Thermally conductive structure for dissipating heat in a portable electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10787014-B2
Application number	US-201816127043-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2018
Priority date	Sep 11, 2017
Publication date	Sep 29, 2020
Grant date	Sep 29, 2020

Abstract

This application relates to a portable electronic device. The portable electronic device includes an operational component capable of generating heat and walls that define a cavity capable of carrying the operational component. The portable electronic device further includes a support plate that is welded to at least one of the walls. The support plate includes a thermally conductive layer that is thermally coupled to the operational component, where the thermally conductive layer includes a first material that is capable of conducting at least some of the heat away from the electronic component. The support plate further includes a first stiffness promoting layer that is welded to the thermally conductive layer, where the first stiffness promoting layer includes a second material having sufficient material hardness for welding the support plate to at least one of the walls such as to increase a stiffness of the support plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:
an enclosure that defines a cavity, the enclosure comprising a metal wall;
an operational component located in the cavity, the operational component capable of generating thermal energy;
a support plate located in the cavity and joined to the metal wall, the support plate comprising:
a thermally conductive core that is thermally coupled to the operational component, the thermally conductive core comprising a first surface and a second surface that is opposite the first surface,
a first stiffening layer coupled with the thermally conductive core at the first surface, wherein the operational component is located on the first stiffening layer, and
a second stiffening layer coupled with the thermally conductive core at the second surface, wherein the thermally conductive core includes a first thermal conductivity, and wherein each of the first stiffening layer and the second stiffening layer include a second thermal conductivity that is less than the first thermal conductivity; and

a display assembly secured with the enclosure, wherein the operational component is positioned between the display assembly and the first stiffening layer.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the operational component comprises a camera system.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive core includes at least one of copper or aluminum, and wherein each of the first stiffening layer and the second stiffening layer includes at least one of stainless steel, molybdenum, or titanium.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the operational component comprises a power supply.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a back wall coupled to the metal wall, wherein the back wall comprises a non-metal material.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the first stiffening layer includes a first thickness, and wherein the second stiffening layer is equivalent to the first thickness.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive core separates the first stiffening layer from the second stiffening layer such that the first stiffening layer is free of contact from the second stiffening layer.

8. A portable electronic device, comprising:
an enclosure comprising a glass back wall and a metal band that combines with the glass back wall to that define a cavity;
an operational component that generates thermal energy within the cavity;
a support plate that (i) is thermally coupled to and joined to the metal band, and (ii) carries the operational component, wherein the support plate includes:
a stiffening layer, wherein the operational component is located on the stiffening layer,
a thermally conductive core that is overlaid by the stiffening layer, wherein the thermally conductive core defines a directional path by which the thermal energy received by the thermally conductive core is conducted away from the operational component, and
a thermal insulation layer that is overlaid by the thermally conductive core, wherein the thermal insulation layer prevents the thermal energy received by the thermally conductive from passing through the glass back wall.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the thermal insulation layer is positioned between the thermally conductive core and the glass back wall.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the thermal insulation layer comprises a first thickness, and wherein the thermally conductive core comprises a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the metal band comprises stainless steel.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the operational component comprises a camera system or a power supply.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the support plate has a thickness, and the thermal insulation layer has a thickness that accounts for no more than about 50% of the thickness of the support plate.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the thermally conductive core includes at least one of aluminum, copper, or molybdenum.

15. A portable electronic device, comprising:
an operational component that generates heat;
walls that define a cavity, wherein the operational component is carried within the cavity;
a support plate that carries and is overlaid by the operational component, the support plate being thermally coupled to and joined to the walls, the support plate including:
a thermally conductive core capable of conducting the heat away from the operational component and towards the walls,
a first metal layer secured with the thermally conductive core, and
a second metal layer secured with the thermally conductive core, wherein the first metal layer is free of contact with the second metal layer based on the thermally conductive core; and

a display assembly secured with the walls, wherein the operational component is positioned between the display assembly and the first metal layer.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the first metal layer and the second metal layer include cladded stainless steel.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the first metal layer and the second metal layer are welded to opposing surfaces of the thermally conductive core.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 15 , wherein a shape of the thermally conductive core is substantially maintained while the thermally conductive core conducts the heat away from the operational component.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the operational component comprises a power supply.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the operational component comprises a circuit.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Hooton Lee E
• Rammah Marwan
• Bertin James A
• Hristov Stoyan P
• Counts William A

Classifications

• H05K5/10

  comprising several parts forming a closed casing · CPC title

• H01P3/08

  Microstrips; Strip lines · CPC title

• H05K5/03

  Covers · CPC title

• H05K5/0086

  portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus (casings for switching devices H01H9/02) · CPC title

• H05K1/181

  associated with surface mounted components · CPC title