Variable-gap thermal-interface device
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsAndrew D. Delano, Brandon A. Rubenstein, Eugene Miksch
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Abstract
A method of transferring heat from a heat source to a heat sink using a variable-gap thermal-interface device is provided. The method comprises providing and rotating a multi-axis rotary spherical joint to an orientation to compensate for misalignment between the heat source and heat sink. The method further comprises providing a shim of thickness sufficient to fill a gap between the heat source and multi-axis rotary spherical joint, and inserting the shim to fill the gap.
Claims27
A variable-gap thermal-interface device for transferring heat from a heat source to a heat sink, said device comprising:
- a multi-axis rotary spherical joint comprising a spherically concave surface having a first radius of curvature in slideable contact with a spherically convex surface having said first radius of curvature;
- a block having a proximal end rotatably coupled with said heat sink through said rotary spherical joint and having a distal end opposite said proximal end;
- and
- a shim having a selectable substantially uniform thickness in at least one direction separating a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface, said first surface thermally communicating with said distal end of said block and said second surface thermally communicating with said heat source.
A method of transferring heat from a heat source to a heat sink using a variable-gap thermal-interface device, said method comprising:
- providing a multi-axis rotary spherical joint;
- rotating said multi-axis rotary spherical joint to an orientation to compensate for misalignment between said heat source and said heat sink;
- providing a shim of thickness sufficient to fill a gap between said heat source and said multi-axis rotary spherical joint;
- and
- inserting said shim to fill said gap.
A wedge socket variable gap thermal interface apparatus comprising:
- an wedge socket extension comprising a thermally conductive material having a proximal surface thermally communicating with a heat sink, and articulating with a distal planar surface, inclined at an angle of a wedge, through a rotary spherical joint such that the articulating surfaces have the same radius of curvature;
- a shim comprising thermally conductive material of selectable thickness having a first planar surface inclined at an angle of a wedge and thermally communicating with the distal planar surface of the wedge socket extension, and a second surface thermally communicating with a heat source and opposite the first planar surface;
- a spring clip approximately rectangular in shape having a first side opposite a second side and the first and the second sides bending inwardly and exerting a spring like compressive force toward one another;
- the spring clip exerting the compressive force on opposite surfaces of the wedge socket extension and the shim causing the distal planar surface of the wedge socket extension and the first planar surface of the shim to move toward one another and to close and obliterate a gap between them forming a thermally communicating joint.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.