Computer chip heat protection apparatus

• US 6,496,118 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2001
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Smith, Warren L.
• Original Assignee: Smith, Warren L.
• Inventors: Smith, Warren L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, SON M
• Application Number:
  US09/953,001
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 340/584, 340/590, 340/679, 340/693.5, 340/693.9, 340/588, 361/695, 361/717, 361/697, 361/696, 361/718, 361/719, 361/720, 374/185, 374/141, 374/183
• US Class Current: 340/584
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/34 Arrangements for cooling, heating, ventilating or temperature compensation ; Temperature sensing arrangements thermal treatment apparatus H01L21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/467 by flowing gases, e.g. air H01L23/473 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

A heat protection apparatus includes a heat sink adapted for mounting to a computer chip for dissipating heat generated thereby, the heat sink having a base defining a channel peripherally thereabout. A cooling fan is mounted to the heat sink for dispersing the dissipated heat. The apparatus includes a logic circuit capable of evaluating resistance input data and capable of energizing an alarm upon a programmed condition. The apparatus includes a temperature sensitive polymeric tape spanning between a pair of conductors connected to the circuit. The conductors and polymeric tape are mounted in the channel. The circuit energizes the alarm if the resistance data indicates a temperature greater than a predetermined critical temperature parameter or if the data indicates a temperature rate of rise greater than a critical rate of rise parameter. The alarm may be audible or provide a visual indicator to a computer display.

Claims

1. A heat protection apparatus for a CPU computer chip, comprising:

a heat sink adapted to be mounted to the CPU computer chip and having a plurality of surfaces for dissipating heat generated by the CPU computer chip, said heat sink having a base defining a groove peripheral there-around;

a cooling fan assembly adapted to be mounted to said heat sink for dispersing the heat dissipated by said heat sink into the surrounding air;

an alarm;

a logic circuit capable of evaluating resistance input data supplied thereto, said logic circuit including means for generating an output signal to energize said alarm;

a pair of electrical conductors extending along said groove, said pair of electrical conductors being spaced apart and extending parallel to one another, each conductor being electrically connected to said logic circuit for providing said resistance input data thereto;

a power source electrically connected to said logic circuit and said alarm;

a solid conductive PTCR polymeric tape positioned there-around in said groove and having opposed longitudinal edges in contact with said pair of electrical conductors and spanning therebetween, said PTCR polymeric tape being conductive and capable of a massive increase in electrical resistance at a predetermined temperature at any location along said PTCR polymeric tape where said predetermined temperature occurs; and

said pair of conductors providing said resistance input data to said logic circuit for evaluation indicative of a resistance of said PTCR polymeric tape, said logic circuit including means for comparing said resistance with a predetermined resistance parameter, said logic circuit adapted to generate said output signal for energizing said alarm if said evaluated resistance input data indicates a resistance greater than said predetermined resistance parameter.

2. The heat protection apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said PTCR polymeric tape further comprises a temperature sensing cell in parallel therealong that is capable of an increase in electrical resistance upon an increase in an average temperature thereof, said pair of conductors providing said resistance input data to said logic circuit for evaluation indicative of an average temperature rate of rise of said sensing cell of said PTCR polymeric tape, said logic circuit including means for comparing said average temperature rate of rise with a predetermined critical rate of rise parameter, said logic circuit adapted to generate said output signal for energizing said alarm if said evaluated resistance input data relative to said sensing cell indicates an average temperature rate of rise greater than said critical temperature rate of rise parameter.

3. The heat protection apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said logic circuit further comprises a memory for storing said resistance input data from said pair of conductors, said logic circuit including means for calculating said average temperature rate of rise using said stored resistance input data.

4. The heat protection apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said power source is a battery.

5. The heat protection apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said pair of conductors and said PTCR polymeric tape form an elongate and generally flat construction.

6. The heat protection apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said alarm is a visual indicator, said logic circuit being electrically connected to a computer display such that said visual indicator is selectively displayed thereon when said output signal is generated.

7. The heat protection apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said PTCR polymeric tape further comprises a temperature sensing cell in parallel therealong that is capable of an increase in electrical resistance upon an increase in an average temperature thereof, said pair of conductors being electrically connected to the CPU computer chip for providing said resistance input data thereto for evaluation indicative of an average temperature rate of rise of said sensing cell of said PTCR polymeric tape, said CPU computer chip including means for comparing said average temperature rate of rise with a predetermined critical rate of rise parameter, said logic circuit adapted to generate said output signal for energizing said alarm if said evaluated resistance input data relative to said sensing cell indicates an average temperature rate of rise greater than said critical temperature rate of rise parameter.

