JP2015219639A - Portable information device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a portable information device capable of reducing the thickness and weight of a housing even with a radiator equipped in the inside of the device.SOLUTION: A portable information equipment 10 includes a housing 12 having at least one surface formed of an outer metal cover 12a, the housing 12 containing an electronic part 18 and a radiator 20 for discharging heat generated from the electronic part 18. In the portable information equipment 10, the radiator 20 is formed in such a manner that the outer cover 12a is bonded to a metal cover member 22 in an inner surface 12b whereby a fluid containing part 20a is formed between the cover member 22 and the outer cover 12a and then a cooling fluid is sealed into the fluid containing part 20a.

Description

  The present invention relates to a portable information device having a radiator inside a casing.

  In portable information devices such as tablet-type personal computers (tablet-type PCs) and smartphones, the heat generated from electronic components arranged inside the casing is smoothly dissipated to the outside of the casing. A configuration in which a radiator such as a heat pipe or a heat spreader is provided inside is widely adopted.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a sheet-like heat pipe having a configuration in which the periphery of a sheet-like upper lid and lower lid arranged opposite to each other is joined and a wick structure and a cooling fluid are accommodated in the internal space. In Patent Document 1, this heat pipe is mounted on a smartphone.

JP 2013-174376 A

  By the way, in the portable information device as described above, there is a strong demand for thinning, and it is desirable to make the radiator mounted therein as thin as possible.

  However, in a portable information device having a conventional configuration such as the above-described Patent Document 1, a heat sink having a general structure in which a wick structure and a cooling fluid are accommodated is mounted inside a joined upper lid and lower lid. That is, in the radiator in which the two sheet-like members of the upper lid and the lower lid are joined, the thickness dimension corresponding to the two sheet-like members is essential, and there is a limit to the reduction in thickness and weight.

  Therefore, it is necessary to provide a space where a heat sink having a certain thickness can be mounted inside a portable information device in which such a heat sink having a general structure is mounted. It has become a barrier to transformation. The demand for this kind of reduction in thickness and weight applies not only to tablet PCs and smartphones but also to general laptop personal computers (laptop PCs).

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described problems of the prior art, and provides a portable information device capable of reducing the thickness and weight of a casing even when a radiator is mounted inside. The purpose is to do.

  A portable information device according to the present invention includes a casing having at least one surface formed of a metal exterior cover and having an electronic component disposed therein, and heat generated from the electronic component in the casing. A portable information device provided with a radiator for dissipating heat, wherein a metal lid member is joined to the inner surface of the exterior cover to form a fluid accommodating portion between the exterior cover and the lid member And the said heat radiator was comprised by enclosing a cooling fluid in this fluid accommodating part, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  According to such a configuration, the lower lid of the radiator is an exterior that constitutes the casing of the portable information device, compared to the radiator having the conventional configuration in which the upper lid and the lower lid are joined and the cooling fluid is sealed inside. By sharing the cover, the lower lid can be substantially omitted from the radiator, and the corresponding thickness can be omitted. Thereby, the thickness dimension of the radiator is reduced to make it thinner and lighter, and the casing of the portable information device can be made thinner and lighter. In addition, since the lower cover constituting the radiator is also used as the exterior cover, the heat diffused by the radiator can be smoothly radiated to the outer surface of the housing, and the heat diffusion performance is also improved.

  At least one of the inner surface of the exterior cover and the inner surface of the lid member that forms the fluid storage portion is configured to circulate a gas flow path for flowing a gas-phase cooling fluid and a liquid-phase cooling fluid by a capillary structure. If the liquid flow path is formed, the cooling fluid sealed in the liquid container can be circulated while smoothly changing the phase between the gas flow path and the liquid flow path.

  It is preferable that the gas flow path and the liquid flow path are formed at least on the inner surface of the exterior cover. Then, since heat exchange can be performed smoothly with the exterior cover itself, the heat diffusion performance to the outside of the housing can be further improved.

  When the gas channel and the liquid channel are formed by etching the inner surface of the outer cover, a channel structure having a fine capillary structure can be easily formed in the outer cover, and the heat resistance of the radiator Can be reduced.

