Abstract:
A low cost computer is suitable for small size configuration. Casings  4  and  32  are formed by aluminum, which is a heat radiating material, and CPUs  6  and  36 , hard disk devices  8  and  38 , control ICs  40  and  42  and a memory IC are mounted on the casing  4  directly or by the heat radiating material. The casings  4  and  32  are utilized as heat radiators, thereby making the entire computer a smaller size.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates.to personal computers or computers for servers to be used for configuration of computer networks. 
     Heretofore, a personal computer that radiates heat generated from electronic equipment and component parts built in a casing with a radiator made of an aluminum sheet was disclosed in an official gazette of Japanese patent laid-open publication No. H-11-145665 and the like. Furthermore, cooling of the heat of electronic equipment and component parts of the computer by a fan has been carried out in the past. 
     The servers to be used in networks are driven continuously for 24 hours, and how to deal with heat radiation is an essential condition. Although the conventional servers have built-in radiators or fans in the casing to radiate the heat of a hard disk or CPU, this radiation configuration leads to the problem of a bigger structure of the entire computer system, and moreover, it leads to the problem of increased cost. 
     An object of the present invention is to solve the foregoing problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides computers suitable for a small size at low cost. A CPU and hard disk are provided; in a casing, and the casing constitutes a radiator sheet made of aluminum. The CPU and the hard disk device are mounted on an inner wall surface of the casing. The heat generated at the CPU and the hard disk device is absorbed by the casing so that the casing inhibits temperature increases in the CPU and the, hard disk device. 
     Furthermore, the present invention is so configured that the CPU, hard disk device, control IC and memory IC are provided in the casing, and a circuit substrate is fixed in the casing. The CPU, control IC and memory IC are disposed on the circuit substrate. The casing is made from the radiating sheet of aluminum, and the hard disk device is fixed to a support sheet made of aluminum that tightly adheres to the casing. The heat generated at the hard disk device is transmitted to the casing through the support sheet and is absorbed by the casing. The control IC and the memory IC adhere to a heat sink sheet made of aluminum that is fixed to the casing, and the heat generated at the control IC and the memory IC is transmitted to the casing through the heat sink sheet and is absorbed by the casing. The CPU tightly adheres to a heat sink block made of aluminum, one heat pipe made of a radiating metallic material adheres to this heat sink block, and an other heat pipe comes into contract with the casing. The heat generated at the CPU is transmitted to the casing through the heat sink block and the heat pipe, and is absorbed by the casing. The casing is integrally formed with heat radiating fins. The other heat pipe comes into contact with the vicinity of a portion of the heat radiating fins. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 denotes a cross section showing an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 perspective view of a personal computer to be used as a server. 
     FIG. 3 denotes a plan view of an inner structure of another embodiment of a personal computer, from which a top cover has been removed. 
     FIG. 4 denotes an A—A line cross section. 
     FIG. 5 denotes a A—A line cross section. 
     FIG. 6 denotes a C—C line cross section. 
     FIG. 7 denotes a D—D line cross section. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A mode of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail in the following by referring to attached drawings. 
     Reference numeral  2  denotes a server to be used for configuration of a computer network, and is operated continuously for 24 hours with a power source turned on. The server  2  is so constructed that a CPU-  6 , hard disk device  8 , and electronic equipment and component parts (illustration is omitted) such as a control IC, memory IC and the like which are required for the computer are provided in the casing  4 . 
     The casing  4  comprises a top cover  10 , bottom cover  12 , transverse panel  14 , and a rear panel  16 , and all of them are made of aluminum that is a heat radiating material (i.e. heat radiating aluminum sheet). The top cover  10  and the bottom cover  12  are formed with side sheets  10   b ,  10   b  and side sheets  12   b ,  12   b  forming a right angle to flat sheets  10   a ,  12   a  of the covers at both side portions respectively. The covers and panels thus constitute aluminum rational plates. 
     The top cover  10  and the bottom cover  12  are joined with the side sheets  10   b ,  10   b  and side sheets  12   b ,  12   b  to form a frame body  18  whose front and rear portions are open. At the front open portion of the frame body  18 , the transverse panel  14  is fitted. At both sides of the transverse panel  14 , a mounting side sheet  14   b  (the other sheet is not illustrated) that is at a right angle to a flat sheet  14   a  is formed. The mounting side sheets  14   b  come into contact with the side sheets  10   b ,  10   b  and the side sheets  12   b ,  12   b  of the frame body  18 , and are fixed to the side sheets  10   b ,  10   b  and the side sheets  12   b ,  12   b  by means of screws  20 . 
     At the rear open portion of the frame body  18 , a rear panel  16  is fitted and fixed to a rear portion of the frame body  18  by means of screws  22 . The rear panel  16  is integrally formed with heat radiating fins  16   a . On an inner wall surface of the rear panel  16  is screwed an angle  24  made of aluminum, and the body proper of the hard disk device  8  is fixed to the angle  24 . 
     On the inner wall surface of the flat sheet  12   a  of the bottom cover  12 , the body proper of the CPU  6  is bonded by means of grease. Furthermore, all of the other electronic equipment and component parts for configuration of the server  2  are fixed to the casing  4 . On the transverse panel  14 , a connector  26  for connection of a variety of external equipment to the server  2  is mounted. On the wall surface of the flat sheet  12   a  of the bottom cover  12  are fixed four conically shaped rubber bases  28  are mounting the server  2  on a desk. 
