ELECTRONIC APPARATUS, IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS AND METHOD OF COOLING ELECTRONIC APPARATUS

• US 20110114384A1
• Filed: 04/10/2009
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Mikubo, Kazuyuki, Hashiguchi, Takeya, Sakamoto, Hitoshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,698,010 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/547
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133385 with cooling means, e.g. fans
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/36 Airflow channels, e.g. constructional arrangements facilitating the flow of air
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/467 by flowing gases, e.g. air H01L23/473 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20954 for display panels
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20972 Forced ventilation, e.g. on heat dissipaters coupled to components

Abstract

Resistivity to dust and cooling performance are improved by a simple structure. Electronic apparatus (image display apparatus) 1 includes: housing 31 that forms sealed inner space 33; circuit unit 39 that is provided in inner space 33; first partition plate 34 that is provided in inner space 33 and that has upper/lower partition portion 7, wherein upper/lower partition portion 7 at least partially extends in a lateral direction extending above at least a part of circuit unit 39 and that terminates in front of both lateral sides of housing 31; and first fan 5, 6 that is provided through upper/lower partition portion 7.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a housing that forms a sealed inner space;

a circuit unit that is provided in the inner space;

a first partition plate that is provided in the inner space and that has an upper/lower partition portion, wherein the upper/lower partition portion at least partially extends in a lateral direction above at least a part of the circuit unit and that terminates in front of both lateral sides of the housing; and

a first fan provided through the upper/lower partition portion.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first partition plate includes a vertical extension that extends downward in a vertical direction from an end of the upper/lower partition portion, the end being located on one side of the housing.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a curved connection, the connection connecting the upper/lower partition portion with the vertical extension.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fan is adapted to suck air from below the upper/lower partition portion and to exhaust the air toward above the upper/lower partition portion.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a pair of the fans is provided,

wherein the upper/lower partition portion extends in a horizontal direction, and

wherein the upper/lower partition portion includes air flow adjusting plates that are provided on an upper surface thereof, the air flow adjusting plates being located adjacent to the fans and closer to a center point than the fans, the center point being defined with regard to the horizontal direction, wherein the air flow adjusting plates are inclined toward the fans.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a pair of the fans is provided,

wherein the upper/lower partition portion includes a laterally extending central portion, a pair of side portions laterally extending at a lower level than the central portion and a pair of inclined portions connecting the central portion with the pair of side portions, and

wherein the pair of fans is provided through the upper/lower partition portion at the pair of inclined portions.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a pair of the fans is provided,

wherein the upper/lower partition portion includes a pair of vertical portions extending downward in a vertical direction from an upper end of the housing and a pair of side portions laterally extending from lower ends of the vertical portions toward both sides of the housing, and

wherein the pair of fans is provided through the upper/lower partition portion at the pair of vertical portions.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fan is adapted to suck air from above the upper/lower partition portion and to exhaust the air toward below the upper/lower partition portion.

9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a pair of the fans is provided, further comprising a through hole that is provided on the upper/lower partition portion between the pair of fans.

10. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuit unit includes a control board for controlling a liquid crystal display unit and a power supply unit that supplies power to the electronic apparatus, and

wherein the fans are provided above the control board and above the power supply unit, seen in a vertical direction, respectively.

11. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second partition plate that is provided in the inner space, wherein the second partition plate at least partially extends in the lateral direction below said at least a part of the circuit unit and terminates in front of both lateral sides of the housing.

12. The electronic apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a second fan provided through the second partition plate.

13. An image display apparatus using the electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes an image display unit positioned on a front surface of the apparatus and a casing that forms a sealed container together with the image display unit, wherein the circuit unit makes the image display unit display an image thereon.

16. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the fan is adapted to suck air from above the upper/lower partition portion and to exhaust the air toward below the upper/lower partition portion.

17. The electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the fan is adapted to suck air from above the upper/lower partition portion and to exhaust the air toward below the upper/lower partition portion.

18. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the fan is adapted to suck air from below the upper/lower partition portion and to exhaust the air toward above the upper/lower partition portion.

19. The electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the fan is adapted to suck air from below the upper/lower partition portion and to exhaust the air toward above the upper/lower partition portion.

20. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the fan is adapted to suck air from above the upper/lower partition portion and to exhaust the air toward below the upper/lower partition portion.

14. A method of cooling an electronic apparatus, the apparatus including a housing that forms a sealed inner space and including a circuit unit provided in the inner space, the method comprising causing a circulating air flow in the inner space by:

feeding the air in the inner space from a side of a lower surface of an upper/lower partition portion to a side of an upper surface of the upper/lower partition portion through an opening provided on the upper/lower partition portion, wherein the upper/lower partition portion is provided in the inner space and extends horizontally in the inner space such that at least a part of the circuit unit is separated from an upper space of the upper/lower partition portion;

guiding the air along the upper surface of the upper/lower partition portion toward side surfaces of the housing, the air being fed to the side of the upper surface of the upper/lower partition portion;

cooling the air while guiding the air in a downward direction along the side surfaces of the housing, the air reaching the side surfaces of the housing; and

guiding the cooled air in an upward direction toward the opening.

15. A method of cooling an electronic apparatus, the apparatus including a housing that forms a sealed inner space and including a circuit unit provided in the inner space, the method comprising causing a circulating air flow in the inner space by:

feeding the air in the inner space from a side of an upper surface of an upper/lower partition portion to a side of a lower surface of the upper/lower partition portion through an opening provided on the upper/lower partition portion, wherein the upper/lower partition portion is provided in the inner space and extends horizontally in the inner space such that at least a part of the circuit unit is separated from an upper space of the upper/lower partition portion;

guiding the air toward lower portions of side surfaces of the housing, the air being fed to the side of the lower surface of the upper/lower partition; and

cooling the air while guiding the air in an upward direction along the side surfaces of the housing, the air reaching the lower portions of the side surfaces of the housing.