Apparatus for thermal management in a portable electronic device
AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.
InventorsMarc Scott Hodes, Alan Michael Lyons
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heat-dissipating device is disclosed for use in an electronic device. This heat dissipating device includes a reservoir for holding a substance in a liquid state (e.g., water) and at least one heat transfer point for transferring heat from a heat source, such as a component in the electronic device, to the liquid substance. Heat causes the substance to transform into a gaseous state due to the transfer of thermal energy from the heat source to the substance. A gas permeable membrane is used to permit the substance to escape the reservoir when it is in a gaseous state while, at the same time, preventing the substance from escaping when it is in a liquid state.
Claims16
Apparatus for dissipating heat in an electronic device, said apparatus comprising:
- a reservoir for holding a substance in a liquid state;
- at least one heat transfer point for transferring heal from a heat source to said substance, thereby causing said substance to transform into a gaseous state, and
- a gas-permeable membrane for allowing said substance in a gaseous state to escape from said reservoir, thereby dissipating at least a portion of said heat.
Apparatus for use in an electronic device comprising:
- means for contacting at least one heat transfer point of a reservoir with a heat source, said reservoir containing at least a first substance in a liquid state;
- means for transferring heat from said heat source to the at least a first substance in said reservoir, wherein, in response to said heat transfer, said substance changes state from said liquid state to a gaseous state, and
- at least a first gas-permeable membrane for allowing said substance in a gaseous state to escape said reservoir.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.