Heat dissipating apparatus for folding electronic devices

• US 9,148,979 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2012
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Chiriac, Victor A., Chun, Dexter T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haughton, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gafur, Razmeen
• Application Number:
  US13/706,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20140098489A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 36167946-67954, 361688-723, 361676-678, 165 801- 805, 165/104.33, 165/185, 174 151- 153, 174 161- 163, 174547-548, 257712-722, 257/E23.088, 244/53, 24458-459, 454/184, 312/236
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/203 Heat conductive hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/04 Mounting of components , e.g. of leadless components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20436 Inner thermal coupling elements in heat dissipating housings, e.g. protrusions or depressions integrally formed in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

Some implementations provide a folding electronic device that includes a base portion, a cover portion and a coupler. The base portion includes a region configured to generate heat. The cover portion includes a display screen, a heat dissipating component, and a thermally insulating component. The heat dissipating component is coplanar to the display screen. The thermally insulating component is coplanar to the display screen. The thermally insulating component is located between the display screen and the heat dissipating component. The coupler is for thermally coupling the base portion to the cover portion. The coupler includes a first component and a second component. The first component is coupled to the region configured to generate heat. The second component is coupled to the heat dissipating component of the cover portion. The coupler provides a path for transferring heat.

Claims

1. A folding electronic device, comprising:

a base portion including a region configured to generate heat;

a cover portion including;

a display screen;

a heat dissipating component parallel to and spaced apart from a rear surface of the display screen; and

a thermally insulating component configured to insulate the rear surface of the display screen from heat dissipated from the heat dissipating component, wherein the thermally insulating component is located between the rear surface of the display screen and the heat dissipating component; and

a coupler for thermally coupling the base portion to the cover portion, the coupler including a first component, a second component, and a third component, the first component coupled to the region configured to generate heat, the second component coupled to the heat dissipating component, and the third component passing through the first and second components and thermally coupling the first and second components, the coupler providing a path for transferring heat.

2. The folding electronic device of claim 1, wherein the coupler further includes an outer cylinder, wherein the third component additionally passes through an inside of the outer cylinder.

3. The folding electronic device of claim 2, wherein the coupler further includes a conductive material between the outer cylinder and the third component.

4. The folding electronic device of claim 1, wherein the third component is a pin that includes a fiber matrix.

5. The folding electronic device of claim 1, wherein the region configured to generate heat includes a component configured to generate heat that is a central processing unit (CPU).

6. The folding electronic device of claim 1, wherein the region configured to generate heat includes a component configured to generate heat that is a graphical processing unit (GPU).

7. The folding electronic device of claim 1, wherein the heat dissipating component includes a surface component that includes a plurality of protrusions and slots between protrusions, wherein the plurality of protrusions and slots is exposed to an environment external to the cover portion, wherein the plurality of protrusions and slots increase an available surface area of the heat dissipating component to increase an amount of heat that can be dissipated from the cover portion to the environment external to the cover portion.

8. The folding electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second component of the coupler includes the heat dissipating component.

9. The folding electronic device of claim 1, wherein the base portion further includes:

a base heat dissipating component positioned in the base portion coupled to the region configured to generate heat,

wherein the base heat dissipating component includes a surface component that includes a plurality of protrusions and slots between protrusions, wherein the plurality of protrusions and slots is exposed to an environment external to the base portion, wherein the plurality of protrusions and slots increase an available surface area of the base heat dissipating component to increase an amount of heat that can be dissipated from the base portion to the environment external to the base portion.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a base portion including a region configured to generate heat;

a cover portion including;

means for display;

means for dissipating heat, wherein the means for dissipating heat is parallel to and spaced apart from a rear surface of the means for display; and

means for thermally insulating the rear surface of the means for display from heat dissipated from the means for dissipating heat, wherein the means for thermally insulating is located between the rear surface of the means for display and the means for dissipating heat; and

means for thermally coupling the base portion to the cover portion, the means for thermally coupling including a first component, a second component, and a third component, the first component coupled to the region configured to generate heat, the second component coupled to the means for dissipating heat, and the third component passing through the first and second components and thermally coupling the first and second components,

wherein the means for thermally coupling provides a path for transferring heat.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means for thermally coupling further includes an outer cylinder, wherein the third component additionally passes through an inside of the outer cylinder.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for thermally coupling further includes a conductive material between the outer cylinder and the third component.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the third component is a pin that includes a fiber matrix.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, further including means for enhancing heat dissipation from the means for dissipating heat.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the means for enhancing heat dissipation includes a surface having a plurality of protrusions and slots between protrusions, wherein the plurality of protrusions and slots is exposed to an environment external to the cover portion, wherein the plurality of protrusions and slots increase an available surface area of the means for dissipating heat to increase an amount of heat that can be dissipated from the cover portion to the environment external to the cover portion.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a portion of at least some of the protrusions includes a thermally insulating material having a lower (k*ρ

*Cp) value compared to human skin, wherein k represents thermal conductivity, ρ

represents density, and Cp represents specific heat.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the base portion further includes a base means for dissipating heat from the region configured to generate heat,

wherein the base means for dissipating heat includes a surface component that includes a plurality of protrusions and slots between protrusions, wherein the plurality of protrusions and slots is exposed to an environment external to the base portion, wherein the plurality of protrusions and slots increase an available surface area of the base heat dissipating component to increase an amount of heat that can be dissipated from the base portion to the environment external to the base portion.

