Computer component protection

• US 7,835,147 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2008
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Zadesky, Stephen, DiFonzo, John, Merz, Nick, Prichard, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): LEA EDMONDS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US12/253,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20090040698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.34, 361/679.33
• US Class Current: 361/679.34
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/02 in which the medium condenses and evaporates, e.g. heat pipes heat pipes used in solar heat collectors F24S10/95; in radiators F28D1/0226; in nuclear reactors G21C15/257
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0275 Arrangements for coupling heat-pipes together or with other structures, e.g. with base blocks; Heat pipe cores
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/02 Elements or assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with recesses, with corrugations F28F3/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133308 Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/503 Arrangements improving the resistance to shock
• 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 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1658 related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/183 Internal mounting support structures, e.g. for printed circuit boards, internal connecting means for buses G06F13/409
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/184 Mounting of motherboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/187 Mounting of fixed and removable disk drives
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/08 Insulation or absorption of undesired vibrations or sounds
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/1426 by cooling plates, e.g. fins
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/367 Cooling facilitated by shape of device H01L23/38, H01L23/40, H01L23/42, H01L23/44, H01L23/46 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/427 Cooling by change of state, e.g. use of heat pipes by liquefied gas H01L23/445
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20336 : Heat pipes, e.g. wicks or capillary pumps
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4935 : Heat exchanger or boiler making

Abstract

A computing device is disclosed. The computing device includes a shock mount assembly that is configured to provide impact absorption to sensitive components such as a display and an optical disk drive. The computing device also includes an enclosureless optical disk drive that is housed by an enclosure and other structures of the computing device. The computing device further includes a heat transfer system that removes heat from a heat producing element of the computing device. The heat transfer system is configured to thermally couple the heat producing element to a structural member of the computing device so as to sink heat through the structural member, which generally has a large surface area for dissipating the heat.

Claims

1. A portable computer, comprising:

a structural member configured to support the portable computer;

an optical disk drive including drive components and structural components configured to support the drive components; and

a segmented shock mount assembly configured to reduce impacts to the optical disk drive, and to position the optical disk drive relative to the structural member, the shock mount assembly including a plurality of segmented shock mounts, which are attached to the structural components of the optical disk drive, and which rest in a portion of the structural member.

2. The portable computer as recited in claim 1 wherein the structural member includes a plurality of mounting holes, and wherein each of the plurality of segmented shock mounts includes a resilient member having a first segment and a second segment, the first segment being larger than the second segment, the first segment being disposed between the structural component of the optical disk drive and the structural member and the second segment being disposed inside one of the mounting holes.

3. The portable computer as recited in claim 2 wherein the first segment fills a gap formed between the structural component of the optical disk drive and the structural member, and wherein the second segment fills the mounting hole of the structural member.

4. The portable computer as recited in claim 3 wherein a distal end of the first segment abuts to a side of the structural component of the optical disk drive, a proximal end of the first segment abuts to a side of the structural member, and an outer periphery of the second segment abuts to an inner periphery of the mounting hole of the structural member.

5. The portable computer as recited in claim 1 wherein a first set of shock mounts are attached to a first side of the structural component of the optical disk drive, and wherein a second set of shock mounts are attached to a second side of the structural component of the optical disk drive, the second side being opposite the first side.

6. The portable computer as recited in claim 1 wherein the segmented shock mount assembly holds the optical disk drive in the X, Y and Z directions.

7. The portable computer as recited in claim 1 wherein the structural member is a portion of a computer enclosure that houses the internal components of the portable computer and a portion of a computer chassis used to support the computer enclosure, and wherein the structural component of the optical disk drive includes a plurality of tabs that are positioned substantially next to a side of the computer enclosure and/or the computer chassis so as to form a gap therebetween.

8. The portable computer as recited in claim 7 wherein the computer enclosure and/or computer chassis includes a plurality of mounting holes, and wherein each of the plurality of segmented shock mounts includes a resilient member having a first segment and a second segment, the first segment being larger than the second segment, the first segment being disposed between the tab of the structural component and the side of the computer enclosure or computer chassis and the second segment being disposed inside one of the mounting holes of the computer enclosure or computer chassis.

9. The portable computer as recited in claim 8 wherein a distal end of the first segment abuts to a side of the tab, a proximal end of the first segment abuts to a side of the computer enclosure or computer chassis, and an outer periphery of the second segment abuts to an inner periphery of the mounting hole of the computer enclosure or computer chassis.

10. The portable computer as recited in claim 9 wherein the shock mounts include a fastener for attaching the resilient member to the tab.

11. The portable computer as recited in claim 10 wherein the fastener is a screw.

12. The portable computer as recited in claim 1 wherein the optical disk drive is a CD/DVD drive.

13. The portable computer as recited in claim 12 wherein the CD/DVD drive is a slot loaded CD/DVD drive.

14. A portable computer, comprising:

a structural member configured to support the portable computer;

an optical drive having drive components and structural components configured to support the drive components; and

a shock mount assembly configured to reduce impacts to the optical drive, the shock mount assembly including a plurality of segmented shock mounts coupled to the structural components of the optical drive and also to the structural member, wherein each of the plurality of segmented shock mounts includes a resilient member having a first segment and a second segment, the first segment being larger than the second segment.