Abstract:
A computer having a housing including a passage extending from one side to an opposite side of the housing, and a plurality of air intake vents arranged in at least one wall of the passage and configured for taking in external air into the housing.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/122,576, filed May 5, 2005, and is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese Patent Application JP 2004-139137 filed in the Japanese Patent Office on May 7, 2004, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
     Field of the Invention  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a cooling air intake structure and a desk-top computer employing the same.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Computer performance, particularly of personal computers, has substantially advanced. The amount of heat generated by a processor (hereinafter central processing unit (CPU)) of a computer increases accordingly. A cooling system for quickly discharging a large amount of heat generated by the CPU out of the computer becomes important.  
         [0006]     A heat dissipation pad, a heat sink, a heat pipe, a cooling fan, etc. are used alone or in combination to cool the computer. In high-performance computers, particularly, desk-top computers, a CPU thereof, from among components, generating the largest amount of heat is directly cooled by one of an axial fan and a flat fan. To directly cool the CPU with the axial fan, a heat sink is arranged between the axial fan and the CPU as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-42973.  
         [0007]     To take in cooling air into the computer from the outside, a large number of air intake vents are opened on one of a front panel and a side panel of a housing of a computer. As shown in  FIG. 8 , a large number of air intake vents are opened on a front panel of the computer housing, for example.  
         [0008]     Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-306186 discloses a computer cooling device using a cross-flow fan.  
         [0009]     According to the disclosure, a cross-flow fan is arranged in addition to one of the axial fan and the flat fan directly cooling the CPU. The cross-flow fan outputs an air flow wide enough to be directed to a heat emission member mounted on a mother board. An air flow is directly blown on the heat emission member or on a structure surrounding the heat emission member so that heated air does not reside near the mother board. To take in external air, a large number of air intake vents are opened on the side surfaces of the computer.  
         [0010]     Water-cooled computers have also proposed.  FIG. 9  illustrates a computer  1  having a water-cooling system. As shown in  FIG. 9 , the computer  1  includes the water-cooling system that cools a CPU  3  mounted on a mother board  2  by circulating cooling water. In the cooling system, the CPU  3  is covered with a cooling-water jacket made of copper. Silicone grease having a high thermal conductivity is applied on a contact surface of the jacket so that heat generated by the CPU  3  is efficiently absorbed by a cooling liquid. The cooling liquid having absorbed heat is conveyed to a radiator via a reserve tank  5  and a passage frame  7  to a heat sink  9  that is projected backward from the back plane of the computer  1 . Heat of the cooling liquid is discharged outside the computer  1  by a large power-supply fan  8 . Cooled liquid is then circulated back to the cooling jacket  4  by a high-performance compact pump  6 . The pump  6  controls the flow rate of the cooling liquid in accordance with the temperature of the CPU  3 , thereby maintaining low noise level. The cooling liquid of the water-cooling system contains a glycolic anti-freeze liquid to prevent the passage frame  7  and the reserve tank  5  from corroding.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     Heat generated in the computers is more problematic year by year as computer specifications become more sophisticated. The cooling systems (disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-42973 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-306186) are not sufficient to cool the computer.  
         [0012]     A large number of air intake vents opened on one of the front panel and the side panel to take in cooling air is aesthetically not preferable.  
         [0013]     If the CPU is directly cooled by the axial fan via the heat sink, a relatively small fan is typically used. For this reason, the rotational speed of the fan needs to be increased. The noise of the fan becomes louder, and the sound of wind is generated when the air passes through the air intake vents on the front panel or the side panel of the housing of the computer. The sound of an operating hard disk is leaked out of the housing.  
         [0014]     The disclosed computer having the water-cooling system uses the fan to take in air, and a large number of air intake vents are thus opened on the side panel of the housing of the computer. The use of the large number of vents is aesthetically not preferable.  
         [0015]     If the air intake vents are opened on one side of the housing of the known computer, an air intake efficiency is lowered if any object is in the way of air flow on that side.  
         [0016]     It is desirable to provide a cooling air intake structure and a desk-top computer using the air intake structure that achieve aesthetically preferable design, low-noise feature, and efficient cooling.  
         [0017]     In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a cooling air intake structure of a desk-top computer having a housing containing a mother board with a processor, includes one of a passage frame, extending from one side to the other side of the housing, and defining a passage penetrating through the housing, the passage having a predetermining cross-sectional area, and a recess portion, on each of the sides of the housing, having a predetermined cross-sectional area, each of the passage frame and the recess portion having a plurality of air intake vents in the wall thereof.  
