An adjustable heat-conductive gel flow property detection device

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of thermally conductive gel testing technology, and more particularly to an adjustable thermally conductive gel flow characteristic testing device, comprising a base plate, an angle adjustment mechanism and a testing plate on the base plate, one end of the testing plate being rotatably connected to one end of the base plate via a rotating shaft, and the angle adjustment mechanism being disposed between the base plate and the testing plate. This invention achieves rapid "plug-in" replacement of the test surface by setting slots and pluggable surface simulation sheets. Operators can replace the surface simulation sheets within seconds without tools. Each surface simulation sheet has preset material and roughness parameters for its test surface, ensuring the consistency and repeatability of the surface state between different tests. Automatic quantitative feeding of the thermally conductive gel is achieved through a precision screw pump, and the amount of gel injected for each test can be precisely set and reproduced by the control module, overcoming problems such as inconsistent sample volume and uneven sample distribution caused by manual pouring.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of thermally conductive gel testing technology, and in particular to an adjustable thermally conductive gel flow characteristic testing device. Background Technology

[0002] Thermal conductive gel, as a high-performance thermal interface material, is widely used in the heat dissipation management of electronic devices such as automotive transformers, power batteries, and communication equipment.

[0003] Thermally conductive gels, filling the tiny gaps between heat-generating elements and heat sinks, can significantly reduce contact thermal resistance and improve heat transfer efficiency. The flowability of the thermally conductive gel is a key indicator of its processing performance. Poor flowability prevents the gel from fully filling the gaps, affecting thermal conductivity; excessive flowability may cause the gel to sag under gravity, impacting device reliability. Therefore, accurate and comprehensive testing of the flowability of thermally conductive gels is of great importance.

[0004] Under current conditions, a flowability testing device for thermally conductive adhesives used in automotive transformers, disclosed in announcement number CN224081423U, is commonly used. This device includes a base plate and a test plate. The test plate is rotatably connected to the base plate via a rotating shaft, and the angle is adjusted by an adjusting rod and a knob. Two sets of buffer sections and flow sections are opened on the top of the test plate, which can simultaneously compare and test two types of adhesives. This device can achieve flowability testing at different angles, but it has the following shortcomings: (1) Angle adjustment depends on manual operation, which is inefficient; (2) The surface material of the flow section needs to be replaced manually, which is cumbersome and makes it difficult to ensure the consistency of the surface state after each replacement; (3) The thermally conductive adhesive needs to be poured manually, and the sample amount for each test is difficult to control precisely, affecting the repeatability and comparability of the test results.

[0005] Under current conditions, a testing device and method for adhesive flowability, such as the one disclosed in CN117110141B, are commonly used. This device includes a feeding structure for quantitatively supplying the adhesive. Although this device achieves quantitative feeding, the coordination between its feeding structure and flow testing structure is relatively complex, and it does not solve the problems of rapid replacement and standardization of the test surface.

[0006] Under current conditions, a performance testing device for the production of thermally conductive gel, as disclosed in CN120314150B, is commonly used. This device increases the roughness of the inner wall of a cylinder by setting up a test mesh, and different specifications of test mesh can be replaced. However, in this solution, replacing the test mesh still requires disassembly and reassembly, and the test mesh can only change the roughness; it cannot conveniently switch between different material surfaces for comparative testing within the same device.

[0007] The existing technology lacks a comprehensive thermal conductive gel flowability testing device that can simultaneously achieve (1) rapid standardized replacement of test surface material and roughness, (2) automatic quantitative feeding of thermal conductive gel, and (3) multi-angle automatic adjustment. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to solve the problem that existing detection devices cannot simultaneously achieve rapid standardized replacement of test surfaces, automatic quantitative feeding, and automatic angle adjustment, and proposes an adjustable thermal conductive gel flow characteristic detection device.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: An adjustable thermally conductive gel flow property testing device includes a base plate, characterized in that the base plate is provided with an angle adjustment mechanism and a testing plate; One end of the detection plate is rotatably connected to one end of the base plate via a rotating shaft. The angle adjustment mechanism is disposed between the base plate and the detection plate and is used to drive the detection plate to rotate relative to the base plate and lock it at a preset angle. The top of the detection plate is provided with at least one set of flow grooves, which extend along the length of the detection plate; The bottom wall of the flow tank is provided with a slot, and a surface simulation sheet is detachably disposed in the slot. The top surface of the surface simulation sheet constitutes a test surface, and the test surface has a preset material and a preset surface roughness. The detection plate is also equipped with an automatic feeding mechanism, which includes a barrel, a precision screw pump, and a dispensing needle. The barrel is used to contain the thermally conductive gel to be tested. The inlet of the precision screw pump is connected to the outlet of the barrel, and the outlet of the precision screw pump is connected to the dispensing needle. The dispensing needle is located directly above the upstream end of the flow channel and is used to quantitatively release the thermally conductive gel to the upstream end of the test surface.

