Heatsink providing equivalent cooling for multiple in-line modules

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9788460-B2
Application number	US-201514956440-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2015
Priority date	Dec 2, 2015
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

A heatsink structure cools a first electronic chip and a second electronic chip that are positioned serially and in-line to one or more cooling fan, such that cooling air from the cooling fan(s) passes above the first electronic chip before passing above the second electronic chip. The heatsink structure includes a first heatsink and a second heatsink, which are identical to each other, and which fit adjacent to one another when a first heatsink is rotated 180 degrees relative to the second heatsink.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heatsink structure for cooling a first electronic chip and a second electronic chip that are positioned serially and in-line to one or more cooling fans, wherein cooling air from the one or more cooling fans passes above the first electronic chip before passing above the second electronic chip, and wherein the heatsink structure comprises:
a first heatsink positioned over the first electronic chip, wherein the first heatsink has a geometric shape, a size, and a first set of heat radiating fins; and
a second heatsink positioned over the second electronic chip, wherein the second heatsink has the geometric shape and size of the first heatsink, wherein the second heatsink has a second set of heat radiating fins having a same geometric shape and size as the first set of heat radiating fins, wherein the second heatsink is rotated 180 degrees relative to the first heatsink and fits adjacent to the first heatsink to form the heatsink structure, wherein a portion of the first set of heat radiating fins is interposed within the second set of heat radiating fins, wherein a portion of the second set of heat radiating fins is interposed within the first set of heat radiating fins, and wherein the first heatsink and the second heatsink are oriented to a cooling air flow direction such that cooling air from the one or more cooling fans that passes across the portion of the first set of heat radiating fins does not pass across the portion of the second set of heat radiating fins.

2. The heatsink structure of claim 1 , wherein an area of the first heatsink that is positioned over the first electronic chip is less than one half of a total area of the first heatsink, and wherein an area of the second heatsink that is positioned over the second electronic chip is less than one half of a total area of the second heatsink.

3. The heatsink structure of claim 1 , further comprising:
a thermally enhanced structure affixed to the first heatsink; and
a thermally enhanced structure affixed to the second heatsink.

4. The heatsink structure of claim 3 , wherein the thermally enhanced structure affixed to the first heatsink is a first set of heatpipes, and wherein the thermally enhanced structure affixed to the second heatsink is a second set of heatpipes.

5. The heatsink structure of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the first set of heat radiating fins is interposed within a first area of the second heat sink and a second area of the second heat sink, wherein the portion of the second set of heat radiating fins is interposed within a first area of the first heat sink and a second area of the first heat sink, wherein the cooling air passes sequentially through the first area of the first heat sink followed by the portion of the second set of heat radiating fins followed by the second area of the first heat sink, and wherein the cooling air passes sequentially through the first area of the second heat sink followed by the portion of the first set of heat radiating fins followed by the second area of the second heat sink.

6. A circuit board comprising:
a heatsink structure for cooling a first electronic chip and a second electronic chip that are positioned serially and in-line to one or more cooling fans, wherein cooling air from the one or more cooling fans passes above the first electronic chip before passing above the second electronic chip, and wherein the heatsink structure comprises:
a first heatsink positioned over the first electronic chip, wherein the first heatsink has a geometric shape, a size, and a first set of heat radiating fins; and
a second heatsink positioned over the second electronic chip, wherein the second heatsink has the geometric shape and size of the first heatsink, wherein the second heatsink has a second set of heat radiating fins having a same geometric shape and size as the first set of heat radiating fins, wherein the second heatsink is rotated 180 degrees relative to the first heatsink and fits adjacent to the first heatsink to form the heatsink structure, wherein a portion of the first set of heat radiating fins is interposed within the second set of heat radiating fins, wherein a portion of the second set of heat radiating fins is interposed within the first set of heat radiating fins, and wherein the first heatsink and the second heatsink are oriented to a cooling air flow direction such that cooling air from the one or more cooling fans that passes across the portion of the first set of heat radiating fins does not pass across the portion of the second set of heat radiating fins.

7. The circuit board of claim 6 , wherein an area of the first heatsink that is positioned over the first electronic chip is less than one half of a total area of the first heatsink, and wherein an area of the second heatsink that is positioned over the second electronic chip is less than one half of a total area of the second heatsink.

8. The circuit board of claim 6 , further comprising:
a thermally enhanced structure affixed to the first heatsink; and
a thermally enhanced structure affixed to the second heatsink.

9. The circuit board of claim 6 , wherein the portion of the first set of heat radiating fins is interposed within a first area of the second heat sink and a second area of the second heat sink, wherein the portion of the second set of heat radiating fins is interposed within a first area of the first heat sink and a second area of the first heat sink, wherein the cooling air passes sequentially through the first area of the first heat sink followed by the portion of the second set of heat radiating fins followed by the second area of the first heat sink, and wherein the cooling air passes sequentially through the first area of the second heat sink followed by the portion of the first set of heat radiating fins followed by the second area of the second heat sink.

10. The circuit board of claim 8 , wherein the thermally enhanced structure affixed to the first heatsink is a first set of heatpipes, and wherein the thermally enhanced structure affixed to the second heatsink is a second set of heatpipes.

11. A computing device comprising:
an air moving device;
a circuit board; and
a heatsink structure for cooling a first electronic chip and a second electronic chip that are positioned serially and in-line to the air moving device, wherein cooling air from the air moving device passes above the first electronic chip before passing above the second electronic chip, and wherein the heatsink structure comprises:
a first heatsink positioned over the first electronic chip, wherein the first heatsink has a geometric shape, a size, and a first set of heat radiating fins; and
a second heatsink positioned over the second electronic chip, wherein the second heatsink has the geometric shape and size of the first heatsink, wherein the second heatsink has a second set of heat radiating fins having a same geometric shape and size as the first set of heat radiating fins, wherein the second heatsink is rotated 180 degrees relative to the first heatsink and fits adjacent to the first heatsink to form the heatsink structure, wherein a portion of the first set of heat radiating fins is interposed within the second set of heat radiating fins, wherein a portion of the second set of heat radiating fins is interposed within the first set of heat radiating fins, and wherein the first heatsink and the second heatsink are oriented to a cooling air flow direction such that cooling air from the one or more cooling fans that passes across the portion of the first set of heat radiating fins does not pass across the portion of the second set of heat radiating fins.

12. The computing device of cla

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Barron David
• Cruz Ethan E
• Mahaney Jr Howard V
• Mann Phillip V
• Richardson Matthew T

Classifications

• H10W40/226

  characterised by projecting parts, e.g. fins to increase surface area (leadframes for cooling H10W70/461) · CPC title

• H10W40/73

  for cooling by change of state · CPC title

• H10W40/43

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

• H10W40/22 Primary

  characterised by their shape, e.g. having conical or cylindrical projections · CPC title

• H05K1/0203

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