Flexible thermal conduit for an electronic device

• US 9,545,030 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2015
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Nikkhoo, Michael, Heirich, Doug, Riccomini, Roy, Ye, Maosheng, Beerman, Michael, Taylor, Joseph Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): HOFFBERG, ROBERT JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US14/705,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20160212889A1
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/00 Heat-exchange apparatus with the intermediate heat-transfer medium in closed tubes passing into or through the conduit walls ; Heat-exchange apparatus employing intermediate heat-transfer medium or bodies F28D17/00, F28D19/00, F28D20/00 take precedence
• 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 15/0241 the tubes being flexible
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 21/00 Constructions of heat-exchange apparatus characterised by the selection of particular materials coatings for modifying heat-transfer F28F13/18; coatings for preventing the formation of deposits or corrosion F28F19/02
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 21/02 of carbon, e.g. graphite
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 21/08 of metal
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 21/085 from copper or copper alloys
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2255/02 Flexible elements
• 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: F28F 3/08 Elements constructed for building-up into stacks, e.g. capable of being taken apart for cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• 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 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2023/4068 Heatconductors between device and heatsink, e.g. compliant heat-spreaders, heat-conducting bands
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3733 having a heterogeneous or anisotropic structure, e.g. powder or fibres in a matrix, wire mesh, porous structures H01L23/3732, H01L23/3737 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3735 Laminates or multilayers, e.g. direct bond copper ceramic substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3736 Metallic materials H01L23/3732, H01L23/3733, H01L23/3735, H01L23/3737, H01L23/3738 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0201 : Thermal arrangements, e.g. for cooling, heating or preventing overheating
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0226 : Hinges
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20127 : Natural convection
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/2039 : characterised by the heat transfer by conduction from the heat generating element to a dissipating body arrangements for increasing/decreasing heat-transfer, e.g. fins details, F28F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20409 : Outer radiating structures on heat dissipating housings, e.g. fins integrated with the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20454 : with a conformable or flexible structure compensating for irregularities, e.g. cushion bags, thermal paste
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20963 : Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20972 takes precedence

Abstract

A flexible thermal conduit runs from a first housing portion of an electronic device to a second housing portion of the electronic device, to convey heat generated by an electronic component located in the first housing portion to a heat dissipation structure located in the second housing portion, where the second housing portion is flexibly coupled to the first housing portion, for example, by a hinge or other type of joint. The flexible conduit may include a plurality of layers of thin, flat thermally conductive material, which may be arranged to flex independently of each other in the region where the first and second housing portions are coupled.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a first housing portion containing an electronic component that generates heat during operation;

a second housing portion, flexibly coupled via a hinge to the first housing portion, the second housing portion containing a heat dissipation structure; and

a multi-layer flexible thermal conduit that passes from the first housing portion to the second housing portion, to convey heat generated by the electronic component to the heat dissipation structure,

wherein the multi-layer flexible thermal conduit comprises a plurality of flexible thermally conductive layers,

a major surface of each layer of the plurality of flexible thermally conductive layers is adjacent to a major surface of an adjacent layer of the plurality of flexible thermally conductive layers,

a major surface of one of the flexible thermally conductive layers is adjacent to the hinge; and

wherein the plurality of flexible thermally conductive layers are not affixed to each other in a region where the second housing portion is flexibly coupled to the first housing portion, such that the plurality of flexible thermally conductive layers are able to flex separately in said region.

2. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of flexible thermally conductive layers comprise a plurality of layers of flexible graphite.

3. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of flexible thermally conductive layers comprise a plurality of layers of metal.

