Portable information appliance

• US 6,859,364 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2001
• Issued: 02/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Refrigeration Company (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yuasa, Akiko, Hirai, Chie, Tanimoto, Yasuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lea-Edmonds, Lisa
• Application Number:
  US10/048,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20030043541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• Field of Search: 361/683, 361/685, 361687-709, 165/80.3, 165/80.4, 165/104.33, 165/185, 622/592, 174/15.2
• US Class Current: 361/679.54
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 2300/00 Combinations or mixtures of active ingredients covered by classes A01N27/00 - A01N65/48 with other active or formulation relevant ingredients, e.g. specific carrier materials or surfactants, covered by classes A01N25/00 - A01N65/48
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/10 Macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 43/36 five-membered rings
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 47/38 containing the group >N—CO—N< where at least one nitrogen atom is part of a heterocyclic ring; Thio analogues thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 51/00 Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing organic compounds having the sequences of atoms O—N—S, X—O—S, N—N—S, O—N—N or O-halogen, regardless of the number of bonds each atom has and with no atom of these sequences forming part of a heterocyclic ring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops

Abstract

A portable information device such as a notebook type computer is provided with a highly efficient thermal insulator capable of blocking transfer of heat between an internal heating component and a device enclosure, so as to reduce temperature rise on a surface of the device. The portable information device is also provided with a highly efficient thermal insulator to block transfer of heat between the heating component and an expansion unit mounting case, thereby reducing temperature rise and preventing malfunction of an external expansion unit. The information device includes the thermal insulator to separate between the internal heating component and the device enclosure, another thermal insulator to separate between the heating component and the expansion unit mounting case, and a heat sink. The thermal insulator is a vacuum thermal insulator including inorganic fiber as a core member.

Claims

1. A portable information device comprising:

an enclosure;

a heating component placed in said enclosure; and

a vacuum thermal insulator placed between said enclosure and said heating component.

2. The portable information device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a heat sink placed within said enclosure, for dissipating heat generated by said heating component.

3. The portable information device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said thermal insulator has a thickness of 5 mm or less.

4. The portable information device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said vacuum thermal insulator includes a core member having inorganic powder.

5. The portable information device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said vacuum thermal insulator includes a core member having inorganic fiber.

6. The portable information device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said vacuum thermal insulator includes a core member having inorganic powder and inorganic fiber.

7. The portable information device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said vacuum thermal insulator includes:

a core member having fumed silica containing at least 1 wt % or more of powdery carbon; and

an enveloping member for enclosing said core member.

8. The portable information device as set forth in claim 7, wherein said fumed silica has an average primary particulate diameter of 50 nm or less.

9. The portable information device as set forth in claim 7, wherein said powdery carbon includes carbon black of a specific surface area smaller than 100 m²/g.

10. The portable information device as set forth in claim 7,

wherein said fumed silica contains said powdery carbon in an amount of 30 wt % or less, and

wherein said powdery carbon includes carbon black of a specific surface area smaller than 300 m²/g, but not smaller than 100 m²/g.

11. The portable information device as set forth in claim 7, wherein said powdery carbon includes graphitized carbon powder.

12. The portable information device as set forth in claim 7 further comprising a nonwoven fabric placed between said core member and said enveloping member, for covering said core member.

13. The portable information device as set forth in claim 7, wherein said enveloping member includes a metallized film layer and a thermoplastic polymer layer.

14. The portable information device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said vacuum thermal insulator includes:

a formed body containing dry silica having an average primary particulate diameter of 100 nm or less and fibrous material having an average fiber diameter of 10 μ

m or less; and

an enveloping member having gas barrier property.

15. The portable information device as set forth in claim 14, wherein said formed body further contains powdery carbon.

16. A portable information device comprising:

an enclosure;

a heating component placed in said enclosure;

an expansion unit mounting case placed in said enclosure; and

a vacuum thermal insulator placed between said heating component and said expansion unit mounting case.

17. The portable information device as set forth in claim 16, wherein said thermal insulator has a thickness of 5 mm or less.

18. The portable information device as set forth in claim 16, wherein said vacuum thermal insulator includes a core member having inorganic powder.

19. The portable information device as set forth in claim 16, wherein said vacuum thermal insulator includes a core member having inorganic fiber.

20. The portable information device as set forth in claim 16, wherein said vacuum thermal insulator includes a core member having inorganic powder and inorganic fiber.

21. The portable information device as set forth in claim 16, wherein said vacuum thermal insulator includes:

a core member having fumed silica containing at least 1 wt % or more of powdery carbon; and

an enveloping member for enclosing said core member.

22. The portable information device as set forth in claim 16, wherein said vacuum thermal insulator includes:

a formed body containing dry silica having an average primary particulate diameter of 100 nm or less and fibrous material having an average fiber diameter of 10 μ

m or less; and

an enveloping member having gas barrier property.

23. A portable information device comprising:

an enclosure;

a heating component placed in said enclosure; and

an expansion unit mounting case placed within said enclosure, said expansion unit mounting case including a vacuum thermal insulator.

24. The portable information device as set forth in claim 23, wherein said thermal insulator has a thickness of 5 mm or less.

25. A portable information device comprising:

an enclosure;

a heating component placed in said enclosure; and

a thermal insulator placed between said enclosure and said heating component, said thermal insulator including a microporous body containing inorganic oxide aerogel in monolith form having a thickness not more than 5 mm.