Thermal interconnection

• US 4,322,776 A
• Filed: 08/04/1980
• Issued: 03/30/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Job, Frederick D., Eberly, Charles E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tolin, Gerald P.
• Application Number:
  US06/174,977
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 267/158, 267/182, 361/381, 361/382, 361/385, 361/386, 361/388, 361/415, 165/80, 165/185, 174/16 HS, 211/41
• US Class Current: 361/720
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1418 Card guides, e.g. grooves H05K7/1425 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20545 Natural convection of gaseous coolant; Heat transfer by conduction from electronic boards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20636 within sub-racks for removing heat from electronic boards

Abstract

Spring 52 mounts on cold plate 12 to urge thermal conductive layers 82 against flange 20 on cold plate 12. Spring has a plurality of pressure flanges, one corresponding to each cold plate flange so that a unitary spring structure can be quickly assembled on the cold plate.

Thermal interconnection is expected to be used on all standard and improved standard electronic modules. It is being designed into ANSQS-53.

Claims

1. A thermal interconnection comprising:

a cold plate having a plurality of upstanding flanges, with slots between said cold plate flanges, said cold plate having end faces at the end of said flanges;

a spring positioned on said cold plate, said spring having a plurality of cross pieces, each said cross piece being respectively positioned in a slot between said flanges on said cold plate, said cross pieces each engaging against the flange on one side of its cold plate slot, a spring pressure flange curved upwardly from each of said cross pieces, said spring pressure flange facing the cold plate flange on the other side of said cold plate slot containing its cross piece, each of said cross pieces having the spring pressure flange facing an adjacent cold plate flange.

2. The thermal interconnection of claim 1 wherein each of said spring pressure flanges has a curved section at its end so that the thermally conductive layer of a circuit board can be pressed into the space between the spring pressure flange and the cold plate flange which it faces, with the resilient bending of said spring pressure flange adapted to urge the thermally conductive layer against the cold plate flange to enhance thermal conductivity.

3. The thermal interconnection of claim 2 wherein an end plate is attached to each of said cross pieces to maintain said spring as a unitary structure.

4. The thermal interconnection of claim 3 wherein there is an end plate on each end of said cross pieces and said end plates are positioned to lie against said end faces on said cold plate.

5. The thermal interconnection of claim 4 wherein there is a notch in said face on each end of said cold plate and each said end plate carries a finger for resiliently engaging in said notch to retain said cross pieces in the bottom of said slots in said cold plate.

6. The thermal interconnection of claim 1 wherein an end plate is attached to each of said cross pieces to maintain said spring as a unitary structure.

7. The thermal interconnection of claim 6 wherein there is an end plate on each end of said cross pieces and said end plates are positioned to lie against said end faces on said cold plate.

8. The thermal interconnection of claim 7 wherein there is a notch formed in said face on each end of said cold plate and each said end plate carries a finger for resiliently engaging in said notch to retain said cross pieces in the bottom of said slots in said cold plate.

9. The thermal interconnection of claim 1 further including a circuit board in combination therewith, said circuit board having a thermally conductive layer therein and said thermally conductive layer being interengaged between said pressure flange on said spring and said flange on said cold plate for cooling said thermally conductive layer in said circuit board.

10. The thermally interconnection of claim 4 further including a circuit board in combination therewith, said circuit board having a thermally conductive layer therein and said thermally conductive layer being interengaged between said pressure flange on said spring and said flange on said cold plate for cooling said thermally conductive layer in said circuit board.

11. The thermal interconnection of claim 8 further including a circuit board in combination therewith, said circuit board having a thermally conductive layer therein and said thermally conductive layer being interengaged between said pressure flange on said spring and said flange on said cold plate for cooling said thermally conductive layer in said circuit board.

12. A spring for a thermal interconnection, said spring comprising:

a plurality of flat, parallel, rectangular cross pieces spaced from each other;

end plates attached to both ends of each of said cross pieces, said end plates being positioned substantially at right angles to the plane of said cross pieces and extending substantially parallel to each other;

an upward and inward extending finger secured to said end plates at least between some of said cross pieces, said fingers being resilient;

and upwardly extending pressure flange formed on each of said cross pieces, said pressure flanges being positioned at one edge of each of said cross pieces and extending upwardly from the plane of said cross pieces transverse to the direction of said end plates, said pressure flanges being for applying pressure to a thermally conductive layer of a circuit board to press it against a cold plate flange, each of said pressure flanges having a curved section on the same end, said curved section being curved backward from the face of said spring pressure flange in a direction toward said cross piece.