Flexible heat spreader

• US 9,980,412 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2016
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Qiu, Bo, Guo, Xi, Raupp, James C., Ahrens, Michael, Pidwerbecki, David, Lofland, Steven J., Daskalakis, George H., Yee, Stacy L., MacDonald, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, MUKUNDBHAI G
• Application Number:
  US15/280,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20180092253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 36167927, 36167928, 36167954, 361704
• 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: H05K 1/0203 Cooling of mounted components H05K1/0272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0204 using means for thermal conduction connection in the thickness direction of the substrate H05K1/0207 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0209 External configuration of printed circuit board adapted for heat dissipation, e.g. lay-out of conductors, coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/181 associated with surface mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/066 Heatsink mounted on the surface of the PCB heatsink inserted in the PCB H05K2201/10416
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0226 Hinges
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20409 Outer radiating structures on heat dissipating housings, e.g. fins integrated with the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20509 Multiple-component heat spreaders; Multi-component heat-conducting support plates; Multi-component non-closed heat-conducting structures
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20963 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20972 takes precedence

Abstract

Apparatuses, systems and methods associated with flexible heat spreader design are disclosed herein. In embodiments, an electronic device may include a component, a heat dissipation member, and a flexible member. The heat dissipation member may be coupled to the component via a flexible portion of the electronic device, the component located on a first side of the flexible portion and the heat dissipation member located on a second side of the flexible portion. The flexible member may be thermally coupled to the component and the heat dissipation member, wherein the flexible member extends along the flexible portion from the first side to the second side and is to transfer heat from the component to the heat dissipation member. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a component;

a heat dissipation member coupled to the component via a flexible portion of the electronic device, the component located on a first side of the flexible portion and the heat dissipation member located on a second side of the flexible portion;

a flexible member thermally coupled to the component and the heat dissipation member, wherein the flexible member extends along the flexible portion from the first side of the flexible portion to the second side of the flexible portion and is to transfer heat from the component to the heat dissipation member, wherein the flexible portion is a hinge assembly that couples a first side of the electronic device to a second side of the electronic device, the hinge assembly being located intermediate to the first side of the electronic device and the second side of the electronic device, wherein the hinge assembly is surrounded by a superelastic material, and wherein the flexible member is affixed to the superelastic material opposite to the hinge assembly; and

a structural memory member that extends along a portion of the flexible member and extends from the first side of the electronic device to the second side of the electronic device, wherein the structural memory member is to flex as the hinge assembly swivels and is to return to an original shape of the structural memory member in response to an application of heat.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the flexible member is a flexible graphite film.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the flexible member flexes as the flexible portion flexes.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the component is located in the first side of the electronic device and the heat dissipation member is located in the second side of the electronic device, and wherein the flexible member flexes as the hinge assembly swivels.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the superelastic material includes nitinol.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the heat dissipation member is a heat sink.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the heat dissipation member includes a protective layer that extends along a length of the flexible member and protects the flexible member from physical damage.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the flexible member is thermally coupled to the component via a heat spreader of the component, the heat spreader located on the first side of the flexible portion, and the flexible member being affixed to the heat spreader via a pressure sensitive adhesive.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the component is attached to a printed circuit board of the electronic device, the printed circuit board being located in the first side of the electronic device, and wherein the heat dissipation member is located in a screen portion of the electronic device, the screen portion being located in the second side of the electronic device.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the component is a system-on-chip of the electronic device, and wherein the heat dissipation member is a case of the electronic device.

11. An electronic device, comprising:

electronic circuitry located on a first side of a flexible portion of the electronic device;

a display located on a second side of the flexible portion, the display communicatively coupled to the electronic circuitry;

a flexible member thermally coupled to a component of the electronic circuitry and a heat dissipation member located on the second side of the flexible portion, wherein the flexible member extends along the flexible portion from the first side of the flexible portion to the second side of the flexible portion and is to transfer heat from the component to the heat dissipation member;

a hinge assembly that couples a first side of the electronic device to a second side of the electronic device, the hinge assembly being located intermediate to the first side of the electronic device and the second side of the electronic device, wherein the flexible portion is the hinge assembly;

a superelastic material that abuts at least a portion the hinge assembly, wherein the flexible member abuts the superelastic material on a side of the superelastic material opposite to the hinge assembly; and

a structural memory member that extends along a portion of the flexible member and extends from the first side of the electronic device to the second side of the electronic device across the hinge assembly, wherein the structural memory member is to flex as the hinge assembly swivels and is to return to an original shape of the structural memory member in response to an application of heat.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the flexible member is a flexible graphite film.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, further comprising a thermally conductive case that extends along an exterior of the second side of the electronic device, wherein the heat dissipation member includes at least a portion of the thermally conductive case.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the thermally conductive case is located, at least partially, on an opposite side of the electronic device from the display.

15. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the superelastic material includes nitinol.

16. The electronic device of claim 11, further comprising a heat spreader coupled to the component of the electronic circuitry, wherein the flexible member is thermally coupled to the component via the heat spreader.

17. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the component of the electronic circuitry is a system-on-chip, and wherein the flexible member is thermally coupled to the system-on-chip.

18. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the electronic device is a phone, a tablet, a phablet, or a laptop computer.

19. A method of producing an electronic device, comprising:

thermally coupling a first portion of a flexible member to a component of electronic circuitry located on a first side of a flexible portion of the electronic device; and

thermally coupling a second portion of the flexible member to a heat dissipation member located on a second side of the flexible portion, the flexible member extending along the flexible portion from the first side to the second side, wherein the flexible portion is a hinge assembly located intermediate to a first side of the electronic device and a second side of the electronic device;

forming a superelastic material along at least a portion of a circumference of the hinge assembly, wherein a third portion of the flexible member abuts the superelastic material on an opposite side of the superelastic material from the hinge assembly; and

positioning a structural memory member to extend along a third portion of the flexible member and to extend from the first side of the electronic device to the second side of the electronic device, wherein the structural memory member is to flex as the hinge assembly swivels and is to return to an original shape of the structural memory member in response to an application of heat.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein thermally coupling the first portion of the flexible member to the component includes affixing the first portion to a heat spreader of the component via a pressure sensitive adhesive.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein thermally coupling the second portion of the flexible member to the heat dissipation member includes affixing the second portion of the flexible member to a thermally conductive case of the electronic device via a pressure sensitive adhesive, the thermally conductive case extending along an exterior of the electronic device.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the flexible member is a flexible graphite film.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the component is a system-on-chip of the electronic circuitry.