Flexible cold plate with enhanced flexibility

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016290728-A1
Application number	US-201514818117-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 4, 2015
Priority date	Apr 6, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus for cooling an electronic component has a planar top member of a thermal energy conductive material and a parallel planar bottom member of the material, the planar bottom member including a surface having regions configured for heat exchange contact with the electronic component. The joined planar top and bottom members have a sidewall structure of reduced height (and generally the height of the cold plate) between active areas in order to improve flexibility. The stiffness of the sidewalls is reduced by very advantageously reduce the height of the sidewalls. In one embodiment, the sidewalls are shorter in height corresponding to regions only between active areas. Alternatively, the sidewalls are of reduced height everywhere by insetting the active areas within the top and/or bottom sheets.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A cooling apparatus for an electronic device comprising:
a planar top member of a thermal energy conductive material; a planar bottom member of the thermal energy conductive material, either one of the planar top member or planar bottom member including a raised surface region, wherein said planar bottom member is configured for heat exchange contact with the electronic device; a sidewall structure of extending between said top and bottom members and joining said top member to said bottom member, said planar top member, parallel bottom member and sidewall defining a chamber, wherein a height distance of said sidewall structure between regions corresponding to a raised region of the top or bottom member surfaces is reduced relative to the height distance between said top member and bottom member at said raised region.

2 . The cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further including one or more cooling structure formations affixed within said chamber at locations in alignment with said raised region, said cooling formations including an array of fins or blades affixed at opposing top and bottom members and oriented for directing a flow of a cooling media within said chamber.

3 . The cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said sidewall structure extends along a periphery of said apparatus between said top and bottom members, and a height of said sidewall structure extending between said top and bottom members and joining said top member to said bottom member at each respective end of said apparatus is substantially the same height as the height distance between said top member and bottom member at the raised region.

4 . The cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said sidewall structure extends along a periphery of said apparatus between said top and bottom members, and a height of said sidewall structure extending between said top and bottom members and joining said top member to said bottom member at each respective end of said apparatus is reduced relative to the height distance between said top member and bottom member at said raised region.

5 . The cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein one of said planar top member or bottom member includes a plurality of stamped indent formations formed at a surface at a plurality of locations, each said indent formation providing a contact surface, the one of said planar top member and bottom member being affixed to the other at said at least one said contact surface.

6 . The cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the planar top member and bottom member are affixed at said contact surface by one of solder or braze material.

7 . The cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein each said planar top member and bottom member includes a plurality of stamped indent formations formed at a surface at a plurality of locations, each said indent formation providing a contact surface, the planar top member and bottom member being oriented and aligned such that said contact surfaces of each indent for each member are affixed to the other by one of solder or braze material.

8 . The cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a raised region of said top or bottom member surface is inset from a periphery defined by said sidewall structure.

9 . The cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein both the planar top member and planar bottom member include a surface having aligned one or more raised regions, a raised region of said planar bottom member configured for heat exchange contact with the electronic device.

10 . The cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said sidewall structure is flexible and laterally compliant.

11 . A cooling apparatus for an electronic device comprising:
a planar top member of a thermal energy conductive material; a planar bottom member of the thermal energy conductive material, either one of the planar top member or planar bottom member including a raised surface region, wherein said planar bottom member is configured for heat exchange contact with the electronic device; a sidewall structure of extending between said top and bottom members and joining said top member to said bottom member, said planar top member, parallel bottom member and sidewall defining a chamber, wherein a height distance of said sidewall structure between regions corresponding to a raised region of the top or bottom member surface is reduced relative to the height distance between said top member and bottom member at said raised region, and a height of said sidewall structure extending between said top and bottom members and joining said top member to said bottom member at each respective end of said apparatus is reduced relative to the height distance between said top member and bottom member at said raised region.

12 . The cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , further including one or more cooling structure formations affixed within said chamber at locations in alignment with said raised region, said cooling formations including an array of fins or blades affixed at opposing top and bottom members and oriented for directing a flow of a cooling media within said chamber.

13 . The cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein one of said planar top member or bottom member includes a plurality of stamped indent formations at a plurality of locations, at least one said indent formation providing a contact surface, the one of said planar top member and bottom member being affixed to the other at said at least one said contact surface.

14 . The cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the planar top member and bottom member are affixed at said contact surface by one of solder or braze material.

15 . The cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein each said planar top member and bottom member includes a plurality of stamped indent formations formed at a surface at a plurality of locations, each said indent formation providing a contact surface, the planar top member and bottom member being oriented and aligned such that said contact surfaces of each indent for each member are affixed to the other by one of solder or braze material.

16 . The cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein a raised region of said top or bottom member surface is inset from a periphery defined by said sidewall structure.

17 . The cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein both the planar top member and planar bottom member include a surface having aligned one or more raised regions, a raised region of said planar bottom member configured for heat exchange contact with the electronic device.

18 . The cooling apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein said sidewall structure is flexible and laterally compliant.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Coteus Paul W
• Hall Shawn A
• Schultz Mark D
• Takken Todd E
• Tian Shurong

Classifications

• H10W40/47

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

• F28F2255/02

  Flexible elements · CPC title

• F28F3/12

  Elements constructed in the shape of a hollow panel, e.g. with channels {(F28D1/02, F28D1/03 take precedence)} · CPC title

• F28F2225/04

  for conduits · CPC title

• H05K7/20254

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