Patent Publication Number: US-2023146797-A1

Title: Portable electronic device

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial No. 110141619, filed on Nov. 9, 2021. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of the specification. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The disclosure relates to a portable electronic device. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     In recent years, with the advanced development of mobile communication technologies, many novel applications have been created. In addition, various portable electronic devices are constantly being introduced and improved, so that the central processing unit (CPU) of existing portable electronic devices has considerable computing power, and can support the operation of various software with excellent convenience in use. However, in general, for the convenience of carrying and using by users, portable electronic devices such as smartphones, tablet computers or wearable devices are relatively rarely integrated with fans due to a relatively large volume thereof and certain noise generated during operation. Therefore, to maintain the CPU of a portable device to operate with relatively high power and efficiency, additional heat dissipation capabilities need to be provided for the portable device. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The disclosure provides a portable electronic device, which exposes a heat dissipation component in a housing when there is a heat dissipation requirement, to improve the heat dissipation efficiency. 
     The portable electronic device in the disclosure includes a housing, a heat dissipation component, a bracket, a cover structure, and a plurality of pivotal linkage rods. The housing includes a heat dissipation opening. The heat dissipation component is disposed in the housing and corresponds to the heat dissipation opening. The bracket is disposed in the housing and encloses the heat dissipation component. The cover structure is configured to move between a close position covering the heat dissipation opening and an open position exposing the heat dissipation opening. Each of the plurality of pivotal linkage rods is pivotally connected between the bracket and the cover structure, and is configured to be driven to rotate, to drive the cover structure to move between the close position and the open position. 
     Based on the above, the housing of the portable electronic device in the disclosure includes the heat dissipation opening and the cover structure. The heat dissipation opening is configured to expose at least part of the heat dissipation component in the housing, and further drive the cover structure to move via the plurality of pivotal linkage rods pivotally connected between the bracket and the cover structure, to cover or expose the heat dissipation opening. In addition, components such as the cover structure and the pivotal linkage rods are modularly assembled in the portable electronic device via the bracket. With this configuration, when the portable electronic device has a relatively high heat dissipation requirement, the cover structure is opened manually or automatically, to promote heat dissipation. Therefore, the portable electronic device has better heat dissipation efficiency, and the modular design simplifies complex assembly steps. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram of a portable electronic device according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic cross-sectional view of a portable electronic device cooperating with a fan module according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic diagram of a cover structure of a portable electronic device at a close position according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    is a schematic diagram of the cover structure of the portable electronic device in  FIG.  3    at an open position. 
         FIG.  5    is a schematic side view of the cover structure of the portable electronic device in  FIG.  3    at the close position. 
         FIG.  6    is a schematic diagram of the cover structure and a pivotal linkage rod of the portable electronic device in  FIG.  3   . 
         FIG.  7    is a schematic diagram of a cover structure of a portable electronic device at a close position according to another embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  8    is a schematic diagram of the cover structure of the portable electronic device in  FIG.  7    at an open position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The content of the disclosure is described in detail below by using different drawings. Referring to  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  2    together, in some embodiments, a portable electronic device  100  is a smartphone, a tablet computer, a wearable device, or the like. The portable electronic device  100  includes a housing  110 , a heat generating component  120 , a heat dissipation component  130 , a bracket  140 , a plurality of pivotal linkage rods  160 , and a cover structure  150 . The housing  110  is configured to define an accommodating space, and includes a heat dissipation opening  112  on a surface thereof. In this embodiment, the heat dissipation opening  112  is located on a rear surface of the portable electronic device  100 . The heat generating component  120  is disposed in the accommodating space defined by the housing  110 . In some embodiments, the heat generating component  120  is a CPU of the portable electronic device  100  or a heat generating component of another type, and is configured on a circuit board in the housing  110 . The heat dissipation component  130  includes a heat dissipation fin set, which is thermally coupled to the heat generating component  120 . In another embodiment, the heat dissipation component  130  is alternatively configured around the heat generating component  120 , and is connected to the heat generating component  120  by using components such as a vapor chamber, to dissipate heat for the heat generating component  120  by using the heat dissipation component  130 . In some embodiments, a surface of the heat dissipation component  130  in contact with the heat generating component  120  or the vapor chamber is coated with a thermal paste to improve the thermal conductivity. In an embodiment, the heat dissipation component (fin)  130  is the same as the housing  110  in material, or the heat dissipation component  130  is an extension part of the housing  110 . Definitely, in another embodiment, the heat dissipation component  130  is alternatively a separate heat dissipation (fin) part, which is fixed in the portable electronic device  100  by welding or the like. 
