Auxillary cooling port for electronics

Abstract

An electronic device 2, such as a computer server, computing node, GPU, NPU or a portable computer or equipment such as a motor drive. The device has an internal cooling assembly with a transfer eleme

Description

The present invention relates to an auxiliary cooling assembly for an electronic device having a cooling module configured to extract heat from a heat generating device. Also, the present invention relates an electronic device comprising said auxiliary cooling assembly. In addition, the present invention relates to a method for extending the cooling capacity of a cooling module of a electronic device provided with said auxiliary cooling assembly. Background The use of computing devices is constantly increased, these being basically employed in any fields of technology, such as urban farms and video analytics applications. The performance of these devices and the amount of data to be processed increase despite a continuous request in reducing the dimensions. The computing devices can be for example data center, edge Al, high performance computing, motor drive, edge Al computing comprising micro controller units (MCUs), graphic process units (GPUs) and Neural Process Units (NPUs). One issue related to these devices is the production of heat. As a matter of fact, MCUs, GPUs, and NPUs generate a large amount of heat while computing a large amount of data. Existing electronics devices are designed to operate within a pre-determined range of temperature, typically between -30°C and 60°C. This operating range is determined at design time and is not easily extendable. Known heat management strategies comprise the dissipation of heat over a larger surface area. This heat dissipation usually occurs within the device enclosure and using heat pipes or vapor chambers to accelerate heat conduction so that heat is distributed faster to the rest of the device. Other forms of cooling systems employ heat sinks and fans to cool the chipset. However, there exist use-cases wherein the design operating temperature is exceeded. In these cases, there are little options to support temperatures extending beyond the design specifications. Examples of the present disclosure seek to address or at least alleviate the above problems. Summary In a first aspect, there is provided an auxiliary cooling assembly for an electronic device having a cooling module configured to extract heat from a heat generating device, the auxiliary cooling assembly comprising: an auxiliary cooling interface having a receiving portion for being thermally coupled in a removable way to a heat extracting device external to the electronic device; and a heat transfer element extending along the assembly between a first end and a second end, wherein one of the first and second end is coupled to the auxiliary cooling interface to transfer heat from one end to the other end toward the auxiliary cooling interface. In a second aspect, there is provided an electronic device, in particular an edge device, an industrial PC, a computing device, a laptop, the electronic device comprising: a heat generating device; a cooling module coupled to the heat generating device for extracting heat from said heat generating device; and at least an auxiliary cooling assembly according to the first aspect, the auxiliary cooling assembly being coupled to the cooling module to extend the cooling capability of said cooling module. In a third aspect, there is provided a method forextending the cooling capacity of a cooling module of an electronic device provided with the auxiliary cooling assembly according to the first aspect, the method comprising coupling the auxiliary cooling interface of the auxiliary cooling assembly with an auxiliary cooling module. Other aspects and features are defined in the appended claims. Examples of the disclosure may provide an auxiliary cooling assembly able to extend the cooling capability of an existing cooling module of an electronic device. In particular, examples of the disclosure may provide an assembly for transferring heat collected by a heat dissipating system located inside the housing of an electronic device away from said housing. Also, examples of the disclosure may provide an electronic device (and a corresponding method) designed for extending the internal existing cooling capability of the device through the application of an external additional cooling module. Brief description of the drawings Examples of the disclosure will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like references refer to like parts, and in which: Figure 1 is a schematic representation of the auxiliary cooling assembly according to an example; Figure 2 is a schematic representation of the auxiliary cooling assembly comprising a thermal connector according to an example; Figure 3A is a schematic representation of the thermal connector in uncoupled configuration according to an example; Figure 3B is a schematic representation of the thermal connector in coupled configuration according to the example of figure 3A; Figure 4 is a schematic representation of the application of the auxiliary cooling assembly with the connector according to the example of figures 3A-B; Figure 5A is a side view of the auxiliary cooling assembly with thermal connector in uncoupled configuration according to an example; Figure 5B is a side view of the auxiliary cooling assembly with thermal connector in coupled configuration according to an example; Figure 6A is a schematic representation of the thermal connector in uncoupled configuration according to a further example; Figure 6B is a schematic representation of the thermal connector in coupled configuration according to the example of figure 6A; Figure 7 is a schematic representation of the application of the auxiliary cooling assembly with the connector according to the example of figures 6A-B; Figure 8A is a schematic representation of the contact surfaces of the auxiliary cooling assembly according to an example; Figure 8B is a schematic representation of the contact surfaces of the auxiliary cooling assembly according to another example; Figure 8C is a schematic representation