The present invention relates to an electronic device, to a heat sink plate for an electronic device, to a memory module, and to an electronic system.
Due to the ongoing miniaturization of electronic devices, their increased density and the increase of clock frequencies, modern electronic devices produce more and more heat per surface area. In order to prevent a thermal degradation and destruction, the requirements for cooling these electronic devices have increased over the last years. In today's powerful computers even a cooling of memory modules is required.
At present, memory modules are available in various forms, as e.g. SIMMs (Single Inline Memory Module), DIMMs (Dual Inline Memory Module), or RIMMs (RAMBUS Inline Memory Modules). Despite technological differences, all these memory modules follow a principally similar design. A memory module includes a plurality of integrated memory chips which are placed on a printed circuit board designed as a plug-in card. The printed circuit board provides conductive paths to connect the memory chips with contact pads provided at one edge of the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board can for example be plugged into a memory slot of a computer's main board. On the memory module, the integrated memory chips are arranged in such a way that their longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the insertion direction of the memory module. Along with the integrated memory chips, a memory module may also include one or more auxiliary chips like buffer chips, register chips and PLL chips. Both the integrated memory chips and the auxiliary chips may produce an amount of heat during operation that may make cooling necessary. The auxiliary chips may produce more heat than the memory chips.
One embodiment of an electronic device provides a clip and a plate of thermally conductive material. A first surface of the plate is attached to a surface of the electronic device. The clip is arranged on a second surface of the plate. Two ends of the clip clasp the electronic device and the plate at opposed edges of the electronic device, pressing the plate to the electronic device.
A heat sink provides a plate for an electronic device according to one embodiment. The heat sink plate includes a thermally conductive material. A first surface of the heat sink plate can be pressed to a surface of the electronic device. The heat sink plate is at least partially corrugated in a direction perpendicular to the first surface of the heat sink plate.
A memory module provides a clip and a plate of thermally conductive material according to one embodiment. A first surface of the plate is attached to a surface of the memory module. The clip is arranged on a second surface of the plate. Two ends of the clip clasp the memory module and the plate at opposed edges of the memory module, pressing the plate to the memory module.
An electronic system provides a memory module with a clip and a plate of thermally conductive material according to one embodiment. A first surface of the plate is attached to a surface of the memory module. The clip is arranged on a second surface of the plate. Two ends of the clip clasp the memory module and the plate at opposed edges of the memory module, pressing the plate to the memory module.
A heat sink provides a plate for a memory module according to one embodiment. The heat sink plate includes a thermally conductive material. A first surface of the heat sink plate can be pressed to a surface of the memory module. The heat sink plate is corrugated in a direction perpendicular to the first surface of the heat sink plate.
A electronic system provides a memory module with a heat sink plate according to one embodiment. The heat sink plate includes a thermally conductive material. A first surface of the heat sink plate can be pressed to a surface of the memory module. The heat sink plate is at least partially corrugated in a direction perpendicular to the first surface of the heat sink plate.
So that the manner of which the above recited features can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by referenced embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appending drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of the scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.
The memory module 103 shown in
In order to achieve an effective cooling of the memory module 103, a high contact pressing force between the heat sink plate 101 and the memory module 103 may be applied. The contact pressing force may be uniform over the entire surface of the memory module 103. If the memory module 103 includes strong heat sources like buffer chips or register chips, however, an elevated contact pressing force between the heat sources and the heat sink plate 101 may be advantageous.
In the embodiment of the heat sink 100 shown in
According to the embodiment shown in
The clips 102 may be attached to the memory module 103 and the plate 101 on one edge of the memory module 103. Both clips 102 may be attached to the long edge of the memory module 103 that is opposite the edge of the memory module 103 that is plugged into the slot 104. Each clip 102 clasps around the memory module 103 and the plate 101 such that one half of the U-shaped clip 102 is arranged on the second surface of the plate 101 that is opposite the first surface of the plate 101 that is in contact with the memory module 103. The other half of the U-shaped clip 102 is arranged on the second surface of the memory module 103 that is opposite the first surface of the memory module 103 that is in contact with the plate 101.
