Expandable thermal solution for laptops

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12061502-B2
Application number	US-202117368851-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2021
Priority date	Jul 7, 2021
Publication date	Aug 13, 2024
Grant date	Aug 13, 2024

Abstract

According to the present disclosure, a laptop may be provided with a compartment including a moveable segment, an expandable heat exchanger with a movable section, and an expandable fan unit. The release of the movable segment of the compartment from a lower portion of the compartment produces an opening in the compartment and the movable section of the expandable heat exchanger is extended downward, and the expandable fan unit is lowered when the movable segment of the compartment is released.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
a compartment with an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the lower portion of the compartment is releasably mateable to the upper portion of the compartment, wherein releasing the lower portion of the compartment from the upper portion of the compartment produces an opening therebetween;
an expandable heat exchanger with a movable section positioned in the compartment, wherein the movable section retracts when the upper and lower portions of the compartment are mated and extends downward when the lower portion of the compartment is released; and
the movable section of the expandable heat exchanger comprises graphite heat spreaders that extend from and retract to a stationary attachment member;
wherein the graphite heat spreaders comprise a plurality of flexible sheets, each of the plurality of flexible sheets having a top portion and a bottom portion;
wherein the stationary attachment member comprises a stationary section with a plurality of vertical copper sheets that form a plurality of slot spaces;
wherein the expandable heat exchanger further comprises the top portion of each of the plurality of flexible sheets being positioned in a corresponding one of the slot spaces of the stationary section; and
wherein each of the plurality of slot spaces comprises a guide for a respective one of the flexible sheets positioned in the corresponding one of the slot spaces.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein
the stationary section is attached to the movable section, and wherein the graphite heat spreaders of the movable section retract to the stationary section when the upper and lower portions of the compartment are mated and extend from the stationary section when the lower portion of the compartment is released.

3. The device of claim 1 , further comprising: a fan unit with an upper cover and a movable lower support, wherein the movable lower support moves downward when the lower portion of the compartment is released.

4. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a spring mechanism assisting the release of the lower portion of the compartment from the upper portion of the compartment.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is a clamshell laptop computer and the compartment is a bottom portion of the clamshell laptop computer and the opening is located at a back section of the compartment.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the clamshell laptop computer further comprises a laptop screen pivotably covering the compartment, wherein lifting of the laptop screen releases the lower portion of the compartment.

7. A thermal system comprising:
an expandable heat exchanger with a movable section, wherein the expandable heat exchanger is positioned in a compartment of a computing device;
wherein the movable section comprises graphite heat spreaders that extend from and retract to a stationary attachment member;
wherein the graphite heat spreaders comprise a plurality of flexible sheets, each of the plurality of flexible sheets having a top portion and a bottom portion;
wherein the stationary attachment member comprises a stationary section with a plurality of vertical copper sheets that form a plurality of slot spaces;
wherein the expandable heat exchanger further comprises the top portion of each of the plurality of flexible sheets being positioned in a corresponding one of the slot spaces of the stationary section; and
wherein each of the plurality of slot spaces comprises a guide for a respective one of the flexible sheets positioned in the corresponding one of the slot spaces.

8. The thermal system of claim 7 , wherein the expandable heat exchanger further comprises a slotted base plate attached to the bottom portion of the plurality of flexible sheets.

9. The thermal system of claim 7 , further comprising:
an expandable fan unit with an upper cover and a moveable lower support, wherein the moveable lower support is engaged with a lower portion of the compartment and moves downward when the lower portion of the compartment is released.

10. The thermal system of claim 7 , wherein the expandable heat exchanger is connected to a heat sink of the computing device.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Ku Jeff
• Chuah Tin Poay
• Loo Howe Yin
• Goh Chin Kung
• Lim Yew San
• Nien Cora Shih Wei

Classifications

• G06F1/1616

  with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position · CPC title

• G06F1/203 Primary

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

• F28F21/085

  from copper or copper alloys · CPC title

• F28F2280/10

  Movable elements, e.g. being pivotable · CPC title

• F28F2255/02

  Flexible elements · CPC title