U.S. patent application number 11/562772 was filed with the patent office on 2007-05-31 for component cooling apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to SANYO DENKI CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Tomoaki Ikeda, Masashi Miyazawa, Toshiki Ogawara.
Application Number | 20070123162 11/562772 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38088147 |
Filed Date | 2007-05-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070123162 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Miyazawa; Masashi ; et
al. |
May 31, 2007 |
COMPONENT COOLING APPARATUS
Abstract
The present invention provides a component cooling apparatus in
which it is possible to suppress resonation of a fan housing due to
the rotation of the fan. Four extended portions 33A, 33B extending
into an air suction opening 25a are integrally formed with the duct
5. Projected portions 35A, 35B projecting toward the fan 3are
integrally formed with the extended portions 33A, 33B respectively.
The end portions of the projected portions 35A, 35B are arranged in
contact with end portions of corner portions which are located
around the housing-side mount holes 21a of the flange portion 21.
The fan 3 is fixed inside the duct 5 by inserting a mounting member
such as a screw and a bolt into each pair of a housing-side mount
hole 21a and a duct-side mount hole 33a with four housing-side
mount hole 21a and four duct-side mount hole 33a being aligned with
each other. Accordingly, the fan housing 11 and the duct 5 are not
in contact with each other except at mounting portions around the
housing-side mount holes 21a. The mounting portion of the fan
housing 11 and the mounted portion of the duct 5 are in contact
with each other only at peripheries of opposing openings of each
pair of the housing-side mount hole 21a and the duct-side mount
hole 33a that have been aligned.
Inventors: |
Miyazawa; Masashi; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Ogawara; Toshiki; (Tokyo, JP) ; Ikeda;
Tomoaki; (Tokyo, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RANKIN, HILL, PORTER & CLARK LLP
4080 ERIE STREET
WILLOUGHBY
OH
44094-7836
US
|
Assignee: |
SANYO DENKI CO., LTD.
15-1, Kitaotsuka 1-chome Toshima-ku
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
38088147 |
Appl. No.: |
11/562772 |
Filed: |
November 22, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
454/359 ;
257/E23.099 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 23/467 20130101;
H01L 2924/0002 20130101; H01L 2924/0002 20130101; H01L 2924/00
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
454/359 |
International
Class: |
F24F 7/00 20060101
F24F007/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 30, 2005 |
JP |
2005-346878 |
Claims
1. A component cooling apparatus for cooling a component
comprising: a duct including an air suction opening and an air
discharge opening, a part or whole of the component being disposed
inside the duct; and a fan including a fan housing which is located
in the air suction opening or the air discharge opening of the
duct, the fan generating air flow inside the duct to cool the
component, the fan housing including a plurality of mounting
portions each of which includes a housing-side mount hole through
which a mounting member passes, the duct including therein a
plurality of mounted portions each of which includes a duct-side
mount hole through which the mounting member passes, with the
housing-side mount holes and duct-side mount holes being aligned
with each other, the fan being mounted inside the duct by aligning
the plurality of mounting portions with the plurality of mounted
portions in contact with each other and inserting the mounting
member into each pair of the housing-side mount hole and the
duct-side mount hole that have been aligned, wherein the fan
housing is shaped and sized not to be in contact with the duct
except at the plurality of the mounting portions; and the plurality
of mounting portions and the plurality of the mounted portions are
shaped and sized to be in contact with each other only at
peripheries of opposing openings of each pair of the housing-side
mount hole and the duct-side mount hole that have been aligned.
2. The component cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fan
housing includes a cylindrical portion forming an air channel, and
a flange portion integrally formed with the cylindrical portion on
at least one of end portions of the cylindrical portion; the
plurality of mounting portion are integrally formed with the flange
portion; the openings of the housing-side mount holes are open on
an end surface of the flange portion; each of the mounted portions
of the duct includes an extended portion and a projected portion,
the extended portion being integrally formed with a wall portion of
the duct and extending inwardly in the duct, the projected portion
being integrally formed with the extended portion and projecting
toward the fan; and an end surface of the projected portion is in
contact with the end surface of the flange portion, which is
located around the opening of the housing-side mount hole formed in
the flange portion.
