Thermal solution on latch for sodimm connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019103690-A1
Application number	US-201715721546-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 29, 2017
Priority date	Sep 29, 2017
Publication date	Apr 4, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments include devices, systems, and methods relating to removing heat from a memory module in a connector. One embodiment relates to a memory module connector comprising a first arm, a second arm, and a body portion positioned between the first arm and the second arm, the body portion configured to accept a memory module therein. The memory module connector includes a structure coupled to the first arm and configured to be electrically coupled to a printed circuit board. The memory module connector also includes a heat spreader coupled to the first arm, the heat spreader configured to be brought into thermal contact with a memory module component. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A memory module connector comprising:
a first arm; a second arm; a body portion positioned between the first arm and the second arm, the body portion configured to accept a memory module therein; a structure coupled to the first arm and configured to be electrically coupled to a printed circuit board; and a heat spreader coupled to the first arm, the heat spreader configured to be brought into thermal contact with a memory module component.

2 . The memory module connector of claim 1 , wherein the heat spreader comprises a spring.

3 . The memory module connector of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the structure and the heat spreader are integral to the first arm.

4 . The memory module connector of claim 1 , wherein the structure coupled to the first arm and configured to be electrically coupled to the printed circuit board is adapted to provide a ground plane pathway to the printed circuit board.

5 . The memory module connector of claim 1 , wherein the a structure coupled to the first arm and configured to be electrically coupled to a printed circuit board is spaced a greater distance away from the body portion than the heat spreader is spaced away from the body portion along the arm.

6 . The memory module connector of claim 1 , further comprising an additional structure coupled to the second arm and configured to be electrically coupled to the printed circuit board; and an additional heat spreader coupled to the second arm.

7 . A system comprising:
a memory module including a plurality of memory chips and an additional component thereon; a printed circuit board; a connector coupled to the printed circuit board, the connector configured to accept the memory module therein, the connector comprising a first arm, a second arm, and a body portion between the first arm and the second arm; the connector including a structure coupled to the first arm that is positioned to provide a ground plane pathway from the connector to the printed circuit board; the connector including a heat spreader coupled to the first arm; and the additional component being positioned in thermal contact with the heat spreader.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the additional component comprises a voltage regulator.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the additional component comprises a power management integrated circuit.

10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the structure positioned to provide a ground plane pathway comprises a retention tab soldered to the printed circuit board.

11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the heat spreader is configured to provide a spring load on the additional component.

12 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising a thermal interface material between the heat spreader and the additional component.

13 . The system of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the structure and the heat spreader are integral to the first arm.

14 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the structure is spaced a greater distance away from the body portion than the heat spreader is spaced away from the body portion along the arm.

15 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the memory module comprises a small outline dual in-line memory module (SODIMM), and the connector comprises a SODIMM connector.

16 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising an additional structure coupled to the second arm to provide a ground plane pathway to the printed circuit board; and an additional heat spreader coupled to the second arm.

17 . A method comprising:
providing a memory module connector with a structure configured to provide a ground plane pathway from the memory module connector to a printed circuit board; and providing the memory module connector with a heat spreader positioned to transmit heat from a component on a memory module through the structure configured to provide the ground plane pathway and to the printed circuit board.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the structure configured to provide the ground plane pathway and the heat spreader are both coupled to an arm of the memory module connector.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the structure configured to provide the ground plane pathway and the heat spreader are formed to be integral to an arm of the memory module connector.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the component comprises a power management integrated circuit.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Li Xiang
• Vergis George
• Heymann Douglas

Classifications

• H01R12/721

  cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits · CPC title

• H05K2201/066

  Heatsink mounted on the surface of the printed circuit board [PCB] · CPC title

• H05K1/0203

  Cooling of mounted components (H05K1/0272 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R12/83

  connected with pivoting of printed circuits or like after insertion · CPC title

• H05K1/0209

  External configuration of printed circuit board adapted for heat dissipation, e.g. lay-out of conductors, coatings · CPC title