of the contact surfaces of the auxiliary cooling assembly according to a further example; Figure 8D is a schematic representation of the contact surfaces of the auxiliary cooling assembly according to a further another example; and Figure 8E is a schematic representation of the contact surfaces of the auxiliary cooling assembly according to an alternative example. Detailed description An auxiliary cooling assembly, an electronic device, and a method for extending the cooling capacity of a cooling module of an electronic device are disclosed. In the following description, a number of specific details are presented in order to provide a thorough understanding of the examples of the disclosure. It will be apparent however to a person skilled in the art that these specific details need not be employed in order to practice the examples of the disclosure. Conversely, specific details known to the person skilled in the art are omitted for the purposes of clarity in presenting the examples. Figure 1 schematically illustrates an auxiliary cooling assembly 1 for expanding the cooling capacity of an electronic device 2, specifically of the cooling module 3 of the electronic device 2. The electronic device 2 can be any type of device using electronic components and circuits to perform specific functions. For example, the electronic device 2 can be an edge device, an industrial PC, a computing device, a laptop, a smart television, a smart home appliance, etc. The heat generating device 4 is a component producing heat during its operation in the electronic device 2. This can include various electronic components such as processors, graphics cards, power transistors, or any other component that transform significant amounts of energy in the form of heat. To manage the heat generated by these devices, the heat generating device 4 is coupled to a cooling module 3, such as a heat sink, a fan, a thermal pad, or other cooling mechanism to transfer the heat away from the device and dissipate it into the surrounding environment. The auxiliary cooling assembly 1 includes an auxiliary cooling interface 5 and a heat transfer element 6 connected with the auxiliary cooling interface 5. The auxiliary cooling interface 5 is provided with a receiving portion 24 that can be thermally coupled in a removable way to a heat extracting device 11 external to the electronic device 2 (double arrow in the figure). With the expression “thermally coupled” is intended that the auxiliary cooling interface 5 and the external heat extracting device 11 are in a thermal communication to each other so that heat can be transferred from the auxiliary cooling interface 5 to the heat extracting device 11. Thermal conductive elements can be used for this purpose. The thermal communication can be direct or indirect, meaning that one or more thermal conductive elements can be placed between the auxiliary cooling interface 5 and the external heat extracting device 11. The heat transfer element 6 extends along the assembly 1 between a first end 7 and a second end 8. It is noted that one of these ends, for example the second end 8, is coupled to the auxiliary cooling interface 5 to transfer heat from one end to the other end, for example from the first end 7 to the second end 8, toward the auxiliary cooling interface 5, as shown by the arrow in figure 1. In examples, the first end 7 of the heat transfer element 6 is located at a heat collection point 10 and the second end 8 is located at the auxiliary cooling interface 5, wherein the auxiliary cooling interface 5 is separated and located away from the heat collection point 10. The heat connection point 10 is a region where heat is collected. In particular the heat collection point 10 can be at the cooling module 3 of the electronic device 2 where heat is extracted from the heat generating device 4. Accordingly, the auxiliary cooling interface 5 that is configured for being coupled to an external cooling module (i.e. an external heat extracting device 11), is located at a certain distance from the heat source (i.e. the heat generating device 4) and from the heat dissipating system (i.e. the internal cooling module 3) to conduct heat (at least partially) away from the heat source and to assist the heat dissipating system integrated in the electronic device 2 in its heat dissipation action. It is noted that the auxiliary cooling assembly 1 can be used when needed. In other words, when temperatures extend beyond the design specifications of the electronic device 2, the auxiliary cooling interface 5 can be coupled to an external heat extracting device 11 to extend the cooling capability of the internal cooling module 3. The feature according to which the auxiliary cooling interface 5 is separated and located away from the heat collection point 10 also serves to avoid possible interference between the dissipating action of the internal cooling module 3 and of the coupled external heat extracting device 11. The heat transfer element 6 serves to conduct heat through the auxiliary cooling assembly 1, for example from the first end 7 to the second end 8 at the auxiliary cooling interface 5. For this purpose, the heat transfer element 6 can be made of a material having high heat conductivity. For example, the heat transfer element 6 can comprise copper or aluminum. The heat transfer element 6 advantageously extends along the auxiliary cooling assembly 1 and therefore along a portion of the electronic device 2. The heat transfer element 6 can end at the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (as schematically shown in figure 1) or can extend beyond the auxiliary cooling interface 5. To favor the heat transfer, the heat transfer element 6 can comprise at least a heat pipe and / or a vapor chamber. For example, a heat pipe can extend the auxiliary cooling assembly 1 and therefore along a portion of the electronic device 2 and be supported by said portion of the electronic device 2. It is noted that the receiving portion 24 allows a quick and simple coupling between the auxiliary cooling assembly 1 and an external heat extracting device 11. The heat extracting device 11 can be coupled and uncoupled based on the necessity