Fan unit

Abstract

A fan unit (5) is mounted on a power conversion device, and comprises: a fan (6); a fan connector (8) electrically connected to the fan (6); a fan cover (7) attached to the fan (6); and an attachment component (9) for attaching the fan connector (8) to the fan cover (7). The attachment component (9) includes a guiding shape part (91) for guiding the fan connector (8) to another connector, which is fitted to the fan connector (8).

Description

Fan unit

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a fan unit mounted in a power conversion device.

[0002] The power conversion device is equipped with a fan unit that functions to cool components of the power conversion device. The fan unit is detachable from the power conversion device for maintenance purposes.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes an electrical device in which a main body of the electrical device and a fan unit can be connected using a connector having a movable terminal portion. The fan unit described in Patent Document 1 has a connector with movable terminals mounted on a substrate provided on the fan unit side to electrically connect the fan and the main body of the electrical device, and a connector that receives the connector with movable terminals provided on the main body of the electrical device. In addition, the fan unit described in Patent Document 1 has a tapered opening of the connector that receives the connector with movable terminals. If misalignment occurs between the connector that receives the connector with movable terminals when connecting the connector that receives the connector with movable terminals and the connector with movable terminals, the connector with movable terminals can be inserted into the connector that receives the connector with movable terminals by being guided by the tapered opening of the connector that receives the connector with movable terminals.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-191366

[0005] However, the electrical device described in Patent Document 1 uses a special connector with a movable terminal as the connector on the fan unit side, and a dedicated connector with a tapered opening as the connector on the electrical device main body side that receives the connector with the movable terminal. Therefore, the electrical device described in Patent Document 1 has a problem in that if a connector without a tapered opening is used, misalignment will occur when the connectors are mated.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide a fan unit that can eliminate misalignment between connectors when the connector of the fan unit is mated with another connector.

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the fan unit according to the present disclosure is a fan unit mounted on a power conversion device, and includes a fan, a fan connector electrically connected to the fan, a fan cover attached to the fan, and an attachment part for attaching the fan connector to the fan cover. The attachment part includes a guide shape portion that guides the fan connector to another connector that is mated with the fan connector.

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to obtain a fan unit that can eliminate misalignment between connectors when the connector of the fan unit is mated with another connector.

[0009] a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in FIG. 2, showing an enlarged view of a mating portion between a board connector and a fan connector; a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 2, showing an enlarged view of a mating portion between a board connector and a fan connector; a perspective view of a main part of a guide shape for an attachment part in a fan unit provided in a power conversion device according to embodiment 1, seen from below (in the -Z-axis direction); 10 is an enlarged view of a main part of the guide-shaped portion of the attachment part of the fan unit, as seen from the front side (+Y-axis direction); sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 7; top view showing the hook shape of the fan cover of the power conversion device according to the first embodiment; sectional view taken along line XI-XI in FIG. 10; a diagram for explaining a method of removing the fan unit from the chassis in the power conversion device according to the first embodiment; an enlarged view of a state in which the fan connector is fixed to the fan cover of the power conversion device according to the first embodiment by the attachment part, as seen from the bottom (-Z-axis direction) in the height direction (Z-axis direction); and sectional view taken along line XIV-XIV in FIG.

[0010] A fan unit according to an embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0011] First embodiment Fig. 1 is a front view of a power conversion device according to a first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a top view of the power conversion device according to the first embodiment. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the power conversion device according to the first embodiment as seen from above. The power conversion device 100 according to the first embodiment includes a chassis 1, a board 2 attached to the chassis 1, a board connector 3 mounted on the board 2, a main body case 4 attached to the chassis 1, and a fan unit 5 attached to the chassis 1.

[0012] The width direction of the power conversion device 100 corresponds to the width direction of the chassis 1, the main body case 4, and the fan unit 5, and corresponds to the X-axis direction in FIGS. 1 to 3 . The width direction of the power conversion device 100 can be said to be the left-right direction. The depth direction of the power conversion device 100 corresponds to the depth direction of the chassis 1, the main body case 4, and the fan unit 5, and corresponds to the Y-axis direction in FIGS. 1 to 3 . The height direction of the power conversion device 100 corresponds to the height direction of the chassis 1, the main body case 4, and the fan unit 5, and corresponds to the Z-axis direction in FIGS. 1 to 3 . In addition, in the power conversion device 100, the side on which the fan unit 5 is located in the depth direction is the rear side, and the side opposite the side on which the fan unit 5 is located in the depth direction is the front side. The left-right direction is the left-right direction when the power conversion device 100 is viewed from the front side. In the X-axis direction, the right side is the +X-axis direction, and the left side is the -X-axis direction. In the Y-axis direction, the front side is the +Y-axis direction, and the rear side is the -Y-axis direction. In the Z-axis direction, the upper side is the +Z-axis direction and the lower side is the -Z-axis direction. Also, the direction of the arrow in the X-axis direction in the drawing corresponds to the +X-axis direction. The direction of the arrow in the Y-axis direction in the drawing corresponds to the +Y-axis direction. The direction of the arrow in the Z-axis direction in the drawing corresponds to the +Z-axis direction.

