Thermal connector for transferring heat between removable printed circuit boards
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsBruno Centola, Claude Gomez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thermal connector to transfer heat from one PCB to another, without interfering with the convenient removal and replacement of the PCBs and without increasing the force required to connect or deconnect the PCBs. The thermal connector comprises a first part, fixedly attached to one PCB and thermally coupled to the end portion of a first heat pipe (thermally coupled to the device to be cooled) and a second movable part, adapted to firmly grasp the end portion of the first pipe and a second heat pipe thermally connected to a cooling system.
Claims7
A thermal connector for transferring heat between a first PCB having a device to be cooled thereon and a first heat pipe, and a second PCB having a second heat pipe, said first and second PCBs being connectable and separable, said thermal connector comprising:
- a first part comprised of thermally conductive material attached to said first PCB and thermally connected to said device to be cooled on said first PCB by said first heat pipe;
- a second part movably positioned relative to said first part so as to occupy a first open position and a second closed position relative thereto;
- said first and second parts engaging both said first and second heat pipes while said second part occupies said second position so as to provide an effective heat transfer path from said first pipe to said second pipe;
- and
- said first and second parts enabling removal of said second pipe while said second part occupies said first position so as to assure facile separation of said first and second heat pipes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.