Method and an apparatus for cooling a computer

• US 8,016,023 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2009
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Senyk, Borys S., Moresco, Larry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ciric; Ljiljana (Lil) V
• Application Number:
  US12/372,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20090145579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 165/80.2, 165/80.3, 165/80.4, 165/104.33, 165/11.1, 361/699
• US Class Current: 165/11.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/201 Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid

Abstract

A method including sensing a temperature of an electronic component in a portable computing device; circulating a fluid between one of a first heat transfer plate and a second heat transfer plate in response to a threshold temperature being sensed; and stopping the circulating in response to sensing a temperature is below the threshold temperature. A heat exchanging system including a first heat transfer plate coupled to an electronic component and to a second heat transfer plate; and a fluid for circulating through one of the first heat transfer plate and the second heat transfer plate in response to a threshold temperature being sensed by a sensor. An apparatus including a heat generating element; a first heat transfer plate coupled to the heat generating element; a second heat transfer plate; and a fluid for circulating through a tube, the first part and the second part of the portable computing device in response to a threshold temperature being sensed by a sensor.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

coupling a first heat transfer plate to an electronic component in a first part of a portable computing device;

coupling a second heat transfer plate in a second part of the computing device;

sensing a temperature of the electronic component;

circulating a fluid between one of the first heat transfer plate and a second heat transfer plate in response to that the temperature being sensed reaches a threshold temperature; and

stopping the circulating in response to that the temperature being sensed is below the threshold temperature.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first part comprises a housing for a motherboard and the second part comprises a housing for a display.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein circulating comprises pumping.

4. A heat exchanging system comprising:

a first heat transfer plate coupled to an electronic component located in a first part of a portable computing device and to a second heat transfer plate located in a second part of the portable computing device;

a sensor for sensing a temperature of the electronic component; and

a fluid for circulating through one of the first heat transfer plate and the second heat transfer plate in response to that the temperature being sensed by the sensor reaches a threshold temperature.

5. The heat exchange system of claim 4, wherein the first part comprises a housing for a motherboard and the second part comprises a housing for a display.

6. The heat exchange system of claim 4, further comprising a container and a pump configured to circulate the fluid.

7. The heat exchange system of claim 6, further comprising a temperature sensor and a power management system configured to sense the temperature of a microprocessor of the portable computing device.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a heat generating element disposed in a first part of a portable computing device;

a first heat transfer plate coupled to the heat generating element;

a second heat transfer plate disposed in a second part of the portable computing device;

a tube coupled to the first part and the second part of the portable computing device;

a sensor for sensing a temperature of the heat generating element; and

a fluid for circulating through the tube, the first part and the second part of the portable computing device in response to that the temperature being sensed by the sensor reaches a threshold temperature.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first part comprises a housing for a motherboard and the second part comprises a housing for a display.

10. A method comprising:

sensing a temperature of an electronic component in a first part of a portable computing device, the portable computing device comprising a first heat transfer plate coupled to the electronic component and a second heat transfer plate in a second part of the computing device;

circulating a fluid between one of the first heat transfer plate and a second heat transfer plate in response to that the temperature being sensed reaches a threshold temperature; and

stopping the circulating in response to that the temperature being sensed is below the threshold temperature.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first part comprises a housing for a motherboard and the second part comprises a housing for a display.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein circulating comprises pumping.