Electronic apparatus and method of cooling the electronic apparatus
View Patent ↗An electronic apparatus includes a housing, a first heat-generating member provided in the housing, a heat-radiating member thermally connected to the first heat-generating member, a first fan module guiding air to the heat-radiating member, a second heat-generating member provided in the housing, a second fan module discharging air out of the housing, and a wall section provided in the housing, located between the first fan module and the second fan module.
1. An electronic apparatus comprising:
a housing;
a first heat-generating member provided in the housing;
a heat-radiating member thermally connected to the first heat-generating member;
a first fan module guiding air to the heat-radiating member;
a second heat-generating member provided in the housing separately from the first heat-generating member;
a second fan module discharging air out of the housing;
a wall section provided in the housing, located between the first fan module and the second fan module;
first temperature sensing means for sensing a temperature of the first heat-generating member;
first rotation control means for controlling rotation of the first fan module in accordance with a sensing result of the first temperature sensing means;
second temperature sensing means for sensing a temperature of an inside of the housing; and
second rotation control means for controlling rotation of the second fan module in accordance with a sensing result of the second temperature sensing means.
2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first temperature sensing means senses that the temperature of the first heat-generating member exceeds a given temperature and supplies a sensing signal to both the first and second rotation control means, the first rotation control means rotates the first fan module at a maximum rotation speed in response to the sensing signal from the first temperature sensing means, and the second rotation control means rotates the second fan module at a maximum rotation speed in response to the sensing signal from the first temperature sensing means.
3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising setting means for setting both a rotation speed of the first fan module and a comparative value of the temperature sensed by the first temperature sensing means in the first rotation control means, and wherein the first rotation control means controls rotation of the first fan module based on contents set by the setting means.
4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising setting means for setting both a rotation speed of the second fan module and a comparative value of the temperature sensed by the second temperature sensing means in the second rotation control means, and wherein the second rotation control means controls rotation of the second fan module based on contents set by the setting means.
5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the setting means sets the rotation speed of each of the first and second fan modules to a larger value in accordance with a rise in temperature of a range including the temperature sensed by one of the first and second temperature sensing means.
6. A method of cooling an electronic apparatus including a housing, a first heat-generating member provided in the housing, a heat-radiating member thermally connected to the first heat-generating member, a first fan module guiding air to the heat-radiating member, a second heat-generating member provided in the housing separately from the first heat-generating member, a second fan module discharging air out of the housing, and a wall section provided in the housing, located between the first fan module and the second fan module, the method comprising:
a temperature sensing step of sensing that the temperature of the first heat-generating member exceeds a given temperature and outputting a sensing signal;
a first rotation control step of rotating the first fan module at a maximum rotation speed in response to the sensing signal output in the temperature sensing step; and
a second rotation control step of rotating the second fan module at a maximum rotation speed in response to the sensing signal output in the temperature sensing step.
7. A method of cooling an electronic apparatus including a housing, a first heat-generating member provided in the housing, a heat-radiating member thermally connected to the first heat-generating member, a first fan module guiding air to the heat-radiating member, a second heat-generating member provided in the housing separately from the first heat-generating member, a second fan module discharging air out of the housing, and a wall section provided in the housing, located between the first fan module and the second fan module, the method comprising:
a temperature sensing step of sensing a temperature of the first heat-generating member;
a setting step of setting both a rotation speed of the first fan module and a comparative value of the temperature sensed in the temperature sensing step; and
a rotation control step of controlling rotation of the first fan module in accordance with contents set in the setting step and the temperature of the first heat-generating member sensed in the sensing step.
8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the setting means sets the rotation speed of each of the first and second fan modules to a larger value in accordance with a rise in temperature of a range including the temperature sensed by one of the first and second temperature sensing means.