FLAT PANEL ELECTRONIC DEVICE, AUXILIARY HEAT-DISSIPATING MEANS THEREOF AND ASSEMBLY OF BOTH

• US 20140126148A1
• Filed: 02/25/2013
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Inventors: Xu, Shuang
• Granted Patent: US 9,507,378 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/697
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20963 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20972 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus for dissipating heat is presented. The apparatus comprises a base provided with a recess on a top thereof for containing a portion of a flat panel electronic device. It also comprises a base heat sink disposed in the base. Finally, it comprises a heat-conducting plug with a first end thereof thermally contacting with the base heat sink, and a second end thereof extending upward from a bottom of the recess for plugging into a heat-conducting socket of the flat panel electronic device when the flat panel electronic device is placed on the base.

Claims

1. An apparatus for dissipating heat, comprising:

a base comprising a recess on a top thereof for containing a portion of a flat panel electronic device;

a base heat sink disposed in the base; and

a heat-conducting plug with a first end thereof thermally contacting with the base heat sink, and with a second end thereof extending upward from a bottom of the recess, said second operable to plug into a heat-conducting socket of the flat panel electronic device when the flat panel electronic device is placed on the base.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base heat sink comprises a plurality of fins disposed in the base, and wherein the first end of the heat-conducting plug thermally contacts with each of the plurality of fins.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of fins are disposed near a side wall of the base and a heat-dissipating opening is disposed on the side wall, and further wherein, the base heat sink also comprises a fan disposed in the base, wherein the fan is disposed near the plurality of fins, wherein the fan and the heat-dissipating opening are disposed at two opposite sides of the plurality of fins.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of fins are disposed perpendicular to the side wall.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of fins are disposed parallel to the recess and the heat-conducting plug is in a shape of an L, wherein one side of the L is perpendicular to the recess and extends horizontally in the base to form the first end of the heat-conducting plug, and the other side of the L extends upward from the recess to form the second end of the heat-conducting plug.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plug electrical connector is disposed on a side face of the second end of the heat-conducting plug.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an electrical element disposed in the base, wherein the plug electrical connector is electrically connected with the electrical element.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the plug electrical connector comprises a flexible circuit board.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the electrical element is selected from the group comprising:

a USB interface, a power source interface, a hub, a power source and a storage.

10. A flat panel electronic device comprising:

a heat-conducting socket thereon such that a heat-conducting plug of an auxiliary heat-dissipating module is plugged into the heat-conducting socket when the flat panel electronic device is placed on a base of the auxiliary heat-dissipating module; and

a heat-generating element, wherein the heat-conducting socket is disposed near the heat-generating element, and the heat-conducting socket exposes at least a portion of the heat-generating element.

11. The flat panel electronic device according to claim 10, wherein a socket electrical connector is disposed on a side face of the heat-conducting socket, and the socket electrical connector is electrically connected with an electrical element of the flat panel electronic device.

12. The flat panel electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the heat-generating element is surrounded by a heat sink, and the heat-conducting socket exposes at least a portion of the heat sink.

18. The assembly according to claim 12 further comprising:

a socket electrical connector disposed on a side face of the heat-conducting socket, wherein the socket electrical connector is coupled to an electrical element of the flat panel electronic device;

a plug electrical connector matched with the socket electrical connector disposed on a side face of the second end of the heat-conducting plug; and

an electrical element also disposed in the base, wherein the plug electrical connector is coupled to the electrical element.

19. The assembly according to claim 18, wherein the plug electrical connector comprises a flexible circuit board.

20. The assembly according to claim 18, wherein the electrical element is selected from the group comprising:

a USB interface, a power source interface, a hub, a power source and a storage.

21. The assembly according to claim 18, wherein the socket electrical connector is an elastic metal sheet, and the plug electrical connector is a metal finger mated with the elastic metal sheet.

13. An assembly comprising:

a flat panel electronic device comprising a heat-conducting socket thereon, wherein the heat-conducting socket is disposed near a heat-generating element of a flat panel electronic device, and the heat-conducting socket exposes at least a portion of the heat-generating element; and

a heat-dissipating module of the flat panel electronic device, said heat-dissipating module comprising;

a base provided with a recess on a top thereof for containing a portion of a flat panel electronic device;

a base heat sink disposed in the base; and

a heat-conducting plug with a first end thereof thermally contacting with the base heat sink, and a second end thereof extending upward from a bottom of the recess for plugging into a heat-conducting socket of the flat panel electronic device when the flat panel electronic device is placed on the base.

14. The assembly according to claim 13, wherein the base heat sink comprises a plurality of fins disposed in the base, and wherein the first end of the heat-conducting plug thermally contacts with each of the plurality of fins.

15. The assembly according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of fins are disposed near a side wall of the base and a heat-dissipating opening is disposed on the side wall, and further wherein, the base heat sink also comprises a fan disposed in the base, wherein the fan is disposed near the plurality of fins, wherein the fan and the heat-dissipating opening are disposed at two opposite sides of the plurality of fins.

16. The assembly according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of fins are disposed perpendicular to the side wall.

17. The assembly according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of fins are disposed parallel to the recess and the heat-conducting plug is in a shape of an L, wherein one side of the L is perpendicular to the recess and extends horizontally in the base to form the first end of the heat-conducting plug, and the other side of the L extends upward from the recess to form the second end of the heat-conducting plug.