Apparatus, system and method for concealed venting thermal solution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9612634-B2
Application number	US-201514732519-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2015
Priority date	Jul 1, 2011
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

Some embodiments of an apparatus, system and method are described for a concealed venting thermal solution. An apparatus may comprise an enclosure arranged around one or more heat generating components, a duct arranged around an internal perimeter of the enclosure and a seam inlet arranged around an external perimeter of the enclosure to allow an airflow to enter the duct. Other embodiments are described.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
an enclosure comprising a top portion, a bottom portion, a first side, a second side, and a third side arranged around one or more heat generating components, the first, second, and third sides having an internal perimeter;
a duct comprising a structure integral with at least the top portion, the bottom portion, and at least portions of the first side, the second side, and the third side of the enclosure, the duct arranged to circumnavigate the internal perimeter of the at least portions of the first side, the second side and the third side of the enclosure, and the duct to substantially isolate the one or more heat generating components from an airflow;
a seam inlet arranged as an opening between the top portion and the bottom portion and arranged to circumnavigate an external perimeter of at least the first side and the second side of the enclosure to allow the airflow to enter the duct; and
one or more air movers to draw the airflow into the duct through the seam inlet to cool the one or more heat generating components.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , the one or more air movers to increase an air pressure inside the enclosure to cool the one or more heat generating components.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a cooling component thermally coupled to the one or more heat generating components, the duct to direct the airflow towards the cooling component to cool the one or more heat generating components.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , the cooling component comprising one or more of a heat pipe, a heat spreader, a heat sink, a phase change material, or a liquid-based coolant.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , the seam inlet is substantially hidden in a natural bend or break in the enclosure.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , the seam inlet comprises a contiguous ½ mm to 2 mm opening around at least a portion of the external perimeter of the enclosure.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a digital display coupled to the enclosure or a power supply coupled to the enclosure.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , the seam inlet comprises an acoustic outlet for the apparatus.

9. A system, comprising:
a computing device including an enclosure, the enclosure comprising a top portion, a bottom portion, a first side, a second side, and a third side defining an interior containing at least one heat generating component, the first second, and third sides having an internal perimeter;
a duct comprising a structure integral with at least the top portion, the bottom portion, and at least portions of the first side, the second side, and the third side of the enclosure, the duct arranged to circumnavigate the internal perimeter of the at least portions of the first side, the second side, and the third side of the enclosure, and the duct to substantially isolate the one or more heat generating components from an airflow;
a seam inlet defined by an opening between the top portion and the bottom portion and arranged to circumnavigate an external perimeter of at least the first side and the second side of the enclosure to allow the airflow to enter the duct; and
one or more air movers to draw the airflow into the duct through the seam inlet to cool the one or more heat generating components.

10. The system of claim 9 , the top portion has a larger outside diameter than the bottom portion and the seam inlet is arranged on a tapered connection between the top portion and the bottom portion.

11. The system of claim 9 , the one or more air movers to increase an air pressure inside the enclosure to cool the one or more heat generating components.

12. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a cooling component thermally coupled to the one or more heat generating components, the duct to direct the airflow towards the cooling component to cool the one or more heat generating components.

13. The system of claim 12 , the cooling component comprising one or more of a heat pipe, a heat spreader, a heat sink, a phase change material, or a liquid-based coolant.

14. The system of claim 9 , the seam inlet comprises a contiguous ½ mm to 2 mm opening around at least a portion of the external perimeter of the enclosure.

15. A method, comprising:
drawing an airflow exclusively through a seam inlet arranged to circumnavigate around a portion of an external perimeter of a first side, a second side, and a third side of an enclosure into a duct arranged to circumnavigate around an internal perimeter of at least portions of the first side, the second side, and the third side of the enclosure, wherein the enclosure comprises a top portion, a bottom portion, the first side, the second side, and the third side arranged around one or more heat generating components, wherein the duct comprising a structure integral with at least the to portion, the bottom portion, and the at least portions of the first side, the second side, and the third side of the enclosure and to substantially isolate the one or more heat generating components from the airflow, and wherein the seam inlet is arranged as an opening or gap between the top portion and the bottom portion and to allow the airflow to enter the duct;
cooling one or more cooling components thermally coupled to the one or more heat generating components using the airflow; and
drawing the airflow using one or more air movers arranged to generate positive pressure inside the enclosure.

16. The method of claim 15 , the top portion has a larger outside perimeter than the bottom portion and the seam inlet is arranged on a tapered connection between the top portion and the bottom portion.

17. The method of claim 15 , the seam inlet comprises a contiguous ½ mm to 2 mm opening around at least a portion of the external perimeter of the enclosure.

18. The method of claim 15 , the one or more cooling component comprise at least one of a heat pipe, a heat spreader, a heat sink, a phase change material, or a liquid-based coolant.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Macdonald Mark
• Mceuen Shawn S

Classifications

• G06F1/1688

  the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers · CPC title

• H05K7/20

  Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating · CPC title

• G06F1/203 Primary

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

• H05K7/20145

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