Abstract: A method for constructing heat transfer architectures for use in wearables or other small electronic devices using selective micro plating to quickly and precisely generate complex 3D microstructures, a heat transfer architecture, and electronic device with a heat transfer architecture includes creating capillary wick structures, wherein the capillary wick structures may vary in characteristics. An interface may be generated with a vessel wall to provide an optimal interface between the capillary wick structures and the vessel wall.

Abstract: An elongated heat pipe or vapor chamber is described. In examples, the heat pipe may include a tubular body comprising a hollow glass tube or fiber. The heat pipe may further include a wick within the tubular body and a working fluid within the tubular body. The wick may be made of glass, polymer, metal, etc. The wick may be an elongated cylinder disposed within the tubular body and, some cases, may be bonded to an inner floor of the tubular body. In examples, the wick may have an outer diameter substantially equal to an inner diameter of the tubular body. In examples, the wick may have a substantially cross-shaped cross section or may have a helical shape.

Abstract: A wearable device includes a housing having a cavity and a thermal interposer disposed within the cavity of the housing and thermally coupled to the housing to draw thermal energy from one or more electrical components of the wearable device and to transfer the thermal energy to the housing.

Abstract: An elongated heat pipe is described. In examples, the heat pipe may include a body comprising a polygonal-shaped cross-section and a RF compatible material, e.g., a ceramic, a polymer, glass, etc. The heat pipe may further include a working fluid disposed within the body.

Abstract: A method and system to conduct thermal energy between two hinged portions of an electric device. In examples, the method employs a thermal hinge system configured to transfer or spread thermal energy, and optionally electrical energy, through a mechanical articulation or hinge in an electronic device. A thermal hinge may include a thermally conductive living hinge, complementary and/or mating thermal interface components, or a combination of both.

Abstract: An electronic device includes an electronic component, a thermal ground, and a thermal interface material having a first side coupled to the electronic component and a second side coupled to the thermal ground, such that the thermal interface material draws thermal energy from the electronic component and transfers thermal energy to the thermal ground. The thermal interface material includes a body comprising thermally conductive silicone, the body disposed in thermal contact with the electrical component, and the thermally conductive silicone having a first thermal conductivity, and a plurality of thermally conductive fibers disposed within the body of the thermal interface material, the thermally conductive fibers having a second thermal conductivity greater than the first thermal conductivity.

Abstract: A thermoplastic interposer formed of ordered polymer sheets that may be configured to act as an interconnect and as a thermal energy spreader. In examples, the thermoplastic interposer may include one or more extensions or wings to further dissipate heat. In examples, laser direct structuring (LDS) may be used to form or more through silicon vias (TSVs) or through-chip vias. In examples, the ordered polymer sheets may be extruded via a roll-to-roll process, stacked, and processed to form a laminate interposer structure that makes up the interposer. In examples, the thermoplastic interposer may be used in multi-layer structures interconnecting two or more board assemblies such as printed circuit boards (PCB)s.

Abstract: An interposer equipped with a heat spreader and a multi-board system for an electronic device that includes an interposer equipped with a heat spreader between at least two boards. In examples, the interposer may include a heat spreader having an active portion and, optionally, a passive portion. In examples, the active portion may include a vapor chamber, heat pipe, or isothermal plate. In examples, the passive portion may thermally couple the active portion to a heat dissipation device such as a heat sink and/or an outer frame of the electronic device.

Abstract: A heat pipe comprises a first substrate and an evaporator portion comprising a plurality of raised features on a surface of the first substrate. The heat pipe also comprises a condenser portion including a coating of an organic compound on the surface of the first substrate, wherein the coating of the organic compound on the surface of the first substrate in the condenser portion has a carbon content in a range of 1% to 15%. The heat pipe further comprises a second substrate bonded to the first substrate and a working fluid between the first substrate and the second substrate.

Abstract: A multi-board system for an electronic device that includes an heat spreader between at least two boards. In examples, the multi-board system may include a stack-PCB architecture on one side of the heat spreader and one or more boards on an opposite side of the heat spreader from the stack-PCB. The heat spreader may comprise a vapor chamber and/or include a graphite layer or core to transfer heat along a length of the heat spreader.

Abstract: A polymer laminate includes a plurality of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene thin films, where each polyethylene thin film has an in-plane thermal conductivity of at least approximately 5 W/mK and an in-plane elastic modulus of at least approximately 20 GPa. The polymer laminate may be incorporated into an eyewear device and may be configured to disperse heat during operation thereof in a manner effective to improve the functionality and/or wearability of the device.

Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to sealing a heat pipe. One example provides a heat pipe including a heat pipe body having a sealed end at which opposing interior surfaces of the heat pipe body are joined, a sealant located in a least a portion of the sealed end of the heat pipe body between the opposing interior surface, the sealant having a higher oxygen transport rate than the heat pipe body, and a permanent seal forming an outer surface of the sealed end.