A first strip 106 of the clip 102 is arranged parallel to the longer edges of the memory module 103 on the second surface of the plate 101. A second strip of the clip 102 is connected to the first strip of the clip 102 at an angle of ninety degrees. The second strip 108 of the clip 102 is arranged parallel to the shorter edges of the memory module 103 on the second surface of the plate 101 and reaches the longer edge of the memory module 103 that is opposite the long edge of the memory module 103 that includes contact pads. A third strip 110 of the clip 102 is connected to the second strip of the clip 102 at an angle of ninety degrees. The third strip of the clip 102 runs from the second surface of the plate 101 to the second surface of the memory module 103. A fourth strip 112 (shown in phantom) of the clip 102 is connected to the third strip of the clip 102 at an angle of ninety degrees. The fourth strip of the clip 102 is arranged parallel to the shorter edges of the memory module 103 on the second surface of the memory module 103 and runs towards the edge of the memory module 103 that includes contact pads. A fifth strip 114 (shown in phantom) of the clip 102 is connected to the fourth strip of the clip 102 at an angle of ninety degrees. The fifth strip of the clip 102 is arranged parallel to the longer edges of the memory module 103 on the second surface of the memory module 103. A sixth strip 116 (shown in phantom) of the clip 102 is connected to the fifth strip of the clip 102 at an angle of ninety degrees. The sixth strip of the clip 102 is arranged parallel to the shorter edges of the memory module 103 on the second surface of the memory module 103 and reaches the longer edge of the memory module 103 that is opposed to the long edge of the memory module 103 that includes contact pads. A seventh strip 118 of the clip 102 is connected to the sixth strip of the clip 102 at an angle of ninety degrees. The seventh strip of the clip 102 runs from the second surface of the memory module 103 to the second surface of the plate 101. An eighth strip of the clip 102 is connected to the seventh strip of the clip 102 at an angle of ninety degrees and to the first strip of the clip 102 at an angle of ninety degrees. The eighth strip 120 of the clip 102 is arranged parallel to the shorter edges of the memory module 103 on the second surface of the plate 101 and runs towards the edge of the memory module 103 that includes contact pads.
The clip 102 applies a contact pressing force to the plate 101 and the memory module 103, pressing the plate 101 and the memory module 103 together.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the heat sink 100 may include two plates 101 arranged on both surfaces of the memory module 103. The first heat sink plate 101 is pressed to a first surface of the memory module 103. The second heat sink plate 101 is pressed to a second surface of the memory module 103 that is opposed to the first surface of the memory module 103. In this embodiment of the present invention, the clip 102 claps around both plates 101, pressing the two plates 101 to both sides of the memory module 103.
The number of clips 102 of the heat sink 100 is not limited to two. Fewer or more clips 102 may be provided. The clips 102 may be arranged next to each other on the same edge of the memory module 103. The clips 102 may also be arranged on different edges of the memory module 103. The heat sink 100 may for example include three clips 102 arranged on the long edge of the memory module 103 that is opposed to the edge of the memory module 103 that is plugged into the slot 104.
Between the plate 101 and the memory module 103 a thermal interface material 105 may be provided to improve the thermal contact between the memory module 103 and the plate 101. The thermal interface material 105 may be a heat conducting pad or a heat conducting paste. The thermal interface material 105 may include an elastomer. The thermal interface material 105 lies thinly and evenly between the memory module 103 and the plate 101 according to one embodiment. If the heat sink 100 includes two plates 101 arranged on both sides of the memory module 103, a thermal interface material 105 may be provided between the memory module 103 and one or both heat sink plates 101.
The memory module 103 in
The plate 201 depicted in
The central area 205 of the plate 201 may be protruded over the two shorter edges of the plate 201 by 0% to 10% of the length of the long edges of the plate 201. According to another embodiment the central area 205 of the plate 201 may be protruded over the two shorter edges of the plate 201 by 10% to 20% of the length of the long edges of the plate 201. According to another embodiment the central area 205 of the plate 201 may be protruded over the two shorter edges of the plate 201 by 20% to 40% of the length of the long edges of the plate 201.
The plate 301 includes a second surface 303 that is opposite the first surface 302.
The plate 301 is bent around three axes 304, 305, 306 that are parallel to the two shorter edges of the plate 301. The axes 304, 305, 306 point out of the drawing plane of
The amplitude of the corrugation of the plate 301 may be between 0% and 10% of the length of the long edges of the plate 301. According to another embodiment, the amplitude may be between 10% and 20% of the length of the long edges of the plate 301. According to another embodiment, the amplitude may be between 20% and 40% of the length of the long edges of the plate 301.
The preformed plates 201, 301 of
The plates 201, 301 shown in
The surface 202 of the plate 201 shown in
The plate 401 may be made of a material with high thermal conductivity. The material of the plate 401 may comprise aluminum, copper, and/or graphite. The plate 401 may also comprise another material with high thermal conductivity.
The plate 401 may be pressed to the memory module 103 with two clips 402 that may be attached to two shorter edges of the memory module 103. The clips 402 may be made of spring steel. The clips 402 may be fabricated from a sheet of the clip material. The clips 402 may be fabricated from a rectangular sheet metal plate that is bent twice such that the resulting clip 402 is in the shape of the letter U. Each clip 402 may clasp around an edge of the plate 401 and an edge of the memory module 103 such that the plate 401 is pressed to the memory module 103 by the clip 402.
The heat sink 400 may as well include two plates 401 arranged on both sides of the memory module 103. In this case, the clip 402 clasps around both plates, pressing them to both sides of the memory module 103. Both plates 401 may be preformed as the plates 201, 301 shown in
Depending on the length of the shorter edge of the memory module 103, the clips 402 shown in
The memory module 103 may be in a basically flat rectangular shape. Semiconductor chips are arranged on one or both surfaces of the memory module 103. These semiconductor chips may for example be memory chips, buffer chips, register chips, PLL chips, or other semiconductor chips. Metallic contact pads are arranged along one of the longer edges of the memory module 103 to provide electrical connections to the integrated chips on the memory module 103. This longer edge of the memory module 103 is plugged into a slot 104 that provides electric contact between the contact pads of the memory module 103 and other electric components.
