Abstract:
A power converting device includes a main body having a heat producing part housed therein, a fan case having a cooling fan therein for cooling the heat producing part provided in the main body, and a housing portion in the main body which houses the fan case. The fan case and the housing portion are interconnected so that the fan case is pivotally attached to and detached from the housing portion.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART STATEMENT 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a power converting device which encloses a cooling fan in a main body housing of a heat producing device, and in particular, relates to a power converting device in which it is possible to easily replace the cooling fan. 
         [0002]    As this kind of power converting device, there is known an inverter with, for example, a heat producing device housed inside a main body, and a cooling fan for cooling. The fan includes a fan unit case which houses the cooling fan. A housing space is formed in an external side of an upper surface of the inverter device main body, and such that the fan unit case can be slid into and housed therein. A fan cover which fixes the fan unit case in place, is fixed to the fan unit case without screwing by a pawl, and in such a way that the fan unit case can be inserted and removed from the fan unit case housing space by sliding it backwards and forwards (for example, refer to JP-A-2007-325383). 
         [0003]    However, with the heretofore known example described in JP-A-2007-325383, although it slidably holds the fan unit case detachably in the main body, there is an unresolved problem in that, a separate fan retaining cover is necessary along with a guide member to prevent the cover from falling vertically down. This renders the structure undesirably complex. 
         [0004]    The invention has been contrived bearing in mind the unresolved problem of the heretofore known example, and is directed to providing a power converting device wherein it is possible, with a simple configuration, to easily attach and detach a fan case, in which a cooling fan is mounted, to and from a main body, without the need of a separate fixing member. 
         [0005]    Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In order to achieve the heretofore described object, a power converting device according to one aspect of the invention, includes a heat producing part housed inside a main body, and a cooling fan which cools the heat producing part provided in the main body. A housing portion which houses a fan case, in which the cooling fan is disposed, is formed in the main body. The fan case and the housing portion are provided with connection features which allow it to be mounted so as to be pivotal with respect to and therefore readily attachable to, and detachable from the housing portion. 
         [0007]    According to this configuration, as the fan case in which the cooling fan is disposed, is, in one embodiment, hingedly mounted so as to be attachable to, and detachable from the housing portion of the main body, it is possible, with a simple configuration, to easily carry out attachment and detachment of the fan case to and from the housing portion of the main body. 
         [0008]    Also, with the power converting device according to this aspect of the invention, it is preferable that a hinge portion is formed on one side surface of the fan case, a flexible lock portion or feature is formed on another side surface opposing the hinge portion, hook portions or features, which pivotally hold the hinge portion, are formed on one side surface of the housing portion, and a fitting portion in which the lock portion fits is formed on a side surface opposing the hook portions. 
         [0009]    With this configuration, is possible to achieve a locked condition by inserting the hinge portion of the fan case in the hock portion of the housing portion and, in this condition, fitting the lock portion in the fitting portion. This, therefore, makes it possible to reliably secure the fan case in the main body without providing a separate fixing cover, or the like. 
         [0010]    Also, with the power converting device according to another embodiment of the invention, it is preferable that an engagement portion has a supporting member including a projecting plate portion parallel to the top surface of the fan case; a vertical plate portion extending upward from a free end of the projecting plate portion, and rib portions sandwiching the supporting member, formed on one side surface of the fan case, and a flexible lock portion formed on another side surface opposing the engagement portion. The engagement portion is engaged and held on one side surface of the housing portion, and a fitting portion in which the lock portion fits, is formed on a side surface opposite that side surface. 
         [0011]    With this embodiment, it is possible to achieve a locked condition by forming the engagement portion of the supporting member and rib portions, engaging and holding the engagement portion on a side surface of the main body, and fitting the lock portion in the fitting portion formed in the housing portion of the main body. This renders it possible to reliably fix the fan case in the main body without providing a separate fixing cover, or the like. 
         [0012]    According to these embodiments of the invention, as the fan case in which the cooling fan is disposed, is pivotal during attachment to, and detachment from the housing portion of the main body housing heat producing part of power converting device, an advantage is obtained in that, as well as it being possible to simplify the overall configuration, with no need for a separate fixing cover, or the like, it is possible to easily carry out attachment and detachment of the fan case. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is an external perspective view showing a first embodiment of a power converting device according to one aspect of the invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective view showing a housing portion of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged perspective view showing a housing position of a fan case of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective view showing a condition in which the fan case of  FIG. 3  is pivoted; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a perspective top view of the fan case; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a perspective bottom view of the fan case; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a fan case showing a second embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing a mounting of the fan case of the second embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    Hereafter, a description will be given, based on the drawings, of embodiments of the invention. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is an external perspective view showing an inverter device acting as a power converting device. In this drawing, numeral  1  is the inverter device acting as the power converting device, and includes a main body  2  in which is housed a switching element, such as an IGBT, as a heat producing member. The main body  2  has a configuration wherein front and rear case half-bodies  2 A and  2 B are connected together, and air intake vents  3  are formed in both of the case half-bodies  2 A ad  2 B. 