of increasing the heat dissipation capability of the electronic device 2. The receiving portion 24 can be any type of connection component able to provide a thermal communication between two separable elements so that, in a coupled configuration, heat is transferred from one element to the other element. In examples, the receiving portion 24 of the auxiliary cooling interface 5 comprises a connection port 9. The connection port 9 is advantageously used as specific endpoint for thermal management and for creating a thermal connection with a peripheral device like an external heat extracting device 11. The connection port 9 can be a female connection port comprising openings or receptacles to accept the pins or plugs of a male connector. Figure 2 illustrates an embodiment wherein the auxiliary cooling assembly 1 further comprises a thermal connector 12 for conducting heat to an auxiliary cooling module 13. The term “auxiliary cooling module” is used here in place of “heat extracting device” (referred with number 11 in figure 1), but it can be intended as the same. The thermal connector 12 comprises a connector main body 14 including a support portion 15 and a connector heat transfer element 16 in contact with the support portion 15, wherein the connector main body 14 comprises a connector coupling interface 17 for being coupled in a removable way with the auxiliary cooling interface 5. The thermal connector 12 can be used to receive heat from the heat transfer element 6 at the auxiliary cooling interface 5 and to conduct extracted heat to the auxiliary cooling module 13. Advantageously, the thermal connector 12 is located outside the electronic device 2 whereas the heat transfer element 6 and the auxiliary cooling interface 5 are located inside the electronic device 2 so that the thermal connector 12 is configured to provide heat passage from inside to outside the electronic device 2. The direction of the heat transfer is schematically illustrated with arrows in the figure. As mentioned above, in a basic configuration, the thermal connector 12 comprises a connector main body 14, wherein said connector main body 14 includes a support portion 15 and a connector heat transfer element 16 in contact with the support portion 15. The connector main body 14 furthermore comprises a connector coupling interface 17 that is configured to be coupled in a removable way with the auxiliary cooling interface 5, in particular with the receiving portion 24 of the auxiliary cooling interface 5. Specifically, the thermal connector 12 can be coupled to the connection port 9 of the receiving portion 24, wherein the thermal connector 12 is a male connector that can establish a thermal connection with a female connection port 9. Advantageously, the thermal connector 12 can be attached to, and detached from, the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (e.g. to / form the receiving portion 24) without big efforts. For example, the connector coupling interface 17 can be configured such that the coupling mechanism between the thermal connector 12 (or a component of the thermal connector 12) and the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (e.g. the receiving portion 24) occurs through an insertion / extraction mechanism, without the necessity of permanently fixing the thermal connector 12 to the auxiliary cooling interface 5, for example using screws or other fastening means. The thermal connector 12 (or a component of the thermal connector 12) can be a plug element that is insertable into the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (e.g. the receiving portion 24) for extracting heat. Therefore, the connector coupling interface 17 can comprise a plug-injunction, a snap-fit junction or another type of junction allowing a easy attachment to, and detachment from, the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (e.g. the receiving portion 24), without the need of fixing elements, like screws. For this purpose, the connector coupling interface 17 comprises coupling elements (not shown in the figure). In a simple configuration, the connector coupling interface 17 comprises at least a protrusion that is insertable in the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (e.g. the receiving portion 24). Coupling elements can comprise pins, clips, clamps, or the like. It is noted that the connector main body 14 of the thermal connector 12 can directly be coupled to the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (e.g. the receiving portion 24). Alternatively, as will be described later, the connector main body 14 can be indirectly coupled to the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (e.g. to the receiving portion 24), i.e. using an interposed element that is fixable to the auxiliary cooling interface 5. In one example, the connector coupling interface 17 is at least an external wall of the connector main body 14. The connector main body 14 can have a first wall 26, at one side of the connector main body 14, configured to be coupled to the auxiliary cooling module 13 and a second wall 27, i.e. the outermost wall at the other side, that corresponds to the connector coupling interface 17. As shown in figure 2, the connector main body 14 can have an elongated shape, wherein one side of the elongate shaped body is the connector coupling interface 17. The connector heat transfer element 16 serves to conduct heat through the connector main body 14 of the thermal connector 12, for example from the second wall 27 at the connector coupling interface 17 to the first wall 26 connectable to the auxiliary cooling module 13. For this purpose, the connector heat transfer element 16 can be made of a material having high heat conductivity. For example, the connector heat transfer element 16 can comprise copper or aluminum. The connector heat transfer element 16 advantageously extends along the connector main body 14. The connector heat transfer element 16 can be entirely contained in the connector main body 14 of the thermal connector 12 or can extend outside the connector main body 14. Figure 2 shows an example wherein the connector heat transfer element 16 extends outside the connector main body 