Apparatus for dissipating heat in a hinged computing device

• US 5,621,613 A
• Filed: 07/15/1996
• Issued: 04/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Xie, Hong, Haley, Kevin, Aghazadeh, Mostafa
• Primary Examiner(s): Tolin, Gerald P.
• Application Number:
  US08/683,022
• Time in Patent Office: 274 Days
• Field of Search: 364/708.1, 257/714, 257/715, 62/259.2, 174/252, 174/16.3, 174/15.2, 165/104.22, 165/104.26, 165/104.33, 165/86, 165/80.3, 165/80.4, 165/185, 361/687-699, 361/700, 361/704, 361/707, 361/717-719
• US Class Current: 361/679.27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops

Abstract

A heat transfer apparatus providing thermal coupling between a first and a second hinged member. The first hinged member is a first computer housing member, and the second hinged member is a second computer housing member. The first and the second computer housing members are rotatably attached allowing pivotal motion along an axis substantially parallel to the first edge. A first embodiment has a spiraled heat transfer element with a inner edge thermally coupled to a heat conductive mounting element mounted along the first edge of the first computer housing member. The spiraled heat transfer element forms at least one turn around the heat conductive mounting element and has outer edge affixed to the second computer housing member. A second embodiment provides heat transfer between the first and second computer housing members through the gudgeon and the pintle of the hinge.

Claims

1. A heat transfer apparatus providing thermal coupling between an electronic component in a first member having a first edge and a second member rotatably attached to the first member allowing pivotal motion along an axis substantially parallel to the first edge, comprising:

a heat conductive mounting element affixed along the first edge of the first member and thermally coupled to the electronic component; and

a spiraled heat transfer element with an inner edge thermally coupled to the heat conductive mounting element and an outer edge affixed to the second member, the spiraled heat transfer element forming at least one full continuously radially expanding turn around the heat conductive mounting element.

2. The heat transfer apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first member is a first computer housing member and the second member is a second computer housing member.

3. The heat transfer apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first computer housing member is a computer base containing an electronic component, the second computer housing member is a computer display housing, and the heat conductive mounting element is thermally coupled to the electronic component.

4. The heat transfer apparatus of claim 3 wherein the heat conductive mounting element is a heat pipe which extends into the computer base, providing thermal coupling with the electronic component.

5. The heat transfer apparatus of claim 3 wherein the computer display housing includes a heat dissipation plate thermally coupled to the outer edge of the spiraled heat transfer element.

6. The heat transfer apparatus of claim 3 wherein the spiraled heat transfer element extends into the computer display housing forming a heat dissipation plate.

7. The heat transfer apparatus of claim 3 wherein the computer display housing includes at least one heat pipe thermally coupled to the spiraled heat transfer element.

8. The heat transfer apparatus of claim 3 wherein the heat conductive mounting element is a thermally conductive rod and the heat transfer apparatus further comprises a heat pipe with a first heat pipe end thermally coupled to the electronic component and a second heat pipe end thermally coupled to a first end of the thermally conductive rod.

9. The heat transfer apparatus of claim 3 wherein the spiraled heat transfer element is made primarily of a material from the group consisting of aluminum and copper.

10. A heat transfer apparatus in a computer with a display housing rotatably attached to a base along a first base edge, the base including an integrated circuit, comprising:

a heat pipe having a heat pipe contact end and a heat pipe contact section, the heat pipe contact end thermally coupled to the integrated circuit, and the heat pipe contact section affixed along the first base edge; and

a spiraled heat transfer element with an inner edge thermally coupled to the heat pipe contact section and an outer edge affixed to the display housing, the spiraled heat transfer element forming at least one radially expanding turn around the heat pipe.

11. A heat transfer apparatus in a computer with a computer display housing rotatably attached to a computer base along a first base edge, comprising:

a conductive spiral for providing heat transfer between the computer base and the computer display housing, the conductive spiral attached to the computer display housing and radially compressing and expanding to allow pivotal motion between the computer base and computer display housing; and

mounting means securing the conductive spiral to the computer base, the mounting means being affixed to the computer base, the conductive spiral forming at least one full radially expanding turn around the mounting means.

12. The heat transfer apparatus of claim 11 wherein the computer base includes an electronic component and the heat transfer apparatus further comprises a means for transferring heat from the electronic component to the mounting means, the means for transferring being thermally coupled to the mounting means and the electronic component.

13. A thermally conductive hinging apparatus having a first member with a first member edge and a second member with a second member edge, the second member including an electronic component comprising:

a first heat transfer element having a first end and a second end transferring heat between the first end thermally coupled to the electronic component and the second end, the first heat transfer element being substantially longer from the first end to the second end than wide;

a gudgeon mounted along a pivotal axis which is substantially parallel to the first member edge and the second member edge;

a pintle substantially enclosed in the gudgeon the pintle and the gudgeon providing the first member and the second member with relative axial rotation about the pivotal axis, wherein the second end of the first heat transfer element directly in contact with one of the gudgeon an the pintle.

14. A thermally conductive hinging apparatus in a computer having a display housing with a first display housing edge and a base with a first base edge, the base including an electronic component, comprising:

a first heat transfer element having a first end and a second end transferring heat between the first end thermally coupled to the electronic component and the second end, the first heat transfer element being substantially longer from the first end to the second end than wide;

a gudgeon mounted along a pivotal axis which is substantially parallel to the first base edge and the first display housing edge;

a pintle substantially enclosed in the gudgeon, the pintle and the gudgeon providing the display housing and the base with relative axial rotation about the pivotal axis, wherein the second end of the first heat transfer element is directly in contact with one of the gudgeon and the pintle.

15. The hinging apparatus of claim 14 wherein the gudgeon is affixed to the display housing, the pintle is mounted on the base, the second end of the first heat transfer element is thermally coupled to the pintle, and the second heat transfer element is thermally coupled to the gudgeon.

16. The hinging apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first heat transfer element is a first heat pipe.

17. The hinging apparatus of claim 14 wherein the display housing includes a front face and a back panel and a second heat transfer element extends from the gudgeon substantially perpendicular to the pivotal axis between the front face and the back panel.

18. The hinging apparatus of claim 17 wherein the second heat transfer element is at least one heat pipe.

19. The hinging apparatus of claim 17 wherein the second heat transfer element is a heat dissipation plate.

20. The hinging apparatus of claim 15 wherein the pintle is a thermally conductive rod comprising a plurality of first sections with a first diameter interleaved with a plurality of second sections with a second diameter, the gudgeon also containing a thermal grease disposed between the gudgeon and the pintle.

21. A thermally conductive hinging apparatus in a computer having a display housing with a first display housing edge and a base with a first base edge, the base including an electronic component, comprising:

a gudgeon mounted along a pivotal axis which is substantially parallel to the first base edge and the first display housing edge; and

a heat pipe with a first end thermally coupled to the electronic component extending to the pivotal axis, the heat pipe forming a bend and including a portion which forms a pintle disposed along the pivotal axis and substantially enclosed in the gudgeon, the pintle and the gudgeon providing relative axial rotation around the pivotal axis between the display housing and the base.

22. The hinging apparatus of claim 21 further comprising a second heat transfer element thermally coupled to the gudgeon and affixed to the display.

23. The hinging apparatus of claim 22 wherein the display includes a front face and a back panel, and the second heat transfer element extends from the gudgeon substantially perpendicular to the pivotal axis between the front face and the back panel of the display.

24. The hinging apparatus of claim 23 wherein the second heat transfer element is at least one heat pipe.

25. The hinging apparatus of claim 23 wherein the second heat transfer element is a heat dissipation plate.