Patent Publication Number: US-2021191461-A1

Title: External cooling module

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Computer systems typically include a cooling subsystem to dissipate heat produced by the computer&#39;s central processing unit (CPU), other integrated circuits and power supply circuitry. Cooling subsystems often include a thermal block mounted to the CPU, which is thermally connected to a heat sink or one or more heat pipes. If heat pipes are used, typically a heat spreader or heat sink is thermally connected to the opposite end of the heat pipe from the CPU. An internal fan is often used to direct air over the heat sink, increasing the amount of heat dissipated through convection. 
     In consumer computers, such cooling subsystems are often designed for a typical operating profile in which the CPU consumes a low or moderate amount of power most of the time, but occasionally is boosted to handle heavy processing loads during which it consumes more power and produces more heat. When used for processor-intensive applications such as gaming or video editing, such computers tend to generate excess heat, resulting in the processor being “throttled” or slowed down in order to consume less power and generate less heat. Some computers, such as tablet computers and some notebook type computers, are fanless and rely on radiation and ambient airflow to dissipate most of the heat. Since they have less cooling ability, the performance of the CPU in laptop, tablet, and notebook computers is frequently limited to an amount lower than its capability. 
     External cooling pads are sometimes used to help cool computers. Typically, cooling pads include one or more fans that direct air against the external surface or “skin” of the computer. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of an external cooling module according to some embodiments; 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of the external cooling module of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a cutaway top perspective view of the external cooling module of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom perspective view of a notebook computer with which the external cooling module of  FIG. 1  is designated to operate; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates in mixed cross-section and block diagram form an external cooling module paired with a computer according to some embodiments; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-section block diagram showing a portion of a hollow chamber aligned with a computer cooling air intake according to some embodiments; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-section block diagram showing a portion of another hollow chamber aligned with a computer cooling air intake according to additional embodiments; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross section block diagram of an external cooling module paired with a computer according to some embodiments; and 
         FIG. 9  is a cross section block diagram of another external cooling module paired with a computer according to some embodiments. 
     
    
    
     In the following description, the use of the same reference numerals in different drawings indicates similar or identical items. Unless otherwise noted, the word “coupled” and its associated verb forms include both direct connection and indirect electrical connection by means known in the art, and unless otherwise noted any description of direct connection implies alternate embodiments using suitable forms of indirect electrical connection as well. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
     An external module is for use with a designated computing device. The external module includes a body forming a hollow chamber. An external air intake formed in the body and connected to a first portal of the chamber. An air outlet formed in the body along a wall of the chamber and adapted to align with a cooling air intake of the designated computing device when the external module is positioned in a designated relationship to the computing device. A blower is positioned to force air through the external air intake into the chamber and maintain a positive air pressure in the chamber such that the positive air pressure is maintained against at least part of the cooling air intake of the computing device when the air outlet is aligned with the cooling air intake. 
     A method uses an external cooling module to increase airflow in a cooling system of a computing device. The method includes aligning an air outlet of a chamber of an external cooling module with a cooling air intake of a computing device. Air is driven from an air intake to the chamber to pressurize the chamber with a positive air pressure. The method includes maintaining a positive air pressure against at least part of the cooling air intake of the computing device to increase airflow through a cooling system of the computing device. 
     A system includes a portable computing device and an external module. The portable computing device including a cooling subsystem with a cooling air intake, a fan positioned to direct air toward selected components of the portable computing device, and an air outlet positioned to expel the air after it passes the selected components. The external module is adapted for pairing with the portable computing device, and includes a body, a chamber, an external air intake, an air outlet, and a blower. The body forms the chamber with the external air intake formed in the body and connected to a first portal of the chamber. The air outlet formed in the body along a wall of the chamber and adapted to align with a cooling air intake of the portable computing device when the external module is positioned in a designated relationship to the portable computing device. The blower is positioned to force air through the external air intake into the chamber and maintain a positive air pressure in the chamber such that a positive air pressure is maintained against at least part of the cooling air intake of the portable computing device when the air outlet is aligned with cooling air intake. 
       FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a external cooling module  100  according to some embodiments. In this implementation, external cooling module  100  includes a body  102  having a top side  104  and a front side  106 . Body  102  is sized to hold a particular designated notebook computer along top side  104 . Indentations  108  are positioned to hold the feet of the designated notebook computer to stabilize the notebook computer when it is placed in a designated relationship atop external cooling module  100 . Support feet  110  are presented along the bottom face of external cooling module  100 , and are tall enough to allow airflow underneath external cooling module  100  when it is placed on a hard surface. The cooling elements of external cooling module  100  will be described further with respect to  FIGS. 2-3 . 
       FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of the external cooling module  100  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  is a cutaway top perspective view of the external cooling module  100  of  FIG. 1 . Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , generally the body  102  forms a hollow chamber  120  having an air outlet  121  presented along top side  104 . Hollow chamber  120  is formed by the top side  104 , bottom side  105 , and interior walls  124  of body  102  which span from top side  104  to bottom side  105 . Body  102  is formed of a rigid plastic, but other materials such as plastic composites or metal are used in other versions. Assembly posts  130  joined to bottom side  105  provide screw holes to receive assembly screws for assembling tops side  104  to bottom side. 
     Air outlet  121  is formed in body  102  along the top wall of hollow chamber  120  and is adapted to align with a cooling air intake of the designated notebook computer when the external cooling module  100  is positioned in a designated relationship to the notebook computer, in this case with the notebook computer resting atop it. Structural support members  122  surround air outlet  121 . In this embodiment, air outlet  121  has substantially the same planar area as the cooling air intake of the designated notebook computer and is positioned to cover the cooling air intake of the designated notebook computer when external cooling module  100  is positioned in the designated relationship to the designated computing device. Other versions use other sizing relationships for air outlet  121  relative to the cooling air intake, as further described below. 
     Shown in  FIG. 2  is an external air intake  128  formed in body  102  and connected to a first portal  125  ( FIG. 3 ) of hollow chamber  120 . A blower such as a fan is positioned to force air through external air intake  128  into hollow chamber  120 . In this version, the blower is positioned inside external air intake  128 . An external power supply connection  114  supplies electrical power to the blower, controlled by a power switch  112 . When activated by power switch  112 , the blower maintains a positive air pressure in the hollow chamber  120  such that the positive air pressure is maintained against at least part of the cooling air intake of the designated notebook computer when air outlet  121  is aligned with the cooling air intake. In this embodiment, air outlet  121  is substantially the same area the cooling air intake of the designated notebook computer. 
       FIG. 4  is a bottom perspective view of a notebook computer  400  with which external cooling module  100  ( FIG. 1 ) is designated to operate. In various embodiments, external cooling modules using the techniques herein are paired with various designated computing devices, with an air outlet positioned to align with the cooling air intake of the designated computing device. While a notebook computer  400  is shown as an example, other computer types such as desktop computers, blade server computers, and tablet computers are paired with external cooling modules in various embodiments. Notebook computer  400  includes a body  402 , a cooling air intake  404 , and supporting feet  406 . A warm air outlet is present on the side of notebook computer  400 . 
     Body  402  of computer  400  has cooling air intake  404  positioned along the lower face. Air outlet  121  ( FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 3 ) is positioned to align with cooling air intake  404  when notebook computer  400  is placed atop external cooling module  100 . Notebook computer  400  has feet  406  which rest in indentations  108  ( FIG. 1 ), allowing the body  402  to sit closer to or flush with top side  104  of external cooling module  100 . By using an external cooling module that forces air through the cooling air intake of the computer with positive pressure, the CPU in notebook computer  400  operates cooler for a given workload, or alternatively, has higher performance capabilities at a given ambient temperature than a system with no external cooling module. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates in mixed cross-section and block diagram form an external cooling module  500  paired with a computer  50  according to some embodiments. The various depicted parts are not to scale. External cooling module  500  includes a body  502 , a power switch  512 , a control circuit  515 , a hollow chamber  520 , an air outlet  521 , an external air intake  528 , and a blower  530 . 
     Hollow chamber  520  is formed in the interior of body  102 . Air outlet  521  is formed along the top wall of hollow chamber  520  and is adapted to align with a cooling air intake of computer  50  when external cooling module  100  is positioned in a designated relationship to computer  50 . In this embodiment, air outlet  521  has substantially the same planar area as the cooling air intake of a computer  50  and is positioned to cover the cooling air intake of computer  50  when external cooling module  100  is positioned in the designated relationship to computer  50 . Hollow chamber  520  may include internal supporting structures, but generally provides an enclosed space allowing pressure to be maintained against the walls and at air outlet  521 . 
     In this embodiment, blower  530  is a squirrel cage fan similar to those commonly employed to cool computers. In some versions, other fan types are used, such as axial mounted fans. As used herein, a blower includes fans and other blowing elements such as air multipliers. In operation, blower  530  forces air from external air intake  528  into hollow chamber  520  to maintain a positive air pressure in hollow chamber  520  such that the positive air pressure is maintained against the cooling air intake of computer  50  when air outlet  521  is aligned with the cooling air intake of computer  50 . 
