Component cooling apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides a component cooling apparatus in which it is possible to suppress resonation of a fan housing due to the rotation of the fan. Four extended portions 33 A, 33 B extending into an air suction opening 25 a are integrally formed with the duct 5 . Projected portions 35 A, 35 B projecting toward the fan 3 are integrally formed with the extended portions 33 A, 33 B respectively. The end portions of the projected portions 35 A, 35 B are arranged in contact with end portions of corner portions which are located around the housing-side mount holes 21 a of the flange portion 21. The fan 3 is fixed inside the duct 5 by inserting a mounting member such as a screw and a bolt into each pair of a housing-side mount hole 21 a and a duct-side mount hole 33 a with four housing-side mount hole 21 a and four duct-side mount hole 33 a being aligned with each other. Accordingly, the fan housing 11 and the duct 5 are not in contact with each other except at mounting portions around the housing-side mount holes 21 a . The mounting portion of the fan housing 11 and the mounted portion of the duct 5 are in contact with each other only at peripheries of opposing openings of each pair of the housing-side mount hole 21 a and the duct-side mount hole 33 a that have been aligned.

1 . A component cooling apparatus for cooling a component comprising: 
 a duct including an air suction opening and an air discharge opening, a part or whole of the component being disposed inside the duct; and    a fan including a fan housing which is located in the air suction opening or the air discharge opening of the duct, the fan generating air flow inside the duct to cool the component,    the fan housing including a plurality of mounting portions each of which includes a housing-side mount hole through which a mounting member passes,    the duct including therein a plurality of mounted portions each of which includes a duct-side mount hole through which the mounting member passes, with the housing-side mount holes and duct-side mount holes being aligned with each other,    the fan being mounted inside the duct by aligning the plurality of mounting portions with the plurality of mounted portions in contact with each other and inserting the mounting member into each pair of the housing-side mount hole and the duct-side mount hole that have been aligned,    wherein the fan housing is shaped and sized not to be in contact with the duct except at the plurality of the mounting portions; and    the plurality of mounting portions and the plurality of the mounted portions are shaped and sized to be in contact with each other only at peripheries of opposing openings of each pair of the housing-side mount hole and the duct-side mount hole that have been aligned.    
   
   
       2 . The component cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein 
 the fan housing includes a cylindrical portion forming an air channel, and a flange portion integrally formed with the cylindrical portion on at least one of end portions of the cylindrical portion;    the plurality of mounting portion are integrally formed with the flange portion;    the openings of the housing-side mount holes are open on an end surface of the flange portion;    each of the mounted portions of the duct includes an extended portion and a projected portion, the extended portion being integrally formed with a wall portion of the duct and extending inwardly in the duct, the projected portion being integrally formed with the extended portion and projecting toward the fan; and    an end surface of the projected portion is in contact with the end surface of the flange portion, which is located around the opening of the housing-side mount hole formed in the flange portion.    
   
   
       3 . The component cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein 
 the fan housing includes a cylindrical portion forming an air channel, and a flange portion integrally formed with the cylindrical portion on at least one of end portions of the cylindrical portion;    the flange portion is outlined in a rectangle having four corner portions;    the plurality of the mounting portions are respectively formed at the corner portions of the flange portion;    the housing-side mount hole pierces the corner portion of the flange portion in a thickness direction thereof;    the duct includes a duct body including a top wall and a pair of side walls, the side walls being respectively located at either side of the top wall;    the duct body surrounds the air suction opening and the air discharge opening in three directions which are orthogonal to one another;    the duct body includes a component inserting opening which is disposed at a position opposing to the top wall;    the duct body includes four extended portions integrally formed therewith in such a manner that the extended portions extend into the air suction opening or the air discharge opening;    the two extended portions are respectively disposed in the vicinity of two corners which are formed by the top wall and the pair of side walls, and the another two extended portions are respectively positioned at two end portions of the side walls at a side of the component inserting opening;    four of the mounted portions of the duct each include the extended portion and a projected portion which is integrally formed with the extended portion and projecting toward the fan;    the duct-side mount hole pierces the extended portion and the projected portion in a thickness direction thereof; and    an end surface of the projected portion is in contact with an end surface of the corner portion, which is located around the opening of the housing-side mount hole formed in the flange portion.    
   
   
       4 . The component cooling apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the fan is inserted into the duct body through the component inserting opening of the duct body, and fixed inside the duct, with four of the housing-side mount holes and four of the duct-side mount holes being aligned with each other, and the mounting member being inserted into each pair of the housing-side mount hole and the duct-side mount hole.  
   
   
       5 . The component cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting member includes a rivet, a screw and a bolt.