Description

The present invention relates to a laptop case with built-in cooling system. In particular, the present invention relates to a case which ensures the safe storage and transportation of a laptop, while ensuring the laptop support and cooling functions when positioned on the upper side of the case.

The considerable growth in power of the processors used on portable computers (herein referred to as laptop), the considerable improvement of the battery power, as well as the availability of networks ensuring Internet access led to the possibility to use a laptop for much more extended periods of time, as compared to the possibilities existing only a few years ago.

Nevertheless, the intensive use of a laptop leads to the inevitable processor overheating, reason for which auxiliary cooling means were developed, in order to compensate for the relatively low cooling capacity of the fans mounted on such a computer.

Therefore, laptop stands provided with cooling fans are known in the art, which can be connected to the power mains or directly to the laptop.

Even though they are efficient in cooling the processor, these stands' disadvantage is their relatively high size, therefore, they are seldom used in a different location from the laptop owner's home.

Laptop cases with built-in cooling fans are also known in the art, which ensure the cooling function apart from the storage and transportation functions.

Examples are disclosed in the documents CN 202112492 U, US 2014029195 A1 , US 2010270188 A1 or CN 202311714 U.

These solutions' main disadvantage consists in the fact that the laptop can only be connected to the case's cooling system while placed inside the case, reason for which it is not comfortable, maybe even impossible, to use the laptop throughout all this time, depending on the case's lateral walls' height and/or depending on the case's material.

Moreover, by placing the laptop inside the case, even when the case cover is open, the cooling of the processor becomes difficult due to the low circulation of air currents.

The main objective of the present invention consists in providing a case that removes the disadvantages associated with the prior art mentioned above.

In particular, the present invention proposes to provide a case for the storage and transportation of a laptop and which additionally provides the efficient laptop cooling function when used leaned in a comfortable position, on the outer side of the case. This objective is reached with the help of a laptop case with built-in cooling system, comprising an upper half-shell and a lower half-shell articulated to one another on their posterior side, the front side comprising locking means, the upper half-shell being provided on its inner side with at least one fan for the ventilation and cooling of a laptop placed on the outer side of the upper half-shell, characterised in that the lower half-shell is provided on the inside, at the level of the front side, with at least one movable supporting clamp which cooperates with the upper half-shell and, together with the locking means, ensure a half-open position of the upper half-shell in relation to the lower half-shell, in which position the fan is operating so as to draw in the air from outside the case and to deliver it to the upper half-shell.

According to the solution above, the invention provides a stable, half-open position of the case, in order to ensure an optimum circulation of air currents for an efficient laptop cooling, providing at the same time an extremely comfortable inclined stand for laptop use.

Preferably, that at least one supporting clamp is swingably fitted with one of its ends to the lower half-shell, movable from one standby position in which the case is fully closed and one working position, in which it is swinged up vertically, in contact with a grid, defining the cooling fan, ensuring the half-open position of the upper half-shell in relation to the lower half-shell.

In a preferred embodiment, the supporting clamp is stressed using a spring, which ensures the clamp's stability in the working position. This provides additional stability to the laptop's supporting surface.

Advantageously, the cooling fan is powered by the laptop through an USB port located on the front side of the case.

In another preferred embodiment, the upper half-shell comprises an inner grid which protects that at least one fan, such inner grid comprising some venting elements.

Preferably, the venting elements are in the form of slits disposed in a "palm-tree" configuration, in different shapes and sizes, the slits being larger and longer as they are farther away from the centre of the inner grid.

In a preferred manner, the upper half-shell comprises a supporting component part consisting in a frame provided on the inside with reinforcing rails disposed perpendicularly and defining some spaces in which some protection components are installed, which are made of thin aluminium or steel mesh.

In another advantageous embodiment of the laptop case according to the present invention, the lower and the upper half-shells are made of a rigid material, such as aluminium or ABS.

Other objectives, preferred characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, which is illustrative, not limitative, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the air currents route in the half-open position of the case, according to the present invention;

- Figures 2a and 2b are two perspective views from above illustrating the case according to the present invention in the half-open position and in the closed position, respectively;

- Figures 3a-c are detailed views of the case's locking means according to the present invention;

- Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating the case according to the present invention in the half-open position and a laptop in use, positioned on the upper half-shell of the case;

- Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating the case according to the present invention in a wide-open position;

- Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the case according to the present invention.

Throughout the present description and the attached claims, the term "case" must be understood within its widest meaning, without limitation to the constructive shape shown in the drawings. Likewise, the term "laptop" is meant to cover any portable electronic device which needs cooling for its electronic components. Last, but not least, the term "fan" needs to be given the widest possible meaning, as it is a cooling means used commonly in the electronic equipment field.

