Apparatus for cooling electronic circuitry

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11076501-B2
Application number	US-201916534398-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2019
Priority date	May 23, 2017
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

An apparatus cools electronic circuitry. An enclosure surrounds the electronic circuitry and has plural surfaces. Air intake holes are disposed in at least one surface and face at least one first direction. Air exhaust holes are disposed in at least another surface and face at least one second direction different than the first direction. A heat sink is in thermal contact with the circuitry and conducts heat generated by the circuitry. When a fan operates, air is drawn from an exterior of the enclosure through the air intake holes, absorbs heat from the heat sink, and then is directed through the air exhaust holes into the exterior of the enclosure. The heat sink is further in thermal contact with the enclosure so that when the fan does not operate, heat is drawn from the circuitry to the enclosure via the heat sink and is dissipated from the exterior.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for cooling electronic circuitry, the apparatus comprising
an enclosure configured to surround the electronic circuitry, the enclosure having a plurality of surfaces, wherein
a plurality of air intake holes are disposed in at least one of the plurality of surfaces and face at least one first direction, and
a plurality of air exhaust holes are disposed in at least another one of the plurality of surfaces and face at least one second direction that is a different direction than the at least one first direction;

a heat sink configured to be in thermal contact with the electronic circuitry and conduct heat generated b the electronic circuitry;
a fan arranged such that when the fan operates, air is drawn from an exterior of the enclosure through the plurality of air intake holes, absorbs heat from the heat sink, and then is directed through the plurality of air exhaust holes into the exterior of the enclosure;
the heat sink being further configured to be in thermal contact with the enclosure so that when the fan does not operate, heat is drawn from the electronic circuitry to the enclosure via the heat sink and is dissipated from the exterior of the enclosure; and
an air plenum piece that includes a substantially planar portion,
the substantially planar portion being configured to divide an interior region of the enclosure into a first volume into which the plurality of air intake holes open and a second volume into which the plurality of air exhaust holes open, and having an air plenum hole that forms an opening between the first volume and the second volume;

wherein the heat sink comprises
a lower portion that is disposed in the second volume, the lower portion having a bottom surface that is in thermal contact with the electronic circuitry,
at least one vertical portion that extends at one end from the lower portion of the heat sink, and then alongside part of an edge of the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece, and
at least one upper portion disposed at another end of the at least one vertical portion, the at least one upper portion being in thermal contact with the enclosure so that when the fan does not operate, heat is drawn from the electronic circuitry to the enclosure via the heat sink and is dissipated into the exterior of the enclosure; and

wherein the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece further comprises
a region having a smaller width than at least another region of the substantially planar portion,
the at least one vertical portion of the heat sink extends alongside the region having the smaller width.

2. An apparatus for cooling electronic circuitry, the apparatus comprising:
an enclosure configured to surround the electronic circuitry, the enclosure having a plurality of surfaces, wherein
a plurality of air intake holes are disposed in at least one of the plurality of surfaces and face at least one first direction, and
a plurality of air exhaust holes are disposed in at least another one of the plurality of surfaces and face at least one second direction that is a different direction than the at least one first direction;

a heat sink configured to be in thermal contact with the electronic circuit and conduct heat generated by the electronic circuitry;
a fan arranged such that when the fan operates, air is drawn from an exterior of the enclosure through the plurality of air intake holes, absorbs heat from the heat sink, and then is directed through the plurality of air exhaust holes into the exterior of the enclosure;
the heat sink being further configured to be in thermal contact with the enclosure so that when the fan does not operate, heat is drawn from the electronic circuitry to the enclosure via the heat sink and is dissipated from the exterior of the enclosure; and
an air plenum piece that includes a substantially planar portion,
the substantially planar portion being configured to divide an interior region of the enclosure into a first volume into which the plurality of air intake holes open and a second volume into which the plurality of air exhaust holes open, and having an air plenum hole that forms an opening between the first volume and the second volume;

wherein the heat sink comprises
a lower portion that is disposed in the second volume, the lower portion having a bottom surface that is in thermal contact with the electronic circuitry,
a first vertical portion that extends at one end from an edge of the lower portion of the heat sink, and then alongside part of an edge of the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece,
a first upper portion disposed at another end of the first vertical portion,
a second vertical portion that extends at one end from an opposing edge of the lower portion of the heat sink, and then alongside part of an opposing edge of the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece, and
a second upper portion disposed at another end of the second vertical portion,
the first upper portion and the second upper portion are each in thermal contact with the enclosure so that when the fan does not operate, heat is drawn from the electronic circuitry to the enclosure via the heat sink and is dissipated into the exterior of the enclosure; and

wherein the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece further comprises
a region having a smaller width than at least another region of the substantially planar portion,
the first vertical portion of the heat sink extends alongside an edge of the region having the smaller width,
the second vertical portion of the heat sink extends alongside an opposing edge of the region having the smaller width.

3. An apparatus for cooling electronic circuitry, the apparatus comprising:
an enclosure configured to surround the electronic circuitry, the enclosure having a plurality of surfaces, wherein
a plurality of air intake holes are disposed in at least one of the plurality of surfaces, and
a plurality of air exhaust holes are disposed in at least another one of the plurality of surfaces;

an air plenum piece disposed within the enclosure and configured to divide an interior region of the enclosure into a first volume into which the plurality of air intake holes open and a second volume into which the plurality of air exhaust holes open,
the air plenum piece having an air plenum hole that forms an opening between the first volume and the second volume;

a fan located in coaxial alignment with the air plenum hole such that when the fan operates, air is drawn from an exterior of the enclosure through the plurality of air intake holes into the first volume, then through the air plenum hole into the second volume and thereafter from the second volume through the plurality of air exhaust holes into the exterior of the enclosure; and
a heat sink configured to be in thermal contact with both the electronic circuitry and with the enclosure so that when the fan does not operate, heat is drawn from the electronic circuitry to the enclosure via the heat sink and is dissipated from the exterior of the enclosure,
wherein the heat sink comprises
a lower portion that is disposed in the second volume, the lower portion having a bottom surface that is in thermal contact with the electronic circuitry,
at least one vertical portion that extends at one end from the lower portion of the heat sink, and then alongside part of an edge of the substantially planar portion of the air plenum piece, and
at least one upper portion disposed at another end of the at least one vertical portion, the at least one upper portion being in thermal contact with the enclosure so that when the fan does not operate, heat is drawn from the electronic circuitry to the enclosure via the heat sink and is dissipated into the exterior of the enclosure,

wherein the substantially planar po

Assignees

• Crestron Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Pedoeem Albert
• Replogle Kriss
• Upasani Sanjay
• Florczak Don

Classifications

• H05K7/20145

  Means for directing air flow, e.g. ducts, deflectors, plenum or guides · CPC title

• H05K7/20445 Primary

  the coupling element being an additional piece, e.g. thermal standoff · CPC title

• H05K7/20563

  within sub-racks for removing heat from electronic boards · CPC title

• H05K7/20154 Primary

  Heat dissipaters coupled to components · CPC title

• H05K7/20545

  Natural convection of gaseous coolant; Heat transfer by conduction from electronic boards · CPC title