3. The component cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fan
housing includes a cylindrical portion forming an air channel, and
a flange portion integrally formed with the cylindrical portion on
at least one of end portions of the cylindrical portion; the flange
portion is outlined in a rectangle having four corner portions; the
plurality of the mounting portions are respectively formed at the
corner portions of the flange portion; the housing-side mount hole
pierces the corner portion of the flange portion in a thickness
direction thereof; the duct includes a duct body including a top
wall and a pair of side walls, the side walls being respectively
located at either side of the top wall; the duct body surrounds the
air suction opening and the air discharge opening in three
directions which are orthogonal to one another; the duct body
includes a component inserting opening which is disposed at a
position opposing to the top wall; the duct body includes four
extended portions integrally formed therewith in such a manner that
the extended portions extend into the air suction opening or the
air discharge opening; the two extended portions are respectively
disposed in the vicinity of two corners which are formed by the top
wall and the pair of side walls, and the another two extended
portions are respectively positioned at two end portions of the
side walls at a side of the component inserting opening; four of
the mounted portions of the duct each include the extended portion
and a projected portion which is integrally formed with the
extended portion and projecting toward the fan; the duct-side mount
hole pierces the extended portion and the projected portion in a
thickness direction thereof; and an end surface of the projected
portion is in contact with an end surface of the corner portion,
which is located around the opening of the housing-side mount hole
formed in the flange portion.
4. The component cooling apparatus of claim 3, wherein the fan is
inserted into the duct body through the component inserting opening
of the duct body, and fixed inside the duct, with four of the
housing-side mount holes and four of the duct-side mount holes
being aligned with each other, and the mounting member being
inserted into each pair of the housing-side mount hole and the
duct-side mount hole.
5. The component cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting
member includes a rivet, a screw and a bolt.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a component cooling
apparatus for cooling a component, such as an electronic component,
by a fan disposed in a duct.
[0002] Conventionally, such a component cooling apparatus has been
known that includes a fan for cooling an electronic component,
disposed in a duct having an air suction opening and an air
discharge opening. Typically, in such a component cooling
apparatus, a housing for the fan (a fan housing) includes
housing-side mount holes through which screws or bolts pass.
Extended portions extending into the air suction opening or the air
discharge opening are integrally formed with the duct. Duct-side
mount holes are formed in the extended portions. The screws or
bolts pass through a pair of the housing-side mount hole and the
duct-side mount hole which have been aligned. The fan is mounted
inside the duct by making the whole extended portions of the duct
in contact with the fan housing, and inserting the screw or bolt
into each pair of the housing-side mount hole and the duct-side
mount hole which have been aligned with each other. (Refer to the
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 07-38720 and Japanese Patent
Publication No. 2000-232276.)
[0003] However, the component cooling apparatus of this type has a
problem that, when the fan rotates, vibration is caused and the fan
housing resonates with the vibration, thereby generating noise.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a component
cooling apparatus in which resonance of a fan housing caused by the
rotation of the fan can be suppressed or prevented.
[0005] A component cooling apparatus, of which improvements the
present invention is aimed at, comprises a duct and a fan. The duct
includes an air suction opening and an air discharge opening. The
fan includes a fan housing located in the air suction opening or
the air discharge opening of the duct. The fan housing includes a
plurality of mounting portions each of which includes a
housing-side mount hole through which a mounting member passes. The
duct includes therein a plurality of mounted portions each of which
includes a duct-side mount hole through which a mounting member
passes, with the housing-side mount hole and the duct-side mount
hole being aligned with each other. The fan is mounted inside the
duct by aligning the plurality of mounting portions with the
plurality of mounted portions in contact with each other and
inserting the mounting member into each pair of the housing-side
mount hole and the duct-side mount hole that have been aligned. The
component cooling apparatus cools the component, a part of or whole
of which is disposed inside the duct, by using air flow generated
and flowed inside the duct by an operation of the fan. In the
present invention, the fan housing is shaped and sized not to be in
contact with the duct except at the plurality of the mounting
portions. The plurality of mounting portions and the plurality of
the mounted portions are shaped and sized to be in contact with
each other only at peripheries of opposing openings of each pair of
the housing-side mount holes and the duct-side mount holes that
have been aligned.
