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US 7,743,763 B2Granted
Structurally isolated thermal interface
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsRobert E. Grip, Blaine K. Rawdon, Gurpreet S. Jalewalia
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one embodiment, an assembly having bodies of different thermal expansion rates comprises a first body, a second body having a different thermal expansion rate than the first body, and a plurality of high conductivity members attached to both the first and second bodies. The high conductivity members are more flexible than the first and second bodies in order to allow for varied thermal expansion of the first and second bodies. The assembly may comprise a solar collector assembly, wherein the first body is a solar cell attached to a substrate, and the second body is a heat sink.
Claims62
A heat conducting assembly comprising:
- a first body and a second body;
- a plurality of high conductivity members attached to both the first and second bodies, wherein the high conductivity members are more flexible than the first and second bodies in order to allow for varied thermal expansion of the first and second bodies;
- and at least one of the following:
- (1) the plurality of high conductivity members are more flexible in lateral X and Y directions than the first and second bodies in order to produce a low bending stiffness, wherein the lateral X and Y directions extend laterally along the first and second bodies, and the plurality of high conductivity members are more stiff in the Z direction than the first and second bodies, wherein the Z direction extends between the first and second bodies perpendicular to the lateral X and Y directions;
- and
- (2) the plurality of high conductivity members vary symmetrically from being largest near a center of the first and second bodies to being smallest at perimeters of the first and second bodies.
3 more elements
A solar collector assembly comprising:
- a solar cell;
- a heat sink which has a different thermal expansion rate than the solar cell;
- and a plurality of high conductivity members attached between the solar cell and the heat sink for transferring heat from the solar cell to the heat sink while compensating for thermal expansion differences between the solar cell and the heat sink;
- and at least one of the following:
- (1) the plurality of high conductivity members are more flexible in lateral X and Y directions than the solar cell and the heat sink in order to produce a low bending stiffness, wherein the lateral X and Y directions extend laterally along the solar cell and the heat sink, and the plurality of high conductivity members are more stiff in the Z direction than the solar cell and the heat sink, wherein the Z direction extends between the solar cell and the heat sink perpendicular to the lateral X and Y directions;
- and
- (2) the plurality of high conductivity members vary symmetrically from being largest near a center of the solar cell and the heat sink to being smallest at perimeters of the solar cell and the heat sink.
4 more elements
A method of reducing at least one of stress and strain of a solar cell comprising:
- providing a solar collector assembly comprising a solar cell and a heat sink, wherein the heat sink has a different thermal expansion rate than the solar cell;
- attaching a plurality of high conductivity members between the solar cell and the heat sink with at least one of the following:
- (1) the plurality of high conductivity members being more flexible in lateral X and Y directions than the solar cell and the heat sink in order to produce a low bending stiffness, wherein the lateral X and Y directions extend laterally along the solar cell and the heat sink, and the plurality of high conductivity members being more stiff in the Z direction than the solar cell and the heat sink, wherein the Z direction extends between the solar cell and the heat sink perpendicular to the lateral X and Y directions;
- and (2) the plurality of high conductivity members varying symmetrically from being largest near a center of the solar cell and the heat sink to being smallest at perimeters of the solar cell and the heat sink;
- heating the solar cell;
- and
- transferring heat from the solar cell through the high conductivity members to the heat sink, wherein during the transfer of heat portions of the high conductivity members close to the heat sink move at least one of more and less than portions of the high conductivity members close to the solar cell to compensate for the thermal expansion differences between the solar cell and the heat sink.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.