Docking station

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9226427-B2
Application number	US-201213710475-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2012
Priority date	Dec 11, 2011
Publication date	Dec 29, 2015
Grant date	Dec 29, 2015

Abstract

A docking station suitable for a portable electronic device includes a base, a supporting component and a first fan. The base includes an airflow guiding slope. The supporting component is disposed on the base and has an airflow guiding structure, in which the portable electronic device is configured to be supported on the supporting component. The first fan is disposed in the base and provides a cooling airflow, in which the airflow guiding slope and the airflow guiding structure guide the cooling airflow to flow into the portable electronic device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A docking station, suitable for a portable electronic device and comprising:
a base, comprising an airflow guiding slope;
a supporting component, disposed on the base and having an airflow guiding structure, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to be supported on the supporting component; and
a first fan, disposed in the base and providing a cooling airflow, wherein the airflow guiding slope and the airflow guiding structure guide the cooling airflow to flow into the portable electronic device, wherein the portable electronic device has a second fan therein, the cooling airflow is guided to flow through the second fan by the airflow guiding structure, and an air output of the first fan is greater than an air output of the second fan.

2. The docking station as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the portable electronic device has a heat-generating component therein and the cooling airflow is guided to flow through the heat-generating component by the airflow guiding structure.

3. The docking station as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the portable electronic device has a heat-dissipating module therein and the cooling airflow is guided to flow through the heat-dissipating module by the airflow guiding structure.

4. The docking station as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the supporting component has an airflow channel, the airflow guiding structure is located in the airflow channel and the portable electronic device is aligned with the airflow channel.

5. The docking station as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the base has a first air outlet, and an inner part of the base is communicated with the supporting component via the first air outlet.

6. The docking station as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the first fan comprises:
a casing, having a second air outlet, wherein the second air outlet is aligned with the first air outlet and has a first outflow direction; and
a set of fan blades, disposed in the casing and having a second outflow direction, wherein the first outflow direction is perpendicular to the second outflow direction.

7. The docking station as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the airflow guiding slope makes the cooling airflow flow to the first air outlet from the second air outlet.

8. The docking station as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the airflow guiding slope is located at the casing.

9. The docking station as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the set of fan blades rotates around an axis and the second outflow direction is perpendicular to the axis.

10. The docking station as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the base has a barrier therein, and the barrier extends to the first fan from an edge of the first air outlet.

11. The docking station as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the airflow guiding structure extends to the portable electronic device from an edge of the first air outlet.

12. The docking station as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the portable electronic device has an air inlet, and the supporting component is communicated with an inner part of the portable electronic device via the air inlet.

13. The docking station as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the airflow guiding structure extends to an edge of the air inlet.

14. The docking station as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a control component, wherein when the portable electronic device is placed on the supporting component, the control component drives the first fan to provide the cooling airflow.

15. The docking station as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising a sensing component for sensing whether the portable electronic device is disposed on the supporting component and for sending out a signal to the control component.

16. The docking station as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the portable electronic device has a heat-generating component, the heat-generating component has a first operating frequency and a second operating frequency, the first operating frequency is greater than the second operating frequency, and when the heat-generating component is switched to the first operating frequency, the control component drives the first fan to provide the cooling airflow.

Assignees

• Liu Chung-Luen
• Pan Jenq-Haur
• Wu Chang-Yuan
• Tu Ching-Ya
• Chen Ching-Chung
• Compal Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Liu Chung-Luen
• Pan Jenq-Haur
• Wu Chang-Yuan
• Tu Ching-Ya
• Chen Ching-Chung

Classifications

• H05K7/20145 Primary

  Means for directing air flow, e.g. ducts, deflectors, plenum or guides · CPC title

• G06F1/1632

  External expansion units, e.g. docking stations · CPC title

• G06F1/20 Primary

  Cooling means · CPC title