Head mountable display ventilation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024389287-A1
Application number	US-202318478696-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 29, 2023
Priority date	May 15, 2023
Publication date	Nov 21, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic device includes an external frame defining an internal volume, an air inlet port, and an air exhaust port. The electronic device also includes a fan configured to draw air into the internal volume through the inlet port and push air out from the internal volume through the exhaust port, the fan including a housing. The housing defines a fan inlet and a fan outlet and the air inlet port, the fan inlet, the fan outlet, and the air exhaust port define an airflow path with the air inlet port upstream from the fan inlet, the fan inlet upstream from the fan outlet, and the fan outlet upstream from the air exhaust port. The electronic device also includes a display assembly disposed in the internal volume, the airflow path defined between the display assembly and the fan inlet and an internal frame coupled to the external frame, the internal frame disposed between the display assembly and the fan and defining an opening aligned with the fan inlet.

First claim

1 . An electronic device, comprising:
an external frame defining:
an internal volume;
an air inlet port; and
an air exhaust port;
a fan configured to draw air into the internal volume through the inlet port and push air out from the internal volume through the exhaust port, the fan including a housing; wherein: the housing defines a fan inlet and a fan outlet; and the air inlet port, the fan inlet, the fan outlet, and the air exhaust port define an airflow path with the air inlet port upstream from the fan inlet, the fan inlet upstream from the fan outlet, and the fan outlet upstream from the air exhaust port; a display assembly disposed in the internal volume, the airflow path defined between the display assembly and the fan inlet; and an internal frame coupled to the external frame, the internal frame disposed between the display assembly and the fan and defining an opening aligned with the fan inlet.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the fan is coupled to the internal frame.

3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the housing includes:
a first housing shell defining the fan inlet; a second housing shell; and a fan blade disposed between the first housing shell and the second housing shell.

4 . The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the first housing shell and the second housing shell define the fan outlet.

5 . The electronic device of claim 3 , further comprising a processor disposed in the internal volume.

6 . The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the second housing shell is in direct thermal contact with the processor.

7 . The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the fan is disposed between the internal frame and the processor.

8 . The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the fan is configured to convectively cool the display assembly and conductively cool the processor.

9 . A head-mountable display device, comprising:
an external frame defining:
an internal volume;
an air inlet port; and
an air exhaust port;
a fan disposed in the internal volume between the air inlet port and the air exhaust port, the fan including a housing having a first side defining a fan inlet and a second side opposite the first side; an internal frame coupled to the external frame and defining an aperture; and a display assembly coupled to the internal frame and aligned with the aperture; wherein:
the first side of the housing faces the display assembly; and
the fan inlet is aligned with the aperture.

10 . The head-mountable display device of claim 9 , wherein the internal frame is disposed between the display assembly and the housing.

11 . The head-mountable display device of claim 9 , further comprising a printed circuit board including a heat-generating component thermally coupled to the housing.

12 . The head-mountable display device of claim 11 , wherein the heat-generating component is coupled to the second side.

13 . The head-mountable display device of claim 10 , wherein the internal frame is coupled to the external frame at a first set of discrete touch points and the internal frame is thermally isolated from the external frame.

14 . The head-mountable display device of claim 13 , wherein the housing is coupled to the internal frame at a second set of discrete touch points and the internal frame is thermally isolated from the housing.

15 . The head-mountable display device of claim 14 , wherein:
the internal frame is thermally isolated from the external frame via a first set of insulating members disposed between the internal frame and the external frame at the first set of discrete touch points, with at least one insulating member of the first set of insulating members disposed at each discrete touch point of the first set of discrete touch points; and the internal frame is thermally isolated from the housing via a second set of insulating members disposed between the internal frame and the external frame at the second set of discrete touch points, with at least one insulating member of the second set of insulating members disposed at each discrete touch point of the second set of discrete touch points.

16 . A cooling assembly, comprising:
a structural frame defining a first aperture and a second aperture; a first display coupled to a first side of the structural frame and aligned with the first aperture; a second display coupled to the first side and aligned with the second aperture; a first fan coupled to a second side of the structural frame opposite the first side, the first fan aligned with the first aperture; and a second fan coupled to the second side and aligned with the second aperture; wherein:
the first fan includes a housing defining a first fan inlet aligned with the first aperture and facing the first display; and
the second fan includes a second housing defining a second fan inlet aligned with the second aperture and facing the second display.

17 . The cooling assembly of claim 16 , further comprising an outer housing coupled to the structural frame and defining an inlet port and an exhaust port.

18 . The cooling assembly of claim 17 , wherein the exhaust port is disposed centrally between the first aperture and the second aperture.

19 . The cooling assembly of claim 17 , wherein:
the first fan is configured to draw air through the inlet port, through the first aperture downstream from the inlet port, through the first fan inlet downstream from the first aperture, and through the exhaust port downstream from the first fan inlet; and the second fan is configured to draw air through the inlet port, through the second aperture downstream from the inlet port, through the second fan inlet downstream from the second aperture, and through the exhaust port downstream from the second fan inlet.

20 . The cooling assembly of claim 17 , wherein the outer housing defines:
a lower sidewall defining the inlet port; and an upper sidewall opposite the lower sidewall, the upper sidewall defining the exhaust port.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Dunsmoor David J
• Mylabathula Enoch
• Dybenko Jesse T
• Campo Laura M
• Selvakumar Sivesh

Classifications

• G06F1/203

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

• G06F1/163 Primary

  Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt · CPC title

• H05K7/20972 Primary

  Forced ventilation, e.g. on heat dissipaters coupled to components · CPC title