With reference to the attached figures 1 and 6, the case according to the present invention intended for the storage and transportation of a laptop is also provided with a built-in cooling system, to allow the use of the case as an efficient stand for using the laptop in optimum conditions. The case comprises an upper half-shell 1b and a lower half-shell 1a articulated to one another on their posterior side through hinges 5, as it is typical in the art. On the front side, the case comprises locking means 3 which herein consist in a locking ring 3d mounted on the upper half-shell 1b, which, in the closed position of the case, works together with a stopper 3c fitted on the lower half-shell 1a, and in the half- open position of the case, it leans on the mentioned stopper 3c, in order to provide an increased stability of the case in the half-open position. As it can be seen clearer in the figures 3b-3c, the locking means 3 also comprise a stand 3a fitted on the upper half-shell 1b and a stand 3b fitted on the lower half-shell 1a. The locking system is secured by means of the lever 3e, in an intrinsically known manner, reason for which its detailed description is omitted herein.

In order to provide the laptop cooling function and as results from figures 1 and 6, the upper half-shell 1b is provided on the inner side with at least one fan 4 intended to ventilate and to cool a laptop placed on the outer side of the upper half-shell 1b. In accordance with an essential characteristic of this invention, the lower half-shell 1a is provided on the inside, on the frontal side, with at least one movable supporting clamp 2 which cooperates with the upper half-shell 1 and which together with the locking means 3 ensure a half-open position of the upper half-shell 1b in relation to the lower half-shell 1a. Thus, the cooling of the laptop is ensured by the operation of that at least one fan 4 (located inside the grid 6, see figures 1 and 6). In a preferred manner, the ventilation process only takes place in the half-open position of the case, so that the air currents can be drawn in from the outside to the inside in order to be oriented by the fan 4 towards the contact surface between the laptop and the case. The activation of the fan 4 in this half- open position of the case can be ensured through a plurality of means known in the field, such as a switch, sensor etc.

Therefore, the air currents' absorption is made by the fan 4 through the half-open side, and their evacuation is made through the upper side, which is in fact the surface on which the laptop is placed on the case, thus achieving a much more efficient cooling of the laptop in contrast to the solutions known in the art, at the same time ensuring a much more comfortable position for the use of the laptop.

Also with reference to the attached figure 1 , it can be noted that that at least one supporting clamp 2, made of a rigid material, such as plastic or metal, is swingably fitted with one of its ends to the lower half-shell 1a, movable from one standby position in which the case is fully closed and one working position, in which it is swinged up vertically, in contact with the inner grid 6 defining the cooling fan 4 or directly with the inner side of the upper half-shell 1b, ensuring the half-open position of the upper half- shell 1b in relation to the lower half-shell 1a. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments presented above in connection to the position of the supporting clamp 2. In more detail, this supporting clamp 2 can be leaned in a manner and with the help of any additional element in order to allow a stable open position of the case. Essential to the present invention is to provide an optimum circulation of the air currents towards that at least one fan 4, in order to allow the fan to efficiently cool the electronic equipment placed on the outer side of the upper half-shell 1b of the case, according to the present invention.

In a preferred and extremely simple manner, the supporting clamp 2 is stressed using a spring, which ensures the stability of the clamp 2 in the working position and, therefore, the optimum inclination of the laptop's supporting surface.

Preferably, the cooling fan 4 is powered by the laptop through an USB port located on the front side of the case. The USB port is placed in the front side of the case, where the locking means 3 and the safety clamp 2 are located, so that the power cable of the fan 4 does not negatively affect the user's electronic equipment placed on the case according to the present invention. For the safety of the transportation and for the adequate support of the laptop, the lower half-shell 1a and the upper half-shell 1 b are made of ABS or aluminium.

With reference to figure 6, it can be noted that the lower half-shell 1a comprises a protection mask 9 on the inside, also made of hard plastics (for example ABS), intended to reinforce the case in its entirety and to protect the laptop during transportation.

The upper half-shell 1b comprises and supporting component 7 made in the form of a framework provided oh the inside with reinforcing rails 8 (see also figures 2a, 2b). The reinforcing rails preferably disposed perpendicularly define four spaces in which the protection components 11 are installed, which are made of thin aluminium or steel mesh which provide protection against particles. Protection against particles is ensured by both sides, both when the laptop is in operation placed on the case as well as when it is stored on the inside, passively or during transportation

Referring to the inner grid 6 protecting that at least one fan 4, as results from figures 1 and 6, its geometry allows the efficient embedment of the fan 4 and its optimum operation at high rotation, which are necessary for an efficient cooling, also providing stability through the lack of vibrations. Likewise, by means of their aerodynamics, the venting elements 6a (see figure 6) provide, on one side, an adequate ventilation, while forming part of the reinforcing structure of the upper side of the case.

As it can be seen best in figure 6, the venting elements 6a are configured as slits resembling a "palm tree", with various sizes and shapes and provide better efficiency to the blades of the fan 4 at their ends (a better flow). Considering that the highest flow of the "air transportation" takes place at the tip of the blades of fan 4, it may be noted from figure 6 that the venting slits 6a located towards the exterior are larger and longer to ensure a more consistent flow. The„palm tree" shape chosen for the venting elements 6a also provides a higher resistance to the inner grid 6.

For an easier transportation of the case according to the present invention, the case is provided on its lateral sides with the tabs 10 intended to cooperate with a shoulder strap (not illustrated).

The thus-designed invention is subjected to numerous changes and versions, all of which enter within the purpose of the inventive design characterising the invention. Moreover, all the details can be replaced with technically equivalent details. In practice, any materials and sizes can be used, according to the requirement.