Thermal Bridge With Spring-Loaded Plate Stacks for Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thermal management systems for electrical components face inefficiencies in heat dissipation due to limited thermal interface areas and variations in surface flatness, leading to reduced performance and potential damage from thermal energy buildup.
Innovation Solution
A thermal bridge assembly comprising upper and lower plate stacks with spring elements and a bridge frame, allowing for compressible and conformable thermal coupling between electrical components and heat transfer devices, enhancing surface area contact and heat dissipation efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If traditional heat sink interfaces are used, then thermal energy can be transferred away from electrical components, but thermal coupling efficiency deteriorates due to limited thermal interface areas and surface flatness variations
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal bridge is segmented into multiple thin plates stacked together, creating multiple thermal conduction paths in parallel. This segmentation increases the effective thermal interface area without requiring a single large contact surface, thereby improving thermal coupling efficiency while managing the interface area constraint
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single-plane thermal interface to a multi-layer stacked structure, adding the vertical dimension to the thermal conduction path. The multiple plates are stacked in the thickness direction, creating numerous parallel thermal pathways that collectively increase the effective interface area between the heat source and heat sink
2Loss of energy
If rigid thermal coupling is used, then thermal energy transfer can occur, but thermal coupling efficiency deteriorates due to surface flatness variations preventing full contact
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal bridge incorporates spring elements that provide elastic compliance, allowing the structure to dynamically adapt to surface irregularities. The springs enable the thin plates to conform to the actual contact surfaces, ensuring reliable thermal coupling despite variations in surface flatness while maintaining continuous thermal contact
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal bridge uses thin plate structures that are inherently more compliant than rigid bulk materials. These thin plates can flex and conform to surface variations when pressed together, improving contact area and thermal coupling reliability without requiring perfectly flat surfaces, thus reducing thermal energy loss
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 thermal bridge assembly effectively increases the surface area for heat transfer, improving thermal coupling efficiency and reducing thermal interface losses, thereby enhancing the cooling of electrical components and preventing damage from heat buildup.
Implementation Method 1
upper spring elements extending from the inner ends of corresponding upper plates. Each upper spring element includes an upper mating interface engaging the lower bridge assembly to bias the upper plates in a first biasing direction generally away from the lower bridge assembly
Implementation Method 2
lower spring elements extending from the inner ends of corresponding lower plates. Each lower spring element includes a lower mating interface engaging the upper bridge assembly to bias the lower plates in a second biasing direction generally away from the upper bridge assembly
Implementation Method 3
The outer ends of the lower plates are configured to face and thermally couple to an electrical component. The sides of the lower plates face the sides of the upper plates to thermally interface the lower plates with the upper plates
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal bridge includes an upper bridge assembly including upper plates arranged in an upper plate stack and a lower bridge assembly including lower plates arranged in a lower plate stack. The thermal bridge includes upper spring elements extending from upper plates having upper mating interfaces engaging lower plates to bias the upper plates in a first biasing direction generally away from the lower bridge assembly. The thermal bridge includes lower spring elements extending from lower plates having lower mating interfaces engaging upper plates to bias the lower plates in a second biasing direction generally away from the upper bridge assembly. A bridge frame having connecting elements extends through the upper plates and the lower plates to hold the upper plates in the upper plate stack and to hold the lower plates in the lower plate stack.