Removable fan cartridges for electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12396125-B2
Application number	US-202318200994-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2023
Priority date	May 23, 2023
Publication date	Aug 19, 2025
Grant date	Aug 19, 2025

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, articles of manufacture, and methods are disclosed for accessories for electronic devices and removable fan cartridges for electronic devices. An example electronic device accessory includes a backplate panel removably couplable to a first chassis of a first electronic device to replace a portion of a first cover of the first chassis and removably couplable to a second chassis of a second electronic device to replace a portion of a second cover of the second chassis. The example electronic device accessory also includes a mating device to releasably couple the backplate panel to the first chassis and independently releasably couple the backplate panel to the second chassis and a fan coupled to the backplate panel. The fan is to increase a Z height of the first electronic device when the backplate panel is coupled to the first electronic device and increase a Z height of the second electronic device when the backplate panel is coupled to the second electronic device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device accessory comprising:
a backplate panel removably couplable to a first chassis of a first electronic device to replace a portion of a first cover of the first chassis and removably couplable to a second chassis of a second electronic device to replace a portion of a second cover of the second chassis;
a mating device to releasably couple the backplate panel to the first chassis and independently releasably couple the backplate panel to the second chassis;
a fan coupled to the backplate panel, the fan to increase a Z height of the first electronic device when the backplate panel is coupled to the first electronic device and increase a Z height of the second electronic device when the backplate panel is coupled to the second electronic device; and
a cutwater integrated with or coupled to the backplate panel to form a hyperbaric chamber when the electronic device accessory is coupled to the first electronic device or the second electronic device.

2. The electronic device accessory of claim 1 , wherein the mating device includes a retention snap couplable to a retention slot.

3. The electronic device accessory of claim 1 , wherein the mating device includes a magnet.

4. The electronic device accessory of claim 1 , including electrical pins to electrically couple the electronic device accessory to the first electronic device and independently couple the electronic device accessory to the second electronic device.

5. The electronic device accessory of claim 1 , wherein the first electronic device has first exterior physical dimensions and the second electronic device has second exterior physical dimensions larger than the first exterior physical dimensions.

6. The electronic device accessory of claim 1 , including an ejection latch to release the electronic device accessory from either the first electronic device or the second electronic device.

7. The electronic device accessory of claim 6 , wherein the ejection latch is slidable.

8. The electronic device accessory of claim 1 , wherein the backplate panel covers less than a surface area of a D cover of the first chassis.

9. The electronic device accessory of claim 1 , wherein the fan is a first fan, the electronic device accessory including a second fan coupled to the backplate panel.

10. The electronic device accessory of claim 1 , including a heat pipe coupled to the backplate panel.

11. The electronic device accessory of claim 10 , wherein the fan is a first fan, the electronic device accessory including a second fan coupled to the backplate panel and the heat pipe extends between the first fan and the second fan.

12. The electronic device accessory of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device accessory adds Z height to only a portion of the first electronic device.

13. A fan cartridge for an electronic device, the fan cartridge comprising:
a first wall detachably couplable to a cover of an electronic device;
a second wall opposite the first wall and detachably couplable to the cover;
a backplate extending between the first wall and the second wall;
a cavity formed by the first wall, the second wall, and the backplate; and
a fan in the cavity coupled to the backplate to form a hyperbaric chamber in the cavity when the fan is coupled to the cover.

14. The fan cartridge of claim 13 , including a plurality of mechanical connectors and at least one electrical connector to couple the electronic device fan cartridge to the electronic device.

15. The fan cartridge of claim 13 , wherein the backplate is to be positioned in a first plane parallel to a second plane of the cover when coupled to the electronic device such that the electronic device fan cartridge adds Z height to a portion of the electronic device.

16. The fan cartridge of claim 13 , wherein the fan is to increase thermal dissipation capability of the electronic device.

17. The fan cartridge of claim 13 , wherein the electronic device fan cartridge is to increase processing power of the electronic device.

18. The fan cartridge of claim 13 , wherein the fan is a first fan, the electronic device fan cartridge including a second fan coupled to the backplate.

19. The fan cartridge of claim 13 , wherein the electronic device is a first electronic device of a first form factor and the electronic device fan cartridge is removably couplable to a second electronic device of a second form factor, the second form factor different than the first form factor.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Ku Jeff
• Macdonald Mark
• Lim Min Suet
• Zhai Tongyan
• Kulkarni Shantanu D
• Sen Arnab A
• Paavola Juha

Classifications

• H05K7/1438

  Back panels or connecting means therefor; Terminals; Coding means to avoid wrong insertion · CPC title

• H05K5/0221

  Locks; Latches · CPC title

• G06F1/1658

  related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module · CPC title

• 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

• G06F1/1626

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