Electronic assembly with thermal channel and method of manufacture thereof

• US 9,898,056 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2013
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Dean, David Lee, Bennett, Dennis, Ellis, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cruz, Dimary Lopez
• Assistant Examiner(s): FENG, ZHENGFU J
• Application Number:
  US13/922,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20140376174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,707 Days
• Field of Search: 36167946, 36167931-67933, 36167937-67939, 36167954, 36167949, 361693, 361694, 295921, 32475701
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/20 Preparation of articles or specimens to facilitate testing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/186 Securing of expansion boards in correspondence to slots provided at the computer enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/118 specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/14 Structural association of two or more printed circuits providing electric connection to or between printed circuits H05K1/11, H01R12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/144 Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/148 Arrangements of two or more hingeably connected rigid printed circuit boards, i.e. connected by flexible means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/042 Stacked spaced PCBs; Planar parts of folded flexible circuits having mounted components in between or spaced from each other
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/058 Direct connection between two or more FPCs or between flexible parts of rigid PCBs
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0026 provided with connectors and printed circuit boards [PCB], e.g. automotive electronic control units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20 Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

An electronic assembly and method of manufacturing includes: an airflow bracket having a circular rail and an airflow tab, the airflow bracket electrically coupling the circular rail and the airflow tab; a top board attached to the circular rail for electrically coupling the top board and the circular rail; and a bottom board attached to the circular rail for electrically coupling the top board and the circular rail, the bottom board positioned to form a thermal channel between the top board and the bottom board for directing air through a vent opening of the circular rail.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing of an electronic assembly, the method comprising:

providing an airflow bracket having an end rail that includes a vent opening therein and at least one detachable airflow tab attached to and extending from the end rail;

coupling a top circuit board to the end rail; and

coupling a bottom circuit board to the end rail;

wherein;

the top circuit board, the bottom circuit board, and the at least one detachable airflow tab form a thermal channel between the top circuit board and the bottom circuit board for directing air through the vent opening of the end rail;

the at least one detachable airflow tab, the top circuit board and the bottom circuit board form distinct walls of the thermal channel that are exposed to airflow through the thermal channel and direct the airflow through the thermal channel; and

the at least one detachable airflow tab is configured to be coupled end-to-end to another detachable airflow tab via respective locking tabs for extending the thermal channel.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein coupling the top circuit board includes attaching the top circuit board to an inner top groove of the end rail.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein coupling the bottom circuit board includes attaching the bottom circuit board to an inner bottom groove of the end rail.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising coupling multiple detachable airflow tabs to one another end-to-end via the respective locking tabs for extending the thermal channel.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

electrically coupling the end rail, the at least one detachable airflow tab, the top circuit board, and the bottom circuit board to one another; and

electrically coupling a mounting fastener to the electronic assembly for grounding the end rail to an external system.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising

attaching a flexible interconnect between the top circuit board and the bottom circuit board.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising attaching an external cover around the airflow bracket for forming the thermal channel.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising electrically coupling the end rail, the at least one detachable airflow tab, the top circuit board, and the bottom circuit board to one another.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing a scoring groove on each of the at least one detachable airflow tabs for detaching that respective detachable airflow tab.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising coupling the top circuit board and the bottom circuit board to another end rail for extending the thermal channel.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the top circuit board and the bottom circuit board further includes a solid-state drive (SSD) or a flash memory board of a solid state drive.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the top circuit board and the bottom circuit board further includes at least one memory chip that generates excess heat during operation.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the top circuit board and the bottom circuit board further includes an edge connector for interfacing to an external system.

14. An electronic assembly comprising:

an airflow bracket having an end rail that includes a vent opening therein and at least one detachable airflow tab attached to and extending from the end rail;

a top circuit board coupled to the end rail; and

a bottom circuit board also coupled to the end rails;

wherein;

the top circuit board, the bottom circuit board, and the at least one detachable airflow tab form a thermal channel between the top circuit board and the bottom circuit board for directing air through the vent opening of the end rail;

the at least one detachable airflow tab, the top circuit board and the bottom circuit board form distinct walls of the thermal channel that are exposed to airflow through the thermal channel and direct the airflow through the thermal channel; and

the at least one detachable airflow tab is configured to be coupled end-to-end to another detachable airflow tab via respective locking tabs for extending the thermal channel.

15. The electronic assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the top circuit board is attached to an inner top groove of the end rail.

16. The electronic assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the bottom circuit board is attached to an inner bottom groove of the end rail.

17. The electronic assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the at least one detachable airflow tab includes multiple detachable airflow tabs coupled to one another end-to-end via the respective locking tabs for extending the thermal channel.

18. The electronic assembly as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a flexible interconnect attached between the top circuit board and the bottom circuit board.

19. The electronic assembly as claimed in claim 14, further comprising an external cover around the airflow bracket for forming the thermal channel.

20. The electronic assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the end rail, the at least one detachable airflow tab, the top circuit board, and the bottom circuit board are electrically coupled to one another.

21. The electronic assembly as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a scoring groove on each of the at least one airflow tabs for detaching that respective airflow tab.

22. The electronic assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the top circuit board and the bottom circuit board are coupled to another end rail for extending the thermal channel.

23. The electronic assembly of claim 14, wherein at least one of the top circuit board and the bottom circuit board further includes a solid-state drive (SSD) or a flash memory board of a solid state drive.

24. The electronic assembly of claim 14, wherein at least one of the top circuit board and the bottom circuit board further includes at least one memory chip that generates excess heat during operation.

25. The electronic assembly of claim 14, wherein at least one of the top circuit board and the bottom circuit board further includes an edge connector for interfacing to an external system.

26. An electronic assembly comprising:

an airflow bracket having an end rail that includes a vent opening therein and at least one airflow tab coupled to the end rail;

a top circuit board coupled to the end rail; and

a bottom circuit board also coupled to the end rail, wherein;

the top circuit board, the bottom circuit board and the at least one airflow tab form a thermal channel between the top circuit board and the bottom circuit board for directing air through the vent opening of the end rail, and

the end rail, the at least one airflow tab, the top circuit board, and the bottom circuit board are electrically coupled to one another, and

further comprising a mounting fastener electrically coupled to the electronic assembly for grounding the end rail to an external system.

27. The electronic assembly of claim 26, wherein at least one of the top circuit board and the bottom circuit board further includes a solid-state drive (SSD) or a flash memory board of a solid state drive.

28. The electronic assembly of claim 26, wherein at least one of the top circuit board and the bottom circuit board further includes at least one memory chip that generates excess heat during operation.

29. The electronic assembly of claim 26, wherein at least one of the top circuit board and the bottom circuit board further includes an edge connector for interfacing to an external system.