     In some embodiments, the heat dissipation component  130  is disposed in the housing  110  and corresponds to the heat dissipation opening  112 . In other words, the heat dissipation opening  112  of the housing  110  exposes at least part of the heat dissipation component  130  (for example, the heat dissipation fin), to improve the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat dissipation component  130 . In this embodiment, the heat dissipation component  130  is a passive heat dissipation component. In some embodiments, the heat dissipation component  130  includes an arc-shaped flow guiding groove  132 , and the bracket  140  also includes an arc-shaped flow guiding surface  141  facing the heat dissipation component  130 , to define an arc-shaped flow channel with the arc-shaped flow guiding groove  132 , so that heat generated by the heat generating component  120  is not remained in the dead area (right angle) inside the housing  110 , thereby further improving the heat dissipation efficiency. 
     Referring to  FIG.  2    to  FIG.  4    together, in some embodiments, the bracket  140  is disposed in the housing  110  and encloses the heat dissipation component  130 . In an embodiment, the bracket  140  is locked on a bottom plate in the housing  110  through a locking member  146 . In this embodiment, the bracket  140  includes an enclosing portion  142  and a fixing portion  144 . The enclosing portion  142  is configured to enclose the heat dissipation component  130  and define a bracket opening  148 . The bracket opening  148  corresponds to the heat dissipation opening  112  of the housing  110 , to jointly expose the heat dissipation component  130 . The fixing portion  144  is disposed around the enclosing portion  142  and includes a locking hole for the locking member  146  to lock. 
     In some embodiments, the cover structure  150  is coupled to the bracket  140  and corresponds to the heat dissipation opening  112 . In this embodiment, the cover structure  150  is configured to be driven to move relative to the bracket  140 , to move between a close position (the close position shown in  FIG.  3   ) covering the heat dissipation opening  112  and an open position (the open position shown in  FIG.  4   ) exposing the heat dissipation opening  112  and the heat dissipation component  130  below. In this embodiment, each of the pivotal linkage rods  160  is pivotally connected between the bracket  140  and the cover structure  150 , and is configured to be driven to rotate, to drive the cover structure  150  to move between the close position shown in  FIG.  3    and the open position shown in  FIG.  4   . 
     In some embodiments, the plurality of pivotal linkage rods  160  is respectively arranged on the bracket  140  and opposite sides of the cover structure  150 , so that the opposite sides of the cover structure  150  jointly drive the cover structure  150  to move between the close position and the open position. Specifically, the pivotal linkage rods  160  include two pairs of pivotal linkage rods arranged symmetrical to each other, each pair of pivotal linkage rods includes a first pivotal linkage rod  162  and a second pivotal linkage rod  164  arranged parallel to each other on a same side of the cover structure  150 , and the first pivotal linkage rod  162  and the second pivotal linkage rod  164  are respectively pivotally connected between the bracket  140  and the cover structure  150 . Definitely, the quantity of the pivotal linkage rods  160  is not limited in this embodiment. 
       FIG.  5    is a schematic side view of the cover structure of the portable electronic device in  FIG.  3    at a close position. Referring to  FIG.  3    to  FIG.  5    together, in some embodiments, the portable electronic device  100  further includes a pushing member  170  and a driving member  180 , where the pushing member  170  is configured to be pushed by an external force F to move toward the pivotal linkage rods  160  to drive the pivotal linkage rods  160  to rotate. The driving member  180  is pivotally connected between the pivotal linkage rods  160  and the pushing member  170 . With this configuration, when the pushing member  170  moves toward the pivotal linkage rods  160 , the driving member  180  is driven to rotate, thereby driving the pivotal linkage rods  160  to rotate. Specifically, the pushing member  170  includes a guiding groove  172 , and the driving member  180  correspondingly includes a bump  182 , disposed at an end E1 of the driving member  180  pivotally connected to the bracket  140  and located in the guiding groove  172 , the end E1 of the driving member  180  is regarded as a pivot point of the driving member  180 , and the movement of the bump  182  drives the pivot point to rotate. With this configuration, when the pushing member  170  moves toward the pivotal linkage rods  160 , the bump  182  moves along the guiding groove  172  to be lifted, to drive the driving member  180  to rotate in a first rotation direction R1 (for example, counterclockwise). 
     In some embodiments, the driving member  180  further includes a sliding groove  184 , while one of the pivotal linkage rods (for example, the first pivotal linkage rod  162 ) correspondingly includes a slider  166  located in the sliding groove  184 . With this configuration, when the driving member  180  is driven to rotate in the first rotation direction R1 (for example, counterclockwise), the slider  166  moves along the sliding groove  184  to be lifted, thereby driving the first pivotal linkage rod  162  to rotate in a second rotation direction R2 (for example, clockwise). The second pivotal linkage rod  164  also rotates with the first pivotal linkage rod  162 , to jointly drive the cover structure  150  to move from the close position to the open position. In some embodiments, components such as the pivotal linkage rods  160 , the pushing member  170 , and the driving member  180  are symmetrically arranged on the bracket  140  and opposite sides of the cover structure  150 , to improve the stroke smoothness of the cover structure  150  moving between the close position shown in  FIG.  3    and the open position shown in  FIG.  4   . 
