Housing Vents

• US 20130335902A1
• Filed: 08/30/2012
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Campbell, John Stephen, Hill, Andrew W., Raken, Jan, Sykes, Shane Aaron
• Granted Patent: US 9,073,123 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.3
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/225 by injection molding
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20 Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating

Abstract

Housing vent techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a molding process is used to form a housing of a computing device that includes a plurality of ribs disposed within an internal surface of the housing. A cutting operation is performed to an outer surface of the housing that is opposite to the internal surface to remove material of the housing between the plurality of ribs to form one or more vents that are configured to permit air to pass between an interior and exterior of the housing.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

using a molding process to form a housing of a computing device that includes a plurality of ribs disposed within an internal surface of the housing; and

performing a cutting operation to an outer surface of the housing that is opposite to the internal surface, the cutting operation performed to remove material of the housing between the plurality of ribs to form one or more vents that are configured to permit air to pass between an interior and exterior of the housing.

2. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the molding process is an injection molding process and the housing is formed from a metal.

3. A method as described in claim 2, wherein the metal includes magnesium.

4. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the cutting operation is a slot cutting operation.

5. A method as described in claim 4, wherein the slot cutting operation causes a v-shaped slot to be formed in the housing.

6. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the housing is formed using the molding process to form a back surface of the computing device in compliance with a hand-held form factor along with the plurality of ribs, the back surface configured to be disposed as generally opposite to a display device of the computing device.

7. A method as described in claim 6, wherein the one or more vents are formed along a side perimeter of the housing that is configured to be disposed between the back surface and the display device.

8. A method as described in claim 7, wherein the side perimeter includes a plurality of sides of the housing.

9. An apparatus comprising a housing configured for use by a computing device, the housing having a plurality of vents formed by using a molding process to form a plurality of ribs disposed within an internal surface of the housing and then performing a cutting operation to an outer surface of the housing to expose the plurality of ribs thereby forming the plurality of vents.

10. An apparatus as described in claim 9, wherein the molding process is an injection modeling process and the housing is formed from a metal.

11. An apparatus as described in claim 10, wherein the metal includes magnesium.

12. An apparatus as described in claim 9, wherein the cutting operation is a slot cutting operation.

13. An apparatus as described in claim 12, wherein the slot cutting operation causes a v-shaped slot to be formed in the housing.

14. An apparatus as described in claim 13, wherein the housing is formed using the molding process to form a back surface of the computing device in compliance with a hand-held form factor along with the plurality of ribs, the back surface configured to be disposed as generally opposite to a display device of the computing device.

15. An apparatus as described in claim 13, wherein the one or more vents are formed along a side perimeter of the housing that is configured to be disposed between the back surface and the display device.

16. An apparatus as described in claim 15, wherein the side perimeter includes a plurality of sides of the housing.

18. A computing device as described in claim 15, wherein the molding process is an injection molding process and the housing is formed from a metal.

19. A computing device as described in claim 18, wherein the metal includes magnesium.

20. A computing device as described in claim 15, wherein the plurality of vents are formed along a side perimeter of the housing that is disposed between a back surface of the housing and the display device.

17. A computing device comprising:

a housing configured to be held by one or more hands of a user,

a display device secured to the housing to be viewable to the user;

a processing system disposed within an interior of the housing; and

a plurality of vents formed as part of the housing a molding process to form a plurality of ribs disposed within an internal surface of the housing and then performing a cutting operation to an outer surface of the housing to expose the plurality of ribs, the plurality of vents configured to permit air to pass between the interior and exterior of the housing to vent heat generated by the processing system during operation.