25, and extends in the X direction.

[0018] 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), a memory, a communication module, and the like.

[0019] For example, the upper surface (first surface 25A) of the motherboard 25 serves as a mounting surface for the plate-like member 20, and the lower surface (second surface 25B) serves as a mounting surface for the CPU 25a and the like.

[0020] Next, a configuration example of the cooling module 24 will be described.

[0021] 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.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 2, the cooling module 24 of the present embodiment includes a heat diffusion member 28 and a pair of fans 30, 30.

[0023] The heat diffusion member 28 absorbs and diffuses heat from the CPU 25a. The heat diffusion member 28 includes a metal plate 28a and a heat pipe 28b.

[0024] The metal plate 28a is a thin plate made of a metal with high thermal conductivity, such as copper or aluminum. The metal plate 28a in this embodiment is a copper plate. The metal plate 28a extends in the X direction between the left and right fans 30. The metal plate 28a covers a part (part 25C) of the motherboard 25 arranged between the left and right fans 30 and the CPU 25a mounted on the part 25C from the second surface 25B side (Z2 side) (see also FIG. 5). The metal plate 28a is connected to the surface of the CPU 25a. Between the metal plate 28a and the CPU 25a, for example, a heat receiving plate 25b made of thermally conductive grease and a copper block or the like having approximately the same size as the outer shape of the CPU 25a is interposed (see FIG. 5). A leaf spring 32 is attached to each edge 28a1, 28a2 along the X direction of the metal plate 28a. The leaf spring 32 is a component that presses the metal plate 28a against the CPU 25a via the heat receiving plate 25b.

[0025] The heat pipe 28b is a pipe-type heat transport device. The heat pipe 28b is configured by crushing a metal pipe thin and flat to form an elliptical cross section, and sealing a working fluid in the sealed space inside. Examples of the working fluid include water, alternative fluorocarbons, acetone, butane, etc. The heat pipes 28b can be used in pairs, for example. The heat pipes 28b are fixed to the back side of the connection surface of the metal plate 28a to the CPU 25a. Each heat pipe 28b overlaps the CPU 25a in the Z direction near the center in the longitudinal direction. This allows the heat pipes 28b to be thermally connected to the CPU 25a, which is a heat source. The heat pipes 28b can quickly diffuse the heat of the CPU 25a transferred to the metal plate 28a with higher efficiency than the metal plate 28a.

[0026] The pair of fans 30, 30 are arranged side by side in the X direction so as to straddle the heat diffusion member 28 between them, and face each other. Each fan 30 has an outlet 34 on the side surface 30a facing each other. In other words, the outlets 34 of the left and right fans 30 face each other with the heat diffusion member 28 between them. This allows each fan 30 to discharge air toward the heat diffusion member 28. Each fan 30 has an intake port 35 on at least the end surface 30c on the Z2 side among the upper and lower end surfaces 30b, 30c facing the Z direction. The intake port 35 can also be provided on the end surface 30b on the Z1 side. The end surfaces 30b, 30c are perpendicular to the side surface 30a and are also perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotation shaft of the impeller.

[0027] The fan 30 is a centrifugal fan that rotates an impeller housed inside a housing by a motor, thereby enabling the fan 30 to suck in air from an inlet 35 and expel it from an outlet 34.

[0028] Next, an intake and 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.

[0029] Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the partition plate 44 and its surroundings shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 3 shows a state in which the leaf spring 32 on the Y2 side has been removed. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the bottom surface 12b of the housing 12 as viewed obliquely from the front. Fig. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view along line VV in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a side cross-sectional view showing a schematic internal structure of the housing 12 at the cooling module 24 and its surroundings.

[0030] 2 to 5, the exhaust structure of the electronic device 10 can include an exhaust port 40 formed in the standing wall member 22 at the rear edge (Y2 side edge) of the housing 12. The exhaust port 40 is an opening for discharging air (hot air) that is discharged from the outlet 34 of the fan 30 and flows along the upper and lower surfaces 25A, 25B of the motherboard 25 to the outside of the housing 12. This air cools the motherboard 25, the CPU 25a, the heat diffusion member 28, etc. along the way and becomes hot.

