Thermal Management Hinge with Phase Change Material
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Solution Overview
Problem
Computing devices with multiple hinged components often face thermal management challenges, as their cooling capabilities may be over-designed or under-designed, leading to suboptimal performance and user experience, especially when components have different thermal demands and designs.
Innovation Solution
The development of thermal management hinges that can selectively operate in thermal conduction or insulation modes, allowing for balanced cooling between hinged components by using materials with varying thermal conductivity and incorporating actuators to adjust thermal resistance, enabling adaptive thermal management based on user scenarios and operating conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a hinge is designed to conduct heat between components, then thermal management is improved, but adaptability to different thermal scenarios deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge incorporates a phase change material that dynamically changes its thermal conductivity based on temperature conditions. When the temperature reaches the phase change point, the material transitions between solid and liquid phases, automatically adjusting from high thermal conductivity (solid) to low thermal conductivity (liquid) to adapt to different thermal scenarios without external control
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase change temperature parameter of the material to trigger a fundamental change in thermal conductivity. By selecting a phase change material with a specific transition temperature, the hinge automatically adjusts its thermal management characteristics when the operating temperature crosses this threshold, enabling adaptation to varying thermal demands
2Temperature
If a hinge is designed to thermally insulate components, then thermal isolation is improved, but cooling capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The phase change material dynamically switches between providing thermal insulation (liquid phase) and thermal conduction (solid phase) based on the temperature conditions. When cooling is needed and temperature is below the phase change point, the material solidifies and enables heat conduction; when thermal isolation is needed and temperature exceeds the phase change point, the material liquefies and provides insulation
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge exploits the phase change temperature parameter to automatically switch between thermal isolation and cooling modes. The phase change material's transition temperature is selected to match the operating conditions, enabling the hinge to provide appropriate thermal management (insulation or cooling) based on the actual temperature parameter
3Ease of manufacture
If a fixed thermal design is used for hinged components, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but performance optimization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a phase change material with a specific transition temperature parameter into the hinge design. This material automatically changes its thermal properties when the temperature reaches the phase change point, enabling the fixed-structure hinge to dynamically optimize its thermal performance for different operating conditions without complex manufacturing
Solution Approach 2:
The phase change material provides self-regulating thermal management within the hinge structure. When the temperature reaches the phase change point, the material automatically transitions phases and adjusts thermal conductivity without external control or complex mechanisms, enabling the hinge to self-optimize its thermal performance while maintaining manufacturing simplicity
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 optimizes system performance and user experience by dynamically balancing the cooling capabilities of hinged components, maintaining optimal temperatures and reducing noise or increasing power as needed, depending on the user's conditions and application requirements.
Implementation Method 1
the second pin portion includes a phase change material that changes from a solid phase to a liquid phase and from the liquid phase to the solid phase, based on a temperature of a computing device
Implementation Method 2
thermal management hinges that can selectively operate in thermal conduction or insulation modes, allowing for balanced cooling between hinged components by using materials with varying thermal conductivity
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The disclosed technology includes a thermal management hinge connecting at least two hinged components of a computing device. The thermal management hinge has at least two different thermal orientations for managing thermal conditions within each of the hinged components. For example, the thermal management hinge may have a thermally conductive orientation and the thermally insulating orientation.