Optimized vent walls in electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9907201-B2
Application number	US-201514625098-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 18, 2015
Priority date	Jun 8, 2012
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments related to a component for use in a portable electronic device. The component includes a wall of the portable electronic device, containing an intake zone that includes a set of intake vents directed at a first angle toward one or more heat-generating components of the portable electronic device. The wall also includes an exhaust zone containing a set of exhaust vents directed at a second angle out of the portable electronic device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable electronic device comprising:
a housing having a top case and a bottom case, the housing carrying:
an electronic component that generates thermal energy during operation of the electronic component;
a heat exchanger thermally coupled to the electronic component, wherein the heat exchanger receives a coolant capable of carrying at least some of the thermal energy that is generated by the electronic component;
a fan assembly that generates an air flow, wherein the air flow comprises (i) a first air flow that impinges on the heat exchanger and transports a first amount of the thermal energy through a port located at a first sidewall, and (ii) a second air flow that transports a second amount of the thermal energy through a gap located between the heat exchanger and a second sidewall, wherein mixing of the first air flow and the second air flow occurs at the port; and
an air flow duct located between the heat exchanger and the second sidewall, wherein the air flow duct directs a portion of the second airflow away from an additional component adjacent the second sidewall within the gap.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger includes convective-cooling fins.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a conduit transports the coolant from the electronic component to the heat exchanger.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first air flow is adjacent to the second air flow.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the air flow duct prevents the second air flow from passing over the additional component.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a heat pipe thermally coupled to the electronic component at an evaporator region of the heat pipe, wherein, during operation of the electronic component, the heat pipe transports the thermal energy from the evaporator region to a condenser region of the heat pipe.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a display coupled to the bottom case, and the second air flow minimizes visual artifacts associated with a display coupled to the housing during the operation of the electronic component.

8. A portable electronic device including a housing having a top case and a bottom case, the portable electronic device comprising:
an integrated circuit that generates thermal energy during operation of the integrated circuit;
a heat exchanger thermally coupled to the integrated circuit, wherein the heat exchanger receives the thermal energy generated by the integrated circuit;
a forced-fluid driver configured to generate an air flow, wherein the air flow comprises (i) a first fluid flow that impinges on the heat exchanger and transports a first amount of thermal energy through the heat exchanger so as to cause the first amount of thermal energy to be expelled via a fluid-flow port included on a first sidewall of the housing, and (ii) a second fluid flow that transports a second amount of thermal energy through a gap formed between the heat exchanger and a second sidewall of the housing, wherein the first air flow and the second air flow are mixed at the fluid-flow port; and
an air flow duct located in the gap, wherein the air flow duct directs a portion of the second fluid flow away from an additional component adjacent the second sidewall within the gap.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the heat exchanger includes convective-cooling fins.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the forced-fluid driver includes a fan.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the first fluid flow has a higher temperature than the second fluid flow.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the forced-fluid driver has a width greater than the heat exchanger.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the first fluid flow has a greater amount of thermal energy than the second fluid flow.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein mixing of the first fluid flow and the second fluid flow occurs along the fluid-flow port.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , further comprising a heat pipe thermally coupled to the integrated circuit at an evaporator region of the heat pipe, wherein the heat pipe transports the thermal energy from the evaporator region to a condenser region of the heat pipe.

16. A method for cooling a portable electronic device, the portable electronic device including a housing having a top case and a bottom case, the method comprising:
at a fan assembly, wherein the housing carries the fan assembly and an electronic component that generates thermal energy:
generating a first air flow that transports a first amount of thermal energy through a heat exchanger disposed within the housing, so as to cause the first amount of thermal energy to be expelled via a port included on a first sidewall of the housing; and
generating a second air flow that transports a second amount of thermal energy through a gap that is included between the heat exchanger and a second sidewall of the housing, wherein a portion of the second air flow is directed through an air flow duct located in the gap, and wherein the air flow duct directs a portion of the second fluid flow away from an additional component adjacent the second sidewall within the gap, wherein the first air flow has a higher temperature than the second air flow.

17. A portable electronic device, comprising:
an external housing including a top case and a bottom case, and each of the top case and the bottom case include inner surfaces that define an internal cavity, wherein the internal cavity includes an integrated circuit configured to generate heat during operation of the portable electronic device;
a lid coupled to the external housing by a hinge, wherein the lid includes a display, and the lid is configured to be angularly positioned relative to a plane of the top case; and
a housing at least partially enclosing the hinge along an axis of rotation of the lid, wherein, during operation of the portable electronic device, a fluid-flow port carried by the external housing directs a plurality of fluid flows from the internal cavity,
wherein the plurality of fluid flows include a central fluid flow flowing between a plurality of additional fluid flows, and
the central fluid flow has a higher temperature than the plurality of additional fluid flows, and
wherein the housing is configured to direct the central fluid flow away from the display over one or more angular positions of the lid.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 17 , wherein a forced-fluid driver in the internal cavity generates the plurality of fluid flows.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the forced-fluid driver includes a fan.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the lid is capable of being positioned at angles between approximately 0° and approximately 110°.

21. The portable electronic device of claim 17 , wherein, when the lid is positioned at an angle of approximately 0° , the housing is configured to direct the central fluid flow from the portable electronic device.

22. The portable electronic device of claim 17 , wherein, when the lid is positioned at an angle range approximately between 90° and 110° , the housing directs the central fluid flow into the housing, and directs at least one of the plurality of additional fluid flows to th

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Degner Brett W
• Andre Bartley K
• Bataillou Jeremy D
• Nigen Jay S
• Ligtenberg Christiaan A
• Hopkinson Ron A
• Schwalbach Charles A
• Casebolt Matthew P
• Rundle Nicholas A
• Liang Frank F

Classifications

• H05K7/2039

  characterised by the heat transfer by conduction from the heat generating element to a dissipating body (arrangements for increasing/decreasing heat-transfer, e.g. fins details, F28F13/00) · CPC title

• H05K7/20145 Primary

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

• G06F1/203 Primary

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

• Y10T29/49002

  Electrical device making · CPC title