Thermally Insulating Protrusions for Heat Dissipation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Handheld and portable electronic devices face challenges in heat dissipation due to their compact size, leading to user discomfort or injury from excessive heat, and conventional thermal management solutions like fan-forced active cooling are impractical and costly, with existing systems restricting device performance at temperatures around 45°C.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a heat dissipation feature with thermally insulating protrusions externally exposed to facilitate conductive heat transfer, using materials with specific thermal conductivity, density, and specific heat properties that result in a product value lower than human skin, ensuring a touch temperature below a predetermined threshold, thereby protecting users and allowing for higher device performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If fan-forced active cooling is used to improve heat transfer, then heat dissipation performance is improved, but device size increases, power consumption increases, and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical fan-forced cooling system with a passive heat dissipation feature that utilizes natural convection and radiation. The heat dissipation feature includes a base thermally coupled to the heat-generating component and a plurality of protrusions extending from the base, creating a passive thermal management system without moving parts or additional power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the heat dissipation solution into a third dimension by creating protrusions that extend outward from the base in various directions. This three-dimensional structure increases the effective heat dissipation surface area without significantly increasing the device's footprint, allowing heat to dissipate from multiple angles and surfaces.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the enclosure surface temperature is reduced to prevent user discomfort, then user safety is improved, but computational performance is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a thermally insulating material as an intermediary substance applied to the protrusions of the heat dissipation feature. This material has low thermal conductivity, preventing heat transfer from the hot protrusions to the user's skin, while allowing the protrusions to maintain high temperatures for effective heat dissipation from the internal components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the thermally insulating material selectively to specific regions of the heat dissipation feature - namely the protrusions that may contact or come close to the user. This localized insulation allows different parts of the device to have different thermal properties: the base and internal structures remain thermally conductive for heat dissipation, while the user-contact surfaces are insulated for safety.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional thermal management restricts device performance at 45°C enclosure temperature, then user safety is maintained, but computational performance is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the thermal management function into two distinct components: the heat dissipation feature (base and protrusions) responsible for heat removal, and the thermally insulating material on the protrusions responsible for user safety. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both high heat dissipation capability and user safety without triggering performance restrictions.
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 solution effectively reduces the junction temperature and outer surface temperature of electronic devices, enabling higher power dissipation without causing discomfort or injury, while maintaining performance and reducing the risk of thermal-related issues.
Implementation Method 1
A heat dissipation feature is thermally coupled to the one or more heat-generating components to facilitate conductive heat transfer from the heat-generating component
Implementation Method 2
A thermally insulating material may be disposed on at least a tip portion of at least some of the plurality of protrusions. The thermally insulating material may be selected to provide a touch temperature that is below a predetermined threshold
Data Source
AI summary
Electronic devices incorporating a heat dissipation feature include an enclosure, and at least one heat-generating component positioned within the enclosure. The heat dissipation feature is sufficiently coupled to the at least one heat-generating component to facilitate conductive heat transfer from the heat-generating component. The heat dissipation feature includes a plurality of protrusions exposed externally to the enclosure. A thermally insulating material may be disposed on at least a tip portion of at least some of the protrusions. The thermally insulating material is selected to provide a touch temperature that is below a predetermined threshold. In some instances, the thermally insulating material can provide such a touch temperature by selecting the material to include properties for thermal conductivity (k), density (ρ), and specific heat (Cp) such that the product of k*ρ*Cp results in a value less than a product of k*ρ*Cp for human skin.