Abstract: A thermal system configured to mechanically bend and provide a thermal conduit to transfer heat through an electronic device, and an electronic device having a bent or curved profile or a mechanical articulation or coupler between a first location and a second location, and equipped with a thermal system configured to extend through or along the bent or curved profile or mechanical articulation or coupler of the electronic device and transfer heat from the first location of the electronic device to the second location of the electronic device

Abstract: A flexible thermal conduit includes a first material extending along an axial length of the thermal conduit, the first material having a first thermal conductivity, a second material encasing at least a portion of the first material, the second material having a second thermal conductivity that is less than the first thermal conductivity, and a thermally conductive silicone molded over at least a portion of the first material and the second material such that the thermally conductive silicone forms the first end and the second end of the thermal conduit. The thermal conduit may be used in electronic device, such as a wearable device, to transmit heat from a heat source (e.g., a processor) to a thermal ground (e.g., a housing).

Abstract: A vapor-chamber that includes a porous microstructure sheet with varying surface energy across different regions to optimize utilization of a working fluid. Modulating the surface energy of the porous microstructure sheet can minimize the amount of the working fluid that becomes trapped in the condenser region(s) and maximize an aggregate thin-film evaporation area of the working fluid in the evaporator region(s). The condenser region of the vapor-chamber is treated so that the internal surfaces have low surface energy. For example, the treatment may cause the condenser region to become hydrophobic to minimize the amount of fluid that becomes trapped in the condenser. The evaporator region is treated so that the internal surfaces have high surface energy. For example, the treatment may cause the evaporator region to become hydrophilic to induce the formation of large numbers of robust (e.g., dry-out resistant) thin-film evaporation sites.

Abstract: A vapor chamber includes an electromagnetic (EM) shielding layer. The vapor chamber is constructed from a structural base material that provides for a suitable size, strength, and/or weight for a specific application. The vapor chamber is treated at the region(s) to provide suitable EM shielding characteristics for the specific application. For example, an oxidation layer is removed from the region(s) to expose the structural base material while the vapor chamber is in an inert environment that prevents further oxidation. Then, while the vapor chamber remains within the same inert environment, a material having suitable electrical conductive properties is deposited onto the exposed structural base material to form an EM shielding layer at the region(s). When the vapor chamber is installed into an electronic device, the EM shielding layer may be electrically grounded so as to isolate one or more components within the electronic device from EM signal interference.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fit system for improving users' comfort with wearable articles, such as head-worn articles. The fit system includes a lattice of collapsible beams that can be constructed of elastomer foam located at the interface between the wearable article and a part of the user's body. The collapsible beam construction provides a non-linear relationship between the amount of force or pressure applied on the body part and the amount of compression of the foam.

Abstract: A formable structure comprises a first material having a first level of viscosity and a second material having a second level of viscosity, wherein the second material is formed to hold at least a portion of the first material in a particular position or a particular shape. The first material can be configured to function as a thermal interface between two or more hardware components. The second material can be configured to have a higher viscosity than the first material. In one illustrative example, the second material can include a light-activated resin that is configured to harden when exposed to one or more treatments. By the use of the first material and second material, the techniques disclosed herein are adaptable to gaps having a wide range of sizes, which is difficult to do with traditional thermal interface materials. The second material can also function as an EMI shield.

Abstract: A vapor-chamber that includes a porous microstructure sheet with varying surface energy across different regions to optimize utilization of a working fluid. Modulating the surface energy of the porous microstructure sheet can minimize the amount of the working fluid that becomes trapped in the condenser region(s) and maximize an aggregate thin-film evaporation area of the working fluid in the evaporator region(s). The condenser region of the vapor-chamber is treated so that the internal surfaces have low surface energy. For example, the treatment may cause the condenser region to become hydrophobic to minimize the amount of fluid that becomes trapped in the condenser. The evaporator region is treated so that the internal surfaces have high surface energy. For example, the treatment may cause the evaporator region to become hydrophilic to induce the formation of large numbers of robust (e.g., dry-out resistant) thin-film evaporation sites.

Abstract: A pad shape for a support assembly is optimized to provide universal fitting characteristics to Head-Mounted Display (HMD) devices. The pad shape enables a display of a single HMD device to be reliably aligned within multiple users' fields-of-view notwithstanding significant variations of shape and size between these users' heads. Optimal positioning of the display within the multiple users' fields-of-view may be achieved by positionally constraining the HMD device against a portion of the head that varies relatively slightly as compared to other portions of the head. The contact pad includes a curved region having a shape defined by a high order polynomial that corresponds to an empirically determined best fit surface. Empirically determining one or both of the best fit surface or the high order polynomial may include aligning a plurality of “forehead” point clouds that map the geometries of a sample set of users' foreheads.