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US 7,444,209 B2Granted
Miniature cooling device
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorNicolas D. Damien
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for regulating temperature in an enclosure is disclosed. The method involves monitoring a component temperature inside the enclosure. When the component temperature reaches a threshold, the method injects a coolant into the enclosure. The method further involves regulating a flow rate of the coolant by actuating a miniature piezoelectric element to reduce the component temperature to a prescribed level.
Claims19
A method for regulating temperature in an enclosure, the method comprising:
- monitoring a component temperature inside the enclosure;
- when the component temperature reaches a threshold, injecting a coolant into the enclosure;
- and
- regulating a flow rate of the coolant by actuating a piezoelectric valve assembly within a miniature cooling device inside the enclosure,
- wherein actuating the piezoelectric valve assembly further includes,
- activating at least two piezoelectric wafers having an element interposed there between, thereby bending the element in response to an applied voltage level, and
- in response to the bending of the element, breaking a seal to regulate the flow rate of the coolant to reduce the component temperature to a prescribed level.
4 more elements
A method for cooling one or more components on an electronic assembly, the method comprising:
- evaluating a current temperature of the one or more components;
- and
- when the one or more components experience a prescribed temperature level, activating at least one piezoelectric bending element embedded in a miniature cooling device to effect a seal within the miniature cooling device whereby the miniature cooling device directs a flow of gas on the one or more components,
- wherein activating at least one piezoelectric bending element further includes,
- supplying an electric field to energize the at least one piezoelectric bending element and a stiffening element adjacent to the at least one piezoelectric bending element, thereby bending the stiffening element, and
- in response to the bending of the stiffening element, unseating a plunger from a plunger cradle that adheres to the at least one piezoelectric bending element to allow the coolant to flow through the miniature cooling device.
3 more elements
An electronics housing, comprising
- one or more components residing within the electronics housing;
- and
- at least one miniature cooling device directed to at least one of the components, the at least one miniature cooling device including:
- a piezoelectric valve assembly, the piezoelectric valve assembly having at least three electrodes and at least two piezoelectric wafers, each piezoelectric wafer coupled to two of the three electrodes, and a stiffening element positioned between the at least two piezoelectric wafers, the stiffening element coupled to a remaining inner electrode,
- a fitting coupled to the at least one piezoelectric valve assembly, the fitting sealed with a plunger seated in a plunger cradle that adheres to one of the at least two piezoelectric wafers,
- at least one gas line coupled to one end of the fitting, and
- wherein the at least one gas line supplies a coolant to reduce a current temperature of at least one of the one or more components to a prescribed level when an electric field is applied to the electrodes to break the seal between the fitting and the at least one gas line to allow the coolant to flow through the piezoelectric valve assembly.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.