  When the recess is formed on the inner surface of the exterior cover, the gas flow path and the liquid flow path are formed in the recess, and the lid member is embedded in the recess, the radiator becomes an internal space of the housing. Can be prevented, and the housing can be made thinner.

  When the lid member is disposed facing the electronic component, the heat from the electronic component can be smoothly radiated.

  When the lid member is in thermal contact with the electronic component, the heat dissipation performance is further improved.

  The portable information device may be a tablet personal computer or a smartphone, and the exterior cover may be a member that forms the back surface of the tablet personal computer or the smartphone. Thereby, the heat from the electronic component can be smoothly diffused to the back surface of the tablet personal computer or the like.

  The portable information device may be a laptop personal computer, and the exterior cover may be a member constituting a bottom surface of the laptop personal computer. Thereby, the heat from the electronic component can be smoothly diffused to the bottom surface of the laptop personal computer.

  According to the present invention, the thickness dimension of the radiator is reduced to make it thinner and lighter, and the casing of the portable information device can be made thinner and lighter. In addition, the heat diffused by the radiator can be smoothly radiated to the outer surface of the housing, and the heat diffusion performance is also improved.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable information device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a cross-sectional structure of the portable information device shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a plan view schematically showing a configuration example of a flow path structure provided in the exterior cover and the lid member. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the inner surface of the exterior cover in which the flow channel structure shown in FIG. 3 is formed. FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration example of a cross-sectional structure of a flow path structure provided in the exterior cover and the lid member before the lid member is joined to the exterior cover. FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration example of the cross-sectional structure of the flow path structure in a state where the lid member is bonded to the exterior cover from the state illustrated in FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a state before the radiator according to the first modification is installed inside the housing. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state where the installation of the radiator is completed from the state shown in FIG. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state before the radiator according to the second modification is installed in the housing. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state where the installation of the radiator is completed from the state shown in FIG. FIG. 11: is sectional drawing which shows typically the state before installation in the housing | casing of the heat radiator which concerns on a 3rd modification. 12 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state where the installation of the radiator is completed from the state shown in FIG. FIG. 13 is a side view showing an example of application of the present invention to a laptop PC.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a portable information device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable information device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a cross-sectional structure of the portable information device 10 shown in FIG.

  In this embodiment, a tablet PC is illustrated as the portable information device 10. The portable information device to which the present invention is applicable may be other than a tablet PC, and examples thereof include various electronic devices such as a smartphone, a laptop PC (see FIG. 13), a mobile phone, and an electronic notebook.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a portable information device 10 that is a tablet PC includes a housing 12 and a touch panel type liquid crystal display 14 provided on the front surface of the housing 12.

  The housing | casing 12 is comprised by the flat box shape which formed the accommodation space in the inside. The housing 12 includes an exterior cover 12a that covers from the back surface to the outer peripheral side surface of the portable information device 10. The front surface of the housing 12 is formed by a glass plate 14 a constituting the liquid crystal display 14. The exterior cover 12a is a metal thin plate, and is formed of, for example, aluminum.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a substrate 16, an electronic component 18, a radiator 20, and various electronic components (not shown) such as a memory are disposed inside the housing 12.

  The substrate 16 is mounted with IC chips, which are various electronic components. The electronic component 18 is a heating element that generates heat during the operation of the portable information device 10 such as an IC chip such as a CPU mounted on the substrate 16, a camera chip and components, or a battery.

  The heat radiator 20 is a heat radiating device (cooling device) called a vapor chamber, a heat spreader, or a heat pipe for smoothly diffusing heat generated from the electronic component 18 to the exterior cover 12a and radiating the heat to the outside.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the radiator 20 joins the lid member 22 to the inner surface 12 b of the exterior cover 12 a, thereby providing a fluid storage portion (fluid enclosure space) 20 a between the inner surface 12 b and the lid member 22. This is a configuration in which a sealing fluid is formed and a cooling fluid is sealed in the fluid storage portion 20a. The fluid housing portion 20a is provided with a flow path structure 24 for circulating the cooling fluid. That is, in the radiator 20, the exterior cover 12 a also serves as the lower lid of the radiator 20, and the lid member 22 serves as the upper lid of the radiator 20.

