PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10642327-B1
Application Number: US-201816049682-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B1

Title: Electronic devices with cooling systems

Abstract:
An electronic device may be provided with a housing surrounding an interior portion of the electronic device. The housing may have one or more layers of material such as fabric layers, polymer layers, and metal layers. An outer fabric layer may have openings between adjacent strands of material such as openings between adjacent warp and weft strands. An inner housing layer such as a layer of plastic or metal may have openings that define airflow entrance and exit ports. The outer fabric layer may overlap the openings of the airflow entrance and exit ports. A fan may draw cooling air into the interior through the airflow entrance port and may expel air through the airflow exit port. An airflow controller in the interior may be controlled by control circuitry based on measurements from temperature sensors. The airflow controller may steer airflow to cool appropriate electronic components in the interior.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device having an interior, comprising:
 a housing having an outer layer of fabric and having an inner layer of material with an opening, wherein the inner layer of material faces the interior of the electronic device, the outer layer of fabric comprises a first region that has a first number of strands per unit area and a second region that has a second number of strands per unit area that is less than the first number of strands per unit area, and the outer layer of fabric covers the inner layer; 
 electrical components in the interior that generate heat; and 
 a fan that creates airflow along an airflow path that passes through the second region of the outer layer of fabric, through the opening, and across the electrical components. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the electronic device has opposing front and rear faces and wherein the electronic device further comprises:
 a display on the front face that is coupled to the housing; 
 a metal ring-shaped housing structure on the rear face that surrounds the outer layer of fabric; and 
 a stand coupled to the housing. 
 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  further comprising:
 an airflow controller; and 
 control circuitry that is configured to adjust the airflow controller to steer the airflow. 
 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 3  wherein the airflow controller includes a positioner and a member that is positioned by the positioner to steer the airflow. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 3  wherein the airflow controller is configured to selectively stretch a portion of the outer layer of fabric in response to signals from the control circuitry to increase the airflow through the outer layer of fabric. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 5  wherein the airflow controller includes a shape memory alloy structure. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 3  wherein the airflow controller includes a positioner configured to adjust the opening in response to signals from the control circuitry. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 3  further comprising a temperature sensor, wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust the airflow controller based on a temperature measurement from the temperature sensor. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the electronic device has opposing front and rear faces and wherein the electronic device further comprises a display on the front face that is coupled to the housing. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 9  further comprising a stand that is coupled to the housing on the rear face and that is configured to support the housing. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the outer layer of fabric comprises woven fabric. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the inner layer of material has an additional opening covered by the outer layer of fabric, wherein the opening in the inner layer of material is configured to form an airflow entrance port and wherein the additional opening is configured to form an airflow exit port, and wherein the fan is configured to create the airflow into the interior of the electronic device through the airflow entrance port and out of the interior through the airflow exit port. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the housing has first and second portions joined by hinge structures. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device defined in claim  13  wherein the outer layer of fabric is coupled to the first portion and wherein the electronic device further comprises a display coupled to the second portion. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the inner layer of material comprises a layer of material selected from the group consisting of: a polymer layer and a metal layer and wherein the inner layer of material has an array of openings including the opening and wherein the outer layer of fabric covers the array of openings and is configured to form an airflow exit port. 
     
     
       16. A computer having an interior and an exterior and having opposing front and rear faces, the computer comprising:
 a housing having a fabric layer and a metal portion that each form portions of the rear face that are exposed to the exterior of the computer; 
 electrical components in the interior of the computer; 
 a fan that creates airflow through the fabric layer that cools the electrical components; and 
 a display on the front face that is coupled to the housing. 
 
     
     
       17. The computer defined in  claim 16  wherein the housing is on the rear face and wherein the computer further comprises a stand that is coupled to the housing and that is configured to support the housing. 
     
     
       18. The computer defined in  claim 17  further comprising:
 a housing layer in the housing that has a first opening that forms an airflow entrance port for the airflow and that has a second opening that forms an airflow exit port for the airflow. 
 
     
     
       19. The computer defined in  claim 18  wherein the fabric layer overlaps the airflow entrance port and the airflow exit port. 
     
