Heat sinks having a thermal interface for cooling electronic devices

• US 8,535,787 B1
• Filed: 06/29/2009
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Lima, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Higgins, Gerard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Reddy, Sathavaram I
• Application Number:
  US12/493,829
• Time in Patent Office: 1,541 Days
• Field of Search: 428/195.1, 428/200, 428/343, 428/352, 428/458, 165/185
• US Class Current: 428/195.1
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/10 on synthetic resin layer or on natural or synthetic rubber layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/205 Metallic coating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/302 Conductive
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/5825 Tear resistant
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/06 as the main or only constituent of a layer, which is next to another layer of the same or of a different material next to a layer of a particular substance B32B9/045; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/046; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/12; next to a metal layer B32B15/08; next to a glass layer B32B17/10; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/045; next to a wood layer B32B21/08; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/08; next to a natural or synthetic rubber layer B32B25/08
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/281 comprising polyimides
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/36 comprising polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/08 characterised by added members at particular parts layer formed of separate pieces of material which are juxtaposed side-by-side B32B3/14, B32B3/18
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/12 using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2013/006 Heat conductive materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2839 with release or antistick coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31681 Next to polyester, polyamide or polyimide [e.g., alkyd, glue, or nylon, etc.]

Abstract

Heat sinks having a thermal interface for cooling electronic devices processing units are described herein. In some embodiments, a thermal interface member includes a first material defining a first layer of the apparatus. The thermal interface member further includes a second material being deformable and thermally conductive, and a third material different from the second material, that is an adhesive material. The second material and the third material collectively define a second layer of the apparatus having a first region and a second region. The first region is formed from the second material. The second region is formed from the third material.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a first material defining a first layer of the apparatus, the first material being any one of an aluminized polyester film or an aluminized polyimide film;

a second material being deformable and thermally conductive, the second material being at least one of a thermally conductive gel, a thermally conductive grease or a phase-change material configured to change phase at an operating temperature above approximately 40 degrees Celsius; and

a third material different from the second material, the third material being an adhesive material,

the second material and the third material collectively defining a second layer of the apparatus having a first region and a second region, the first region formed from the second material, the second region formed from the third material.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first layer is characterized by at least one of an Elmendorf tear strength of at least 0.07 pounds or a Graves tear resistance value of at least one pound.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first material is tear-resistant and thermally conductive.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first material is characterized by a thermal conductivity of at least approximately 0.07 W/m-K and a Graves tear resistance value of at least one pound.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first region is mutually exclusive from the second region.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a fourth material defining a third layer, the second layer being disposed between the first layer and the third layer, the third layer removably coupled to the second layer.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a surface of the first layer includes an indicia associated with a location of the first region of the second layer.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a heat sink having a contact surface configured to contact a surface of a pluggable electronic device, the second layer coupled to the heat sink via the adhesive material such that the first region of the second layer is in contact with the contact surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the heat sink has a tapered surface, the adhesive material coupled to the tapered surface.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the first layer has a static coefficient of friction less than approximately 0.5.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

an outer surface of the first layer is formulated to be in sliding contact with a pluggable electronic device.