Two-phase cooling system for a laptop computer lid
AssigneeAavid Laboratories, Inc.
InventorsRalph I. Larson, Richard J. Phillips, Alan F. Beane
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A two-phase cooling system for a portable computer, the system consisting of an evaporator and a condenser that are both included in either the lid or the base of the computer. The two-phase cooling system is positioned proximate to the computer's heat-producing circuitry, such that the system draws liquid coolant past the circuitry and heat is transferred from the circuitry to the coolant. A fan may also be included, to assist in heat rejection from the cooling system. In a preferred embodiment, the cooling system consists of a flattened heat pipe, with a first side operating as the evaporator and a second side operating as the condenser.
Claims16
A laptop computer including:
- A. a case for housing a screen, a keyboard and heat producing circuitry, the case consisting of a first section for supporting the screen and a second section for supporting the keyboard, the first section being hingedly attached to the second section;
- and
- B. a two-phase cooling system for cooling the heat-producing circuitry, the cooling system comprising an evaporator region and a condenser region, both of which reside in the same one of the two sections of the case, the cooling system further comprising an expandable surface which expands in response to increases in volume of a coolant in the system so as to keep an internal pressure of the system substantially constant over an operating temperature range of the system.
A laptop computer including:
- A. a case with a lid for housing a screen and heat-producing electronic circuitry:
- B. a base for housing a keyboard, the base being hingedly attached to the lid;
- and
- C. a two-phase cooling system for cooling the heat-producing circuitry, the cooling system comprising an evaporator section and a condenser section, both of which reside in the lid, the cooling system further comprising an expandable surface which expands in response to increases in volume of a coolant in the system so as to keep an internal pressure of the system substantially constant over an operating temperature range of the system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.