Assembly for dissipating thermal energy contained in an electrical circuit element and associated method therefor

An assembly for cooling an electrical circuit element that is mounted on an electrical circuit board, said circuit board being physically mountable on and electrically connected to a computer motherboard by operation of a pluggable electrical connector having a first connector portion associated with said circuit board and having a second connector portion associated with said substrate, to thereby mount said circuit element on said motherboard and electrically connect said circuit element to said motherboard by operation of said electrical connector, said assembly comprising:

• a cooling plate member positioned to abut said circuit board, said plate member being moveable with said circuit board;
• a fluid conduit formed to extend through said plate member, said fluid conduit having an inflow end and an outflow end;
• a fluid manifold positioned on said substrate, said fluid manifold having an inflow portion and an outflow portion;
• normally closed fluid-flow plug coupler means having first portions affixed to said plate member and having second mating portions affixed to said fluid manifold;
• said plug coupler means being opened to fluid flow, and operating to couple said inflow end of said fluid conduit to said inflow portion of said manifold, and operating to couple said outflow end of said fluid conduit to said outflow portion of said manifold, when said electrical circuit board is physically mounted on and electrically connected to said motherboard by operation of said electrical connector;
• and
• a cooling fluid supply comprised of a fluid receptacle having an entry port coupled to said outflow portion of said manifold and having an exit port coupled to said inflow portion of said manifold, to thereby form a closed-loop fluid path for circulation of cooling fluid when said plug coupler means operates to couple said inflow and outflow ends of said fluid conduit to said inflow and outflow portions, respectively, of said fluid manifold.

A method for dissipating thermal energy that is contained in a circuit element of an electrical circuit, said electrical circuit being physically mountable on a substrate in a manually releasable manner, to thereby form an electrical connection between said substrate and said electrical circuit when said electrical circuit is manually mounted on said substrate, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a cooling plate proximate to said circuit element so as to be movable therewith;
• providing a fluid-flow conduit extending through said plate, said conduit having a normally closed inflow end and a normally closed outflow end;
• providing a fluid-flow manifold on said substrate, said manifold having a normally closed inflow portion and a normally closed outflow portion;
• supplying cooling fluid to said manifold for flow through said outflow portion when said outflow portion is open;
• manually mounting said electrical circuit on said substrate in a releasable manner, to thereby form an electrical connection between said substrate and said electrical circuit;
• concomitant with said mounting step, coupling said inflow end of said conduit with said inflow portion of said manifold and opening said inflow end and said inflow portion to fluid flow;
• and
• concomitant with said mounting step, coupling said outflow end of said conduit with said outflow portion of said manifold and opening said outflow end and said outflow portion to fluid flow.