Conformal coating enhanced to provide heat detection

• US 20040074651A1
• Filed: 10/10/2002
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kuczynski, Joseph Paul, Christensen, Dale Larry, Poleschuk, Nicholas Alexander Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,619,867 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 169/43
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0201 Thermal arrangements, e.g. for cooling, heating or preventing overheating
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10151 Sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/083 Evaporation or sublimation of a compound, e.g. gas bubble generating agent
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/284 for encapsulating mounted components H05K1/185 takes precedence

Abstract

Disclosed is an enhanced conformal coating, a process for making the same, and several computer related applications. A commercially available conformal coating is combined with a commercially available blowing agent (sometimes called a “foaming agent”) to create an enhanced conformal coating. The formulation of the enhanced coating is such that it will emit a particular gas when heated to a particular temperature. The enhanced coating is then applied to an object to which pre-damage heat detection is desired. A sensor, located proximate to the object, is then used to detect the emitted gas. Once the gas is detected, actions can be taken to reduce the heat in a manner appropriate for the particular object. Application of the enhanced coating within the computer industry can involve its use with a particular electrical component or a group of electrical components (e.g., a circuit board). For example, the enhanced coating can be applied to one or more circuit boards. The coated boards and an appropriate gas sensor are then installed in a computer system housing. When the sensor detects a particular gas, it conveys information to the system regarding the possibility of excess heat. The system can then take remedial action.

Claims

1. A composition of matter, said composition of matter comprising:

a conformal coating, said conformal coating being formulated to emit a particular gas at a particular temperature.

2. The conformal coating of claim 1 wherein said conformal coating is applied to an object for which heat detection is desired.

3. The conformal coating of claim 2 wherein said object is an electronic component.

4. The conformal coating of claim 3 wherein said electronic component is a circuit board.

5. The conformal coating of claim 2 wherein said electronic component is located proximate to a gas sensor.

6. The conformal coating of claim 4 wherein said gas sensor is used to sense said particular gas and to signal the presence of said particular gas so that appropriate measures can be taken.

7. The conformal coating of claim 6 wherein said appropriate measures are selected from the group consisting of:

cooling said electrical component;

heating said electrical component;

terminating power to said electrical component;

reducing power to said electrical component; and

increasing power to said electrical component.

8. The conformal coating of claim 7 wherein said electrical component is a circuit board and wherein said circuit board is part of a computer system.

9. A composition of matter, said composition of matter comprising:

a base coating; and

a blowing agent combined with said base coating to make a conformal coating, said conformal coating emitting a particular gas at a particular temperature.

10. The conformal coating of claim 9 wherein said conformal coating is applied to an object for which heat detection is desired.

11. The conformal coating of claim 10 wherein said object is an electronic component.

12. The conformal coating of claim 11 wherein said electronic component is a circuit board.

13. The conformal coating of claim 10 wherein said electronic component is located proximate to a gas sensor.

14. The conformal coating of claim 12 wherein said gas sensor is used to sense said particular gas and to signal the presence of said particular gas so that appropriate measures can be taken.

15. The conformal coating of claim 14 wherein said appropriate measures are selected from the group consisting of:

cooling said electrical component;

heating said electrical component;

terminating power to said electrical component;

reducing power to said electrical component; and

increasing power to said electrical component.

16. The conformal coating of claim 15 wherein said electrical component is a circuit board and wherein said circuit board is part of a computer system.

17. An article of manufacture, said article of manufacture comprising:

an object, said object being coated with a conformal coating, said conformal coating being formulated to emit a particular gas at a particular temperature.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 17 wherein heat detection is desired for said object.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 18 wherein said object is an electronic component.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 19 wherein said electronic component is a circuit board.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 18 wherein said electronic component is located proximate to a gas sensor.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 20 wherein said gas sensor is used to sense said particular gas and to signal the presence of said particular gas so that appropriate measures can be taken.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 22 wherein said appropriate measures are selected from the group consisting of:

cooling said electrical component;

heating said electrical component;

terminating power to said electrical component;

reducing power to said electrical component; and

increasing power to said electrical component.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 23 wherein said electrical component is a circuit board and wherein said circuit board is part of a computer system.

