Heat dissipation in computing device

• US 8,050,028 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2010
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• 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): Datskovskiy; Michail V
• Application Number:
  US12/912,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20110038120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 371 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.27, 361/679.33, 361/679.34, 36167946- 54, 361690-697, 361700-712, 361714-724, 361749-756, 361/831, 165/80.2, 165/80.3, 165/80.4, 165/80.5, 165/104.21, 165/104.26, 165/104.33, 165/104.34, 165/185, 165/287, 312/223.2, 312/223.3, 174/16.3, 174/252, 174/50, 174/50.51, 174/50.52, 174/50.54
• US Class Current: 361/679.47
• 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 computing device, comprising:

an outer housing adapted to contain internal operational components therein, the outer housing being formed from a thermally conductive material;

an internal structure disposed inside the outer housing and configured to support the outer housing, the internal structure being formed from a thermally conductive material;

one or more heat producing elements disposed inside the outer housing; and

a heat transfer system configured to facilitate the transfer of heat generated at the one or more heat producing elements into both of the outer housing and the internal structure such that the heat is dissipated throughout the outer housing and the internal structure, wherein the heat transfer system includes a heat sink that is thermally coupled to a heat producing element and a heat pipe that is thermally coupled to the heat sink and the outer housing, wherein the heat sink forms a thermal path between the heat producing element and the internal structure, and wherein the heat pipe forms a thermal path between the heat sink and the outer housing.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the internal structure comprises an internal chassis.

3. A computing device, comprising:

an outer housing adapted to contain internal operational components therein, the outer housing being formed from a thermally conductive material;

an internal structure disposed inside the outer housing and configured to support the outer housing, the internal structure being formed from a thermally conductive material;

one or more heat producing elements disposed inside the outer housing; and

a heat transfer system configured to facilitate the transfer of heat generated at the one or more heat producing elements into both of the outer housing and the internal structure such that the heat is dissipated throughout the outer housing and the internal structure, wherein the heat transfer system includes a plurality of heat sinks and a heat pipe, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of heat sinks thermally couple at least a portion of the one or more heat producing elements to the heat pipe, and wherein the heat pipe thermally couples the at least a portion of heat sinks to the outer housing and is configured to transfer heat from the at least a portion of heat sinks to the outer housing.

4. The computing device of claim 3, wherein the heat transfer system further includes a fan positioned proximate the heat sinks and configured to send air across the heat sinks.

5. A method of dissipating heat in a computing device, comprising:

thermally coupling a first heat sink to a first heat producing element located within the computing device;

placing a heat pipe between the first heat sink and a housing of the computing device, the housing being formed from a thermally conductive material, wherein the heat pipe thermally couples the first heat sink to the housing;

positioning an internal structure proximate to the first heat sink, the internal structure being formed from a thermally conductive material and being disposed inside the housing and configured to support the housing, wherein the first heat sink thermally couples the first heat producing element to the internal structure;

conducting heat from the first heat producing element to the internal structure by way of the first heat sink such that heat is dissipated throughout the internal structure; and

conducting heat from the first heat producing element to the housing by way of the first heat sink and the heat pipe such that heat is dissipated throughout the housing.

6. The method of claim 5, further including the steps of:

thermally coupling a second heat sink to a second heat producing element located within the computing device and separate from the first heat producing element, wherein the second heat sink is arranged such that the heat pipe also thermally couples the second heat sink to the housing and such that the second heat sink thermally couples the second heat producing element to the internal structure;

conducting heat from the second heat producing element to the internal structure by way of the second heat sink such that heat is dissipated throughout the internal structure; and

conducting heat from the second heat producing element to the housing by way of the second heat sink and the heat pipe such that heat is dissipated throughout the housing.

7. The method of claim 6, further including the steps of:

placing a fan within the computing device and proximate to both the first and second heat sinks; and

flowing cooling air from the fan across the first and second heat sinks such that heat is dissipated therefrom.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein airflow from the fan is split into a plurality of air flow streams within the computing device.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the internal structure comprises an internal chassis defining a plurality of fins.

