Integrated Heat Spreader With Alignment Features
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current air-cooled and water-cooled heat sinks and cold plates lack alignment features, requiring separate structures for mechanical alignment during assembly, which increases assembly and manufacturing costs and complicates the process.
Innovation Solution
A single device with integrated thermal and alignment features, such as a heat spreader with air-cooling fins or a liquid-cooled cold plate, that provides thermal contact and mechanical alignment for multiple heat generating components, using aluminum extrusion or metal forming processes to combine thermal structures with alignment surfaces like straight edges for precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate heat sinks are used for each heat generating component, then thermal contact is ensured for each component, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate heat sink structures into a single integrated heat spreader that provides thermal contact with multiple heat generating components simultaneously. This consolidation reduces the total number of cooling structures while maintaining effective thermal coupling with all components that would otherwise require individual heat sinks.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated heat spreader serves multiple functions: it acts as a thermal management device for multiple components, provides mechanical alignment features for component positioning, and serves as a common substrate for mounting various heat generating components. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate alignment structures and individual heat sinks.
2Manufacturing precision
If separate alignment structures are added to heat sinks, then mechanical alignment is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the alignment function with the thermal management function by integrating alignment features directly into the heat spreader structure. Alignment elements such as positioning protrusions, registration features, or geometric constraints are incorporated as part of the heat spreader itself, eliminating the need for separate alignment structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat spreader is designed to simultaneously provide thermal contact and mechanical alignment functions. The same structural elements that enable heat transfer also serve as alignment references, allowing the heat spreader to function as both a thermal management device and a positioning fixture for multiple components.
3Reliability
If multiple separate cooling structures are used, then each component's thermal requirements are met, but assembly cost and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates multiple cooling structures into a single modular heat spreader assembly that can be manufactured as one integrated component or pre-assembled unit. This reduces the number of separate parts that need to be handled, positioned, and secured during assembly, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing assembly costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated heat spreader provides universal applicability for multiple heat generating components with different thermal requirements. By incorporating multiple contact surfaces, thermal pathways, and alignment features in a single structure, it enables efficient thermal management across various component types while streamlining the assembly process.
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 solution reduces assembly and manufacturing costs by integrating thermal and alignment functions, enhancing heat transfer efficiency and simplifying the assembly process for multiple heat generating components, while maintaining low thermal resistance.
Implementation Method 1
the one or more thermal structures make thermal contact with a plurality of heat generating components
Data Source
AI summary
A single device having both thermal and alignment features is provided to mechanically align and more efficiently cool multiple heat generating components. The device includes one or more thermal structures and assembly alignment features, in which the one or more thermal structures make thermal contact with a plurality of heat generating components. The assembly alignment features control the positions of the heat generating components during assembly of the heat generating components onto a common substrate.