A heat dissipation assembly of a plug-in module and an electronic device

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of heat dissipation devices, in particular to a heat dissipation assembly of a plug-in module and electronic equipment. The heat dissipation assembly comprises a heat conductor, a substrate and an elastic supporting assembly arranged on the substrate, the surface of the heat conductor facing the elastic supporting assembly is provided with at least one protective layer, the protective layer is a flexible heat conducting layer, and an interface heat conducting layer is arranged between the protective layer and the heat conductor. Wherein, a gap is formed between the protective layer and the elastic supporting assembly, when the plug-in module is inserted into the gap, the electronic equipment is in contact with the protective layer under the extrusion of the elastic supporting assembly. Because the protective layer is a flexible heat conducting layer, the plug-in module can extrude the interface heat conducting layer through the protective layer, the effective contact area of the plug-in module and the heat conductor can be increased, the assembly tolerance of the plug-in module can be absorbed, the contact gap can be reduced, and thus the thermal resistance can be effectively reduced, so that the heat of the plug-in module can be efficiently transferred to the heat conductor, and the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat dissipation assembly is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of heat dissipation device technology, and in particular to a heat dissipation component and electronic device for a pluggable module. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of information technology, optical modules, as the core optoelectronic conversion devices in optical communication systems, have been widely used in various communication transmission equipment such as data centers, 5G base stations, and computing centers due to their advantages such as high speed, large capacity, and low loss. Optical modules typically adopt a pluggable design to enable flexible configuration, maintenance, upgrades, and space optimization of equipment.

[0003] In the actual operation of optical modules, the core optoelectronic chip cannot convert 100% of the injected electrical energy into the output optical signal energy during photoelectric conversion. According to the law of conservation of energy, a considerable portion of the electrical energy will inevitably be dissipated as heat. If this heat continues to accumulate inside the optical module and cannot be discharged and dissipated in a timely and effective manner, it will have a series of serious adverse effects on the performance, reliability, and lifespan of the optical module. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application discloses a heat dissipation component and electronic device for a pluggable module.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a heat dissipation assembly for a plug-in module. The heat dissipation assembly includes a heat conductor, a substrate, and an elastic support assembly disposed on the substrate. At least one protective layer is provided on the surface of the heat conductor facing the elastic support assembly. The protective layer is a flexible thermally conductive layer, and an interface thermally conductive layer is provided between the protective layer and the heat conductor. A gap exists between the protective layer and the elastic support assembly. When the plug-in module is inserted into the gap, the electronic device comes into contact with the protective layer under the pressure of the elastic support assembly.

[0006] When the plug-in module is inserted into the gap, under the compression of the elastic support component, the plug-in module and the protective layer make full contact. Because the protective layer is a flexible thermally conductive layer, the plug-in module can squeeze the interface thermally conductive layer through the protective layer, which can increase the effective contact area between the plug-in module and the heat conductor. This can not only absorb the assembly tolerance of the plug-in module and reduce the contact gap, but also effectively reduce the thermal resistance, so that the heat of the plug-in module can be efficiently transferred to the heat conductor, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat dissipation component.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the thickness of the protective layer is less than or equal to 0.1 mm, and / or the thermal conductivity of the protective layer is greater than or equal to 5 W / m·K.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the thickness of the interface thermal conductive layer is less than or equal to 0.2 mm, and / or the interface thermal conductive layer includes a thermal pad, thermal grease, or a phase change material.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the resilient support component includes multiple compression springs.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the heat conductor and the protective layer are connected by a snap-fit ​​assembly.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the snap-fit ​​assembly includes a bent portion and a snap-fit ​​groove that mates with the bent portion, the bent portion being fixed to the edge of the protective layer and the snap-fit ​​groove being disposed on the surface of the heat conductor.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the heat conductor includes a heat-conducting substrate, the surface of which is provided with multiple protective layers.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the heat conductor further includes a liquid cooling pipe located on the surface of the heat conductor away from the protective layer, or the liquid cooling pipe is located inside the heat conductor.

