Conformal heat sink

Abstract

In one embodiment, a heat sink of the invention includes a corrugated plate and a deformable membrane, attached to each other at the periphery to define an enclosed volume. The membrane has a metal foil layer, due to which it can be deformed to conform to a complicated surface geometry of the electronic module to be cooled. To mate the heat sink with the module, air pressure is applied to the enclosed volume through a fitting to force the membrane into close contact with heat generating components of the module. When the air supply is disconnected, the membrane retains its shape due to the malleability of the foil layer. The enclosed volume is then filled with an appropriate heat-conducting fluid, which may optionally be circulated to facilitate heat removal from the module.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to cooling heat-generating electronic devices. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] Many electronic devices and / or components generate heat during operation. Unless heat is removed to maintain a device within the appropriate operating temperature range, the speed, power, and useful lifespan of the device may be adversely affected. The problem of heat removal is often exacerbated when the device is mounted on a thermally non-conductive substrate, such as an epoxy-composite printed circuit board (PCB). In a typical electronic module, electronic devices are densely packed on a PCB resulting in a complicated surface topology of varying heights, shapes, and profiles. [0005]FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional perspective view of an electronic module 100 having attached three prior-art heat sinks 110a-c. More specifically, module 100 includes a plurality of electronic devices, e.g., in...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007] Problems in the prior art are addressed, in accordance with the principles of the present invention, by a conformal heat sink. In one embodiment, a heat sink of the invention includes a corrugated plate and a deformable membrane, attached to each other at the periphery to define an enclosed volume. The membrane has a metal foil layer, due to which it can be deformed to conform to a complicated surface geometry of the electronic module to be cooled.

Problems solved by technology

Unless heat is removed to maintain a device within the appropriate operating temperature range, the speed, power, and useful lifespan of the device may be adversely affected.

The problem of heat removal is often exacerbated when the device is mounted on a thermally non-conductive substrate, such as an epoxy-composite printed circuit board (PCB).

In a typical electronic module, electronic devices are densely packed on a PCB resulting in a complicated surface topology of varying heights, shapes, and profiles.

One problem with heat sinks similar to heat sink 110 is that it is tedious and expensive to design, fabricate, and install individual heat sinks for different individual heat-generating devices or groups of such devices, which are typically diverse in placement and shape.

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