[0010] Preferably, the slot is a recessed rectangular slot, the bottom of the slot is provided with a positioning protrusion and a magnetic adsorption element, and the bottom surface of the surface simulation sheet is provided with a positioning groove that matches the positioning protrusion and a magnetic element that cooperates with the magnetic adsorption element.

[0011] Preferably, the slot is provided with an elastic sealing ring around its periphery, and when the surface simulation piece is inserted into the slot, the elastic sealing ring elastically abuts against the peripheral sidewall of the surface simulation piece.

[0012] Preferably, the test surface of the surface simulation sheet is provided with a surface layer of any material selected from copper, aluminum, FR4 copper clad laminate, ceramic, and stainless steel.

[0013] Preferably, the surface roughness Ra of the test surface of the surface simulation sheet is any one of 0.4μm, 0.8μm, 1.6μm, 3.2μm or 6.3μm.

[0014] Preferably, the sidewall of the surface simulation sheet is provided with an identification area, which is used to record the material information and roughness parameter information of the test surface.

[0015] Preferably, two sets of flow channels are arranged side by side on the top of the detection plate, and the bottom wall of each set of flow channels is provided with the slot and the surface simulation plate.

[0016] Preferably, the angle adjustment mechanism includes a support base fixedly mounted on the top of the base plate, a lead screw rotatably mounted on the support base, a lead screw nut threadedly engaged with the lead screw, and a drive motor for driving the lead screw to rotate. The lead screw nut is hinged to the bottom of the detection plate, and the drive motor is fixedly mounted on the support base.

[0017] Preferably, the angle adjustment mechanism further includes a tilt sensor disposed on the detection plate and a control module electrically connected to the tilt sensor and the drive motor. The control module controls the operation of the drive motor according to the tilt signal fed back by the tilt sensor, so as to adjust the detection plate to a preset angle.

[0018] Preferably, the automatic feeding mechanism further includes a metering module disposed between the dispensing needle and the precision screw pump, the metering module being used to monitor the amount of thermally conductive gel output by the precision screw pump.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: 1. This invention enables quick "plug-in" replacement of test surfaces by setting slots and pluggable surface simulation pieces. Operators can replace surface simulation pieces in seconds without tools. Each surface simulation piece has preset material and roughness parameters, ensuring the consistency and repeatability of surface conditions between different tests.

[0020] 2. This invention achieves automatic quantitative feeding of thermal conductive gel through a precision screw pump. The amount of gel injected for each test can be precisely set and reproduced by the control module, overcoming the problems of inconsistent sample volume and uneven sample distribution caused by manual pouring.

[0021] 3. This invention integrates three major functions—automatic angle adjustment, rapid replacement of surface simulation sheets, and automatic quantitative feeding—into a single device. This allows for comprehensive testing of the flowability of thermally conductive gels under different angles, surface materials, and surface roughness conditions within the same testing process, thereby improving testing efficiency and expanding the scope of testing.

[0022] 4. The surface simulation sheet replacement of the present invention does not require tools, automatic feeding does not require manual intervention, and angle adjustment can be completed automatically through the control module. The entire testing process can achieve semi-automatic or even fully automated operation, reducing the workload of operators and helping to improve the test throughput. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an adjustable thermally conductive gel flow characteristic detection device proposed in this invention; Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the detection plate of an adjustable thermally conductive gel flow property detection device proposed in this invention. Figure 3 This is a rear view of an adjustable thermally conductive gel flow characteristic detection device proposed in this invention. Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the automatic feeding mechanism of an adjustable thermally conductive gel flow characteristic detection device proposed in this invention. Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of an adjustable thermally conductive gel flow characteristic detection device proposed in this invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the flow tank of an adjustable thermally conductive gel flow characteristic detection device proposed in this invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a surface simulation sheet.

[0024] In the diagram: 1. Base plate; 11. Support base; 2. Detection plate; 21. Rotating shaft; 22. Flow groove; 221. Buffer groove; 23. Slot; 231. Positioning protrusion; 232. Magnetic adsorption element; 233. Elastic sealing ring; 24. Length scale; 3. Angle adjustment mechanism; 31. Lead screw; 32. Lead screw nut; 33. Drive motor; 34. Tilt sensor; 35. Control module; 36. Angle indicator; 4. Surface simulation sheet; 41. Test surface; 42. Positioning groove; 43. Magnetic element; 44. Marking area; 5. Automatic feeding mechanism; 51. Material cylinder; 52. Precision screw pump; 521. Inlet; 522. Outlet; 53. Dispensing needle; 54. Metering module. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments.