         [0018]     One of the passage frame and the recess portion is preferably arranged close to an internal component to be cooled inside the housing.  
         [0019]     The cooling air intake structure of the desk-top computer includes one of the passage frame extending from one side to the other side of the housing, defining a passage penetrating through the housing and having a predetermining cross-sectional area, and the recess portion, on each of the sides of the housing, having a predetermined cross-sectional area. With this arrangement, an air intake mechanism is provided without opening the air intake vents on the front panel and the side panel of the computer. The arrangement is aesthetically preferable because the air intake vent is opened in an area hidden in an outside view. The arrangement is free from the sound of wind blowing that could be generated if air is taken in through the air intake vents on the front panel and the side panel. The arrangement controls the leak of the noise of the cooling fan and the sound of an operating hard disk out of the housing. With one of the passage frame and the recess portion arranged close to the component to be cooled, cooling air is directly introduced, and efficient cooling is achieved.  
         [0020]     In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a desk-top computer having a housing containing a mother board with a processor, includes a passage frame extending from one side to the other side of the housing, and defining a passage penetrating through the housing, the passage having a predetermining cross-sectional area, a chassis partitioning, at the position of the passage frame, the interior of the housing into an upper space and a lower space, the passage frame having a plurality of air intake vents in the wall thereof for taking in external cooling air from the outside into the housing, a heat sink dissipating heat generated by the processor, the heat sink separated from the processor with the chassis interposed therebetween, and a heat pipe thermally coupling the heat sink to the processor.  
         [0021]     The passage frame preferably has a generally rectangular cross-section, and the top wall and the side wall of the passage frame preferably have a plurality of air intake vents for taking in cooling air from the outside. The passage frame is preferably arranged close to an internal component to be cooled inside the housing. Preferably, one end of the chassis is supported at a front panel of the housing, and the other end of the chassis is supported at a back panel of the housing, and the chassis on a portion thereof close to the front panel of the housing includes a through-hole for causing the upper space to communicate with the lower space of the housing.  
         [0022]     The desk-top computer preferably includes a cooling fan arranged between the passage frame and the heat sink arranged on the chassis, and a discharge vent arranged on the back of the housing.  
         [0023]     In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a desk-top computer having a housing containing a mother board with a processor, includes a recess portion on each of two sides of the housing, the recess portion having a predetermined cross-sectional area, a chassis partitioning, at the position of the recess portion, the interior of the housing into an upper space and a lower space, the wall of the recess portion having a plurality of air intake vents for taking in external cooling air from the outside into the housing, a heat sink dissipating heat generated by the processor, the heat sink separated from the processor with the chassis interposed therebetween, and a heat pipe thermally coupling the heat sink to the processor.  
         [0024]     The cooling air intake structure of the desk-top computer includes one of the passage frame extending from one side to the other side of the housing, and defining a passage penetrating through the housing, the passage having a predetermining cross-sectional area, and the recess portion, on each of the sides of the housing, having a predetermined cross-sectional area. A plurality of air intake vents are arranged on the passage frame and the recess portion. The chassis dividing the interior of the housing into the upper space and the lower space is arranged at the position of one of the passage frame and the recess portion. The heat sink dissipating heat generated by the processor is separated from the processor by the chassis interposed therebetween. The heat sink is thermally coupled to the processor via the heat pipe.  
         [0025]     The air intake structure is provided without the need for the air intake vents on the front panel and the side panel of the housing of the computer. Aesthetically acceptable design is enhanced because the air intake vent is opened in an area not seen from the outside. The arrangement is free from the sound of wind blowing that could be generated if air is taken in through the air intake vents on the front panel and the side panel. The arrangement controls the leak of the noise of the cooling fan and the sound of an operating hard disk out of the housing. With one of the passage frame and the recess portion arranged close to the component to be cooled, cooling air is directly introduced, and efficient cooling is achieved. With the chassis interposed between the processor and the heat sink, heat generated the processor is separated from the internal air of the housing. Even more efficient cooling is performed.  
         [0026]     Since the processor is separated from the heat sink, a large cooling fan is usable, leading to a low-noise level operation.  
