Patent ID: 7793027
Filing Date: 2010-09-07
Classification: G06F,Y02D

Abstract:
1. An apparatus comprising: a portable computer; a docking station; said portable computer comprises a low performance mode of operation and a high performance mode of operation; a sensor for sensing if said portable computer is engaged in said docking station or if said portable computer is not engaged in said docking station; both said high and said low performance modes of operation are actively user usable modes of operation; a signal generator for switching said computer between said high performance mode of operation and said low performance mode of operation in response to an input; said input being selected from the group consisting of an output of said sensor indicating that said portable computer is engaged with said docking station and for switching said portable computer into said high performance mode of operation and an output of a temperature sensor which monitors the operating temperature of said computer to switch said computer between said high performance mode of operation and said low performance mode of operation; said portable computer comprises a low performance CPU comprising said low performance mode of operation and a high performance CPU comprising said high performance mode of operation; said portable computer comprises a portable computer cooling system; said docking station comprises a docking station cooling system for engagement and disengagement with said portable computer cooling system for enhanced cooling of said portable computer when engaged with said docking station and operating in said high performance mode of operation and for reduced cooling of said portable computer when disengaged from said docking station and operating in said low performance mode of operation; and said engaged cooling system comprises a first air blower in said portable computer coupled to a first air port in said portable computer and to a heat sink in said portable computer, a releasable clamp for providing physical and thermal engagement between said portable computer and said docking station, said releasable clamp releasably physically and thermally coupled to a heat spreader which is in thermal contact with a heat generating source in said portable computer, a first heat pipe and a second heat pipe each having a first end embedded at a first portion of said heat spreader, said first end of said first heat pipe and said first end of said second heat pipe each are placed substantially in parallel with a first groove and a second groove in said heat spreader, said heat spreader is housed in said portable computer, said first groove and said second groove in said heat spreader are deposed in a portion of said heat spreader for engagement with a clamp mechanism of said docking station, in said engaged cooling system, said portable computer is engaged with said docking station with said heat spreader forced in between a first rotor and a second rotor of said clamp mechanism, each of said first rotor and said second rotor are formed of a thermally conductive material, in said engaged cooling system said first rotor is inserted in said first groove and said second rotor is engaged in said second groove, a third heat pipe and a fourth heat pipe are used to carry the heat received from said first rotor and said second rotor to a heat sink in said docking station by being thermally connected from said first rotor and said second rotor to said heat sink in said docking station, said first rotor is supported by a first support for said first rotor and by a second support for said first rotor, said second rotor is supported by a first support for said second rotor and by a second support for said second rotor, said first rotor is free to rotate along a first axis defined by said first support for said first rotor and by said second support for said first rotor, said second rotor is free to rotate about a second axis defined by said first support for said second rotor and by said second support for said second rotor, a first end of said third heat pipe is disposed inside said first rotor and a first end of said second rotor is disposed inside of said second rotor, said first rotor and said second rotor include thermal and lubrication grease to improve heat transfer from said first rotor to said third heat pipe and from said second rotor to said fourth heat pipe and to reduce friction of said first rotor about said first axis and said second rotor about said second axis, said first support for said first rotor is supported by a first holder for said first support for said first rotor and said second support for said first rotor is supported by a second holder for said first support for said first rotor, said first support for said second rotor is supported by a first holder for said first support for said second rotor, and said second support for said second rotor is supported by a second holder for said first support for said second rotor, said first holder for said first support for said first rotor and said second holder for said second support for said first rotor are mounted on one side of a bottom plate of said heat sink in said docking station at a common anchor point and are free to rotate about said common anchor point by a rotation angle constrained by a first stopper and a first spring for said first holder for said first support for said first rotor and by a second stopper and a second spring for said first holder for said first support for said second rotor, said first stopper acting with said first spring and said second stopper acting with said second spring provide a clamping force between said first rotor and said second rotor fixedly docking said portable computer to said docking station and providing thermal interconnection therebetween when said end of said heat spreader is inserted between said first rotor and said second rotor to dispose said first rotor in said first groove in said heat spreader and to dispose said second rotor in said second groove in said heat spreader to extract heat from said portable computer to said heat sink in said docking station, and an air blower in said docking station for extracting heat from heat sink in said docking station; and said engaged cooling systems provide greater heat dissipation capacity to said portable computer when operating in said high performance mode of operation from said high performance CPU greater than the maximum heat dissipation capacity provided by said first air blower to said portable computer when operating in said low performance mode of operation from said low performance CPU.