Hollow Fin Casing Cooling for High-Heat Electronic Circuits

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Solution Overview

Problem

As electronic devices improve in performance and function, they generate more heat, leading to challenges in maintaining performance guarantee temperatures inside casings and preventing overheating of surface temperatures, which can cause degradation or user safety issues.

Innovation Solution

The electronic device incorporates hollow fins on its casing, with heat-transfer members to enhance heat dissipation, and a burn prevention cover to manage surface temperatures, allowing for increased heat flow rates while maintaining user safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If power consumption and heat generation are increased to improve performance and functions, then device capability is improved, but temperature inside casing and surface temperature increase causing performance degradation and safety issues

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice performanceVSAvoidcasing temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The casing is segmented into multiple fins that divide the heat dissipation surface into numerous smaller sections, increasing the total surface area for heat transfer to the surrounding air

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The heat dissipation structure extends from a two-dimensional surface into the third dimension by creating protruding fins, thereby significantly increasing the effective heat transfer surface area without substantially increasing the device footprint

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

2Reliability

If heat dissipation is enhanced to maintain performance guarantee temperature, then internal temperature control is improved, but surface temperature may still exceed safe touch limits

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveperformance guaranteeVSAvoidsurface temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The burn prevention cover is selectively positioned only on the top surface where users are most likely to touch, providing localized thermal protection without affecting heat dissipation from other surfaces

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The burn prevention cover acts as an intermediary layer between the hot casing surface and the user's hand, preventing direct thermal contact while allowing the heat dissipation function to operate underneath

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 effectively increases heat dissipation, reduces surface temperatures that may be touched by users, and maintains performance by managing heat flow and surface temperature within safe limits.

Implementation Method 1

hollow fins on its casing, with heat-transfer members to enhance heat dissipation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

enhance heat dissipation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal radiation: Thermal Radiation

Implementation Method 3

heat-transfer members to enhance heat dissipation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP3528282B1Electronic device with cooling
Publication Date: 2025.01.08 CANON KK
  • EP3528282B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3528282B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3528282B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

An electronic device (1) according to an embodiment includes a casing (2, 3, 4, 5) and substrates (7C, 7D, 7E). The casing includes a plurality of fins including hollow fins (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e). The substrates are inserted in the hollow fins so as to be sandwiched between inner walls of the hollow fins in a contact or non-contact manner, and that include electronic circuits.