Liquid cooled heat sink with cold plate retention mechanism
View Patent ↗A system for cooling electronic components with a surface having one or more electronic components, including an integrated circuit, mounted thereon. A liquid cooled heat exchanger located in overlying contacting relation with the integrated circuit. A resilient cold plate coupled to the surface so as to be biased by a portion of the liquid cooled heat exchanger thereby providing a forced engagement between the liquid cooled heat exchanger, the integrated circuit, and the resilient cold plate.
1. A system for cooling electronic components, said system comprising:
a surface;
at least one electronic component mounted on the surface;
a resilient cold plate; and
a liquid cooled heat exchanger in thermal communication with the resilient cold plate and the at least one electronic component;
wherein the resilient cold plate is resiliently deformed to a state in which the resilient cold plate exerts an inherent biasing force against the liquid cooled heat exchanger.
2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid cooled heat exchanger includes a base plate having a plurality of fins projecting outwardly from a top surface.
3. A system according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of fins are arranged in mutually parallel relation to one another.
4. A system according to claim 2 , wherein end ones of the fins include a radiused outer surface.
5. A system according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of fins have a length and width that is less than a length and a width of the base plate so that a circumferential portion of the base plate forms a flange that extends outwardly from all sides of the plurality of fins.
6. A system according to claim 2 , wherein the liquid cooled heat exchanger includes a lid positioned in overlying relation to the base plate, and includes a first conduit and a second conduit.
7. A system according to claim 6 , wherein the lid includes a central depression defined by a circumferential wall that is bounded by a central top wall.
8. A system according to claim 7 , wherein the lid defines two through-bores in the top wall that are arranged in spaced apart relation to one another.
9. A system according to claim 8 , wherein the lid includes a circumferential flange that extends outwardly from all sides of the lid and away from the central depression.
10. A system according to claim 6 , wherein the lid is assembled to the base plate so that the plurality of fins are located within a central depression defined by a circumferential wall that is bounded by a central top wall of the lid.
11. A system according to claim 10 , wherein the lid, the base plate, and the fins define a first manifold and a second manifold.
12. A system according to claim 2 , wherein the cold plate is formed from a sheet of thermally conductive, resilient metal having a top surface, a bottom surface, an opening defined by a peripheral edge through a thickness, and at least one depression.
13. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the cold plate stores energy when deflected in a spring-like fashion so that a force or load is exerted by the cold plate in response to deflection.
14. A system according to claim 12 , wherein the plurality of fins have a length and width that is less than a length and a width of the base plate so that a circumferential portion of the base plate forms a flange that extends outwardly from all sides of the plurality of fins and deflects the cold plate in a spring-like fashion.
15. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the resilient cold plate includes at east one depression formed in a top surface so as to define a prominence protruding from a bottom surface.
16. A system according to claim 1 wherein said surface forms a portion of a printed wiring board.
17. A system according to claim 1 wherein said one or more electronic components comprise graphics memory modules distributed around a perimeter of said integrated circuit.
18. A system according to claim 1 wherein said resilient cold plate includes a plurality of depressions that are formed in a top surface so as to define a plurality of prominences protruding from a bottom surface.
19. A method for cooling electronic components, the method comprising the steps of:
mounting at least one electronic component on a surface;
coupling a liquid cooled heat exchanger to the surface in a position in thermal communication with the at least one electronic component;
exerting a biasing force upon at least one of the liquid cooled heat exchanger and the electronic component by deformation of a resilient cold plate.