[0026] Reference Figures 1-7An adjustable thermally conductive gel flow property testing device includes a base plate 1, an angle adjustment mechanism 3, and a testing plate 2.

[0027] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the base plate 1 is a flat plate structure used to support all components of the entire device and provide stable support.

[0028] The detection plate 2 is a long strip-shaped flat plate structure. One end of it is rotatably connected to one end of the base plate 1 through a rotating shaft 21, so that the detection plate 2 can pivot relative to the base plate 1 around the rotating shaft 21, thereby realizing the adjustment of the tilt angle of the detection plate 2.

[0029] Angle adjustment mechanism 3 is located between base plate 1 and detection plate 2, and is used to drive detection plate 2 to rotate relative to base plate 1 and lock it at a preset angle.

[0030] like Figure 3 As shown, the angle adjustment mechanism 3 includes a support base 11 fixedly mounted on the top of the base plate 1, a lead screw 31 rotatably mounted on the support base 11, a lead screw nut 32 threadedly engaged with the lead screw 31, and a drive motor 33 for driving the lead screw 31 to rotate.

[0031] The lead screw nut 32 is hinged to the bottom of the detection plate 2, and the drive motor 33 is fixedly mounted on the support base 11.

[0032] When the drive motor 33 drives the lead screw 31 to rotate, the lead screw nut 32 moves along the axial direction of the lead screw 31, thereby pushing the detection plate 2 to rotate around the rotating shaft 21 to achieve angle adjustment.

[0033] The threaded engagement between the lead screw nut 32 and the lead screw 31 has a self-locking characteristic, which can maintain the angle of the detection plate 2 after the drive motor 33 stops without the need for an additional locking device.

[0034] The angle adjustment mechanism 3 also includes a tilt sensor 34 mounted on the detection plate 2 and a control module 35 electrically connected to the tilt sensor 34 and the drive motor 33.

[0035] The tilt sensor 34 preferably adopts a MEMS accelerometer to collect the tilt data of the detection board 2 in real time and feed it back to the control module 35.

[0036] The control module 35 controls the operation of the drive motor 33 based on the tilt angle signal fed back by the tilt angle sensor 34, forming a closed-loop control system: after the user sets the target angle through the control module 35, the control module 35 controls the drive motor 33 to run, the tilt angle sensor 34 feeds back the actual angle in real time, and when the actual angle reaches the target value, the control module 35 controls the drive motor 33 to stop and maintain it. The angle adjustment accuracy can reach 0.05°-0.1°.

[0037] The angle adjustment mechanism 3 also includes an angle indicator 36 disposed between the detection plate 2 and the base plate 1, which is used to visually display the current tilt angle of the detection plate 2, making it convenient for operators to observe and confirm.

[0038] like Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, the top of the detection plate 2 is provided with two sets of flow channels 22, which extend along the length of the detection plate 2 and are arranged side by side.

[0039] Each set of flow channels 22 has a slot 23 on its bottom wall. The slot 23 is a recessed rectangular groove structure used to accommodate the surface simulation sheet 4.

[0040] The depth of the flow channel 22 is greater than the depth of the slot 23, so that when the surface simulation plate 4 is inserted into the slot 23, the sidewall of the flow channel 22 can still play a certain role in limiting and guiding the thermal conductive gel.

[0041] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the surface simulation piece 4 is a rectangular sheet structure, and its size is adapted to the slot 23.

[0042] The surface simulation sheet 4 is pluggably disposed in the slot 23. The top surface of the surface simulation sheet 4 forms the test surface 41, which is used to contact the thermally conductive gel and allow the thermally conductive gel to flow thereon.

[0043] Test surface 41 has a preset material and a preset surface roughness.

[0044] Specifically, the test surface 41 of the surface simulation sheet 4 can be any of different materials such as copper, aluminum, FR4 copper-clad laminate, ceramic, or stainless steel to simulate different substrate surfaces that the thermal conductive gel may come into contact with in actual applications. At the same time, the surface roughness Ra of the test surface 41 can be preset to different levels such as 0.4μm, 0.8μm, 1.6μm, 3.2μm, or 6.3μm to simulate surface conditions with different processing precision.

