Desktop electronic device

• US 10,725,507 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2019
• Issued: 07/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Degner, Brett W., Kalinowski, Caitlin Elizabeth, Kosoglow, Richard D., Banko, Joshua D., Narajowski, David H., Berk, Jonathan L., Leclerc, Michael E., McBroom, Michael D., Iqbal, Asif, Michelsen, Paul S., Sin, Mark K., Baker, Paul A., Sontag, Harold L., Yuen, Wai Ching, Casebolt, Matthew P., Fetterman, Kevin S., Calkins, Alexander C., McBroom, Daniel L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Hung S.
• Application Number:
  US16/377,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20190235587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 479 Days
• Field of Search: 36167947
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0001 specially adapted for lighting devices or systems lighting or signalling on vehicles using light guides B60Q1/00; lighting devices for vehicle dashboards B60Q3/10; lighting devices for vehicle interior using light guides B60Q3/62; lighting devices mounted on the vehicle rear part using light guides F21S43/235; measuring arrangements having light conducting pointers G01D13/265; illumination of liquid crystal displays G02F1/1336; illuminated signs G09F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 the light being emitted at the end of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/001 the light being emitted along at least a portion of the lateral surface of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/182 with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/183 Internal mounting support structures, e.g. for printed circuit boards, internal connecting means for buses G06F13/409
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/185 Mounting of expansion boards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/188 Mounting of power supply units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4093 Snap-on arrangements, e.g. clips
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0203 Cooling of mounted components H05K1/0272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/03 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20009 using a gaseous coolant in electronic enclosures in cabinets of standardized dimensions H05K7/20536; in server cabinets H05K7/20709; in vehicle electronic casings H05K7/20845; in power control electronics H05K7/2089; in displays H05K7/20954
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20145 Means for directing air flow, e.g. ducts, deflectors, plenum or guides
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20154 Heat dissipaters coupled to components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20163 the components being isolated from air flow, e.g. hollow heat sinks, wind tunnels or funnels
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20172 : Fan mounting or fan specifications
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20209 : Thermal management, e.g. fan control
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/2039 : characterised by the heat transfer by conduction from the heat generating element to a dissipating body arrangements for increasing/decreasing heat-transfer, e.g. fins details, F28F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/2049 : Pressing means used to urge contact, e.g. springs

Abstract

An internal component and external interface arrangement for a cylindrical compact computing system is described that includes at least a structural heat sink having triangular shape disposed within a cylindrical volume defined by a cylindrical housing. A computing engine having a generally triangular shape is described having internal components that include a graphics processing unit (GPU) board, a central processing unit (CPU) board, an input/output (I/O) interface board, an interconnect board, and a power supply unit (PSU).

Claims

1. A cylindrically shaped consumer electronic product, comprising:

a cylindrically shaped enclosure having an aperture and characterized by a longitudinal axis and a radius having a first length at a first end of the cylindrically shaped enclosure and a constant length, greater than the first length, at a central portion of the cylindrically shaped enclosure, the cylindrically shaped enclosure having a first opening at the first end sized in accordance with the first length and a second opening at a second end, opposite the first end, having a size less than the constant length, and wherein the longitudinal axis and the radius define a first internal volume,

a circular base secured to the cylindrically shaped enclosure at the second opening and that defines a second internal volume and is capable of supporting the cylindrically shaped enclosure on a horizontal surface, and

electronic components located within the first internal volume and carried by the circular base and separate from the cylindrically shaped enclosure, wherein the electronic components include;

a first printed circuit board (PCB) located within the first internal volume and that is aligned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and parallel to the radius, the first PCB electrically coupled to an interface panel, wherein the interface panel is capable of receiving a tactile input corresponding to a control input,

a second printed circuit board (PCB) that is offset from and parallel to the longitudinal axis,

an air moving component that provides an audible sound that is capable of passing through the aperture, and

a radio-frequency (RF) circuit coupled to an RF antenna, the RF antenna located in proximity to the first opening so as to facilitate an RF communication channel using an RF protocol.

2. The cylindrically shaped consumer electronic product as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic components further include an optical component capable of providing a visible light.

3. The cylindrically shaped consumer electronic product as recited in claim 1, wherein the air moving component is centered at and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

4. The cylindrically shaped consumer electronic product as recited in claim 1, wherein the air moving component is capable of moving air in a controlled manner towards the first opening and in accordance with the longitudinal axis.

5. The cylindrically shaped consumer electronic product as recited in claim 4, wherein the moving air is capable of producing the audible sound.

6. A cylindrically shaped consumer electronic product, comprising:

a cylindrically shaped enclosure that is defined by a longitudinal axis and a radius having a first length at a first end and a constant length, greater than the first length, at a central portion, the cylindrically shaped enclosure having a first opening at the first end sized in accordance with the first length and a second opening at a second end, opposite the first end, having a size less than the constant length, wherein the longitudinal axis and the radius define an internal volume;

components located within the internal volume and separate from the enclosure and at least one of which is an air moving component capable of producing an audible sound that is capable of passing through an aperture in the cylindrically shaped enclosure; and

a circular base that supports the components.

7. The cylindrically shaped consumer electronic product as recited in claim 6, wherein the circular base supports the cylindrically shaped enclosure at the second opening.

8. The cylindrically shaped consumer electronic product as recited in claim 6, wherein the air moving component capable of providing the audible sound is centered at and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and that directs a flow of moving air towards the first opening.

9. The cylindrically shaped consumer electronic product as recited in claim 8, wherein the flow of moving air is aligned with the longitudinal axis.

10. The cylindrically shaped consumer electronic product as recited in claim 8, wherein the aperture is capable of passing visible light.

11. The cylindrically shaped consumer electronic product as recited in claim 10, wherein the visible light is arranged in a pattern.

12. The cylindrically shaped consumer electronic product as recited in claim 11, wherein the visible light is arranged in the pattern conveys information that corresponds to an operating state of the at least one of the components.

13. A desktop electronic device, comprising:

a tubular shaped enclosure defined by (i) a longitudinal axis, (ii) an overall shape that is symmetric about the longitudinal axis, and (iii) a radius that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and having a first radial length at a first end of tubular shaped enclosure and a fixed radial length at a central portion of the tubular shaped enclosure that is greater than the first radial length, the tubular shaped enclosure having at least one aperture suitable for passing audible sound and a first opening at the first end sized in accordance with the first radial length;

a circular base that is centered at and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein the circular base is capable of supporting the tubular shaped enclosure; and

components that are (i) separate from the tubular shaped enclosure, and (ii) supported by the circular base.

14. The desktop electronic device as recited in claim 13, wherein the components include a printed circuit board (PCB) having an RF antenna in communication with an RF circuit, the RF antenna being used to facilitate a wireless communication over a wireless communication channel.

15. The desktop electronic device as recited in claim 13, wherein at least one of the components is capable of producing an audible sound.

16. The desktop electronic device as recited in claim 15, the component that is capable of providing the audible sound is centered at and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and directs a flow of moving air towards the first opening in accordance with the longitudinal axis.

17. The desktop electronic device as recited in claim 13, wherein at least one of the apertures allows passage of a visible light.

18. The desktop electronic device as recited in claim 17, wherein the visible light is arranged in a pattern that conveys information that corresponds to an operating state of at least one component.