Shared Heatsink Stabilizing Elements for Power Electronics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heatsinks for electronic components are mechanically unstable, especially when applied to small packages, leading to potential detachment and malfunction due to reduced mounting surface area, and fail to maintain uniform junction temperatures across multiple components in a circuit.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising electronic devices with an insulating package, a chip, and a heatsink attached to a base portion of the package, featuring stabilizing elements that extend to a substrate for mechanical stability and connection elements that secure the heatsink to the package and board, ensuring uniform heat dissipation and mechanical reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If heatsink is attached to small package, then heat dissipation is achieved, but mechanical stability deteriorates due to reduced mounting surface area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the heatsink structure vertically beyond the package boundaries, utilizing the third dimension (height) to provide additional mounting surfaces. The stabilizing elements protrude from the package sides and extend to the substrate, creating extra attachment points that compensate for the limited top surface area of small packages.
2Temperature
If heatsink is attached to small package, then heat dissipation is achieved, but detachment risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stabilizing elements are pre-configured to extend from the heatsink base through the package sides to the substrate before assembly is complete. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the heatsink is mounted, the stabilizing elements are already in place to prevent detachment, rather than requiring additional separate fastening steps.
3Device complexity
If traditional heatsink mounting is used, then simple structure is maintained, but uniform junction temperature across multiple components is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The heatsink structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: the base portion attached to the package top provides primary heat dissipation, while the stabilizing elements extending to the substrate provide both mechanical anchoring and additional thermal conduction paths. This multi-functional design achieves uniform junction temperatures without requiring separate complex cooling systems for each 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 solution provides mechanical stability and uniform junction temperatures across electronic components, preventing detachment and ensuring efficient heat dissipation, thereby enhancing the reliability and performance of electronic devices, especially in power electronics applications.
Implementation Method 1
The heatsink is attached to a respective base portion of a free surface of the insulating package of each electronic device
Implementation Method 2
stabilizing elements that extend to a substrate for mechanical stability
Implementation Method 3
connection elements that secure the heatsink to the package and board
Data Source
AI summary
First and second electronic devices each include an insulating package embedding a chip of semiconductor material which integrates at least one electronic component. Each insulating package has a mounting surface for mounting the respective electronic device on a substrate and an opposite free surface. A heatsink is fixed to the free surfaces through respective first and second base portions. A connection element is configured to connect the first base portion to the second base portion. The heatsink also includes, for each electronic device, at least one stabilizing element extending from the respective base portion to make contact with a substrate to which the mounting surfaces of the first and second electronic devices are attached.