Conformable heat spreader

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10566263-B2
Application number	US-201715718337-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2017
Priority date	Sep 28, 2017
Publication date	Feb 18, 2020
Grant date	Feb 18, 2020

Abstract

A heat spreader apparatus, testing system, method may be used to test an electronic device. The heat spreader may include a hollow housing. The hollow housing may define an interior chamber. The hollow housing may include a contact surface. The heat spreader may include a working fluid. The working fluid may be included in the interior chamber. The hollow housing may be configured to be physically compliant. The hollow housing may be physically compliant such that the hollow housing conforms to the shape of a testing surface in response to an applied pressure. The testing surface may be a top surface of a semiconductor. The testing surface may be curved or otherwise lack uniformity. The hollow housing may conform to the curvature or lack of uniformity of the testing surface such that minimal gaps exist between the hollow housing and the surface.

First claim

The claimed invention is:

1. A heat spreader, comprising:
a hollow housing defining an interior chamber and including a contact surface configured to mate with an interface surface;
a working fluid located in the interior chamber;
a first set of protrusions extending from a first surface of the interior chamber toward a second surface of the interior chamber; and
wherein the hollow housing is configured to be physically compliant such that the hollow housing conforms to the shape of the interface surface in response to an applied pressure.

2. The heat spreader of claim 1 , wherein the applied pressure is between 20 pounds-per-square-inch and 90 pounds-per-square-inch.

3. The heat spreader of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid transport material positioned in the interior chamber.

4. The heat spreader of claim 3 , wherein the fluid transport material includes a textured surface within the interior chamber.

5. The heat spreader of claim 3 ; wherein the fluid transport material is positioned at the periphery of the interior chamber.

6. The heat spreader of claim 3 , wherein the fluid transport material includes a wick material.

7. The heat spreader of claim 6 , wherein the wick material includes sintered metal.

8. The heat spreader of claim 3 , further comprising at least one protrusion extending from a top surface of the interior chamber, and wherein a gap exists between the at least one protrusion and a portion of the fluid transport material.

9. The heat spreader of claim 3 , wherein the fluid transport material defines a void in the interior chamber.

10. The heat spreader of claim 1 , further comprising a second set of protrusions located between the first surface and the second surface.

11. The heat spreader of claim 10 , wherein the second set of protrusions have a different dimension than the first set of protrusions.

12. The heat spreader of claim 1 , wherein the protrusions are configured to deflect in response to an applied force.

13. The heat spreader of claim 1 , wherein the hollow housing includes a pedestal, the pedestal extending outwardly from the interior chamber and including the contact surface.

14. The heat spreader of claim 1 , further comprising one or more through-holes extending from a top surface of the heat spreader to a bottom surface of the heat spreader.

15. A heat spreading system, comprising:
a heat spreader, including:
a hollow housing defining an interior chamber and including a contact surface;
a working fluid;
a first set of protrusions extending from a first surface of the interior chamber toward a second surface of the interior chamber; and
wherein the hollow housing is configured to mate with an electronic device, and wherein the hollow housing is configured to be physically compliant such that the hollow housing conforms to a shape of the electronic device in response to an applied pressure;
a heat sink in communication with the heat spreader.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the applied pressure is between 20 pounds-per-square-inch (PSI) and 90 PSI.

17. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a controller configured to actuate a cooling unit, thereby regulating a temperature of the electronic device.

18. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a manifold positioned in the interior chamber.

19. The system of claim 18 , further comprising a pump configured to transport the working fluid, and wherein the pump is in communication with a fluid transport feature.

20. The system of claim 16 , further comprising a digital pattern generator configured to transmit a signal to the electronic device.

21. The system of claim 16 , wherein the electronic device is a first electronic device, and further comprising a robotic arm, wherein the robotic arm is configured to position the heat spreader proximate the first electronic device or a second electronic device.

22. A method for dissipating heat in electronic devices, comprising:
positioning a heat spreader proximate a first electronic device;
mating a contact surface of the heat spreader with the first electronic device;
applying pressure to the heat spreader such that the contact surface conforms to a shape of the first electronic device; and
wherein the heat spreader includes a first set of protrusions extending from a first surface of an interior chamber of the heat spreader toward a second surface of the interior chamber.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising maintaining the pressure for a first time interval.

24. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:
separating the contact surface from the first electronic device;
positioning the heat spreader proximate a second electronic device;
mating the contact surface with the second electronic device;
applying pressure to the heat spreader such that the contact surface conforms to a shape of the second electronic device; and
maintaining the pressure for a second time interval.

25. The method of claim 22 , wherein applying pressure to the heat spreader includes applying a pressure between 20 pounds-per-square-inch and 90 pounds-per-square-inch.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Walczyk Joe
• Johnson John C

Classifications

• G01R1/0458

  related to environmental aspects, e.g. temperature · CPC title

• F28F2013/005

  Thermal joints · CPC title

• F28D15/04

  with tubes having a capillary structure · CPC title

• F28D15/0241

  the tubes being flexible · CPC title

• F28D15/0233

  the conduits having a particular shape, e.g. non-circular cross-section, annular (F28D15/0241, F28D15/0266 take precedence) · CPC title