Patent Publication Number: US-2022240412-A1

Title: Cooled wireless mobile device charger

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/142,052, titled “Cooled Wireless Mobile Device Charger,” filed on Jan. 27, 2021, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Mobile devices may enter a protective operating mode in response to one or more adverse conditions. For example, if the mobile device is exposed to sunlight and/or heat for an extended period of time, the mobile device may reduce screen brightness and/or function at a reduced level of computing power to avoid overheating. However, this may negatively affect a user&#39;s experience, especially in instances where such adverse conditions are likely to be encountered with greater frequency, as may be the case when engaging in various outdoor activities or engaging in powersports. 
     It is with respect to these and other general considerations that embodiments have been described. Also, although relatively specific problems have been discussed, it should be understood that the embodiments should not be limited to solving the specific problems identified in the background. 
     SUMMARY 
     Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a cooled wireless mobile device charger. As an example, a cooling enclosure is provided, comprising a cooling surface. The cooling enclosure may shield a mobile device therein from direct sunlight or other adverse conditions, thereby reducing the heat exposure of the device. The cooling surface may comprise a thermoelectric cooling element or any of a variety of other cooling means. Additionally, the cooling surface may be angled about a lateral axis to enable a user to more easily view at least a part of the mobile device (e.g., in a landscape or portrait orientation) while the device is in the cooling enclosure. In some instances, a detachable visor is provided that further shields the mobile device from sunlight. As another example, the visor may retract within the cooling enclosure. 
     This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Non-limiting and non-exhaustive examples are described with reference to the following Figures. 
         FIG. 1A  illustrates a front perspective view of a cooling enclosure according to aspects described herein. 
         FIG. 1B  illustrates a side view of a cooling enclosure according to aspects described herein. 
         FIG. 1C  illustrates a bottom side view of a cooling enclosure according to aspects described herein. 
         FIG. 1D  illustrates a schematic view of a cooling surface for a cooling enclosure according to aspects described herein. 
         FIG. 2A  illustrates a top perspective view of a cooling enclosure according to aspects described herein. 
         FIG. 2B  illustrates a front top view of a cooling enclosure according to aspects described herein. 
         FIG. 3A  illustrates a bottom front view of a cooling enclosure according to aspects described herein. 
         FIGS. 3B and 3C  illustrate alternative design examples for a cooling enclosure according to aspects described herein. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates alternative design examples for cooling enclosures according to aspects described herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following detailed description, references are made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustrations specific embodiments or examples. These aspects may be combined, other aspects may be utilized, and structural changes may be made without departing from the present disclosure. Embodiments may be practiced as methods, systems or devices. The following detailed description is therefore not to be taken in a limiting sense. 
     In examples, a mobile device may have a protective operating mode used in response to one or more adverse conditions. Example mobile devices include, but are not limited to, cellular telephones, tablet computing devices, or portable media players. A mobile device may determine its current temperature is above a safe operating temperature, such that screen brightness may be reduced or a reduced level of computing power may be used in order to decrease heat produced by the device until the device temperature returns to a safe operating range. Heat generation by the device may exacerbate such adverse conditions, as may be the case when the mobile device is charging (e.g., thereby causing a battery to generate heat) or when the mobile device is used for navigation (e.g., thereby causing the screen and/or processor to generate heat). 
     Accordingly, aspects of the present disclosure relate to a cooled wireless mobile device charger. As an example, a cooling enclosure is provided, comprising a cooling surface. The cooling enclosure may shield or otherwise protect the mobile device from direct sunlight, thereby reducing the heat exposure of the device. While examples are described herein with respect to shielding a mobile device from sunlight, it will be appreciated that the instant aspects may similarly shield the mobile device from any of a variety of other heat sources or other adverse conditions. Additionally, the cooling surface may be angled about a lateral axis to enable a user to more easily view at least a part of the mobile device (e.g., in a landscape or portrait orientation) while the device is in the cooling enclosure. In some instances, a detachable visor is provided that further shields the mobile device from sunlight. As another example, the visor may retract within the cooling enclosure. 