         [0027]     With the passage frame penetrating through the housing and the recess portion arranged on each of the sides of the housing, and having a predetermined cross-sectional area, air supplying is possible through both sides of the housing. Even if an object is in the way on one side, air intake efficiency is not lowered. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0028]      FIG. 1  is an external view of a computer in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0029]      FIGS. 2A-2C  illustrate a layout of air intake vents of the computer of the first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0030]      FIG. 3  is an elevational cross-sectional view of the computer in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0031]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of a lower section of the computer in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0032]      FIG. 5  illustrates the computer, which is carried with top walls held by hands, in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0033]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  illustrate a computer in accordance with a second embodiment of present invention;  
         [0034]      FIGS. 7A-7D  illustrate other examples of the air intake vents;  
         [0035]      FIG. 8  illustrates a known computer having air intake vents on the front panel thereof; and  
         [0036]      FIG. 9  illustrates a known computer employing a known water-cooling system. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0037]     A cooling air intake structure and a desk-top computer (hereinafter simply referred to as a computer) of embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the drawings.  
         [0038]      FIG. 1  is an external view of a computer  100  in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. The computer  100  has an air intake structure. As shown in  FIG. 1 , an air intake frame  13  as a passage frame is arranged at a predetermined position of side panels  12  on a housing  10  of the computer  100 . The air intake frame  13  has a generally rectangular cross section and includes, in the top portion and the side portions thereof, a plurality of air intake vents  14 A and  14 B for taking in external air into the housing  10 .  
         [0039]      FIGS. 2A-2C  illustrate a layout of the air intake vents of the air intake frame  13 .  FIG. 2A  is a side elevational cross-sectional view of the computer  100 .  FIG. 2B  is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the computer  100  taken along line IIB-IIB in  FIG. 2A .  FIG. 2C  is a vertical cross-sectional view of the computer  100  taken along line IIC-IIC in  FIG. 2A .  
         [0040]     As shown in  FIG. 2B , the plurality of air intake vents  14 B for introducing external air into the housing  10  are opened in the top portion  13 B of the air intake frame  13 . As shown in  FIG. 2C , the plurality of air intake vents  14 A for introducing external air into the housing  10  are opened in the side portions  13 A of the air intake frame  13 . In this case, the air intake vents  14 A are a plurality of elongated generally rectangular slots, and the air intake vents  14 B are a plurality of round holes. The computer  100  is thus provided with a sufficient air intake opening area without arranging the air intake vents on the front panel  11  and the side panels  12 . The air intake vents  14 A and the air intake vents  14 B are not directly visible from the outside. As shown in  FIGS. 2A-2C , the air intake frame  13  is tapered wide toward the side panels  12  to enhance aesthetic design.  
         [0041]     The air intake frame  13  has a predetermined cross-sectional area to assure a predetermined layout of air intake vents and a predetermined intake area. If the opening of the air intake frame  13  is designed to receive the hands of a person, the computer  100  is easily carried as will be shown with reference to  FIG. 5 .  
         [0042]      FIG. 3  is an elevational cross-sectional view of the computer  100  of the first embodiment of the present invention. Arrow-headed dot-and-dash chain line shown in  FIG. 3  represents the direction of the flow of cooling air.  
         [0043]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the computer  100  includes the air intake frame  13 , a mother board  20  having a CPU  21  as a processor, a heat sink  22 , a heat pipe  23 , a cooling fan  24 , a hard disk drive (HDD)  25 , a power supply unit  26 , a graphics board  27 , optical drives  28  and  29 , a floppy® drive  30 , and a chassis  31 .  
         [0044]     The housing  10  is partitioned into two spaces ( 10 A and  10 B). The air intake frame  13  is arranged on the chassis  31 . The chassis  31  is supported with one end thereof at the front panel  11  of the housing  10  with the other end thereof at a back panel  15 . A through-hole  31 A is opened in the chassis  31  on the front area thereof close to the front panel  11  to cause an upper space  10 A to communicate with a lower space  10 B.  
         [0045]     The heat sink  22 , the cooling fan  24 , and the optical drives  28  and  29  are housed within the upper space  10 A. The cooling fan  24  is arranged between the heat sink  22  and the air intake frame  13 . The cooling fan  24  introduces external air through the air intake vents  14 A and the air intake vents  14 B respectively arranged in the side portion  13 A and the top portion  13 B of the air intake frame  13 . With this arrangement, external air having the same temperature as room temperature is directly supplied to the cooling fan  24 .  
         [0046]     Since the heat sink  22  and the cooling fan  24  are arranged in the upper space  10 A, a large heat sink  22  and a large cooling fan  24  can be used with the housing  10  utilized to the full width thereof. For example, the use of a large cooling fan  24  having a diameter of  120  mm leads to a low-noise operation.  