[0013] The chassis 1 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape and constitutes the main body of the power conversion device 100. The chassis 1 has electronic components (not shown). As shown in FIG. 3 , the chassis 1 has a recess 1a formed in the upper part in the +Z axis direction, which provides a space for attaching the fan unit 5. The fan unit 5 is assembled into the recess 1a from above the chassis 1 (in the +Z axis direction) in the direction of arrow A shown in FIG. 3 . The chassis 1 has a circuit board 2 assembled on the front side (in the +Y axis direction). A circuit board connector 3, which is a connector on the circuit board 2 side, is provided on the upper part in the +Z axis direction of the circuit board 2 and serves to electrically connect the electronic components provided on the chassis 1 to the fan unit 5.

[0014] The main body case 4 is assembled to the chassis 1 to protect the chassis 1. The main body case 4 is assembled to the chassis 1 from the front side (positive Y-axis direction) of the chassis 1 in the direction of arrow B shown in Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. 3, the main body case 4 has a first cutout 4a formed therein to expose the board connector 3 when the main body case 4 is assembled to the chassis 1. A second cutout 4b is formed on the front side (positive Y-axis direction) of the first cutout 4a, cut further toward the front side (positive Y-axis direction) from the first cutout 4a.

[0015] Fig. 4 is a configuration diagram of a fan unit provided in the power conversion device according to the first embodiment. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in Fig. 2, showing an enlarged cross-sectional view of a mating portion between the board connector and the fan connector. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in Fig. 2, showing an enlarged cross-sectional view of a mating portion between the board connector and the fan connector.

[0016] The fan unit 5 includes a fan 6 , a fan cover 7 , a fan connector 8 , and a mounting part 9 .

[0017] The fan 6 constitutes the main body of the fan unit 5. A fan cover 7 is attached to the upper part of the fan 6 in the +Z axis direction.

[0018] The fan cover 7 is attached above the fan 6 (in the +Z-axis direction) to protect the fan 6. The fan cover 7 has a first cover protrusion 7a that protrudes toward the front side (in the +Y-axis direction) in the in-plane direction of the fan cover 7, and a second cover protrusion 7b that protrudes further toward the front side (in the +Y-axis direction) from the first cover protrusion 7a. The first cover protrusion 7a is received in a first cutout 4a of the main body case 4 in the in-plane direction of the fan cover 7. The second cover protrusion 7b is received in a second cutout 4b of the main body case 4 in the in-plane direction of the fan cover 7.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 4 , the second cover protrusion 7b has a first side surface portion 7b1, a second side surface portion 7b2, and a bottom surface portion 7b3. The first side surface portion 7b1 protrudes from the first cover protrusion 7a toward the front surface (positive Y-axis direction) in the depth direction (Y-axis direction). The second side surface portion 7b2 protrudes from the first cover protrusion 7a toward the front surface (positive Y-axis direction) in the depth direction (Y-axis direction) and faces the first side surface portion 7b1 in the width direction (X-axis direction). The bottom surface portion 7b3 protrudes from the first cover protrusion 7a toward the front surface (positive Y-axis direction) in the depth direction (Y-axis direction). The second cover protrusion 7b has a U-shape in the XZ plane, with the first side surface portion 7b1, the bottom surface portion 7b3, and the second side surface portion 7b2 connected in this order.

[0020] The bottom surface portion 7b3 is located lower (in the negative Z-axis direction) than the first cover protrusion 7a in the height direction (Z-axis direction). That is, the bottom surface portion 7b3 is located lower (in the negative Z-axis direction) than the inner surface 7c of the fan cover 7 in the height direction (Z-axis direction). As a result, a step is formed between the first cover protrusion 7a and the bottom surface portion 7b3 in the height direction (Z-axis direction), with the bottom surface portion 7b3 being lower than the first cover protrusion 7a.

[0021] Therefore, the bottom surface portion 7b3 can be said to be a step portion located below the first cover protrusion portion 7a (in the -Z axis direction).