     The cooling surface may comprise a wireless charger implementing any of a variety of wireless power transfer technologies, such as the QI wireless power transfer standard defined by the Wireless Power Consortium or the MAGSAFE wireless power transfer connector by Apple Inc. It will be appreciated that, in other examples, the cooling surface need not include a wireless charger. For example, the cooling enclosure may alternatively or additionally comprise a universal serial bus (USB) port (or, as another example, a power receptacle) to which the mobile device may be electrically connected for charging. Thus, when the mobile device is placed on the cooling surface, the mobile device may be shielded from the sun by the cooling enclosure and may further be charged and/or cooled by the cooling surface. It will be appreciated that a cooling surface need not be restricted for use with a single mobile device. For example, multiple mobile devices and/or associated accessories may be placed within and/or charged by a cooling enclosure according to aspects of the present disclosure. In such instances, the cooling surface may comprise multiple wireless chargers and/or charging ports, each of which may implement different technologies in some examples. 
     The cooling surface may be cooled using any of a variety of cooling means, including, but not limited to, a thermoelectric cooling element (e.g., a Peltier device) having a cold side coupled to the cooling surface and a warm side coupled to a heatsink. In some instances, the heatsink may comprise fins that are cooled using a fan or using forced air. As another example, the cooling surface may be directly coupled to a heatsink that is cooled using ambient temperature or cooled air (e.g., as may be provided from an air conditioning system of a vehicle). As a further example, the cooling surface may comprise one or more vents through which ambient or cooled air may flow. In some instances, multiple means may be used, for example depending on the temperature differential between the ambient air temperature and the temperature of the mobile device. It will be appreciated that such cooling techniques may also cool one or more wireless chargers of the cooling enclosure, thereby dissipating heat that may be generated by such wireless charging technologies. 
     The cooling enclosure may be a standalone enclosure or may be embedded in a dashboard, instrument cluster, or console of a vehicle, among other examples. Example vehicles include, but are not limited to, utility vehicles and recreational vehicles. For example, a utility vehicle may be a low-speed vehicle (e.g., a golf cart), a lawn mower, or a fleet vehicle. As another example, a recreational vehicle may be an all-terrain vehicle (ATV), a side-by-side (SxS) vehicle, a utility vehicle, a motorcycle, a slingshot (SLG), a snowmobile, or watercraft. 
       FIG. 1A  illustrates a front perspective view of a cooling enclosure  100  according to aspects described herein. As illustrated, cooling enclosure  100  is embedded into surface  112 . As described above, surface  112  may be part of dashboard, instrument cluster, wall, or console of a vehicle, among other examples. Cooling enclosure  100  comprises air scoop  104  through which airflow  108  is directed. For example, airflow  108  may be pulled through air scoop  104  by a fan (not pictured) beneath cooling surface  106 . Mobile device  102  is illustrated as having been placed within enclosure  100  and is resting on cooling surface  106 . As illustrated, cooling surface  106  comprises a set of vents through which airflow  108  may pass, thereby cooling mobile device  102 . Cooling surface  106  is angled in such a way that mobile device  102  is visible within cooling enclosure  100  and is retained within cooling enclosure  100  by front wall  118 . 
     Cooling enclosure  100  is further illustrated as comprising wireless charger  110 , which charges mobile device  102 . In some instances, cooling enclosure  100  further comprises a temperature sensor (not pictured) usable to determine the surface temperature of mobile device  102  and/or the temperature of wireless charger  110 . The temperature sensor may thus be used to control whether mobile device  102  is charging or the rate at which mobile device  102  is charging, as well as the rate and/or type of cooling that is applied to mobile device  102  using cooling surface  106 . As another example, a thermoelectric cooling element or other cooling devices may be activated when it is detected that a mobile device has been placed within cooling enclosure  110  (e.g., as may be determined when wireless charger  110  begins charging mobile device  102 , based on a temperature increase, etc.). 
       FIG. 1B  illustrates a side view of cooling enclosure  100  according to aspects described herein. Certain aspects of  FIG. 1B  are similar to those discussed above with respect to  FIG. 1A  and are therefore not necessarily re-described below in detail. As illustrated, airflow  108  passes through air scoop  104  into cooling chamber  109  and ultimately through cooling surface  106  to cool a mobile device disposed thereon. 
     In examples, cooling enclosure  100  further comprises visor  116 . Visor  116  may be detachably coupled to the top  114  of cooling enclosure  100 , for example using a set of magnets. As another example, visor  116  may retract within cooling enclosure  100 . In some instances, visor  116  may be user-positionable, such that a user may adjust the angle and, as a result, the associated sun protection offered by visor  116 . It will be appreciated that visor  116  need not be restricted to horizontal orientations and, in some examples, may additionally or alternatively positioned along a vertical axis of cooling enclosure  100 . For example, visor  116  may be detachably coupled to a front side of cooling enclosure  100 . In other examples, multiple such visors may be used. 