     
       20. The computer defined in  claim 16  wherein the fabric layer comprises woven fabric having warp and weft strands separated by gaps for the airflow. 
     
     
       21. An electronic device, comprising:
 a layer of fabric having a first region and a second region that each have openings between adjacent warp strands and between adjacent weft strands, wherein the openings in the first region are blocked; 
 electrical components including a display, an alternating-current-to-direct-current power converter configured to power the display, integrated circuits, and sensors; and 
 a fan that creates a cooling airflow that passes through the openings and that cools the electrical components. 
 
     
     
       22. The electronic device defined in  claim 21  further comprising a housing structure with an array of openings, wherein the layer of fabric overlaps the array. 
     
     
       23. The electronic device defined in  claim 22  wherein the sensors include a temperature sensor and wherein the electronic device further comprises:
 control circuitry configured to gather a temperature measurement from the temperature sensor; and 
 an airflow controller configured to steer the cooling airflow in response to a control signal from the control circuitry that is generated based on the temperature measurement. 
 
     
     
       24. The electronic device defined in  claim 21  further comprising a metal mesh though which the cooling airflow passes, wherein the metal mesh is configured to form electromagnetic shielding for radio-frequency signals. 
     
     
       25. The electronic device defined in  claim 21  further comprising a heat-spreading mesh though which the cooling airflow passes. 
     
     
       26. The electronic device defined in  claim 21  further comprising a metal support structure mesh configured to support the layer of fabric in a desired shape. 
     
