Coldplate with integrated electrical components for cooling thereof

• US 9,362,040 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2014
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Rai, Rutunj, Yalamanchili, Venkat, Brar, Parminder, Duco, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Dravininkas, Adam B
• Application Number:
  US14/288,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20150334874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 361/676, 361/677, 361/679.53, 361698-703, 361/711
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/08 Cooling heat-transfer elements F28F; Ventilating structural details of casings H01F27/02
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20254 Cold plates transferring heat from heat source to coolant
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20854 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20863 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/904 Component specially adapted for hev

Abstract

A coldplate for use in cooling electrical components may include first and second coldplate members, each having a pocket and a secondary portion. The pocket of each member is configured to receive an electrical component and sized to substantially surround the component when received in the pocket to provide physical integration of the component in the coldplate member. The first and second coldplate members are adapted to be joined together to form a manifold therebetween for receiving a fluid for use in cooling the electrical components. The secondary portion of each coldplate member is arranged substantially opposite the pocket of the other coldplate member when the coldplate members are joined together.

Claims

1. A coldplate for use in cooling electrical components, the coldplate comprising:

a first coldplate member comprising a pocket and a secondary portion, the pocket of the first coldplate configured to receive a first electrical component and sized to substantially surround the first electrical component when received in the pocket of the first coldplate member; and

a second coldplate member comprising a pocket and a secondary portion, the pocket of the second coldplate member configured to receive a second electrical component and sized to substantially surround the second electrical component when received in the pocket of the second coldplate member;

wherein the first coldplate member and the second coldplate member are adapted to be joined together to form a manifold therebetween for receiving a fluid for use in cooling the first and second electrical components, the secondary portion of the first coldplate member arranged substantially opposite the pocket of the second coldplate member and the secondary portion of the second coldplate member arranged substantially opposite the pocket of the first coldplate member when the first and second coldplate member are joined together.

2. The coldplate of claim 1 wherein the pocket of the first coldplate member has a depth substantially equal to a height of the first electrical component.

3. The coldplate of claim 1 wherein the pocket of the first coldplate member is substantially cylindrical.

4. The coldplate of claim 1 wherein the pocket of the first coldplate member has a substantially rectangular prism shape.

5. The coldplate of claim 1 wherein the pocket of the first coldplate member has a floor and a wall extending from the floor of the pocket of the first coldplate member.

6. A coldplate for use in cooling electrical components, the coldplate comprising:

a first coldplate member comprising a pocket and a secondary portion, the pocket of the first coldplate member configured to receive a first electrical component and sized to substantially surround the first electrical component when received in the pocket of the first coldplate member to provide physical integration of the first electrical component in the first coldplate member; and

a second coldplate member comprising a pocket and a secondary portion, the pocket of the second coldplate member configured to receive a second electrical component and sized to substantially surround the second electrical component when received in the pocket of the second coldplate member to provide physical integration of the second electrical component in the second coldplate member;

wherein the first coldplate member and the second coldplate member are adapted to be joined together to form a manifold therebetween for receiving a fluid for use in cooling the first and second electrical components, the secondary portion of the first coldplate member arranged substantially opposite the pocket of the second coldplate member and the secondary portion of the second coldplate member arranged substantially opposite the pocket of the first coldplate member when the first and second coldplate members are joined together.

7. The coldplate of claim 6 wherein the pocket of the first coldplate member has a depth substantially equal to a height of the first electrical component and the pocket of the second coldplate member has a depth substantially equal to a height of the second electrical component.

8. The coldplate of claim 6 wherein the pocket of the first coldplate member has a floor and a wall extending from the floor of the pocket of the first coldplate member, the wall forming a post for receipt by an opening formed in the first electrical component to align the first electrical component in the pocket of the first coldplate member.

9. The coldplate of claim 6 wherein the pocket of the second coldplate member has a floor and a wall extending from the floor of the pocket of the second coldplate member.

10. The coldplate of claim 6 wherein the pocket of the first coldplate member is further adapted to receive a material such that the material substantially surrounds the first electrical component when received in the pocket of the first coldplate member.

11. The coldplate of claim 10 wherein the material provides heat transfer, electrical isolation and mechanical support to the first electrical component.

12. The coldplate of claim 6 wherein the first electrical component comprises a magnetic device.

13. The coldplate of claim 12 wherein the magnetic device comprises a transformer or an inductor.

14. A coldplate for use in cooling electrical components, the coldplate comprising:

a first coldplate member comprising a substantially planar portion and an at least partially cylindrical pocket configured to receive a plurality of first magnetic devices and sized to substantially surround the first magnetic devices when received in the pocket of the first coldplate member to provide physical integration of the first magnetic devices in the first coldplate member; and

a second coldplate member comprising a substantially planar portion and a pocket having a substantially rectangular prism shape, the pocket of the second coldplate member configured to receive a plurality of second magnetic devices and sized to substantially surround the second magnetic devices when received in the pocket of the second coldplate member to provide physical integration of the second magnetic devices in the second coldplate member;

wherein the first coldplate member and the second coldplate member are adapted to be joined together to form a manifold therebetween for receiving a fluid for use in cooling the first and second magnetic devices, the substantially planar portion of the first coldplate member arranged substantially opposite the pocket of the second coldplate member and the substantially planar portion of the second coldplate member arranged substantially opposite the pocket of the first coldplate member when the first and second coldplate members are joined together.

15. The coldplate of claim 14 wherein the pocket of the first coldplate member is sized to substantially surround the first magnetic devices when received in the pocket of the first coldplate member to provide physical integration of the first magnetic devices in the first coldplate member absent mechanical connectors for connecting the first magnetic devices to the first coldplate member.

16. The coldplate of claim 14 wherein the pocket of the first coldplate member has a depth substantially equal to a height of the first magnetic devices and the pocket of the second coldplate member has a depth substantially equal to a height of the second magnetic devices.

17. The coldplate of claim 14 wherein the pocket of the first coldplate member has a floor and a plurality of walls extending from the floor of the pocket of the first coldplate member, each of the plurality of walls forming a post for receipt by an opening formed in a first magnetic device to align the first magnetic devices in the pocket of the first coldplate member.

18. The coldplate of claim 14 wherein the pocket of the first coldplate member is further adapted to receive a material such that the material substantially surrounds the first magnetic devices when received in the pocket of the first coldplate member.

19. The coldplate of claim 18 wherein the material provides heat transfer, electrical isolation and mechanical support to the first magnetic devices.

20. The coldplate of claim 14 further comprising an alignment apparatus having an attachment feature, wherein the first coldplate member further comprises an attachment feature configured to cooperate with the attachment feature of the alignment apparatus so that, when attached to the first coldplate member, the alignment apparatus aligns at least one of the first magnetic devices in the pocket of the first coldplate member when the first magnetic devices are received in the pocket of the first coldplate member.