System for applying interface materials
OwnerMark D. Kittel, Jason L. Straderinventors
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Abstract
A system for applying thermal interface materials to components includes a supply of thermal interface material and a die. The die is operable for pushing against and/or removing a portion of the thermal interface material that is between the die and a corresponding one of the components. The portion of the thermal interface material is removed from the supply and applied to the corresponding one of the components.
Claims29
A system for applying thermal interface materials to components, the system comprising:
- a supply of thermal interface material having a high thermal conductivity;
- and
- a die operable for both tamping and cutting a portion of the thermal interface material from the supply that is between the die and a corresponding one of the components, whereby the portion of the thermal interface material is removed from the supply and applied as a conformable thermal pad to the corresponding one of the components without diffusion bonding of the portion of the thermal interface material to the corresponding one of the components, without welded joints between the portion of the thermal interface material and the corresponding one of the components, and without trapped air within the conformable thermal pad.
A system for individually applying thermal interface materials to individual ones of a plurality of components, the system comprising:
- a supply of thermal interface material along a liner;
- and
- a die operable for transferring a portion of the thermal interface material from the liner onto a corresponding one of the components without cutting or transferring the liner from the supply;
- wherein:
- the die comprises a rounded knife die having a foam filled core;
- the foam filled core is usable for tamping the portion of the thermal interface material onto the corresponding one of the components;
- the rounded knife die is usable to cut the portion of the thermal interface material from the supply through the liner;
- and
- the system is configured such that when the die is moved relatively away from the corresponding one of the components:
- the portion of the thermal interface material remains on the corresponding one of the components;
- and
- a corresponding portion of the liner is automatically removed by the die from the portion of the thermal interface material transferred onto the corresponding one of the components and remains with an unused salvage portion of the supply.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.