[0014] Secondly, this application provides an electronic device including a pluggable module and a heat dissipation component as described in the first aspect.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the electronic device includes a cage assembly having a slot for receiving a plug-in module. A first shell wall of the cage assembly near the slot opening has an opening. A heat conductor is disposed on the surface of the cage assembly, and a protective layer extends into the slot through the opening and contacts the plug-in module. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the heat dissipation assembly of a pluggable module according to an embodiment of this application;

[0017] Figure 2 A top view of a heat dissipation assembly of a pluggable module according to an embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a pluggable module and its heat dissipation assembly according to an embodiment of this application is provided;

[0019] Figure 4 An exploded view of a heat dissipation assembly of a pluggable module according to one embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A magnified view of a portion at point A shown in the image;

[0021] Figure 6 An exploded view of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A magnified view of a portion at point B shown in the diagram.

[0023] Reference numerals: 100-Heat dissipation assembly; 110-Heat conductor; 111-Heat conductive substrate; 112-Liquid cooling pipe; 120-Base plate; 130-Elastic support assembly; 131-Pressure spring; 140-Protective layer; 150-Interface thermal conductive layer; 160-Snap-fit ​​assembly; 161-Bending part; 161a-Fixing section; 161b-Connecting section; 161c-Hook section; 162-Snap-fit ​​groove; 210-Cage assembly; 211-First shell wall; 220-Plug-in module; 230-Plug-in interface; 240-Electromagnetic compatibility spring; 250-Printed circuit board assembly; 260-Fixing stud;

[0024] 01-Gap; 02-Slot; 03-Opening. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0026] The application scenarios described in this application are for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in this application. Those skilled in the art will understand that with the emergence of new application scenarios, the technical solutions provided in this application are also applicable to similar technical problems. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" means two or more.

[0027] There are two main methods for heat dissipation of optical modules: The first method involves creating ventilation holes in the module's housing, allowing natural air convection to dissipate the heat generated inside the module directly with the airflow. The second method involves installing heat dissipation fins on the top of the module. Through physical contact between the fins and the top of the module, heat is conducted to the fins, and then dissipated to the surrounding environment through natural convection.

[0028] The first approach involves dissipating heat into the environment through natural convection. As optical module speeds increase and sizes shrink, their internal heat flux density rises dramatically, generating increasingly more heat. However, natural convection's heat dissipation efficiency is relatively low and has limited room for improvement, failing to meet the urgent need for efficient heat dissipation in current high-power-density optical modules. The second approach typically employs a plug-in assembly for optical modules. This assembly method makes it difficult to achieve a completely tight fit between the heat sink fins and the top of the optical module, inevitably resulting in assembly gaps. Air is a poor conductor of heat, and these gaps create significant contact thermal resistance, severely hindering efficient heat transfer from the optical module to the heat sink fins.

[0029] This application discloses a heat dissipation component and electronic device for a pluggable module, in order to improve the heat dissipation efficiency of existing optical module heat dissipation devices.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the heat dissipation assembly of a pluggable module according to one embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 This is a top view of the heat dissipation assembly of a pluggable module according to one embodiment of this application. Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a pluggable module and its heat dissipation assembly according to an embodiment of this application is provided, wherein, Figure 1 This shows a schematic diagram of the heat dissipation component. Figure 2 This is a top view of the heat dissipation components. Figure 3 The diagram shows the structure of the heat dissipation components and pluggable modules assembled together. Figures 1 to 3 This application provides a heat dissipation assembly 100 for a plug-in module 220. The heat dissipation assembly 100 includes a heat conductor 110, a substrate 120, and an elastic support assembly 130 disposed on the substrate 120. At least one protective layer 140 is provided on the surface of the heat conductor 110 facing the elastic support assembly 130. The protective layer 140 is a flexible, thermally conductive protective layer. An interface thermally conductive layer 150 is provided between the protective layer 140 and the heat conductor 110. A gap 01 exists between the protective layer 140 and the elastic support assembly 130. When the plug-in module 220 is inserted into the gap 01, the plug-in module 220 contacts the protective layer 140 under the compression of the elastic support assembly 130.

[0031] In this application, the heat dissipation component 100 is used to dissipate heat from the pluggable module 220. The pluggable module 220 can be an optical module or other electronic devices that can be plugged into and removed from the cage assembly 210, such as high-speed optical modules, data center switch heat dissipation modules, storage devices, lasers, power modules, etc. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments in this application are described using the heat dissipation component 100 of the optical module as an example.

[0032] An optical module is a device used in optoelectronic communication. It can convert electrical signals into optical signals or vice versa. Optical modules are an indispensable component of communication equipment. By enabling efficient, high-speed, and long-distance optical signal transmission, they have promoted the development of global communication networks.

