Tool-less and reusable heat spreader

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10296059-B2
Application number	US-201514853708-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2015
Priority date	Sep 14, 2015
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

A tool-less heat spreader for dissipating heat produced by an electrical computing component includes a first clamp member having a first component interface end and an opposite, first lever end; and a second clamp member having a second component interface end and an opposite, second lever end; where the first clamp member and the second clamp member are biasedly coupled to one another and such movement of at least one of the first lever end and the second lever end at least partially overcomes the bias and moves the first and second component interface ends away from one another.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tool-less heat spreader for dissipating heat produced by an electrical computing component, comprising:
a first clamp member having a first component interface end and an opposite, first lever end, the first component interface end and the first lever end being of equal height and width;
a second clamp member having a second component interface end and an opposite, second lever end, the second component interface end and the second lever end being of equal height and width;
coupling means for pivotally connecting the first clamp member and the second clamp member, the coupling means running an entire width of the first and second clamp members at a horizontal centerline separating the first and second component interface ends and the first and second lever ends such that the first and second component interface ends below the horizontal centerline are of the equal height and width as the first and second lever ends above the horizontal centerline;
wherein, the first clamp member and the second clamp member are biasedly coupled to one another such that movement of at least one of the first lever end and the second lever end overcomes the bias and moves the first and second component interface ends away from one another;

a plurality of heat dissipating fins having a series of notched spaces and extensions formed vertically into the first lever end and the second lever end above the horizontal centerline and terminating into the coupling means connecting the first clamp member and the second clamp member such that the first lever end and the second lever end themselves comprise the plurality of heat dissipating fins; and
a wedge having a width substantially equal to the first and second clamp members, comprised of thermally conductive material and positioned between the first lever end and the second lever end such that, as the wedge is positioned between the first and second lever ends, the first and second component interface ends are further biased toward one another to compress the first and second component interface ends into the electrical computing component.

2. The heat spreader of claim 1 , further including a flexible thermal interface material that comprises two substantially planar sections formed into an inside edge of the first component interface end and the second component interface end.

3. The heat spreader of claim 2 , wherein the first component interface end and the second component interface end having the flexible thermal interface material are formed such for clasping the electronic computing component when biased toward one another.

4. The heat spreader of claim 1 , wherein the coupling means for pivotally connecting the first clamp member and the second clamp member is a spring.

5. The heat spreader of claim 1 , wherein the electrical computing component comprises a Dual-Inline Memory Module (DIMM).

6. A tool-less heat spreader for dissipating heat produced by an electrical computing component, comprising:
a first clamp member having a first component interface end and an opposite, first lever end, the first component interface end and the first lever end being of equal height and width;
a second clamp member having a second component interface end and an opposite, second lever end, the second component interface end and the second lever end being of equal height and width;
coupling means for pivotally connecting the first clamp member and the second clamp member, the coupling means running an entire width of the first and second clamp members at a horizontal centerline separating the first and second component interface ends and the first and second lever ends such that the first and second component interface ends below the horizontal centerline are of the equal height and width as the first and second lever ends above the horizontal centerline;
wherein, the first clamp member and the second clamp member are coupled to one another such that at least one of the first component interface end and the second component interface end is biased toward the other one of the first component interface end and the second component interface end, and such that movement of at least one of the first lever end and the second lever end toward the other of the first lever end and the second lever end overcomes the bias and moves the first and second component interface ends away from one another;

a plurality of heat dissipating fins having a series of notched spaces and extensions formed vertically into the first lever end and the second lever end above the horizontal centerline and terminating into the coupling means connecting the first clamp member and the second clamp member such that the first lever end and the second lever end themselves comprise the plurality of heat dissipating fins; and
a wedge having a width substantially equal to the first and second clamp members, comprised of thermally conductive material and positioned between the first lever end and the second lever end such that, as the wedge is positioned between the first and second lever ends, the first and second component interface ends are further biased toward one another to compress the first and second component interface ends into the electrical computing component.

7. The heat spreader of claim 6 , further including a flexible thermal interface material that comprises two substantially planar sections formed into an inside edge of the first component interface end and the second component interface end.

8. The heat spreader of claim 7 , wherein the first component interface end and the second component interface end having the flexible thermal interface material are formed such for clasping the electronic computing component when biased toward one another.

9. The heat spreader of claim 6 , wherein the coupling means for pivotally connecting the first clamp member and the second clamp member is a spring.

10. The heat spreader of claim 6 , wherein the electrical computing component comprises a Dual-Inline Memory Module (DIMM).

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Cox Aaron R
• Fu Zhende
• Li Lei R
• Minyard Jason E

Classifications

• G06F1/20 Primary

  Cooling means · CPC title

• B23P15/26

  heat exchangers {or the like (making heat exchangers by methods covered by other subclasses B21D53/02)} · CPC title

• H05K7/20509

  Multiple-component heat spreaders; Multi-component heat-conducting support plates; Multi-component non-closed heat-conducting structures · CPC title