[0006] As shown in the present invention, when the plurality of
mounting portions of the fan housing and the plurality of the
mounted portions of the duct are in contact with each other only at
peripheries of opposing openings of each pair of the housing-side
mount holes and the duct-side mount holes that have been aligned,
an area where the duct and the fan housing are in contact with each
other is reduced. Even when the fan vibrates due to the rotation of
the fan, the vibration of the fan transmits less to the duct,
thereby suppressing or preventing noise.
[0007] A fan housing may include a cylindrical portion forming an
air channel, and a flange portion integrally formed with the
cylindrical portion on at least one of end portions of the
cylindrical portion. In this case, the plurality of the mounting
portions are integrally formed with the flange portion, and
openings of the housing-side mount holes are open on an end surface
of the flange portion. The mounted portion of the duct may includes
an extended portion which is integrally formed with a wall portion
of the duct and extends inwardly in the duct, and a projected
portion which is integrally formed with the extended portion and
projects toward the fan. An end surface of the projected portion is
in contact with the end surface of the flange portion, which is
located around the opening of the housing-side mount hole formed in
flange portion. The end surface, which is exposed toward the fan,
of the projected portion is smaller than that of the extended
portion. With this arrangement, even when using a fan of which the
fan housing includes the cylindrical portion and the flange
portion, an area where the duct and the fan housing are in contact
with each other can be easily reduced by arranging only the end
surface of the projected portion to be in contact with the end
surface of the flange portion, which is located around the opening
of the housing-side mount hole.
[0008] More specifically, the fan housing includes the cylindrical
portion forming an air channel, and the flange portion integrally
formed with the cylindrical portion on at least one of end portions
of the cylindrical portion. This flange portion is outlined in a
rectangle having four corner portions. The plurality of mounting
portions are formed respectively at the corner portions of the
flange portion. The housing-side mount hole pierces the corner
portion in a thickness direction thereof. The duct includes the
duct body including a top wall and a pair of side walls. The side
walls are respectively located at either side of the top wall. The
duct body surrounds the air suction opening and the air discharge
opening in three directions which are orthogonal to one another.
The duct body includes a component inserting opening which is
disposed at a position opposing to the top wall. The duct body
includes four extended portions integrally formed therewith in such
a manner that the extended portions extend into the air suction
opening or the air discharge opening. The two extended portions are
respectively disposed in the vicinity of two corners which are
formed by the top wall and the pair of side walls, and the another
two extended portions are respectively positioned at two end
portions of the side walls at a side of the component inserting
opening. Four mounted portions of the duct each include an extended
portion and a projected portion, which is integrally formed with
the extended portion and projects toward the fan. The duct-side
mount hole pierces the extended portion and the projected portion
in a thickness direction thereof. An end surface of the projected
portion is in contact with an end surface of the corner portion,
which is located around the opening of the housing-side mount hole
formed in the flange portion. With this arrangement, the fan can be
securely fixed inside the duct at a small number (four) of
projected portions, thereby suppressing or preventing a noise.
[0009] In this case, the fan my be fixed inside the duct by
inserting the fan into the duct body through an component inserting
opening of the duct body, and by inserting a screw or a bolt into
each pair of mount holes, with four housing-side mount holes and
four duct-side mount holes being aligned with each other. With this
arrangement, the fan can be easily mounted inside the duct. A
mounting member includes a rivet, a screw and a bolt.