[0033] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the term "optical module" in this application refers to an optical module in a broad sense, meaning a device that has optical signal transmission or reception functions, or that can convert between photoelectric signals. Furthermore, this application does not limit other structures or functions of optical modules.

[0034] In the heat dissipation assembly 100, the elastic support assembly 130, the protective layer 140, the interface thermal conductive layer 150, and the snap-fit ​​assembly 160 constitute a heat dissipation unit. This application does not limit the number of heat dissipation units in the heat dissipation assembly 100. The heat dissipation assembly 100 may include at least one or more heat dissipation units. When the heat dissipation assembly 100 may include multiple heat dissipation units, the multiple heat dissipation units may share a single heat conductor 110.

[0035] The protective layer 140, also known as the interface thermal conductive layer 150 fixing cover, is used to support the interface thermal conductive layer 150. It is understood that the protective layer 140 is made of a material with good thermal conductivity to reduce the thermal resistance between the heat conductor 110 and the plug-in module 220 and improve the heat dissipation performance of the heat dissipation component 100.

[0036] In some embodiments of this application, the thermal conductivity of the protective layer 140 is greater than or equal to 5 W / m·K. For example, the thermal conductivity of the protective layer 140 may be 5 W / m·K, 10 W / m·K, 15 W / m·K, 25 W / m·K, 35 W / m·K, etc.

[0037] In some optional embodiments, the protective layer 140 can be made of materials with good wear resistance, such as metals or alloys. When the protective layer 140 is a metal layer, the material can be made of aluminum, copper, gold, silver, etc.

[0038] In some embodiments of this application, the thickness of the protective layer 140 is less than or equal to 0.1 mm to ensure that the protective layer 140 has good flexibility, so that the protective layer 140 can deform under the compression of the plug-in module 220, so that the interface thermal conductive layer 150 can fill the micro gap between the heat conductor 110 and the plug-in module 220, thereby reducing the thermal resistance between the two and improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat dissipation component 100.

[0039] In some embodiments of this application, the interface thermal conductive layer 150 can be fixed to the surface of the heat conductor 110 by means of bonding or other methods. It is understood that when the surface of the heat conductor 110 has high flatness and low roughness, it is beneficial for the interface thermal conductive layer 150 to adhere to the surface of the heat conductor 110 and to improve the thermal conductivity between the heat conductor 110 and the plug-in module 220.

[0040] In some embodiments of this application, the interface thermal conductive layer 150 includes a thermal pad, thermal grease, and a phase change material.

[0041] For example, when the interface thermal conductive layer 150 is a phase change material, in the initial state, the phase change material can be an elastic solid material. When squeezed by the plug-in module 220, the phase change material can undergo elastic deformation to ensure full contact between the plug-in module 220 and the heat conductor 110, thereby reducing the thermal resistance between them. After the plug-in module 220 has been working for a long time, the temperature of the plug-in module 220 gradually increases. The heat of the plug-in module 220 is transferred to the phase change material. When the phase change temperature of the phase change material is reached, the phase change material changes from solid to liquid, thereby better filling the microscopic gap between the plug-in module 220 and the heat conductor 110, and thus effectively improving the heat conduction efficiency between the plug-in module and the heat conductor 110.

[0042] It should be noted that the type of phase change material in the embodiments of this application needs to be selected according to the operating temperature of the heat dissipation component 100, and the phase change material is not limited to the transformation between solid and liquid states.

[0043] When the interface thermal conductive layer 150 is a phase change material, the thickness of the interface thermal conductive layer 150 is less than or equal to 0.2 mm, so as to ensure that after the phase change material undergoes a phase change, it can be maintained between the protective layer 140 and the heat conductor 110 by relying on surface tension.

[0044] It is understandable that when the interface thermal conductive layer 150 is a phase change material, in order to avoid leakage of the liquid after the phase change, a closed cavity is formed between the protective layer 140 and the heat conductor 110.

[0045] In some embodiments of this application, such as Figure 1 As shown, the elastic support assembly 130 includes a plurality of compression springs 131. The number of compression springs 131 is not limited in this application; it can be one, two, or more, depending on actual needs.

[0046] In some embodiments of this application, the compression spring 131 may be selected from a metal spring or a shape memory alloy spring.

