Methods and apparatus for cooling a circuit board component using a heat pipe assembly
US6914780B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 16, 2003 |
| Grant date | Jul 5, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 17, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF28D15/04
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A circuit board assembly has a circuit board coupled to a support plane and defining a space between the circuit board and the support member. A circuit board component mounts to the circuit board and is oriented within the space defined by the circuit board and the support plane. A heat pipe assembly, located within the defined space, has a relatively high thermal conductivity, compared to other thermally conductive materials, and transfers heat from the circuit board component to the support plane or carrier tray associated with the circuit board. The heat pipe assembly has an input portion that contacts the circuit board component and an output portion that contacts the support plane. The heat pipe assembly also has a compliant portion having a lower stiffness relative to the stiffness of either the input portion or the output portion. The compliant portion of the heat pipe assembly allows for displacement of the input portion relative to the output portion to limit the amount of stress generated by the heat pipe assembly on the circuit board component.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.