     
       27. The electronic device defined in  claim 21 , wherein the openings in the first region are blocked with polymer filler.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 62/545,395, filed Aug. 14, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This relates generally to electronic devices, and, more particularly, to electronic devices with cooling. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Electronic devices may contain processing circuitry, displays, and other components that generate heat. Some devices contain cooling systems to help remove excess heat. For example, a cooling system with a fan may be used to create airflow that cools hot components. 
     The use of a cooling system to remove heat from an electronic device can pose challenges. If care is not taken, cooling vents and other structures that are used to accommodate a cooling system may be unsightly or may exhibit unsatisfactory cooling performance. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device such as a computer or other device may have an interior. Electronic components in the interior may generate heat. A fan may create cooling airflow through the device to cool the electrical components. 
     The electronic device may have a housing. A display and other components may be mounted in the housing. The housing may have one or more layers of material such as fabric layers, polymer layers, and metal layers. An outer layer of fabric may have openings between adjacent strands of material such as openings between adjacent warp and weft strands. An inner housing layer such as a layer of plastic or metal may have perforations, slots, or other openings that define airflow entrance and exit ports. The outer fabric layer may overlap the openings of the airflow entrance and exit ports. 
     During operation, a fan may draw cooling air into the interior through the airflow entrance port and may expel air through the airflow exit port. An airflow controller in the interior may be controlled by control circuitry. For example, an airflow controller may be controlled by control circuitry based on temperature information that the control circuitry gathers from temperature sensor circuitry. The airflow controller may be used to steer airflow within the housing of the electronic device to cool selected electronic components in the interior. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative device with a cooling system in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a laptop computer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device with a cooling system and a display in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic device with a cooling system in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic device such as a laptop computer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic device such as a computer or other device with a display and a cooling system in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a rear view of the illustrative electronic device of  FIG. 7  in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative fabric layer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a top view of an illustrative fabric layer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a top view of an illustrative housing layer with an array of openings in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a top view of an illustrative housing layer have a slot-shaped opening in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative electronic device housing having multiple layers in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative electronic device housing in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative electronic device having areas with different resistances to airflow in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative adjustable airflow controller with an adjustable flap in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 17  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative adjustable airflow controller in which a layer such as a fabric layer is selectively stretched in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 18  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative adjustable airflow controller with an adjustable housing opening in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices may contain components such as integrated circuits, displays, power supplies, and other circuits that generate heat. To remove the heat from an electronic device, the electronic device may be provided with a cooling system. The cooling system may include one or more fans that create airflow that helps remove excess heat from the electronic device. 
     An illustrative electronic device of the type that may be provided with a cooling system is shown in  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , electronic device  10  may have control circuitry  32 . Control circuitry  32  may include storage and processing circuitry for supporting the operation of device  10 . The storage and processing circuitry may include storage such as hard disk drive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form a solid state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Processing circuitry in control circuitry  32  may be used to control the operation of device  10 . The processing circuitry may be based on one or more integrated circuits such as microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, baseband processors, power management units, audio chips, application specific integrated circuits, etc. 