18. A folding electronic device, comprising:

a base portion including a region configured to generate heat;

a cover portion including;

a display screen;

a heat dissipating component parallel to and spaced apart from a rear surface of the display screen, wherein the heat dissipating component includes a surface component that includes a plurality of protrusions and slots between protrusions, wherein the plurality of protrusions and slots is exposed to an environment external to the cover portion, wherein the plurality of protrusions and slots increase an available surface area of the heat dissipating component to increase an amount of heat that can be dissipated from the cover portion to the environment external to the cover portion; and

a coupler for thermally coupling the base portion to the cover portion, the coupler including a first component and a second component, the first component coupled to the region configured to generate heat, the second component coupled to the heat dissipating component of the cover portion, the coupler providing a path for transferring heat.

19. The folding electronic device of claim 18, wherein a portion of at least some of the protrusions includes a thermally insulating material having a lower (k*ρ

*Cp) value compared to human skin, wherein k represents thermal conductivity, ρ

represents density, and Cp represents specific heat.

20. The folding electronic device of claim 18, wherein the coupler further includes an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder, the inner cylinder passing through an inside of the outer cylinder.

21. The folding electronic device of claim 20, wherein the coupler further includes a conductive material between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder.

22. The folding electronic device of claim 18, wherein the coupler includes a pin that includes a fiber matrix.

23. The folding electronic device of claim 18, wherein the surface component is part of the heat dissipating component.

24. The folding electronic device of claim 18, wherein the surface component is separate from the heat dissipating component.

25. An apparatus, comprising:

a base portion including a region configured to generate heat;

a cover portion including;

means for display;

means for dissipating heat, the means for dissipating heat parallel to and spaced apart from a rear surface of the means for display;

means for enhancing heat dissipation from the means for dissipating heat, the means for enhancing heat dissipation including a plurality of protrusions and slots between protrusions,

wherein the plurality of protrusions and slots is exposed to an environment external to the cover portion, and increases an available surface area of the means for dissipating heat to increase an amount of heat that can be dissipated from the cover portion to the environment external to the cover portion; and

means for thermally coupling the base portion to the cover portion, wherein the means for thermally coupling provides a path for transferring heat.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein a portion of at least some of the protrusions includes a thermally insulating material having a lower (k*ρ

*Cp) value compared to human skin, wherein k represents thermal conductivity, ρ

represents density, and Cp represents specific heat.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the means for thermally coupling further includes an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder, the inner cylinder passing through an inside of the outer cylinder.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the means for thermally coupling further includes a conductive material between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the means for thermally coupling includes a pin that includes a fiber matrix.

30. A method for manufacturing a folding electronic device comprising a heat dissipating apparatus, comprising:

coupling a first conductive plate to a region configured to generate heat, the region being part of a base portion of the folding electronic device;

coupling a thermally insulative component to a display screen of a cover portion of the folding electronic device;

coupling a second conductive plate to the thermally insulative component; and

coupling the base portion to the cover portion via a hinge, the hinge including the first and second conductive plates, the hinge providing a path for heat emanating from the region in the base portion to dissipate.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein, the thermally insulative component provides thermal insulation of the display screen from the heat being conducted by the second conductive plate.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the region configured to generate heat includes a component configured to generate heat.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the hinge includes a first outer pin and a second inner pin, the second inner pin positioned inside the first outer pin.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the hinge further includes a conductive material between the first outer pin and the second inner pin.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein the hinge includes a pin that includes a fiber matrix.

36. The method of claim 30, further includes coupling a surface component to the second conductive plate, the surface component including a heat dissipating enhancement feature including a plurality of protrusions and a plurality of slots.

37. A method for manufacturing a folding electronic device comprising a heat dissipating apparatus, comprising:

coupling a first conductive plate to a region configured to generate heat, the region being part of a base portion of the folding electronic device;

coupling a surface component to a second conductive plate, the surface component including a heat dissipating enhancement feature including a plurality of protrusions and a plurality of slots;

coupling the second conductive plate to a display screen of a cover portion of the folding electronic device; and

coupling the base portion to the cover portion via a hinge, the hinge including the first and second conductive plates, the hinge providing a path for heat emanating from the region in the base portion to dissipate from the cover portion including the heat dissipating enhancement feature.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the region configured to generate heat includes a component configured to generate heat.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein a portion of at least some of the protrusions from the plurality of protrusions includes a thermally insulating material having a lower (k*ρ

*Cp) value compared to human skin.