Electronic Apparatus Chassis Venting for Cooling Without Visible Intakes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional electronic apparatuses face a trade-off between appearance quality and cooling performance, as eliminating intake ports in the bottom surface to improve design reduces intake efficiency and air volume, leading to deteriorated cooling.

Innovation Solution

The electronic apparatus incorporates a chassis with a projecting part that protrudes from the bottom surface and has a vertical wall with vents, where fan suction surfaces face an inner space, allowing air intake through these vents without visible openings, and includes exhaust ports in the rear edge for efficient air discharge.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If an intake port with slit-shaped openings is arranged in the bottom surface of the chassis, then the cooling performance is improved, but the appearance quality deteriorates due to noticeable openings

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling performanceVSAvoidappearance quality
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The intake port is repositioned from the bottom surface (2D plane) to the rear edge (vertical dimension), allowing the bottom surface to remain smooth and aesthetically pleasing while maintaining effective air intake through the rear exhaust ports

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Shape

If the intake port in the bottom surface is eliminated to improve design, then the appearance quality is improved, but the intake efficiency and air volume are reduced, resulting in deteriorated cooling performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveappearance qualityVSAvoidcooling performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The air intake function is shifted from the bottom surface to the rear edge of the chassis, utilizing the vertical space and rear exhaust ports to maintain cooling efficiency while achieving a smooth, aesthetically pleasing bottom surface

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The rear exhaust ports serve as intermediary structures that facilitate air intake and discharge functions, allowing the bottom surface to remain closed and aesthetically pleasing while maintaining effective thermal management through the rear of the device

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration maintains high cooling performance while enhancing appearance quality by ensuring smooth air intake and discharge, reducing surface temperatures, and improving usability and design coherence.

Implementation Method 1

a fan is installed in a chassis to absorb the heat generated by a heat generating element and dissipates the absorbed heat to the outside

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForced Convection: Forced Convection

Implementation Method 2

a heat generating element such as a CPU... absorb the heat generated by a heat generating element

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal Conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

dissipates the absorbed heat to the outside

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP4597255A1Electronic apparatus
Publication Date: 2025.08.06 LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD
  • EP4597255A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4597255A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4597255A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An object of the present disclosure is to provide an electronic apparatus capable of improving appearance quality while securing cooling performance. The electronic apparatus includes: a chassis; and a fan which is provided in the chassis and has a suction surface with a suction port formed therein, wherein the chassis has a projecting part which is provided in such a manner as to protrude from a bottom surface and extends along a width direction, the projecting part has a vertical wall which extends in a longitudinal direction thereof, the vertical wall has a vent formed therein, and the suction surface is placed, facing an inner space of the projecting part.