Abstract:
A housing for an electronic device is provided that includes a curved top; a vertical front wall; a vertical rear wall; vertical side walls; at least one electronic component in the housing generating heat during operation; and, a thermal management system for dissipating the heat. The thermal management system can include at least one of active and passive components. The thermal management system can include in at least one of the vertical walls or in each of the vertical side walls.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/055,235, filed Sep. 25, 2014, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus and an associated top surface design thereof. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Electronic apparatuses or devices such as set top boxes are typically assembled apparatuses having a plurality of walls and a top surface that is generally designed to encase and protect interior components. Most designs of these electronic apparatuses are such that the top plan view shape is rectangular and the apparatuses are horizontal electronic apparatuses in which the height of the apparatuses is smaller than the horizontal widths of the front wall, rear wall, and the sides walls. Such horizontal devices are mechanically stable given their wide bases and their tops being planar horizontal structures. 
         [0004]    Given that horizontal devices are mechanically stable with flat tops, their tops can be inviting stable surfaces for people to place objects thereon (such as papers, tools, cups with liquids, and other liquid filled vessels such as vases or potted plants). Although the manufacturers may not encourage the use of the top surfaces for supporting objects, the use of such top surfaces is generally mechanically safe in terms of providing a large flat surface area that will not cause the objects to fall. 
         [0005]    New vertical electronic apparatuses are now being contemplated for the consumer market in which the height of the apparatuses is larger than the horizontal widths of at least one of the walls.  FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a considered vertically oriented electronic device  200  having a flat top  210 , a front wall or front surface  208 , a rear wall  206 , side walls  204 , and a base  205 .  FIG. 2  shows an interior view highlighting the intersections of the flat top  210  with the rear wall  206  and the flat top  210  with a side wall  204  in which the intersections  290  are not smooth and continuous. In fact, the intersections  290  form angles which are  90  degrees. 
         [0006]    Unfortunately, the top surfaces or flat tops  210  of such vertical devices can also be inviting for people to place objects thereon. However, for such vertical electronic apparatuses, the placement of the objects thereon is generally not mechanically safe, because (1) such devices have the potential to have high centers of mass and can tip and fall if objects are placed on them, (2) such devices may have access ways that will be covered by objects in a manner that will not only prevent entry, but can cause damage to the entry way and provide an easy entrance way for spilled liquids to enter to the apparatus, and (3) such devices may have heat management systems which may require that the top be free of objects to avoid interfering with heat management systems. 
         [0007]    As such, a need exists for a vertical electronic device that has a top surface that discourages the placement of objects thereon. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    The present principles can include a housing for an electronic device ( 300 ) that provides a curved top ( 310 ); a vertical front wall ( 308 ); a vertical rear wall ( 306 ); vertical side walls ( 304 ); at least one electronic component ( 341 ) in the housing generating heat during operation; and, a thermal management system for dissipating the heat. The thermal management system can include at least one of active and/or passive component. The thermal management system can include vents ( 320 ) in at least one of the vertical walls or in each of the vertical side walls. At least one vertical wall can be disposed at an angle, relative to horizontal, such that for any given one of the vents disposed at a lower level than a vent disposed upwardly adjacent to the one of the lower vents in which any of the heat dissipated through any given lower vent is directed upwardly and away from the upwardly adjacent vent. Also, each of the vertical side walls can be disposed at an angle, relative to horizontal, such that for any given one of the vents disposed at a lower level than a vent disposed upwardly adjacent to the one of the lower vents and that any of the heat dissipated through any given lower vent is directed upwardly and away from the upwardly adjacent vent. 
