Speaker grill-air vent combinations for a portable computer

• US 7,230,825 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2004
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sawyer, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): DUONG, HUNG V
• Application Number:
  US10/785,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20050185376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: 361/683.686, 361724-727, 381/306, 381/337, 381/388, 381/165, 248917-923, 364/708.1, 340/573.1
• US Class Current: 361/679.09
• 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 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/923 Tilting

Abstract

A system comprising a portable computer chassis having an internal speaker; openings in the chassis from which sound from the speaker can emanate, wherein the openings allow heat generated by the system to escape is provided. In one embodiment, the internal speaker is located at least a minimum distance away from the openings. By utilizing speaker grills as ventilation openings in this manner, ventilation openings on the bottom side of notebook computers can be eliminated and user comfort can be increased when the system is placed on the lap. Additionally, system reliability is improved as ventilation is also increased.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a portable computer including a keyboard and a computer chassis defining an interior, the computer chassis containing at least one heat generating component in the interior and an internal speaker in the interior; and

openings in a wall of the chassis from which sound produced by the speaker can emanate from the interior of the chassis;

wherein the speaker is spaced from the wall of the chassis in which the openings are located to permit heat generated by the at least one heat generating component in the computer chassis to escape the interior of the computer chassis.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the internal speaker is located at least a minimum distance away from the openings.

3. The system of claim 1 comprising two internal speakers and openings proximate to each speaker.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said openings are located on at least one side surface of the portable computer.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the speaker has a front from which sound generated by the speaker is emanated, and the openings in the wall of the chassis are positioned in front of the speaker.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the speaker has an axis along which sound is directed from the speaker, the openings in the wall of the chassis being positioned adjacent to an intersection of the axis and the wall of the chassis.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the speaker is configured in the computer chassis such that a flow of air moving through an interior of the computer chassis is capable of moving between the speaker and the openings in the chassis.

8. The system of claim 2 wherein the minimum distance is within the range of 5 to 20 mm.

9. The system of claim 2 wherein the openings are located on a top surface of the portable computer.

10. The system of claim 2 further comprising separate air intake vents located on the chassis.

11. The system of claim 3 wherein the openings are located on a front side surface of the portable computer.

12. The system of claim 3 further comprising one or more external speakers connectable to the chassis.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the air intake vents are located on one or more side surfaces of the chassis.

14. The system of claim 10 further comprising one or more ventilation fans located between the air intake vents and heat cooling components located inside the chassis.

15. A portable computer system comprising:

a portable computer chassis having an internal speaker including a cone with a concave front;

a heat generating device disposed within the chassis;

a first opening in the chassis positioned in front of the internal speaker such that the first opening facilitates emanation of sound from the internal speaker to outside of the computer chassis, and wherein the front of the internal speaker is spaced from the first opening to facilitate airflow along a first path between the internal speaker and the first opening; and

a second opening in the chassis positioned to facilitate airflow between the second opening and the first opening along a further path past heat generated by the heat generating device within the computer chassis so as to remove heat generated by the heat generating device from within the computer chassis.

16. The portable computer system of claim 15 wherein the first opening is positioned on the chassis to minimize interference with airflow during common use of the portable computer system.

17. The portable computer system of claim 15 wherein the first opening comprises a grill.

18. The portable computer system of claim 15 and further comprising a third opening and a further speaker positioned proximate the third opening to promote airflow between the third opening and further speaker.

19. An electronic device comprising:

a notebook computer having a chassis and a lid, the chassis containing at least one surface-mounted speaker grill located at least a minimum distance away from an internal speaker, the internal speaker being located in said chassis such that sound from the internal speaker can emanate from the surface-mounted speaker grill and heated air from heat generating components in the portable computer can flow out of the surface-mounted speaker grill.

20. The electronic device of claim 19 wherein the surface-mounted speaker grill is on a front side surface of the notebook computer.

21. The electronic device of claim 20 further comprising a further surface-mounted speaker grill on the front side surface, and a further internal speaker located at least said minimum distance away from said further surface-mounted speaker grill.

22. A method of ventilating a portable computer comprising:

providing a speaker grill on a surface of a portable notebook computer, including a keyboard, in a position such that the grill is disposed within an airflow exhaust path for the computer;

spacing a front of a speaker away from the sneaker grill on the surface of the portable notebook computer so that the airflow exhaust path extends between the front of the speaker and the speaker grill; and

venting heated air in the airflow exhaust path out through the speaker grill.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the speaker grill is not located on a bottom surface of the portable computer.

24. The method of claim 22 further comprising connecting an internal speaker to the portable computer at least a minimum distance away from the speaker grill.

25. The method of claim 22 comprising two speaker grills, each with a speaker located at least the minimum distance away.

26. The method of claim 22 further comprising an airflow intake path wherein cool air is drawn in through one or more separate air intake vents and directed to heat cooling components and wherein said airflow intake path leads to said airflow exhaust path.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein the speaker grill is on a front side surface of the portable computer.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein the speaker grill is on a side surface or top surface of the portable computer.

29. The method of claim 26 further comprising providing a ventilation fan in the airflow intake path.