Thermal management system

• US 6,841,250 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2002
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NeoGraf Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: Advanced Energy Technology Inc. (Graftech International Limited)
• Inventors: Tzeng, Jing-Wen
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Deborah
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boss, Wendy
• Application Number:
  US10/256,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20030077449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 428/131, 428/408, 361/709, 165/905, 165/907, 257/712, 257/722, 423/414, 423/445.R, 423/448
• US Class Current: 428/408
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/4871 Bases, plates or heatsinks
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/4882 Assembly of heatsink parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/373 Cooling facilitated by selection of materials for the device or materials for thermal expansion adaptation, e.g. carbon
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3733 having a heterogeneous or anisotropic structure, e.g. powder or fibres in a matrix, wire mesh, porous structures H01L23/3732, H01L23/3737 take 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 165/905 Materials of manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 165/907 Porous
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24273 including aperture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/30 Self-sustaining carbon mass or layer with impregnant or other layer

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for managing the heat from a heat source like an electronic component. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system effective for dissipating the heat generated by an electronic component using a thermal management system that includes a heat sink formed from a graphite article.

Claims

1. A thermal management system comprising a heat sink which comprises a graphite article comprising compressed particles of exfoliated graphite, the graphite article shaped so as to provide a heat collection surface and at least one heat dissipation surface, wherein the at least one heat dissipation surface of the graphite article comprises fine formed at a surface of the graphite article opposite the heat collection surface, and further wherein arranging the heat collection surface of the graphite article in operative connection with a heat source causes dissipation of heat from the heat source through the at least one heat dissipation surface of the graphite article.

2. The thermal management system of claim 1 wherein the graphite article comprises anisotropic flexible sheets of compressed particles of exfoliated graphite laminated into a unitary article.

3. The thermal management system of claim 2 wherein the anisotropic flexible sheets of compressed particles of exfoliated graphite used to form the graphite article are resin-impregnated.

4. The thermal management system of claim 2 wherein the anisotropic flexible sheets of compressed particles of exfoliated graphite have an “

a”

direction extending parallel to the planar direction of the crystal structure of the graphite, and further wherein the unitary article is formed such that the “

a”

direction of the anisotropic flexible sheets of compressed particles or exfoliated graphite extends between the heat collection surface and the at least one heat dissipation surface of the graphite article.

5. A thermal management system comprising a heat sink which comprises a graphite article comprising compressed particles of exfoliated graphite, the graphite article shaped so as to provide a heat collection surface and at least one heat dissipation surface wherein the graphite article has structural features comprising cavities therein, holes therethrough or combinations of cavities therein and holes therethrough, the at least one heat dissipation surface of the graphite article comprising surfaces of the structural features, and further wherein arranging the heat collection surface of the graphite article in operative connection with a heat source causes dissipation of heat from the heat source through the at least one heat dissipation surface of the graphite article.

6. The thermal management system of claim 5 wherein the graphite article comprises anisotropic flexible sheets of compressed particles of exfoliated graphite laminated into a unitary article.

7. The thermal management system of claim 6 wherein the anisotropic flexible sheets of compressed particles of exfoliated graphite used to form the graphite article are resin-impregnated.

8. The thermal management system of claim 6 wherein the anisotropic flexible sheets of compressed particles of exfoliated graphite have an “

a”

direction extending parallel to the planar direction of the crystal structure of the graphite, and further wherein the unitary article is formed such that the “

a”

direction of the anisotropic flexible sheets of compressed particles of exfoliated graphite extends between the heat collection surface and the at least one heat dissipation surface of the graphite article.