[0022] The fan connector 8 is a connector for electrically connecting the fan 6 to the board connector 3 of the board 2, and is the connector on the fan 6 side. The fan connector 8 is electrically connected to the fan 6, and is attached and fixed to the inner surface 7c of the fan cover 7 by an attachment part 9. The attachment part 9 is arranged on the inner surface 7c of the fan cover 7, protruding downward (in the -Z-axis direction) from the inner surface 7c in the height direction (Z-axis direction). The inner surface 7c of the fan cover 7 is the surface of the fan cover 7 facing the chassis 1.

[0023] Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a main part of a guide shape portion for an attachment part in a fan unit included in a power conversion device according to embodiment 1, as viewed from the bottom (-Z axis direction). Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of a main part of a guide shape portion for an attachment part included in a fan unit according to embodiment 1, as viewed from the front side (+Y axis direction). Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX in Fig. 7.

[0024] The attachment part 9 is a part for attaching the fan connector 8 to the fan cover 7. The attachment part 9 has a guide shape portion 91 that guides the fan connector 8 relative to the board connector 3 when the board connector 3 and the fan connector 8 are mated. In other words, the attachment part 9 has a shape that guides the board connector 3 relative to the fan connector 8 when the board connector 3 and the fan connector 8 are mated. Therefore, the attachment part 9 has the guide shape portion 91 that guides the fan connector 8 to the board connector 3, which is another connector in the power conversion device 100 that is mated with the fan connector 8.

[0025] The guide shape portion 91 includes a first guide shape portion 911, a second guide shape portion 912, and a third guide shape portion 913. The first guide shape portion 911, the second guide shape portion 912, and the third guide shape portion 913 can be said to be chamfered portions of the attachment part 9.

[0026] The first guide shape portion 911 is provided on the back side (-Y axis direction) below the fan connector 8 (-Z axis direction). The second guide shape portion 912 and the third guide shape portion 913 are provided below the fan connector 8 (-Z axis direction) on both sides of the fan connector 8 so as to sandwich the fan connector 8 in the width direction (X axis direction). The second guide shape portion 912 is provided to the left (-X axis direction) of the fan connector 8 in the width direction (X axis direction) as viewed from the front side (+Y axis direction). The third guide shape portion 913 is provided to the right (+X axis direction) of the fan connector 8 in the width direction (X axis direction) as viewed from the front side (+Y axis direction). Here, the area surrounded by the first guide shape portion 911, the second guide shape portion 912, and the third guide shape portion 913 is referred to as the opening of the guide shape portion 91.

[0027] The guide shape portion 91 has a U-shape in the in-plane direction of the fan cover 7. That is, the first guide shape portion 911, the second guide shape portion 912, and the third guide shape portion 913 have a U-shape in the XY plane. The distance between the second guide shape portion 912 and the third guide shape portion 913 in the width direction (X-axis direction) is greater than the width of the board connector 3 in the width direction (X-axis direction). The second guide shape portion 912 and the third guide shape portion 913 are tapered so that, when the fan unit 5 is assembled to the chassis 1, the distance between the second guide shape portion 912 and the third guide shape portion 913 in the width direction (X-axis direction) decreases as the mounting component 9 approaches the board connector 3 in the height direction (Z-axis direction).

[0028] The first guide shape portion 911 is an inclined surface along the width direction (X-axis direction), and is an inclined surface that slopes inward toward the opening as it moves upward (+Z-axis direction) in the height direction (Z-axis direction), i.e., an inclined surface that slopes toward the front side (+Y-axis direction) as it moves upward (+Z-axis direction) in the height direction (Z-axis direction).

[0029] The second guide shape portion 912 is an inclined surface along the depth direction (Y-axis direction), and is an inclined surface that approaches the inside of the opening as it moves upward (+Z-axis direction) in the height direction (Z-axis direction), i.e., an inclined surface that approaches the third guide shape portion 913 in the width direction (X-axis direction) as it moves upward (+Z-axis direction) in the height direction (Z-axis direction).

[0030] The third guide shape portion 913 is an inclined surface along the depth direction (Y-axis direction), and is an inclined surface that approaches the inside of the opening as it moves upward (+Z-axis direction) in the height direction (Z-axis direction), i.e., an inclined surface that approaches the second guide shape portion 912 in the width direction (X-axis direction) as it moves upward (+Z-axis direction) in the height direction (Z-axis direction).

[0031] The guide shape portion 91 is an inclined surface that guides the board connector 3 and the fan connector 8 so that they approach each other when they come into contact with the board connector 3, which is another connector in the power conversion device 100. The guide shape portion 91 can be said to have an inclined surface that moves away from the fan connector 8 in the in-plane direction of the fan cover 7 as it moves away from the fan connector 8 in the mating direction in which the fan connector 8 and the board connector 3, which is another connector, are mated. The mating direction in which the fan connector 8 and the board connector 3, which is another connector, are mated is along the height direction (Z-axis direction).