4. A head-mounted display device comprising:

a visor assembly including a display assembly to cause an image to be displayed to a user, the visor assembly including an electronic component that generates heat during operation;

a head fitting assembly, flexibly coupled via a hinge to the visor assembly, by which the head-mounted display device can be worn on a head of the user, the head fitting assembly including a heat dissipation structure; and

a multi-layer flexible thermal conduit that passes from the visor assembly to the head fitting assembly, to convey heat generated by the electronic component to the heat dissipation structure in the head fitting assembly,

wherein the multi-layer flexible thermal conduit comprises at least one of a plurality of flexible thermally conductive layers,

a major surface of each layer of the plurality of flexible thermally conductive layers is adjacent to a major surface of an adjacent layer of the plurality of flexible thermally conductive layers,

a major surface of one of the flexible thermally conductive layers is adjacent to the hinge; and

wherein the plurality of flexible thermally conductive layers are not affixed to each other in a region where the head fitting assembly is flexibly coupled to the visor assembly, such that the plurality of flexible thermally conductive layers are able to flex separately in said region.

5. A head-mounted display device as recited in claim 4, wherein the plurality of flexible thermally conductive layers comprise a plurality of layers of flexible graphite.

6. A head-mounted display device as recited in claim 4, wherein the plurality of flexible thermally conductive layers comprise a plurality of layers of metal.

7. A head-mounted display device comprising:

a visor assembly containing a plurality of electronic components that generate heat when in operation, the visor assembly including a display component to display an image directly in front of an eye of a user;

a head fitting assembly, coupled to the visor assembly, by which the head-mounted display device can be worn on a head of the user, the head fitting assembly including a plurality of curved, elongate side arms, each flexibly coupled via a separate hinge of a plurality of hinges to a different end of the visor assembly, each of said side arms including a heat dissipation structure; and

a plurality of multi-layer flexible thermal conduits, a first one of which is coupled to the visor assembly and to a first one of the side arms adjacent to a first one of the plurality of hinges and a second one of which is coupled to the visor assembly and to a second one of the side arms adjacent to a second one of the plurality of hinges, each of said multi-layer flexible thermal conduits configured to convey heat generated by at least one of the plurality of electronic components to the heat dissipation structure in a corresponding one of the side arms, each of said multi-layer flexible thermal conduit including a plurality of flat, elongate, flexible thermal conduit strips that are not affixed to each other in a region proximate to a corresponding one of the plurality of hinges, such that the plurality of strips are able to flex separately in said region proximate to the corresponding one of the plurality of hinges,

wherein the multi-layer flexible thermal conduit comprises a plurality of flexible thermal conductive strips,

a major surface of each strip of the plurality of flexible thermally conductive strips is adjacent to a major surface of an adjacent strip of the plurality of flexible thermally conductive strips, and

a major surface of one of the flexible thermally conductive layers is adjacent to the corresponding one of the plurality of hinges.

8. A head-mounted display device as recited in claim 7, wherein the plurality of flat, elongate, flexible thermally conduit strips comprise a plurality of layers of flexible graphite.

9. A head-mounted display device as recited in claim 7, wherein the plurality of flat, elongate, flexible thermally conduit strips comprise a plurality of layers of metal.

10. A head-mounted display device as recited in claim 7, further comprising a first thermally conductive bracket coupled to at least one of the electronic components and to a one of the flexible thermal conduits associated with one of the side arms.

11. A head-mounted display device as recited in claim 10, wherein the first thermally conductive bracket secures together the plurality of flat, elongate, flexible thermal conduit strips of said one of the flexible thermal conduits.

12. A head-mounted display device as recited in claim 10, further comprising a circuit board mounted to an interior surface of the visor assembly, the circuit board having at least some of the plurality of electronic components disposed thereon, wherein the first thermally conductive bracket is coupled to the circuit board.

13. A head-mounted display device as recited in claim 12, further comprising a heat spreader held to the circuit board by the first thermally conductive bracket.

14. A head-mounted display device as recited in claim 13, further comprising a clamp disposed proximate to the corresponding one of the plurality of hinges associated with said one of the side arms, wherein the clamp secures together the plurality of flat, elongate, flexible thermal conduit strips of said one of the flexible thermal conduits.