     Input-output circuitry in device  10  such as input-output devices  34  may be used to allow data to be supplied to device  10  and to allow data to be provided from device  10  to external devices. Input-output devices  34  may include buttons, joysticks, scrolling wheels, touch pads, key pads, keyboards, microphones, speakers, tone generators, vibrators, cameras, light-emitting diodes and other status indicators, data ports, etc. Input-output devices  34  may also include sensors  36 . Sensors  36  may include touch sensors, force sensors, temperature sensors, gas pressure sensors, ambient light sensors, humidity sensors, capacitive proximity sensors, light-based proximity sensors, and/or other sensors. A user can control the operation of device  10  by supplying commands through input-output devices  34  and may receive status information and other output from device  10  using the output resources of input-output devices  34 . Input-output devices  34  may also be used to make environmental measurements such as light and temperature measurements. For example, input-output devices may make external temperature measurements on the temperature of the environment in which device  10  is operating, internal temperature measurements such as internal air temperature measurements, and/or internal component temperature measurements. 
     Input-output devices  34  may include one or more displays such as display  14 . Display  14  may be a liquid crystal display, an organic light-emitting diode display, an electrophoretic display, or any other suitable type of display. Display  14  may be a touch screen display that includes a touch sensor for gathering touch input from a user or display  14  may be insensitive to touch. A touch sensor for display  14  may be based on an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes, acoustic touch sensor structures, resistive touch components, force-based touch sensor structures, a light-based touch sensor, or other suitable touch sensor arrangements. 
     Device  10  may receive power from an internal power source such as battery  44  and/or from an external power source such as power source  46 . Power source  46  may be an alternating-current (AC) power source such as a mains power supply. Alternating-current power from power source  46  may be converted to direct-current (DC) power by power converter circuitry such as alternating-current-to-direct-current power converter  42 . Power converter  42  may supply direct-current power to battery  44  to charge battery  44  and may supply power to a display and other circuitry in device  10 . 
     Cooling system  30  may include heat sinks, water circulation systems, heat pipes, electronic cooling components such as Peltier effect devices, fans for creating airflow into and out of device  10 , airflow adjustment devices (e.g., adjustable airflow controllers that steer airflow in desired directions and/or which reduce or increase airflow resistance through cooling system  30 ), and/or may include other cooling system components. 
     Control circuitry  32  may be used to run software on device  10  such as operating system code and applications. During operation of device  10 , control circuitry  32  may receive input from devices  34  and may provide output using devices  34 . For example, software running on control circuitry  32  may display images on display  14 . Control circuitry  32  may also control cooling system  30  (e.g., a airflow controller configured to steer airflow separately from one or more fans in system  30 , etc.). 
     Control circuitry  32  may include communications circuitry for supporting wired and/or wireless communications with external equipment  40  over communication links such as link  38 . Link  38  may be a wireless link such as a Bluetooth® link, a WiFi® link, or other wireless local area network link and/or may be a cellular telephone link or other longer-range wireless link. Power and/or data may be conveyed wirelessly to and/or from device  10 . Equipment  40  may a peer device (e.g., a device such as device  10 ), an accessory (e.g., headphones, a keyboard, a mouse, trackpad or other pointing device, speakers, etc.) and/or may be equipment that is controlled by device  10  (e.g., audio-visual equipment, etc.). 
       FIG. 2  shows how electronic device  10  may have the shape of a laptop computer having upper housing  12 A and lower housing  12 B with components such as keyboard  16  and touchpad  18 . Device  10  may have hinge structures  20  that allow upper housing  12 A to rotate in directions  22  about rotational axis  24  relative to lower housing  12 B. Display  14  may be mounted in upper housing  12 A. Upper housing  12 A, which may sometimes referred to as a display housing or lid, may be placed in a closed position by rotating upper housing  12 A towards lower housing  12 B about rotational axis  24 . 
       FIG. 3  shows how electronic device  10  may be a set-top box, desktop device, gaming unit, countertop digital assistant (e.g., a voice-controlled device), or other device. In this type of configuration for device  10 , housing  12  may be a box-shaped housing with faces such as illustrative front face  12 F on which input-output devices  34  may be located. 
       FIG. 4  shows how electronic device  10  may be a computer display or a computer that has been integrated into a computer display. With this type of arrangement, housing  12  for device  10  may be mounted on a support structure such as stand  28  or stand  28  may be omitted (e.g., to mount device  10  on a wall). Display  14  may be mounted on a front face of housing  12 . Stand  28  may be connected to the center of housing  12  on an opposing rear face of device  10  (e.g., by a fixed attachment structure, a hinge, etc.). 