         [0009]    The present principles can also be directed to a vertically oriented set top box or gateway device ( 300 ) that comprises: a curved top ( 310 ); a vertical front wall ( 308 ); a vertical rear wall ( 306 ); vertical side walls ( 304 ); at least one electronic component ( 341 ) in the set top box or gateway device generating heat during operation; and, a thermal management system for dissipating the heat. The thermal management system can comprise vents ( 320 ) in at least one of the vertical walls and the at least one vertical wall is disposed at an angle, relative to horizontal, such that for any given one of the vents disposed at a lower level than a vent disposed upwardly adjacent to the one of the lower vents and that any of the heat dissipated through the any given lower vent is directed upwardly and away from the upwardly adjacent vent. The thermal management system can also comprise vents in each of the vertical walls and each of the vertical walls is disposed at an angle, relative to horizontal, such that for any given one of the vents disposed at a lower level than a vent disposed upwardly adjacent to the one of the lower vents and that any of the heat dissipated through the any given lower vent is directed upwardly and away from the upwardly adjacent vent. The set top box or gateway device can further include at least one intersection region ( 312 ) between the curved top and at least one of the vertical walls that forms an angle or angles greater than 90 degree on an exterior surface of the curved top and the vertical walls. The one intersection region can be along the entire side of one of the vertical walls. An exterior surface of the curved top can be convex and an interior surface of the curved top can be concave. From a top plan view perspective, angles between exterior surfaces of the side vertical walls and the vertical rear wall are acute. A majority of the curved top can be sloped downward toward the vertical front wall. 
         [0010]    The present principles can further be directed a vertically oriented set top box ( 300 ) comprising: a curved top ( 310 ); a vertical front wall ( 308 ); a vertical rear wall ( 306 ); vertical side walls ( 304 ); and at least one heat generating electronic component ( 341 ). The vertically oriented set top box can further comprise at least one intersection region ( 312 ) between the curved top and at least one of the vertical walls forms an angle or angles greater than 90 degree on an exterior surface of the curved top and the vertical walls. An exterior surface of the curved top can be convex and an interior surface of the curved top can be concave. From a top plan view perspective, angles between exterior surfaces of the side vertical walls and the vertical rear wall are acute. A majority of the curved top can be sloped downward toward the vertical front wall. The vertically oriented set top box can include an access door ( 314 ) that is part of the curved top, wherein the access door has an exterior surface that is part of an exterior surface of the curved top. The vertically oriented set top box can includes vents ( 320 ) positioned over a majority of plan view surface areas of the side walls. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The principles will be explained in greater detail in the following with reference to embodiments, referring to the appended drawings, in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the vertically oriented electronic device  200  considered for the consumer market; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is an interior perspective view of the vertically oriented electronic device  200  considered for the consumer market; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  according to the current principles; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  shows interior sectional views of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  according to the current principles; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  according to the current principles; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a front plan view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  according to the current principles; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a side plan view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  according to the current principles. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0019]    A vertical electronic device is disclosed that in some embodiments is not rectangular from a top plan view perspective and has a curved top that provides a number of potential benefits. The curved top can provide some additional interior volume for air circulation to assist in heat management. The curved top can also assist in reducing resistance to interior air flow by providing a smoother and more continuous surface at transition locations (e.g. intersection regions) such as where the interior side wall transitions to the interior top wall. The curved top surface which is noticeably curved will discourage people from placing objects thereon, thereby reducing the risk objects being placed on the top surface that can result in damage to top access ways, can interfere with a heat management system, can cause tilting and falling of objects thereon and/or the vertical electronic device, can cause scratches to the top surface, and can cause risk of fluid entry from liquid filled vessels. 
         [0020]    The focus of having a curves top surface of the disclosure also fits in line with the consumer demand for more unique and attractive consumer devices. 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of a vertically oriented electronic device  300  according to the current principles. The device  300  has a housing that comprises a curved top  310 , a front wall or front surface  308 , a rear wall  306 , side walls  304 , and a base  305 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 4A  shows an interior section view highlighting the intersection  312  of the curved top  310  with the rear wall  306 . This view shows that the intersection may blend the two surfaces such that the intersection is more smooth and continuous than that of the intersections  290  in device  200  and that an angle between the rear wall and a tangent  317  of the interior surface of the top  310  can be greater than 90 degrees. The intersection  312  may also form a blended radius. 
         [0023]      FIG. 4B  shows an interior section view highlighting the intersection  312  of the curved top  310  with the side wall  304 . This view also shows that the intersection may blend the two surfaces such that the intersection is more smooth and continuous than that to the intersections in device  200  and that an angle between the rear wall and a tangent  317  of the interior surface of the top  310  can be greater than 90 degrees. The intersection  312  may also form a blended radius. It should be noted that the intersection geometry can vary around the periphery of the top  310 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  in which an access door  314  and a power button  316  are shown. This view shows that the access door can have a thumb access slot  315  positioned toward the vertical front surface  308 . The hinge for the door  314  can be positioned near vertical rear wall  306 . The access door  314  can provide entry for such components as a hard drive/hard drive bay, a smart card/smart card bay, and/or a reset button. 