         [0047]     The mother board  20 , the hard disk drive  25 , the power supply unit  26 , the graphics board  27 , and the floppy® drive  30  are housed within the lower space  10 B of the housing  10 . Another hard disk drive may be installed instead of the floppy® drive  30 . The CPU  21  is thermally coupled to the heat sink  22  via the heat pipe  23 . Heat generated by the CPU  21  is conducted to the heat sink  22  via the heat pipe  23 . Heat conducted to the heat sink  22  is dissipated into cooling air by the cooling fan  24 . Resulting heated air is discharged through a discharge vent arranged on the back panel of the housing  10 .  
         [0048]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the cooling fan  24  takes in cooling air through the back side portion  13 A and the top portion  13 B of the air intake frame  13  when the computer  100  is operating. A fan  26 F attached to the power supply unit  26  takes in cooling air through the front side portion  13 A of the air intake frame  13  and guides the cooling air into the lower space  10 B through the through-hole  31 A opened in the chassis  31 . The used air is then discharged through the discharge vent in the back panel  15  of the housing  10 . Cooling air is thus easily introduced into the lower space  10 B to cool the hard disk drive  25 , the power supply unit  26 , the graphics board  27 , etc. housed in the lower space  10 B of the housing  10 .  
         [0049]      FIG. 4  is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the lower space  10 B of the housing  10 . An arrow-headed dot-and-dash chain line shown in  FIG. 4  represents the flow of the cooling air. The cooling air is applied to the power supply unit  26  after passing by the hard disk drive  25 , and is then discharged through the discharge vent in the back panel  15 .  
         [0050]     The air intake frame  13  has a predetermined cross-sectional area large enough receive a hand of a person for carrying the computer  100 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , a person can carry the computer  100  with the hands holding the top portion  13 B of the air intake frame  13 .  
         [0051]     In accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, the computer  100  includes the cooling air intake structure. More specifically, the air intake frame  13  that laterally penetrates the housing  10  from the one side panel  12  to the other side panel  12 , and has a predetermined cross-sectional area. The air intake frame  13  includes the side portions  13 A having the plurality of air intake vents  14 A and the top portion  13 B having the plurality of air intake vents  14 B. The chassis  31  is arranged to partition the interior of the housing  10  into the two spaces. The heat sink  22  dissipating heat generated by the CPU  21  is separated from the CPU  21  by the chassis  31 . The heat pipe  23  is arranged to thermally couple the CPU  21  to the heat sink  2 .  
         [0052]     The computer  100  has a sufficient air intake opening without the need for air intake vents on the front panel and the back panel of the housing  10  thereof. Since the air intake vents  14 A and the air intake vents  14 B are arranged in the area not directly visible from the outside, an aesthetically preferable design is thus achieved. The computer  100  is free from the sound of wind blowing that could be generated if air is taken in through the air intake vents on the front panel and the side panel. The computer  100  controls the leak of the noise of the cooling fan and the sound of an operating hard disk out of the housing. With the air intake frame  13  arranged closely to the components to be cooled, external air is directly introduced to cool the components. Cooling efficiency is thus enhanced. Since the chassis  31  separates the CPU  21  from the heat sink  22 , heat generated by the CPU  21  is prevented from being in contact with the general cooling air in the housing  10 . Cooling efficiency is even more enhanced.  
         [0053]     The arrangement in which the CPU  21  is separated from the heat sink  22  permits a larger cooling fan  24  to be used, and a low-noise operation is thus performed.  
         [0054]     The use of the air intake frame  13  penetrating through the housing  10  permits the computer  100  to take in air from both sides. Even if an object is in the way of air flow on one side, air intake efficiency is not lowered.  
         [0055]     Since the chassis  31  is supported by the front panel  11  and the back panel  15 , mechanical strength of the housing  10  is increased. No particular handle for carrying the computer  100  is required because the air intake frame  13  can serve this purpose. Furthermore, the computer  100  can be carried safely because a person can lift the computer  100  by directly holding the housing  10  of the computer  100 .  
         [0056]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  illustrate a computer  200  in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. The computer  200  includes a cooling air intake structure.  FIG. 6A  is a side view of the computer  200 .  FIG. 6B  is an elevational cross-sectional view of the computer  200 , taken along line IVB-IVB in  FIG. 6A , with internal components not shown.  
         [0057]     As shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , the housing  10  of the computer  200  includes an air intake frame  16  as a recess portion on each of both side panels  12 . The air intake frame  16  has a round-ended elongated rectangular shape in cross section. The air intake frame  16  includes a side portion  16 A and a top portion  16 B. A plurality of air intake vents  17 A are opened in the side portion  16 A, and a plurality of air intake vents  17 B are opened in the top portion  16 B.  