     The illustrative configurations for device  10  that are shown in  FIGS. 2, 3, and 4  are merely illustrative. In general, electronic device  10  may be a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, a wristwatch device, a television, a computer monitor containing an embedded computer, a computer display that does not contain an embedded computer, a gaming device, a set-top box, a voice-controlled digital assistant with a speaker, a navigation device, an embedded system such as a system in which electronic equipment with a display is mounted in a kiosk or automobile, equipment that implements the functionality of two or more of these devices, or other electronic equipment. 
     Housing  12  of device  10 , which may sometimes be referred to as a case or enclosure, may be formed of materials such as polymer, glass, ceramics, fabric, metal (e.g., machined aluminum, stainless steel, or other metals), other materials, or a combination of these materials. One or more layers of material may be used in forming housing  12 . For example, an outer layer may be formed from fabric or other material and an inner layer may be formed from polymer or metal or other material (as examples). Housing  12  or an inner housing layer that is covered by fabric may be formed using a unibody construction in which most or all of the housing or an inner housing portion is formed from a single structural element (e.g., a piece of machined metal or a piece of molded plastic) or may be formed from multiple housing structures (e.g., outer housing structures that have been mounted to internal frame elements or other internal housing structures). 
     The components of device  10  may generate heat during operation. For example, power converter  42  and power system circuitry associated with battery  44  may generate heat. Heat may be generated by integrated circuits associated with a graphics processing unit, microprocessor, and/or other storage and processing circuitry in control circuitry  32 . Display  14  and other input-output devices  34  may also generate heat. To prevent excess heat build-up in the interior of housing  12 , cooling system  30  may be used to cool device  10  by causing cool ambient air to flow over hot components (e.g., integrated circuits, heat sink structures on integrated circuits and/or other heat-producing circuitry, etc.). 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of a device such as device  10  of  FIG. 3 . As shown by illustrative airflow path  50  in  FIG. 5 , cooling system  30  may be used to draw cool ambient air into device  10  through portion  12 FA of housing  12  (e.g., an airflow entrance port). After being heated by internal components in the interior of housing  12 , corresponding heated air may be expelled through portion  12 FB (e.g., an airflow exit port) by cooling system  30 . In general, air entrance ports and exit ports may be formed in any suitable portions of housing  12  that are exposed to the environment surrounding device  10  (e.g., in housing walls on front, rear, side faces, and/or other faces of device  10 , on cylindrical sidewall housing surfaces, on planar housing wall surfaces, etc.). 
     In the example of  FIG. 6 , device  10  is a laptop computer of the type shown in  FIG. 2 . Airflow entrance port  12 FA and airflow exit port  12 FB are formed in portions of the rear housing wall of lower housing  12 B, adjacent to hinge structures  20 . 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of an electronic device such as device  10  of  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , display  14  may be mounted in housing  12  on the front face of device  10 . Stand  28  ( FIG. 4 ) may be coupled to housing  12  on an opposing rear face of device  10 . Internal components  52  (e.g., the circuitry of device  10  shown in  FIG. 1 ) may be mounted on substrates such as substrate  54 . Substrate  54  may be a printed circuit such as a rigid printed circuit board or a flexible printed circuit formed from a sheet of polyimide or other flexible polymer substrate layer. Portion  12 X of housing  12  may be formed from metal or may be formed form other suitable materials (polymer, fabric, etc.). Portion  12 X may form a rectangular ring-shaped member that extends around the periphery of device  10  when viewed from the rear of device  10 . Remaining portions of housing  12  (e.g., central portion  12 C) may be formed from one or more layers and may have one or more regions that allow air to pass. As an example, portion  12 C of housing  12  may be formed from fabric, metal and/or plastic with perforations and/or other openings, and/or other suitable materials. 
     The materials that make up housing  12  may be configured to form ports that allow air to pass into and out of device  10 , as shown by illustrative airflow path  50 . As an example, housing  12  may having airflow openings that are configured to form airflow entrance port(s)  12 FA (e.g., air cooling entrance ports) and/or airflow exit port(s)  12 FB (e.g., air cooling exit ports). Air cooling ports may be formed in upper and lower portions of housing  12  of  FIG. 7  and/or in other suitable portions of housing  12 . Cooling system  30  may be used to force ambient air to flow along cooling path  50 , along optional cooling paths  50 ′, and/or other suitable airflow paths. Cooling system  30  may include components such as fan(s)  30 A (sometimes referred to as blowers) and heat-sink fins  30 B or other heatsink structures. Heat-sink structures such as fins  30 B and/or other heat-dissipating structures in device  10  may have portions that are mounted to components  52  (e.g., using thermal compound, using heat pipes, etc.) and may be overlapped by fabric or other materials in housing  12  (e.g., fabric with openings forming an airflow port and/or other fabric, metal mesh with airflow port openings, etc.). 