     Computer  50  itself includes a fan  52  positioned to move air through a cooling air intake, and a cooling subsystem  54  including at least one temperature sensor  56  and a controller  58 . Various internal cooling components of computer  50  are not shown but are often present, depending on the particular computer being paired with external cooling module  500 . Such components include one or more air ducts to direct cooling air across desired components, thermal blocks coupled to the computer central processing unit (CPU) and graphics processing unit (GPU), heat pipes which conduct heat away from the thermal blocks, and heat spreaders thermally coupled to the heat pipes or directly to a thermal block. Some computers use internal air ducts, and some let air flow through the computer body without ducting. One or more temperature sensors  56  is typically thermally coupled to the CPU or GPU. Controller  58  receives readings from temperature sensor(s)  56  and controls the speed of one or more internal fans such as fan  52 , positioned at a cooling air intake. A fan may be provided at an air outlet (such as the configuration of  FIG. 9  below). Controller  58  is typically an embedded controller responsible for thermal management, and can perform other functions such as interfacing with other hardware in computer  50 . 
     In some embodiments, external cooling module  500  is embodied in a notebook computer dock including power, network, and input/output connectors which connect to computer  50  when docked. Some versions of module  500  as a notebook computer dock include a control circuit  514  adapted to receive a signal from the computing device indicating a temperature state of the computing device, and based on the signal, adjust the blower  530 . Driver software may be employed on computer  50  to obtain desired temperature state information and provide it to control circuit  514  over the depicted connecting serial link such as a universal serial bus (USB) connection or a wireless link. 
     While the number and position of cooling fans in particular computers vary, generally the cooling systems are designed with a designated or rated airflow required from the fan. However, for many reasons such as fan noise, price, and the specific arrangement of the airflow path, often the fans do not achieve their rated airflow. Further, the airflow designated for a particular cooling system is often not enough to carry away heat at the maximum applicable thermal carrying capacity of the thermal blocks, heat pipes, heat spreaders, or other heat sink arrangements employed in the cooling system. 
     In operation, blower  530  maintains a positive air pressure in hollow chamber  520  such that the positive air pressure is maintained against cooling air intake of computer  50  when aligned with the cooling air intake as depicted. As such, the air flow rate is increased to better cool computer  50 , and employ more cooling capacity of cooling components therein. The positive pressure supplements fan  52  to drive more air through the cooling airflow path(s) of computer  50 . Preferably, the positive air pressure maintained against the cooling air intake is sufficient to at least double an airflow rate for which a cooling system of computer  50  is rated. Such an arrangement is beneficial for use with all the embodiments described herein. For example, if the cooling subsystem is rated at 5 cubic feet per minute (CFM), an embodiment with this feature provides a blower  530  rated for at least 10 CFM. While at least doubling the airflow is described, the present inventor has found that a blower rated at 2-3 times the airflow provided by the computer&#39;s fan(s) (fan  52  in this example) is typically able to utilize much of the cooling capacity of the computer&#39;s cooling system elements. 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-section block diagram showing a portion of a hollow chamber  620  aligned with a computer cooling air intake according to some embodiments. The top of hollow chamber  620  is depicted formed by the top side  604  of an external module. Air outlet  621  is formed in the top wall of hollow chamber  620  and is depicted aligned with a cooling air intake of a computer, at which is positioned an intake fan  62  forcing air into a duct  64 . While a duct is shown in this version, other computers do not use ducting. A seal  605  is positioned along a perimeter of the air outlet  621  and configured to seal a connection between hollow chamber  620  and the cooling air intake of the computer when the external module is positioned in a designated relationship to the computer as depicted. Seal  605  is preferably made of a soft material such as foam or rubber. The use of a seal helps to maintain the positive air pressure against the cooling air intake. 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-section block diagram showing a portion of another hollow chamber  720  aligned with a computer cooling air intake according to additional embodiments. In this embodiment, the computer for which the external cooling module is designed to pair has an elongated cooling air intake with two intake fans  72  positioned along its length to force air into a duct  74 . Hollow chamber  720  is has two air outlets formed in the top side  704  of external module, each positioned to maintain positive air pressure against only a portion of the cooling air intake of the computer. In this embodiment, air outlets  721  align with intake fans  72 . 
       FIG. 8  is a cross section block diagram of an external cooling module  800  paired with a computer  80  according to some embodiments. In this version, an external cooling module  800  is designed to pair with a computer  80  having a cooling air intake located along a side wall rather than along the bottom side. External cooling module  800  includes a body  802 , a power switch  812 , a hollow chamber  820 , an air outlet  821 , a cooling air intake  828 , and a blower  830 . External cooling module  800  in some embodiments also includes a control circuit like control circuit  514  ( FIG. 5 ) for receiving temperature state information from computer  80  and controlling blower  830  based on the temperature state information. 
     Computer  80  includes a fan  82  positioned to move air through a cooling air intake, and a cooling subsystem  84  including at least one temperature sensor  86  and a controller  88 . Various other internal cooling components of computer  80 , discussed above, are present in various implementations of computer  80 . 
     Referring to external cooling module  800 , body  802  includes a vertical extension formed along the left depicted side, vertically extending past the level of the computer  80  cooling air intake. Hollow chamber  820  is formed in the interior of body  802 . Hollow chamber  820  extends into the vertical extension to the level of computer  80 &#39;s cooling air intake. 
     Air outlet  821  is formed along the side wall of hollow chamber  820  in the vertically extending portion. Air outlet  821  is adapted to align with a cooling air intake of computer  80  when external cooling module  800  is positioned as depicted in a designated relationship to computer  80 . In this embodiment, air outlet  821  has substantially the same planar area as the cooling air intake of a computer  80  and is positioned to cover the cooling air intake of computer  80  when external cooling module  800  is positioned as depicted. In some embodiments, air outlet  821  has a planar area smaller than that the cooling air intake, or a slightly larger planar area such as 5% or 10% larger. In operation, blower  830  maintains a positive air pressure in hollow chamber  820  such that the positive air pressure is maintained against cooling air intake of computer  80  when aligned with the cooling air intake as depicted. As such, external cooling module provides the improved airflow benefits discussed above, supplementing fan  82  of computer  80  to improve airflow through computer  80 . 
       FIG. 9  is a cross section block diagram of another external cooling module  900  paired with a computer  90  according to some embodiments. In this version, an external cooling module  900  is designed to pair with a computer  90  having a fan  92  positioned at a warm air outlet of computer  90 . 
     External cooling module  900  includes a body  902 , a power switch  912 , a hollow chamber  920 , an air outlet  921 , a cooling air intake  929 , and a blower  930 . External cooling module  900  in some embodiments also includes a control circuit like control circuit  514  ( FIG. 5 ) for receiving temperature state information from computer  90  and controlling blower  930  based on the temperature state information. 
     Air outlet  921  is formed along the top wall of hollow chamber  920 , and is adapted to align with a cooling air intake of computer  90  when external cooling module  900  is positioned as depicted in a designated relationship to computer  90 . In this embodiment, air outlet  921  has substantially the same planar area as the cooling air intake of a computer  90  and is positioned to cover the cooling air intake of computer  90  when external cooling module  900  is positioned as depicted. In operation, blower  928  maintains a positive air pressure in hollow chamber  920  such that the positive air pressure is maintained against cooling air intake of computer  90  when aligned with the cooling air intake as depicted. As such, external cooling module provides the improved airflow benefits discussed above, supplementing fan  92  of computer  90  to improve airflow through computer  90 . 
     Computer  90  includes a fan  92  positioned to move air out a warm air outlet. In some versions, the air is directed over a heat spreader (not shown separately) before exiting the warm air outlet. Computer  90  also includes a cooling subsystem  94  including at least one temperature sensor  96  and a controller  98 . Various other internal cooling components of computer  90 , discussed above, are present in various implementations of computer  90 . In this version, no air ducting is used, and the cooling air flows inside the body of computer  90 . In other versions, computer  90  may include internal air ducting to direct airflow from the cooling air intake, over heat sinks or heat spreaders in cooling subsystem  94 , and out the warm air outlet. Some versions also include one or more fans at cooling air intakes forcing air into the body of computer  90 . 
     While particular embodiments have been described, various modifications to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, while the computers discussed herein have cooling fans, other computers which have fanless cooling systems may also be paired with external cooling modules using the techniques herein. Furthermore, the air outlet of the external cooling module may be adjustable in size or position to better match the location of a cooling air intake of a computer, thereby adjusting the external cooling module to work with a different designated computing device. For example, one or more sliding panels may be employed on all or part of the hollow chamber edge allowing the size and/or position of the air outlet to be adjusted. Accordingly, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all modifications of the disclosed embodiments that fall within the scope of the disclosed embodiments.