  The heat radiator 20 defines the flow path structure 24 by arranging the flow path structures 24a and 24b formed in the same shape on the inner surface 12b of the exterior cover 12a and the inner surface 22a of the lid member 22 so as to face each other and joining each other. doing. The flow path structure 24 includes a gas flow path 28 and a liquid flow path 30 described later (see FIG. 6), and the liquid flow path 30 is generally called a wick. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the lid member 22 is embedded in the recess 26 formed in the inner surface 12b of the exterior cover 12a, and the outer surface (upper surface) of the lid member 22 and the inner surface 12b of the exterior cover 12a are flush with each other. doing. The lid member 22 is a metal thin plate, and is formed of aluminum, for example.

  The cooling fluid is a working fluid that circulates while undergoing phase change (vaporization and liquefaction) in the fluid storage unit 20a. For example, water (pure water) is used.

  By providing such a radiator 20, heat generated from the electronic component 18 inside the housing 12 of the portable information device 10 is diffused by the radiator 20 as indicated by a broken-line arrow H in FIG. 2. Then, heat is radiated to the outside through the metal outer cover 12a. In order to ensure this heat diffusion performance, it is preferable that the radiator 20 is disposed facing the electronic component 18 and is in thermal contact with the electronic component 18. Here, being in thermal contact means that the heat radiator 20 and the electronic component 18 are in close proximity or in contact with each other so that heat can be exchanged efficiently, or heat conduction such as a heat transfer paste material between them. It is a concept including a state in which a sex member is interposed.

  Next, a more specific configuration example of the radiator 20 will be described.

  3 is a plan view schematically showing a configuration example of the flow path structures 24a and 24b provided in the exterior cover 12a and the lid member 22, and FIG. 4 is an exterior in which the flow path structure 24a shown in FIG. 3 is formed. It is a top view which shows the inner surface 12b of the cover 12a. FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration example of a cross-sectional structure of the flow path structures 24a and 24b provided in the exterior cover 12a and the lid member 22 before the lid member 22 is joined to the exterior cover 12a. 6 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration example of the cross-sectional structure of the flow path structure 24 in a state where the cover member 22 is joined to the exterior cover 12a from the state shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the flow path structures 24a and 24b configured in the same shape include a gas flow path 28 for flowing a gas-phase cooling fluid and a liquid flow path for flowing a liquid-phase cooling fluid by a capillary structure. 30. For example, the gas flow paths 28 and the liquid flow paths 30 are alternately arranged. As shown in FIG. 4, the flow path structure 24a is directly formed at a position corresponding to the electronic component 18 on the inner surface 12b of the exterior cover 12a.

  The gas channel 28 and the liquid channel 30 are formed by etching the inner surface 12b of the outer cover 12a and the inner surface 22a of the lid member 22. As shown in FIG. 5, in the case of this embodiment, the plate thickness t1 of the exterior cover 12a is, for example, 0.8 mm, the plate thickness t2 of the lid member 22 is, for example, 0.3 mm, and the depth of the concave portion 26. For example, d1 is set to 0.3 mm. Moreover, the depth d2 of each gas flow path 28 formed in the exterior cover 12a and the lid member 22 is 0.2 mm, for example, and the depth of each liquid flow path 30 is the depth d2 of the gas flow path 28. It is set to about half (d2 / 2). These dimensions such as plate thickness and depth are examples, and can be appropriately changed according to the specifications of each portable information device.

  As a procedure for installing the radiator 20 inside the housing 12, first, as shown in FIG. 5, a lid in which the flow path structure 24b is formed on the inner surface 12b of the exterior cover 12a in which the flow path structure 24a is formed. The member 22 is positioned, and the flow path structures 24a and 24b are arranged facing each other.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the lid member 22 is inserted into the recess 26 to join the outer peripheral edge portions 32 to each other, and at the same time, the flow channel wall end surfaces of the gas flow channel 28 and the liquid flow channel 30. Join each other. This joining is performed by, for example, diffusion joining. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6, the fluid containing portion 20 a is formed inside the outer peripheral edge portion 32 joined to each other, and the gas flow path 28 and the liquid flow path 30 are provided in the fluid containing portion 20 a. A path structure 24 is formed.

