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Flexible and conformable polymer-based heat sinks and methods of making and using thereof

a polymer-based heat sink and flexible technology, applied in the direction of lighting and heating apparatus, electrical apparatus construction details, semiconductor/solid-state device details, etc., can solve the problems of poor thermal transfer uniformity, gap pads can suffer from varying degrees of thermal conductivity, and heat sink assemblies suffer. , to achieve the effect of reducing unwanted antenna effects and preventing overheating of the devi

Inactive Publication Date: 2021-03-04
CARBICE CORP
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes heat sinks that can be used to reduce temperature differences between heat generating devices and the ambient. The heat sinks are flexible and conformable, with some versions including additional layers to provide stability or other functions. They can be attached to hot pipes or other heat sources for improved heat transfer. The heat sinks can also be used to reduce unwanted antenna effects and to conform to complex or volume-constrained devices. They can be placed inside EMI shielding enclosures without the need for additional gap pads. The heat sinks can form part of a larger flexible structure to protect devices and prevent overheating.

Problems solved by technology

Heat sink assemblies, however, suffer from several disadvantages when employing a rigid heat sink.
They typically require the use of gap pads or gap fillers between the heat sink and the heat-generating device which result in poor thermal transfer uniformity, particularly where the group of devices to be cooled have a great degree of variance of height.
Gap pads can suffer from varying degrees of thermal conductivity because the thermal conductivity through the thickness of gap pad is proportional to the amount of compression of the pad.
In general, use of a gap pad can result in non-uniform thermal transfer causing overall inferior thermal conductivity.
The inclusion of such additives and fillers can have detrimental effects on the mechanical properties of plastic-based heat sinks, such as rendering them brittle and unattractive in appearance to the consumer.

Method used

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  • Flexible and conformable polymer-based heat sinks and methods of making and using thereof
  • Flexible and conformable polymer-based heat sinks and methods of making and using thereof
  • Flexible and conformable polymer-based heat sinks and methods of making and using thereof

Examples

Experimental program
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Effect test

example 1

n of Plastic and Aluminum Heat Sinks

[0232]Materials and Methods

[0233]A 2″ by 2″ nylon heat sink having polymeric protrusions of 0.25″ in height and having a volume of 1 in2, a weight of 7.80 g with either a 1 mm copper foil or 65 micron aluminum foil with polymer encapsulated carbon nanotube (CNT) array was compared to a 1.6″ by 1.5″ aluminum heat sink having fins of 0.75″ in height. The plastic heat sink and aluminum heat sink were compared under various configurations for integration including as a heat spreader; a plain heat sink.

[0234]Heat sinks described above were tested according to JESD51-14 standard using a TO-247 diode as a heat source under natural convection conditions.

[0235]Results

[0236]The plastic heat sink demonstrated comparable performance to the aluminum heat sink that had significantly larger overall volume and weight. Table 1 below lists the measured absolute thermal resistance of the heat sinks tested.

TABLE 1Heat transfer PropertiesR[K / W]30 psi60 psicontactconta...

example 2

n of Plastic and Aluminum Heat Sinks

[0238]Materials and Methods

[0239]A flexible plastic heat sink (as described in Example 1) and an aluminum heat sink (as described in Example 1) were tested on a 1″×1″ film heater. The flexible plastic heat sink and aluminum heat sinks were each tested separately when attached to a film heater with a TS65-2S and 3M 8805 commercial adhesive, respectively.

[0240]10 V (1 W) was applied to the film heater for 10 minutes and temperature was recorded for each material tested every 30 seconds.

[0241]Results

[0242]The flexible plastic heat sink demonstrated improved performance to the aluminum heat sink. Table 2 below lists the measured absolute thermal resistance of the heat sinks tested. FIG. 10 shows the temperature (y-axis) as a function of time (x-axis) of the flexible plastic heat sink, aluminum heat sink, and bare heater.

TABLE 2Heat transfer PropertiesR[K / W]Aluminum7.1Heat SinkFlexible Plastic11.1Heat Sink

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Abstract

Heat sinks containing polymeric protrusions on a base and optionally further including a foil or tape, as well as methods of making and using thereof, are described herein.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention is in the field of polymer-based heat sinks and methods of making and using thereof.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Heat sinks are used to conduct thermal energy away from a heat-generating devices, such as computer chips. Heat sinks typically include aluminum or other metal extrusions as a common form of heat sink. These extrusions have a rigid base and extended surface area fins. Other versions of metal heat sinks are used and can include flexible copper foils in various shapes, which optionally may have electrically insulating coatings on one or both major surfaces.[0003]Heat sink assemblies, however, suffer from several disadvantages when employing a rigid heat sink. They typically require the use of gap pads or gap fillers between the heat sink and the heat-generating device which result in poor thermal transfer uniformity, particularly where the group of devices to be cooled have a great degree of variance of height. Gap pads can suf...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): F28F21/06H02S40/42H05K7/20H01L23/373
CPCF28F21/065H02S40/42H05K9/0007H01L23/3737F28F21/067H05K7/20409Y02E10/50F28F2275/025
Inventor COLA, BARATUNDEGREEN, CRAIG
Owner CARBICE CORP