INFORMATION HANDLING SYSTEM THERMAL FLUID HINGE

• US 20190317578A1
• Filed: 04/13/2018
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: North, Travis C., Schwager, Mark A., Shelnutt, Austin M., Morrison, John T.
• Granted Patent: US 10,802,556 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0676 by action on flow sources G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/203 Heat conductive hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20263 Heat dissipaters releasing heat from coolant
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20272 Accessories for moving fluid, for expanding fluid, for connecting fluid conduits, for distributing fluid, for removing gas or for preventing leakage, e.g. pumps, tanks or manifolds

Abstract

A portable information handling system transfers thermal energy associated with operation of processing components in a first housing portion to a thermal exchanger in a second housing portion through a hinge that rotationally couples the first and second housing portions. The hinge has first and second axles that each define a channel. Fluid heated at the first housing portion passes through the channel to the thermal exchanger where thermal energy is rejected from the system. In one embodiment, a second hinge having first and second axles that each define a channel provides a return path for the fluid from the second housing portion to the first housing portion.

Claims

1. An information handling system comprising:

a first housing portion configured to hold a display;

a second housing portion configured to hold processing components;

plural processing components disposed in the second housing portion and operable to process information;

a thermal sink thermally coupled to one or more of the plural processing components, the thermal sink containing fluid that absorbs thermal energy of the one or more processing components;

a hinge rotationally coupling the first and second housing portions;

a fluid exhaust line proceeding from the thermal sink, through the hinge and to the first housing portion;

a thermal exchanger interfaced with the fluid exhaust line to accept heated fluid from the fluid exhaust line and distribute thermal energy of the heated fluid at the first housing portion; and

a fluid return line proceeding from the thermal exchanger through the hinge to the thermal sink to return fluid from the thermal exchanger to the thermal sink.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the hinge further comprises:

first and second axles, each axle having an opening; and

a synchronizing mechanism holding the first and second axles in parallel alignment and synchronizing rotational movement between the first and second axles;

wherein the fluid exhaust line and fluid return line pass through the first and second axle openings.

3. The information handling system of claim 2 further comprising a guide disposed between the first and second axles and engaged with the fluid exhaust line and fluid return line to route the fluid exhaust line and fluid return line between the first and second axle openings.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising a pump integrated in the thermal sink and operable to move the fluid out of the thermal sink and towards the hinge.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising a pump integrated in the first housing portion and operable to draw the fluid out of the thermal sink and through the hinge.

6. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the thermal sink comprises a vapor chamber having a saturation point that transitions the fluid to a gaseous state with processing component thermal energy, the fluid passing through the fluid exhaust line in the gaseous state.

7. The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:

a battery integrated in the first housing portion; and

wherein the thermal exchanger comprises a thermally conductive fluid exchange line interfaced with the fluid exhaust line and the fluid return line, the fluid exchange line thermally coupled with the battery to transfer thermal energy to the battery.

8. The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:

a copper sheet integrated with the first housing portion;

wherein the thermal exchanger comprises a thermally conductive fluid exchange line interfaced with the fluid exhaust line and the fluid return line, the fluid exchange line thermally coupled with the copper sheet to transfer thermal energy through the copper sheet to the first housing portion.

9. The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:

a temperature sensor operable to sense a temperature of the first housing portion;

a pump operable to move the fluid from the thermal sink to the thermal exchanger; and

a controller interfaced with the temperature sensor and pump, the controller operable to manage the first housing portion below a temperature threshold by controlling the pump.

10. A method for thermal management of an information handling system, the method comprising:

capturing thermal energy released by a processor with a fluid at a first housing portion of the information handling system;

moving the fluid from the first housing portion to a second housing portion through a first hinge rotationally coupling the first and second housing portions; and

releasing the thermal energy from the fluid to a structure included in the second housing portion.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the structure comprises as battery.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the structure comprises a vapor chamber.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the structure comprises channels formed in a plate.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the structure comprises a copper sheet disposed at the perimeter of the second housing portion.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

moving the fluid from the second housing portion to the first housing portion through a second hinge rotationally coupling the first and second housing portions; and

returning the fluid from the second hinge to the processor to capture thermal energy from the processor.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the capturing thermal energy further comprises capturing the thermal energy with fluid disposed in a vapor chamber having a saturation point, the thermal energy changing the fluid from a liquid state to a vapor state.

17. A system for thermal management of a portable information handling system, the system comprising:

a thermal sink containing a fluid and configured to thermally couple to a processor to absorb thermal energy from the processor into the fluid;

a thermal exchanger containing the fluid and configured to reject the thermal energy from the fluid;

a first hinge disposed between the thermal sink and the thermal exchanger, the first hinge having first and second axles, each axle defining a channel; and

a fluid exhaust line communicating fluid from the thermal sink to the thermal exchanger through the first hinge first and second axle channels.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising:

a second hinge disposed between the thermal sink and the thermal exchanger, the second hinge having first and second axles, each axle defining a channel; and

a fluid return line communicating fluid from the thermal exchanger to the thermal sink through the second hinge first and second axle channels.

19. The system of claim 17 further comprising a fluid return line communicating fluid from the thermal exchanger to the thermal sink through the first hinge first and second axle channels.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the thermal sink and thermal exchanger form a vapor chamber having a saturation point of a predetermined temperature.