  Next, using the port 34 (indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 3) that protrudes outward from the outer peripheral edge portion 32 so as to communicate with the fluid containing portion 20a, the inside of the fluid containing portion 20a is evacuated. To do. Subsequently, a cooling fluid is injected from the port 34 into the fluid accommodating portion 20a, and after the excessively injected cooling fluid is sucked and removed from the port 34 by vacuuming, the port 34 is sealed and the fluid accommodating portion 20a is sealed. To do. Thereby, the installation of the radiator 20 in the housing 12 is completed.

  FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state before the radiator 40 according to the first modified example is installed in the housing 12, and FIG. 8 shows the installation of the radiator 40 from the state shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the completed state typically.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the heat radiator 40 does not have the recess 26 in the exterior cover 12a, but directly forms the flow path structure 24a on the inner surface 12b by etching. It is configured to be sealed with a flat lid member 42 having no flow path structure 24b. The lid member 42 is a thin metal plate having a thickness of about 0.1 mm, and is made of, for example, aluminum. Therefore, in the heat radiator 40, compared with the heat radiator 20 described above, the configuration of the lid member 42 can be simplified and the cost can be reduced. 7 and 8 exemplify a configuration in which the flow path structure 24a of the exterior cover 12a has the same shape as that of the radiator 20, the flow path structure 24a of the radiator 40 is illustrated in FIG. The gas flow path 28 and the liquid flow path 30 may have the same depth as the flow path structure 24.

  FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state before the radiator 50 according to the second modified example is installed in the housing 12, and FIG. 10 shows the installation of the radiator 50 from the state shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the completed state typically.

  As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the radiator 50 is a lid in which the outer cover 12a is not provided with the recess 26 and the flow path structure 24a, and the flow path structure 24b is formed on the inner surface 12b of the flat plate-shaped outer cover 12a. The member 22 is joined. Therefore, in the radiator 50, the structure of the exterior cover 12a can be simplified and the cost can be reduced as compared with the radiators 20 and 40 described above. In the case of the radiator 50, as in the case of the radiator 20 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, if the recess 26 is provided on the inner surface 12b of the outer cover 12a and the lid member 22 is embedded in the recess 26, The protrusion of the lid member 22 from the inner surface 12b of the exterior cover 12a can be suppressed.

  FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state before the radiator 60 according to the third modification is installed in the housing 12, and FIG. 12 shows the installation of the radiator 60 from the state shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the completed state typically.

  As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the heat radiator 60 does not have the recess 26 in the exterior cover 12a, and the flow path structure 24a is formed by etching on the inner surface 12b, and the flow path structure 24a is formed as the flow path structure 24b. It is the structure sealed with the lid member 22 in which is formed. Therefore, in the heat radiator 60, compared with the heat radiator 20 described above, the configuration of the exterior cover 12a can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

  As described above, the portable information device 10 according to the present embodiment includes the housing 12 in which at least one surface is formed of the metal exterior cover 12a and the electronic component 18 is disposed therein. The radiator 20 (40, 50, 60) for radiating the heat generated from the electronic component 18 is provided. In the portable information device 10, a metal lid member 22 (42) is joined to the inner surface 12 b of the exterior cover 12 a, and the fluid storage portion 20 a is disposed between the exterior cover 12 a and the lid member 22 (42). The radiator 20 (40, 50, 60) is configured by forming and enclosing a cooling fluid in the fluid accommodating portion 20a.

  As described above, in the radiator 20 or the like disposed in the portable information device 10, the lower lid has a housing as compared with the conventional radiator in which the upper lid and the lower lid are joined and the cooling fluid is sealed inside. The outer cover 12a that constitutes the portion 12 is used together, so that the lower lid is substantially omitted from the radiator, and the corresponding plate thickness is omitted. As a result, the thickness dimension of the radiator 20 or the like is reduced to make it thinner and lighter, and the casing 12 of the portable information device 10 can be made thinner and lighter. Moreover, since the lower cover constituting the radiator 20 and the like is also used as the exterior cover 12a, the heat diffused by the radiator 20 and the like can be smoothly radiated to the outer surface of the housing 12, and the heat diffusion performance is also improved. To do.

