Electronic device having an active edge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10768686-B2
Application number	US-201816175045-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2018
Priority date	Dec 27, 2012
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

An electronic device is provided that includes a base, a processor, and a tablet having a front surface, a rear surface and a bottom edge surface. A processor may operate at a first operating condition when the tablet is coupled to the base, and the processor may operate at a second operating condition when the tablet is not coupled to the base. The tablet may include a heat conducting device and an active edge. The heat conducting device may conduct heat from the processor to the active edge where the heat may be dissipated using supplemental cooling.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a tablet having:
a first surface;
a second surface;
a first corner;
a second corner;
a third corner;
a fourth corner;
a first edge;
a second edge, the first and second edges joined by the first corner;
a third edge opposite the second edge, the first and third edges joined by the second corner;
a fourth edge opposite the first edge, the third and fourth edges joined by the third corner, and the second and fourth edges joined by the fourth corner;
a touchscreen display at the first surface;
a processor in the tablet;
memory; and
a battery;

a base having a keyboard;
a hinge to couple the first edge of the tablet to the base, the processor to operate at a first operating condition when the tablet is coupled to the base, the first operating condition associated with a first processor frequency, and the processor to operate at a second operating condition when the tablet is not coupled to the base, the second operating condition associated with a second processor frequency, the first processor frequency faster than the second processor frequency;
an elongated heat conductor extending through a central portion within the tablet toward the first edge, the elongated heat conductor contained within the tablet between the first surface and the second surface of the tablet;
a heat sink between the first surface and the second surface of the tablet and at the first edge of the tablet, the heat sink physically connected to the elongated heat conductor, the heat conductor to provide heat to the heat sink, the heat sink to dissipate heat from the interior of the tablet to the first edge of the tablet;
a first connector at the first edge of the tablet on a first side of the heat sink between the heat sink and the first corner;
a second connector at the first edge of the tablet on a second side of the heat sink between the heat sink and the second corner;
a third connector at the base to releasably physically connect with the first connector; and
a fourth connector at the base to releasably physically connect with the second connector, wherein the first connector, the second connector, the third connector, and the fourth connector are to releasably physically couple the tablet to the base in a clamshell configuration.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further including a fan.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein fan is in the base and the fan is to dissipate heat from the tablet when the tablet is coupled to the base.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , further including a plurality of fans.

5. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the fan is to provide airflow over the heat sink.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the heat sink includes metal.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second connector is located closer to the third edge than the second edge.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first connector is located closer to the second edge than the third edge.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first connector and the second connector are on opposite sides of the first edge.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the heat conductor is a single heat pipe.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the heat sink is embedded in the tablet away from an exterior surface of the first edge.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first surface and the second surface are separated a distance, and the heat sink has a width less than the distance.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Macdonald Mark

Classifications

• G06F1/206 Primary

  comprising thermal management · CPC title

• G06F1/1626

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · CPC title

• G06F1/203

  for portable computers, e.g. for laptops · CPC title

• G06F1/3262 Primary

  Power saving in digitizer or tablet · CPC title

• G06F1/1632

  External expansion units, e.g. docking stations · CPC title