Structure and method of attaching a heat transfer part having a compressible interface

• US 6,896,045 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2002
• Issued: 05/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ticona Polymers, Inc. (Celanese Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cool Shield, Inc.
• Inventors: Panek, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Leo, Leonard R.
• Application Number:
  US10/277,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20030075312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 165/80.3, 165/185, 174/16.3, 257/722, 361/704, 298/900.3
• US Class Current: 165/185
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 13/00 Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing F28F1/00 - F28F11/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4935 Heat exchanger or boiler making

Abstract

The present invention discloses a thermal transfer interface having an integrally formed means for fastening and maintaining intimate thermal contact between a heat generating device and a heat-dissipating device. The interface of the present invention includes two components, a compressible thermal transfer component having a first thickness and an adhesive fastening component having a second thickness that is less than the first. The first component, the thermal transfer element, includes a base polymer matrix compound that is loaded with a thermally conducting filler that imparts thermally conductive properties to the net shape moldable material. The polymer base matrix is preferably a highly compressible material such as an elastomer. The second component of the present invention is a pressure sensitive adhesive component. The adhesive is applied adjacent to the thermal transfer element or in an alternating pattern throughout a base field of thermal transfer material. The adhesive component has a thickness that is less than the overall thickness of the thermal transfer material. When, the heat dissipating device with the present invention applied is pressed into contact with a heat generating surface the elastomer is compressed and maintained in the compressed state by the pressure sensitive adhesive material.

Claims

1. A thermal interface assembly, comprising:

a heat sink device having a substantially planar interface surface, and a heat dissipation surface with surface area enhancements thereon;

a resilient compressible thermal interface material having a first uncompressed thickness, said thermal interface being applied to said interface surface in a predetermined pattern, said pattern having voids therein, wherein said interface material is compressible from said first uncompressed thickness to a second compressed thickness less than said first thickness;

a pressure sensitive adhesive material having a third thickness approximately equal to said second thickness, said adhesive material being applied to said planar interface surface of said heat dissipating device in said voids in said pattern of said thermal interface material; and

a heat generating device having a top surface, wherein said heat dissipating device is applied to said top surface with said compressible interface disposed therebetween, said compressible interface being in a compressed state from said first thickness to said second thickness wherein said adhesive material contacts and adheres to said heat generating surface retaining said resilient interface in said compressed state.

2. The thermal interface assembly of claim 1, wherein said compressible thermal interface is an elastomeric polymer loaded with a thermally conductive filler.

3. The thermal interface assembly of claim 2, wherein said thermally conductive filler is selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber, carbon flakes, carbon powder, boron nitride, metallic flakes and crushed glass.

4. The thermal interface assembly of claim 1, wherein said thermal interface material is applied to said interface surface by screen-printing.

5. The thermal interface assembly of claim 1, wherein said thermal interface material is applied to said interface surface by stencil printing.

6. The thermal interface assembly of claim 1, wherein said difference between said first uncompressed thickness and said second compressed thickness is approximately 30% of said first thickness.

7. A thermal interface assembly, comprising:

a heat-dissipating device having a first substantially planar interface surface;

a heat generating device having a second substantially planar interface surface said second interface surface being disposed adjacent to said first interface surface;

a resilient compressible thermal interface material having a first thickness in an uncompressed state and a second thickness in a compressed state, said thermal interface being disposed between said first interface surface and said second interface surface in a predetermined pattern, said pattern having voids therein;

an adhesive material having a third thickness approximately equal to said second thickness, said adhesive material being disposed between said first interface surface and said second interface surface in said voids in said pattern of said thermal interface material, wherein said resillent compressible interface is maintained in said compressed state from said first thickness to said second thickness and retained in said compressed state by said adhesive material.

8. The thermal interface assembly of claim 7, wherein said compressible thermal interface is an elastomeric polymer loaded with a thermally conductive filler.

9. The thermal interface assembly of claim 8, wherein said thermally conductive filler is selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber, carbon flakes, carbon powder, boron nitride, metallic flakes and crushed glass.

10. The heat dissipating device of claim 7, wherein said adhesive material is a pressure sensitive adhesive.

11. A method of manufacturing a heat dissipating assembly, comprising:

providing a base matrix of an elastomer polymer;

loading a thermally conductive filler material into said base matrix to form a mixture;

providing a heat sink device having a first substantially planar interface surface and a second heat dissipating surface, said second heat dissipating surface having surface area enhancements;

applying a first thickness of said mixture to said first interface surface in a predetermined pattern to form a thermal interface, said pattern having voids therein; and

applying a second thickness of an adhesive material to said first interface surface in said voids in said pattern, said second thickness being less than said first thickness.

12. The method of manufacturing a heat dissipating assembly of claim 11, wherein said thermally conductive filler is selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber, carbon flakes, carbon powder, boron nitride, metallic flakes and crushed glass.

13. The method of manufacturing a heat dissipating assembly of claim 11, wherein said thermal interface material is applied to said interface surface by screen printing.

14. The method of manufacturing a heat dissipating assembly of claim 11, wherein said thermal interface material is applied to said interface surface by stencil printing.

15. The method of manufacturing a heat dissipating assembly of claim 11, wherein said adhesive material is a pressure sensitive adhesive.

16. The method of manufacturing a heat dissipating assembly of claim 11, further comprising:

providing a heat-generating device having a second interface surface;

placing said first interface surface of said heat dissipating device with said thermal interface and said adhesive material in overlying relation to said second interface surface;

applying pressure to said heat dissipating device, compressing said thermal interface between said first and second interface surfaces from said first uncompressed thickness to third compressed thickness, wherein said adhesive material contacts and adheres to said second interface surface and said thermal interface is and retained in said compressed state by said adhesive material.

17. The method of manufacturing a heat dissipating assembly of claim 16, wherein said difference between said first uncompressed thickness and said second compressed thickness is approximately 30% of said first thickness.