IP Library Granted Patent US 11,733,749
Granted Patent B2
US 11,733,749 · App. 17/094,035 · Granted Aug 22, 2023

Electronic device comprising thermally conductive connector

Inventors: Hung-Wen Lin (Kaohsiung, TW); Sin-Shong Wang (Taipei, TW); Keith Wang (Taoyuan, TW); Ajit Kumar Vallabhaneni (Carlsbad, CA); Jen-Chun Chang (Taipei, TW)
Assignee: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
G06F1/206H05K7/2039
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,733,749
App. No.
17/094,035
Granted
Aug 22, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electronic device that includes a first device portion, a second device portion coupled to the first device portion, and a uni-directional thermally conductive connector coupled to the first device portion and the second device portion. The first device portion comprises a region that includes a component configured to generate heat. The uni-directional thermally conductive connector is configured to dissipate heat away from the first device portion and towards the second device portion. The uni-directional thermally conductive connector includes a thermally conductive material that primarily dissipates heat along a first direction of the thermally conductive material.

Claims (36)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first device portion comprising a region that includes a printed circuit board and a component configured to generate heat, wherein the component is coupled to the printed circuit board;

a second device portion coupled to the first device portion, wherein the second device portion includes a display; and

means for uni-directional thermal conduction coupled to (i) the component through an adhesive and (ii) the second device portion,

wherein the adhesive touches the means for uni-directional thermal conduction and the component,

wherein the means for uni-directional thermal conduction includes a flexible cable portion that is twisted and/or braided in a rope like fashion, and

wherein the means for uni-directional thermal conduction includes a plurality of carbon fibers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the means for uni-directional thermal conduction includes a thermally conductive material that dissipates heat through conduction along a first direction of the thermally conductive material, and

wherein at least 90% of the heat that is dissipated through conduction by the thermally conductive material is dissipated along the first direction of the thermally conductive material.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the thermally conductive material includes a thermal conductivity value in an axial direction that is in a range of approximately 200-1900 Watts per meter kelvin (W/(mk)).

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the apparatus is incorporated into a device selected from a group consisting of a music player, a video player, an entertainment unit, a navigation device, a communications device, a mobile device, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant, a fixed location terminal, a tablet computer, a computer, a wearable device, a laptop computer, a server, an internet of things (IoT) device, and a device in an automotive vehicle.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the means for uni-directional thermal conduction is configured to dissipate heat away from the first device portion and towards the second device portion.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the means for uni-directional thermal conduction includes a thermally conductive material that primarily dissipates heat along a first direction of the thermally conductive material.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 ,

wherein the thermally conductive material includes an anisotropic thermally conductive material,

wherein the thermally conductive material has a high thermal conductivity value in the first direction, and

wherein the thermally conductive material has a low thermal conductivity value in at least a second direction.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 ,

wherein the first direction is an axial direction of the thermally conductive material, and

wherein the second direction includes a radial direction of the thermally conductive material.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first device portion and the second device portion are coupled together through at least one hinge.

10. An electronic device comprising:

a first device portion comprising a region that includes a printed circuit board and a component configured to generate heat, wherein the component is coupled to the printed circuit board;

a second device portion coupled to the first device portion, wherein the second device portion includes a display; and

a thermally conductive connector coupled to (i) the printed circuit board in the first device portion and (ii) the second device portion,

wherein the thermally conductive connector includes an anisotropic thermally conductive material,

wherein the thermally conductive connector is coupled to the printed circuit board through an adhesive such that the adhesive touches the thermally conductive connector and the printed circuit board,

wherein the thermally conductive connector includes a flexible cable portion that is twisted and/or braided, and

wherein the thermally conductive connector includes a plurality of carbon fibers and a resin.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the anisotropic thermally conductive material is configured to primarily dissipate heat along a first axial direction of the anisotropic thermally conductive material.

12. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the anisotropic thermally conductive material is configured to primarily dissipate heat along a first plane of the anisotropic thermally conductive material.

13. The electronic device of claim 10

wherein the thermally conductive material has a high thermal conductivity value in the first direction, and

wherein the thermally conductive material has a low thermal conductivity value in at least a second direction.

14. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the first device portion and the second device portion are coupled together through at least one hinge.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 18, 2021
From: LIN, HUNG-WEN; WANG, SIN-SHONG; WANG, KEITH; VALLABHANENI, AJIT KUMAR; CHANG, JEN-CHUN
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 056280/0167 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63032275 · May 29, 2020
Related Publication 20210373628A1 · Dec 2, 2021