Device testing with heat pipe cooling assembly
New cooling assembly suitable for use in the testing of devices is disclosed. The new cooling assembly transfers heat that is in close proximity to, within vicinity of, and/or in surrounding area adjacent to a DUT (device under test) undergoing testing to a target location that is away from the DUT. Consequently, the DUT is cooled. By employing heat pipes coupled to plates in contact with the DUT, the new cooling assembly augments cooling capacity at the DUT's location and surrounding area. Yet, the use of an ambient air flow generated by a fan is sufficient to manage and dissipate the heat transferred to the target location. Also, the new cooling assembly is readily installable in DUT testing equipment because its design is quite flexible to adapt to various requirements and space constraints of DUT testing equipment for different DUT footprints or form factors.
1. A cooling apparatus comprising:
a first plate operable to contact a first side of a DUT (device under test);
a second plate operable to contact a second side of the DUT and further disposed opposite and spaced from the first plate to receive the DUT there between;
a first heat pipe coupled to the first plate and a second heat pipe coupled to the second plate; and
a heat sink disposed a length from the first and second plates and further coupled to at least one of the first or second heat pipes and further including a plurality of fins.
2. The cooling apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a fan operable to generate an ambient air flow to the heat sink.
3. The cooling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second plate is movably coupled to the first plate, and wherein the first and second plates are operable in a clamp position to secure the DUT between the first and second plates and are operable in a release position to permit movement of the DUT between the first and second plates.
4. The cooling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first plate comprises a thickness dimension and a heat sink material, wherein the first heat pipe comprises an evaporation region, and wherein at least a portion of the evaporation region is disposed within the thickness dimension.
5. The cooling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second plate comprises a thickness dimension and a heat sink material, wherein the second heat pipe comprises an evaporation region, and wherein at least a portion of the evaporation region is disposed within the thickness dimension.
6. The cooling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first heat pipe comprises a first condensation region in contact with the heat sink, and wherein the second heat pipe comprises a second condensation region in contact with the heat sink.
7. The cooling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second plates are disposed adjacent to a socket operable to receive and couple to the DUT.
8. A cooling apparatus comprising:
a first plate operable to contact a first side of a DUT (device under test);
a second plate operable to contact a second side of the DUT and further disposed opposite and spaced from the first plate to receive the DUT there between;
a first heat pipe including a first evaporation region disposed in the first plate and a first condensation region separated by a first length from the first evaporation region;
a second heat pipe including a second evaporation region disposed in the second plate and a second condensation region separated by a second length from the second evaporation region; and
a heat sink coupled to at least one of the first or second condensation regions and further including a plurality of fins.
9. The cooling apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a fan operable to generate an ambient air flow to the heat sink.
10. The cooling apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second plate is movably coupled to the first plate, and wherein the first and second plates are operable in a clamp position to secure the DUT between the first and second plates and are operable in a release position to permit movement of the DUT between the first and second plates.
11. The cooling apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first plate comprises a thickness dimension and a heat sink material, and wherein at least a portion of the first evaporation region is located within the thickness dimension.
12. The cooling apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second plate comprises a thickness dimension and a heat sink material, and wherein at least a portion of the second evaporation region is located within the thickness dimension.
13. The cooling apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first and second plates are disposed adjacent to a socket operable to receive and couple to the DUT.
14. A testing apparatus comprising:
a test execution module operable to test a DUT (device under test); and
a DUT interface board (DIB) operable to communicate test information between the DUT and the test execution module, wherein the DIB comprises:
a housing and a loadboard including a socket operable to receive and couple to the DUT;
a first plate operable to contact a first side of the DUT;
a second plate operable to contact a second side of the DUT and further disposed opposite and spaced from the first plate to receive the DUT there between, wherein the socket is disposed adjacent to the first and second plates;
a first heat pipe coupled to the first plate and a second heat pipe coupled to the second plate; and
a heat sink disposed a length from the first and second plates and further coupled to at least one of the first or second heat pipes and further including a plurality of fins.
15. The testing apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the DIB further comprises:
a fan operable to generate an ambient air flow to the heat sink.
16. The testing apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the second plate is movably coupled to the first plate, and wherein the first and second plates are operable in a clamp position to secure the DUT between the first and second plates and are operable in a release position to permit movement of the DUT between the first and second plates.
17. The testing apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first plate comprises a thickness dimension and a heat sink material, wherein the first heat pipe comprises an evaporation region, and wherein at least a portion of the evaporation region is disposed within the thickness dimension.
18. The testing apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the second plate comprises a thickness dimension and a heat sink material, wherein the second heat pipe comprises an evaporation region, and wherein at least a portion of the evaporation region is disposed within the thickness dimension.
19. The testing apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first heat pipe comprises a condensation region in contact with the heat sink.
20. The testing apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the second heat pipe comprises a condensation region in contact with the heat sink.