Heat management in an electronic module
View Patent ↗In one example, an electronic module includes a printed circuit board and a housing at least partially enclosing the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board includes a heat-generating component. The housing includes a first case and a second case attached to the first case. The first and second cases cooperatively define a sealed cavity containing a fluid. The second case includes a thermal contact structure positioned proximate to the heat-generating component.
1. An electronic module comprising:
a printed circuit board, the printed circuit board comprising a heat-generating component; and
a housing at least partially enclosing the printed circuit board, the housing comprising:
a first case;
a second case attached to the first case, the first and second cases cooperatively defining a sealed cavity containing a fluid, the second case comprising a thermal contact structure positioned proximate to the heat-generating component;
a third sheet metal case; and
a fourth sheet metal case attached to the third sheet metal case, the third and fourth sheet metal cases cooperatively defining a second sealed cavity containing a second fluid, the first and second sealed cavities cooperating to radially surround about 360 degrees of at least a portion of the printed circuit board.
2. The electronic module as recited in claim 1 , further comprising one or more wick structures positioned within the sealed cavity.
3. The electronic module as recited in claim 1 , further comprising thermal gap-filler material positioned between the thermal contact structure and the heat-generating component.
4. The electronic module as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second case comprises coin-pressed sheet metal.
5. The electronic module as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second case comprises sheet metal having a thickness of about 1 mm.
6. The electronic module as recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the electronic module is configured to transmit and receive data signals; and
the housing defines a transmit port and a receive port through which the data signals can be transmitted and received, respectively.
7. The electronic module as recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the first case comprises sheet metal; and
the second case comprises sheet metal,
wherein the sheet metal of the first case is thinner than the sheet metal of the second case.
8. An electronic module comprising:
a printed circuit board, the printed circuit board comprising a heat-generating component; and
a housing at least partially enclosing the printed circuit board, the housing comprising:
a first sheet metal case;
a second sheet metal case attached to the first sheet metal case, the first and second sheet metal cases cooperatively defining a sealed cavity containing a fluid, the second sheet metal case comprising a thermal contact structure sized and positioned to mechanically contact the heat-generating component
a third sheet metal case; and
a fourth sheet metal case attached to the third sheet metal case, the third and fourth sheet metal cases cooperatively defining a second sealed cavity containing a second fluid, the first and second sealed cavities cooperating to radially surround about 360 degrees of at least a portion of the printed circuit board.
9. The electronic module as recited in claim 8 , further comprising one or more wick structures positioned within the sealed cavity.
10. The electronic module as recited in claim 8 , wherein the fluid comprises distilled water, Freon, alcohol, or butane.
11. The electronic module as recited in claim 8 , wherein the second case comprises coin-pressed sheet metal.
12. The electronic module as recited in claim 8 , wherein:
the electronic module is configured to transmit and receive optical signals; and
the housing defines a transmit port and a receive port through which the optical signals can be transmitted and received, respectively.
13. The electronic module as recited in claim 8 , wherein the fourth case comprises a thermal contact structure sized and positioned to mechanically contact a second heat-generating component.
14. An electronic module comprising:
a printed circuit board, the printed circuit board comprising a heat-generating component; and
a housing at least partially enclosing the printed circuit board, the housing comprising:
a first case;
a second case attached to the first case, the first and second cases cooperatively defining a sealed cavity containing a fluid, the second case comprising a thermal contact structure sized and positioned to mechanically contact the heat-generating component;
a third case; and
a fourth case attached to the third sheet metal case, the third and fourth cases cooperatively defining a second sealed cavity containing a second fluid, the first and second sealed cavities cooperating to radially surround about 360degrees of at least a portion of the printed circuit board,
wherein the electronic module is substantially free of thermal gap-filler material between the heat-generating component and the thermal contact structure.
15. The electronic module as recited in claim 14 , further comprising one or more wick structures positioned within the sealed cavity.
16. The electronic module as recited in claim 14 , wherein the second case comprises coin-pressed sheet metal.
17. The electronic module as recited in claim 14 , further comprising:
a transmitter optical subassembly at least partially positioned within the housing, and
a receiver optical subassembly at least partially positioned within the housing.
18. The electronic module as recited in claim 14 , wherein the fluid comprises distilled water, Freon, alcohol, or butane.
19. The electronic module as recited in claim 14 , wherein the sealed cavity is vacuum sealed.
20. The electronic module as recited in claim 14 , wherein an inside surface of the second case and an inside surface of the fourth case includes grooves or bumps.