Thermally Insulating Layers for Consumer Electronics Heat Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Consumer electronic devices face discomfort due to high palm rest temperatures caused by heat generated from semiconductor packages, despite existing thermal management strategies, as manufacturers continue to reduce chip size and increase capacity, leading to elevated operating temperatures.

Innovation Solution

A consumer electronic device with a housing featuring a layer of thermally insulating elements on its interior surface and a semiconductor package assembly comprising a semiconductor chip, heat spreader, and thermal interface material, or a heat sink with a thermal interface material, to effectively manage heat dissipation and reduce surface temperatures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If conventional cooling components (heat sink, fan) are used to dissipate heat from semiconductor packages, then heat dissipation performance is improved, but palm rest temperature increases causing user discomfort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipationVSAvoidpalm rest temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into multiple substrates with thermally insulating elements applied to interior surfaces. This segmentation allows different regions of the housing to have different thermal characteristics - cooling components can dissipate heat while insulating barriers prevent heat transfer to user contact areas like palm rests.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Thermally insulating elements serve as intermediary barriers between heat-generating components and user contact surfaces. These insulating layers block thermal energy transfer from the interior housing (where heat is dissipated) to the exterior surfaces (where users touch), effectively decoupling the thermal management function from user comfort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If chip size is reduced and capacity is increased to improve device performance, then functionality is improved, but operating temperature increases causing thermal management problems

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice capacityVSAvoidoperating temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

Different regions of the housing are treated differently with thermally insulating elements applied selectively to interior surfaces near heat-generating components. This local quality approach allows high-capacity chips to operate at elevated temperatures without transferring excessive heat to user contact areas, enabling higher productivity while managing local thermal conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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

The solution effectively disperses heat away from the user contact areas, providing a comfortable operating temperature and enabling the design of more powerful electronic devices without excessive heat, thus addressing the unmet need for reduced thermal discomfort in consumer electronics.

Implementation Method 1

A layer of thermally insulating elements disposed on at least a portion of the interior surface of the at least one substrate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Implementation Method 2

a thermal interface material therebetween (also known as a TIM1 application)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS9209105B2Electronic devices assembled with thermally insulating layers

Publication Date: 2015.12.08 HENKEL KGAA

AI summary

Provided herein are electronic devices assembled with thermally insulating layers.