         [0023]    An operation display module  4 , with which various kinds of operation, settings, and data are displayed, is provided in the front case half-body  2 A. Also, a fan housing portion  5  is formed over the whole of the top surface, in an uppermost portion, of the rear case half-body  2 B. A fan case  7 , in which is mounted a cooling fan  6 , is attachably and detachably disposed in the fan housing portion  5  with a hinge mechanism  8 . 
         [0024]    The fan housing portion  5  is configured of left and right side walls  2   a  and  2   b  of the case half-body  2 B, and a depressed portion  2   c  formed between them. Hook portions  12 , which form hinge receiving grooves  11  extending in a front-back direction and form the hinge mechanism  8 , are disposed in the front-back direction, at a predetermined interval, on the left side wall  2   a , as shown in  FIG. 2 . Also, a fitting portion  13 , in which is fitted a lock portion of the fan case  7 , to be described hereafter, is formed in the right side wall  2   b , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , and a lock release opening  14  is formed passing from the fitting portion  13  through to a right side surface side. 
         [0025]    Meanwhile, as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the fan case  7  is formed of a rectangular frame portion  21 , and a top surface plate portion  22  which closes off the top surface of the rectangular frame portion  21 . The rectangular frame portion has an open bottom surface. A supporting plate portion  23  with an L-shaped cross-section, has a projecting plate portion  23   a  projecting leftward and a vertical plate portion  23   b  extending upward from a free end of the projecting plate portion  23   a , is formed on a left side surface plate  21   a  of the rectangular frame portion  21 . A hinge shaft  24 , which engages with the hinge receiving grooves  11  of the hook portions  12  configuring the hinge mechanism  8  formed in the fan housing portion  5  of the main body  2 , is formed on the top end of the vertical plate portion  23   b  of the supporting plate portion  23 . Also, a flexible lock portion  25  with a U-shaped cross-section, whose top end is open, is formed on a right side surface plate  21   b  of the rectangular frame portion  21 . Furthermore, a plurality of rib portions  26 , which maintain strength, are formed parallel to each other extending in a vertical direction on the back surface side of the lock portion  25 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0026]    Vent holes  27  according to the shape of the cooling fan  6  are formed in the top surface plate portion  22 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . The cooling fan  6  is mounted on the interior side of the vent holes  27 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0027]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , by fitting the lock portion  25  into the fitting portion  13  of the housing portion  5  and pushing it in, and then by causing the fan case  7  to pivot, with the hinge shaft  24  as a center of rotation, in a condition in which its hinge shaft  24  is engaged inside the hinge receiving grooves  11  of the hook portions  12  formed in the housing portion  5 , the lock portion  25  is fitted into the fitting portion  13  while bending, and secures the fan case  7  in position. 
         [0028]    Next, a description will be given of an operation of the heretofore described embodiment. 
         [0029]    Under normal conditions, the fan case  7  in which the cooling fan  6  is mounted is mounted in the fan housing portion  5  formed in the upper portion of the case half-body  2 B configuring the main body  2 , in a state in which the hinge shaft  24  is engaged in the hinge receiving grooves  11  of the hook portions  12  of the housing portion  5 , and the lock portion  25  is fitted into the fitting portion  13  of the housing portion  5 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . An IGBT, or the like, which is an internal heat producing part, is cooled by the cooling fan  6  when driven to rotate. 
         [0030]    In the event of replacing the cooling fan  6  in this condition, a supply of power to an inverter circuit configured of the internal IGBT, or the like, is stopped, the U-shaped lock portion  25  is depressed by inserting the tip of a tool such as a screwdriver into the lock release opening  14 , causing the fitting of the lock portion  25  in the fitting portion  13  to be disengaged, and in this condition, the fan case  7  is pivoted upward centered on the hinge shaft  24 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , by gripping, for example, the side surfaces thereof. 
         [0031]    In this state, by disengaging the hinge shaft  24  from the hinge receiving grooves  11  of the hook portions  12 , it is possible to remove the fan case  7  from the housing portion  5 . Then, the cooling fan  6  exposed from the rear surface side of the removed fan case  7  is disengaged from the fan case  7  by removing a locking screw, or removing a mounting claw, after which, a new cooling fan  6  is mounted in the fan case  7 . 