25. An article of manufacture, said article of manufacture comprising:

an electrical component, said electrical component being coated with a conformal coating, said conformal coating being formulated to emit a particular gas at a particular temperature.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 25 wherein said electronic component is a circuit board.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 26 wherein said electronic component is located proximate to a gas sensor.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 27 wherein said gas sensor is used to sense said particular gas and to signal the presence of said particular gas so that appropriate measures can be taken.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 28 wherein said appropriate measures are selected from the group consisting of:

cooling said electrical component;

heating said electrical component;

terminating power to said electrical component;

reducing power to said electrical component; and

increasing power to said electrical component.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 29 wherein said electrical component is part of a computer system.

31. An apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

at least one electrical component, said electrical component being coated with a conformal coating, said conformal coating being formulated to emit a particular gas at a particular temperature.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said electronic component is located proximate to a gas sensor.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said gas sensor is used to sense said particular gas and to signal the presence of said particular gas so that appropriate measures can be taken.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said appropriate measures are selected from the group consisting of:

cooling said electrical component;

heating said electrical component;

terminating power to said electrical component;

reducing power to said electrical component; and

increasing power to said electrical component.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein said electronic component is a circuit board.

36. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said processor is configured to perform said appropriate measures.

37. An apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

at least one electrical component, said electrical component being coated with a conformal coating, said conformal coating being formulated to emit a particular gas at a particular temperature, said electronic component being located proximate to a gas sensor such that said gas sensor can detect said particular gas and signal a notification of the presence of said particular gas; and

a processor;

said processor being configured to receive said notification and to shutdown said apparatus.

38. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein said shutdown is selected from the group consisting of:

an immediate shutdown; and

a normal shutdown.

40. The program product of claim 37 wherein said shutting down step is selected from the group consisting of:

performing an immediate shutdown; and

performing a normal shutdown.

41. The program product of claim 40 wherein said step of performing a normal shutdown further comprises the steps of:

determining a first outgas level;

determining a second outgas level;

determining whether a rate of increase between said first outgas level and said second outgas level is sufficiently slow to permit a normal shutdown;

performing said normal shutdown when said rate of increase is sufficiently slow to permit said normal shutdown.

39. A program product, said program product comprising:

signal bearing media; and

a shutdown controller stored on said signal bearing media, said shutdown controller being configured to perform the following steps;

receiving a notification of detection of a particular gas from a gas sensor, said particular gas being emitted when a coating of an electrical component reaches a particular temperature, said coating being formulated to emit said particular gas when heated to said particular temperature; and

shutting down said apparatus.

42. A process for manufacturing an object, said process comprising the following steps:

selecting said object;

applying a conformal coating to said object, said conformal coating being formulated to emit a particular gas at a particular temperature.

43. The process of claim 42 wherein said object is an electronic component.

44. The process of claim 43 wherein said electronic component is a circuit board.

45. A method for shutting down an apparatus, said method comprising the following steps:

receiving a notification of detection of a particular gas from a gas sensor, said particular gas being emitted when a coating of an electrical component reaches a particular temperature, said coating being formulated to emit said particular gas when heated to said particular temperature; and

shutting down said apparatus.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein said shutting down step is selected from the group consisting of:

performing an immediate shutdown; and

performing a normal shutdown.

47. The program product of claim 46 wherein said step of performing a normal shutdown further comprises the steps of:

determining a first outgas level;

determining a second outgas level;

determining whether a rate of increase between said first outgas level and said second outgas level is sufficiently slow to permit a normal shutdown; and

performing said normal shutdown when said rate of increase is sufficiently slow to permit said normal shutdown.