       FIG. 8  is a rear view of housing  12  of  FIG. 7  showing illustrative airflow port locations  12 ′ and an illustrative cooling system location  30 ′. The components of cooling system  30  may overlap some or all of location  30 ′. Airflow entrance and exit ports may overlap some or all of regions  12 ′. Configurations in which airflow entrance and/or exit ports overlap some of area  30  and/or in which cooling system  30  has components that overlap some of area  12 ′ may also be used. 
     In some configurations, portions of housing  12  including portions of housing  12  that overlap airflow entrance and exit ports may be formed from materials that exhibit low resistance to airflow. These materials may include, for example, open cell foam, wired or plastic mesh (e.g., wire mesh or other metal mesh, mesh formed from polymer, mesh formed from metal and polymer, woven fabric or other fabric, and/or layers with perforations and/or other openings such as perforated structures formed form metal, polymer, glass, etc.). 
     With one illustrative configuration, one or more portions of housing  12  (e.g., an outer housing wall layer, etc.) may be formed form fabric. The fabric may be sufficiently porous to allow air to flow into and out of the interior of housing  12 . At the same time, the fabric may have an attractive appearance and may cover potentially unsightly interior structures from view (e.g., potentially unsightly openings in metal and/or polymer housing layers may be hidden from view in the airflow entrance and exit ports of device  10  by overlapping one or more fabric layers with the airflow entrance and exit ports). Fabric may be black, may be white, may be gray, may have non-neutral colors (red, green, blue, etc.) and/or may have other suitable patterned and/or solid colors. 
     A cross-sectional side view of illustrative fabric  56  for forming housing  12  is shown in  FIG. 9 . Fabric  56  may be formed from yarns and/or monofilaments that are intertwined using any suitable intertwining equipment (e.g., knitting equipment for forming knit fabric, braiding equipment for forming braided fabric, etc.). For example, fabric  56  may be woven fabric formed using a weaving machine. Woven fabric may have a plain weave, a basket weave, a satin weave, a twill weave, or variations of these weaves, may be a three-dimensional woven fabric, or may be other suitable fabric. As shown in  FIG. 9 , fabric  56  may be formed from strands of material such as warp strands  60  and weft strands  62 . Strands  60  and  62  may be formed form monofilaments and/or multifilament yarns of polymer, metal, polymer coated with metal and/or optional additional layers (e.g., a polymer outer insulating layer), may be natural materials such as cotton, and/or may be other suitable strands of material. In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 9 , fabric  56  has a single layer of woven yarns. Multi-layer fabric constructions may be used for fabric  56  if desired. 
     A top view of fabric  56  of  FIG. 9  is shown in  FIG. 10 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , openings  64  may be formed by gaps between warp strands  60  and weft strands  62 . Openings  64  may overlap airflow ports and may allow air to flow for cooling device  10 . The size of openings  64  can be adjusted by adjusting the thickness of strands  60  and  62  (e.g., to enlarge openings  64  by selecting smaller diameter strands or to reduce openings  64  by selecting larger diameter strands), by adjusting the density of strands in fabric  56  (e.g., by adjusting weaving and/or other intertwining techniques to produce a fabric with more or fewer strands per unit area), and/or by locally and/or globally adjusting the thickness (e.g., the number of layers) in fabric  56 . 
     Openings may also be formed in other layers of material of housing  12 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , for example, circular openings  66  may be formed in housing layer  68  (e.g., a polymer layer, a metal layer, a fabric layer, etc.).  FIG. 12  shows how slot-shaped openings  70  may be formed in housing layer  68 . If desired, openings may be rectangular, diamond shape, hexagonal, etc. Housing layer  68  may be the only layer of material used in forming walls for housing  12  or may overlap one or more inner layers and/or one or more outer layers of material that form walls for housing  12 . As an example, a housing layer such as layer  68  of  FIG. 11  may serve as an interior housing structure that is overlapped by an outer cosmetic layer such as fabric  56  of  FIG. 10 . As another example, a housing layer such as layer  68  of  FIG. 11  may be used in forming housing  12  or may be an outer cosmetic layer in a wall of housing  12  that covers internal housing structures. 
     Openings  66  of  FIG. 11 , openings  70  of  FIG. 12 , and/or other openings in housing  12  may be formed by laser drilling, machining, waterjet cutting, die-cutting, punching, sawing, cutting with a blade or other cutting tool, and/or other hole formation techniques. Openings in the walls of housing  12  may have lateral dimensions (e.g., diameters when the openings are circular, lengths and widths when the openings are rectangular, etc.) that are at least 10 microns, at least 100 microns, at least 1 mm, at least 10 mm, at least 100 mm, at least 1 m, less than 2 m, less than 200 mm, less than 20 mm, less than 2 mm, less than 200 microns, less than 20 microns, or other suitable size. The thickness of the walls of housing  12  may be at least 1 micron, at least 10 microns, at least 100 microns, at least 1 mm, less than 5 mm, less than 500 microns, less than 200 microns, or other suitable thickness. Configurations