Assemblies including heat sink elements and methods of assembling
View Patent ↗A heat sink assembly comprises a plurality of components and a plurality of mounting tabs. A component attachment surface of each mounting tab is attached to a component and heat sink attachment surfaces of the plurality of mounting tabs are at least substantially coplanar. A heat sink element is attached to at least some of the plurality of mounting tabs at the heat sink attachment surface thereof. A method of assembling a heat sink assembly comprises attaching a plurality of mounting tabs to at least one substantially planar assembly surface of an assembly fixture. Each mounting tab is attached to a heat-generating component to form a mechanical and thermal coupling therebetween. The assembly fixture is removed from the plurality of mounting tabs, and a heat sink element is attached to mounting tabs of the plurality.
1. An assembly, comprising:
a plurality of components;
a plurality of mechanical attachment features, each mechanical attachment feature comprising a component surface and an opposing heat sink surface, the component surface of each mechanical attachment feature of the plurality being attached to a respective component of the plurality of components, and the heat sink surfaces of the plurality of mechanical attachment features being at least substantially coplanar; and
a heat sink element attached to at least some mechanical attachment features of the plurality of mechanical attachment features at the heat sink attachment surfaces thereof.
2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the heat sink element comprises a heat sink.
3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one mechanical attachment feature of the plurality comprises a mounting tab.
4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one component of the plurality of components comprises an integrated circuit device.
5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein each mechanical attachment feature of the plurality of attachment features comprises a thermally conductive material.
6. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the thermally conductive material comprises one of copper, indium, and an alloy comprising at least one of copper and indium.
7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the component surface of each mechanical attachment feature of the plurality is attached to a respective component of the plurality of components using another attachment feature.
8. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the another attachment feature comprises one of a soldered connection, a thermal epoxy, a screw, and a rivet.
9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the heat sink element is attached to the heat sink surfaces of at least some of the mechanical attachment features of the plurality using other attachment features.
10. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the heat sink element comprises a plurality of recesses, each recess configured to receive a respective mechanical attachment feature of the plurality of mechanical attachment features at least partially therein.
11. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the heat sink element is embedded within or attached to a substrate configured for at least one other function in addition to heat transfer.
12. An assembly, comprising:
a first plurality of heat-generating components and at least a second plurality of heat-generating components;
a first plurality of attachment features thermally and mechanically attached to the first plurality of heat-generating components and at least a second plurality of attachment features thermally and mechanically attached to the at least a second plurality of heat-generating components, wherein heat sink surfaces of attachment features of the first plurality are at least substantially coplanar and heat sink surfaces of attachment features of the at least a second plurality are at least substantially coplanar; and
a first heat sink element attached to at least some of the first plurality of attachment features at heat sink surfaces of at least some of the attachment features of the first plurality and at least another heat sink element attached to at least some of the at least a second plurality of attachment features at heat sink surfaces of at least some of the attachment features of the at least a second plurality.
13. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein at least some heat-generating components of the first plurality of heat-generating components and at least some of the at least a second plurality of heat-generating components comprise integrated circuit devices.
14. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein each of the first plurality of attachment features is thermally and mechanically attached to the first plurality of heat generating components and each of the at least a second plurality of attachment features is thermally and mechanically attached to the at least a second plurality of heat-generating components using a respective other attachment feature.
15. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein each attachment feature of the first plurality of attachment features and each attachment feature of the at least a second plurality of attachment features comprises a metal material.
16. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the metal material comprises one of copper, indium, and an alloy comprising at least one of copper and indium.
17. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first heat sink element and the at least another heat sink element are attached to the first plurality of attachment features at heat sink surfaces of at least some of the attachment features of the first plurality and to the at least a second plurality of attachment features at heat sink surfaces of at least some of the attachment features of the at least a second plurality, respectively, using other attachment features.
18. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first heat sink element and the at least another heat sink element comprises a plurality of recesses, each recess configured to receive a respective one of the attachment features at least partially therein.
19. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first heat sink element and the at least another heat sink element is embedded within or attached to a substrate configured for at least one other function in addition to heat transfer.
20. A method of assembling, comprising:
attaching a plurality of mechanical attachment features to at least one substantially planar assembly surface of an assembly fixture such that heat sink surfaces of the plurality of mechanical attachment features are at least substantially coplanar;
aligning at least some of the plurality of mechanical attachment features with a plurality of heat-generating components;
attaching the at least some of the mechanical attachment features of the plurality of attachment features to the plurality of heat-generating components;
removing the assembly fixture from the plurality of mechanical attachment features; and
attaching a heat sink element to at least some of the plurality of mechanical attachment features.
21. The method of assembling of claim 20 , wherein attaching the plurality of mechanical attachment features to the at least one substantially planar assembly surface of the assembly fixture comprises attaching the plurality of mechanical attachment features to the at least one substantially planar surface of the assembly fixture using a plurality of spring-loaded captive screws.
22. The method of assembling of claim 20 , wherein the plurality of mechanical attachment features comprises a plurality of mounting tabs and wherein aligning the at least some of the plurality of mechanical attachment features with the plurality of heat-generating components comprises abutting at least one mounting tab of a plurality of mounting tabs against at least one heat-generating component of the plurality of heat-generating components.
23. The method of assembling of claim 20 , wherein attaching the plurality of mechanical attachment features to the at least one substantially planar assembly surface of the assembly fixture such that heat sink surfaces of the plurality of mechanical attachment features are substantially coplanar comprises attaching the plurality of mechanical attachment features at least partially within recesses formed in the assembly fixture.
24. The method of assembling of claim 20 , wherein attaching the at least some of the mechanical attachment features to the plurality of heat-generating components comprises one of soldering, attaching with thermal epoxy, screwing, or riveting each of the at least some of the mechanical attachment features to a respective heat-generating component of the plurality of heat-generating components.
25. The method of assembling of claim 20 , wherein attaching the heat sink element to the at least some of the plurality of mechanical attachment features comprises one of soldering, attaching with thermal epoxy, screwing, or riveting the heat sink element to the at least some of the plurality of mounting tabs.
26. A method of assembling, comprising:
attaching a plurality of attachment features to at least one substantially planar assembly surface of an assembly fixture such that each of the plurality of attachment features includes a surface that is at least substantially coplanar with a surface of each other attachment feature of the plurality;
aligning at least some of the attachment features with a plurality of components provided on a substrate;
attaching the at least some of the attachment features to the components;
removing the assembly fixture from the plurality of attachment features; and
attaching an element to at least some of the attachment features using the at least substantially coplanar surfaces.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the element comprises another substrate.
28. The method of claim 26 , wherein the element comprises a heat sink.