Circuit board heatsink and heatframe structures with heater element for circuit board operation at below zero temperature

• US 8,937,807 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2011
• Issued: 01/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SMART Embedded Computing, Inc. (Smart Global Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Network Power Embedded Computing Inc.
• Inventors: Baquiano, Carmelo Engracia, Cayaban, Carmelo Delovino, Montalbo, Paul Francis Brosas, Celocia, Joseph Estorgio
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, COURTNEY L
• Application Number:
  US13/300,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20130128452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 361676-678, 36167946-67954, 361688-722, 361/752, 361760-761, 361/831
• US Class Current: 361/679.54
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/19 characterised by the use of electric means G05D23/1393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0201 Thermal arrangements, e.g. for cooling, heating or preventing overheating
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/18 Printed circuits structurally associated with non-printed electric components H05K1/0201, H05K1/023, H05K1/0243, and H05K1/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10151 Sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10159 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10166 Transistor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/2018 Presence of a frame in a printed circuit or printed circuit assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20 Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20536 for racks or cabinets of standardised dimensions, e.g. electronic racks for aircraft or telecommunication equipment

Abstract

A circuit board assembly including a heating device operated during cold boot startup includes a circuit board having a computer component. A thermal transfer device connected to the circuit board assembly acts when the computer component is operating to remove heat generated by the computer component. A heating device operates to heat the thermal transfer device. A field programmable gate array acts to energize the heating device when a temperature defining a cold startup condition at the computer component or the thermal transfer device is sensed. The thermal transfer device when heated by the heating device heats the computer component to greater than the temperature of the cold startup condition. A control device connected to the heating device provides an operational mode of the heating device.

Claims

1. A circuit board assembly including a heating device operated during a cold startup condition, comprising:

a printed circuit board;

a central processing unit (CPU) mounted to the printed circuit board;

a thermal transfer device connected to the printed circuit board acting when the CPU is operating to remove heat generated by the CPU; and

a heating device operating to heat the thermal transfer device, the heating device energized when a temperature defining a cold startup condition of the CPU or the thermal transfer device is sensed, the heating device inducing heat energy input into the thermal transfer device to heat the thermal transfer device and the CPU to above the temperature of the cold startup condition.

2. The circuit board assembly of claim 1, further including a first temperature monitoring device operating to sense a temperature of the thermal transfer device.

3. The circuit board assembly of claim 2, further including a second temperature monitoring device operating to sense a temperature of the CPU.

4. The circuit board assembly of claim 3, further including a heater control circuit connected to the first and second temperature monitoring devices and to heater terminals of the heating device, the heater control circuit operating to energize the heating device upon receipt of a temperature signal from at least one of the first or second temperature monitoring devices representative of the cold startup condition.

5. The circuit board assembly of claim 4, wherein the thermal transfer device is a heatframe.

6. The circuit board assembly of claim 5, wherein the heating device includes at least one resistive element and an insulation layer, the insulation layer fixed to the heatframe to conduct heat energy from the heating device to the heatframe to increase a temperature of the CPU.

7. The circuit board assembly of claim 4, wherein the thermal transfer device is a heatsink.

8. The circuit board assembly of claim 7, wherein the heating device includes at least one resistive element and an insulation layer, the insulation layer fixed to the circuit board assembly to conduct heat energy from the heating device to the heatsink to increase a temperature of the CPU.

9. The circuit board assembly of claim 4, wherein the cold startup condition is defined as a temperature of either the thermal transfer device or the CPU ranging between approximately zero °

C. to −

45°

C.

10. The circuit board assembly of claim 4, further including a control circuit connected to the heating device individually providing first and second operational modes of the heating device, the first operational mode having the heating device energized for a first period of time and de-energized for a second period of time in repeating sequence when the temperature of either the thermal transfer device or the CPU is equal to or below approximately zero °

C., and the second operational mode having the heating device energized when the temperature of either the thermal transfer device or the CPU is equal to or below approximately zero °

C.