         [0025]      FIG. 6  is a front plan view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  which shows a series of vents  320  on the side walls  304  which can be part of the heat management system of the device. These vents  320  can be positioned over a majority of the plan view surface area of the side walls and can work with the air circulation character that the curved interior geometry of the curved top which reduces air resistance to permit air to flow more freely past, to and through the vents  320 . 
         [0026]    This view in  FIG. 6  shows that the curvature of the top  310  along the major horizontal x-axis can have an ultimate peak  340  somewhere along the center line  321  of the major axis of the device  300  and that top surface along the center line  321  of the major axis can form a series of peaks with respect to horizontal slices parallel to the x-z plane. 
         [0027]      FIG. 7  is a side plan view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  according to the current principles. This view shows that the curvature of the top  310  along the minor horizontal y-axis can have an ultimate peak  340  along the center line  321  of the major axis of the device  300  and that the ultimate peak  340  is positioned closer to the rear wall  306  than the front surface  308 . This ultimate peak  340  in  FIG. 7  can be the same ultimate peak shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0028]    In sum, the disclosure includes a vertically oriented set top box or electronic device that can have vertical side walls  304  that extend from a vertical rear wall  306 . The vertical side walls can narrow as they extend toward a narrow front surface  308 . The device further can include a curved top  310  that extends from the vertical side walls  304 , the vertical rear wall  306  and the front surface  308 . The exterior surface of the top  310  can be convex and have a spherical shape, wherein the exterior top surface can be preferably angled such that all of the exterior top surface to a majority area of the exterior top surface, for example 75%, is tilted or angled downward toward the front surface  308 . The exterior top surface of the top  310  can also be convex and have a circular shape along vertical planes parallel to the major axis and/or along vertical planes parallel to the minor axis, wherein the exterior top surface can be preferably angled such that all of the exterior top surface to a majority area of the exterior top surface, for example 75%, is tilted or angled downward toward the front surface  308 . The exterior top surface of the top  310  can also be convex and curved along vertical planes parallel to the major axis and/or along vertical planes parallel to the minor axis, wherein the exterior top surface can be angled such that all of the exterior top surface to a majority area of the exterior top surface, for example 75%, is tilted or angled downward toward the front surface  308 . 
         [0029]    Embodiments of the disclosure can include various combinations of the features thus far described and can further include the features shown in  FIG. 4 , wherein the interior intersections  312  of the curved top  310  with the rear wall  306  can blend the two surfaces such that the intersection  312  is more smooth and continuous than intersections  290  in device  200  which form right angles. The intersections  312  can have an angle between the rear wall and a tangent  317  of the interior surface of the top  310  that is greater than 90 degrees. The intersection  312  may also form a blended radius. It should be noted that this feature of the intersection  312  being more smooth and continuous can be applied to the side wall  304  and top surface intersection  312  and the front surface and top surface intersection  312  and the intersection  312  geometry may vary along the perimeter of the top  310 . In other words, it can apply to all or any of the surfaces that connect to the top interior surface. 
         [0030]    Further embodiments can include the features described herein, but with the vertical electronic device being rectangular from a top plan view perspective. 
         [0031]    Additional embodiments can include the features described herein, but the exterior surface of the top  310  including the access door  314  being characterized as part of the exterior top surface. 
         [0032]    Although the illustrative embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the present principles are not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one of ordinary skill in the pertinent art without departing from the scope of the present principles. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present principles as set forth in the appended claims. 
         [0033]    It should be understood that the device is an electronic device that contains at least one electronic component  341  generically shown in  FIG. 4  which can include a printed a circuit board, a hard drive, a smart card assembly, a tuner, and an antenna, etc. 
         [0034]    Also, it is intended that expressions such as “back” and “front” and “vertical” and “horizontal,” as well as other complementary terms are intended to be construed from the perspective of the observer of the figures; and as such, these expression can be interchanged depending upon the direction from which the device is observed.