[0031] In this embodiment, the Y2-side standing wall member 22 has a hinge arrangement groove 12d extending along its longitudinal direction and recessed toward the Y1 side. The exhaust port 40 is provided near the longitudinal center of the front wall (hereinafter referred to as the "standing wall 42") of the hinge arrangement groove 12d of the Y2-side standing wall member 22. The exhaust port 40 can be composed of a plurality of small windows arranged closely in the X direction, for example. The exhaust port 40 is located between the fans 30, 30 when the arrangement direction (X direction) of the left and right fans 30, 30 is used as a reference.

[0032] 2, 3, and 5, portion 25C of motherboard 25 is disposed such that its rear edge (one edge 25D) is spaced from vertical wall 42 (exhaust port 40) with a gap C in the Y direction. One edge 25D of motherboard 25 can be disposed in close proximity to vertical wall 42. However, this is because many other components such as wiring and antenna cables are usually housed in this vicinity, making it practically difficult to position one edge 25D immediately adjacent to vertical wall 42.

[0033] The electronic device 10 of this embodiment includes a partition plate 44 in a gap C between one edge portion 25D of the motherboard 25 and the exhaust port 40. The partition plate 44 is a member (air separator) that separates upper and lower air flow paths (upper air flow path P1 and lower air flow path P2) from the outlet 34 of the fan 30 toward the exhaust port 40 into upper and lower parts.

[0034] 3 and 5, the partition plate 44 is fixed to one edge 25D of the portion 25C of the motherboard 25 and protrudes to the Y2 side. The partition plate 44 is a plate that is thinner than the motherboard 25. The partition plate 44 is a thin plate made of a metal such as stainless steel, aluminum, or copper. The partition plate 44 can be configured as a generally crank-shaped plate that is bent to form a step 44c midway when viewed from the side.

[0035] The partition plate 44 can have a fixed portion 44a and a straightening portion 44b. The fixed portion 44a is a portion on the Y1 side of the partition plate 44 and is aligned along the XY direction. The fixed portion 44a is disposed at a position one step lower (Z2 side) than the straightening portion 44b due to a step 44c. The straightening portion 44b is a portion on the Y2 side of the partition plate 44 and is aligned along the XY direction. The straightening portion 44b is disposed at a position one step higher (Z1 side) than the fixed portion 44a due to the step 44c.

[0036] The fixing portion 44a is fixed to the second surface 25B of the motherboard 25 with, for example, double-sided adhesive tape 46. The flow straightening portion 44b is disposed on the Z1 side from the second surface 25B by the amount of the step 44c. The flow straightening portion 44b is disposed, for example, near the center of the plate thickness of the motherboard 25. As a result, the flow straightening portion 44b is disposed so as to protrude from the end face of the one edge portion 25D toward the exhaust port 40. The flow straightening portion 44b separates the upper air flow path P1 and the lower air flow path P2 into upper and lower parts, and further straightens the air A1, A2 flowing through each air flow path P1, P2 toward the exhaust port 40.

[0037] Each fan 30 may also have an outlet port, for example, on the side surface on the Y2 side facing the standing wall 42. In this case, the housing 12 may also have an additional exhaust port formed in the standing wall 42 facing this outlet port.

[0038] Reference symbol 32a in Fig. 3 denotes fastening parts that screw both ends of the leaf spring 32 to the second surface 25B of the motherboard 25. Reference symbol 32b in Fig. 3 denotes a pin that positions the center of the leaf spring 32 on the metal plate 28a.

[0039] Next, the air intake structure of the electronic device 10 can include an air intake port 50 formed in a protrusion 48 provided on the bottom surface 12 b of the housing 12 .

[0040] The protrusion 48 protrudes in the Z2 direction from the bottom surface 12b. The protrusion 48 has a rectangular cylindrical shape that is long in the X direction and flat in the Z direction. The X direction length of the protrusion 48 covers substantially the entire X direction width of the housing 12. The protrusion 48 is provided at a position closer to the Y2 side in the front-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 wall 48b is located immediately in front of the standing wall 42. In a plan view of the housing 12, the protrusion 48 is disposed at a position that vertically overlaps the left and right fans 30, 30 (see FIGS. 2 and 5).

[0041] An input / output port 54 can be provided at each of the ends (left and right end faces) in the longitudinal direction of the protrusion 48. The input / output port 54 can be, for example, one that complies with the HDMI (registered trademark) standard or one that complies with the USB 3.0 communication standard. This allows the electronic device 10 to have a tapered surface on the side surface 12c, while allowing the input / output port 54 that requires a certain level of height to be installed. The protrusion 48 also functions as a rear leg that raises the rear part of the housing 12 placed on a placement surface such as the top surface of a desk higher than the front part. This allows the electronic device 10 to have a keyboard device 18 in a tilted position with the front lowered when in use, improving operability. Reference numeral 55 in FIG. 4 denotes a rubber leg that serves as a leg when the electronic device 10 is placed on the placement surface. The rubber leg 55 on the Y2 side is provided on the bottom surface of the protrusion 48.

[0042] The protrusion 48 can also function as a part of the air intake structure of the electronic device 10 by providing the air intake 50. The air intake 50 is provided in the side wall 48a on the Y1 side. The air intake 50 is composed of, for example, a plurality of small windows arranged closely in the X direction. A pair of air intakes 50 are provided on the left and right, and are located on the Y1 sides of the left and right fans 30, 30 in the X direction. An air intake similar to the air intake 50 may also be provided in the side wall 48b of the protrusion 48.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 5, the end surface 30c on which the suction port 35 of each fan 30 is formed faces the inner space 48c of the protruding portion 48. The inner space 48c is a groove-like space that is deeper from the inner surface 21a of the cover member 21 toward the Z2 side by the height of the protruding portion 48. The inner space 48c expands the internal space of the housing 12 in the Z direction. In other words, the inner surface 48d of the protruding portion 48 expands a part of the internal space of the housing 12 in the protruding direction (Z2 direction) of the protruding portion 48. The end surface 30c on which the suction port 35 is formed is disposed at the upper part of the inner space 48c. This allows the fan 30 to smoothly draw air outside the housing 12 into the suction port 35 through the air intake 50.

[0044] In the fan 30 of this embodiment, the suction port 35 (end surface 30c) is inserted into the inner space 48c (see FIG. 5). The end surface 30c forms the lowermost portion 24a of the cooling module 24. The lowermost portion 24a is located below a surface (inner surface) 56 extending from the upper end 48b1 of the side wall 48b toward the standing wall 42 in the vertical direction within the housing 12. Note that, when only the components interposed in the lower air flow path P2 are considered, the lowermost portion 24a of the cooling module 24 is the lower surface 28b1 of the heat pipe 28b. The lower surface 28b1 of the heat pipe 28b is also located below the surface 56.

[0045] Next, a description will be given of the cooling action of the cooling module 24. The dashed and dotted arrows shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5 show schematic air flows, and the same is true for Figures 6 and 7.

[0046] In the electronic device 10, heat generated by a heat generating body such as the CPU 25a is transferred to the heat diffusion member 28 and efficiently diffused. Fans 30 on both sides of the heat diffusion member 28 draw outside air (cold air) through the intake port 50 into the intake port 35 and expel it from the exhaust port 34. The heat diffusion member 28 is not limited to a configuration including the metal plate 28a and the heat pipe 28b as long as it can diffuse the heat of a heat generating body such as the CPU 25a.

[0047] Air discharged from the outlets 34 of the left and right fans 30 flows above and below the motherboard 25. On the upper surface side of the motherboard 25, an upper air flow path P1 is formed which passes between the first surface 25A and the lower surface 18a of the keyboard device 18 and heads toward the exhaust port 40 (see FIG. 5). Air A1 flowing through the upper air flow path P1 cools the motherboard 25 to which heat from the CPU 25a and the like has been transferred.

[0048] A lower air flow path P2 is formed on the lower surface side of the motherboard 25, passing between the second surface 25B and the bottom (inner surface 48d) of the protruding portion 48 toward the exhaust port 40 (see FIG. 5). Air A2 flowing through the lower air flow path P2 circulates along the upper and lower surfaces of the metal plate 28a. The air A2 flowing along the upper surface side of the metal plate 28a cools the motherboard 25, the CPU 25a, the heat receiving plate 25b, and the metal plate 28a. The air A2 flowing along the lower surface side of the metal plate 28a cools the metal plate 28a and the heat pipe 28b.

[0049] The air (hot air) that has flowed through the air flow paths P1, P2 is exhausted to the outside of the housing 12 through the exhaust port 40 that opens in the center of the standing wall 42. At this time, the electronic device 10 has a partition plate 44 between one edge portion 25D of the motherboard 25 and the exhaust port 40. Therefore, the air flow paths P1, P2 are partitioned into upper and lower portions by the partition plate 44 between the one edge portion 25D and the exhaust port 40. Therefore, the air A1, A2 pass through the exhaust port 40 while remaining separated into upper and lower portions, with almost no merging with each other.

[0050] Hereinafter, the bezel 20b extending in the X direction at the rear of the keyboard device 18 will be referred to as the rear bezel 20b. As shown in FIG. 5, the rear bezel 20b is located directly above the exhaust port 40. In other words, the rear bezel 20b is exposed to high-temperature exhaust air passing through the exhaust port 40, and is in a position where the temperature of the rear bezel 20b is likely to rise. The temperature of the rear bezel 20b in this embodiment rises due to the heat of the air A1 flowing through the upper air flow path P1. However, the air A2 flowing through the lower air flow path P2 separated by the partition plate 44 is hardly blown onto the rear bezel 20b. Therefore, the rear bezel 20b is prevented from receiving heat from the air A2, and the temperature of the rear bezel 20b is hardly raised by the air A2.

[0051] Here, the air A1 is substantially absorbing only the heat from the first surface 25A side of the motherboard 25, and is relatively low temperature. On the other hand, the air A2 is absorbing heat from the CPU 25a, the metal plate 28a, and the heat pipes 28b in addition to the heat from the second surface 25B side of the motherboard 25, and is considerably high temperature. In other words, the partition plate 44 can prevent the rear bezel 20b from being heated by the air A2, which is significantly hotter than the air A1. This allows the electronic device 10 to significantly suppress the temperature rise of the rear bezel 20b, compared to a configuration without the partition plate 44 in which the air A2 directly heats the rear bezel 20b.

[0052] The partition plate 44 may be fixed to a component other than the motherboard 25, for example, to the edge portion 28a2 of the metal plate 28a. The partition plate may have another configuration as long as it can separate the air flow paths P1, P2 between the one edge portion 25D of the motherboard 25 and the exhaust port 40 into upper and lower portions as described above.

[0053] Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of a partition plate 60 and its surroundings according to a modification of the partition plate 44 shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in Fig. 6.

[0054] 6 and 7 is provided in a component of the cooling module 24. The partition plate 60 can be formed integrally with, for example, the metal plate 28a. The partition plate 60 is an extension of a portion of the metal plate 28a made of, for example, copper or aluminum.

[0055] The partition plate 60 has an inclined portion 60a and a tip portion 60b. The partition plate 60 has a substantially boomerang shape in a side view. The partition plate 60 protrudes from the edge portion 28a2 of the metal plate 28a. The inclined portion 60a forms an inclined surface that gradually inclines upward (to the Z1 side) from the edge portion 28a2 toward the rear (Y2 side). The tip portion 60b is bent from the Y2-side end of the inclined portion 60a along the XY direction and protrudes in the Y2 direction. The height position of the tip portion 60b in the Z direction is, for example, near the center of the plate thickness of the motherboard 25. This allows the partition plate 60 to separate the upper and lower air flow paths P1 and P2 from the outlet 34 of the fan 30 toward the exhaust port 40 into upper and lower parts. Even in a configuration including such a partition plate 60, the air A2 can be prevented from directly heating the rear bezel 20b, and the temperature rise of the rear bezel 20b can be suppressed.

[0056] As described above, the electronic device 10 of the present embodiment includes a housing 12 having a protruding portion 48 provided to protrude from the bottom surface 12b and an exhaust port 40 provided in a vertical wall 42 forming a side surface 12c. The housing 12 is equipped with a motherboard 25 on which a heat generating body (e.g., a CPU 25a) is mounted and one edge portion 25D of the motherboard 25 faces the exhaust port 40, and a cooling module 24 having a fan 30. Inside the housing 12, an upper air flow path P1 is formed, which passes from the outlet 34 of the fan 30 to the upper surface (first surface 25A) of the motherboard 25 toward the exhaust port 40, and a lower air flow path P2 is formed, which passes from the outlet 34 of the fan 30 between the lower surface (second surface 25B) of the motherboard 25 and the inner surface 48d of the protruding portion 48 toward the exhaust port 40. The electronic device 10 further includes a partition plate 44 (60) that partitions the air flow paths P1, P2 into upper and lower portions between the one edge portion 25D of the motherboard 25 and the exhaust port 40.

