Thermal interface material
AssigneeAdvanced Energy Technology Inc.
InventorsRonald A. Greinke, Daniel W. Krassowski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thermal interface and a thermal interface as part of a thermal management system that comprises a heat source, and a cooling module. The heat source has an external surface; the thermal interface is a flexible graphite sheet article having two parallel planar surfaces, with the first planar surface of the thermal interface being in operative contact with the external surface of the heat source and the second planar surface being in contact with the cooling module. The graphite sheet contains oil.
Claims28
A thermal interface material, comprising:
- a flexible graphite sheet article, the sheet article containing oil.
A thermal management system, comprising:
- (1) a heat source having an external surface;
- (2) a thermal interface which comprises a flexible graphite sheet article that contains oil, the thermal interface being in operative communication with the external surface of the heat source;
- and
- (3) a heat dissipating component having a heat collection surface and a heat dissipation surface, the heat collection surface being in operative communication with the thermal interface;
- wherein arranging the heat collection surface in operative connection with the thermal interface causes dissipation of heat from the heat source.
A thermal management system comprising:
- (a) a heat source which comprises an electronic component, the heat source having an external surface;
- (b) a thermal interface comprising an anisotropic flexible graphite sheet article having two parallel planar surfaces extending in a direction parallel to the planar direction of the crystal structure of the graphite in the sheet, the first of the planar surfaces of the thermal interface being in operative contact with the external surface of the heat source;
- wherein the graphite sheet comprises at least 2% by weight of mineral oil, and wherein the planar area of the first planar surface of the thermal interface is greater than the area of the external surface of the heat source;
- and
- (c) a heat sink comprising a heat collection surface and at least one heat dissipation surface, the heat collection surface of the heat sink being in operative contact with the second of the planar surfaces of the thermal interface.
A process for preparing a thermal interface material, comprising:
- (a) providing a flexible graphite sheet material, and providing an oil;
- (b) contacting said oil with the graphite sheet until from about 2% to about 75% by weight of the oil is absorbed into the thermal interface material.
A method of dissipating heat from a heat source, comprising:
- (a) providing an heat sink, and providing a thermal interface, the thermal interface comprising a anisotropic flexible graphite sheet article having first and second parallel planar surfaces and having about 2% to about 75% by weight of mineral oil incorporated into the graphite sheet;
- (b) placing the first parallel surface of the thermal interface in heat conducting engagement with a heat source, and placing the second parallel surface of the thermal interface in heat conducting engagement with the heat sink;
- and
- (c) conducting heat from the heat source through the thermal interface and into the heat sink.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.