     In this embodiment, the portable electronic device  100  includes a temperature sensor, which is disposed on the heat generating component  120  to sense the temperature of the heat generating component  120 . When the temperature sensor senses that the temperature of the heat generating component  120  is higher than a warning temperature, the portable electronic device  100  pops up a reminder, for example, on a display thereof, for users to manually open the cover structure  150  (for example, apply the external force F to push the pushing member  170 ), to expose the heat dissipation component  130  to help the heat dissipation component  130  dissipate heat. In some embodiments, when the temperature sensor senses that the temperature of the heat generating component  120  is higher than the warning temperature, the portable electronic device  100  also cooperates with another device (for example, a heat dissipation kit such as a fan module) to open or close the cover structure. In another embodiment, the portable electronic device  100  further automatically controls the cover structure  150  to change from the close position to the open position to promote heat dissipation. 
     Referring to  FIG.  2    again, in some embodiments, the portable electronic device  100  cooperates with another heat dissipation kit, to further help the heat generating component  120   and the heat dissipation component  130  dissipate heat. For example, in this embodiment, the portable electronic device  100  includes a fan module  200  sleeved on the housing  110 . In this way, the fan module  200  is sleeved on the housing  110  when there is a relatively large heat dissipation requirement, to be combined with the portable electronic device  100  to help the portable electronic device  100  dissipate heat. The fan module  200  includes a base  210  and a fan assembly  220 . The base  210  matches at least part of the housing  110  in shape, to be sleeved on the housing  110  of the portable electronic device  100 . In addition, the base  210  includes an air outlet  216  corresponding to the heat dissipation opening  112  of the housing  110 . In some embodiments, the fan module  200  includes a driving rod, which is, for example, a protruding rod disposed on an inner surface of the base  210 , to match at least part of the housing  110  in shape on the base  210 , to be sleeved on the housing  110  of the portable electronic device  100 . In addition, the driving rod of the fan module  200  pushes against the pushing member  170 , to push the pushing member  170  inward in a movement direction D1, thereby driving the cover structure  150  to rotate and to be lifted to the open position, to improve the operation convenience of the device. 
     In some embodiments, the fan assembly  220  includes at least one fan  221 , and when the fan module  200  is sleeved on the portable electronic device  100 , the cover structure  150  is located at the open position. In this case, an air outlet  222  of the fan assembly  220  faces the heat dissipation component  130 , and the cover structure  150  extends between the air outlet  222  and the heat dissipation component  130 . Therefore, the cover structure  150  located at the open position also has a flow guiding effect. In addition, an air inlet  224  of the fan assembly  220  is located on a surface of the fan away from the rear surface of the portable electronic device  100 . With this configuration, when the fan module  200  is sleeved on the housing  110 , the cover structure  150  is opened for heat dissipation. In addition, the fan assembly  220  provides cooling airflow, and the cooling airflow is guided by the cover structure  150  to flow to the heat dissipation component  130 , to help the heat dissipation component  130  dissipate heat. 
     In some embodiments, the cover structure  150  further includes an arc-shaped guide plate  152 , so that cold air provided by the fan assembly  220  flows toward the heat dissipation component  130  under the guide of the arc-shaped guide plate  152 . In some embodiments, the heat dissipation component  130  further includes the arc-shaped flow guiding groove  132 , and the bracket  140  also includes the arc-shaped flow guiding surface  141  facing the heat dissipation component  130 , to define the arc-shaped flow channel with the arc-shaped flow guiding groove  132 , so that cold air flows into and out of the housing  110  along the arc-shaped flow channel. In addition, heat generated by the heat generating component  120  is less likely to be remained in the dead area (right angle) inside the housing  110 , thereby further improving the heat dissipation efficiency. 
     In some embodiments, the pivotal linkage rods  160  further include at least one elastic resetting member  168  (drawn as one) connected between the pushing member  170  and the bracket  140 , so that after the external force pushing the pushing member  170  disappears, the pivotal linkage rods  160  are pulled back to the close position shown in  FIG.  3    through an elastic resetting force of the elastic resetting member. In some embodiments, the elastic resetting member  168  is an extension spring. 
     Referring to  FIG.  6   , in some embodiments, the portable electronic device further includes a plurality of locking members  161  and a plurality of isolating members  163 . The plurality of locking members  161  is, for example, screws, which are respectively connected between the cover structure  150  and the pivotal linkage rods  160  and between the bracket  140  and the pivotal linkage rods  160 . The isolating members  163  are, for example, sleeved on the locking members  161  connected between the bracket  140  and the pivotal linkage rods  160 , to isolate the locking members  161  from the pivotal linkage rods  160 , and prevent the locking members  161  from loosening due to the repeated rotation of the pivotal linkage rods  160  and the friction. 