14 in the direction of the auxiliary cooling module 13. To favor the heat transfer, the connector heat transfer element 16 can comprise at least a heat pipe and / or a vapor chamber. For example, a heat pipe can extend along the connector main body 14 and be supported by the support portion 15. In examples, the connector main body 14 comprises a recess region 25 extending along the connector heat transfer element 16. As shown in figure 2, the recess region 25 is located beneath the heat transfer element 16 and is configured to receive a corresponding element, i.e. the heat transfer element 6 coupled to the auxiliary cooling interface 5, once the thermal connector 12 is coupled to the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (e.g. to the receiving portion 24). It is noted that the recess region 25 can alternatively be located above or sideways the connector heat transfer element 16, provided that a contact area is present between the connector heat transfer element 16 and the recess region 25. As already mentioned, the connector main body 14 can be indirectly coupled to the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (e.g. to the receiving portion 24), i.e. using an interposed element that is fixable to the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (e.g. to the receiving portion 24). This is shown in figures 3A and 3B. According to this example, the thermal connector 12 further comprises a receiving part 18 fixable to, or fixed to, the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (e.g. to the receiving portion 24), the receiving part 18 being physically separable from the connector main body 14 and comprising a case 19 having a heat transfer region 20. Figure 3A shows an uncoupled configuration wherein the connector main body 14 is separated from the receiving part 18 and figure 3B shows a coupled configuration, wherein the connector main body 14 is coupled to the receiving part 18. In examples, the connector main body 14 can form a protrusion and the receiving part 18 can form a recess, the connector main body 14 being insertable into the receiving part 18. Figures 3A and 3B illustrate an example wherein the connector main body 14 can be completely inserted into the receiving part 18, i.e. into the case 19 of the receiving part 18. For example, the case 19 of the receiving part 18 can comprise a cavity 29 for completely receiving the connector main body 14 in particular the support portion 15, once the connector main body 14 is coupled to the auxiliary cooling interface 5, in particular to the receiving part 18. However, according to an alternative configuration, the main body 14 can be inserted only in part into the receiving part 18, i.e. into the cavity 29 of the receiving part 18. In a configuration wherein the thermal connector 14 is coupled to the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (e.g. to the receiving portion 24) using a receiving part 18 as shown in figures 3A and 3B, the connector coupling interface 17 serves to couple the main body 14 to the receiving part 18 and indirectly to the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (e.g. to the receiving portion 24). Advantageously, the connector coupling interface 17 of the thermal connector 12 can extend along more than one external wall of the main body 14, e.g. the three walls that are in direct contact with the case 19 of the receiving part 7 (as simplified in figure 3A). According to other configurations, further coupling interface regions can be used in addition to the connector coupling interface 17 of the main body 14. For example, one or more walls of the auxiliary cooling module 13 can be provided with coupling interfaces to improve the fastening between the thermal connector 12 and the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (e.g. the receiving portion 24), i.e. between the main body 14 and the receiving part 18. In examples, the heat transfer region 20 of the receiving part 18 is configured to receive the heat transfer element 6 for collecting heat transferred to the auxiliary cooling interface 5, wherein the connector heat transfer element 16 of the connector main body 14 comes into contact with said heat transfer element 6, once the connector coupling interface 17 is coupled to the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (e.g. to the receiving portion 24). For this purpose, the heat transfer region 20 can comprise a rear opening 28, through which the heat transfer element 6, for example a heat pipe, is inserted. Since the heat transfer region 20 overlaps the recess region 25 of the main body 14 once the main body 14 is coupled to receiving part 18, any element inserted into the rear opening 28, such as the heat transfer element 6, would touch the connector heat transfer element 16 of the thermal connector 12 in the coupling configuration. This is clearly shown in figure 4 that illustrates an electronic device 2 (for example a laptop) comprising a heat generating device 4 (for example a processor) and a cooling module 3 (for example a heat sink) coupled to the heat generating device 4 to extract and dissipate heat. Also, an auxiliary cooling assembly 1 is coupled through the heat transfer element 6 to the cooling module 3. The auxiliary cooling assembly 1 comprises an auxiliary cooling interface 5 coupled to a thermal connector 12 that is thermally connected, through a connector heat transfer element 16, to an auxiliary cooling module 13. In examples, both the cooling element 3 and the heat generating device 4 of the of the electronic device 2 are located in a housing 23 and the auxiliary cooling interface 5 is integrated in a portion of said housing 23. In this way, the auxiliary cooling interface 5 acts as a connection point between the housing 23 of the electronic device 2 and the external environment. In examples, the first end 7 of the heat transfer element 6 is integrated into the cooling module 3. In this way, heat can be directly collected from the cooling module 3. In alternative, the first end 7 of the heat transfer element 6 is inserted between the cooling module 3 and the heat generating device 4. In this way, heat can be directly collected at