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US 6,026,895 AGranted
Flexible foil finned heatsink structure and method of making same
AssigneeFujitsu Limited
InventorsLarry L. Moresco, Vivek Mansingh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Heatsink structures for integrated circuit chips, chip packages, printed wiring boards and the like are disclosed. The heatsink structures according to the present invention have thin flexible cooling fins which move and vibrate under the flow of a cooling fluid. In one embodiment, the fins comprise a thin metal film, such as copper or aluminum, which is laminated to a thin polymeric layer. The polymeric layer provides resilience and elasticity to the metal film and the cooling fins.
Claims57
An apparatus for cooling a heat generating element, comprising:
- a plurality of cooling fins, each fin having a first end, a second end, and a film of a thermally conductive material disposed between said first and second ends and having an attachment region at said first end for attachment to the heat generating element or to an attachment region of another said cooling fin, said film of thermally conductive material further having a heat-exchanging region disposed between said attachment region and said second end for contact with a cooling fluid, each of said regions having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface;
- and
- wherein each said cooling fin further comprises a film of a polymeric material attached to one of the surfaces of the heat-exchanging region of the film of thermally conductive material, said polymeric material having a thermal conductivity;
- wherein said thermally conductive material has a thermal conductivity which is greater than 50 W/m.multidot.K and which is greater than the thermal conductivity of said polymeric material;
- wherein the thickness of each said fin is less than 500 .mu.m;
- and
- wherein the attachment regions of at least two films of thermally conductive material are attached to one another at their surfaces by at least one of;
- a solder material, a welding material, a thermally conductive adhesive material, and a mechanical pressure which holds the surface of one attachment region against the surface of another attachment region.
5 more elements
An apparatus for cooling a heat generating element, comprising:
- a plurality of cooling fins, each fin having a first end, a second end, and a film of a thermally conductive material disposed between said first and second ends and having an attachment region at said first end for attachment to the heat generating element or to an attachment region of another said cooling fin, said film of thermally conductive material further having a heat-exchanging region disposed between said attachment region and said second end for contact with a cooling fluid, each of said regions having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface;
- and
- wherein each said cooling fin further comprises a film of a polymeric material attached to one of the surfaces of the heat-exchanging region of the film of thermally conductive material, said polymeric material having a thermal conductivity;
- wherein said thermally conductive material has a thermal conductivity which is at least 100 time greater than the thermal conductivity of said polymeric material, wherein the thickness of each said fin is less than approximately 500 .mu.m;
- and
- wherein the attachment regions of at least two films of thermally conductive material are attached to one another at their surfaces by at least one of;
- a solder material, a welding material, a thermally conductive adhesive material, or a mechanical pressure which holds the surface of one attachment region against the surface of another attachment region.
4 more elements
An apparatus for cooling a heat generating element, comprising:
- a plurality of cooling fins, each fin having a first end, a second end, and a film of a thermally conductive material disposed between said first and second ends and having an attachment region at said first end for attachment to the heat generating element or to an attachment region of another said cooling fin, said film of thermally conductive material further having a heat-exchanging region disposed between said attachment region and said second end for contact with a cooling fluid, each of said regions having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, said thermally conductive material having a thermal conductivity which is greater than 50 W/m.multidot.K;
- and
- wherein each said cooling fin further comprises a film of a polymeric material attached to one of the surfaces of the heat-exchanging region of the film of thermally conductive material;
- wherein each said cooling fin a thickness of less than approximately 200 .mu.m;
- and
- wherein the attachment regions of at least two films of thermally conductive material are attached to one another at their surfaces by at least one of;
- a solder material, a welding material, a thermally conductive adhesive material, or a mechanical pressure which holds the surface of one attachment region against the surface of another attachment region.
4 more elements
An apparatus for cooling a heat generating element, comprising:
- a plurality of cooling fins, each fin having a first end, a second end, and a film of a thermally conductive material disposed between said first and second ends and having an attachment region at said first end for attachment to the heat generating element or to an attachment region of another said cooling fin said film of thermally conductive material further having a heat-exchanging region disposed between said attachment region and said second end for contact with a cooling fluid, each of said regions having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface;
- and
- wherein each said cooling fin further comprises a film of a polymeric material attached to one of the surfaces of the heat-exchanging region of the film of thermally conductive material;
- wherein said thermally conductive material has a thermal conductivity which is greater than 50 W/m.multidot.K;
- wherein each said cooling fin has a length L.sub.F between its first and second ends, and a width W.sub.F, each said fin being sufficiently flexible such that its first end may be deflected by at least 0.05 radians with respect to its second end with the second end being held stationary and a torque of 0.02 Newton-cm per centimeter of its width W.sub.F being applied at its first end;
- and
- wherein the attachment regions of at least two films of thermally conductive material are attached to one another at their surfaces by at least one of;
- a solder material, a welding material, a thermally conductive adhesive material, or a mechanical pressure which holds the surface of one attachment region against the surface of another attachment region.
5 more elements
An apparatus for cooling a heat generating element, comprising:
- a plurality of cooling fins, each fin having a first end, a second end, and a film of a thermally conductive material disposed between said first and second ends and having an attachment region at said first end for attachment to the heat generating element or to an attachment region of another said cooling fin, said film of thermally conductive material further having a heat-exchanging region disposed between said attachment region and said second end for contact with a cooling fluid, each of said regions having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface;
- and
- wherein each said cooling fin further comprises a film of a polymeric material attached to one of the surfaces of the heat-exchanging region of the film of thermally conductive material, said polymeric material having a thermal conductivity;
- wherein said thermally conductive material has a thermal conductivity which is at least 100 time greater than the thermal conductivity of said polymeric material;
- wherein each said cooling fin has a length L.sub.F between its first and second ends, and a width W.sub.F, each said fin being sufficiently flexible such that its first end may be deflected by at least 0.05 radians with respect to its second end with the second end being held stationary and a torque of 0.02 Newton-cm per centimeter of its width W.sub.F being applied at its first end;
- and
- wherein the attachment regions of at least two films of thermally conductive material are attached to one another at their surfaces by at least one of;
- a solder material, a welding material, a thermally-conductive adhesive material, or a mechanical pressure which holds the surface of one attachment region against the surface of another attachment region.
5 more elements
An apparatus for cooling a heat generating element, comprising:
- a composite sheet comprising a film of thermally conductive material and a film of polymeric material, said composite sheet having one or more periphery edges and an interior area bounded by said one or more periphery edges;
- and
- a plurality of slits formed in said composite sheet, said slits formed such that a plurality of cooling fins are provided between said slits with at least two of the fins being physically coupled to one another by a portion of said composite sheet;
- and
- wherein one of said periphery edges is for attachment to the heat generating element.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.