Heat exchange – Intermediate fluent heat exchange material receiving and... – Liquid fluent heat exchange material
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-13
2001-07-03
Atkinson, Christopher (Department: 3743)
Heat exchange
Intermediate fluent heat exchange material receiving and...
Liquid fluent heat exchange material
C165S080300, C165S185000, C361S689000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06253838
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a casing construction for laptop computers and the like, and more particularly to a clad casing which promotes efficient heat transfer away from heat generating components.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The heat output of laptop computers, personal digital assistants, cellular telephones and the like (more generally, portable electronic products) is a design consideration that has not been afforded adequate attention in many existing product designs. With regard to laptop computers, some casing designs make no attempt to remove heat from the computer. Others have heat distributed through the case so that there are no hotspots, i.e., a plenum holds the heated air within the casing, sometimes ventilated by way of vent holes and/or a fan. Increases in clock speed and the number of transistors used in modern portable electronic products have increased power consumption demands and overall heat output. Further, it is generally desirable to house portable electronic products in small casings, but such casings impose further constraints on effectively dissipating heat from the closely-packed internal components.
There is a need in the art, which heretofore has not been adequately addressed, for a clad casing that promotes efficient heat transfer. Further, there is a need for such a clad casing which promotes efficient heat transfer from the internal heat-generating components which is passive, that is, does not require power. The present invention addresses these and other needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention, a casing for an electronic device is disclosed which includes a heat dissipation layer, inner and outer insulative layers along either side of the heat dissipation layer, and a heat pipe which has a portion in thermal-transfer contact with the heat dissipation layer. The heat dissipation layer has a thermal conductivity in a first range whereas the insulative layers have a thermal conductivity in a different, lower range.
According to another aspect of invention, only a portion of the casing includes the heat dissipation layer, inner and outer insulative layers, and the heat pipe.
According to yet another aspect of invention, only a portion of the casing includes the heat dissipation layer, the outer insulative layer, and the heat pipe. In lieu of an inner insulative layer, heated air within the casing provides a gradient which directs heat into the heat dissipation layer, where it spreads in the plane of the heat dissipation layer, and out through the outer insulative layer.
According to a preferred aspect of the invention, contact between the heat pipe and the heat dissipation layer is by a support which is in direct thermal-transfer contact with the heat dissipation layer.
According to other aspects of the invention, the casing includes one or more of the following features:
The thermal conductivity of the heat dissipation layer is greater than 15 W/m*K;
The thermal conductivity of the insulating layers is less than 15 W/m*K, and preferably between about 0.01 to about 10 W/m*K;
The inner layer is thicker than the outer layer;
Either or both of the inner and outer layers abuts the heat dissipation layer;
The heat dissipation layer has vent holes therethrough; and
The vent holes are covered by either the inner or outer layers.
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Fiechter Frederick Charles
Quigley Patrick Griffin
Applied Thermal Technology
Atkinson Christopher
Darby & Darby
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