[0010] According to the present invention, the fan is shaped and
sized not to be in contact with the duct except at the plurality of
mounting portions. The plurality of the mounting portions and the
plurality of the mounted portions are shaped and sized to be in
contact with each other only at peripheries of opposing openings of
each pair of the housing-side mount holes and the duct-side mount
holes that have been aligned. Accordingly an area where the duct
and the fan are in contact with each other is reduced. Even when
the fan vibrates due to the rotation of the fan, the vibration of
the fan transmits less to the duct, thereby suppressing or
preventing noise.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronic component
cooling apparatus according to this embodiment of the present
invention.
[0012] FIG. 2A is a front view of the electronic component cooling
apparatus of FIG. 1.
[0013] FIG. 2B is a bottom plan view of the electronic component
cooling apparatus of FIG. 1.
[0014] FIG. 3A is a top plan view of a duct used for the electronic
component cooling apparatus of FIG. 1.
[0015] FIG. 3B is a rear side view of the duct used for the
electronic component cooling apparatus of FIG. 1.
[0016] FIG. 3C is a bottom plan view of the duct used for the
electronic component cooling apparatus of FIG. 1.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0018] An embodiment of a component cooling apparatus according to
the present invention applied as an electronic component cooling
apparatus for cooling an electronic component will be described in
detail with reference to the appended drawings. FIG. 1 is a
perspective view of the electronic component cooling apparatus.
FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B are respectively a front view and a bottom plan
view of the electronic component cooling apparatus. In FIG. 1, a
duct of the electronic component cooling apparatus is drawn in
phantom for better understandings. The electronic component cooling
apparatus according to this embodiment includes a heat sink 1, a
fan 3 and a duct 5, as shown in the figures. The heat sink 1 is
made from a metal having a high heat radiating property. The heat
sink 1 includes a base 7 to which an electronic component, not
shown, is to be connected and a plurality of fins 9 extending
respectively from the base 7.
[0019] A fan 3 is an axial flow fan, and includes a fan housing 11
and an impeller 13. The impeller 13 is driven by a motor 17, which
is supported by the fan housing 11 through five webs 15. The fan
housing 11 includes a cylindrical portion 19 and a pair of flange
portions 21, 23. The cylindrical portion 19 is made from a
synthetic resin and forms an air channel inside which the impeller
13 is disposed. The pair of flange portions 21, 23 are integrally
formed with the cylindrical portion 19 at both sides of the
cylindrical portion 19. The pair of the flange portions 21, 23 are
outlined in a rectangle having four corner portions. The
housing-side mount holes 21a, 23a are respectively formed at the
four corner portions of the flange portions 21, 23. The
housing-side mount holes 21a, 23a pierce the flange portions 21, 23
respectively at the corner portions in a thickness direction. Four
mounting portions of the flange portion 21 of the fan housing 11
located at an opposite side of the heat sink 1 are constituted by
four housing-side mount holes 21a and their neighboring areas of
the flange portion.
[0020] The duct 5 is made from a synthetic resin, and includes a
duct body 25 and four fixing portions 27, as shown in detail in
FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C. FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are a top plan view, a
rear view, and a bottom plan view of the duct 5, respectively. The
duct body 25 includes a top wall 29,and a pair of side walls 31
integrally formed with the top wall 29. The side walls are
respectively located at either side of the top walls 29. The duct
body 25 has a cross-sectional shape of a rectangle having one
opening side. The heat sink 1 and the fan 3 are disposed side by
side in the duct body 25. The duct body 25 includes an air suction
opening 25a, an air discharge opening 25b, and a component
inserting opening 25c. The air suction opening is located at one
end portion of the duct constituted by the top wall and the pair of
side walls. The fan 3 is disposed at a side of the one end portion.
