A new patent (number 20120057297) at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office show that Apple continues to work on ways to make its OS X and iOS devices run cooler. The patent involves heat dissipation in a computer device. More particularly, the invention relates to arrangements for protecting key components of the computing device.
Per the patent, the computing device includes a shock mount assembly that is configured to provide impact absorption to sensitive components such as a display and an optical disk drive. The computing device also includes an enclosureless optical disk drive that is housed by an enclosure and other structures of the computing device.
The computing device further includes a heat transfer system that removes heat from a heat producing element of the computing device. The heat transfer system is configured to thermally couple the heat producing element to a structural member of the computing device so as to sink heat through the structural member, which generally has a large surface area for dissipating the heat.
The inventors are Nick Merz, John DiFonzo, Stephen Zadesky and Michael Prichard.
Also, Apple has been granted a patent (number 20120055767) for a water-inhibiting slide switch. The electromechanical switches can include conductive components that are configured to change position relative to one another in response to a mechanical input. The electromechanical switch can include a distribution mechanism for replenishing a moisture inhibiting layer, such as an oleophobic material, on surface portions of conductive components within the switch.
During actuation of the electromechanical switch, the distribution mechanism can be configured to reapply the moisture inhibiting material to the surface portions of the conductive components to prevent damage resulting from moisture intrusion. Kyle Yeates and Teodor Dabov are the inventors.