Assemblies and methods for dissipating heat from handheld electronic devices
AssigneeLaird Technologies, Inc.
InventorsRichard F. Hill, Shahi Riaz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to various aspects of the present disclosure, exemplary embodiments include assemblies and methods for dissipating heat from an electronic device by a thermally-conducting heat path to the external casing via one or more portions of an electromagnetic interference shield and/or thermal interface material disposed around the device's battery or other power source. In an exemplary embodiment, a thermally conductive structure which comprises elastomer may be disposed about or define a battery area such that heat may be transferred to the external casing by a thermally-conductive heat path around the battery area through or along the thermally conductive structure which comprises elastomer.
Claims24
An assembly suitable for use in dissipating heat from one or more heat generating components of a circuit board within an electronic device that includes an exterior casing and a battery area between the circuit board and the exterior casing, the assembly comprising a thermally-conductive structure which comprises elastomer and is disposed about or defining the battery area such that a thermally-conductive heat path is provided from the one or more heat generating components around the battery area to the exterior casing, the thermally-conductive heat path including a portion around a battery positioned within the battery area provided by the thermally-conductive structure, such that heat is transferrable through the thermally-conductive structure and along the thermally-conductive heat path from the one or more heat generating components around the battery area to the exterior casing.
An electronic device comprising:
- a circuit board including one or more heat generating components;
- an exterior casing;
- a battery area between the circuit board and the exterior casing;
- an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding/thermal interface material positioned relative to the one or more heat generating components to provide EMI shielding to the one or more heat generating components;
- and
- a thermally-conductive heat path at least partially defined by the EMI shielding/thermal interface material from the one or more heat generating components to the exterior casing, the thermally-conductive heat path including a portion around the battery area that is defined by one or more portions of the EMI shielding/thermal interface material, such that heat is transferrable through the EMI shielding/thermal interface material and along the thermally-conductive heat path from the one or more heat generating components around the battery area to the exterior casing.
A method relating to heat dissipation with a thermally-conductive heat path within an electronic device for allowing heat transfer from one or more heat generating components on a circuit board within the electronic device to an exterior casing of the electronic device, the method comprising positioning a thermally-conductive structure which comprises elastomer to establish a thermally-conductive heat path around a battery area for receiving a battery for the electronic device between the exterior casing and the circuit board of the electronic device, such that heat may be transferred through the thermally-conductive structure which comprises elastomer and along the thermally-conductive heat path from the one or more heat generating components around the battery area to the exterior casing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.