Electronic Board Heat Sink with Raised Patterns

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cooling solutions for electronic cards, such as those with heat sinks and radiators, face issues like reduced performance due to phase separation of thermal greases, manual and costly assembly, disruption of airflow, and significant thickness, which limit effective heat dissipation and increase costs.

Innovation Solution

An electronic card design featuring a heat sink with a sole and protruding reliefs, directly glued to the printed circuit board using a continuous adhesive layer, enhancing thermal convection and reducing thickness while simplifying assembly and minimizing airflow disruption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If thermal grease is used between heat sink and printed circuit, then heat dissipation performance is improved, but phase separation occurs over time reducing effectiveness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipation performanceVSAvoidthermal grease stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the thermal grease layer from the heat dissipation system. By directly bonding the heat sink to the printed circuit board, the problematic thermal grease is completely removed, preventing phase separation while maintaining effective heat transfer through the direct thermal contact of the bonded interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces an adhesive bonding layer as an intermediary between the heat sink and printed circuit board. This adhesive layer serves as a stable mediator that provides both mechanical bonding and thermal conduction without the phase separation issues of thermal grease, enabling reliable long-term heat dissipation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of energy

If radiator with cooling fins is screwed onto heat sink, then convection cooling is improved, but useful surface of printed circuit is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconvection cooling performanceVSAvoidprinted circuit surface area
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the heat sink and radiator into a single integrated component. The cooling fins are directly formed on the heat sink structure itself, eliminating the need for separate radiator assembly and its associated mounting hardware. This integration preserves maximum printed circuit board surface area while maintaining effective convection cooling through the finned heat sink design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Strength

If screw-nut systems are used to fix radiator, then mechanical attachment is achieved, but assembly complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical attachment strengthVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes the screw-nut fastening systems from the assembly. By using direct adhesive bonding to attach both the heat sink and integrated radiator to the printed circuit board, all mechanical fasteners are eliminated, significantly simplifying the assembly process and reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Loss of energy

If thermal grease layer is applied, then heat exchange is improved, but assembly process becomes delicate and costly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat exchange efficiencyVSAvoidassembly ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the thermal grease application step from the manufacturing process. By using direct adhesive bonding that provides both mechanical attachment and thermal conduction in a single step, the delicate and costly thermal grease application process is completely removed, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining effective heat exchange.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

5Area of stationary object

If conventional radiator assembly is used, then cooling surface is increased, but airflow control is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling surface areaVSAvoidairflow control
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the radiator structure with the heat sink, creating an integrated cooling assembly where the cooling fins are directly formed on the heat sink. This integration eliminates the gaps and interfaces created by separate radiator components, improving airflow control while maintaining large cooling surface area for effective convection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design improves thermal energy dissipation efficiency, reduces assembly costs, and allows for thinner, lighter electronic cards with increased component placement area, fitting within standard rack spaces while maintaining desired thermal performance.

Implementation Method 1

Thermal conduction is a mode of thermal transfer resulting from a temperature difference between two zones of the same medium or between two different mediums in contact.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

Thermal convection consists of bringing a hot body into contact with a fluid, preferably set in motion relative to the board so as to improve the heat exchange between the hot components and the cold fluid.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal convection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3305048B1Electronic board and associated manufacturing method
Publication Date: 2019.07.31 THALES SA
  • EP3305048B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3305048B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP3305048B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The invention relates to an electronic board (1) including an assembly of a printed circuit board (2) including a first surface (4) which receives at least one electronic component, and a heat sink (3), the printed circuit board (2) and the heat sink (3) being stacked in a stacking direction (z), said heat sink (3) being attached to the printed circuit board on a second surface (6) opposite the first surface (4), said heat sink (3) including a flange (8) in the shape of a plate and raised patterns (7) projecting beyond a planar surface (8a) of said flange (8), the raised patterns (7) being intended for increasing the contact surface between the heat sink (3) and an air stream relative to the contact surface between the flange (8) and the air stream, the flange (8) being inserted between the printed circuit board (2) and the raised patterns (7) in the stacking direction (z), the heat sink (3) being attached directly to the printed circuit board (2) by adhesion only and said heat sink (3) being in one piece.