Modular Liquid-Cooled Heat Sink Mounting for Varied PCB Layouts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling devices struggle to effectively cool electronic components of various shapes and sizes, and they often require different mounting arrangements due to diverse circuit board designs, which complicates the achievement of reliable thermal contact and robust fixing.
Innovation Solution
A modular liquid-cooled thermal heat sink device with a modular configuration that allows for controlled coupling with thermal substrates, featuring removable arms with engaging features that facilitate easy adaptation to different component sizes and circuit board layouts, ensuring robust mounting and effective thermal coupling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed cooling device design is used, then manufacturing and installation are simple, but it cannot adapt to electronic components of various shapes and sizes or different circuit board layouts
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling device is divided into a base and multiple removable arms that can be independently configured. Each arm can be attached or removed based on the specific cooling requirements, allowing the device to adapt to different component sizes and board layouts without redesigning the entire structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The arms are designed to be removable and reconfigurable, transforming the static cooling device into a dynamic one that can be adjusted according to different cooling targets. This enables the same base unit to serve multiple cooling configurations.
2Reliability
If mounting pressure is increased to ensure thermal contact, then thermal coupling is improved, but electronic components may be damaged due to high mechanical impact
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible arm structure is used instead of rigid mounting mechanisms. The flexible arm can deform elastically to establish thermal contact while absorbing mechanical stress, preventing damage to delicate electronic components during installation and operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible arm design inherently provides cushioning before thermal contact is established. As the arm is pressed against the component, it gradually deforms to absorb the mechanical impact, protecting the component from sudden high-force damage while still achieving reliable thermal coupling.
3Manufacturing precision
If custom mounting arrangements are designed for each circuit board layout, then mounting precision is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The base unit is designed as a universal platform that can accommodate multiple arm configurations. The same base can work with different numbers and positions of arms attached, allowing it to adapt to various circuit board layouts without requiring custom-designed mounting arrangements for each application.
Solution Approach 2:
By separating the universal base from the configurable arms, the design allows precise mounting adaptation through arm selection and positioning rather than redesigning the entire mounting arrangement. This segmentation enables high mounting precision with a single standardized base component.
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 modular design enables efficient targeted cooling of high-powered components like CPUs and GPUs by ensuring reliable thermal contact and robust mounting, minimizing disturbance to surrounding components and improving cooling performance across various board designs.
Implementation Method 1
liquid-based cooling provides advantages over air-based cooling due to better thermophysical properties, such as the higher thermal conductivity
Implementation Method 2
liquid-based cooling can provide a more compact cooling solution with higher cooling effectiveness
Data Source
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AI summary
A modular liquid-cooled thermal heat sink device configured to thermally engage with a thermal substrate. The device comprises a housing assembly having a body defining a volume, the housing assembly comprising a thermal cooling plate configured to be in thermal contact with the thermal substrate, a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the housing assembly being configured to facilitate fluid circulation within the body to effect an operative cooling of the thermal substrate through the thermal cooling plate, the body comprising a plurality of first engaging features spaced about a perimeter of the body. The device further comprises a plurality of removable arms each comprising a first and second end, each of the plurality of arms being configured to mate with the body at a respective one of the plurality of first engaging features, wherein each of the first ends defines a second engaging feature dimensioned to cooperate and form an engagement with a respective first engaging feature, and wherein each of the second ends is configured to effect an operative fixing of the device to a supporting surface through application of a force on each of the second ends, the force being perpendicular to the supporting surface.