     It will be appreciated that while air scoop  104  is illustrated at the front of cooling enclosure  100  and, thus, pulling airflow  108  from the front of the enclosure, any of a variety of other configurations may be used in other examples. For example, air scoop  104  may instead be positioned at the rear of cooling enclosure  100  and may be configured to draw or otherwise receive air from a vehicle air conditioning system. 
       FIG. 1C  illustrates a bottom side view of cooling enclosure  100  according to aspects described herein. Certain aspects of  FIG. 1C  are similar to those discussed above with respect to  FIGS. 1A-1B  and are therefore not necessarily re-described below in detail. As illustrated, thermoelectric cooling element  122  is coupled to the bottom  120  of cooling surface  106 . For example, a cool side of thermoelectric cooling element  122  may be coupled to bottom  120 , while heatsink  124  may be coupled to the warm side of thermoelectric cooling element  122 , thereby dissipating the heat generated by thermoelectric cooling element  122  when operating to cool cooling surface  106 . Fan  126  is coupled to heatsink  124  and is provided to further dissipate such heat. Thermoelectric cooling element  122 , heatsink  124 , and fan  126  may be disposed in cooling chamber  109  of cooling enclosure  100 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1B . In some instances, fan  126  may be omitted, such that heatsink  124  is passively cooled or is cooled by airflow  108 , as described above. 
       FIG. 1D  illustrates a schematic view  130  of cooling surface  106  for cooling enclosure  100  according to aspects described herein. As illustrated, cooling surface  106  comprises thermoelectric cooling elements  122 A and  122 B, as well as wireless charger  110 . In some instances, thermoelectric cooling elements  122 A and  122 B may absorb at least a part of a magnetic field generated by wireless charger  110 , such that the effectiveness of wireless charger  110  is negatively impacted. Thus, thermoelectric cooling elements  122 A and  122 B may be positioned in a manner that does not substantially affect the performance of wireless charger  110  while still providing cooling to mobile device  102  (and, in some examples, wireless charger  110 ). In other examples, wireless charger  110  may be positioned between thermoelectric cooling element  122 A and/or  122 B and cooling surface  106 , such that wireless charger  110  is cooled in addition to mobile device  102 . 
     Wireless charger  110  and thermoelectric cooling elements  122 A and  122 B are illustrated using dashed lines to indicate that, in some examples, such aspects are disposed beneath cooling surface  106 . For example, at least a part of cooling surface  106  may be made of a material with improved thermal conductivity, such that heat from mobile device  102  is drawn through cooling surface  106  to thermoelectric cooling elements  122 A and  122 B accordingly. In some instances, wireless charger  110 , thermoelectric cooling element  122 A, and/or thermoelectric cooling element  122 B may instead be embedded within cooling surface  106 , such that mobile device  102  comes into contact with such aspects when placed within cooling enclosure  100 . For example, wireless charger  110  may be embedded within cooling surface  106 , such that the location of wireless charger  110  is evident to a user, thereby enabling the user to correctly position mobile device  102  within charging enclosure  100  for wireless charging accordingly. 
     It will be appreciated that the configuration of wireless charger  110  and thermoelectric cooling elements  122 A and  122 B is provided as an example and that, in other instances, a different configuration may be used. For example, the configuration illustrated in schematic  130  may be favorable for landscape placement of mobile device  102 . In other instances, thermoelectric cooling elements  122 A and  122 B may be positioned differently (e.g., to facilitate improved performance for a portrait orientation) or, as another example, additional thermoelectric cooling elements may be used. Additionally, the associated relative size, shape, and dimensions may be different in other examples and thermoelectric cooling elements and wireless chargers of the same size and/or shape need not be used. Similarly, it will be appreciated that any number of thermoelectric cooling elements and chargers may be used. 