The heat sink 500 shown in
The first and second plates 501, 502 may be preformed as shown in
A possible embodiment of plates 501, 502 with hooks 505 is shown in
Each plate 901 includes four hooks 902, 903, 904, 905 that are arranged on the first surface of the plate 901 to point in a first direction perpendicular to the plane of the plate 901. The hooks 902, 904 are arranged along a first of the two shorter edges of the plate 901. Two other hooks 903, 905 are arranged along the second shorter edge of the plate 901. All four hooks 902, 903, 904, 905 point in the same first direction perpendicular to the plane of the plate 901.
For purpose of illustration only, the plate 901 is shown divided into four strips of similar height in the direction of the shorter edges of the plate 901. The hook 902 is arranged on the first strip that is arranged along a first long edge of the plate 901. The hook 903 is arranged on the second strip. The hook 904 is arranged on the third strip. The hook 905 is arranged on the fourth strip that is arranged along a second long edge of the plate 901. The plate 901 is symmetrical with respect to a rotation by 180° around an axis that is perpendicular to the plate of the plane 901 and intersects the center of the plane of the plate 901.
The second surface of each plate 901 includes two grooves 907. The grooves 907 are arranged parallel to the two shorter edges of the plate 901. The grooves 907 are arranged near the two shorter edges of the plate 901. One groove 907 is arranged near the first shorter edge of the plate 901. The other groove 907 is arranged near the second shorter edge of the plate 901.
The two identical plates 901 of
The tip of each hook 902, 903, 904, 905 is bent towards the center of the plate 901 and includes a flange 906 that points towards the first surface of the plate 901. The flange 906 of each hook 902, 903, 904, 905 of a first plate 901 can snap in a groove 907 of the second plate 901, thereby fixing the two plates 901 together.
The plate 601 is mounted to the memory module 103 with two clips 602. Each clip 602 includes a bar-shaped section. The bar-shaped section of each clip 602 may be approximately the length of long edge of the plate 601. The bar-shaped section is arranged parallel to the longer edges of the memory module 103. One clip 602 is arranged on each side of the memory module 103 respectively. Each clip 602 is arranged approximately in the center between the two longer edges of the memory module 103. The two clips 602 clasp around the shorter edges of the memory module 103 and the plate 601 to press the plate 601 to the memory module 103. The bar-shaped sections of the two clips 602 include hooks 605 arranged on both ends of the bar-shaped section of each clip 602 to clasp around the memory module 103 and the plates 601 and engage with the hooks 605 of the respective other clip 602 to lock both clips 602 together. A possible embodiment of a clip 602 with hooks 605 is shown in
The second surface of each clip 1001 includes two grooves 1007. The grooves 1007 are arranged parallel to the two shorter edges of the bar-shaped section of the clip 1001. The grooves 1007 are arranged near the two shorter edges of the bar-shaped section of the clip 1001. One groove 1007 is arranged near the first shorter edge of the plate 1001. The other groove 1007 is arranged near the second shorter edge of the plate 1001.
The tip of each hook 1002, 1003 is bent towards the center of the bar-shaped part of the clip 1001 and includes a flange 1006 that points towards the bar-shaped part of the clip 1001. Two identical clips 1001 can be clipped together. The hooks 1002, 1003 of each clip 1001 clasp around a shorter edge of the other clip 1001. The flange 1006 of each hook 1002, 1003 of a first clip 1001 can snap in a groove 1007 of the second clip 1001, thereby fixing the two clips 1001 together.
The clips 1001 may be used as clips 602 in a heat sink 600, as shown in
According to another embodiment, an elevated contact pressing force between the plate 601 and the memory module 103 may be accomplished by preforming the clips 602. In this embodiment, the plate 601 of the heat sink 600 may be evenly flat. According to yet another embodiment, both the clips 602 and plate 601 may be preformed.
The central section 703 of the clip 701 may be protruded over the ends of the bar-shaped section of the clip 701 by 0% to 10% of the length of the bar-shaped section of the clip 701. According to another embodiment the central section 703 of the clip 701 may be protruded over the ends of the bar-shaped section of the clip 701 by 10% to 20% of the length of the bar-shaped section of the clip 701. According to another embodiment the central section 703 of the clip 701 may be protruded over the ends of the bar-shaped section of the clip 701 by 20% to 40% of the length of the bar-shaped section of the clip 701.
The amplitude of the corrugation of the clip 801 may be between 0% and 10% of the length of the bar-shaped section of the clip 801. According to another embodiment the amplitude of the corrugation of the clip 801 may be between 10% and 20% of the length of the bar-shaped section of the clip 801. According to another embodiment the amplitude of the corrugation of the clip 801 may be between 20% and 40% of the length of the bar-shaped section of the clip 801.
The clips 602 of the heat sink 600 may be preformed to include another shape than shown in
In another embodiment, the heat sink 600 of
While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the present invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.