Cooling system with integrated passive and active components
AssigneeApple Computer, Inc.
InventorIhab Ali
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cooling system for a computer includes a heat spreader that is in thermal contact with at least one component in the computer, a frame casting, and at least one heat pipe coupled to the heat spreader and coupled to the frame casting for passively dissipating heat generated from the at least one component in the computer. By coupling the heat spreader to the frame casting via the at least one heat pipe, the conductive and convective heat transfer characteristics of the frame casting are utilized to provide additional passive cooling for the at least one component.
Claims15
A cooling system for a computer comprising:
- a heat spreader that is in thermal contact with at least one component in the computer;
- a frame casting;
- and
- at least one heat pipe coupled to the heat spreader and coupled to the frame casting for passively dissipating heat generated from the at least one component in the computer.
A cooling system for a computer comprising:
- a heat spreader having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface includes at least one thermal interface contact that is in direct contact with at least one component in the computer and wherein the top surface includes a plurality of channels for increasing a surface area of the heat spreader and improving the heat transfer rate between the heat spreader and ambient air in the computer;
- one or more ancillary heat pipes embedded in the bottom surface of the heat spreader, wherein the one or more ancillary heat pipes makes direct contact with the at least one thermal interface contact;
- and
- a radial fan in the computer for blowing air in the computer and exhausting air through a vent, wherein each of the plurality of channels is formed to direct air flow to a center of the radial fan where it can be exhausted thereby reducing airflow resistance and improving active heat dissipation.
A cooling system for a computer comprising:
- a heat spreader that is in thermal contact with at least one component in the computer;
- a frame casting;
- at least one heat pipe coupled to the heat spreader and coupled to the frame casting for providing a thermal path between the at least one component in the computer to the frame casting;
- and
- a fin stack, wherein the at least one heat pipe is in thermal contact with the frame casting and with the fin stack such that the fin stack enhances passive cooling.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.