The air discharge opening is located at the other end portion of
the duct. The heat sink 1 is disposed at a side of the other end
portion. The component inserting opening is located at a position
opposing to the top wall 29. The fan 3, and the heat sink 1 with
which an electronic component, not shown, is contacted are inserted
through the component inserting opening 25c. With this arrangement,
when the impeller 13 of the fan 3 is rotated, air suctioned from
the air suction opening 25a passes through between a plurality of
fins 9 in the heat sink 1, and is discharged from the air discharge
opening 25b, thereby cooling the electronic component contacted
with the heat sink 1. Two fixing portions 27A and two fixing
portions 27B are disposed at end portions of the pair of side walls
in an opposite side to the top wall 29. Two through holes 27a and
two through holes 27b are respectively formed in the two fixing
portions 27A and two fixing portions 27B. The electronic component
cooling apparatus according to this embodiment is fixed onto a
circuit board, using a mounting member such as a screw which passes
through respective pairs of the through holes 27a, 27b and through
holes of the circuit board onto which the electronic component, not
shown, is mounted.
[0021] As shown in detail in FIG. 3B, four extended portions 33A,
33B extending into an air suction opening 25a are integrally formed
with the duct body 25. Out of four extended portions 33A, 33B, two
extended portions 33A are respectively disposed across the top wall
29 and the pair of side walls 31 in the vicinity of two corners
formed by the top wall 29 and the pair of side walls 31. Another
two extended portions 33B are respectively disposed at end portions
of the side walls at a side of the component inserting opening 25c.
A projected portion 35A projecting toward the fan 3 is integrally
formed with the extended portion 33A. Likewise a projected portion
35B projecting toward the fan 3 is integrally formed with the
extended portion 33B. Duct-side mount holes 33a respectively
piercing the extended portions 33A, 33B and the projected portion
35A, 35B in a thickness direction, are respectively formed
substantially in the centers of the extended portions 35A, 35B. As
shown in FIG. 3B, the projected portions 35A, 35B extend toward the
top wall 29. According to this embodiment, an area ratio of the end
surface, which is exposed to the fan 3, of the projected portions
33A, 33B to that of the extended portions 35A, 35B is 35%
(percent). The two mounted portions of the duct 5 are constituted
by the extended portions 33A and the projected portions 35A.
Another two mounted portions of the duct 5 are constituted by the
extended portions 33B and the projected portions 35B.
[0022] As shown in detail in FIG. 4 (a partially enlarged figure of
a part indicated by reference symbol M in FIG. 2B), according to
this embodiment, end portions of the projected portions 35A, 35B
are in contact with end portions of the corner portions
respectively located around the housing-side mount holes 21a of the
flange portions 21. The fan 3 is fixed inside the duct 5 by
inserting a mounting member such as a rivet R into each pair of the
mount holes, with housing-side mount holes 21a and duct-side mount
holes 33a being aligned with each other. The mounting member can
include a rivet, a screw and a bolt. In this arrangement, the fan
housing 11 is shaped and sized not to be in contact with the duct 5
except at the four mounting portions (around the housing-side mount
holes 21a). The four mounting portions (around the housing-side
mount holes 21a) and the four mounted portions (the extended
portions 33A and the projected portions 35A of the duct 5, and the
extended portions 33B and the projected portions 35B of the duct 5)
are shaped and sized to be in contact with each other only at
peripheries of opposing openings of each pair of the housing-side
mount holes 21a and the duct-side mount holes 33a that have been
aligned.
[0023] According to the component cooling apparatus of this
embodiment, four mounting portions of the fan housing 11 and four
mounted portions of the duct 5 are in contact with each other only
at peripheries of opposing openings of each pair of the
housing-side mount holes 21a and the duct-side mount holes 33a that
have been aligned. As indicated with broken lines in FIG. 2A, an
area where the duct 5 and the fan housing 11 are in contact with
each other is small. Therefore, even when the fan vibrates due to
the rotation of the fan 3, the vibration of the fan 3 transmits
less to the duct 5, and the fan housing 11 is prevented from
resonating, thereby suppressing or preventing noise.
[0024] In the above embodiment, the projected portions are disposed
at the duct 5. The projected portions may also be disposed at the
fan housing 11, or both of the fan housing 11 and the duct 5.
[0025] Further, the present invention is not limited to these
embodiments, but various variations and modifications may be made
without departing from the scope of the present invention.
* * * * *