[0045] The bottom of the slot 23 is provided with a positioning protrusion 231 and a magnetic adsorption element 232. The bottom surface of the surface simulation sheet 4 is provided with a positioning groove 42 that matches the positioning protrusion 231 and a magnetic element 43 that cooperates with the magnetic adsorption element 232.

[0046] When the surface simulation piece 4 is inserted into the slot 23, the positioning protrusion 231 is embedded in the positioning groove 42, so as to achieve precise positioning of the surface simulation piece 4 in the plane of the slot 23; the magnetic adsorption element 232 and the magnetic element 43 attract each other, and hold the surface simulation piece 4 firmly in the slot 23 to prevent it from shifting during the test.

[0047] The periphery of the slot 23 is also provided with an elastic sealing ring 233. When the surface simulation sheet 4 is inserted into the slot 23, the elastic sealing ring 233 elastically abuts against the peripheral wall of the surface simulation sheet 4 to prevent the thermal conductive gel from seeping into the gap between the slot 23 and the surface simulation sheet 4.

[0048] The sidewall of the surface simulation piece 4 is provided with a marking area 44, which is used to record the material information and roughness parameter information of the test surface 41.

[0049] The marking area 44 can be set by laser engraving, silk screen printing or labeling, so that operators can quickly identify and select the required surface simulation sheet 4.

[0050] The surface of the detection plate 2 is provided with a length scale 24 located between the two sets of flow channels 22, which is used to measure the flow distance of the thermally conductive gel in the flow channel 22.

[0051] The top of the detection plate 2 is provided with a buffer groove 221 at the upstream end of each set of flow channels 22. The buffer groove 221 is connected to the flow channel 22 and is used to temporarily store the thermally conductive gel that has just been released, so that it can flow uniformly downstream of the flow channel 22.

[0052] like Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, the detection plate 2 is also equipped with an automatic feeding mechanism 5, which includes a material cylinder 51, a precision screw pump 52, and a dispensing needle 53.

[0053] The barrel 51 is used to contain the thermally conductive gel to be tested. The bottom of the barrel 51 is provided with a discharge port. The precision screw pump 52 includes an inlet 521 and an outlet 522. The inlet 521 is connected to the discharge port of the barrel 51 through a pipeline, and the outlet 522 is connected to the dispensing needle 53 through a pipeline.

[0054] The precision screw pump 52 is particularly suitable for the quantitative delivery of high-viscosity fluids. By controlling the number of screw rotations, it can achieve precise quantitative supply at the microliter level, with a quantitative accuracy of ±1%.

[0055] The dispensing needle 53 is positioned directly above the buffer groove 221 and is used to quantitatively release thermally conductive gel to the upstream end of the test surface 41. The automatic feeding mechanism 5 also includes a metering module 54 positioned between the dispensing needle 53 and the precision screw pump 52. The metering module 54 is used to monitor the amount of thermally conductive gel output by the precision screw pump 52 and can form a closed loop with the control system of the precision screw pump 52 to further improve the quantitative accuracy.

[0056] The material cylinder 51, precision screw pump 52 and metering module 54 of the automatic feeding mechanism 5 can all be fixedly installed on the detection plate 2 or independently installed on the side of the detection plate 2. The specific installation method can be adjusted according to the overall layout of the device.

[0057] Preferably, the barrel 51 and the precision screw pump 52 are fixedly disposed on the side wall or one end of the detection plate 2, and the dispensing needle 53 is fixedly disposed on the top of the detection plate 2 by means of a bracket.

[0058] It should be noted that the specific models and specifications of the drive motor 33, tilt sensor 34, and control module 35 need to be selected and determined according to the actual specifications of the device. The specific selection and calculation methods adopt existing technologies in this field, so they will not be elaborated here.

[0059] The functional principle of this invention can be explained through the following operational methods: S1: Select the surface simulation piece 4 with the target material and target surface roughness according to the test requirements, and insert it into the slot 23; When it is necessary to compare the effects of different materials or surfaces with different roughness on the flowability of the same thermally conductive gel, surface simulation plates 4 with different test surfaces are inserted into the two sets of flow tanks 22 respectively. S2: The target tilt angle is set by the control module 35. The control module 35 controls the drive motor 33 to run, drives the lead screw 31 to rotate, and the lead screw nut 32 drives the detection plate 2 to rotate around the shaft 21 to the target tilt angle and then automatically locks it. The tilt sensor 34 provides real-time feedback on the actual tilt angle to ensure the accuracy of the angle adjustment. S3: Load the thermally conductive gel to be tested into the material cylinder 51; S4: The single injection volume is set by the control module 35, the precision screw pump 52 is started, and the thermal conductive gel is quantitatively delivered to the dispensing needle 53 according to the preset injection volume. The dispensing needle 53 releases the gel onto the test surface 41 in the buffer groove 221. The metering module 54 monitors the injection volume in real time to ensure quantitative accuracy. S5: After the thermally conductive gel has flowed along the test surface 41 for a preset time under the action of gravity, the flow distance of the thermally conductive gel is read through the length scale 24 as an evaluation index of fluidity. The longer the flow distance, the better the fluidity of the thermally conductive gel, and vice versa.