       FIG. 2A  illustrates a top perspective view of cooling enclosure  200  according to aspects described herein.  FIG. 2B  illustrates a front top view of cooling enclosure  200  according to aspects described herein. Cooling enclosure  200  may be a standalone example of a cooling enclosure or, as another example, may be installed or otherwise embedded into a surface, as discussed above with respect to cooling enclosure  100  in  FIGS. 1A-1D . As illustrated, mobile device  202  may be placed inside cooling enclosure  200 , such that visor  208  protects mobile device  202  from sunlight. Side walls  212  and  214  offer further protection from sunlight depending on the orientation of cooling enclosure  200  with respect to the sun (or any of a variety of other heat sources). As shown in  FIG. 2B , cooling surface  204  positions mobile device  202  at an angle, such that it is visible while within cooling enclosure  200 , thereby enabling continued use by a user. Mobile device  202  is retained within cooling enclosure  200  by front wall  206 . 
     Cooling chamber  210  is behind cooling surface  204 , as illustrated by the dashed triangle in  FIG. 2A . In examples, cooling chamber  210  comprises one or more thermoelectric cooling elements, heatsinks, fans, and/or wireless chargers, as discussed above with respect to  FIGS. 1A-1D . For example, cooling surface  204  may have an arrangement of thermoelectric coolers and a wireless charger similar to the arrangement shown in  FIG. 1D . As an alternative to or in addition to a wireless charger, cooling enclosure  200  may comprise a charging port to enable mobile device  202  to be electrically connected to cooling enclosure  200  for charging. 
       FIG. 3A  illustrates a bottom front view of another cooling enclosure  300  according to aspects described herein. As illustrated, cooling enclosure  300  includes cooling surface  302 , which comprises a set of vents through which air may flow to cool a mobile device placed thereon. The mobile device may be charged by wireless charger  312  according to aspects described herein. A mobile device may be retained on cooling surface  302  by front wall  304 . As illustrated, front wall  304  comprises a series of holes, thereby further enabling airflow around the mobile device to facilitate cooling. 
     It will be appreciated that the vents of cooling surface  302  and the holes of front wall  304  are provided as examples and, in other examples, any of a variety of other sizes, configurations, and/or patterns may be used. The top  308  of cooling enclosure  300  may be configured to receive a removable visor, such as visor  116  discussed above with respect to  FIG. 1B . As illustrated, cooling enclosure  300  is embedded into surface  310 , such that cooling surface  302  is recessed within surface  310 , thereby enabling convenient and protected storage and charging of a mobile device. As described above, surface  310  may be part of dashboard, instrument cluster, or console of a vehicle, among other examples. 
       FIGS. 3B and 3C  illustrate alternative design examples for cooling enclosure  300  according to aspects described herein. As shown in  FIG. 3B  front wall  304  may be substantially parallel to surface  310 , which may offer greater protection for a mobile device placed within cooling enclosure  300 , potentially with reduced visibility. By contrast,  FIG. 3C  illustrates an example in which front wall  304  gradually angles away from surface  310  along the vertical axis, such that a mobile device placed on cooling surface  302  has greater visibility from outside cooling enclosure  300 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates alternative design examples  400  for cooling enclosures according to aspects described herein. Thus, it will be appreciated that a cooling enclosure according to aspects described herein may have any of a variety of appearances or, in some instances, may have interchangeable faceplates, such that the appearance of the cooling enclosure may be adapted to the environment in which it is embedded. For instances, faceplates  402 ,  404 , and  414  each comprise a depression in the center of the front wall, thereby enabling easier access to a mobile device placed therein. As another example, front plates  406 ,  408 ,  410 , and  412  each have different-shaped openings through which to view a mobile device placed on the cooling surface, as may be the case with cooling enclosures designed for different devices (e.g., according to size, type, or aspect ratio). 
     In other examples, a cooling enclosure may be partitioned, such that each partition is configured to charge and/or cool a mobile device separate from one or more other mobile devices placed within the cooling enclosure. For example, an interior wall may extend along the vertical axis of the cooling enclosure or, as another example, the cooling surface may have one or more protrusions that cause mobile devices therein to remain separated. 
     The description and illustration of one or more aspects provided in this application are not intended to limit or restrict the scope of the disclosure as claimed in any way. The aspects, examples, and details provided in this application are considered sufficient to convey possession and enable others to make and use the best mode of claimed disclosure. The claimed disclosure should not be construed as being limited to any aspect, example, or detail provided in this application. Regardless of whether shown and described in combination or separately, the various features (both structural and methodological) are intended to be selectively included or omitted to produce an embodiment with a particular set of features. Having been provided with the description and illustration of the present application, one skilled in the art may envision variations, modifications, and alternate aspects falling within the spirit of the broader aspects of the general inventive concept embodied in this application that do not depart from the broader scope of the claimed disclosure.