[0032] With this configuration, the opening of the guide shape portion 91 becomes narrower in the height direction (Z-axis direction) toward the upper side (+Z-axis direction), and the opening area in the XY plane becomes smaller.

[0033] When assembling the fan unit 5 to the chassis 1, the user manually pushes the fan unit 5 in the height direction (Z-axis direction) toward the recess 1a of the chassis 1. Then, the fan unit 5 is fixed to the chassis 1 by engaging the tabs 7h, which are fitting portions provided on the fan cover 7, with the grooves 1b, which are fitting portions provided on the chassis 1 and into which the tabs 7h fit.

[0034] Specifically, when assembling the fan unit 5 to the chassis 1, the user grasps the two gripping portions 7i provided on each end of the fan cover 7 in the width direction (X-axis direction) with their hands, and fits the fan unit 5 into the recessed portion 1a of the chassis 1 while pressing the gripping portions 7i inward in the in-plane direction of the fan cover 7. Then, when the user releases their hands from the gripping portions 7i, the tabs 7h of the fan cover 7 engage with the grooves 1b of the chassis 1, thereby fixing the fan cover 7 to the chassis 1. At the same time that the fan unit 5 is fitted into the recessed portion 1a of the chassis 1, the fan connector 8 and the board connector 3 are mated.

[0035] Furthermore, even if the positions of the board connector 3 and the fan connector 8 are misaligned in the in-plane direction of the fan cover 7 when the fan unit 5 is assembled to the chassis 1, the mounting part 9 approaches the board connector 3 in the height direction (Z-axis direction) and the board connector 3 comes into contact with at least one of the first guide shape portion 911, the second guide shape portion 912, and the third guide shape portion 913, thereby guiding the fan connector 8 to the position of the board connector 3 in the in-plane direction of the fan cover 7. This allows the fan connector 8 to be easily fitted into the board connector 3 in the power conversion device 100.

[0036] The angle of inclination of the first guide shape portion 911, the second guide shape portion 912, and the third guide shape portion 913, i.e., the angle of chamfering, can be determined taking into account the dimensions of the board connector 3 and the mounting part 9, the degree of interference between the board connector 3 and the mounting part 9, or the effect of the guide shape portion 91 in guiding the fan connector 8 into the board connector 3.

[0037] The inventors conducted testing using common 4-pole JST connectors for the board connector 3 and the fan connector 8, and found that an example of the angle of inclination between the first guide shape portion 911, the second guide shape portion 912, and the third guide shape portion 913 is 45°. Setting the angle of inclination between the first guide shape portion 911, the second guide shape portion 912, and the third guide shape portion 913 to 45° significantly improved the ease of assembly of the fan unit 5 to the chassis 1, i.e., the ease of attaching the fan connector 8 to the board connector 3.

[0038] As described above, the power conversion device 100 has a structural feature of the guide shape portion 91 of the mounting part 9, which allows the fan connector 8 to be properly guided to the board connector 3 in the XY plane when the fan connector 8 is mated with the board connector 3, so that the fan connector 8 can be easily and reliably mated with the board connector 3.

[0039] The power conversion device 100 has a guiding function of the guiding shape portion 91 that properly guides the fan connector 8 to the board connector 3 in the XY plane, allowing the fan connector 8 to be easily and reliably fitted into the board connector 3 when the user manually assembles the fan unit 5 to the chassis 1.

[0040] Furthermore, the power conversion device 100 has a stable electrical connection between the fan connector 8 and the board connector 3 due to the guiding function of the guiding shape portion 91, thereby reducing product defects in the power conversion device 100.

[0041] Next, structural features related to the removal of the fan unit 5 in the power conversion device 100 will be described. FIG. 10 is a top view showing the hook shape of the fan cover included in the power conversion device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI in FIG. 10. As described above, the second cover protrusion 7b of the fan cover 7 is housed in the second cutout 4b of the main body case 4 in the in-plane direction of the fan cover 7. Also, as described above, the bottom surface 7b3 is located lower (in the -Z axis direction) than the first cover protrusion 7a in the height direction (Z axis direction) and lower (in the -Z axis direction) than the inner surface 7c of the fan cover 7 in the height direction (Z axis direction). As a result, a step is formed between the first cover protrusion 7a and the bottom surface 7b3 in the height direction (Z axis direction), with the bottom surface 7b3 being lower than the first cover protrusion 7a.

[0042] The power conversion device 100 is provided with a hook shape 7 e for releasing the engagement between the board connector 3 and the fan connector 8 .