[0060] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An adjustable thermally conductive gel flow property testing device, comprising a base plate (1), characterized in that, An angle adjustment mechanism (3) and a detection plate (2) are provided on the base plate (1); One end of the detection plate (2) is rotatably connected to one end of the base plate (1) via a rotating shaft (21). The angle adjustment mechanism (3) is located between the base plate (1) and the detection plate (2) and is used to drive the detection plate (2) to rotate relative to the base plate (1) and lock it at a preset angle. The top of the detection plate (2) is provided with at least one set of flow grooves (22), which extend along the length of the detection plate (2); The bottom wall of the flow tank (22) is provided with a slot (23), and a surface simulation plate (4) is provided in the slot (23) in a pluggable manner. The top surface of the surface simulation plate (4) forms a test surface (41), and the test surface (41) has a preset material and a preset surface roughness. The detection plate (2) is also provided with an automatic feeding mechanism (5). The automatic feeding mechanism (5) includes a barrel (51), a precision screw pump (52), and a dispensing needle (53). The barrel (51) is used to contain the thermal conductive gel to be tested. The inlet (521) of the precision screw pump (52) is connected to the outlet of the barrel (51). The outlet (522) of the precision screw pump (52) is connected to the dispensing needle (53). The dispensing needle (53) is located directly above the upstream end of the flow channel (22) and is used to quantitatively release the thermal conductive gel to the upstream end of the test surface (41).

2. The adjustable thermally conductive gel flow characteristic detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The slot (23) is a recessed rectangular slot. The bottom of the slot (23) is provided with a positioning protrusion (231) and a magnetic adsorption element (232). The bottom surface of the surface simulation sheet (4) is provided with a positioning groove (42) that matches the positioning protrusion (231) and a magnetic element (43) that cooperates with the magnetic adsorption element (232).

3. The adjustable thermally conductive gel flow characteristic detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The slot (23) is provided with an elastic sealing ring (233) around its periphery. When the surface simulation piece (4) is inserted into the slot (23), the elastic sealing ring (233) elastically abuts against the peripheral sidewall of the surface simulation piece (4).

4. The adjustable thermally conductive gel flow characteristic detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The test surface (41) of the surface simulation sheet (4) is provided with a surface layer of any material selected from copper, aluminum, FR4 copper clad laminate, ceramic, and stainless steel.

5. The adjustable thermally conductive gel flow characteristic detection device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The surface roughness Ra of the test surface (41) of the surface simulation sheet (4) is any one of 0.4μm, 0.8μm, 1.6μm, 3.2μm or 6.3μm.

6. The adjustable thermally conductive gel flow characteristic detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sidewall of the surface simulation sheet (4) is provided with a marking area (44), which is used to record the material information and roughness parameter information of the test surface (41).

7. The adjustable thermally conductive gel flow characteristic detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the detection plate (2) is provided with two sets of flow grooves (22) arranged side by side, and the bottom wall of each set of flow grooves (22) is provided with slots (23) and surface simulation plates (4).

8. The adjustable thermally conductive gel flow characteristic detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The angle adjustment mechanism (3) includes a support base (11) fixedly mounted on the top of the base plate (1), a lead screw (31) rotatably mounted on the support base (11), a lead screw nut (32) threadedly engaged with the lead screw (31), and a drive motor (33) for driving the lead screw (31) to rotate. The lead screw nut (32) is hinged to the bottom of the detection plate (2), and the drive motor (33) is fixedly mounted on the support base (11).

9. The adjustable thermally conductive gel flow characteristic detection device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The angle adjustment mechanism (3) further includes an inclination sensor (34) disposed on the detection plate (2) and a control module (35) electrically connected to the inclination sensor (34) and the drive motor (33). The control module (35) controls the operation of the drive motor (33) according to the inclination signal fed back by the inclination sensor (34) to adjust the detection plate (2) to a preset angle.

10. The adjustable thermally conductive gel flow characteristic detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The automatic feeding mechanism (5) also includes a metering module (54) disposed between the dispensing needle (53) and the precision screw pump (52), the metering module (54) being used to monitor the amount of thermally conductive gel output by the precision screw pump (52).

Images