Heat Pipe Cooling Assembly for Device Under Test
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cooling mechanisms for electronic devices during testing are inefficient and costly, particularly for devices with reduced-size form factors, and require expensive environmental testing chambers, limiting flexibility and accessibility.
Innovation Solution
A heat pipe cooling assembly that transfers heat from the device under test to a target location outside the device, using heat pipes coupled with plates and a heat sink, and ambient air flow for dissipation, significantly enhancing cooling capacity and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If environmental testing chambers are used to cool electronic devices during testing, then cooling capacity is provided, but cost increases significantly and flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the cooling function into two separate locations: a first location (heat source) where heat is generated by the electronic device, and a second location (heat sink) where heat is dissipated to the environment. This segmentation allows the cooling system to be decoupled from the device under test, eliminating the need for expensive environmental testing chambers while maintaining effective cooling capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a heat transfer medium (such as a heat pipe or thermal conductive material) as an intermediary between the electronic device and the cooling system. This intermediary enables efficient heat transfer from the device to a remote cooling location, providing flexible cooling without requiring the device to be placed in a controlled environmental chamber.
2Temperature
If environmental testing chambers are used for device testing, then controlled environmental conditions are provided, but device accessibility and manipulation become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the heat dissipation function from the immediate vicinity of the electronic device and relocates it to a separate cooling location. This allows the device under test to remain easily accessible for manipulation and testing while the cooling system operates independently at a different location, eliminating the need to place the device inside an enclosed environmental testing chamber.
3Temperature
If traditional cooling mechanisms are used for electronic devices, then cooling is provided, but cooling capacity is insufficient for devices with reduced-size form factors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional conduction-based cooling (requiring direct thermal contact) to a dimensionally separated cooling approach where heat is transferred from a first location to a second location through a heat transfer medium. This dimensional separation allows the cooling system to effectively handle heat from compact, reduced-size devices without requiring the cooling mechanism itself to be miniaturized in the same space.
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 solution provides enhanced cooling capacity, flexibility in heat dissipation, and compatibility with various device form factors, eliminating the need for environmental testing chambers and enabling automated robotic handling and volume testing.
Implementation Method 1
The first heat pipe is coupled to the first plate, and the second heat pipe is coupled to the second plate. In addition, the heat sink is disposed a length from the first and second plates and is coupled to at least one of the first or second heat pipes.
Implementation Method 2
the heat sink is disposed a length from the first and second plates and is coupled to at least one of the first or second heat pipes
Data Source
AI summary
New cooling assembly suitable for use in the testing of devices is disclosed. The new cooling assembly transfers heat that is in close proximity to, within vicinity of, and/or in surrounding area adjacent to a DUT (device under test) undergoing testing to a target location that is away from the DUT. Consequently, the DUT is cooled. By employing heat pipes coupled to plates in contact with the DUT, the new cooling assembly augments cooling capacity at the DUT's location and surrounding area. Yet, the use of an ambient air flow generated by a fan is sufficient to manage and dissipate the heat transferred to the target location. Also, the new cooling assembly is readily installable in DUT testing equipment because its design is quite flexible to adapt to various requirements and space constraints of DUT testing equipment for different DUT footprints or form factors.