Flexible and modular top and bottom side processor unit module cooling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12055986-B2
Application number	US-202117187164-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2021
Priority date	Feb 26, 2021
Publication date	Aug 6, 2024
Grant date	Aug 6, 2024

Abstract

A processor unit module comprises an integrated circuit component attached to a top side of a printed circuit board and one or more electronic components (e.g., voltage regulator FETs, inductors) attached to a bottom side of the board. The printed circuit board is located between a top stiffener plate and a bottom stiffener frame and the three components are secured together by fasteners that connect the top stiffener plate to the bottom stiffener frame. Flexible thermal straps connect the top stiffener plate to one or more slugs located between the printed circuit board and the bottom stiffener frame. The slugs touch the bottom side of the board and are held in place by the bottom stiffener frame. Heat generated by the bottom side components is transported by the slugs and the thermal straps to a thermal management solution (e.g., heat sink, cold plate) attached to the top side of the module.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A module comprising:
a top stiffener plate;
a slug;
a flexible thermal strap connecting the top stiffener plate to the slug;
a bottom stiffener frame attached to the top stiffener plate; and
a printed circuit board comprising an integrated circuit component attached to a top side of the printed circuit board and an electronic component attached to a bottom side of the printed circuit board, the printed circuit board located between the top stiffener plate and the bottom stiffener frame, the electronic component thermally coupled to the slug.

2. The module of claim 1 , wherein the top stiffener plate comprises a frame and the flexible thermal strap connects the frame to the slug.

3. The module of claim 2 , wherein the frame is made of a first material that is different from a second material from which the top stiffener plate is made.

4. The module of claim 3 , wherein the frame is made of copper.

5. The module of claim 1 , wherein the top stiffener plate is made of copper.

6. The module of claim 1 , wherein the flexible thermal strap is a copper thermal strap.

7. The module of claim 1 , wherein the flexible thermal strap is a graphite thermal strap.

8. The module of claim 1 , wherein the top stiffener plate comprises one or more heat pipes.

9. The module of claim 1 , wherein the slug comprises one or more heat pipes.

10. The module of claim 1 , wherein the electronic component is thermally coupled to the slug via the bottom stiffener frame.

11. The module of claim 1 , wherein the top stiffener plate comprises an opening occupied by the integrated circuit component, the module further comprising a heat sink attached to the top stiffener plate and thermally coupled to the integrated circuit component.

12. The module of claim 1 , wherein the top stiffener plate comprises an opening occupied by the integrated circuit component, the module further comprising a cold plate attached to the top stiffener plate and thermally coupled to the integrated circuit component.

13. The module of claim 1 , wherein the electronic component comprises a voltage regulator field-effect transistor.

14. The module of claim 1 , wherein the slug is a first slug, the flexible thermal strap is a first flexible thermal strap, and the electronic component is a first electronic component, the module further comprising:
a second slug;
a second electronic component attached to the bottom side of the printed circuit board; and
a second flexible thermal strap connecting the top stiffener plate to the second slug, the second electronic component thermally coupled to the second slug.

15. A computing system, comprising:
a baseboard;
a module attached to the baseboard, the module comprising:
a top stiffener plate comprising an opening;
a slug;
a flexible thermal strap connecting the top stiffener plate to the slug;
a bottom stiffener frame attached to the top stiffener plate; and
a printed circuit board comprising an integrated circuit component attached to a top side of the printed circuit board and an electronic component attached to a bottom side of the printed circuit board, the printed circuit board located between the top stiffener plate and the bottom stiffener frame, the electronic component thermally coupled to the slug, and the opening of the top stiffener plate occupied by the integrated circuit component; and

a thermal management component attached to the module and thermally coupled to the integrated circuit component.

16. The computing system of claim 15 , wherein the top stiffener plate comprises a frame and the flexible thermal strap connects the frame to the slug.

17. The computing system of claim 15 , wherein the flexible thermal strap is a copper thermal strap or a graphite thermal strap.

18. The computing system of claim 15 , wherein the top stiffener plate comprises one or more heat pipes.

19. The computing system of claim 15 , wherein the slug comprises one or more heat pipes.

20. The computing system of claim 15 , wherein the thermal management component comprises a heat sink.

21. The computing system of claim 15 , wherein the thermal management component comprises a cold plate.

22. The computing system of claim 21 , wherein the cold plate is part of a liquid cooling system that cools one or more additional integrated circuit components of the computing system.

23. The computing system of claim 21 , wherein the cold plate is part of a liquid cooling system that cools one or more additional integrated circuit component of one or more additional computing systems.

24. An apparatus comprising:
a top stiffener plate;
one or more bottom conductive elements;
a flexible thermal strap connecting the top plate to the one or more bottom conductive elements; and
a printed circuit board comprising an integrated circuit component attached to a top side of the printed circuit board and an electronic component attached to a bottom side of the printed circuit board, the printed circuit board located between the top plate and the one or more bottom conductive elements, the electronic component thermally coupled to the one or more bottom conductive elements.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 , further including a thermal management component thermally coupled to the integrated circuit component, wherein the thermal management component comprises a cold plate.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Macias Andres Ramirez
• Athalye Aardra B
• Kulkarni Devdatta Prakash
• Paredes Gilberto Rayas
• Sahu Bijoyraj

Classifications

• H05K1/0272

  Adaptations for fluid transport, e.g. channels, holes · CPC title

• G06F2200/201

  Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid · CPC title

• H05K7/20809

  within server blades for removing heat from heat source · CPC title

• H05K7/20772

  within server blades for removing heat from heat source · CPC title

• H05K7/20336

  Heat pipes, e.g. wicks or capillary pumps · CPC title