THERMALLY CONTROLLED, ANTI-SHOCK APPARATUS FOR AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRONICS

• US 20110100666A1
• Filed: 11/03/2009
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Albert T. Wu
• Original Assignee: Albert T. Wu
• Inventors: Wu, Albert T.
• Application Number:
  US12/611,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20110100666A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/15.1
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20872 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

A thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus for protecting an automotive electronic device. The apparatus includes a first housing having sidewalls that define an interior cavity. A second housing having a reservoir containing fluid is disposed within the interior cavity of the first housing. A sealed housing for carrying the electronic device is disposed within the fluid in the reservoir of the second housing, wherein the fluid provides buoyancy for keeping the sealed housing at least partially afloat within the reservoir. The sealed housing includes an inner fluid impermeable bag for enclosing the protected electronic device and an outer fluid impermeable bag in which the inner bag and electronic device are disposed. A cooling system condenser includes condenser tubing connected to one or more heat dissipating members that are mounted on a thermally conductive panel using one or more high strength magnets.

Claims

1. A thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus for protecting an electronic device, comprising:

a first housing having sidewalls defining an interior cavity;

a second housing disposed within the interior cavity of the first housing, the second housing having a reservoir containing fluid; and

a sealed housing for carrying the electronic device, the sealed housing being disposed within the fluid in the reservoir of the second housing, wherein the fluid provides buoyancy for keeping the sealed housing at least partially afloat within the reservoir.

2. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first housing is insulated.

3. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cooling system for cooling the interior cavity of the first housing.

4. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 2, wherein the cooling system comprises an evaporator disposed within the interior cavity of the first housing.

5. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 4, wherein the cooling system further comprises a condenser in fluid communication with the evaporator and disposed outside the interior cavity of the first housing.

6. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 5, wherein the condenser comprises condenser tubing connected to one or more heat dissipating members.

7. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 6, wherein the condenser tubing is soldered to the one or more heat dissipating members.

8. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 6, wherein the one or more heat dissipating members are mounted on a thermally conductive panel.

9. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 8, wherein the thermally conductive panel is part of the body of an automobile.

10. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 8, wherein the one or more heat dissipating members are mounted on the thermally conductive panel using one or more magnets.

11. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 10, wherein each heat dissipating member is mounted on the thermally conductive panel using a pair of magnets.

12. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more magnets are high strength magnets.

13. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a heating system for heating the interior cavity of the first housing.

14. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 13, wherein the heating system comprises an electric heating element disposed within the interior cavity of the first housing.

15. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 13, wherein the heating and cooling systems maintain a predefined temperature within the interior cavity of the first housing.

16. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sealed housing comprises a fluid impermeable bag for enclosing the protected electronic device.

17. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 16, wherein the sealed housing comprises an inner fluid impermeable bag for enclosing the protected electronic device and an outer fluid impermeable bag in which the inner bag and electronic device are disposed.

18. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 17, wherein the volume of the inner bag is smaller than the volume of the outer bag.

19. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an elastic member to bias the sealed housing toward a neutral position within the reservoir of the second housing.

20. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 19, wherein an elastic member connects each side of the sealed housing to a side of the reservoir of the second housing.

21. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 20, wherein the elastic member is a spring.

22. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 16, wherein an elastic member connects a corner of the fluid impermeable bag to an interior corner of the reservoir of the second housing.

23. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 16, further comprising at least one gas filled bag attached to the fluid impermeable bag to increase the buoyancy of the sealed housing and electronic device within the fluid in the reservoir of the second housing.

24. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a bladder disposed within the interior of the first housing, wherein the bladder is in fluid communication with the fluid in the reservoir of the second housing to accommodate volumetric change of the fluid incurred as a result of temperature variation.

25. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a hard disc drive.

26. The thermally controlled, anti-shock apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is mounted in an automobile.