Heat Sink Guide Pins for Memory Module Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional heat sinks for semiconductor packages often suffer from misalignment issues during coupling, making automation difficult, and can cause short circuits when pressing the heat spreaders against circuit elements on a printed circuit board.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating guide pins and a coupling unit to align and securely attach heat spreaders to the object being cooled, preventing misalignment and contact with circuit elements, while using a third heat spreader with a higher heat transfer coefficient to efficiently dissipate heat.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the first heat spreader and second heat spreader are coupled in a conventional heat sink, then heat dissipation function is achieved, but misalignment is generated between the heat spreaders making automation very difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation functionVSAvoidautomation of coupling process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces guide pins as intermediary components that mediate the coupling between the first and second heat spreaders. These guide pins provide precise alignment references, enabling automated coupling processes while ensuring reliable heat dissipation functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide pins are pre-installed on the PCB board before the heat spreaders are coupled. This preliminary positioning action establishes accurate alignment references in advance, allowing the heat spreaders to be automatically coupled without misalignment issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Strength

If the first and second heat spreaders are pressed against each other when pressure is applied from the outside, then coupling strength is improved, but the heat spreaders contact circuit elements on the PCB generating short circuits

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoupling strengthVSAvoidshort circuit risk

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The guide pins serve as intermediary components that bear the pressing force during coupling. They transfer the applied pressure to secure the heat spreaders while preventing direct contact between the heat spreaders and vulnerable circuit elements on the PCB, thereby eliminating short circuit risks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide pins are positioned in advance to act as protective elements that cushion and distribute the pressing force. This prior positioning protects circuit elements from direct contact with heat spreaders during the coupling process, preventing harmful short circuits before they can occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Ease of manufacture

If guide pins are added to enable automated coupling, then ease of manufacture is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomated coupling capabilityVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The coupling system is segmented into distinct functional components: guide pins for alignment, heat spreaders for thermal management, and PCB board for mounting. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently and enables automated assembly processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The guide pins serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide alignment references for automated coupling, bear pressing forces during assembly, and protect circuit elements from contact. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

Enables automated coupling of heat spreaders, prevents short circuits, and effectively dissipates heat from semiconductor packages, improving the reliability and efficiency of heat management in semiconductor packages and memory modules.

Implementation Method 1

The first and second heat spreaders face and contact the plurality of semiconductor packages mounted on the PCB to transfer the generated heat to the outside

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS7606035B2Heat sink and memory module using the same

Publication Date: 2009.10.20 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

Provided are a heat sink and a memory module using the heat sink. In one embodiment, the heat sink includes a first and second guide pin respectively disposed in first and second heat spreaders placed around an object to be cooled. The first and second guide pins help prevent misalignment problems from occurring between the first and second heat spreaders, as well, as helping prevent the first and second heat spreaders from contacting each other when the first and second heat spreaders are pressed by pressure applied from the outside.