Heat spreader to structurally support an outer housing
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorTimothy J Sutherland
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In some examples, an electronic device includes an outer housing and a heat spreader inside an inner chamber defined by the outer housing. The heat spreader is structurally engaged to the outer housing to provide structural support for the outer housing, and the heat spreader is to spread heat along two different directions. Electronic components are in thermal contact with a surface of the heat spreader to transfer heat produced by the electronic components to the heat spreader.
Claims14
An electronic device comprising:
- an outer housing including a housing ring;
- a heat spreader inside an inner chamber defined by the outer housing, and the heat spreader structurally engaged to the outer housing to provide structural support for the outer housing, the heat spreader to spread heat along multiple different directions;
- a display cover attached to a display panel, wherein the housing ring extends around a perimeter of the display panel and the display panel is spaced apart from the heat spreader;
- electronic components in thermal contact with a surface of the heat spreader to transfer heat produced by the electronic components to the heat spreader;
- and
- a support connector attached to the housing ring, wherein the heat spreader is also attached to the support connector structurally supporting the outer housing.
A housing and support assembly for an electronic device, comprising:
- an outer housing including a housing ring to define an inner chamber of the electronic device;
- a multi-dimensional heat spreader inside the inner chamber and structurally engaged with the housing ring via a support connector to provide structural support for the outer housing, the multi-dimensional heat spreader to provide the structural support for the outer housing without use of any distinct support frame attached to the multi-dimensional heat spreader, and the multi-dimensional heat spreader comprising a thermal contact surface to contact heat producing components inside the inner chamber;
- and
- a display cover attached to a display panel, wherein the housing ring extends around a perimeter of the display panel and the display panel is spaced apart from the heat spreader.
A method of forming an electronic device, comprising:
- forming a housing ring that is part of an outer housing of the electronic device, the outer housing defining an inner chamber of the electronic device;
- attaching a cover to the housing ring, the cover being part of the outer housing;
- structurally engaging a multi-dimensional heat spreader inside the inner chamber with the housing ring via a support connector to structurally support the housing ring;
- thermally contacting electronic components to the multi-dimensional heat spreader to transfer heat from the electronic components to the multi-dimensional heat spreader;
- and
- assembling a display cover attached to a display panel so that the housing ring extends around a perimeter of the display panel and the display panel is spaced apart from the heat spreader.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.