8. A heat protection apparatus for use with a CPU computer chip, comprising:

a heat sink adapted to be mounted to the CPU computer chip and having a plurality of surfaces for dissipating heat generated by the CPU computer chip, said heat sink having a base defining a channel peripherally there-around;

a cooling fan assembly adapted to be mounted to said heat sink for dispersing the heat dissipated by said heat sink into the surrounding air;

an alarm;

a logic circuit capable of evaluating resistance input data supplied thereto, said logic circuit including means for generating an output signal to energize said alarm;

a pair of electrical conductors positioned in said channel along at least one side of said base, said pair of electrical conductors being spaced apart and extending parallel to one another, each conductor being electrically connected to said logic circuit for providing said resistance input data thereto;

a battery power source electrically connected to said logic circuit and said alarm;

a solid conductive PTCR polymeric tape positioned there-around in said channel and having opposed longitudinal edges in contact with and enveloping said pair of electrical conductors and spanning therebetween, said PTCR polymeric tape being conductive and capable of a massive increase in electrical resistance at a predetermined temperature at any location along said PTCR polymeric tape where said predetermined temperature occurs;

said pair of conductors providing said resistance input data to said logic circuit for evaluation indicative of a resistance of said PTCR polymeric tape, said logic circuit including means for comparing said resistance with a predetermined resistance parameter, said logic circuit generating said output signal for energizing said alarm if said evaluated resistance input data indicates a resistance greater than said predetermined resistance parameter; and

said PTCR polymeric tape including a temperature sensing cell arranged in parallel therealong that is capable of an increase in electrical resistance upon an increase in an average temperature thereof, said pair of conductors providing said resistance input data to said logic circuit for evaluation indicative of an average temperature rate of rise of said sensing cell of said PTCR polymeric tape, said logic circuit including means for comparing said average temperature rate of rise with a predetermined critical rate of rise parameter, said logic circuit generating said output signal for energizing said alarm if said evaluated resistance input data relative to said sensing cell indicates an average temperature rate of rise greater than said critical temperature rate of rise parameter.

9. The heat protection apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said logic circuit further comprises a memory for storing said resistance input data from said pair of conductors, said logic circuit including means for calculating said average temperature rate of rise using said stored resistance input data.

10. The heat protection apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said pair of conductors and said PTCR polymeric tape form an elongate and generally flat construction.

11. The heat protection apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said alarm includes a visual indicator, said logic circuit being electrically connected to a computer display and adapted to selectively display said visual indicator thereon when said output signal is generated.

12. The heat protection apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said alarm includes an audible alarm.

13. The heat protection apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said pair of electrical conductors are positioned in said channel along all sides of said base of said heat sink.

14. A heat detection apparatus for use with a computer chip, comprising:

a heat sink adapted to be mounted to a computer chip and having a plurality of surfaces for dissipating heat generated by said computer chip, said heat sink having a base defining a channel peripherally there-around;

a cooling fan assembly adapted to be mounted to said heat sink for dispersing the heat dissipated by said heat sink into the surrounding air;

an alarm;

means in said computer chip for evaluating resistance input data and for generating an output signal to energize said alarm;

a pair of electrical conductors positioned in said channel, said pair of electrical conductors being spaced apart and extending parallel to one another, each conductor being electrically connected to said computer chip for providing said resistance input data thereto;

a power source electrically connected to said computer chip and said alarm;

a solid conductive PTCR polymeric tape positioned there-around in said channel and having opposed longitudinal edges in contact with and enveloping said pair of electrical conductors and spanning therebetween, said PTCR polymeric tape being conductive and capable of a massive increase in electrical resistance at a predetermined temperature at any location along said PTCR polymeric tape where said predetermined temperature occurs; and

said pair of conductors providing said resistance input data to said computer chip for evaluation indicative of a resistance of said PTCR polymeric tape, said computer chip including means for comparing said resistance with a predetermined resistance parameter, said computer chip generating said output signal for energizing said alarm if said evaluated resistance input data indicates a resistance greater than said predetermined resistance parameter.

15. The heat detection apparatus as in claim 14 wherein said PTCR polymeric tape further comprises a temperature sensing cell arranged in parallel therealong that is capable of an increase in electrical resistance upon an increase in an average temperature thereof, said pair of conductors providing said resistance input data to said computer chip for evaluation indicative of an average temperature rate of rise of said sensing cell of said PTCR polymeric tape, said computer chip including means for comparing said average temperature rate of rise with a predetermined critical rate of rise parameter, said computer chip generating said output signal for energizing said alarm if said evaluated resistance input data relative to said sensing cell indicates an average temperature rate of rise greater than said critical temperature rate of rise parameter.

16. The heat detection apparatus as in claim 15 wherein said computer chip further comprises a memory for storing said resistance input data from said pair of conductors, said computer chip including means for calculating said average temperature rate of rise using said stored resistance input data.

17. The heat detection apparatus as in claim 15 wherein said alarm is a visual indicator, said computer chip being electrically connected to a computer display such that said visual indicator is selectively displayed thereon when said output signal is generated.