[0047] In some embodiments of this application, the heat conductor 110 may be made of materials with good thermal conductivity such as aluminum, copper, gold, or silver. Optionally, the heat conductor 110 may be manufactured by milling or die casting.

[0048] In some embodiments of this application, the heat conductor 110 and the protective layer 140 are connected by a snap-fit ​​assembly 160, which facilitates disassembly and assembly and makes maintenance easier.

[0049] In some embodiments of this application, the snap-fit ​​assembly 160 includes a bent portion 161 and a snap-fit ​​groove 162 that mates with the bent portion 161, wherein the bent portion 161 is fixed to the edge of the protective layer 140 and the snap-fit ​​groove 162 is disposed on the surface of the heat conductor 110.

[0050] The shape and structure of the bent portion 161 need to match the shape and structure of the fastening groove 162, for example, as shown in... Figure 1 As shown, the fastening groove 162 is a dovetail groove provided on the surface of the heat conductor 110, and the bent portion 161 includes a fixing section 161a, a connecting section 161b, and a hook section 161c connected in sequence. The fixing section 161a is fixedly connected to the edge of the protective layer 140, one end of the connecting section 161b is connected to the fixing section 161a, and the other end of the connecting section 161b is connected to the hook section 161c. The hook section 161c can be embedded in the fastening groove 162 to prevent the bent portion 161 from falling off.

[0051] Optionally, the fixing segment 161a is a straight segment and is perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the protective layer 140. The connecting segment 161b is perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the fixing segment 161a. The hook segment 161c extends from the connecting segment 161b and extends towards the protective layer 140, and its shape is designed to fit tightly into the fastening groove 162 to ensure a stable connection.

[0052] It is understandable that the protective layer 140 is fixed to the heat conductor 110 by the snap-fit ​​assembly 160 of the above structure, which can ensure that the integrated heat conductor 110 can be manufactured by integrated milling, thereby effectively reducing costs.

[0053] In some embodiments of this application, Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the heat dissipation assembly of a pluggable module according to one embodiment of this application. Figure 5 for Figure 4 A magnified view of a portion at point A shown in the image, as follows: Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the heat conductor 110 includes a heat-conducting substrate 111, and the surface of the heat-conducting substrate 111 is provided with multiple protective layers 140.

[0054] In some embodiments of this application, the heat conductor 110 further includes a liquid cooling pipe 112. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the liquid cooling pipe 112 is disposed on the surface of the heat conducting body 110 facing away from the protective layer 140. Alternatively, as Figure 3 shown, the liquid cooling pipe 112 is disposed inside the heat conducting body 110. The liquid cooling pipe 112 can further improve the heat conduction ability of the heat conducting body 110, improve the uniformity and efficiency of heat dissipation, so as to support the heat dissipation of the high-density plug-in module 220.

[0055] Among them, the connection manner between the liquid cooling pipe 112 and the heat conducting substrate 111 needs to ensure good heat conduction between the two. Specifically, the liquid cooling pipe 112 can be fixed on the heat conducting substrate 111 by means including but not limited to heat-conducting glue, brazing, embedded integral die-casting, etc.

[0056] In some embodiments of the present application, the liquid cooling pipe 112 generally adopts an arch-shaped structure. The arch-shaped structure pipe refers to a pipe with a layout form of bending back and forth, similar to the shape of the Chinese character "弓", so that the coolant can flow through each module or area that needs to dissipate heat in turn. For example, the coolant can flow through a plurality of plug-in modules 220 arranged side by side in turn, so as to ensure the same heat dissipation efficiency of the plurality of plug-in modules 220.

[0057] Based on the same technical concept, the present application provides an electronic device, Figure 6 which is an exploded view of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present application, Figure 7 is Figure 6 a partial enlarged view of the position B shown in Figures 4 to 7 , please refer to it together. This electronic device includes a plug-in module 220 and a heat dissipation component 100 in various possible embodiments of the present application. Among them, the plug-in module 220 and the heat dissipation units in the heat dissipation component 100 correspond one by one. Specifically, the heat dissipation component 100 may include a plurality of heat dissipation units, and each heat dissipation unit dissipates heat for the corresponding plug-in module 220.