[0043] The hook shape 7 e is a shape for removing the fan unit 5 attached to the chassis 1 from the chassis 1 , and is a shape for releasing the engagement between the board connector 3 and the fan connector 8 .

[0044] The lower portion of the end 7a1 of the first cover protrusion 7a in the -Z axis direction is an inclined surface along the width direction (X axis direction), and is an inclined surface 7a2 that slopes downward (-Z axis direction) in the height direction (Z axis direction) toward the rear side (-Y axis direction). The end 7a1 of the first cover protrusion 7a can be said to be one side of the first cover protrusion 7a, or can be said to be one side of the fan cover 7.

[0045] A hole 7d is formed between the end 7a1 on the front side (+Y-axis direction) of the first cover protrusion 7a and the bottom surface 7b3 of the second cover protrusion 7b. That is, the hole 7d is formed between the inclined surface 7a2 of the end 7a1 of the first cover protrusion 7a and the bottom surface 7b3 of the second cover protrusion 7b. The hole 7d is formed in the assembly direction of the fan unit 5 to the chassis 1 and in a direction perpendicular to the assembly direction. That is, the hole 7d is formed in the height direction (Z-axis direction) and the depth direction (Y-axis direction). The assembly direction of the fan unit 5 to the chassis 1 is the downward direction (-Z-axis direction) in the height direction (Z-axis direction) and along the Z-axis direction (Z-axis direction). The hole 7d is a space into which a rod-shaped tool 10 can be inserted.

[0046] The rod-shaped tool 10 has a shape that allows it to pull up the fan connector 8 by levering the upper part in the +Z-axis direction of the side wall 4b1 on the front side (+Y-axis direction) of the second cutout portion 4b of the main body case 4 as a fulcrum and the inclined surface 7a2 of the end portion 7a1 of the first cover protrusion 7a as a point of application. A flat-head screwdriver is used as the tool 10, but the tool is not limited to this and another jig may be used.

[0047] The inclined surface 7a2 can be said to be an end of the first cover protrusion 7a in the protrusion direction (positive Y-axis direction) of the first cover protrusion 7a. The inclined surface 7a2 is a chamfered portion that comes into contact with the rod-shaped tool 10 inserted into the hole 7d, and has an inclined surface that slopes from the inner surface of the first cover protrusion 7a to the outer surface of the first cover protrusion 7a as it moves in the protrusion direction (positive Y-axis direction).

[0048] As described above, in the hook shape 7e, the fan cover 7 has a second cover protrusion 7b, which is a protrusion that protrudes outward (in the +Y-axis direction) from an end 7a1, which is one side of the first cover protrusion 7a. The second cover protrusion 7b has a bottom surface 7b3, which is a stepped portion that is located closer to the fan 6 (in the -Z-axis direction) in the thickness direction of the fan cover 7 than the end 7a1 of the first cover protrusion 7a. The thickness direction of the fan cover 7 is along the height direction (Z-axis direction). A hole 7d, into which a rod-shaped tool 10 can be inserted, is formed between the end 7a1 of the first cover protrusion 7a and the bottom surface 7b3.

[0049] Next, a method for removing the fan unit 5 from the chassis 1 in the power conversion device 100 will be described. Fig. 12 is a diagram illustrating a method for removing the fan unit from the chassis in the power conversion device according to the first embodiment. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to Fig. 11. As described above, in the power conversion device 100, the hole 7d is formed between the end 7a1 on the front side (+Y-axis direction) of the first cover protrusion 7a and the bottom surface 7b3 of the second cover protrusion 7b.

[0050] When removing the fan unit 5 from the chassis 1, the user performs the opposite operation to that performed when assembling the fan unit 5 to the chassis 1 described with reference to Figure 3, by grasping the two tabs 7i with the left hand and pushing the tabs 7i inward in the in-plane direction of the fan cover 7 to remove the tabs 7h of the fan cover 7 from the grooves 1b of the chassis 1. Then, with the tabs 7h of the fan cover 7 removed from the grooves 1b of the chassis 1 with the left hand, the user performs the following operation with the right hand.

[0051] When removing the fan unit 5 from the chassis 1, the user inserts a rod-shaped tool 10 into the hole 7d with their right hand. Because the hole 7d is formed in the height direction (Z-axis direction) and the depth direction (Y-axis direction), the tool 10 is inserted diagonally downward with respect to the direction in which the fan unit 5 is assembled to the chassis 1. Here, "diagonally downward" refers to the direction toward the rear side (-Y-axis direction) and downward (-Z-axis direction). The user inserts the tool 10 into the second cutout portion 4b diagonally downward, from the front side (+Y-axis direction) toward the rear side (-Y-axis direction), in the direction of arrow C shown in FIG. 12 , and then inserts the tip of the tool 10 into the hole 7d.

