Flexible Elastic Thermal Bridge for Variable Gap Heat Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thermal interface materials (TIMs) face challenges in efficiently transferring heat from electronic components to enclosure walls when gap sizes vary, leading to increased thermal resistance, component temperature issues, and reliability concerns, especially in applications where direct forced air or liquid cooling is not possible.
Innovation Solution
The use of flexible elastic thermal bridges, comprising thermally conductive metallic structures and an elastically deflectable thermal element, which can adapt to varying gaps by expanding and contracting, and are equipped with resilient components to provide a bias force for optimal contact with both the enclosure wall and electronic components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a single TIM thickness is used, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but thermal performance deteriorates when gaps vary
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a compressible TIM layer that dynamically adapts to varying gap sizes between components and enclosure walls. The compressible material can be compressed to different degrees depending on the gap size, allowing a single TIM thickness to effectively fill various gap dimensions while maintaining optimal thermal contact and performance consistency across different assembly configurations.
2Reliability
If TIM thickness is increased to fill larger gaps, then thermal contact is improved, but thermal resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state and mechanical properties of the TIM by using a compressible material with specific elastic properties. This allows the TIM to be compressed to the optimal density and contact pressure regardless of the initial gap size, achieving good thermal contact without requiring excessive thickness that would increase thermal resistance. The compressible nature enables the TIM to self-adjust to the optimal thickness under compression.
3Reliability
If multiple TIM thicknesses are used to match varying gaps, then thermal performance is optimized, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes a single TIM design universal by incorporating compressible material that can adapt to multiple gap sizes within a range. This multi-functional TIM can serve various assembly configurations without requiring different thickness specifications, eliminating the need for multiple TIM variants and simplifying the selection and assembly process while maintaining optimized thermal performance across different applications.
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
The flexible elastic thermal bridges effectively reduce component temperatures and thermal differentials, improving thermal performance and reliability while eliminating the need for multiple TIM thicknesses, thus lowering costs and simplifying assembly.
Implementation Method 1
The elastically deflectable thermal element is disposed in the void and directly contacts both the first thermally conductive metallic structure and the second thermally conductive metallic structure. The elastically deflectable thermal element comprises at least one thermally conductive material.
Implementation Method 2
an elastically deflectable thermal element which can adapt to varying gaps by expanding and contracting
Implementation Method 3
resilient components to provide a bias force for optimal contact with both the enclosure wall and electronic components
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic subassembly includes an enclosure, a circuit board, a plurality of electronic components, and a plurality of flexible elastic thermal elements. Each flexible elastic thermal bridge is disposed in the gap between a different one of the electronic components and a first wall of the enclosure. Each flexible elastic thermal bridge includes a first thermally conductive metallic structure, a second thermally conductive metal structure, and an elastically deflectable thermal element. The first thermally conductive metallic structure contacts the first wall. The second thermally conductive metallic structure contacts the top surface of the electronic component and is spaced apart from the first thermally conductive metallic structure to define a void. The elastically deflectable thermal element is disposed in the void and directly contacts both the first thermally conductive metallic structure and the second thermally conductive metallic structure. The elastically deflectable thermal element comprises at least one thermally conductive material.