Hinge connector with liquid coolant path

• US 7,791,876 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2008
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Moore, David A., Tracy, Mark S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi; Jayprakash N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas; Bradley H
• Application Number:
  US12/119,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20090279258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 361/699, 361/672.52, 361/679.53, 361/679.27, 174/15.2, 162/21
• US Class Current: 361/679.53
• 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

Abstract

A hinge for moving two parts of an electronic apparatus relative to each other is disclosed. The hinge includes two coolant flow paths helically arranged between inlet and outlet connections as portions of the hinge are rotated relative to each other. Guide plates within the hinge independently rotate to suitably position the conduits of the coolant flow paths in a position of minimum twisting and stretching. The hinge can be incorporated into any electronic apparatus, for example a portable computer.

Claims

1. A hinge for moving two parts of an electronic apparatus relative to each other, the hinge comprising:

a plurality of guide plates arranged longitudinally along a spindle;

two coolant flow paths, each coolant flow path including an inlet and an outlet and a flexible tube therebetween; and

a shroud encasing the plurality of guide plates and the two coolant flow paths,

wherein the shroud includes two portions longitudinally connected by the spindle, the two portions including a first portion that is rotatable about the spindle relative to a second portion, and

wherein the flexible tube is positioned in a respective opening in the guide plates.

2. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the electronic apparatus is a portable computer including a display unit and a main unit and wherein the first portion of the shroud is rigidly connected to the main unit and the second portion of the shroud is rigidly connected to the display unit.

3. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the two coolant flow paths include a first coolant flow path and a second coolant flow path and an inlet of the first coolant flow path and an outlet of the second coolant flow path are in the first portion of the shroud and an outlet of the first coolant flow path and an inlet of the second coolant flow path are in the second portion of the shroud.

4. The hinge according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the two coolant flow paths penetrates through an end wall of the shroud.

5. The hinge according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the two coolant flow paths penetrates through a side wall of the shroud.

6. The hinge according to claim 3,

wherein the first coolant flow path is in a main unit and includes a primary heat exchanger, and wherein the second coolant flow path is in a display unit and includes a secondary heat exchanger.

7. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of guide plates include a first guide plate that is rotatable about the spindle independently from a second guide plate.

8. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of guide plates include a first guide plate and a second guide plate that independently rotate about the spindle to helically position the flexible tube when the first portion of the shroud is rotated about the spindle relative to the second portion of the shroud.

9. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein each guide plate rotates about the spindle to helically position the flexible tube when the first portion of the shroud is rotated about the spindle relative to the second portion of the shroud.

10. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein each guide plate has two openings and wherein the two openings are angularly separated by at least about 45°

to about 180°

.

11. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the first portion of the shroud is rotatable within a range of −

45°

to +145°

relative to the second portion of the shroud.

12. The hinge according to claim 11, wherein the electronic apparatus is a portable computer including a display unit and a main unit, wherein the first portion of the shroud is rigidly connected to the main unit and the second portion of the shroud is rigidly connected to the display unit.

13. The hinge according to claim 12, wherein a closed position of the display unit correlates to an angle of rotation between the first portion of the shroud and the second portion of the shroud of 0°

.

14. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a first part and a separate second part;

a closed coolant path within the first part and the second part; and

a hinge connected to each of the first part and the second part for moving the first and second parts relative to each other,

wherein the hinge includes a plurality of guide plates arranged longitudinally along a spindle, two coolant flow paths, each of the two coolant flow paths including a first connecting joint, a second connecting joint and a flexible tube therebetween, and a shroud encasing the plurality of guide plates and the two coolant flow paths,

wherein the shroud includes two portions longitudinally connected by the spindle, the two portions including a first portion that is rotatable about the spindle relative to a second portion, and

wherein each of the flexible tubes is positioned in a respective opening in the guide plates.

15. The electronic apparatus of claim 14, wherein the electronic apparatus is a portable computer, wherein the first part is a main unit and the second part is a display unit, and wherein the first portion of the shroud is rigidly connected to the main unit and the second portion of the shroud is rigidly connected to the display unit.

16. The electronic apparatus of claim 14, wherein the two coolant flow paths include a first coolant flow path and a second coolant flow path and an inlet of the first coolant flow path and an outlet of the second coolant flow path are in the first portion of the shroud and an outlet of the first coolant flow path and an inlet of the second coolant flow path are in the second portion of the shroud and wherein at least one of the two coolant flow paths penetrates through an end wall of the shroud.

17. The electronic apparatus of claim 14, wherein the two coolant flow paths include a first coolant flow path and a second coolant flow path, and an inlet of the first coolant flow path and an outlet of the second coolant flow path are in the first portion of the shroud and an outlet of the first coolant flow path and an inlet of the second coolant flow path are in the second portion of the shroud and wherein at least one of the two coolant flow paths penetrates through a side wall of the shroud.

18. The electronic apparatus of claim 14,

wherein the first coolant flow path is in a main unit and includes a primary heat exchanger, and wherein the second coolant flow path is in a display unit and includes a secondary heat exchanger.

19. The electronic apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of guide plates include a first guide plate and a second guide plate that independently rotate about the spindle to helically position the flexible tubes when the first portion of the shroud is rotated about the spindle relative to the second portion of the shroud.

20. The electronic apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first portion of the shroud is rotatable within a range of −

45°

to +145°

relative to the second portion of the shroud.