in which arrays of openings are formed may result in one or more regions of mesh in the walls of housing  12 . This mesh may be used in forming a Faraday cage (e.g., electromagnetic shielding for radio-frequency signals), may be used in forming a heat spreading layer (e.g., a metal mesh heat spreader, etc.), may be porous to allow materials to flow through the mesh, may be used as a support structure (e.g., a structure that helps hold softer material in a desired shape), and/or may be used in forming other structures in the interior and/or exterior of device  10 . In some arrangements, mesh structures (e.g., heat exchange metal meshes, metal fins (e.g., heat sink fins), hexagonal flow channels (e.g., metal channels), and/or other metal structures in device  10  may be used as heat dissipating structures (e.g., heat sinks, heat spreading layers, etc.), and/or other structures that control the flow of heat in device  10 . During operation, these heat dissipating structures may become hot. A fabric outer layer (see, e.g.,  FIG. 9 ) that covers the heat dissipating structures may be used in preventing a user from inadvertently directly touching such hot heat dissipating structures. 
     Housing wall openings (see, e.g., openings  66  of  FIG. 11  and/or opening  70  of  FIG. 12 ) may be formed in arrays (e.g., the array of rows and columns of openings  66  shown in  FIG. 11 ), may be formed in larger groups (e.g., a set of at least 10, at least 100, fewer than 1000, or other suitable number of openings), and/or may be formed in isolation or in smaller groups (e.g., a single opening or a few openings may be used in forming an air entrance port, a single opening or a few openings may be used in forming an air exit port, etc.). Fabric openings such as openings  64  of  FIG. 10  may be arranged to overlap openings in other housing wall layers (e.g., layers of polymer or metal or other material with openings  66  and/or  70 , etc.). Fabric openings such as openings  64  (e.g., openings formed by separations between adjacent strands) may have any suitable lateral dimensions such as lateral dimensions that are at least 10 microns, at least 100 microns, at least 1 mm, at least 10 mm, at least 100 mm, at least 1 m, less than 2 m, less than 200 mm, less than 20 mm, less than 2 mm, less than 200 microns, less than 20 microns, or other suitable size. 
       FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative housing wall with multiple layers of material. In the example of  FIG. 13 , housing  12  has outer fabric layer  56  (with one or more sublayers) and inner layer (e.g., a layer of polymer, a layer of metal, one or more layers such as these, etc.). Layer  56  may have openings  64  that overlap openings  72  in layer  68  (e.g., rectangular openings or circular openings such as openings  66  of  FIG. 11 , elongated openings such as elongated openings  70  of  FIG. 12 , and/or other openings). As indicated by airflow path  50 , air may flow through housing  12  between exterior region  74  and interior region  76  (e.g., cooling air may flow into interior  76  from exterior  74  when opening(s)  72  form part of an entrance port  12 FA and heated air may flow out of interior  76  to exterior  74  when opening(s)  72  form part of an exit port  12 FB). The area of entrance port  12 FA and the area of exit port  12 FB may be relatively large (many square cm) without becoming unsightly and may therefore allow the air flow along airflow path  50  to have a relatively low velocity, resulting in quiet operation for device  10 . 
     Additional structures may be used in forming housing  12  of  FIG. 13  if desired (e.g., one or more additional inner layers, outer layers covering portions of fabric layer  56 , etc.). The example of  FIG. 13  is illustrative.  FIG. 14  shows how housing  12  may have a curved housing wall (e.g., a housing wall with compound curvature, a housing wall with convex and/or concave regions, a housing wall with a combination of planar and non-planar portions, etc.). 
     In addition to or instead of forming ports  12 FA and  12 FB from openings in housing layer  68 , the sizes and/or shapes of fabric openings such as openings  64  that are formed from gaps between adjacent warp strands and between adjacent weft strands and/or other fabric openings may be locally varied. As an example, portions of fabric  56  such as portions  56 HR of  FIG. 15  may have smaller openings  64  and may therefore have a relatively high resistance to airflow (e.g., portions  56 HR may block airflow) and other portions such as portions  56 LR may have larger openings  64  and may therefore having a relatively lower resistance to airflow so that air may flow along airflow path  50  through portions  56 LR. Fabric layers such as illustrative fabric layer  56  that have different regions with corresponding different resistances to airflow may be formed by varying the diameters of the warp and weft strands in the fabric at different regions across the fabric and/or by varying the size of openings  64  (e.g., by varying the density of strands per area in fabric  56 ). Openings  64  may also be selectively blocked by filling some or all of these openings in a given area with polymer binder (e.g., a liquid polymer that fills openings  64  and that is cured after filling openings  64 ). 
