Computer tower architecture thermal management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11971759-B2
Application number	US-202217659999-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2022
Priority date	May 2, 2019
Publication date	Apr 30, 2024
Grant date	Apr 30, 2024

Abstract

An electronic device can include a housing that defines an internal volume. The electronic device can also include a component within the internal volume that divides the internal volume into a first volume and a second volume. The first volume and second volume can be fluidically isolated except at an aperture defined by the component. An air-moving system can produce a positive air pressure in the first volume and a negative air pressure in the second volume.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing defining an internal volume, inlet holes, and outlet holes, the inlet holes and the outlet holes fluidly coupling the internal volume with an ambient environment through the housing;
a logic board dividing the internal volume into a first zone and a second zone, the logic board comprising a first surface defining the first zone and a second surface defining the second zone, the logic board defining an aperture, the inlet holes including a first set of inlet holes defining the first zone and a second set of inlet holes defining the second zone;
a first electronic component disposed on the first surface electrically connected to the logic board;
a second electronic component disposed on the second surface and electrically connected to the logic board;
the housing and the logic board define an airflow pathway parallel to the first surface from the ambient environment into the first zone through the first set of inlet holes, from the first zone through the aperture to the second zone, and parallel to the second surface from the second zone to the ambient environment through the outlet holes; and
an air-moving system to move air along the airflow pathway, the air moving system including:
a first air-mover configured to pull air into the first zone through the first set of inlet holes and push air out of the first zone through the outlet holes and establish a positive air pressure in the first zone; and
a second air-mover configured to pull air into the second zone through the second set of inlet holes and establish a negative air pressure in the second zone.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a seal disposed at an engagement surface of the logic board, the seal contacting a surface of the housing to substantially fluidically isolate the first zone from the second zone, except at the aperture.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first air-moving apparatus comprises at least one fan disposed in the first zone; and
the second air-moving apparatus comprises a blower disposed in the second zone.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the first air-moving apparatus comprises a first fan, a second fan disposed above the first fan, and a third fan disposed above the second fan.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , the first fan having a first height, the second fan having a second height, and the third fan having third height, wherein the first height, second height, and third height combined are substantially equal to an entire height of the housing.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the first surface is positioned opposite the second surface.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second electronic component is disposed at the aperture.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , where the first electronic component comprises a power supply unit.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the internal volume substantially consists of the first zone and the second zone.

10. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing defining inlet holes and outlet holes;
a computing component defining an aperture, the computing component comprising a first surface and a second surface, the housing and the first surface defining a first internal volume and the housing and the second surface defining a second internal volume separated from the first internal volume by the computing component except at the aperture, the first internal volume defined by a first inlet hole of the inlet holes and the second internal volume defined by a second inlet hole of the inlet holes;
a first electronic component disposed on the first surface;
a second electronic component disposed on the second surface, the second electronic component comprising at least one of a processor or a memory component;
a first air-moving apparatus configured to pull air through the first inlet hole from ambient air external to the housing and into the first internal volume parallel to the first surface to produce a first air pressure in the first internal volume and push the air out of the first internal volume through the outlet holes; and
a second air-moving apparatus configured to pull air from the ambient air and into the second internal volume through the second inlet hole and push air out of the second internal volume through the outlet holes and parallel to the second surface to produce a second air pressure in the second internal volume, the second air pressure and the first air pressure creating a pressure differential between the first internal volume and the second internal volume causing air to move through the aperture from the first internal volume to the second internal volume.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the first air-moving apparatus is disposed in the first internal volume.

12. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the first air-moving apparatus comprises one or more fans.

13. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the second air-moving apparatus is disposed in the second internal volume.

14. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the second air-moving apparatus comprises a blower.

15. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the computing component comprises a logic board.

16. The electronic device of claim 10 , further comprising a seal disposed around at least a portion of a periphery of the computing component.

17. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing defining an internal volume, inlet holes, and outlet holes;
a logic board positioned within the internal volume, the logic board comprising a first surface and a second surface positioned opposite the first surface, the logic board dividing the internal volume into a first zone and a second zone, the logic board defining an aperture providing fluid communication between the first zone and the second zone;
a first electronic component disposed on the first surface and positioned in the first zone, the first electronic component electrically connected to the logic board;
a second electronic component disposed on the second surface and positioned in the second zone, the second electronic component electrically connected to the logic board, the logic board defining an airflow pathway from the first zone through the aperture to the second zone; and
an air-moving system including:
a first air-mover disposed in the first zone and configured to push air out of the first zone through the outlet holes of the housing defining the first zone; and
a second air mover disposed in the second zone and configured to:
pull air into the second zone through the inlet holes of the housing defining the second zone; and
move air along the airflow pathway from the first zone to the second zone through the aperture.

18. The electronic device of claim 17 , further comprising a seal disposed on an engagement surface of the logic board and contacting an opposite surface of the housing to fluidically isolate the first zone from the second zone, except at the aperture.

19. The electronic device of claim 18 , wherein:
the first air mover comprises a fan; and
the second air mover comprises a blower.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Degner Brett W
• Prather Eric R
• Leclerc Michael E

Classifications

• G06F1/20 Primary

  Cooling means · CPC title

• G06F1/181 Primary

  Enclosures (for portable computers G06F1/1613) · CPC title

• G06F1/182

  with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI] · CPC title

• G06F1/188

  Mounting of power supply units · CPC title

• G06F1/206

  comprising thermal management · CPC title