Flexible graphite sheet support structure and thermal management arrangement
First Claim
1. A flexible graphite sheet support structure comprising:
- a first support member and a second support member spaced apart from the first support member, wherein one of the first and second support members is adapted for movement relative to the other;
a flexible graphite sheet secured to the first and second spaced apart support members and having a free standing flex accommodating section extending between the first and second spaced apart members, wherein the flex accommodating section is bell curve-shaped having a central curved portion disposed between and adjacent to oppositely disposed outwardly facing concave curved portions such that the free standing flex accommodating section is not secured to other structures; and
a first curve retention member disposed adjacent to the first support member, the first curve retention member having a convex curved surface disposed adjacent and facing a respective one of the outwardly facing concave curved portions, and a second curve retention member disposed adjacent to the second support member, the second curve retention member having a convex curved surface disposed adjacent and facing the other one of the outwardly facing concave curved portions, wherein the flexible graphite sheet is not secured to the convex curved surfaces.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A flexible graphite sheet support structure forms a thermal management arrangement for device having a heat source. The flexible graphite sheet support structure includes first and second spaced apart support members and a flexible graphite sheet secured to the spaced apart support members forming a free standing flex accommodating section that spans between them. Curve retention members having convex curved surfaces are used to keep the flex accommodating section in a bell shaped curve while preventing the flexible graphite sheet from exceeding a minimum bend radius. The thermal management arrangement formed by the flexible graphite sheet support structure enables the flexible graphite sheet to move heat from one support structure to the other while reducing the transmission of vibration between them and allowing relative movement between the spaced apart support structures.
-
Citations
29 Claims
-
1. A flexible graphite sheet support structure comprising:
-
a first support member and a second support member spaced apart from the first support member, wherein one of the first and second support members is adapted for movement relative to the other; a flexible graphite sheet secured to the first and second spaced apart support members and having a free standing flex accommodating section extending between the first and second spaced apart members, wherein the flex accommodating section is bell curve-shaped having a central curved portion disposed between and adjacent to oppositely disposed outwardly facing concave curved portions such that the free standing flex accommodating section is not secured to other structures; and a first curve retention member disposed adjacent to the first support member, the first curve retention member having a convex curved surface disposed adjacent and facing a respective one of the outwardly facing concave curved portions, and a second curve retention member disposed adjacent to the second support member, the second curve retention member having a convex curved surface disposed adjacent and facing the other one of the outwardly facing concave curved portions, wherein the flexible graphite sheet is not secured to the convex curved surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
7. A thermal management arrangement comprising:
-
a first support member; a second support member spaced apart from the first support member; and a flexible graphite sheet secured to the first and second support members for transferring heat across a span between the first and second spaced apart support members, the flexible graphite sheet having a free standing curve-shaped flex accommodating section extending between the spaced apart support members, wherein the flex accommodating section has a central curved portion disposed between and adjacent to oppositely disposed outwardly facing concave curved portions such that a first one of the concave curved portions is disposed adjacent the first support member and a second one of the concave curved portions is disposed adjacent the second support member, and wherein the free standing flex accommodating section is not secured to other structures. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
16. A method of forming a thermal management arrangement comprising:
-
providing first and second spaced apart support members forming a span between the spaced apart support members; securing a flexible graphite sheet to the first and second spaced apart support members forming a free standing curve-shaped flex accommodating section extending between the first and second spaced apart members, wherein the flex accommodating section has a central curved portion disposed between and adjacent to oppositely disposed outwardly facing concave curved portions such that a first one of the concave curved portions is disposed adjacent the first support member and a second one of the concave curved portions is disposed adjacent the second support member, and wherein the free standing flex accommodating section is not secured to other structures; generating heat with a heat source in thermal contact with flexible graphite sheet; and transferring the heat across the span using the flexible graphite sheet. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 27, 28, 29)
-
Specification