Electronic apparatus

• US 8,743,540 B1
• Filed: 01/29/2013
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Nishihara, Noboru, Tatsuyama, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Datskovskiy, Michail V
• Application Number:
  US14/114,597
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 36167946-67951, 361690-697, 361715-724, 361/732, 165 802- 805, 165/104.33, 165121-126, 165/185, 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 312/236, 312/263, 454/184
• US Class Current: 361/692
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20572 within cabinets for removing heat from sub-racks, e.g. plenum

Abstract

An electronic apparatus has a plurality of basic structures arranged adjacent to each other in a direction perpendicular to a gravitation direction. Each of the basic structures includes a casing, a board placed parallel to the gravitation direction inside the casing, a first space with large ventilation amount and a second space with small ventilation amount formed by the board dividing the inner space of the casing, vents in the upper and lower surfaces of the casing, an electronic component placed on the board in the first space, and an electronic component placed on the board in the second space. The casings of adjacent basic structures are in communication through inner vents in respective side walls of the casings, and external vents in communication with the outside are provided in left and right side walls of the electronic apparatus.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus which has a plurality of basic structures arranged adjacent to each other in a direction perpendicular to a gravitation direction, each of the basic structures comprising:

a casing;

a board placed parallel to the gravitation direction inside the casing;

a space with large ventilation amount and a space with small ventilation amount formed by the board dividing the inner space of the casing, the ventilation amounts depending on the size of their air passage;

vents in the upper and lower surfaces of the casing;

an electronic component placed on the board in the space with large ventilation amount; and

an electronic component placed on the board in the space with small ventilation amount,

wherein the casings of adjacent ones of the basic structures are in communication through inner vents in respective side walls of the casings, and external vents that are in communication with the outside are provided in left and right side walls of the electronic apparatus.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein left and right side walls of the casing of the basic structure are symmetrical in structure.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein left and right side walls of the casing of the basic structure are asymmetrical in structure.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the casings of adjacent ones of the basic structures are in communication only via inner upper and lower vents provided in the upper and lower parts of respective side walls of the casings.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein either one of the left and right side walls of the electronic apparatus has external upper and lower vents provided in the upper and lower parts thereof, via only which the inside is in communication with the outside, and a plane without a vent in the middle between the external upper and lower vents, and the other has the external vent in its part corresponding to the plane without a vent.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a radiating fin is provided on the electronic component.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a cooling fan is provided under a vent provided in the upper surface of the casing and in the space with large ventilation amount.