Thermal Dock for Mobile Computing Device Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
As microprocessors become smaller, faster, and more powerful, they generate more heat in a smaller space, posing challenges for thermal management in compact electronic devices, especially in mobile devices that lack sufficient room for active thermal management components like fans.
Innovation Solution
A thermal dock system is introduced, featuring a Peltier device connected to a spring-loaded heat sink and magnets for physical contact with the device, along with fans for enhanced cooling, allowing for efficient heat dissipation by transferring heat from the device to the dock.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If microprocessors are made smaller, faster, and more powerful, then processing capability is improved, but heat generation increases in a smaller space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the thermal management function from the mobile device itself and relocates it to an external dock. The dock contains the active cooling components (Peltier device, heat sink, fans) that are removed from the device body, allowing the device to maintain high processing power without being constrained by internal space limitations for thermal management components.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal dock serves as an intermediary system between the heat-generating device and the environment. It mediates the heat transfer process by providing a dedicated thermal interface with Peltier devices and heat sinks that connect to the device, while the dock's own cooling system (fans, heat dissipation structures) handles the heat removal, separating the computing function from the thermal management function.
2Temperature
If active thermal management components like fans are added to mobile devices, then heat dissipation is improved, but device size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes active thermal management components (Peltier devices, heat sinks, fans) from the mobile device body and relocates them to an external dock. This extraction allows the device to maintain a compact, thin form factor while still providing active cooling through the dock's larger form factor that can accommodate these components without constraining the device's portability and design.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transitions from two-dimensional thermal management within the device plane to three-dimensional thermal management across the device-dock interface. The thermal path extends vertically and externally to the dock, utilizing the dock's additional spatial dimension to house cooling components and provide heat dissipation pathways that would be impossible within the device's thin profile.
3Length of moving object
If the device is made thinner, then device portability is improved, but thermal management capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the bulk of the thermal management hardware from the device body and places it in the dock. The device only retains minimal thermal interface components (heat spreaders, contact surfaces) while the dock houses the Peltier devices, heat sinks, and fans. This allows the device to be made thinner without sacrificing thermal management capability, as the active cooling function resides externally in the dock.
Solution Approach 2:
The dock acts as an intermediary thermal management system that compensates for the device's reduced thickness. It provides a dedicated thermal interface that connects to the device's thin heat spreaders and delivers active cooling through Peltier devices and forced convection, effectively extending the device's thermal management capability beyond its physical boundaries.
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 enables improved thermal management, allowing for more powerful processors, thinner designs, and higher processing speeds in mobile devices by effectively dissipating heat, maintaining the device within safe temperature ranges.
Implementation Method 1
The thermal dock includes an active cooling device (e.g., a Peltier device) that is physically connected (e.g., at a hot side of the Peltier device) to a spring-loaded heat sink
Implementation Method 2
a spring-loaded heat sink
Implementation Method 3
one or more fans positioned in line with the heat sink to cool the heat sink
Data Source
AI summary
Thermal management systems and corresponding use methods are described herein. A thermal management system includes a thermal dock operable to cool a computing device in physical contact with the thermal dock. The thermal dock includes a housing, a first thermal management device supported by the housing, and a second thermal management device physically connected to the first thermal management device. The first thermal management device is a different type of thermal management device than the second thermal management device.