the heat generating device 4. Considering the example wherein the electronic device 2 is a laptop, the auxiliary cooling assembly 1 can be integrated (at least in part) in the housing 23 of the laptop so that the heat transfer element 6 puts the internal heat sink in thermal communication with the auxiliary cooling interface 5. The auxiliary cooling interface 5, in particular the receiving portion 24, represents an additional laptop interface that can be used, when needed, to extend the device’s capacity of dissipating heat from the processor. In this way, by coupling the auxiliary cooling interface 5 with an external cooling system (for example through a thermal connector 12), the cooling capability of the internal heat sink are improved by adding the further heat dissipation action of the external cooling system. Figure 4 shows a configuration, wherein the auxiliary cooling assembly 1 comprises a thermal connector 12 as illustrated in figures 3A-3B including a receiving part 18 that is coupled to the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (e.g. inserted inside the housing 23 of the device 2). In this case, the thermal connector 12 would have an external portion (i.e. connector main body 14) and an internal portion (i.e. the receiving part 18). However, this is only an illustrative example. As a matter of fact, the receiving part 18 can be inserted only in part into the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (or housing 23) or can be located outside the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (or housing 23), however with a contact surface between the case 19 and the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (or housing 23). In alternative, the auxiliary cooling assembly 1 can comprise a thermal connector 12 as shown in figure 2 without the receiving part 18, the thermal connector 12, i.e. the coupling interface 17, being directly in contact with the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (or the housing 23). In examples, the heat generating device 2 is at least one of: a. data center server; b. edge Al device; c. industrial computer; d. high performance computing device; e. motor drive; and / or f. a programmable logic controller. The receiving part 18 of the thermal connector 12 can be insertable into the housing 23 of the electronic device 2, meaning that the housing 23 is provided with a recess portion, inside which the receiving part 18 can be inserted, for example in a removable way. In alternative, the receiving part 18 is integrated into the housing 23 of the electronic device 2, i.e. the receiving part 18 is an integral part of the housing 23. It is noted that once the thermal connector 12 is coupled to the auxiliary cooling interface 5, and therefore to the housing 23, the heat transfer element 6 comes into contact with the connector heat transfer element 16 of the main body 14 of the thermal connector 12 to determine a heat passage from the heat generating device 4 and the cooling module 3 outside the housing 23 through the thermal connector 12 and finally to the auxiliary cooling module 13. From the figures it is clear that in the coupling configuration at least one end of the connector heat transfer element 16 and of the heat transfer element 6 is completely enclosed in the case 19 of the receiving part 18 and / or in the housing 23. Whereas both ends of the heat transfer element 6 are inside the housing 23, one end of the connector heat transfer element 16 is located outside the housing 23 and is connected to the auxiliary cooling module 13. In examples, the cooling module 3 comprises a passive cooling unit, in particular a heat sink with a heat pipe or a radiative cooling element. In alternative or in addition, the cooling module 3 is an active cooling unit, in particular a heat sink with a fan, a liquid cooling element, or a Peltier module. As shown in figure 4, the auxiliary cooling module 13 is connected to the thermal connector 12 through at least the connector heat transfer element 16 of the thermal connector 12 and the auxiliary cooling module 13 is in touch with the connector heat transfer element 16. To increase the heat transfer, the connector heat transfer element 16 of the thermal connector 12 can extend at least in part inside the auxiliary cooling module 13. Figures 5A-5B illustrate the attachment process of the thermal connector 12 to the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (or to the housing 23). In particular, figure 5A shows a lateral view of an uncoupled configuration, whereas figure 5B shows a lateral view of a coupled configuration. The heat generating device 4 and the cooling module 3 are located inside a housing 23 and positioned on a printed circuit board 30. The device 4 generates heat and is in contact with a heat transfer element 6 to collect and transport heat away from the heat generating device 4. In particular, the heat transfer element 6 is placed between the heat generating device 4 and the cooling module 3. The heat transfer element 6 is an elongated element, for example a heat pipe, extending from the cooling module 3 and the heat generating device 4 to the edge of the housing 23 at the auxiliary cooling interface 5 passing through the case 19 of the receiving part 18 of the thermal connector 12. In a uncoupled configuration (figure 5A), the connector main body 14 of the thermal connector 12 and the auxiliary cooling module 13 (eventually forming here a cooling apparatus) is separated from the auxiliary cooling interface 5 and therefore from the housing 23. In the coupled configuration (figure 5B), on the other hand, the thermal connector 12 (or the cooling apparatus) is coupled to the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (connected to the housing 23) and the connector main body 14 is inserted into the receiving part 18. In particular, the support portion 15 is inserted into the cavity 29 of the case 19 and the heat transfer element 6 is inserted into the recess region 25 of the connector main body 14 such that the connector heat transfer element 16 comes into contact with the heat transfer element 6. As long as the thermal connector 12 (or cooling apparatus) is coupled