     In the foregoing configuration, the heat generated from the CPU  6  and the hard disk device  8  at the time of driving the server is transmitted to the casing  4 , and is radiated outside from the casing  4 . Since the casing  4  is constituted by the aluminum, the heat is efficiently absorbed and radiated, and the tendency toward high temperatures of the CPU  6  and the hard disk device  8  is prevented. 
     Another mode of embodiment of the present invention will be described in the following by referring to FIG.  3  through FIG.  7 . 
     Reference number  30  denotes a server to be used for configuration of a computer network. A circuit substrate  24 , CPU  6 , hard disk device  3   8 , control ICs (integrated circuit)  40 ,  42 , memory IC  44  and electronic equipment and component parts (illustration is omitted) which are required as a computer are provided in the casing  32 . 
     The casing  32  comprises a top cover  32   a , bottom cover  32   b , traverse panel  32   c , and a rear panel  32   d  that is integrally formed with heat radiation fins  32   e . All of these elements are made from aluminum sheets that are heat radiation metallic material. The casing  32  is of almost identical construction with the casing  4  of the first embodiment. 
     The circuit substrate  34 , in which a variety of electronic equipment and electronic circuit component parts are incorporated, is horizontally disposed at a proper interval from the bottom cover  32   b , and is fixed to a mounting shaft (illustration is omitted) made of brass, which is fixed to the bottom cover  32   b  by means of a screw. Reference numeral  46  denotes a support sheet made of aluminum, and is disposed above the circuit substrate  34  at a proper interval, and one angle portion  46   a  is made to tightly adhere to a perpendicular inner wall of the rear panel  32   d.    
     The support sheet  46  is fixed to an upper end of a mounting shaft  48  made of brass, which is fixed to the bottom cover  32   b  by means of a screw  52 . 
     A mounting structure of the control IC  40  and the memory IC  44  is described in the following by referring to FIG.  5 . 
     Reference numeral  54  denotes a lower level heat sink sheet made of aluminum, and is horizontally fixed to the bottom cover  32   b  by means of a screw  56 . The memory IC  44  disposed on the lower surface of the circuit substrate  34  is sandwiched by the lower level heat sink sheet  54  and the circuit substrate  34 . In the upper part of the circuit substrate  34 , an upper level heat sink sheet  58  made of aluminum is disposed, and the control IC  40  and  42  are sandwiched by the upper level heat sink sheet  58  an the circuit substrate  34 . 
     The upper level heat sink sheet  58  is fixed to the lower level heat sink sheet  54  by means of screws  60  and  62 . The control ICs  40  and  42  disposed on the upper surface of the circuit substrate  34  adhere tightly to the heat sink surface of the upper level heat sink sheet  58 . The heat of the heat sink sheet  58  is arranged to be transmitted to the heat sink sheet  54  through the screws  60  and  62 , which are thermal conductors. 
     A mounting structure of the CPU  36  will be described in the following by referring to FIGS. 6 and 7. 
     The CPU  36  is fixed integrally to a metallic part of the circuit substrate  34  by means of soldering. Reference number  64  denotes a heat sink block made of aluminum, and heat radiating fins are integrally formed with the heat sink block. The heat sink block  64  is disposed in tight contact with the upper surface of the CPU  36 , and mounting shafts  66  fixed to the circuit substrate  34  are inserted into holes of mounting members  64   a  and  64   b  of the heat sink block  64 . 
     Coil springs  68  are mounted on the mounting shafts  66 , and the lower surface of the heat sink block  64  adheres tightly to the upper surface of the CPU  36  by a resilient force of these coil springs  68 , with a head portion of the mounting shafts  66  being a fulcrum. A lateral hole  70  is bored in the heat sink block  64 , and one part  72   a  of a heat pipe  72  is fitted into the lateral hole  70 . The heat pipe  72  is made from copper, which is a heat radiating metallic material, and silicone grease is filled in its inside. 
     Another part  72   b  of the heat pipe  72  is curved in an almost right angular direction relative to the one part  72   a , and also, as shown in FIG. 7, is inclined upward about  20  degrees toward the other end  72   c . The other part  72   b  that is inclined upward is fitted into a heat pipe inserting groove  74  formed with an inclination upward about 20 degrees toward the other side from the one side on the inner wall surface of the rear panel  32   d . An upward inclination structure along the groove  72  of the other part  72   b  of the heat pipe  72  improves thermal conductivity efficiency along the heat pipe  72  and elevates the heat radiating effect. 
     In the foregoing configuration, the heat generated at the hard disk device  38  is transmitted to the casing  32  through the support sheet  46  and is absorbed by the casing  32 , and thus the temperature rise of the hard disk device  38  is inhibited. Furthermore, the heat generated at the control IC  40  and  42  is transmitted to the casing  32  through the heat sink sheet  58 , screws  60  and  62  and the heat sink sheet  54  and is absorbed by the casing  32 . 
     Furthermore, the heat generated at the memory IC  44  is transmitted to the casing  32  and is absorbed by the casing  32  so that the temperature rise of the control ICs  40  and  42  and the memory IC  44  is inhibited. Furthermore, the heat generated at the CPU  36  is transmitted to the casing  32  through the heat sink block  64 , heat pipe  72 , and is absorbed by the casing  32  so that the temperature rise of the CPU  36  is inhibited. 
     The present invention is constructed as described in the foregoing by making the casing itself as a heat radiating sheet and mounting the CPU and the hard disk device on the casing, thereby reducing the size of the computer to a small size-and manufacturing it at a lower cost.