Variable pin fin construction to facilitate compliant cold plates

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11515230-B2
Application number	US-201916676515-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 7, 2019
Priority date	Sep 13, 2016
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

A device can comprise a plurality of layers stacked and bonded on one another, wherein at least one layer of the plurality of layers comprises: a first active region comprising first pin portions positioned in a first planar arrangement; and a second active region comprising second pin portions positioned in a second planar arrangement, wherein the second planar arrangement is different from the first planar arrangement. The device can also comprise a conformable layer adjacent to at least one of the plurality of layers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat sink, comprising:
a first active region comprising first pin portions having first links connecting some of the first pin portions, and
a second active region comprising second pin portions having second links connecting some of the second pin portions, wherein the first active region has a first ratio of the first pin portions to the first links that is different than a second ratio of the second pin portions to the second links of the second active region.

2. The heat sink of claim 1 , wherein the first pin portions positioned have a first configuration density.

3. The heat sink of claim 2 , wherein the second pin portions have a second configuration density.

4. The heat sink of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third active region comprising third pin portions, wherein the third active region is disposed between the first active region and the second active region.

5. The heat sink of claim 1 , further comprising:
a compliant layer positioned to receive a heat source.

6. The heat sink of claim 5 , wherein the compliant layer accommodates dimensional differences between the heat source and the heat sink.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second active region is configured different from the first active region to facilitate a pressure drop across the heat sink.

8. An apparatus, comprising:
at least one layer adapted to couple to a heat source, wherein the at least one layer comprises:
a first active region comprising first pin portions having first links connecting some of the first pin portions,
a second active region comprising second pin portions having second links connecting some of the second pin portions, wherein the first active region has a first ratio of the first pin portions to the first links that is different than a second ratio of the second pin portions to the second links of the second active region.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
third links connecting a pair of adjacent pin portions between the first pin portions and the second pin portions to form a planar sheet such that a configuration of a width of the second pin portions to a width of the third links is adapted to make the planar sheet flexible.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a third active region comprising third pin portions, wherein the third active region is disposed between the first active region and the second active region.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a compliant layer coupled to one or more of the first pin portions and one or more of the second pin portions.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the compliant layer accommodates dimensional differences between the heat source and the apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second pin portions are configured to facilitate a pressure drop across the apparatus.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first pin portions positioned have a first configuration density, and the second pin portions have a second configuration density that is different from the first configuration density.

15. A method comprising:
bonding a plurality of layers together to form a heat sink, wherein the plurality of layers comprise a first layer comprising:
a first plurality of pin portions;
a first active region comprising a first subset of first pin portions of the first plurality of pin portions having first links connecting some of the first pin portions, and
a second active region comprising a second subset of second pin portions of the first plurality of pin portions having second links connecting some of the second pin portions, wherein the first active region has a first ratio of the first pin portions to the first links that is different than a second ratio of the second pin portions to the second links of the second active region.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of layers comprise a second layer comprising a second plurality of pin portions, and the bonding comprises aligning the first plurality of pin portions with the second plurality of pin portions.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first active region comprises a first pin density associated with the first pin portions that is less than a second pin density associated with the second pin portions of the second active region.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of layers comprise an outer layer, and the bonding comprises positioning the outer layer to receive a heat source.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the outer layer comprises a thermally conductive material.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the outer layer accommodates dimensional differences between the heat source and the heat sink.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Schultz Mark Delorman

Classifications

• H10W40/47

  by flowing liquids, e.g. forced water cooling · CPC title

• H10W40/43

  by flowing gases, e.g. forced air cooling · CPC title

• H10W72/50

  Bond wires · CPC title

• H10W40/037

  Assembling together parts thereof · CPC title

• H10W40/228 Primary

  the projecting parts being wire-shaped or pin-shaped · CPC title