to the auxiliary cooling interface 5 (i.e. to the housing 23), heat produced at the heat generating device 4 is conducted away from said device 4 and the cooling module 3 outside the housing 23 through the thermal connector 12 to the auxiliary cooling module 13. In particular, the connector heat transfer element 16 is used to conduct heat through the connector main body 14 of the thermal connector 12, for example from the surface in contact with the heat transfer element 6, through heat transfer region 20, connectable to the auxiliary cooling module 13. Such type of thermal connector 12 is configured to improve the cooling capacity of the internal cooling module 3 by transferring heat from the heat generating device 4 and PCB 30 to outside the housing 23. Heat can then be dissipated outside the housing 23 with an auxiliary cooling module 13 such as heat sink, radiative cooling, heat convection, and other means. As shown in figure 5B, once the thermal connector 12 is coupled to the receiving part 18, the connector main body 14 is completely inserted into the case 19 and the support portion 15 completely fills the cavity 29. This occurs because the dimensions of the support portion 15 correspond to the dimensions of the cavity 29 of the receiving part 18. Figures 6A and 6B illustrate an alternative configuration to that of figures 3A and 3B, wherein the dimensions of the support portion 15 of the connector main body 14 are different from the dimensions of the cavity 29 of the receiving part 18. In particular, the support portion 15 has reduced dimensions compared to those of the cavity 29 and once the thermal connector 12 is coupled to the receiving part 18 the support portion 15 only fills a part of the entire cavity 29, for example only the outermost part of the cavity 29 (opposite to the rear opening 28). This is illustrated in figure 6B. The connector heat transfer element 16 is a longitudinal element extending beyond the dimensions of the support portion 15 on both sides. In other words, the heat transfer element 16 has two protruding portions from the support portion 15, i.e., a front portion (first portion) 31 and a rear portion (second portion) 32 (as illustrated in figure 6A). It is noted that the rear portion 32 is configured to have a dimension (length) for being inserted into the cavity 29 and for being placed close to the heat transfer region 20 of the receiving part 18. Specifically, the total length of the cavity 29 corresponds to the combined length of the rear portion 32 and support portion 15. Due to this particular configuration, the connector main body 14 is devoid of any recess region 25 inside the support portion 15 and the heat transfer element 6 coupled to the auxiliary cooling interface 5 can be inserted through the rear opening 28 and can be put into contact with the connector heat transfer element 16 of the thermal connector 12, thereby reaching in length the support portion 15 once the connector main body 14 is coupled to the receiving part 18. This is shown for example in figure 7. It is noted that the connector coupling interface 17 is provided only at the side external walls of the connector main body 14 (support portion 15) to ensure a stable coupling between the connector main body 14 and the receiving part 18. Apart from the differences here mentioned, all other technical characteristics of the configuration of figures 3A-3B also apply to the configuration of figures 6A-6B. The configuration of figures 6A and 6B basically serves to reduce the total dimensions of the thermal connector 12 when space constraints are present. As mentioned above, in the coupling configuration between the thermal connector 12 and the auxiliary cooling interface 5, the heat transfer element 6 comes into contact with the connector heat transfer element 16 to allow heat passage. For this purpose, the heat transfer element 6 comprises a first contact surface 21 and the connector heat transfer element 16 comprises a second contact surface 22. In the coupling configuration the first contact surface 21 touches (at least in part) the second contact surface 22. In examples, the first contact surface 21 and the second contact surface 22 are flat, wherein the first contact surface 21 has the same shape and dimension of the second contact surface 22. This is shown for example in figures 8A and 8B, wherein the two contact surfaces 21, 22 have a circular shape and a squared shape of the same dimension, respectively. It is clear that other geometrical shapes are possible, provided that a physical contact for a thermal communication is provided in the coupling configuration. For example, the first contact surface 21 overlaps the second contact surface 22 (one contact surface is placed on the other contact surface) in the coupling configuration. It is noted that figures 8A-8B, as well as figures 8C-8E described in the following, illustrate a detail of the coupling region between the heat transfer element 6 and the connector heat transfer element 16. Other components of the auxiliary cooling assembly 1 are omitted for clarity reasons. Figures 8C and 8D illustrate an alternative configuration. In this case, the first contact surface 21 and the second contact surface 22 are flat, wherein the second contact surface 22 has a dimension different from the first contact surface 21. In particular, the second contact surface can be larger than the first contact surface 21. It is noted that the second contact surface 22 is associated to the connector heat transfer element 16 (i.e. it is an extremity of the connector heat transfer element 16) and is used for the auxiliary heat dissipation. A larger surface facilitates the heat dissipation. Figure 8C shows a configuration wherein the larger contact surface corresponds only to the extremity of the connector heat transfer element 16. Figure 8D, on the other hand, shows a configuration wherein the larger contact surface corresponds to the entire connector heat transfer element 16. Figure 8E illustrates a further alternative configuration. In this case, the first contact surface 21 and the second contact surface 22 have a cylindrical shape, wherein one of the first or the second contact