Circuit module with enhanced heat transfer and distribution

A circuit module with enhanced heat transfer and distribution characteristics, comprising:

• a pair of circuit boards each having top and bottom sides, and conductive signal plane and ground plane layers;
• a plurality of electronic devices mounted on the top side of each circuit board;
• a cooling plate extending between said circuit boards;
• means mechanically interconnecting said circuit boards and said cooling plate in predetermined minimal spaced-apart relationship;
• a first thermally-conductive pad engaged between each electronic device and the top side of each circuit board;
• a second thermally-conductive pad disposed on the bottom side of each circuit board opposite each first pad;
• and
• at least one thermally-conductive plated-through hole interconnecting each associated pair of first and second pads;
• said cooling plate including a plurality of integral extensions extending through said plated-through holes and engaging both the associated electronic devices and said plated-through holes, said plated-through holes being isolated from the signal plane layers but connected to the ground plane layer of said circuit boards so as to distribute heat from said electronic devices across said boards while conducting heat through said boards for transfer to said cooling plate.

A circuit module with enhanced heat transfer and distribution characteristics, comprising:

• a pair of circuit boards each having top and bottom sides, and conductive signal plane and ground plane layers;
• a plurality of electronic devices mounted on the top side of each circuit board, each electronic device being located over at least one through-hole extending between the top and bottom sides of said circuit board;
• a cooling plate extending between said circuit boards;
• means mechanically interconnecting said circuit boards and said cooling plate in predetermined minimal spaced-apart relationship;
• and
• a conductive layer engaged between each electronic device and the top side of each circuit board, said conductive layers comprising said conductive signal plane layer on the top side of each circuit board;
• said cooling plate including a plurality of integral extensions extending through the through-holes in said circuit board into engagement with said electronic devices, said extensions being isolated from the signal plane layers and the ground plane layer of said circuit boards, so as to distribute heat from said electronic devices across said boards while conducting heat through said boards for transfer to said cooling plate.