Flexible-to-rigid tubing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9801271-B2
Application number	US-201715423745-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2017
Priority date	Aug 27, 2010
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

A flexible-to-rigid tube is flexible when routed and is then rigidized to increase burst strength. According to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the flexible-to-rigid tube is included in a cooling plate assembly for transferring heat from electronic components mounted on a circuit board. In one embodiment, the flexible-to-rigid tube (while in a flexible state) includes a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) or other silicone containing pendant or terminal epoxy, vinyl and/or acrylate functional groups and an initiator (e.g., a sulfonium salt photoinitiator, a free radical photoinitiator, or a thermal initiator). In another embodiment, triallyl isocyanurate (TAIC) and an initiator are incorporated into a conventional PVC-based tubing material. The flexible-to-rigid tube changes from the flexible state to a rigid state via formation of a cross-linked network upon exposure to actinic radiation or heat.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooling plate assembly for transferring heat from a plurality of electronic components mounted on a circuit board, comprising:
a circuit board having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a first cooling plate positioned over and in thermal contact with at least one electronic component mounted on the top surface of the circuit board and having a thermal dissipation channel extending through a portion thereof;
a second cooling plate positioned over and in thermal contact with at least one electronic component mounted on the top surface of the circuit board and having a thermal dissipation channel extending through a portion thereof;
a flexible-to-rigid tube interconnecting the thermal dissipation channel of the first cooling plate and the thermal dissipation channel of the second cooling plate, wherein the flexible-to-rigid tube comprises a cross-linked network that includes at least one of a silicone or triallyl isocyanurate (TAIC).

2. The cooling plate assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the thermal dissipation channels of the first cooling plate and the second cooling plate are in fluid communication with a reservoir containing cooling fluid, and wherein the flexible-to-rigid tube comprises at least one of: a flexible-to-rigid tube interconnecting an outlet port of the first cooling plate and an inlet port of the second cooling plate; and a flexible-to-rigid tube interconnecting an outlet port of the second cooling plate and an inlet port of the first cooling plate.

3. A cooling plate assembly for transferring heat from a plurality of electronic components mounted on a circuit board, comprising:
a circuit board having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a first cooling plate positioned over and in thermal contact with at least one electronic component mounted on the top surface of the circuit board and having a thermal dissipation channel extending through a portion thereof;
a second cooling plate positioned over and in thermal contact with at least one electronic component mounted on the top surface of the circuit board and having a thermal dissipation channel extending through a portion thereof;
a flexible-to-rigid tube interconnecting the thermal dissipation channel of the first cooling plate and the thermal dissipation channel of the second cooling plate, wherein the flexible-to-rigid tube comprises a cross-linked network that includes a silicone.

4. The cooling plate assembly as recited in claim 3 , wherein the thermal dissipation channels of the first cooling plate and the second cooling plate are in fluid communication with a reservoir containing cooling fluid, and wherein the flexible-to-rigid tube comprises at least one of: a flexible-to-rigid tube interconnecting an outlet port of the first cooling plate and an inlet port of the second cooling plate; and a flexible-to-rigid tube interconnecting an outlet port of the second cooling plate and an inlet port of the first cooling plate.

5. The cooling plate assembly as recited in claim 3 , wherein the cross-linked network is a polymerization reaction product of:
a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) having a pendant or terminal functional group selected from a group of functional groups consisting of epoxy functional groups, vinyl functional groups, and acrylate functional groups; and
an initiator.

6. The cooling plate assembly as recited in claim 5 , wherein the PDMS has a pendant or terminal epoxy functional group, wherein the initiator is an onium photoinitiator, and wherein the polymerization reaction occurs upon exposure of the flexible-to-rigid tube to actinic radiation.

7. A cooling plate assembly for transferring heat from a plurality of electronic components mounted on a circuit board, comprising:
a circuit board having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a first cooling plate positioned over and in thermal contact with at least one electronic component mounted on the top surface of the circuit board and having a thermal dissipation channel extending through a portion thereof;
a second cooling plate positioned over and in thermal contact with at least one electronic component mounted on the top surface of the circuit board and having a thermal dissipation channel extending through a portion thereof;
a flexible-to-rigid tube interconnecting the thermal dissipation channel of the first cooling plate and the thermal dissipation channel of the second cooling plate, wherein the flexible-to-rigid tube comprises a cross-linked network that includes triallyl isocyanurate (TAIC).

8. The cooling plate assembly as recited in claim 7 , wherein the thermal dissipation channels of the first cooling plate and the second cooling plate are in fluid communication with a reservoir containing cooling fluid, and wherein the flexible-to-rigid tube comprises at least one of: a flexible-to-rigid tube interconnecting an outlet port of the first cooling plate and an inlet port of the second cooling plate; and a flexible-to-rigid tube interconnecting an outlet port of the second cooling plate and an inlet port of the first cooling plate.

9. The cooling plate assembly as recited in claim 7 , wherein the cross-linked network is a polymerization reaction product of:
triallyl isocyanurate (TAIC); and
an initiator selected from a group of initiators consisting of free radical photoinitiators and thermal initiators.

10. The cooling plate assembly as recited in claim 9 , wherein the initiator comprises a free radical photoinitiator including benzoin, and wherein the polymerization reaction occurs upon exposure of the flexible-to-rigid tube to actinic radiation.

11. The cooling plate assembly as recited in claim 9 , wherein the initiator comprises a thermal initiator including a benzoyl peroxide or azobisisobutyronitrile, and wherein the polymerization reaction occurs upon exposure of the flexible-to-rigid tube to heat.

12. The cooling plate assembly as recited in claim 9 , wherein the TAIC and the initiator are incorporated into a PVC-based tubing material.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Boday Dylan J
• Kuczynski Joseph
• Meyer Iii Robert E

Classifications

• H10W40/251

  Organics · CPC title

• H10W40/47 Primary

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

• H10W40/40

  involving heat exchange by flowing fluids · CPC title

• H10W40/25

  characterised by their materials · CPC title

• H10W40/22

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