# US 2018/0324977 A1 · Thermal flow assembly including integrated fan > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0324977 A1 - Document ID: US20180324977A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/040,083 - Filed: 2018-07-19 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-09-25 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Eric R. PRATHER; Clark E. WATERFALL; Reuben J. WILLIAMS; Vinh H. DIEP - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180324977A1 ## CPC - H05K 7/20154: {Heat dissipaters coupled to components} - F28D 15/0233: {the conduits having a particular shape, e.g. non-circular cross-section, annular (F28D15/0241, F28D15/0266 take precedence)} - H10W 40/73: for cooling by change of state - F28F 1/12: the means being only outside the tubular element - F28F 2250/08: Fluid driving means, e.g. pumps, fans - H10W 40/43: by flowing gases, e.g. forced air cooling - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) ## Abstract An electronic device includes an outer housing having an upper enclosure and a foot coupled thereto, a heat generating component, and a fan assembly integrated into the foot and situated proximate a bottom surface of the heat generating component. The foot can include inlet and outlet vents. The fan assembly can include an inlet, outlet, impeller with blades, shroud and fin stack. The electronic device can also include a heat pipe, a heat transfer stage, a PCB, and a bottom shield. Airflow through the electronic device can be directed across the fin stack, heat pipe, heat transfer stage, and bottom shield. Airflow can occur over a substantially level path through the electronic device from the inlet to outlet vents. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic device, comprising: a housing at least partially defining an internal cavity with a shroud extending from the housing, wherein the housing defines a plurality of air vents, and wherein the shroud defines an aperture through the shroud to the internal cavity; a circuit board positioned across the shroud; a fan assembly disposed within the internal cavity of the housing; and a fin stack at least partially disposed about the fan assembly. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the shroud defines a flow path extending from a first subset of air vents of the plurality of air vents along the shroud to the aperture defined through the shroud about a central axis of the internal cavity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the fin stack couples with the shroud to define the internal cavity in which the fan assembly is disposed. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The electronic device of claim 3, further comprising a seal extending about a second subset of air vents of the plurality of air vents and on which the fin stack is seated. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The electronic device of claim 4, wherein fins of the fin stack extend across the second subset of air vents of the plurality of air vents. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a heat pipe extending from the fin stack at a first end, wherein a second end of the heat pipe extends across the aperture defined through the shroud. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the second end of the heat pipe is coupled with a heat stage configured to transfer heat from one or more components of the circuit board to the heat pipe. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the heat stage is positioned between the heat pipe and the circuit board. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The electronic device of claim 7, further comprising a lid extending between the heat pipe and the heat stage. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the lid comprises a sidewall extending about the plurality of air vents to define a volume within the lid. ### Claim 11 An electronic device, comprising: a housing including a first portion of a shroud extending from the housing, wherein the housing defines a plurality of air vents within the housing, and wherein the first portion of the shroud defines an aperture through the shroud accessing an internal volume within the housing; a circuit board positioned across the shroud; a fan assembly disposed within the internal volume; and a fin stack comprising a second portion of the shroud, wherein the internal volume is defined by the housing, the first portion of the shroud, and the second portion of the shroud. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11, further comprising a heat pipe extending from the fin stack across the aperture defined through the shroud. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The electronic device of claim 12, wherein a portion of the heat pipe extending across the aperture defined through the shroud is coupled with a heat stage configured to transfer heat from one or more components of the circuit board to the heat pipe. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein a first subset of air vents of the plurality of air vents are disposed external to the internal volume, and wherein a second subset of air vents of the plurality of air vents are disposed within the internal volume. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the fin stack extends across the second subset of air vents. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The electronic device of claim 14, wherein an airflow path is defined from the first subset of air vents, through the aperture through the shroud, and to the second subset of air vents. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the air vents extend uniformly about the fan assembly. ### Claim 18 An electronic device, comprising: an upper housing; a lower housing coupled with the upper housing, the lower housing including a first portion of a shroud extending from the lower housing, wherein the lower housing defines a plurality of air vents within the lower housing, and wherein the first portion of the shroud partially encompasses an internal volume within the lower housing; a circuit board positioned within the electronic device and separating an internal volume of the electronic device into an upper volume within the upper housing and a lower volume including the internal volume within the lower housing; a power supply disposed within the upper housing; and a fan assembly disposed within the internal volume of the lower housing. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The electronic device of claim 18, further comprising a fin stack positioned within the lower volume and including a second portion of the shroud, wherein the internal volume is defined by the lower housing, the first portion of the shroud, and the second portion of the shroud. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The electronic device of claim 19, further comprising a heat pipe positioned within the lower volume and extending from the fin stack across an access to the internal volume, wherein a portion of the heat pipe extending across the access is coupled with a heat stage configured to transfer heat from one or more components of the circuit board to the heat pipe.