Method and apparatus for dissipating heat from an enclosed printed wiring board

• US 6,028,355 A
• Filed: 06/16/1998
• Issued: 02/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gates, Frank Vernon
• Primary Examiner(s): HARDY, DAVID B
• Application Number:
  US09/097,971
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 257/712-718, 257/719, 257/722, 257/706
• US Class Current: 257/706
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3672 Foil-like cooling fins or heat sinks being part of lead-frames H01L23/49568
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3675 characterised by the shape of the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4641 having integrally laminated metal sheets or special power cores
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1007 with means for increasing contact pressure at the end of engagement of coupling parts
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20445 the coupling element being an additional piece, e.g. thermal standoff

Abstract

A housing encloses a multi-layer printed wiring board. A set of mounting heat sinks is fitted through the housing and contacts the multi-layer printed wiring board. The set of mounting heat sinks dissipates heat from the printed wiring board and is used to mount the printed wiring board to a wall.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing enclosing a multi-layer printed wiring board;

a mounting heat sink fitted through the housing and contacting the multi-layer printed wiring board;

the mounting heat sink dissipates heat from the printed wiring board and is used for mounting the printed wiring board; and

an integrated circuit component defined on the multi-layer printed wiring board.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the multi-layer printed wiring board having at least one layer composed of copper traces, wherein the at least one layer is substantially thicker than the other layers of the multi-layer printed wiring board.

3. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing enclosing a multi-layer printed wiring board;

a mounting heat sink fitted through the housing and contacting the multi-layer printed wiring board;

the mounting heat sink dissipates heat from the printed wiring board and is used for mounting the printed wiring board; and

the housing includes a front housing section in confronting relation with a rear housing section.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

the front housing section and the rear housing section enclose the multi-layer printed wiring board.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

one or more holes defined by the rear housing section.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing enclosing a multi-layer printed wiring board;

a mounting heat sink fitted through the housing and contacting the multi-layer printed wiring board;

the mounting heat sink dissipates heat from the printed wiring board and is used for mounting the printed wiring board;

the mounting heat sink has a proximal end and a distal end;

a stub at the proximal end;

an array of fins at the distal end; and

one or more brackets at the distal end adapted to be fastened to a wall.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

the stub extends through a hole defined by the housing and contacts a rear face of the multi-layer printed wiring board.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the stub is fastened to the multi-layer printed wiring board.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

the array of fins dissipates heat into the air by convection.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

the housing is mounted to a wall.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing enclosing a multi-layer printed wiring board;

a mounting heat sink fitted through the housing and contacting the multi-layer printed wiring board;

the mounting heat sink dissipates heat from the printed wiring board and is used for mounting the printed wiring board; and

the multi-layer printed wiring board includes multiple dielectric cores and conductive layers.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the conductive layers include:

a first layer having a first thickness, and

a second layer having a second thickness;

wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness.