Cooling structure of the housing

Abstract

To provide a cooling structure for efficiently performing forced air cooling by uniformly distributing air by a cooling fan to a plurality of plug-in units arranged in parallel.SOLUTION: An air guide member is provided between a cooling fan and a plug-in unit. Cooling air from the fan is distributed by a partition of the air guide member and guided to each plug-in unit. A fan side is radially partitioned, a plug-in unit side is partitioned in a rectangular shape, and respective flow passages are continuously connected, so that the cooling air in a high wind speed region blown out from a blade outer peripheral portion is uniformly distributed to respective plug-in units.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling structure for a housing having a subrack structure in which a plurality of plug-in unit type electronic devices are mounted side by side. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, multiple plug-in unit type electronic devices are mounted side by side in a subrack attached to a housing, and are cooled by cooling air blown by an axial flow fan fixed to the housing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-161193 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Figure 7 shows the state of the airflow volume generated by fan 9a in a conventional subrack-structured housing. Plug-in unit 7 is positioned downwind of the airflow generated by fan 9a, and air flows from fan 9a in the direction indicated by the arrow. Due to the characteristics of axial flow fan 9a in this configuration, the airflow volume supplied to plug-in units in the high airflow region around the outer periphery of the fan blades tends to be large, while the airflow volume supplied to plug-in units outside the high airflow region tends to be small. This has led to the problem that the plug-in units 7 mounted side by side in the subrack cannot be uniformly cooled. In plug-in units 7 with insufficient cooling airflow, the electronic components tend to become hot, which can cause malfunctions. Here, in order to evenly distribute the cooling air from the fan to each plug-in unit, it was necessary to install a duct (air passage) between the fan 9a and the plug-in unit 7 to rectify the fluid, which tended to make the device structure larger. Alternatively, in order to ensure sufficient airflow for plug-in units 7 outside the high air velocity range, the cooling airflow may be compensated for by changing the fan to a high-power type, but this tends to increase the costs of power and the cooling structure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present invention provides a cooling structure for a housing, A cooling structure for a housing that cools electronic devices by sending air into a housing in which a plurality of plug-in units, each of which has an electronic device mounted therein, are mounted side by side, the cooling structure comprising: an axial flow fan that generates an air flow; an air guide member having one surface fixed to the axial flow fan and the other surface fixed to the housing; the air guide member has a plurality of flow paths divided by partitions from the one surface to the other surface, A plurality of fan-shaped openings are radially provided on the one surface, and a plurality of rectangular openings are provided on the other surface, The air generated by the axial flow fan flows through the flow path from the fan-shaped opening, The fan-shaped opening is connected to the fan-shaped opening in a continuous shape. The liquid is delivered into the housing through the rectangular opening. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to this invention, cooling air in the high wind speed range ejected from the outer periphery of the fan blades can be evenly distributed to each plug-in unit without increasing the size of the device and at low cost, thereby uniformly cooling the electronic devices mounted in each plug-in unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating a cooling structure of a housing in which a plurality of plug-in unit type electronic devices are mounted side by side in the housing, according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view showing a plug-in unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3]1 is a perspective view of an air guide member in a cooling structure for a housing according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view of an air guide member in a cooling structure for a housing according to a first embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from an exhaust port. [Figure 5] 3A to 3C are cross-sectional views of an air guide member in the cooling structure for a housing according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 3 is a schematic diagram showing the state of airflow in the cooling structure of the housing according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the state of airflow in a conventional cooling structure for a housing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 shows the appearance of a housing according to the first embodiment, and is a perspective view showing a housing 1 having a subrack structure in which a plurality of plug-in units 7, each of which mounts an electronic device, are mounted side by side. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the plug-in unit 7 when it is pulled out from the housing 1. FIG.

[0009] 1, the housing 1 has a back plate 2, a top cover 3, a bottom cover 4, a side cover 5, a rear panel 6, and guide rails 8 that support a plug-in unit 7. An axial flow fan 9a (hereinafter referred to as fan 9a) is fixed to one surface of an air guide member 10. The other surface of the air guide member 10 is fixed to the bottom cover 4. As will be described later, air outside the housing 1 is sucked in by the fan 9a and taken into the inside of the housing 1 through a flow path provided in the air guide member 10. A fan 9b is fixed to the rear panel 6.

[0010] As shown in FIG. 2, the plug-in unit 7 has a printed circuit board 11 and a front panel 12, and is inserted into the housing 1 along guide rails 8 provided in a slot in which the plug-in unit 7 is to be mounted, and is fixed to the back plate 2. The housing 1 shown in FIG. 1 has a six-slot configuration, and six plug-in units 7 are inserted along guide rails 8 and fixed to the housing 1.

[0011] Cooling air taken into the housing 1 by the fan 9a through the air guide member 10 passes between the plug-in units 7 and is exhausted to the outside of the housing 1 by the fan 9b fixed to the rear panel 6. Here, a rectangular opening through which cooling air passes is provided between the guide rails 8 of adjacent slots. Here, the rectangular opening is a rectangular flow path formed on one surface of the air guide member 10, and the air guide member 10 is fixed to the bottom cover 4 so that this rectangular flow path is exactly positioned between the guide rails 8. The airflow blowing up from this rectangular flow path forcibly cools the electronic components mounted on the printed circuit board.

[0012] 3 is a perspective view of the air guide member 10, as seen from the direction of the surface to which the fan 9a is fixed. The surface visible on the near side is the surface on which the fan 9a is attached and serves as the intake side for cooling air, and is designated as the intake surface 10a. The surface opposite the intake surface 10a is the exhaust side for cooling air, and is designated as the exhaust surface 10b.

[0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the air guide member 10, and in contrast to FIG. 3, the surface visible on the near side is the exhaust surface 10b, and the surface on the opposite side is the intake surface 10a.

[0014] As shown in Figure 3, fan-shaped openings are provided radially on the intake surface 10a. Each opening is radially partitioned. Specifically, 12 openings (13a, 13b, 13c, ..., 13l) are provided on the intake surface 10a, and each opening is radially arranged, forming a fan shape that is narrow on the inside and wide on the outside. Partitions are provided between each opening, separating them from each other.

[0015] On the other hand, exhaust surface 10b is provided with a total of 12 openings arranged in 6 rows and 2 columns. However, the openings provided on exhaust surface 10b are rectangular as shown in Fig. 4, and partitions are provided between each opening to separate the openings. Specifically, exhaust surface 10b is provided with 12 openings (14a_1, 14a_2, 14b_1, 14b_2, 14c_1, 14c_2, ..., 14f_1, 14f_2).

[0016] The openings 14a_1 and 14a_2 form two openings in one row and two columns, and the openings 14a_1 and 14a_2 correspond to the rectangular openings provided between the guide rails 8 of the adjacent slots described in the housing 1. Similarly, 14b_1 and 14b_2 form two openings, 14c_1 and 14c_2, . . . , 14f_1 and 14f_2 form two openings in one row and two columns, which are installed between the respective guide rails 8.

[0017] The openings provided on the intake surface 10a and the openings provided on the exhaust surface 10b correspond to each other, and the corresponding openings are smoothly connected to each other in a continuous shape. For example, openings 13a and 13f on intake surface 10a correspond to rectangular openings 14c_1 and 14c_2 on exhaust surface 10b, and these openings are smoothly connected with a continuous shape inside air guide member 10. In other words, openings 13a and 13f on intake surface 10a and rectangular openings 14c_1 and 14c_2 on exhaust surface 10b are connected inside air guide member 10, forming a flow path for air. The rectangular shapes of openings 14c_1 and 14c_2 on exhaust surface 10b are matched to the shape of the gap between guide rails 8 when the plug-in unit is inserted. The openings 13a and 13f on the intake surface 10a and the rectangular openings 14c_1 and 14c_2 on the exhaust surface 10b can also be called flow path sections because they form a flow path for air that flows due to the operation of the fan 9a.

[0018] Similarly, openings 13b and 13e on intake surface 10a are smoothly connected in a continuous shape to rectangular openings 14b_1 and 14b_2 on exhaust surface 10b inside air guide member 10. Openings 13b and 13e on intake surface 10a join inside air guide member 10 to form rectangular openings 14b_1 and 14b_2 on exhaust surface 10b that match the shape of the gap between guide rails 8. Openings 13c and 13d are smoothly connected in a continuous shape to rectangular openings 14a_1 and 14a_2 on exhaust surface 10b inside air guide member 10. Openings 13c and 13d on intake surface 10a join together inside air guide member 10 to form rectangular openings 14a_1 and 14a_2 on exhaust surface 10b that match the shape of the gap between guide rails 8.

[0019] The radial openings 13l and 13g on the intake surface 10a and the rectangular openings 14d_1 and 14d_2 on the exhaust surface 10b are corresponding openings. The radial openings 13k and 13h on the intake surface 10a and the rectangular openings 14e_1 and 14e_2 on the exhaust surface 10b are corresponding openings. The radial openings 13j and 13i on the intake surface 10a and the rectangular openings 14f_1 and 14f_2 on the exhaust surface 10b are corresponding openings.