[0052] Here, the function of the inclined surface 7a2 of the end 7a1 of the first cover protrusion 7a will be described. The inclined surface 7a2 of the first cover protrusion 7a functions to guide the tool 10, which is inserted obliquely downward into the second cutout portion 4b from the front side (+Y axis direction) toward the rear side (−Y axis direction), into the hole 7d. The upper surface of the tip of the tool 10 is an inclined surface corresponding to the inclined surface 7a2 of the first cover protrusion 7a, and is formed as an inclined surface 10a that taperes the tip of the tool 10. When the tool 10 is inserted obliquely downward into the second cutout portion 4b from the front side (+Y axis direction) toward the rear side (−Y axis direction), the inclined surface 10a of the tip abuts against the inclined surface 7a2 of the end 7a1 of the first cover protrusion 7a, and the inclined surface 7a2 guides the tool 10 into the hole 7d, and the tip is inserted into the hole 7d.

[0053] After inserting the tip of tool 10 into hole 7d, the user lowers the other end (not shown), which is the end opposite the tip in the longitudinal direction of tool 10, downward (in the −Z-axis direction) toward main case 4 in the direction of arrow D in FIG. 12 . As a result, tool 10 acts on the upper portion of side wall 4b1 on the front side (in the +Y-axis direction) of second cutout portion 4b of main case 4 in the +Z-axis direction, as a fulcrum, and on inclined surface 7a2 of end 7a1 of first cover protrusion 7a, as a point of application. Using the principle of leverage, inclined surface 10a of the tip of tool 10 pulls inclined surface 7a2 of end 7a1 of first cover protrusion 7a upward (in the +Z-axis direction). As a result, fan connector 8, which was mated with board connector 3, is pulled upward (in the +Z-axis direction), and fan unit 5 is removed from chassis 1.

[0054] That is, with the user's left hand removing the claw portion 7h of the fan cover 7 from the groove portion 1b of the chassis 1, the user's right hand uses tool 10 to disengage the fan connector 8 from the board connector 3, thereby pulling the fan connector 8 out of the board connector 3, and then the user's left hand lifts the fan cover 7 upward (+Z-axis direction) in the height direction (Z-axis direction), thereby removing the fan unit 5 from the chassis 1.

[0055] Here, the inclined surface 7a2 of the first cover protrusion 7a functions as a plane that the inclined surface 10a, which is the upper surface of the tip of the tool 10, comes into contact with when the tool 10 uses the principle of leverage to pull up the fan connector 8, thereby allowing the fan unit 5 to be pulled up from the chassis 1 more stably.

[0056] To obtain the effect of the hook shape 7e described above, it is sufficient that a hook portion having a configuration similar to that of the hook shape 7e that forms the hole 7d is formed on at least one side of the fan cover 7 that faces the main body case 4. In other words, the fan cover 7 has a hook portion having the hook shape 7e that, when the fan connector 8 is mated with the board connector 3, which is another connector, releases the mating between the fan connector 8 and the board connector 3 and pulls the fan connector 8 out of the board connector 3. The hook portion having the hook shape 7e can be said to be part of the outer edge of the fan cover 7 in the in-plane direction of the fan cover 7.

[0057] Fig. 13 is an enlarged view of a state in which a fan connector is fixed to a fan cover provided in a power conversion device according to embodiment 1 by an attachment part, as viewed from the lower side (-Z axis direction) in the height direction (Z axis direction). Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIV-XIV in Fig. 13. Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view as viewed from the front side (+Y axis direction).

[0058] 13 , the mounting part 9 is provided to surround the periphery of the fan connector 8 in the in-plane direction of the fan cover 7. By surrounding the periphery of the fan connector 8 in the in-plane direction of the fan cover 7, the mounting part 9 has the function of determining the position of the fan connector 8 in the width direction (X-axis direction) and depth direction (Y-axis direction). In other words, the mounting part 9 positions the fan connector 8 in the width direction (X-axis direction) and depth direction (Y-axis direction), which are two orthogonal directions in the in-plane direction of the fan cover 7.

[0059] As shown in Fig. 14, the mounting part 9 has a mounting part hole 9a formed on the fan cover 7 side in the height direction (Z-axis direction). Two mounting part holes 9a are formed at the same position in the height direction (Z-axis direction) and at two locations facing each other in the width direction (X-axis direction). As shown in Fig. 14, the mounting part 9 has a mounting part flange portion 9b provided around the fan connector 8 in the in-plane direction of the fan cover 7. The mounting part 9 has a mounting part tapered portion 9c formed on the inside of the end portion on the fan cover 7 side in the height direction (Z-axis direction).

