Electronic apparatus having a heat-radiating unit for radiating heat of heat-generating components

• US 7,273,089 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2004
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Tomioka, Kentaro, Hata, Yukihiko, Tanimoto, Mitsuyoshi, Kusaka, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): DUONG, THO V
• Application Number:
  US10/854,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20050007739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 165/104.33, 165/104.21, 165/185, 165 803- 804, 165/104.34, 361/687, 361/699, 361/700, 361/704, 361/698, 257714-716
• US Class Current: 165/104.33
• 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 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/201 Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/203 Heat conductive hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the invention, an electronic apparatus comprises a main unit, a display unit and a support unit. The main unit contains a heat-generating component and a heat-receiving portion. The heat-receiving portion is thermally connected to the heat-generating component. The support unit supports the display unit on the main unit and contains a heat-radiating portion that radiates the heat of the heat-generating component. The heat of the heat-generating component is transmitted to a heat-transferring medium and transferred to the heat-radiating portion through the heat-transferring medium.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a first housing containing a heat-generating component and a rotary pump;

a second housing separated from the first housing, the second housing containing a display device;

a third housing induding a first edge and a second edge, the first edge being rotatably coupled to the first housing, and the second edge being rotatably coupled to the second housing, wherein, the third housing comprises (i) a tube to convey a medium from the rotary pump and (ii) a plurality of fins coupled to the tube to radiate heat from the medium circulated through the third housing and returned back to the first housing.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third housing further comprises a fan to circulate air over the tube and the plurality of fins.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third housing includes an intake port which guides the air to the fan and an exhaust port over which the heat of the heat-generating component is released.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third housing contains the tube and the fins.

5. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a main unit including a heat-generating component and a beat-receiving portion thermally connected to the heat-generating component;

a support unit, having one edge coupled to the main unit and another edge located opposite to the one edge, the support unit including (i) a top wall having a first intake port, (ii) a bottom wall having a second intake port, and (iii) a pair of side wails having exhaust ports, the first and second intake ports being opposed to each other and the exhaust ports opening to a different direction from the first and second intake ports;

a heat-radiating portion contained in the support unit, the heat-radiating portion radiating heat from the heat-generating component through a medium, the heat being conveyed to the medium. at the heat-receiving portion; and

a display unit having a display device, the display unit being coupled to the another edge of the support unit,

wherein the heat radiating portion includes a tube in which the medium heated by the heat-receiving portion flows and a fan to draw in cooling air from the first and second intake ports and also to discharge the drawn cooling air to the exhaust ports, the tube being arranged between the fan and the exhaust ports.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the fan is located between the first intake port and the second intake port.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the display unit is movable between a first position where the display unit covers the main unit from above, a second position where the display unit is supported in an upright orientation, and a third potion where the display unit lies closer to the front of the main unit than at the second position, the support unit is in a raised orientation at the back of the display unit while the display unit remains at either the second position or the third position.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the support unit inclines forward from the rear edge of the main unit and the first and second intake ports of the support unit are exposed while the display unit is in the third position.

9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein when the display unit is in the second position, the second intake port of the support unit is covered with the display unit and the first intake port of the support unit is exposed.