[0057] In this way, the electronic device 10 can prevent the high-temperature air A2 flowing through the lower air flow path P2 from directly heating the rear bezel 20b due to the rectifying effect of the partition plate 44 (60). This allows the electronic device 10 to suppress a temperature rise in the rear bezel 20b and suppress the surface temperature of the housing 12. In particular, in the electronic device 10, the heat pipe 28b, which becomes the hottest in the housing 12, is interposed in the lower air flow path P2. In other words, the air A2 flowing around the heat pipe 28b becomes much hotter than the air A1 flowing through the upper air flow path P1. As a result, the electronic device 10 can more effectively suppress a temperature rise in the rear bezel 20b due to the partition plate 44 (60).

[0058] In particular, the electronic device 10 has a protruding portion 48 protruding from the bottom surface 12b to the Z2 side. The lower air flow path P2 through which the high-temperature air A2 flows is formed between the motherboard 25 and the inner surface 48d of the protruding portion 48. As a result, in the electronic device 10, the air A2 flowing through the lower air flow path P2 may generate air A2a that rises along the inner surface of the side wall 48b of the protruding portion 48 (see FIGS. 5 and 7). The air A2a flows obliquely upward toward the rear. For this reason, if the partition plate 44 (60) is not present in the configuration, the air A2a is blown straight along the inner surface of the side wall 48b toward the rear bezel 20b, and the temperature rise of the rear bezel 20b may become even more noticeable. In this regard, the electronic device 10 can rectify the upward air A2a into a rearward flow by the partition plate 44 (60). As a result, the electronic device 10, which has a configuration in which the protrusion 48 is provided, can effectively prevent the high-temperature air A2a from being blown against the rear bezel 20b.

[0059] Therefore, it is preferable that the partition plate 44 (60) overlaps the side wall 48b vertically, so that the partition plate 44 (60) can more reliably prevent the air A2a rising along the inner surface of the side wall 48b from being blown against the rear bezel 20b.

[0060] In the electronic device 10, the lowermost portion 24a of the cooling module 24 can be located below a surface 56 extending from an upper end 48b1 of the side wall 48b toward the standing wall 42. In other words, in a configuration in which the lowermost portion 24a is located below the surface 56, the flow rate of the air A2 flowing through the lower air flow path P2 and flowing through the inner space 48c of the protruding portion 48 increases, and the flow rate of the air A2a rising along the inner surface of the side wall 48b increases. In this case as well, by providing the electronic device 10 with the partition plate 44 (60), the temperature rise of the rear bezel 20b can be effectively suppressed.

[0061] It is preferable that the airflow straightening portion 44b of the partition plate 44 and the tip portion 60b of the partition plate 60 are horizontal surfaces along the XY direction, thereby making it possible to prevent the air A1, A2 from being blown toward the rear bezel 20b.

[0062] The partition plate 44 shown in FIG. 5 is fixed to one edge portion 25D of the motherboard 25. This allows the partition plate 44 to be easily installed between the one edge portion 25D and the exhaust port 40. The partition plate 44 can also be easily arranged on an extension line of the motherboard 25 that divides the air flow paths P1 and P2. This allows the partition plate 44 to be arranged at a position sufficiently distant from the upper end 48b1 of the side wall 48b and the surface 56. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, a sufficient distance L1 can be secured between the surface 56 and the partition plate 44. As a result, the height of the electronic device 10 on the downstream side of the lower air flow path P2 is restricted by the partition plate 44, and the air volume of the air A2 can be suppressed from decreasing. In particular, since the air A2 cools the CPU 25a and the heat diffusion member 28, securing a sufficient air volume also contributes to improving the cooling efficiency of the entire cooling module 24. It is preferable that the partition plate 44 has a thickness thinner than that of the motherboard 25. This ensures a larger distance L1, and increases the volume of air A2. Also, the step 44c of the partition plate 44 places the flow straightening portion 44b one step higher than the fixed portion 44a. This allows the vertical width between the flow straightening portion 44b and the surface 56 to be expanded, and the flow rate of air A2 can be ensured.

[0063] 7 is configured by extending the edge portion 28a2 of the metal plate 28a. Here, since the metal plate 28a is located below the motherboard 25, the partition plate 60 is also located below the motherboard 25. Therefore, the partition plate 60 is configured to merge air A2 (hereinafter referred to as "air A3") flowing above the lower air flow path P2 with the upper air flow path P1. Air A3 is air flowing between the second surface 25B and the upper surface of the metal plate 28a.