[0060] 14, the fan cover 7 has two arms 7f that protrude from the inner surface 7c toward the fan 6 in the height direction (Z-axis direction) and are provided perpendicular to the inner surface 7c. Hook claws 7g that can be hooked into the attachment part holes 9a of the attachment part 9 are provided at the tips of the arms 7f.

[0061] The fan connector 8 has a fan connector flange portion 8a on the outer periphery of the end portion on the fan cover 7 side in the height direction (Z-axis direction).

[0062] The fan connector 8 is sandwiched between the tip of the arm portion 7f of the fan cover 7 and the attachment part flange portion 9b of the attachment part 9 in the height direction (Z-axis direction). That is, the fan connector 8 is positioned and fixed in place by being sandwiched between the tip of the arm portion 7f of the fan cover 7 and the attachment part flange portion 9b of the attachment part 9 in the height direction (Z-axis direction). That is, the tip of the arm portion 7f of the fan cover 7 and the attachment part flange portion 9b of the attachment part 9 have the function of determining the position of the fan connector 8 in the height direction (Z-axis direction).

[0063] The attachment part 9 is fixed to the fan cover 7 by hooking the hook claws 7g of the arm parts 7f of the fan cover 7 into the attachment part holes 9a of the attachment part 9.

[0064] Next, we will explain the structural features related to how the mounting part 9 fixes the position of the fan connector 8. When the mounting part 9 is attached to the fan cover 7, the arm portion 7f of the fan cover 7 bends inward. That is, when the mounting part 9 is attached to the fan cover 7, the hook claws 7g of the arm portion 7f come into contact with the mounting part tapered portion 9c of the mounting part 9, and the tapered portion 7g1 at the tip of the hook claw 7g acts as a guide, bending the arm portion 7f inward and engaging with the mounting part hole 9a.

[0065] When a force is applied in the direction (+Z-axis direction) that pulls the fan unit 5 up in the height direction (Z-axis direction) after the hook claws 7g of the arm portions 7f engage with the attachment part holes 9a of the attachment part 9, the attachment part 9 does not come off the hook claws 7g of the arm portions 7f of the fan cover 7 because the attachment part holes 9a of the attachment part 9 do not have a bending function, i.e., a function that expands outward. In other words, the direction (+Z-axis direction) that pulls the fan unit 5 up in the height direction (Z-axis direction) is the direction in which the fan connector 8 is removed from the board connector 3. The amount of engagement of the hook claws 7g with the attachment part holes 9a may be adjusted in accordance with the mating force between the fan connector 8 and the board connector 3.

[0066] 12 , the power conversion device 100 according to the first embodiment allows the fan cover 7 to be pulled up in the height direction (Z-axis direction) with the rod-shaped tool 10, and at the same time the fan connector 8 can be removed from the board connector 3, making it possible to remove the fan cover 7 and the fan connector 8 together as the fan unit 5. In the first embodiment, the attachment part 9 is fixed to the fan cover 7 by engaging the hook claws 7g of the arm parts 7f of the fan cover 7 with the attachment part holes 9a of the attachment part 9, but the attachment part 9 may also be fixed to the fan cover 7 by another method, such as by using screws.

[0067] According to the above-described power conversion device 100, a fan unit is realized that is mounted on the power conversion device and includes a fan, a fan connector electrically connected to the fan, a fan cover attached to the fan, and an attachment part that attaches the fan connector to the fan cover, the attachment part having a guide shape that guides the fan connector to another connector that is fitted into the fan connector.

[0068] As described above, in the power conversion device 100, in addition to the fan connector 8, an attachment part 9 having a guide shape portion 91 that makes it easier to mate the fan connector 8 with the board connector 3 is provided. In the power conversion device 100, the guide function of the guide shape portion 91 provided in the attachment part 9 allows the fan connector 8 to be properly guided to the board connector 3 in the XY plane when mating the fan connector 8 with the board connector 3, so that the fan connector 8 can be easily and reliably mated with the board connector 3.

[0069] As a result, in the fan unit 5 of the power conversion device 100, without using a dedicated or special connector for the fan connector 8, a general-purpose connector for a general fan can be used as the fan connector 8, and the positional misalignment of the fan connector 8 relative to the board connector 3 when assembling the fan unit 5 to the chassis 1 can be corrected, thereby eliminating the positional misalignment between the board connector 3 and the fan connector 8.