[0058] In some embodiments of the present application, the electronic device further includes a cage component 210. The cage component 210 is provided with a slot 02 for accommodating the plug-in module 220. An opening 03 is provided on the first housing wall 211 near the slot opening of the cage component 210. The heat conducting body 110 is disposed on the surface of the cage component 210, and the protective layer 140 extends into the slot 02 through the opening 03 and contacts the plug-in module 220.

[0059] Among them, taking the side wall opposite to the first housing wall 211 in the slot 02 as the bottom wall, the substrate 120 in the heat dissipation component 100 in the present application is the above bottom wall, or the substrate 120 in the heat dissipation component 100 in the present application is fixedly arranged on the above bottom wall.

[0060] In some embodiments of this application, the end of the slot 02 away from the slot opening is provided with a plug-in interface 230, and the plug-in module 220 is electrically connected to the plug-in interface 230 to ensure stable signal transmission.

[0061] In some embodiments of this application, an electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) spring 240 is provided on the inner surface of the side wall near the slot opening of the slot 02. This EMC spring not only prevents electromagnetic waves generated by the internal circuitry of the electronic device from radiating outwards, thus avoiding interference with other electronic devices, but also prevents external electromagnetic waves from entering the electronic device in this application and affecting its normal operation. Simultaneously, the EMC spring 240 serves as a guide, ensuring that the plug-in module 220 is aligned with the plug-in interface 230.

[0062] It is understood that electronic devices include, but are not limited to, switches, routers, servers, firewalls, etc. Because the heat dissipation component 100, including the pluggable module 220 in this application, can efficiently dissipate heat from the electronic device, thereby giving the aforementioned electronic device higher stability and reliability.

[0063] The following explanation uses a switch as an example of an electronic device. As shown in the figure, the switch includes a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) 250.

[0064] In some embodiments of this application, slots 02 are provided on both sides of the PCBA to increase the assembly density of the plug-in module 220.

[0065] The heat conductor 110 can be fixed to the PCBA. Specifically, the heat conductor 110 can be fixed to the PCBA by means of screws, bolts, welding, spring compression, etc. Figure 7 As shown, the heat conductor 110 is screwed to the PCBA. The fixing stud 260 passes through the threaded hole on the heat conductor base 111 and is fixedly connected to the PCBA.

[0066] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A heat dissipation assembly for a plug-in module, characterized by The heat dissipation assembly includes a heat conductor, a substrate, and an elastic support assembly disposed on the substrate. The surface of the heat conductor facing the elastic support assembly is provided with at least one protective layer. The protective layer is a flexible heat-conducting layer. An interface heat-conducting layer is provided between the protective layer and the heat conductor. There is a gap between the protective layer and the elastic support component. When the plug-in module is inserted into the gap, the plug-in module comes into contact with the protective layer under the compression of the elastic support component.

2. The heat dissipation assembly of claim 1, wherein, The thickness of the protective layer is less than or equal to 0.1 mm, and / or the thermal conductivity of the protective layer is greater than or equal to 5 W / m·K.

3. The heat dissipation assembly of claim 1, wherein, The thickness of the interface thermal conductive layer is less than or equal to 0.2 mm, and / or the interface thermal conductive layer includes a thermal pad, thermal grease, or phase change material.

4. The heat dissipation assembly of claim 1, wherein, The elastic support component includes multiple compression springs.

5. The heat dissipating assembly according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The heat conductor and the protective layer are connected by a snap-fit ​​assembly.

6. The heat dissipating assembly of claim 5, wherein, The buckle assembly includes a bent portion and a fastening groove that mates with the bent portion. The bent portion is fixed to the edge of the protective layer, and the fastening groove is located on the surface of the heat conductor.

7. The heat dissipating assembly according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The heat conductor includes a heat-conducting substrate, and the surface of the heat-conducting substrate is provided with multiple protective layers.

8. The heat dissipating assembly of claim 7, wherein, The heat conductor also includes a liquid cooling pipe, which is disposed on the surface of the heat conductor away from the protective layer, or the liquid cooling pipe is disposed inside the heat conductor.

9. An electronic device, comprising: Includes a pluggable module and a heat dissipation component as described in any one of claims 1-8.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein, The electronic device includes a cage assembly having a slot for accommodating the plug-in module. A first shell wall of the cage assembly near the slot opening has an opening. A heat conductor is disposed on the surface of the cage assembly, and a protective layer extends into the slot through the opening and contacts the plug-in module.

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