Heat spreader for electronic modules

• US 7,619,893 B1
• Filed: 02/16/2007
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Netlist, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Netlist, Inc.
• Inventors: Yu, Enchao
• Primary Examiner(s): PAPE, ZACHARY
• Application Number:
  US11/707,625
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 361/704, 361709-711, 361/715, 361/719, 165 802- 803, 165/185, 174/16.1, 174/16.3, 257/713, 257/718, 257/719
• US Class Current: 361/715
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3672 Foil-like cooling fins or heat sinks being part of lead-frames H01L23/49568
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4093 Snap-on arrangements, e.g. clips
• 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 spreader is provided for use with an electronic module. The electronic module has a first side with a first plurality of electronic components mounted thereon and a second side with a second plurality of electronic components mounted thereon. The heat spreader includes a first segment mountable on the module to be in thermal communication with at least one electronic component mounted on the first side, and to be substantially thermally isolated from at least one electronic component mounted on the first side. The heat spreader further includes a second segment mountable on the module to be in thermal communication with the at least one electronic component mounted on the first side that is substantially thermally isolated from the first segment.

Claims

1. A heat spreader for use with an electronic module having a first side with a first plurality of electronic components mounted thereon and a second side with a second plurality of electronic components mounted thereon, the heat spreader comprising:

a first segment mountable on the module to be in thermal communication with at least one electronic component mounted on the first side, and to be substantially thermally isolated from at least one electronic component mounted on the first side; and

a second segment mountable on the module to be in thermal communication with the at least one electronic component mounted on the first side that is substantially thermally isolated from the first segment, wherein the module comprises a memory module.

2. The heat spreader of claim 1, wherein the memory module comprises a fully-buffered dual-inline memory module, the first plurality of electronic components comprises a first plurality of memory devices and an advanced memory buffer, and the second plurality of electronic devices comprises a second plurality of memory devices.

3. The heat spreader of claim 2, wherein the first plurality of memory devices comprises dynamic random-access memory devices and the second plurality of memory devices comprises dynamic random-access memory devices.

4. The heat spreader of claim 2, wherein the first segment comprises a substantially flat portion positionable to be in thermal communication with the first plurality of memory devices.

5. The heat spreader of claim 2, wherein the first segment comprises a contoured portion positionable to be in thermal communication with the first plurality of memory devices.

6. The heat spreader of claim 2, wherein the memory module comprises a printed-circuit board (PCB), the first plurality of memory modules and the advanced memory buffer mounted on a first side of the PCB and the second plurality of memory devices mounted on a second side of the PCB.

7. The heat spreader of claim 2, wherein the first segment comprises a hole which substantially thermally isolates the first segment from the advanced memory buffer.

8. The heat spreader of claim 2, further comprising a thermally conductive material positionable between the first segment and the first plurality of memory devices to improve thermal conductivity between the first segment and the first plurality of memory devices.

9. The heat spreader of claim 1, wherein the first segment comprises a single unitary element.

10. The heat spreader of claim 9, wherein the second segment comprises a single unitary sheet of material.

11. The heat spreader of claim 1, wherein the first segment comprises a first portion positionable to be in thermal communication with the first plurality of electronic components and a second portion which extends generally away from the first portion.

12. The heat spreader of claim 11, wherein the second portion comprises one or more generally planar portions.

13. The heat spreader of claim 11, wherein the second portion comprises one or more angles or curves.

14. The heat spreader of claim 11, wherein the second portion comprises a surface extending generally parallel to the first portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion generally define a region therebetween through which air can flow to cool the module.

15. The heat spreader of claim 14, wherein the second portion further comprises one or more protrusions extending generally away from the surface.

16. The heat spreader of claim 11, wherein the second segment comprises:

a third portion mountable to be in thermal communication with at least one electronic component mounted on the first side of the module; and

a fourth portion extending generally away from the third portion, the fourth portion comprising a surface extending generally parallel to the third portion, wherein the third portion and the fourth portion generally define a region therebetween through which air can flow to cool the module.

17. The heat spreader of claim 16, wherein the second segment comprises a single unitary sheet of material.

18. The heat spreader of claim 16, wherein the second segment is substantially thermally isolated from the first segment.

19. The heat spreader of claim 1, wherein the second segment comprises a single unitary element.

20. The heat spreader of claim 1, wherein the second segment comprises a substantially flat portion positionable to be in thermal communication with the at least one electronic component mounted on the first side that is substantially thermally isolated from the first segment.

21. The heat spreader of claim 1, wherein the second segment comprises a contoured portion positionable to be in thermal communication with the at least one electronic component mounted on the first side that is substantially thermally isolated from the first segment.

22. The heat spreader of claim 1, further comprising a thermally conductive material positionable between the second segment and the at least one electronic component mounted on the first side that is substantially thermally isolated from the first segment to improve thermal conductivity between the second segment and the at least one electronic component mounted on the first side that is substantially thermally isolated from the first segment.

23. The heat spreader of claim 1, wherein the second segment comprises a substantially flat portion positionable to be in thermal communication with at least one electronic component mounted on the second side.

24. The heat spreader of claim 1, wherein the second segment comprises a contoured portion positionable to be in thermal communication with at least one electronic component mounted on the second side.

25. The heat spreader of claim 1, further comprising a fastener mountable on the first segment and the second segment to apply force to the first segment and the second segment so that the first segment and the second segment are mechanically coupled to the module.

26. The heat spreader of claim 1, further comprising a third segment mountable on the module to be in thermal communication with at least one electronic component mounted on the second side of the module.

