IP Library Granted Patent US 11,507,154
Granted Patent B2
US 11,507,154 · App. 17/079,832 · Granted Nov 22, 2022

Thermal venting in keyboard of a portable information handling system

Inventors: Mark Andrew Schwager (Cedar Park, TX); Travis C. North (Cedar Park, TX); Yu-Feng Huang (Hsin-Chu, TW); Kai-Yuan Cheng (Taipei, TW)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G06F1/203G06F1/1662
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,507,154
App. No.
17/079,832
Granted
Nov 22, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A keyboard assembly for a portable information handing system. The keyboard assembly includes a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys being arranged in a typewriter style layout to allow a user to enter text content into the portable information handling system; and, a keyboard carrier, the plurality of keys being mounted to the keyboard carrier, the keyboard carrier determining when a key of the plurality of keys is actuated and generating information regarding the key of the plurality of keys, the keyboard carrier comprising a venting portion, the venting portion being located beneath a set of keys of the plurality of keys, the venting portion comprising a plurality of venting apertures.

Claims (52)

1. A keyboard assembly for a portable information handing system, comprising:

a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys being arranged in a typewriter style layout to allow a user to enter text content into the portable information handling system; and,

a keyboard carrier, the plurality of keys being mounted to the keyboard carrier, the keyboard carrier determining when a key of the plurality of keys is actuated and generating information regarding the key of the plurality of keys, the keyboard carrier comprising a venting portion, the venting portion being located beneath a set of keys of the plurality of keys, the venting portion comprising a plurality of venting apertures; and wherein

the plurality of venting apertures are positioned beneath certain keys of the plurality of keys;

the plurality of venting apertures positioned beneath certain keys are positioned equidistantly from a hypothetical vertical center of each key, the plurality of venting apertures being positioned equidistantly from the hypothetical vertical center of each key so as to not interfere with functionality of the key under which the apertures are positioned;

each of the plurality of venting apertures extends from a bottom of the keyboard carrier to a top of the keyboard carrier;

the venting portion is positioned over a component of the portable information handling system, the component having a surface area;

an underside of the keyboard assembly and the component define a gap;

the venting portion extends across a majority of the surface area of the component; and,

the venting portion facilitates airflow across the component via the gap.

2. The keyboard assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

a mesh component is mounted to an underside of the keyboard carrier, the mesh component providing spill resistance to prevent liquid from passing from the plurality of venting apertures to components of the portable information handling system, the mesh component providing a ventilation function from a fan module to the plurality of venting apertures.

3. The keyboard assembly of claim 2 , wherein:

the mesh component is mounted to a portion of the underside of the keyboard carrier corresponding to the venting portion.

4. The keyboard assembly of claim 2 , wherein:

the mesh component is mounted to the underside of the keyboard carrier via an adhesive component; and,

the adhesive component defines apertures corresponding to subsets of the plurality of venting apertures.

5. The keyboard assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

a set of certain keys correspond to the venting portion; and

the set of certain keys are positioned over a centrally located portion of the keyboard carrier.

6. The keyboard assembly of claim 5 , wherein:

the plurality of venting apertures are positioned beneath each certain key.

7. The keyboard of claim 1 , wherein:

the component comprises at least one of a processor, a graphics unit and a speaker.

8. An information handling system comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to the processor; and

an information handling system chassis housing, the housing comprising

a base chassis, the base chassis housing the processor, the base chassis comprising a keyboard assembly, the keyboard assembly comprising

a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys being arranged in a typewriter style layout to allow a user to enter text content into the portable information handling system; and,

a keyboard carrier, the plurality of keys being mounted to the keyboard carrier, the keyboard carrier determining when a key of the plurality of keys is actuated and generating information regarding the key of the plurality of keys, the keyboard carrier comprising a venting portion, the venting portion being located beneath a set of keys of the plurality of keys, the venting portion comprising a plurality of venting apertures; and wherein

the plurality of venting apertures are positioned beneath certain keys of the plurality of keys;

the plurality of venting apertures positioned beneath certain keys are positioned equidistantly from a hypothetical vertical center of each key, the plurality of venting apertures being positioned equidistantly from the hypothetical vertical center of each key so as to not interfere with functionality of the key under which the apertures are positioned;

each of the plurality of venting apertures extends from a bottom of the keyboard carrier to a top of the keyboard carrier;

the venting portion is positioned over a component of the portable information handling system, the component having a surface area;

an underside of the keyboard assembly and the component define a gap;

the venting portion extends across a majority of the surface area of the component; and,

the venting portion facilitates airflow across the component via the gap.

9. The information handling system of claim 8 , further comprising:

a mesh component mounted to an underside of the keyboard carrier, the mesh component providing spill resistance to prevent liquid from passing from the plurality of venting apertures to components of the portable information handling system, the mesh component providing a ventilation function from a fan module to the plurality of venting apertures.

10. The information handling system of claim 9 , wherein:

the mesh component is mounted to a portion of the underside of the keyboard carrier corresponding to the venting portion.

11. The information handling system of claim 9 , wherein:

the mesh component is mounted to the underside of the keyboard carrier via an adhesive component; and,

the adhesive component defines apertures corresponding to subsets of the plurality of venting apertures.

12. The information handling system of claim 8 , wherein:

a set of certain keys correspond to the venting portion; and,

the set of certain keys are positioned over a centrally located portion of the keyboard carrier.

13. The information handling system of claim 8 , wherein:

the plurality of venting apertures are positioned beneath each certain key.

14. The information handling system of claim 8 , wherein:

the component comprises at least one of the processor, a graphics unit and a speaker.

Assignments (9)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (054475/0523) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 060332/0664 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (054475/0434) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 060332/0740 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (054475/0609) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 062021/0570 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 054591 FRAME 0471 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058001/0463 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 18, 2020
From: EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 054475/0609 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 18, 2020
From: EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 054475/0434 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 18, 2020
From: EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 054475/0523 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 13, 2020
From: EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 054591/0471 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 26, 2020
From: SCHWAGER, MARK ANDREW; NORTH, TRAVIS C.; HUANG, YU-FENG; CHENG, KAI-YUAN
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 054164/0362 →
Cited By (2)
US 12,518,936 US 12,525,414