surface 21, 22 is insertable, at least in part, into the other contact surface 21, 22. Figure 8E shows a cross section of the connection region between the heat transfer element 6 and the connector heat transfer element 16. In particular, the connector heat transfer element 16 passes through the heat transfer element 6. This configuration further improves the thermal contact between the two heat transfer elements 6, 16. By using the present auxiliary cooling assembly 1 and the electronic device 2 integrating the auxiliary cooling assembly 1 it is possible to dissipate heat outside the electronic device’s enclosure. In particular, it is possible to extend the cooling capacity of a cooling module 3 already present in the electronic device 2. This leads to a more effective cooling with external cooling solution, a simpler device’s design (housing) since can be made smaller, an increased waterproofing of device due to a complete sealing, a more energy efficient cooling system that leverage cooler external ambient temperature outside the housing than the recirculating hot air inside the housing, a more dynamic cooling option when power is connected, and a longer electronics longevity with less thermal aging. In addition, it is possible to support temperatures extending beyond the design specifications. The present auxiliary cooling assembly 1, or electronic device 2 can advantageously be used at least for data center servers, edge Al devices, industrial PC, high performance computing, and heat generating motors. Further aspects and examples are found in the following numbered clauses: Clause 1: Auxiliary cooling system for an electronic device including a heat generating device, wherein the auxiliary cooling system comprises a thermal conductive element to put the heat generating device in direct thermal communication with a first heat dissipating device and a second heat dissipating device, the first heat dissipating device being configured to dissipate heat to an environment adjacent to the heat generating device and the second heat dissipating device being configured to conduct and dissipate heat to an environment that is non-directly adjacent to the heat generating device. Clause 2: Auxiliary cooling system according to clause 1, wherein the electronic device 2 comprises a housing and the heat generating device and the first heat dissipating device are located inside the housing, whereas the second heat dissipating device is located outside the housing. Clause 3: Auxiliary cooling system according to clause 2, wherein the second heat dissipating device can be coupled in a removable way to the housing of the electronic device 2. Clause 4: Auxiliary cooling system according to any one of clause 2 to clause 3, wherein the thermal conductive element comprises an auxiliary cooling interface configured for realizing a thermal communication between the second heat dissipating device and the housing, the auxiliary cooling interface being provided in the housing. Clause 5: Auxiliary cooling system according to any one of clause 1 to 4, wherein the thermal communication between the second heat dissipating device and the heat generating device occurs through a thermal connector. Clause 6: Auxiliary cooling system according to clause 5, wherein the thermal connector can be coupled in a removable way to the housing of the electronic device. Clause 7: Auxiliary cooling system according to any one of clause 1 to 6, wherein the thermal communication between the second heat dissipating device and the heat generating device occurs through a heat conducting element such as heat pipe and / or a vapor chamber. Clause 8: Auxiliary cooling system according to clause 7, wherein heat conducting element extends between the first heat dissipating device and an edge of the housing. Clause 9: Auxiliary cooling system according to any one of clause 7 to 8, wherein a portion of the heat conducting element is in contact at least with the first heat dissipating device. Clause 10: Auxiliary cooling system according to clause 9, wherein the heat conducting element is integral with the first heat dissipating device. Clause 11: Auxiliary cooling system according to clause 9, wherein the heat conducting element is placed between the first heat dissipating device and the heat generating device. Clause 12: Auxiliary cooling system according to any one of clause 1 to 11, wherein the first heat dissipating element is a heat sink. Clause 13: Auxiliary cooling system according to any one of clause 1 to 12, wherein the electronic device is one of at least an edge device, an industrial PC, a computing device, a laptop. Clause 14: Electronic device comprising a heat generating device; a first heat dissipating device coupled to said heat generating device; and at least an auxiliary cooling system according to any one of the clause 1 to 13. Clause 15: Electronic device according to clause 14, wherein the electronic device comprises a housing and the heat generating device and the first heat dissipating device are located inside the housing, whereas a second heat dissipating device is located outside the housing. Although a variety of techniques and examples of such techniques have been described herein, these are provided by way of example only and many variations and modifications on such examples will be apparent to the skilled person and fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention, which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Reference signs 1. Auxiliary cooling assembly 2. Electronic device 3. Cooling module 4. Heat generating device 5. Auxiliary cooling interface 6. Heat transfer element 7. First end 8. Second end 9. Connection port 10. Heat collecting point 11. Heat extracting device 12. Thermal connector 13. Auxiliary cooling module 14. Connector main body 15. Support portion 16. Connector heat transfer element 17. Connector coupling interface 18. Receiving part 19. Case 20. Heat transfer region 21. First contact surface 22. Second contact surface 23. Housing 24. Receiving portion 25. Recess region 26. First wall 27. Second wall 28. Rear opening 29. Cavity 30. Printed circuit board 31. Front portion 32. Rear portion

