Thermal management system
First Claim
1. A thermal management system for selectively thermally isolating and thermally connecting a target component, comprising:
- a first component having a first surface proximate to the target component;
a first electromagnet between the first surface and the target component;
a second component spaced apart from the first component;
a gap serving as a thermal boundary between the first component and the second component;
a carrier fluid disposed within the gap and including multiple thermally conductive, ferrous particles, the carrier fluid being configured to align at least a portion of the thermally conductive, ferrous particles across a central region of the gap when the first electromagnet generates a magnetic field that attracts the particles, and to displace at least a portion of the particles from the central region of the gap when the first electromagnet generates a magnetic field that repels the particles, the carrier fluid and the first electromagnet operating to selectively thermally connect and thermally isolate the target component.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Various embodiments are disclosed for a thermal management system and related method for selectively thermally isolating and thermally connecting a target component. One embodiment of a system includes a first component having a first surface proximate to a target component, and an electromagnet between the first surface and the target component. A second component is spaced apart from the first component to form a gap that serves as a thermal boundary between the first component and the second component. A carrier fluid disposed within the gap includes multiple thermally conductive, ferrous particles. The carrier fluid is configured to align at least a portion of the thermally conductive, ferrous particles when the electromagnet generates a magnetic field that attracts the particles, and to displace at least a portion of the particles when the electromagnet generates a magnetic field that repels the particles.
184 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A thermal management system for selectively thermally isolating and thermally connecting a target component, comprising:
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a first component having a first surface proximate to the target component; a first electromagnet between the first surface and the target component; a second component spaced apart from the first component; a gap serving as a thermal boundary between the first component and the second component; a carrier fluid disposed within the gap and including multiple thermally conductive, ferrous particles, the carrier fluid being configured to align at least a portion of the thermally conductive, ferrous particles across a central region of the gap when the first electromagnet generates a magnetic field that attracts the particles, and to displace at least a portion of the particles from the central region of the gap when the first electromagnet generates a magnetic field that repels the particles, the carrier fluid and the first electromagnet operating to selectively thermally connect and thermally isolate the target component. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for selectively thermally isolating and thermally connecting a target component that generates heat, comprising:
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controlling a first electromagnet to attract thermally conductive, ferrous particles within a carrier fluid and align at least a portion of the particles across a central region of a gap between the target component and a heat sink that is spaced apart across the gap from the target component to enhance heat transfer from the target component to the heat sink, and controlling the first electromagnet to repel the thermally conductive, ferrous particles and displace at least a portion of the particles from the central region of the gap between the target component and the heat sink to inhibit heat transfer from the target component to the heat sink. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A thermal management system for selectively thermally isolating and thermally connecting a laser diode in a depth camera to a heat sink, comprising:
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a first thermally conductive component having a first surface proximate to the laser diode; a first electromagnet between the first surface and the laser diode; a second thermally conductive component spaced apart from the first component, the second component proximate to the heat sink; a second electromagnet proximate to the second component; a gap serving as a thermal boundary between the first component and the second component; a carrier fluid disposed within the gap and including multiple thermally conductive, ferrous particles, the carrier fluid being configured to align at least a portion of the thermally conductive, ferrous particles across a central region of the gap when the first electromagnet and the second electromagnet generate a magnetic field that attracts the particles, and to displace at least a portion of the particles from the central region of the gap when the first electromagnet and the second electromagnet generate a magnetic field that repels the particles; a power supply configured to supply power to the first electromagnet and the second electromagnet; and a controller operably connected to the power supply and configured to selectively control the first electromagnet and the second electromagnet to either attract at least a portion of the thermally conductive, ferrous particles and enhance heat transfer from the laser diode to the heat sink, or to repel at least a portion of the thermally conductive, ferrous particles and inhibit heat transfer from the laser diode to the heat sink.
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Specification