  Like the radiators 20, 40, 60 described above, it is preferable that a flow path structure 24 a including a gas flow path 28 and a liquid flow path 30 is formed on the inner surface 12 b of the exterior cover 12 a. Then, since heat exchange can be performed smoothly by the exterior cover 12a itself, the thermal resistance from the radiator 20 or the like to the exterior cover 12a can be reduced as much as possible, and heat diffusion to the outside of the housing 12 The performance can be further improved. In this case, if the gas channel 28 and the liquid channel 30 are formed by etching the inner surface 12b of the outer cover 12a, the channel structure 24a having a fine capillary structure can be easily formed in the outer cover 12a. In addition, the thermal resistance is further reduced.

  When the cover member 22 is embedded in the recess 26 formed on the inner surface 12b of the exterior cover 12a as in the above-described radiator 20, the radiator 20 does not protrude into the internal space of the housing 12, and the exterior cover 12a. And can be integrated with each other. Thereby, the housing 12 can be further reduced in thickness.

  It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that the present invention can be freely changed without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the radiator 20 or the like is installed in the portable information device 10 that is a tablet PC is exemplified. However, as described above, the radiator 20 or the like is also applicable to other portable information devices. it can. For example, as shown in FIG. 13, the radiator 20 or the like is applied to a portable information device 10 a that is a laptop PC provided with a lid 76 having a display 74 that can be opened and closed with respect to a casing 72 having a keyboard 70. May be. In this case, the radiator 20 or the like may be installed using, for example, the inner surface of the bottom surface 72a of the casing 72, and the heat from the electronic component 18 may be diffused and radiated to the bottom surface 72a.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10,10a Portable information device 12,72 Case 12a Exterior cover 12b, 22a Inner surface 14 Liquid crystal display 14a Glass plate 16 Substrate 18 Electronic component 20, 40, 50, 60 Radiator 22, 42 Lid member 24 Flow path structure 24a 24b Channel structure 26 Recess 28 Gas channel 30 Liquid channel 32 Outer peripheral edge 72a Bottom surface

Claims (9)

A mobile phone comprising at least one surface formed of a metal outer cover, including a housing in which an electronic component is disposed, and a radiator for dissipating heat generated from the electronic component inside the housing. Information equipment,
The radiator is formed by joining a metal lid member to the inner surface of the exterior cover to form a fluid accommodating portion between the exterior cover and the lid member, and enclosing a cooling fluid in the fluid accommodating portion. A portable information device characterized by comprising: The portable information device according to claim 1,
At least one of the inner surface of the exterior cover and the inner surface of the lid member that forms the fluid storage portion is configured to circulate a gas flow path for flowing a gas-phase cooling fluid and a liquid-phase cooling fluid by a capillary structure. A portable information device in which a liquid channel is formed. The portable information device according to claim 2,
The portable information device, wherein the gas channel and the liquid channel are formed at least on the inner surface of the exterior cover. The portable information device according to claim 3,
The portable information device, wherein the gas channel and the liquid channel are formed by etching the inner surface of the exterior cover. The portable information device according to claim 3 or 4,
A recess is formed on the inner surface of the exterior cover, and the gas channel and the liquid channel are formed in the recess,
A portable information device, wherein the lid member is embedded in the recess. The portable information device according to claim 1 or 2,
The portable information device, wherein the lid member is disposed facing the electronic component. The portable information device according to claim 6, wherein
The portable information device, wherein the lid member is in thermal contact with the electronic component. In the portable information device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The portable information device is a tablet personal computer or a smartphone,
The portable information device, wherein the exterior cover is a member constituting a back surface of the tablet personal computer or a smartphone. In the portable information device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The portable information device is a laptop personal computer,
The portable information device, wherein the exterior cover is a member constituting a bottom surface of the laptop personal computer.

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