10. A computing device, comprising:

an outer housing adapted to contain internal operational components therein, the outer housing being formed from a thermally conductive material;

an internal structure disposed inside the outer housing and configured to support the outer housing, the internal structure being formed from a thermally conductive material;

a plurality of heat producing elements disposed inside the outer housing;

a plurality of heat sinks thermally coupled to the plurality of heat producing elements and the internal structure, the plurality of heat sinks being adapted to transfer heat from the plurality of heat producing elements to the internal structure; and

a heat pipe thermally coupled to each of the plurality of heat sinks and the outer housing, the heat pipe being adapted to transfer heat from the plurality of heat sinks to the outer housing.

11. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the outer housing is formed from titanium.

12. The computing device of claim 10, further including:

an auxiliary component formed from a thermally conductive material and disposed between the heat pipe and the outer housing, wherein the auxiliary component thermally couples the heat pipe to the outer housing.

13. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of heat sinks includes three heat sinks, with each of the three heat sinks being thermally coupled to a separate heat producing element.

14. The computing device of claim 10, wherein at least one of the plurality of heat sinks includes a surface that directly contacts the internal structure.

15. A heat transfer system configured to facilitate the dissipation of heat in a computing device, comprising:

a first heat sink adapted to thermally couple to a first heat producing element and an internal structure of a computing device such that heat is transferred from the first heat producing element and dissipated throughout the internal structure;

a second heat sink adapted to thermally couple to a second heat producing element and the internal structure such that heat is transferred from the second heat producing element and dissipated throughout the internal structure; and

a primary heat pipe thermally coupled to both of the first and second heat sinks, wherein the primary heat pipe is adapted to thermally couple to an outer housing of the computing device such that heat is transferred from both of the first and second heat sinks and dissipated throughout the outer housing.

16. The heat transfer system of claim 15, wherein the first heat sink includes a surface that directly contacts the internal structure.

17. The heat transfer system of claim 15, wherein the first heat sink is thermally coupled to the internal structure by way of a secondary heat pipe.

18. The heat transfer system of claim 15, wherein the first heat sink is integrally formed with the internal structure.

19. The heat transfer system of claim 15, further including:

a third heat sink adapted to thermally couple to a third heat producing element and the internal structure such that heat is transferred from the third heat producing element and dissipated throughout the internal structure, wherein the primary heat pipe is also thermally coupled to the third heat sink such that heat is transferred from the third heat sink and dissipated throughout the outer housing.

20. A computing device, comprising:

an outer housing adapted to contain internal operational components therein, the outer housing being formed from a thermally conductive material;

an internal structure disposed inside the outer housing and configured to support the outer housing, the internal structure being formed from a thermally conductive material;

at least two heat producing elements disposed inside the outer housing; and

a heat transfer system configured to facilitate the dissipation of heat in the computing device, the heat transfer system including;

a first heat sink thermally coupled to the first heat producing element and the internal structure such that heat is transferred from the first heat producing element and dissipated throughout the internal structure,

a second heat sink thermally coupled to the second heat producing element and the internal structure such that heat is transferred from the first heat producing element and dissipated throughout the internal structure, and

a primary heat pipe thermally coupled to both of the first and second heat sinks and the outer housing such that heat is transferred from both of the first and second heat sinks and dissipated throughout the outer housing.

21. The computing device of claim 20, wherein the first heat sink includes a surface that directly contacts the internal structure.

22. The computing device of claim 20, wherein the heat transfer system further includes:

a secondary heat pipe that thermally couples the first heat sink to the internal structure.

23. The computing device of claim 20, wherein the first heat sink is integrally formed with the internal structure.

24. The computing device of claim 20, further including:

an auxiliary component formed from a thermally conductive material and disposed between the primary heat pipe and the outer housing, wherein the auxiliary component thermally couples the primary heat pipe to the outer housing.