Pass-through Latching Heat Sink for CPE Thermal Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Customer-premise equipment (CPE) such as broadband wireless gateways face reliability issues due to heat dissipation challenges from front-end modules on Wi-Fi printed circuit boards, which can lead to reduced performance and efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A pass-through latching heat sink assembly is designed, featuring a bracket with openings for heat sink fins to extend from the front to the back side, allowing for effective heat dissipation between the main and Wi-Fi printed circuit boards, utilizing aluminum or copper heat sink fins and secured by opposing angled tabs, enabling efficient airflow and thermal management without additional tools or fasteners.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a traditional heat sink design is used, then heat dissipation is provided, but the heat sink occupies valuable space between the PCB and Wi-Fi board and requires additional fasteners for attachment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipationVSAvoidspace occupation

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The heat sink is nested within the bracket structure itself, with the bracket serving as both the mounting structure and the heat dissipation component. The bracket includes internal channels and fin structures that act as the heat sink, eliminating the need for a separate external heat sink component and maximizing space utilization between the PCB and Wi-Fi board.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting function and heat dissipation function are merged into a single integrated bracket structure. The bracket simultaneously provides mechanical support for the Wi-Fi board and acts as the heat sink through its integrated fin structures and thermal pathways, reducing the total number of components and assembly steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Temperature

If a traditional heat sink design is used, then heat dissipation is provided, but additional fasteners and tools are required for attachment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipationVSAvoidattachment complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The bracket is designed to be self-retaining through friction-fit interfaces and interference transitions. The heat sink fins incorporate features that automatically secure themselves to the bracket without external fasteners, allowing for tool-free assembly and disassembly while maintaining secure attachment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Temperature

If more heat dissipation surface area is added, then heat dissipation improves, but the device size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation efficiencyVSAvoiddevice footprint

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The heat dissipation surface is extended into the vertical dimension by utilizing the space between the PCB and Wi-Fi board. The bracket incorporates multi-level fin structures and internal channels that maximize heat dissipation surface area within the available vertical clearance, rather than expanding the horizontal footprint of the device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The heat sink is nested within the bracket structure itself, with the bracket including internal channels and fin structures that act as the heat sink. This nested arrangement provides extensive heat dissipation surface area within the confined space of the bracket interior, avoiding increases in overall device dimensions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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 enhances the reliability and performance of CPE by effectively dissipating heat through the use of pass-through heat sinks, improving airflow and thermal management with minimal additional costs and ease of assembly or re-use.

Implementation Method 1

a plurality of heat sink fins (452) configured to dissipate heat

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

allowing for effective heat dissipation between the main and Wi-Fi printed circuit boards, utilizing aluminum or copper heat sink fins, enabling efficient airflow and thermal management

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS11778728B2Pass-through latching heat sink

Publication Date: 2023.10.03 ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC

AI summary

An assembly configured to dissipate heat in a gateway, the assembly including: a bracket, the bracket including one or more openings extending from a front side to a back side of the vertically oriented bracket; and a plurality of heat sink fins attached to a base member, and wherein the base member is configured to be attachable to a front side of the bracket and the plurality of heat sink fins extend through the one or more openings to a back side of the bracket.