[0064] In this configuration using the partition plate 60, the air A3 merges with the air A1 flowing through the upper air flow passage P1 and flows directly below the rear bezel 20b. As a result, the partition plate 60 may have a lower effect of suppressing the temperature rise of the rear bezel 20b than the partition plate 44 shown in FIG. 5. In addition, since the partition plate 60 is located below the motherboard 25, the distance L2 between the surface 56 is also smaller than the distance L1, and the air volume of the fan 30 may be reduced more than the partition plate 44 shown in FIG. 5. However, the partition plate 60 can be assembled into the housing 12 together with the metal plate 28a as a part of the metal plate 28a. Therefore, the partition plate 60 is easy to install in the housing 12, and has the advantage of improving the efficiency of the assembly work of the electronic device 10. Furthermore, since the partition plate 560 is a part of the metal plate 28a, the surface area of ​​the metal plate 28a can be expanded, and the cooling effect can be improved.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 2, the electronic device 10 may also have a space (duct structure 58) formed inside the housing 12 to facilitate smoother airflow from the fan 30. The duct structure 58 is a space surrounded by airtight walls 58a. The airtight walls 58a are, for example, members formed in a strip shape of sponge or rubber. The airtight walls 58a do not need to be able to completely block the passage of air, but need to have a certain degree of ventilation resistance to regulate the direction of air flow. The airtight walls 58a stand, for example, between the first surface 25A of the motherboard 25 and the lower surface 18a of the keyboard device 18, and between the second surface 25B and the inner surface 21a of the cover member 21.

[0066] This allows the air from the outlet 34 of the fan 30 to flow through the duct structure 58 and be discharged more smoothly to the exhaust port 40. As a result, the electronic device 10 can prevent the warm air that has cooled the heat diffusion member 28 and the heat generating element (CPU 25a) from flowing back into the inlet 35 of the fan 30 inside the housing 12, further improving the cooling efficiency.

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

[0068] 10 Electronic equipment 11 Lid 12. Chassis 16 Display 18 Keyboard Device 24 Cooling Module 25 Motherboard 25a CPU 28 Heat diffusion material 28a Metal Plate 28b Heat pipe 30 Fans 34 Discharge port 35 Intake port 40 Exhaust port 42 Standing Wall 44,60 Partition plate 48 Protrusion 48a,48b side wall

Claims

1. An electronic device, a housing having a protruding portion protruding from a bottom surface and an exhaust port provided in a vertical wall forming a side surface, with a part of an internal space being expanded in a protruding direction of the protruding portion by an inner surface of the protruding portion; A substrate on which a heating element is mounted and one edge of which faces the exhaust port; a cooling module having a fan with an outlet port for cooling the heat generating element; an upper air flow path from the outlet of the fan passing through the upper surface side of the substrate toward the exhaust port, and a lower air flow path from the outlet of the fan passing between the lower surface of the substrate and the inner surface of the protruding portion toward the exhaust port, the upper air flow path being separated between one edge of the substrate and the exhaust port by a partition plate that separates the upper and lower air flow paths into one edge of the substrate and the exhaust port, the lower air flow path being separated between the outlet of the fan passing between the lower surface of the substrate and the inner surface of the protruding portion, and the lower air flow path being separated between the outlet of the fan passing through the upper surface of the substrate Equipped 1. An electronic device comprising:

2. 2. The electronic device according to claim 1, the protruding portion protrudes from a bottom surface of the housing and has a side wall extending along a longitudinal direction of the standing wall, The partition plate overlaps the side wall vertically.

1. An electronic device comprising:

3. 3. The electronic device according to claim 2, The lowermost portion of the cooling module is below a surface extending from the upper end of the side wall toward the standing wall.

1. An electronic device comprising:

4. 2. The electronic device according to claim 1, the cooling module has a heat pipe thermally connected to the heat generating element; The heat pipe is disposed on the lower surface side of the substrate and is interposed in the lower air flow path.

1. An electronic device comprising:

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

1. An electronic device comprising:

6. 6. The electronic device according to claim 5, The thickness of the partition plate is thinner than the thickness of the base plate.

1. An electronic device comprising:

7. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The cooling module has a metal plate covering the heating element, The partition plate is an extension of a part of the metal plate.

1. An electronic device comprising:

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