       FIG. 16  shows how cooling system  30  may have a dynamically adjustable portion such as adjustable flap  30 C and an electrically controllable positioner (e.g., a flap positioner). Flap  30 C and the positioner may serve as an airflow controller that steers airflow in device  10 . Control circuitry  32  may use the airflow controller to place flap  30 C in a first position such as position  80  to route airflow along path  50 - 1  across components  52 - 1  before passing through fan(s)  30 A or a second position such as position  82  to route airflow along alternative path  50 - 2  across components  52 - 2  before passing through fan(s)  30 A. Components  52 - 1  may be, as an example, graphics processing unit integrated circuits that generate large amounts of heat during video playback. The positioner may be an electromagnetic actuator (e.g., a servomotor, a solenoid, etc.) or any other electrically controlled component that adjusts the position of flap  30 C. When video is being played back or when the measured temperature of components  52 - 1  from a temperature sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold and/or is higher than the measured temperature of components  52 - 2 , control circuitry  32  may direct the positioner to place flap  30 C in position  80 , so that graphics processing unit components  52 - 1  are provided with enhanced cooling. When video is not being played or when temperature measurements indicate that cooling for components  52 - 2  is needed, control circuitry  32  may direct the positioner to place flap  30 C in position  82  to cool components  52 - 2 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 17 , control circuitry  32  issues control signals (e.g., ohmic heating currents) to shape memory wire  84  in shape memory wire actuator  86 . When the applied current is low, wire  84  is cool (e.g., at room temperature) and fabric  56  of housing  12  is in its normal planar state, as shown by planar fabric position  88 . In this planar state, openings  64  in fabric  56  may have a first size (e.g., openings  64  may be smaller). When control circuitry  32  desires to enhance cooling by lowering the resistance of a portion of housing  12  to airflow, control circuitry  32  may apply a high current to wire  84 . This causes wire  84  to deform and thereby stretch fabric  56  into a deformed non-planar state, as shown by bulged fabric position  90 . In the stretched state, openings  64  in fabric  56  may have a second size (e.g., openings  64  may be larger). Configurations in which openings  64  shrink in size upon stretching fabric  56  along a given dimension may also be used. The use of shape memory wire actuator  86  as an electrically controllable airflow controller may therefore allow control circuitry  32  to adjust airflow through a portion of fabric layer  56  in housing  12 . 
       FIG. 18  shows how positioners  92  may be used to move portions of inner housing layer  68 , thereby adjusting the size of opening  72 . Fabric  56  may have a relatively low resistance to airflow  50  (e.g., where fabric  56  overlaps opening  72 ). Positioners  92  (e.g., electromagnetic actuators) may be used in moving portions  68 - 1  and  68 - 2  of layer  68  outwardly in directions  94  to increase dimension DM of opening  72  and thereby expand opening  72  or inwardly in directions  96  to decrease dimension DM and thereby contract opening  72 . By increasing or decreasing the size of opening such as opening  72  using an airflow controller formed from positioners  92  and associated portions of housing  68 , the resistance of a port in housing  12  (e.g., an air inflow port or exit port) to airflow may be dynamically adjusted (e.g., to dynamically alter airflow path  50  and thereby actively steer air to a hot component, as described in connection with  FIG. 16 ). 
     Airflow adjustments to steer airflow using airflow controllers in device  10  may be made in addition to or instead of adjusting the amount of air that is flowing by changing the speed of fan(s)  30 A. If desired, airflow controller adjustments may be made by control circuitry  32  in response to temperature measurements made with one or more sensors  34  such as one or more temperature sensors. As an example, a first set of integrated circuits or other components  54  may have a first temperature sensor and a second set of integrated circuits or other components  54  may have a second temperature sensor. Control circuitry  32  can dynamically adjust an airflow controller in device  10  based on temperature measurements from the first and/or second temperature sensors. If, as an example, a first temperature measurement from the first temperature sensor is larger than a second temperature measurement from the second temperature sensor, control circuitry  32  can direct an airflow controller in device  10  to increase airflow past the first set of integrated circuits to enhance cooling for the first set of integrated circuits. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20180730
Publication Date: 20200505
Grant Date: 20200505
Priority Date: 20170814
Inventors: SILVANTO, MIKAEL M.
KOSOGLOW, RICHARD D.
NARAJOWSKI, DAVID H.
ANDRE, BART K.
DEGNER, BRETT W.
DE IULIIS, DANIELE G.
FARAHANI, HOUTAN R.
PRATHER, ERIC R.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H05K9/0054", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K7/20145", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/206", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K7/20209", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K7/20972", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K7/20972", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K7/20209", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/206", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K7/20145", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K9/0054", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/203", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K7/20972", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K7/20209", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 70461493