Multi-sided thermal management device for electronic apparatus

A thermal management device for electronic components, comprising:

• (a) a multi-sided heat spreader element defining a longitudinal axis and comprising a longitudinally extending multi-sided wall and an internal space at least partly enclosed within the multi-sided wall, the multi-sided wall having an inner surface, an outer surface and longitudinally spaced first and second ends;
• (b) a plurality of electronic components mounted to the outer surface of the wall of the heat spreader element;
• (c) a flow space for a cooling medium provided in the internal space of the heat spreader element;
• and
• (d) one or more perforations through the multi-sided wall to permit flow of the cooling medium between the inner and outer surfaces of the multi-sided wall;
• wherein the tubular heat spreader element comprises at least one layer of a thermally conductive metal which is bendable from a flat shape to the shape of said multi-sided wall;
• wherein the at least one bendable layer of the multi-sided wall is bent along a plurality of bend lines extending between the first and second ends of the multi-sided wall, such that the multi-sided wall of the heat spreader element comprises a plurality of facets when viewed in transverse cross section;
• and
• wherein the perforations are provided along the bend lines.

A thermal management device for electronic components, comprising:

• (a) a multi-sided heat spreader element defining a longitudinal axis and comprising a longitudinally extending multi-sided wall and an internal space at least partly enclosed within the multi-sided wall, the multi-sided wall having an inner surface, an outer surface and longitudinally spaced first and second ends;
• (b) a plurality of electronic components mounted to the outer surface of the wall of the heat spreader element;
• (c) a flow space for a cooling medium provided in the internal space of the heat spreader element, including a first flow space for said cooling medium provided along the inner surface of the heat spreader element, the first flow space having an inlet and an outlet which are spaced apart along the longitudinal axis;
• and
• (d) a turbulence-enhancing insert provided in the first flow space;
• wherein the tubular heat spreader element comprises at least one layer of a thermally conductive metal which is bendable from a flat shape to the shape of said multi-sided wall;
• and
• wherein the turbulence-enhancing insert comprises a plurality of corrugations arranged with openings through the corrugations being longitudinally oriented.