Composite enclosure for electronic hardware

• US 5,520,976 A
• Filed: 06/16/1994
• Issued: 05/28/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Simmonds Precision Products, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Simmonds Precision Products, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Giannetti, William B., Rudd, Robert E. III, McCord, Stuart J., Shih, Wei-Tei, Hess, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan, Patrick J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Kam F.
• Application Number:
  US08/258,174
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 428/36.3, 428/225, 174/35 MS, 264/105, 336/84 C
• US Class Current: 428/36.3
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1418 Card guides, e.g. grooves H05K7/1425 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1425 of standardised dimensions, e.g. 19"-subrack
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20545 Natural convection of gaseous coolant; Heat transfer by conduction from electronic boards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0062 Structures of standardised dimensions, e.g. 19" rack, chassis for servers or telecommunications
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/009 comprising electro-conductive fibres, e.g. metal fibres, carbon fibres, metallised textile fibres, electro-conductive mesh, woven, non-woven mat, fleece, cross-linked
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1369 Fiber or fibers wound around each other or into a self-sustaining shape [e.g., yarn, braid, fibers shaped around a core, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2457 Parallel ribs and/or grooves

Abstract

The present invention contemplates a significant departure from known shielded enclosure designs by providing an enclosure for electronic modules, comprising walls made of composite material including conductive fibers for shielding the enclosure interior from electromagnetic radiation, and means for securely mounting at least one module inside the enclosure with a fastener means, the mounting means comprising composite material. The present invention further contemplates methods for making shielded enclosures and card guides for such enclosures that represent a significant improvement over known enclosure designs. This invention contemplates composite cold walls and composite fins. These composite fins and cold walls may be used alone or together in structures and enclosures which are useful in conducting heat.

Claims

1. A cold wall having a number of guide ribs thereon, wherein the cold wall and the guide ribs are a composite material comprising a matrix and conductive fibers, wherein the fibers are woven in a cross-ply manner with an unbalanced fiber ratio oriented in a direction to facilitate heat transfer through the guide rib and further through the cold wall.

2. The cold wall of claim 1 wherein the matrix is selected from the group consisting of a resin matrix, a metal matrix, a ceramic matrix, and a carbon matrix.

3. The cold wall of claim 1 wherein the matrix is a thermoset or thermoplastic resin matrix.

4. The cold wall of claim 1 wherein the matrix is an epoxy matrix.

5. The cold wall of claim 1 wherein the fibers comprise graphite fibers.

6. The cold wall of claim 1 wherein the fibers are woven graphite fibers.

7. The cold wall of claim 1 wherein at least about 60% of the fibers are oriented in a direction to facilitate heat transfer through the guide rib and further through the cold wall.

8. The cold wall of claim 1 further comprising heat exchanger attached to the cold wall for dissipating heat conducted from the guide ribs and cold wall.

9. The cold wall of claim 8 wherein the heat exchanger is an composite fin comprising a matrix and conductive fiber.

10. The cold wall of claim 8 wherein the heat exchanger is a box cooling element with fins.

16. The cold wall of claim 1 wherein the cold wall and guide ribs are laminated.

17. The cold wall of claim 1 wherein the fibers, oriented in the direction of heat flow, have a reference angle to the thermal plane from about 30°

up to about 45°

.

18. The cold wall of claim 1 wherein the fibers are generally present in an amount from about 40% up to about 80% by volume.

19. The cold wall of claim 1 wherein the cold wall and ribs are plated with a layer of metal.

11. A cold wall having a number of guide ribs thereon, wherein the cold wall and the guide ribs are a composite material comprising a thermoset of thermoplastic resin and conductive fibers, wherein the fibers are woven in a cross-ply manner with an unbalanced fiber ratio oriented in a direction to facilitate heat transfer through the guide rib and further through the cold wall.

12. The cold wall of claim 11 wherein the matrix is an epoxy matrix.

13. The cold wall of claim 11 wherein the fibers comprise graphite fibers.

14. The cold wall of claim 11 wherein the fibers are woven graphite fibers.

15. The cold wall of claim 11 wherein at least about 60% of the fibers are oriented in a direction to facilitate heat transfer through the guide rib and further through the cold wall.

20. A cold wall having a number of guide ribs thereon, wherein the cold wall and the guide ribs are composite material comprising a matrix and conductive fibers and a heat exchanger attached to the cold wall for dissipating heat conducted from the guide ribs and the cold wall.

21. The cold wall of claim 20 wherein the fibers are woven in a cross-ply manner with an unbalanced fiber ratio oriented in a direction to facilitate heat transfer through the guide rib and further through the cold wall.

22. The cold wall of claim 21 wherein at least about 60% of the fibers are oriented in a direction to facilitate heat transfer through the guide rib and further through the cold wall.

23. The cold wall of claim 20 wherein the heat exchanger is an composite fin comprising a matrix and conductive fiber.

24. The cold wall of claim 20 wherein the heat exchanger is a box cooling element with fins.