Power Supply Boards Stepwise Arrangement for Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional power supply apparatuses in image forming machines face overheating issues due to increased internal temperature, leading to malfunctions and damage, as the existing cooling configurations become inefficient with rising Page Per Minute (PPM) demands and component counts, and increasing the number of power supply boards decreases cooling efficiency while increasing noise and costs.
Innovation Solution
The power supply boards are arranged in rows in the front-back direction and stepwise, with higher power supply capacity units positioned on the outer side and lower capacity units at the center, utilizing exhaust fans and heat releasing plates to efficiently dissipate heat, and the power supply units are disposed vertically to enhance natural air convection and cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the number of power supply boards is increased to meet rising PPM demands, then power supply capacity increases, but cooling efficiency decreases and internal temperature rises
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply boards are arranged in a three-dimensional space utilizing vertical stacking with multiple shelves, transitioning from a two-dimensional horizontal layout to a three-dimensional configuration. This allows increased power supply capacity by adding more boards without proportionally increasing the horizontal footprint, while maintaining effective cooling pathways through strategic spatial arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The power supply system is segmented into multiple independent power supply boards arranged on separate shelves, with each board having its own cooling air flow path. This segmentation allows heat from each board to be dissipated independently, preventing heat accumulation and maintaining cooling efficiency even as the total number of boards increases.
2Temperature
If conventional horizontal arrangement with air-blowing fans is used, then power supply boards can be cooled, but the number of fans increases noise level and costs
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system utilizes natural air convection currents generated by the temperature difference between the hot power supply boards and the surrounding air, combined with exhaust fans positioned to create a passive airflow path. This self-organizing cooling mechanism reduces or eliminates the need for additional active cooling fans near each board, thereby reducing noise and cost while maintaining effective heat dissipation.
3Volume of stationary object
If power supply boards are arranged horizontally on shelves, then they can be housed compactly, but heat release efficiency becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The arrangement transitions from purely horizontal placement to a three-dimensional configuration where boards are positioned at different vertical levels on multiple shelves. This vertical dimensionality change increases the surface area exposed to cooling airflow and creates natural convection currents, significantly improving heat release efficiency while maintaining compact overall housing volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The power supply boards are arranged asymmetrically on the shelves with varying positions and orientations, rather than uniform horizontal placement. This asymmetric arrangement optimizes airflow patterns around each board, creating effective convection currents that enhance heat dissipation while utilizing the available housing space efficiently.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration effectively prevents internal temperature increases, reduces the risk of malfunctions and damage, and enhances cooling efficiency while minimizing noise and costs by optimizing heat dissipation and air flow within the machine.
Implementation Method 1
a cooler that cools the power supply boards
Implementation Method 2
the power supply boards are disposed in rows in a front-back direction and stepwise so as to be disposed more upward as disposed more forward
Data Source
AI summary
A power supply apparatus includes a plurality of power supply boards and a cooler. The power supply boards supply power. The cooler cools the power supply boards. The power supply boards are disposed in rows in a front-back direction and stepwise so as to be disposed more upward as disposed more forward.