# US 10,321,606 B2 · Flexible thermally-conductive shunt > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,321,606 B2 - Document ID: US10321606B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/471,798 - Filed: 2017-03-28 - Published: 2018-10-04 - Granted: 2019-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-28 - Assignees: Intel Corporation - Applicants: Intel Corporation - Inventors: Mark E. Sprenger; Kenan Arik; Michael S. Brazel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10321606B2 ## CPC - H05K 7/20336: {Heat pipes, e.g. wicks or capillary pumps} - F28F 1/405: {and being formed of wires} - G06F 1/20: Cooling means - H05K 7/20: Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating - F28F 2255/18: sintered - G06F 2200/201: Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Apparatuses, systems and methods associated with a flexible thermally conductive shunt are disclosed herein. The flexible thermally conductive shunt may include a thermally conductive element, the thermally conductive element being flexible. The flexible thermally conductive shunt may further include a thermally conductive member thermally coupled to the thermally conductive element. The thermally conductive member may include a shell and a cavity. The shell may be sealed to the thermally conductive element, wherein the thermally conductive element extends through a discontinuity of the shell. The cavity may be formed at a center of the thermally conductive member and enclosed by the shell, wherein a first portion of the thermally conductive element extends within the cavity and a second portion of the thermally conductive element extends out of the thermally conductive member via the discontinuity of the shell. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A thermally-conductive apparatus, comprising: a flexible thermally-conductive element; and a thermally-conductive member, thermally coupled to the flexible thermally-conductive element, including: a shell sealed to the flexible thermally-conductive element, wherein the flexible thermally-conductive element extends through a discontinuity of the shell; and a cavity formed at a center of the thermally-conductive member and enclosed by the shell, wherein a first portion of the flexible thermally-conductive element extends within the cavity and a second portion of the flexible thermally-conductive element extends out of the thermally-conductive member via the discontinuity of the shell, and wherein the first portion of the flexible thermally-conductive element located within the cavity is sintered and the second portion of the flexible thermally-conductive element that extends out of the thermally-conductive member is not sintered. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The thermally-conductive apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible thermally-conductive element includes thermally-conductive one or more wires. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The thermally-conductive apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible thermally-conductive element is a thermally-conductive ribbon or a flexible, thermally-conductive metal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The thermally-conductive apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermally-conductive member is a heat pipe with sealed ends. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The thermally-conductive apparatus of claim 4, wherein the discontinuity is a first sealed end of the sealed ends of the heat pipe. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The thermally-conductive apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cold block, wherein the second portion of the flexible thermally-conductive element that extends out of the thermally-conductive member is thermally coupled to the cold block, the cold block to conduct heat from the thermally-conductive member to a coolant system via the flexible thermally-conductive element. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The thermally-conductive apparatus of claim 6, wherein the discontinuity of the shell is located at an angle to a location that the flexible thermally-conductive element is thermally coupled to the cold block, and wherein the flexible thermally-conductive element extends between the discontinuity of the shell and the location in a flexed manner. ### Claim 8 A thermally-conductive apparatus, comprising: a flexible thermally-conductive element; and a thermally-conductive member, thermally coupled to the flexible thermally-conductive element, wherein the thermally-conductive member is a heat pipe with sealed ends, and wherein the thermally-conductive member includes: a shell sealed to the flexible thermally-conductive element, wherein the flexible thermally-conductive element extends through a discontinuity of the shell, and wherein the discontinuity is a first sealed end of the sealed ends of the heat pipe; and a cavity formed at a center of the thermally-conductive member and enclosed by the shell, wherein a first portion of the flexible thermally-conductive element extends within the cavity and a second portion of the flexible thermally-conductive element extends out of the thermally-conductive member via the discontinuity of the shell, wherein a third portion of the flexible thermally-conductive element extends out of the heat pipe through a second discontinuity of the shell, the second discontinuity being a second sealed end of the sealed ends, the third portion of the flexible thermally-conductive element being attached to an opposite end of the first portion of the flexible thermally-conductive element from the second portion of the flexible thermally-conductive element a first cold block, wherein the second portion of the flexible thermally-conductive element that extends out of the heat pipe is thermally coupled to the first cold block; a second cold block, wherein the third portion of the flexible thermally-conductive element that extends out of the heat pipe is thermally coupled to the second cold block, and wherein the flexible thermally-conductive element is to conduct heat between the first cold block and the second cold block; a heat-generating component thermally coupled to the first cold block; and a coolant system thermally coupled to the second cold block, wherein heat is transferred between the heat-generating component and the coolant system via the first cold block, the second cold block, and the flexible thermally-conductive element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The thermally-conductive apparatus of claim 8, further comprising: a circuit board; a processor mounted to the circuit board, wherein the first cold block is thermally coupled to the processor or a heat-generating component mounted to the circuit board; and a coolant system thermally coupled to the second cold block, wherein heat is transferred between the processor or the heat-generating component and the coolant system via the first cold block, the second cold block, and the flexible thermally-conductive element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The thermally-conductive apparatus of claim 9, further comprising thermally-conductive liquid enclosed within the thermally-conductive member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The thermally-conductive apparatus of claim 8, further comprising thermally-conductive liquid enclosed within the thermally-conductive member.