Heat dissipation for electronic modules

• US 8,018,723 B1
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Netlist, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Netlist, Inc.
• Inventors: An, Zhiyong, Yu, Enchao
• Primary Examiner(s): Vortman; Anatoly
• Application Number:
  US12/432,591
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 257/707, 361 9-711, 361/715, 361/719, 361/720
• US Class Current: 361/715
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/367 Cooling facilitated by shape of device H01L23/38, H01L23/40, H01L23/42, H01L23/44, H01L23/46 take precedence
• 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 dissipation system for use with an electronic module is provided. The electronic module includes 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 dissipation system includes a first segment mountable on the module to be in thermal communication with at least one electronic component of the first plurality of electronic components. The system further includes a second segment mountable on the module to be in thermal communication with at least one electronic component of the second plurality of electronic components. The system includes a third segment mountable on the module to be in thermal communication with the first segment and with the second segment, the third segment providing a path through which heat flows from the first segment to the second segment.

Claims

1. A heat dissipation system 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 dissipation system comprising:

a first segment configured to be mounted on the module to be in thermal communication with at least one electronic component of the first plurality of electronic components;

a second segment configured to be mounted on the module to be in thermal communication with at least one electronic component of the second plurality of electronic components; and

a third segment configured to be mounted on the module to be in thermal communication with the first segment and with the second segment, the third segment providing a path through which heat flows from the first segment to the second segment; and

a fastener configured to be releasably mounted on the module to apply force to one or more of 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 such that at least a portion of the third segment is between the fastener and one or more of the first segment and the second segment.

2. The heat dissipation system of claim 1, 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.

3. The heat dissipation system of claim 2, wherein the module comprises a printed-circuit board (PCB), the first plurality of memory devices 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.

4. The heat dissipation system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first segment and the second segment comprises a substantially flat portion.

5. The heat dissipation system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first segment and the second segment comprises a contoured portion.

6. The heat dissipation system of claim 1, wherein the fastener comprises a cut-out portion.

7. The heat dissipation system of claim 1, wherein the third segment comprises a first portion positionable to be in thermal communication with the first segment, a second portion positionable to be in thermal communication with the second segment, and a third portion which connects the first and second portions.

8. The heat dissipation system of claim 7, wherein the first portion is positionable to be in thermal communication with at least one of the first plurality of electronic components.

9. The heat dissipation system of claim 7, wherein the second portion is positionable to be in thermal communication with at least one of the second plurality of electronic components.

10. The heat dissipation system of claim 7, wherein the first plurality of electronic components comprises a plurality of memory devices and an advanced memory buffer, and the first portion is positionable to be in thermal communication with the advanced memory buffer.

11. The heat dissipation system of claim 7, wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion comprises a contoured surface.

12. The heat dissipation system of claim 1, wherein the third segment comprises a single integral element.

13. The heat dissipation system of claim 1, wherein the first segment comprises a single integral element.

14. The heat dissipation system of claim 13, wherein the second segment comprises a single integral element separate from the first segment.

15. The heat dissipation system of claim 1, wherein the first segment, the second segment, and the third segment are separate elements which are detachable from one another.

16. The heat dissipation system of claim 1, wherein the third segment comprises at least one securing feature which mechanically mates with at least one corresponding securing feature on at least one of the first segment and the second segment.

17. The heat dissipation system of claim 1, the third segment extending from the first segment over or across an edge of the module to the second segment.

18. The heat dissipation system of claim 1, wherein the third segment comprises a thermally conductive material.

19. The heat dissipation system of claim 1, wherein the third segment comprises a portion in thermal communication with at least one electronic component of the first plurality of electronic components.

20. The heat dissipation system of claim 19, wherein the portion of the third segment is in thermal communication with an advanced memory buffer of the first plurality of electronic components.

21. The heat dissipation system of claim 19, wherein the first segment comprises a hole and at least a portion of the third segment is mountable over the hole.

22. The heat dissipation system of claim 19, wherein the third segment comprises copper.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first segment, the second segment and the third segment are configured to be reversibly or removably mounted on the module such that the one or more of the first segment, the second segment and the third segment is removable from the module without appreciably damaging the module.

24. A method of thermally coupling a heat dissipation system 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 on the module to be in thermal communication with at least one electronic component of the first plurality of electronic components;

mounting a second segment on the module to be in thermal communication with at least one electronic component of the second plurality of electronic components; and

mounting a third segment on the module to be in thermal communication with the first segment and with the second segment, the third segment providing a path through which heat flows from the first segment to the second segment; and

releasably mounting a fastener on the module to apply force to one or more of 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, such that at least a portion of the third segment is between the fastener and one or more of the first segment and the second segment.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein one or more of the first segment, the second segment and the third segment is reversibly or removably mounted on the module such that the one or more of the first segment, the second segment and the third segment is removable from the module without appreciably damaging the module.