Method and system for a heat sink integrated in a wall of a computing device

• US 20040160740A1
• Filed: 02/14/2003
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Ghosh, Prosenjit
• Application Number:
  US10/367,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20040160740A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/687
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20445 the coupling element being an additional piece, e.g. thermal standoff

Abstract

A method and system for a heat sink integrated in a wall of a computing device is described. The computing device includes a heat sink integrated in a wall of the computing device, and a heat conduit to transfer heat generated by a heat source to the heat sink. The heat sink allows ambient air external to the computing device to flow into the computing device to cool the transferred heat from the heat source.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a heat sink integrated in a wall of the computing device; and

a heat conduit to transfer heat generated by a heat source to the heat sink.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the heat sink includes a plurality of fins with gaps in between the fins to allow ambient air external to the computing device to flow into the computing device.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the heat conduit is a heat pipe coupled to the heat source.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the heat source is a central processing unit (CPU).

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a mobile computing device.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a laptop.

7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a tablet personal computer (PC).

8. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising a cover placed over the heat sink.

9. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the cover has vents to allow air external to the computing device to pass through to the heat sink.

10. A method comprising:

transferring heat from a heat source to a heat sink integrated in a wall of a computing device; and

cooling the transferred heat at the heat sink by exposing the transferred heat to ambient air external to the computing device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein transferring heat from the heat source to the heat sink comprises transferring heat to the heat sink via a heat pipe coupled to the heat source.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein cooling the transferred heat at the heat sink comprises cooling the transferred heat at the heat sink by exposing the transferred heat to ambient air external to the computing device via gaps between a plurality of fins of the heat sink.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein transferring heat from the heat source to the heat sink comprises transferring heat from a central processing unit (CPU) to the heat sink.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising blowing air toward the heat sink by an air movement device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the air movement device is a fan.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the computing device is mobile computing device.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the computing device is a tablet personal computer (PC).

18. A computer system comprising:

a base; and

a tablet unit detachably coupled to the base, the tablet unit including;

a central processing unit (CPU);

a heat sink integrated with a wall of the tablet unit; and

a heat conduit coupled to the CPU to transfer heat from the CPU to the heat sink.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the heat sink includes a plurality of fins with gaps in between the fins to allow ambient air external to the tablet unit to flow into the tablet unit.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the heat conduit is a heat pipe coupled to the CPU.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the tablet unit includes a screen for entering and displaying data;

22. The system of claim 18, further comprising an air movement device to blow air toward the heat sink.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the air movement device is a fan.