Outer cases for computing devices

• US 10,585,454 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2016
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Yuen, Hang Yan, Mazurkiewicz, Paul Howard, He, Hui
• Primary Examiner(s): Cunningham, Xanthia C
• Application Number:
  US16/092,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20190129468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/02 Interior fittings; Means, e.g. inserts, for holding and packing articles
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2013/025 for holding portable computers or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2003/003 combined with other objects; specially adapted for carrying specific objects
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2200/0525 Personal portable computing devices, e.g. laptop, tablet, netbook, game boy, navigation system, calculator
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 3/04 Sacks or packs carried on the body by means of two straps passing over the two shoulders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1628 Carrying enclosures containing additional elements, e.g. case for a laptop and a printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• 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

In some examples, a wearable system includes an outer case defining an inner chamber and comprising a portion including a liquid resistant and breathable layer. The wearable system further includes a computing device in the inner chamber, and an airflow generator to produce an airflow to cool the computing device and to direct a resulting heated airflow to flow through pores of the liquid resistant and breathable layer to an environment outside the outer case.

Claims

1. A wearable system comprising:

an outer case defining an inner chamber and comprising a portion including a liquid resistant and breathable layer;

a computing device in the inner chamber;

an airflow generator to produce an airflow to cool the computing device and to direct a resulting heated airflow to flow through pores of the liquid resistant and breathable layer to an environment outside the outer case;

a strap to secure the outer case to a user; and

a thermally reflective layer arranged along a side of the outer case adjacent the user when the wearable system is worn by the user, the thermally reflective layer to reflect heat from the computing device away from the user.

2. The wearable system of claim 1, further comprising a body-mounted device that is outside of the outer case, the body-mounted device to communicate with the computing device and to display information generated by the computing device.

3. The wearable system of claim 2, wherein the body-mounted device is to communicate with the computing device over a wireless link or a wired link.

4. The wearable system of claim 1, further comprising a thermal channel thermally contacted to the computing device and to carry heat produced by the computing device away from the computing device, wherein the airflow is to pass over the thermal channel.

5. The wearable system of claim 4, wherein the thermal channel comprises a heat pipe.

6. The wearable system of claim 1, wherein the liquid resistant and breathable layer comprises a porous core layer.

7. The wearable system of claim 1, wherein the portion including the liquid resistant and breathable layer is at a first side of the outer case, wherein the outer case further comprises another portion at a second, different side of the outer case, the another portion including a liquid resistant and breathable layer, and wherein the heated airflow is to flow through the another portion to the environment outside the outer case.

8. The wearable system of claim 1, wherein the liquid resistant and breathable layer comprises a material selected from among an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene and a polymer.

9. The wearable system of claim 1, wherein the airflow generator is in the inner chamber, and the resulting heated airflow is heated by the computing device in the inner chamber, and the resulting heated airflow is to flow from the inner chamber through the pores of the liquid resistant and breathable layer to the environment outside the outer case.

10. The wearable system of claim 1, comprising a bag that includes the outer case, the computing device, and the airflow generator.

11. The wearable system of claim 1, comprising a backpack that includes the outer case, the computing device, and the airflow generator.

12. The wearable system of claim 1, wherein the pores of the liquid resistant and breathable layer allow airflow to exit from the inner chamber to the environment outside the outer case, and prevent liquid droplets from entering into the inner chamber from the environment outside the outer case.

13. The wearable system of claim 1, wherein the thermally reflective layer is to reflect infrared energy.

14. An outer case comprising:

a housing providing an inner chamber to house a computing device and an airflow generator that produces an airflow inside the inner chamber to cool the computing device;

a liquid resistant and breathable layer that is part of the housing and comprising pores that prevent ingress of liquid into the inner chamber and provide an airflow outlet path through which a heated exhaust airflow heated by the computing device passes to an environment outside the outer case; and

a thermally reflective layer provided on a side of the outer case that is adjacent a user when the outer case is worn by the user, the thermally reflective layer to reflect heat from the computing device away from the user.

15. The outer case of claim 14, wherein the liquid resistant and breathable layer is provided at a first side of the outer case, and the outer case further comprises another liquid resistant and breathable layer provided at a second, different side of the outer case, the another liquid resistant and breathable layer comprising pores that prevent ingress of a liquid into the inner chamber and provide an airflow outlet path through which the heated exhaust airflow heated by the computing passes to the environment outside the outer case.

16. The outer case of claim 14, further comprising:

the airflow generator in the inner chamber,

wherein the heated exhaust airflow is to pass from the inner chamber through the pores to the environment outside the outer case.

17. A method of forming a wearable system, comprising:

arranging a computing device inside an inner chamber defined by an outer case, the computing device to communicate with an electronic device that is outside of the outer case;

forming a portion of the outer case with a liquid resistant and breathable layer comprising pores; and

arranging an airflow generator in the inner chamber to produce an airflow to cool the computing device and to direct a resulting heated airflow to flow through the pores of the liquid resistant and breathable layer to an environment outside the outer case.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the pores of the liquid resistant and breathable layer allow airflow to exit from the inner chamber to the environment outside the outer case, and prevent liquid droplets from entering into the inner chamber from the environment outside the outer case.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

arranging a thermally reflective layer arranged along a side of the outer case adjacent a user when the wearable system is worn by the user, the thermally reflective layer to reflect heat from the computing device away from the user.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the thermally reflective layer is to reflect infrared energy.