[0020] The flow path of the cooling air flowing in from intake port 10a is divided into 12 sections, namely, openings 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d, 13e, 13f, 13g, 13h, 13i, 13j, 13k, and 13l, which are radially separated. The distributed cooling air is then blown out from the corresponding rectangular openings on the exhaust surface 10b, taken into the housing 1, passes between the plug-in units 7, and is exhausted outside the housing 1 by the fan 9b fixed to the rear panel 6. In this way, the cooling air blown out from the outer periphery of the blades of the fan 9a is distributed among the plug-in units 7 mounted side by side in the subrack, and is exhausted from the housing 1.

[0021] Next, a cross section of the air guide member 10 is shown. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the air guide member 10 cut along a plane parallel to the intake surface 10a to which the fan 9a is fixed, with the cutting position moved from the intake surface 10a side to the exhaust surface 10b side in the order of (a), (b), (c), and (d). The air flow path on the intake surface 10a on the fan side is radially divided into a fan-like shape, and changes to a rectangular shape as it moves toward the exhaust surface 10b. The air guide member 10 deflects the cooling air discharged from the fan 9a by means of a partition, and the deflection mixes the cooling air in the high wind speed region discharged from the outer periphery of the blades of the fan 9a with the cooling air outside the high wind speed region, thereby making the air volume uniform.

[0022] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the state of airflow between plug-in units in the cooling structure of the housing according to the first embodiment, and in this embodiment, an air guide member 10 is disposed between the fan 9a and the plug-in unit 7. 7, in conventional housings, due to the characteristics of axial fans, the amount of air supplied to plug-in units located in the high wind speed area around the outer periphery of the fan blades tends to be large, while the amount of air supplied to plug-in units outside the high wind speed area tends to be small. On the other hand, in the housing of this embodiment, cooling air in the high wind speed area around the outer periphery of the fan blades flows into the fan-shaped openings provided on the intake surface 10a of the air guide member 10, and as the shape of the flow path changes, it is blown out from the rectangular openings on the exhaust surface 10b side. As shown in FIG. 6, the cooling air that has passed through the air guide member 10 is equally distributed to each slot, and uniformly cools the plug-in units 7 that are mounted side by side in the housing 1.

[0023] In this way, the air guide member 10 evenly distributes the cooling air in the high wind speed range blown out from the outer periphery of the blades of the fan 9a, and in the housing of this embodiment, the electronic devices mounted in each plug-in unit can be uniformly cooled.

[0024] In the first embodiment, the flow path is divided into 12 branches for 6 slot distribution, but it can be similarly applied if it is divided into 10 branches for 5 slots and 14 branches for 7 slots.

[0025] The shape of the air guide member can be created using a 3D printer, and by distributing it through a continuous flow path, it is expected that the loss of air volume from the fan due to ventilation resistance will be reduced. [Explanation of symbols]

[0026] 1 housing, 2 back plate, 3 top cover, 4 bottom cover, 5 side cover, 6 rear panel, 7 plug-in unit, 8 guide rail, 9a fan, 9b fan, 10 air guide member, 10a intake surface of air guide member, 10b exhaust surface of air guide member, 11 printed circuit board, 12 front panel, 13a opening (flow path section_A), 13b opening (flow path section_B), 13c opening (flow path section_C), 13d opening (flow path section_D), 13e opening (flow path section_E), 13f opening (flow path section_F), 13g opening (flow path section_G), 13h opening (flow path section_H), 13i opening (flow path section_I), 13j opening (flow path section_J), 13k opening (flow path section_K), 13l opening (flow path section_L), 14a Aperture (channel section_A), Aperture 14b (channel section_B), Aperture 14c (channel section_C), Aperture 14d (channel section_D), Aperture 14e (channel section_E), Aperture 14f (channel section_F).

Claims

1. A cooling structure for a housing that cools electronic devices by sending air into a housing in which a plurality of plug-in units, each of which has an electronic device mounted therein, are mounted side by side, the cooling structure comprising: an axial flow fan that generates an air flow; an air guide member having one surface fixed to the axial flow fan and the other surface fixed to the housing; the air guide member has a plurality of flow paths divided by partitions from the one surface to the other surface, A plurality of fan-shaped openings are radially provided on the one surface, and a plurality of rectangular openings are provided on the other surface, A cooling structure for a housing, characterized in that the air generated by the axial fan flows through the flow path from the fan-shaped opening and is sent into the housing through the rectangular opening that is connected to the fan-shaped opening in a continuous shape.

2. The rectangular opening is disposed between the plug-in units that are mounted side by side, 2. The cooling structure for a housing according to claim 1, wherein the air blown out by the axial flow fan flows through the rectangular opening between the plug-in units to cool the electronic device.

3. 3. The cooling structure for a housing according to claim 2, wherein the air blown out by the axial fan is deflected by the flow path and then blown into the housing through the rectangular opening.

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