         [0032]    Subsequently, by pivotally mounting the fan case  7  in the housing portion  5  by engaging the hinge shaft  24  in the hinge receiving grooves  11  formed in the hook portions  12  of the housing portion  5  and, in this condition, causing the fan case  7  to pivot downward centered on the hinge shaft  24 , fitting the lock portion  25  into the fitting portion  13 , and pushing it in, it is possible to mount and secure the fan case  7  in the housing portion  5 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0033]    In this way, in the heretofore described embodiment, in the condition in which the fan case  7  is pivotally held in the housing portion  5  of the case half-body  23  with the hinge mechanism  8 , it is possible to easily mount the fan case  7  in the housing portion  5  by causing the fan case  7  to turn to the bottom portion side of the housing portion  5 , fitting the lock portion  25  into the fitting portion  13 . 
         [0034]    Moreover, in this case, it is possible to hold the fan case  7  without it coming out of the housing portion  5  simply by fitting the lock portion  25  provided in the fan case  7  in the fitting portion  13  of the housing portion  5 . Thus, it is possible to simplify the configuration in comparison with the case in which the fan case is slidably held, and fixed with a fan cover, as in the previously described heretofore known example, and it is also possible to improve operability when mounting. 
         [0035]    Also, in the case too of removing the fan case  7  from the housing portion  5  in order to replace the cooling fan  6 , it is possible to cause the fan case  7  to turn upward simply by inserting the tip of a tool such as a screwdriver from the lock release opening  14 , bending the U-shaped lock portion  25 , and releasing its fitting in the fitting portion  13 . This makes it is possible to easily remove the fan case  7  from the housing portion  5  by disengaging the hinge shaft  24  from the hinge receiving grooves  11  of the hook portions  12  in the condition of  FIG. 4 . 
         [0036]    In the heretofore described embodiment, a description has been given of a case of pivotally mounting the fan case  7  in which the cooling fan  6  is mounted in the housing portion, via the hinge mechanism  8 . However, the instant invention is not limited to this, and it is possible to omit the hinge shaft  24  formed on the to end of the vertical plate portion  23   b  of the supporting member  23 , by forming reinforcing rib portions  31  in positions in front of and behind the supporting member  23 , and using them as an engagement portion, as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0037]    By omitting the hook portions  12  of the housing portion  5  and, in a condition in which the fan case  7  is tilted left side up, by moving the vertical plate portion  23   b  of the supporting member  23  downward while bringing it into contact with the left side wall  2   a  forming the housing portion  5 , causing the lock portion  25  side to turn to the bottom surface side of the housing portion  5 , and fitting the lock portion  25  in the fitting portion  13 , when the bottom surface of the supporting member  23  side of the fan case  7  comes into contact with the bottom surface of the housing portion  5 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , it is possible to keep the fan case  7  secured in the housing portion  5 , against upward movement, by biasing the vertical plate portion  23   b  of the supporting member  23  against the left side wall  2   a  using the springiness of the lock portion  25 . 
         [0038]    Then, in the case of removing the fan case  7  from the housing portion  5 , by inserting the tip of a tool such as a screwdriver in the lock release opening  14  and bending the lock portion  25 , in the same way as in the previously described embodiment, and, in a condition in which it is separated from the fitting portion  13 , gripping the lock portion  25  sides and lifting it up, it is possible, by causing the fan case  7  to pivot with the vertical plate portion  23   b  of the supporting member  23  still engaged with the left side wall  2   a , and moving the fan case  7  upward, as it is, in  FIG. 8 , to easily remove the fan case  7  from the housing portion  5 . 
         [0039]    In this instance, by forming a comparatively low projection on the left side wall of the housing portion  5  in such a way as to come into contact from above with the too end of the vertical plate portion  23   b  of the supporting member  23  in toe condition in which the fan case  7  is housed, in order to reliably prevent escape of the fan case  7  from the housing portion  5  to the exterior, it is possible, in the event that the fan case  7  tends to move upward, to reliably prevent the upward movement by the top end of the vertical plate portion  23   b  engaging with the projection. 
         [0040]    In the heretofore described embodiments, a description has been given of a case in which the main body  2  of the inverter device  1  is configured of the case half-bodies  2 A and  2 B. However, the invention is not limited to this, and it may also be formed as a box shape wherein at least one side surface is openable and closable. Also, the formation position of the housing portion  5  not being limited to the top end portion of the main body  2 , it may be formed in a side surface other than the top end portion. 
         [0041]    Although not shown, the fan is suitably adapted to be connected to a source of electrical power. Also, in the heretofore described embodiments, a description has been given of a case in which an inverter device is applied as the power converting device but, not being limited to this, the invention can also be applied to another type device, such as an uninterruptible power supply or the like. 
         [0042]    The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-079393 filed on Mar. 27, 2009 is incorporated as a reference.