27. The heat spreader of claim 26, further comprising a fastener mountable on the first segment and the second segment to apply a force to the first segment and the second segment, and the third segment so that the first segment, the second segment, and the third segment are mechanically coupled to the module.

28. The heat spreader of claim 26, wherein the first segment further comprises:

a first portion positionable to be in thermal communication with at least one component mounted on the first side of the module; and

a second portion which extends generally away from the first portion, the second portion comprising a surface extending generally parallel to the first portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion generally define a first region therebetween through which air can flow to cool the module.

29. The heat spreader of claim 28, wherein the third segment further comprises:

a third portion positionable to be in thermal communication with the second plurality of electronic components; and

a fourth portion extending generally away from the third portion, the fourth portion comprising a surface extending generally parallel to the third portion, wherein the third portion and the fourth portion generally define a second region therebetween through which air can flow to cool the module.

30. The heat spreader of claim 28, wherein the second segment further comprises:

a third portion positionable to be in thermal communication with at least one electronic component mounted on the first side of the module; and

a fourth portion extending generally away from the third portion, the fourth portion comprising a surface extending generally parallel to the third portion, wherein the third portion and the fourth portion generally define a second region therebetween through which air can flow to cool the module.

31. A heat spreader for use with an electronic module having a first side with a first plurality of electronic components mounted thereon and a second side with a second plurality of electronic components mounted thereon, the heat spreader comprising:

a first segment mountable on the module to be in thermal communication with at least one electronic component mounted on the first side, and to be substantially thermally isolated from at least one electronic component mounted on the first side; and

a second segment mountable on the module to be in thermal communication with the at least one electronic component mounted on the first side that is substantially thermally isolated from the first segment, wherein the first segment comprises a hole and at least a portion of the second segment fits within the hole.

32. The heat spreader of claim 31, wherein the module comprises a fully-buffered dual-inline memory module, the first plurality of electronic components comprises a first plurality of memory devices and an advanced memory buffer, and the second plurality of electronic devices comprises a second plurality of memory devices.

33. The heat spreader of claim 31, wherein the first segment comprises a first portion positionable to be in thermal communication with the at least one electronic component mounted on the first side that is in thermal communication with the first segment and a second portion which extends generally away from the first portion.

34. The heat spreader of claim 31, further comprising a third segment mountable on the module to be in thermal communication with at least one electronic component mounted on the second side of the module.

35. The heat spreader of claim 34, further comprising a fastener mountable on the first segment and the second segment to apply a force to the first segment and the second segment, and the third segment so that the first segment, the second segment, and the third segment are mechanically coupled to the module.

36. A heat spreader for use with a module having a first side with a first plurality of electronic components mounted thereon and a second side with a second plurality of electronic components mounted thereon, the heat spreader comprising:

a first segment mountable on the module to be in thermal communication with at least one electronic component mounted on the first side, and to be substantially thermally isolated from at least one electronic component mounted on the first side; and

a second segment mountable on the module to be in thermal communication with the at least one electronic component mounted on the first side that is substantially thermally isolated from the first segment; and

a thermally conductive material positionable between the second segment and the second plurality of electronic components to improve thermal conductivity between the second segment and the second plurality of memory components.

37. The heat spreader of claim 36, wherein the module comprises a fully-buffered dual-inline memory module, the first plurality of electronic components comprises a first plurality of memory devices and an advanced memory buffer, and the second plurality of electronic devices comprises a second plurality of memory devices.

38. The heat spreader of claim 36, wherein the first segment comprises a first portion positionable to be in thermal communication with the at least one electronic component mounted on the first side that is in thermal communication with the first segment and a second portion which extends generally away from the first portion.

39. The heat spreader of claim 36, further comprising a thermally conductive material positionable between the second segment and the at least one electronic component mounted on the first side that is substantially thermally isolated from the first segment to improve thermal conductivity between the second segment and the at least one electronic component mounted on the first side that is substantially thermally isolated from the first segment.

40. The heat spreader of claim 36, further comprising a third segment mountable on the module to be in thermal communication with at least one electronic component mounted on the second side of the module.

41. The heat spreader of claim 40, further comprising a fastener mountable on the first segment and the second segment to apply a force to the first segment, the second segment, and the third segment so that the first segment, the second segment, and the third segment are mechanically coupled to the module.

42. A heat spreader for use with an electronic module having a first side with a first plurality of electronic components mounted thereon and a second side with a second plurality of electronic components mounted thereon, the heat spreader comprising:

a heat spreader segment mountable on the module to be in thermal communication with at least one electronic component mounted on the first side, to be substantially thermally isolated from at least one electronic component mounted on the first side, and to be in thermal communication with at least one electronic component mounted on the second side, wherein the heat spreader segment extends over an edge of the module from the first side of the module to the second side of the module.

43. A method of thermally coupling a heat spreader to an electronic module having a first side with a first plurality of electronic components mounted thereon and a second side with a second plurality of electronic components mounted thereon, the method comprising:

mounting a first segment of the heat spreader on the module to be in thermal communication with at least one electronic component mounted on the first side and to be substantially thermally isolated from at least one electronic component mounted on the first side; and

mounting a second segment of the heat spreader on the module to be in thermal communication with the at least one electronic component mounted on the first side that is substantially thermally isolated from the first segment, wherein the first segment is reversibly mounted on the module such that the first segment is removable from the module without appreciably damaging the module.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the second segment is reversibly mounted on the module such that the second segment is removable from the module without appreciably damaging the module.

45. The method of claim 43, further comprising mounting a third segment of the heat spreader on the module to be in thermal communication with at least one electronic component mounted on the second side of the module.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein the third segment is reversibly mounted on the module such that the third segment is removable from the module without appreciably damaging the module.