     In some embodiments, the locking members  161  are magnetic, for example, magnetic screws. In this embodiment, the portable electronic device  100  further correspondingly includes a magnetic field sensor, which is disposed on, for example, a circuit board, and is configured to determine the state of the cover structure  150  according to changes in the magnetic field of the locking members  161 . In this embodiment, the magnetic field sensor is, for example, a Hall sensor. Further, the portable electronic device  100  further includes a processor coupled to the magnetic field sensor. In this way, when the state of the cover structure  150  changes (for example, opens or closes), the locking members  161  move and rotate accordingly. Therefore, the magnetic field sensor senses changes in the magnetic field of the locking members  161  and transmits a sensing signal to the processor accordingly. The processor determines the state of the cover structure  150  accordingly. With this configuration, the processor determines whether the cover structure  150  is in an open or close state according to an angle by which the locking members  161  rotate, and even calculates any position of the cover structure  150  in an opening or closing stroke. Therefore, when the cover structure  150  is abnormally opened due to an impact, an improper product operation or other unexpected forces, the processor is aware through this mechanism and closes the cover structure  150 . In addition, this mechanism also controls the cover structure  150  to stay at any angle, to achieve application in a semi-open state. 
     Referring to  FIG.  7    to  FIG.  8   , in the following embodiments, reference numerals and some content of the foregoing embodiments are used, and same reference numerals are used to represent same or similar elements, and descriptions about same technical content are omitted. In this embodiment, the portable electronic device  100  further includes a motor  190 , which is disposed on the bracket  140  and coupled to at least one of the plurality of pivotal linkage rods  160  (for example, the pivotal linkage rod  164 ), to drive the plurality of pivotal linkage rods  160  to rotate between the close position shown in  FIG.  7    and the open position shown in  FIG.  8   . In an embodiment, the portable electronic device  100  further includes a driving gear  192  and a driven gear  167 , where the driving gear  192  is coupled to the motor  190 , and the driven gear  167  is coupled to one of the pivotal linkage rods  160  (for example, the pivotal linkage rod  164 ). In some embodiments, the driving gear  192  of the motor  190  matches the driven gear  167  of the pivotal linkage rods  160  in structure, to drive one of the pivotal linkage rods  160  (for example, the pivotal linkage rod  164 ) to rotate. With this configuration, the portable electronic device  100  drives the plurality of pivotal linkage rods  160  to rotate through the motor  190 , thereby driving the cover structure  150  to move between the close position shown in  FIG.  7    and the open position shown in  FIG.  8   . With this configuration, when the temperature sensor of the portable electronic device  100  senses that the temperature of the heat generating component  120  is higher than the warning temperature, a heat dissipation signal is transmitted to the processor. Accordingly, the processor starts the motor  190 , to drive the cover structure  150  to automatically change from the close position to the open position, to promote heat dissipation. 
     In another embodiment, the driving of the motor  190  may also cooperate with the foregoing fan module  200  to control the cover structure  150  to open and close. In an embodiment, the portable electronic device  100  includes a sensing component (for example, a magnetic field sensing component or a pressure/touch sensing component), which is configured to sense whether the fan module  200  is mounted on the portable electronic device  100  or not. When the sensing component senses that the fan module  200  is mounted on the portable electronic device  100 , a sensing signal is transmitted to the processor. Accordingly, the processor starts the motor  190 , to drive the cover structure  150  to automatically change from the close position to the open position, to promote heat dissipation. In this embodiment, the motor  190  is locked on the bracket  140  through a locking member  194 , and the bracket  140  together with the motor is locked in the housing  110  (for example, on the bottom plate in the housing  110 ) through the locking member  146 , to achieve modular assembly. In some embodiments, the driving gear  192  and the driven gear  167  respectively have corresponding teeth, to intermesh and drive each other to rotate. In another embodiment, the driving gear  192  and the driven gear  167  may alternatively be friction gears, to drive each other to rotate through the friction between the two. 
     As described above, the housing of the portable electronic device in the disclosure includes the heat dissipation opening and the cover structure. The heat dissipation opening is configured to expose at least part of the heat dissipation component in the housing, and jointly drive the cover structure to move via the plurality of pivotal linkage rods pivotally connected between the bracket and the cover structure, to cover or expose the heat dissipation opening. In addition, components such as the cover structure and the pivotal linkage rods are modularly assembled in the portable electronic device via the bracket. With this configuration, when the portable electronic device has a relatively high heat dissipation requirement, the cover structure is opened manually or automatically, to promote heat dissipation. Therefore, the portable electronic device has better heat dissipation efficiency, and the modular design simplifies complex assembly steps. In addition, the modular design enables the entire module to be tested (for example, operation test) before being assembled to the portable electronic device, to improve the product yield.