[0070] Furthermore, in the power conversion device 100, the user can easily assemble the fan unit 5 to the chassis 1 without using any dedicated tools. Furthermore, in the power conversion device 100, the fan cover 7 has a hook shape 7e. This allows the user to easily remove the fan unit 5 from the chassis 1 without using any dedicated tools. In other words, the user can electrically connect the board connector 3 and the fan connector 8, and can also disconnect the electrical connection between the board connector 3 and the fan connector 8, without using any dedicated tools.

[0071] Furthermore, in the power conversion device 100, because the fan cover 7 has the hook shape 7e, when removing the fan unit 5 from the chassis 1, even if the mating force between the board connector 3 and the fan connector 8 is strong, the first cover protrusion 7a of the fan cover 7 can be hooked onto the rod-shaped tool 10 by inserting the rod-shaped tool 10 into the hole 7d of the fan cover 7 and the fan cover 7 can be lifted up. As a result, in the power conversion device 100, even if the mating force between the board connector 3 and the fan connector 8 is strong, the fan connector 8 can be easily removed from the board connector 3, and the fan unit 5 can be easily removed from the chassis 1. In other words, even if the mating force between the board connector 3 and the fan connector 8 is strong, the user can easily release the mating between the board connector 3 and the fan connector 8 by using the hook shape 7e of the fan cover 7.

[0072] The power conversion device 100 has the above-described functions, which can improve the efficiency of assembly of the power conversion device 100. Furthermore, by carefully selecting the material of the attachment parts 9, the power conversion device 100 can be realized economically at low cost.

[0073] Therefore, the power conversion device 100 has the effect of providing a fan unit that can eliminate misalignment between the connectors when the fan connector 8 of the fan unit 5 is mated with the board connector 3, which is another connector.

[0074] The configurations shown in the above embodiments are merely examples, and may be combined with other known technologies, and parts of the configurations may be omitted or modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0075] 1 chassis, 1a recess, 1b groove, 2 board, 3 board connector, 4 main body case, 4a first cutout portion, 4b second cutout portion, 4b1 side wall, 5 fan unit, 6 fan, 7 fan cover, 7a first cover protrusion, 7b second cover protrusion, 7a1 end, 7a2, 10a inclined surface, 7b1 first side portion, 7b2 second side portion, 7b3 bottom portion, 7c inner surface, 7d hole, 7e hook shape, 7f arm portion, 7g hook claw, 7g1 tapered portion, 7h claw portion, 7i grip portion, 8 fan connector, 8a fan connector flange portion, 9 mounting part, 9a mounting part hole, 9b mounting part flange portion, 9c mounting part tapered portion, 10 tool, 91 guide shape portion, 100 Power converter, 911: first guide shape portion, 912: second guide shape portion, 913: third guide shape portion.

Claims

1. A fan unit mounted on a power conversion device, comprising: a fan; a fan connector electrically connected to the fan; a fan cover attached to the fan; and an attachment part for attaching the fan connector to the fan cover, wherein the attachment part has a guide shape that guides the fan connector to another connector that is mated with the fan connector.

2. The fan unit according to claim 1, wherein the guide portion is an inclined surface that guides the other connector and the fan connector to come close to each other when they come into contact with each other.

3. A fan unit as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the fan cover has a hook portion having a hook shape for releasing the engagement between the fan connector and the other connector when the fan connector and the other connector are engaged and for pulling the fan connector out of the other connector.

4. A fan unit as described in claim 3, characterized in that in the hook shape, the fan cover has a protrusion that protrudes outward from the hook portion, the protrusion has a step portion that is positioned closer to the fan in the thickness direction of the fan cover than the hook portion, and a hole is formed between the hook portion and the step portion into which a rod-shaped tool can be inserted.

5. A fan unit as described in claim 4, wherein the end of the protrusion in the protrusion direction has a chamfer that comes into contact with the tool inserted into the hole, and has an inclined surface that slopes from the inner surface of the protrusion to the outer surface of the protrusion as it moves in the protrusion direction.

6. A fan unit as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the fan cover comprises an arm portion protruding from the inner surface of the fan cover and a hook claw formed on the tip of the arm portion, the mounting component comprises a mounting component hole into which the hook claw is hooked and a mounting component flange portion provided surrounding the periphery of the fan connector in the in-plane direction of the fan cover, the mounting component being fixed to the fan cover when the hook claw is hooked on the mounting component hole, and the fan connector being fixed by being sandwiched between the tip of the arm portion and the mounting component flange portion.

7. A fan unit as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the mounting parts are arranged surrounding the fan connector in the in-plane direction of the fan cover, and the fan connector is positioned by the mounting parts in two orthogonal directions in the in-plane direction of the fan cover.

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