Patent Application
20170089648
A thermal gasket can be used to attach a heat-generating component in an electronic device to a heat-dissipating structure, e.g., a heat sink, of the electronic device. A thermal gasket can include an interface surface for coupling to a heat-generating component and an interface surface for coupling a heat-dissipating structure. An adhesive can be applied to the interface surfaces of a thermal gasket to bond together a heat-generating component, the intervening thermal gasket, and a heat-dissipating structure.
An adhesive applied to the interface surfaces of a thermal gasket can have a relatively low thermal conductivity, which can reduce the heat transfer performance of the thermal gasket. An adhesive can be impregnated with a material that increases its heat transfer capacity. A material that increases the heat transfer capacity of an adhesive can reduce the bonding strength and reliability of the thermal gasket structure.
In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to an adhesive-thermal gasket. The adhesive-thermal gasket can include: a body of thermally conductive material having a set of openings formed through the body; and an adhesive disposed into each opening for holding together a heat-generating component and a heat-dissipating structure as the body thermally couples the heat-generating component to the heat-dissipating structure.
In general, in another aspect, the invention relates to a method for forming an adhesive-thermal gasket. The method can include: forming a body of thermally conductive material; forming a set of openings through the body; and disposing an adhesive into each opening for holding together a heat-generating component and a heat-dissipating structure as the body thermally couples the heat-generating component to the heat-dissipating structure.
Other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.
Embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements.
Reference will now be made in detail to the various embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Like elements in the various figures are denoted by like reference numerals for consistency. While described in conjunction with these embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the disclosure to these embodiments. On the contrary, the disclosure is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, in the following detailed description of the present disclosure, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be understood that the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present disclosure.
The body 16 of the adhesive-thermal gasket 10 includes a set of open areas 12a-12d formed through the body 16. In one or more embodiments, the open areas 12a-12d are formed through a periphery of the body 16 from a top surface 16a of the body 16 through to a bottom surface 16b of the body 16. In this example embodiment, the open areas 12a-12d each have a substantially semicircular shape.
The adhesive-thermal gasket 10 includes a respective adhesive 13a-13d disposed within each respective open area 12a-12d for holding together a heat-generating component and a heat-dissipating structure as the body 16 thermally couples the heat-generating component to the heat-dissipating structure. The adhesives 13a-13d disposed in the open areas 12a-12d can have a lower height, i.e., a lower profile, than the body 16 of thermally conductive material in a dimension between the top and bottom surfaces 16a and 16b. The adhesives 13a-13d disposed in the open areas 12a-12d can be pressure sensitive adhesives, e.g. a pressure sensitive adhesive tape cut to the shapes of the open areas 12a-12d.
The total thermal conductivity, K, at an interface surface of the adhesive-thermal gasket 10 is given by—K=Kt×(At/A)+Kp×(Ap/A), where is Kt is the thermal conductivity of the body 16 and Kp is the thermal conductivity of the adhesives 13a-13d.
For example, for a Kt value of 3 W/m-K, the drop off in total thermal conductivity K for a ratio of Ap to At of 5 percent is 4.30 percent down to 2.87 W/m-K. In another example, for a Kt value of 6 W/m-K, the drop off in total thermal conductivity K for a ratio of Ap to At of 20 percent is 15.80 percent down to 5.05 W/m-K.
The body 26 of the adhesive-thermal gasket 10 includes a set of open areas 22a-22d formed through the body 26 through a periphery of the body 26 from a top surface 26a of the body 26 through to a bottom surface 26b of the body 26. In this example embodiment, the open areas 22a-22d each have a substantially rectangular shape.
The adhesive-thermal gasket 20 includes a respective adhesive 23a-23d disposed within each respective open area 22a-22d for holding together a heat-generating component and a heat-dissipating structure as the body 26 thermally couples the heat-generating component to the heat-dissipating structure. The adhesives 23a-23d contained in the open areas 22a-22d can have a lower height, i.e., a lower profile, than the body 26 of thermally conductive material in a dimension between the top and bottom surfaces 26a and 26b. The adhesives 23a-23d disposed in the open areas 22a-22d can be pressure sensitive adhesives.
At step 550, a body of thermally conductive material is formed. The body can be, e.g., circular, rectangular, or any shape, and can have a height, i.e., thickness, adapted to couple a heat-generating component to a heat-dissipating structure.
At step 560, a set of openings are formed through the body. There can be any number and shape of the openings. The openings can be, e.g., rectangular, semicircular, etc. The openings can be positioned for optimal adhesion of a heat-generating component to a heat-dissipating structure.
At step 570, an adhesive is disposed into each opening for holding together a heat-generating component and a heat-dissipating structure as the body thermally couples the heat-generating component to the heat-dissipating structure. The adhesive disposed in the openings can have a lower profile than the body so that the adhesives couple together the heat-generating component and the heat-dissipating structure when the body is compressed.
While the foregoing disclosure sets forth various embodiments using specific diagrams, flowcharts, and examples, each diagram component, flowchart step, operation, and/or component described and/or illustrated herein may be implemented, individually and/or collectively, using a range of processes and components.
The process parameters and sequence of steps described and/or illustrated herein are given by way of example only. For example, while the steps illustrated and/or described herein may be shown or discussed in a particular order, these steps do not necessarily need to be performed in the order illustrated or discussed. The various example methods described and/or illustrated herein may also omit one or more of the steps described or illustrated herein or include additional steps in addition to those disclosed.
While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments may be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed herein.