         [0058]     The computer  200  includes the air intake frame  16 , a mother board  20  having a CPU  21 , a heat sink  22 , a heat pipe  23 , a cooling fan  24 , a hard disk drive (HDD)  25 , a power supply unit  26 , a graphics board  27 , optical drives  28  and  29 , a floppy® drive  30 , and a chassis  31 .  
         [0059]     As previously discussed, the housing  10  is divided into an upper space  10 A and a lower space  10 B. The chassis  31  includes a through-hole  31 A that causes the upper space  10 A and the lower space  10 B to communicate each other.  
         [0060]     The computer  200  of the second embodiment is identical to the computer  100  of the first embodiment in the layout of the components. The discussion of the layout of the components is thus omitted here.  
         [0061]     In accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention, the computer  200  includes a cooling air intake structure. More specifically, the computer  200  includes the air intake frame  16  having a predetermined cross-sectional area on each of the side panels  12 . The side portion  16 A and the top portion  16 B of the air intake frame  16  include the plurality of air intake vents  17 A and the plurality of air intake vents  17 B for taking in cooling air, respectively. The chassis  31  is arranged at the position of the air intake frame  16  to partition the interior of the housing  10  into the two spaces. The heat sink  22  dissipating heat generated by the CPU  21  is separated from the CPU  21  by the chassis  31 . The heat pipe  23  is arranged to thermally couple the CPU  21  to the heat sink  22 .  
         [0062]     The computer  200  has sufficient air intake opening without the need for air intake vents on the front panel and the back panel of the housing  10  thereof. Since the air intake vents  17 A and the air intake vents  17 B are arranged in the area not directly visible from the outside, an aesthetically preferable design is achieved. The computer  200  is free from the sound of wind blowing that could be generated if air is taken in through the air intake vents on the front panel and the side panel. The computer  200  controls the leak of the noise of the cooling fan and the sound of an operating hard disk out of the housing. With the air intake frame  16  arranged closely to the components to be cooled, external air is directly introduced to cool the components. Cooling efficiency is thus enhanced. Since chassis  31  separates the CPU  21  from the heat sink  22 , heat generated by the CPU  21  is prevented from being in contact with the general cooling air in the housing  10 . Cooling efficiency is even more enhanced.  
         [0063]     The arrangement in which the CPU  21  is separated from the heat sink  22  permits a larger cooling fan  24  to be used, and a low-noise operation is performed.  
         [0064]     The use of the air intake frame  16  arranged on each of the side panels  12  and having a predetermined cross-sectional area permits the computer  100  to take in air from both sides. Even if an object is in the way of air flow on one side, air intake efficiency is not lowered.  
         [0065]     Since the chassis  31  is supported by the front panel  11  and the back panel  15 , mechanical strength of the housing  10  is increased.  
         [0066]     In the first embodiment of the present invention, the computer  100  includes the air intake frame  13  having a generally rectangular shape in cross section. The present invention is not limited to this shape. The air intake frame  13  may have another cross-sectional shape. The location of the air intake frame  13  may be changed as necessary.  
         [0067]      FIGS. 7A-7D  are side views of the computer  100  having other examples of the air intake frame.  
         [0068]      FIG. 7A  illustrates an air intake frame having a circular cross-section. In this case, the air intake frame  13  having the circular cross section is arranged on the right top portion of the side of the computer  100 . A plurality of air intake vents are opened in the cylindrical wall of the air intake frame.  
         [0069]      FIG. 7B  illustrates an air intake frame having a triangular cross-section. In this case, the air intake frame having the triangular cross section is arranged on the right top portion of the side of the computer  100 . A plurality of air intake vents are opened in a top wall and a slant wall of the air intake frame.  
         [0070]      FIG. 7C  illustrates an air intake frame having an elongated, generally rectangular cross section. In this case, the air intake frame having the elongated, generally rectangular cross section is arranged on the lower portion of the side of the computer  100 . A plurality of air intake vents are opened in a side wall and a top wall of the air intake frame.  
         [0071]      FIG. 7D  illustrates an air intake frame having a segment shape in cross section. In this case, the air intake frame having the segment shape is arranged on the upper portion of the side of the computer  100 . A plurality of air intake vents are opened in a top wall and a bottom wall of the air intake frame.  
         [0072]     In the second embodiment of the present invention, the computer  200  includes the air intake frame  16  on each of the side panels  12 . The present invention is not limited to this arrangement. The air intake frame  16  may be arranged on only one side panel  12 .  
         [0073]     In the second embodiment of the present invention, the air intake frames  16  may be arranged on both side panels  12  in non-symmetrical positions.  
         [0074]     It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occur depending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they are within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.