Self-cleaning heatsink for electronic components
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorMaksim Kuzmenka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems for cooling semiconductor devices that can comprise a heatsink and a cleaning element for the heatsink. The heatsink can have fins spaced apart from each other by channels. The cleaning element can have a base and one or more arms extending from the base. The cleaning element can be positioned with respect to the heatsink such that each arm is aligned with a corresponding channel between the fins, and the arms are moveable between a flow configuration in which the arms are in the channels and a cleaning configuration in which the arms are outside of the channels.
Claims13
A system for cooling semiconductor devices, comprising:
- a heatsink having a top surface and fins projecting out from the top surface, the fins spaced apart from each other by channels, wherein the top surface defines a floor portion between each pair of adjacent fins;
- and
- a cleaning element having bases and arms extending from the bases, the cleaning element being positioned with respect to the heatsink such that each arm is aligned with a corresponding channel between the fins, wherein the arms are moveable between a flow configuration in which the arms are in the channels and a cleaning configuration in which the arms are outside of the channels, and wherein the bases are coupled to corresponding floor portions on opposing ends of the channel.
A semiconductor device assembly, comprising:
- a semiconductor device having an integrated circuit;
- a heatsink having a panel thermally coupled the semiconductor device and fins projecting from the panel, wherein the fins are spaced apart from each other by channels, and wherein each channel has a floor portion;
- and
- at least a first cleaning element at one end of the heatsink, the first cleaning element comprising a base and at least one arm aligned with one of the channels, and the arm having a flex portion extending from the base and a capture portion extending from the flex portion, wherein the flex portion has a bend in a flow configuration such that the capture portion extends in the one channel over the floor portion and the flex portion at least partially straightens relative to the bend to a cleaning configuration in which the arm is outside the channel, and wherein the base is coupled to the floor portion,
- wherein:
- the first cleaning element has a plurality of arms attached to the base, and each arm has a flex portion extending from the base and a capture portion extending from the flex portion;
- the first cleaning element is at one end of the heatsink such that the arms of the first cleaning element are aligned with corresponding channels of the heatsink;
- the assembly further comprises a second cleaning element comprising a base and a plurality of arms extending from the base, each arm of the second cleaning element has a flex portion extending from the base and a capture portion extending from the flex portion, and the flex portion has a bend in a flow configuration and the flex portion at least partially straightens relative to the bend to a cleaning configuration in which the arm rotates outwardly;
- and
- the second cleaning element is at an opposing end of the heatsink such that the arms of the second cleaning element are aligned with corresponding channels of the heatsink.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.