Claims

1. Auxiliary cooling assembly (1) for an electronic device (2) having a cooling module (3) configured to extract heat from a heat generating device (4), the auxiliary cooling assembly (1) comprising:an auxiliary cooling interface (5) having a receiving portion (24) for being thermally coupled in a removable way to a heat extracting device (11) external to the electronic device (4); and a heat transfer element (6) extending along the assembly (1) between a first end (7) and a second end (8), wherein one of the first and second end (7, 8) is coupled to the auxiliary cooling interface (5) to transfer heat from one end to the other end toward the auxiliary cooling interface (5).

2. Auxiliary cooling assembly (1) according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer element (6) is made of a material having high heat conductivity, in particular comprising copper or aluminum.

3. Auxiliary cooling assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the heat transfer element (6) comprises at least a heat pipe and / or a vapor chamber.

4. Auxiliary cooling assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the receiving portion (24) of the auxiliary cooling interface (5) comprises a connection port (9).

5. Auxiliary cooling assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first end (7) of the heat transfer element (6) is located at a heat collection point (10), in particular at the cooling module (3) of the electronic device (2), and the second end (8) is located at the auxiliary cooling interface (5), wherein the auxiliary cooling interface (5) is separated and located away from the heat collection point (10).

6. Auxiliary cooling assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a thermal connector (12) for conducting heat to an auxiliary cooling module (13), the thermal connector (12) comprising:a connector main body (14) including a support portion (15) and a connector heat transfer element (16) in contact with the support portion (15), wherein the connector main body (14) comprises a connector coupling interface (17) for being coupled in a removable way with the auxiliary cooling interface (5).

7. Auxiliary cooling assembly (1) according to claim 6, wherein the connector coupling interface (17) is at least an external wall of the connector main body (14).

8. Auxiliary cooling assembly (1) according to any one of claims 6 to 7, further comprising a receiving part (18) fixable to, or fixed to, the auxiliary cooling interface (5), the receiving part (18) being physically separable from the connector main body (14) and comprising a case (19) having a heat transfer region (20).

9. Auxiliary cooling assembly (1) according to claim 8, wherein the connector main body (14) forms a protrusion and the receiving part (18) forms a recess, the connector main body (14) being insertable into the receiving part (18).

10. Auxiliary cooling assembly (1) according to any one of claims 8 to 9, wherein the heat transfer region (20) of the receiving part (18) is configured to receive the heat transfer element (6) for collecting heat transferred to the auxiliary cooling interface (5) wherein the connector heat transfer element (16) of the connector main body (14) comes into contact with said heat transfer element (6), once the connector coupling interface (17) is coupled to the auxiliary cooling interface (5).

11. Auxiliary cooling assembly (1) according to claim 10, wherein the heat transfer element (6) comprises a first contact surface (21) and the connector heat transfer element (16) comprises a second contact surface (22), and wherein:a. the first contact surface (21) and the second contact surface (22) are flat, wherein the first contact surface (21) has the same shape and dimension of the second contact surface (22); orb. the first contact surface (21) and the second contact surface (22) are flat, wherein the second contact surface (22) has a dimension different from, in particular larger than, the first contact surface (21); orc. the first contact surface (21) and the second contact surface (22) have a cylindrical shape, wherein one of the first or the second contact surface (21, 22) is insertable, at least in part, into the other contact surface (21,22).

12. Electronic device (2), in particular an edge device, an industrial PC, a computing device, a laptop, the electronic device (2) comprising:a heat generating device (4);a cooling module (3) coupled to the heat generating device (4) for extracting heat from said heat generating device (4); andat least an auxiliary cooling assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, the auxiliary cooling assembly (1) being coupled to the cooling module (3) to extend the cooling capability of said cooling module (3).

13. Electronic device (2) according to claim 12, whereina. the first end (7) of the heat transfer element (6) is integrated into the cooling module (3); orb. the first end (7) of the heat transfer element (6) is inserted between the cooling module (3) and the heat generating device (4).

14. Electronic device (2) according to any one of claims 14 to 13, whereinboth the cooling element (3) and the heat generating device (4) of the of the electronic device (2) are located in a housing (23) and the auxiliary cooling interface (5) is integrated in a portion of said housing (23).

15. Method for extending the cooling capacity of a cooling module (3) of an electronic device (2) provided with the auxiliary cooling assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, the method comprising coupling the auxiliary cooling interface (5) of the auxiliary cooling assembly (1) with an auxiliary cooling module (13).

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