Injection-molded flexible cold plate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10712102-B2
Application number	US-201715859282-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2017
Priority date	Dec 29, 2017
Publication date	Jul 14, 2020
Grant date	Jul 14, 2020

Abstract

A cold plate structure, wherein a thermally active region includes fins metal injection molded in a single piece with a fin base sufficiently thin so that the active region mechanically conforms to the heat generating device that the cold plate cools. The fin base is formed as a common structure with a bottom wall of the cold plate, reducing thermal resistance between the device and the fins and also enhancing mechanical flexibility. Another cold plate structure can include multiple thermally active regions, with flexible outer walls and a reduced thickness between active regions, allowing for position variation between multiple heat generation devices that are cooled by the common cold plate. A common base having multiple physically separate active regions can be metal injection molded in a single step, or bases of multiple active regions can be formed individually and joined later to form a common single cold plate structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cold plate structure comprising:
a first thermally active region comprising a first plurality of fins formed as a unitary structure with a first fin base, wherein the first fin base mechanically conforms to the topology of a second structure against which the first thermally active region makes contact; and
a bottom wall surrounding the first thermally active region and formed as a unitary structure with the first fin base, wherein the bottom wall and an opposing top wall enclose the first thermally active region and a plenum adjacent the first thermally active region, wherein a thickness of the bottom wall at the plenum is reduced from a thickness of the first fin base at the first thermally active region.

2. The cold plate structure of claim 1 , wherein the top wall is attached to the bottom wall by a horizontal flange.

3. The cold plate structure of claim 1 , wherein a height of the plenum between the top wall and the bottom wall is less than a height of the first thermally active region between the top wall and the bottom wall.

4. The cold plate structure of claim 3 , wherein the top wall and the bottom wall enclose a second thermally active region adjacent the plenum and connected by the plenum in fluid communication with the first thermally active region, wherein the second thermally active region comprises a second plurality of fins formed as a unitary structure with a second fin base.

5. The cold plate structure of claim 4 , wherein a first bottom wall that forms a unitary structure with the first fin base is initially formed as a separate structure, separate from a second bottom wall that forms a unitary structure with the second fin base;
and wherein the first and second bottom walls, including any associated plenum area bottom walls, are later joined as a common structure.

6. The cold plate structure of claim 4 , wherein a single bottom wall is initially formed as a unitary structure with both the first fin base and the second fin base and any associated plenum area bottom wall.

7. The cold plate structure of claim 3 , wherein a width of the plenum is reduced relative to a width of the first thermally active region.

8. The cold plate structure of claim 3 , wherein the first fin base is 0.6 mm thick and also serves as the bottom wall of the cold plate at the first thermally active region, wherein to deform the fin base by 0.1 mm, only 49 psi needs to be applied normal to the cold plate.

9. The cold plate structure of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of fins are formed as pins protruding from the first fin base.

10. The cold plate structure of claim 1 , wherein the structure is metal injection molded of copper and then annealed.

11. A cold plate structure comprising:
a first fin base and a first plurality of fins formed as a unitary structure and defining a first thermally active region, wherein the first fin base mechanically conforms to the topology of a second structure against which the first thermally active region makes contact;
a bottom wall surrounding the first thermally active region and formed as a unitary structure with the first fin base;
a second fin base and a second plurality of fins formed as a unitary structure and defining a second thermally active region, wherein the second fin base mechanically conforms to the topology of a third structure against which the second thermally active region makes contact, wherein the bottom wall also surrounds the second thermally active region; and
a top wall attached at a periphery of the bottom wall to enclose the first thermally active region and the second thermally active region, wherein the top and bottom walls also enclose a plenum connecting the first and second thermally active regions in fluid communication with each other, wherein a thickness of the bottom wall at the plenum is reduced from a thickness of the first fin base at the first thermally active region.

12. The cold plate structure of claim 11 , wherein the first fin base is 0.6 mm thick and also serves as the bottom wall of the cold plate at the first thermally active region, wherein to deform the fin base by 0.1 mm, only 49 psi needs to be applied normal to the cold plate.

13. The cold plate structure of claim 11 , wherein the top wall is attached to the bottom wall at a horizontal flange.

14. The cold plate structure of claim 11 , wherein the first plurality of fins are formed as pins protruding from the first fin base.

15. The cold plate structure of claim 11 , wherein the structure is metal injection molded of copper and then annealed.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Takken Todd E
• Tian Shurong

Classifications

• H05K7/20254 Primary

  Cold plates transferring heat from heat source to coolant · CPC title

• G06F1/20

  Cooling means · CPC title

• F28F2255/02

  Flexible elements · CPC title

• G06F2200/201

  Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid · CPC title

• F28F3/04 Primary

  the means being integral with the element · CPC title