Cooling facility for an electronic component

Abstract

Cooling facilities for an electronic component provide a cooling device that occupies a small volume, requires only a relatively low operating voltage, and operates in any orientation. The cooling facility consists of a body defining a coolant passage including an inlet and an outlet, a pumping chamber with a variable volume changeable from a greater volume to a lesser volume in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet, and a flow restriction facility in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet. The flow restriction facility provides limited flow resistance to coolant flow in a first direction from the inlet to the outlet and provides increased resistance to coolant flow in the opposite direction from the outlet to the inlet. Therefore, repeated reciprocation of the pumping chamber between a greater volume and a lesser volume generates a net fluid flow from the inlet to the outlet.

Description

CLAIM FOR PRIORITY[0001]The subject application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 957,153 entitled, APPARATUS FOR SMALL VOLUME SPOT COOLING APPLICATIONS, (Staley) filed on 21 Aug. 2007, and incorporated herein in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to a cooling facility for an electronic component for use in connection with moving a fluid such as water or air. The cooling facility for an electronic component has particular utility in connection with providing a cooling device that occupies a small volume, requires only a relatively low operating voltage, and operates in any orientation.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Cooling facilities for an electronic component are desirable for providing a cooling device that occupies a small volume, requires only a relatively low operating voltage, and operates in any orientation. Modern semiconductors tend to generate greater heat than ever when carrying out their respective...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]The present invention provides an improved cooling facility for an electronic component, and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide an improved cooling facility for an electronic component that has all the advantages of the prior art mentioned above.

[0009]To attain this, the preferred embodiment of the present invention essentially comprises a body defining a coolant passage including an inlet and an outlet, a pumping chamber with a variable volume changeable from a greater volume to a lesser volume in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet, and a flow restriction facility in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet.

Problems solved by technology

Failure to properly cool such electrical components can result in component malfunction, requiring thousands of dollars to be spent in their replacement and / or repair.

Unfortunately, these devices become less practical and less common as their physical size requirements are decreased to the order of 100 mm3 (cubic millimeters).

However, as the electrical components to be cooled become smaller and smaller, or as the volume of the enclosure surrounding the electrical components to be cooled decreases, one finds that off-the-shelf cooling devices become unsuitable for use because of their relatively large size.

Prior art diaphragm pumps have not heretofore been used to pump fluids for cooling applications or to pump gases.

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