Thermal interface materials with reinforcement for abrasion resistance and/or suitable for use between sliding components

1. An assembly suitable for use between sliding components, the assembly comprising:

a thermal interface material positionable generally between a first component and a second component slidable relative to the first component; and

reinforcement comprising one or more strips of reinforcement material and configured to define an area along a surface of the first component and provide abrasion resistance for the thermal interface material when the thermal interface material is within the area defined by the reinforcement and slid relatively against a surface of the second component, wherein the reinforcement is configured to define the area along a surface of the first component such that a portion of the thermal interface material remains exposed for making contact with the surface of the second component;

wherein the reinforcement has a height greater than a height of the thermal interface material relative to the surface of the first component along which the area is defined such that the thermal interface material does not protrude outwardly beyond the reinforcement; and

wherein the thermal interface material has a coefficient of thermal expansion higher than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the reinforcement, whereby upon heating the thermal interface material expands outwardly beyond the reinforcement, which increases contact with the surface of the second component thereby resulting in a lower thermal resistance.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the reinforcement is along each of a plurality of edge or perimeter portions of the thermal interface material that are generally parallel and/or perpendicular to a direction in which the second component is slidable relative to the first component when the thermal interface material is generally between the first and second components; and

the reinforcement is configured to confine the thermal interface material within the area defined by the reinforcement and thereby inhibits migration of the thermal interface material from out of the area in all directions along the first component.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the thermal interface material has a thermal conductivity of at least 1 W/m-K and includes a front edge portion, a back edge portion opposite the front edge portion, a first side edge portion, and a second side edge portion opposite the first side edge portion, the first and second side edge portions generally parallel to a direction in which the second component is slidable relative to the first component, the front and back edge portions are generally perpendicular to the direction in which the second component is slidable relative to the first component; and

the reinforcement is along only the first and second side edge portions, and not the front and back edge portions, of the thermal interface material, such that the reinforcement is generally parallel to the direction in which the second component is slidable relative to the first component when the thermal interface material is generally between the first and second components.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the thermal interface material includes edges defining an outer perimeter of the thermal interface material; and

the reinforcement is along each said edge of the thermal interface material such that the reinforcement is along an entirety of the outer perimeter of the thermal interface material and thereby generally surrounds the thermal interface material, confines the thermal interface material within the area defined by the reinforcement, and inhibits migration of the thermal interface material from out of the area in all directions along the first component.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement comprises first and second reinforcement portions respectively parallel and perpendicular to a direction in which the second component is slidable relative to the first component when the thermal interface material is generally between the first and second components, whereby the first and second reinforcement portions provide resistance against abrasion from kinetic friction when the thermal interface material is slid relatively against and in direct contact with a surface of the second component.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the one or more strips of reinforcement material are configured to be applied along one or more portions of the first component to thereby define a channel along the surface of the first component generally between the one or more strips of reinforcement material; and

the thermal interface material is configured to be applied along the surface of the first component within the channel defined generally between the one or more strips of reinforcement material.

7. The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the one or more strips of reinforcement material comprise polyethylene terephthalate film and/or polyimide film, and wherein:

the thermal interface material has a thermal conductivity of at least 1 W/m-K, which is higher than a thermal conductivity of the one or more strips of reinforcement material;

the one or more strips of reinforcement material are configured to absorb compression forces and help confine the thermal interface material within the channel defined generally between the one or more strips of reinforcement material; and

the thermal interface material does not protrude outwardly beyond the one or more strips of reinforcement material except upon heating whereby the thermal interface material expands outwardly beyond the one or more strips of reinforcement material, which thereby increases contact between the thermal interface material and the surface of the second component thereby resulting in a lower thermal resistance.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the thermal interface material is a first thermal interface material having a thermal conductivity of at least 1 W/m-K, and the reinforcement comprises one or more wall portions of a second thermal interface material having a thermal conductivity of at least 1 W/m-K and that is disposed at least partially around the first thermal interface material, whereby the one or more wall portions of the second thermal interface material are configured to confine the first thermal interface material within the area defined generally between the one or more wall portions of the second thermal interface material; and wherein:

the first thermal interface material is softer than the second thermal interface material; and

the first thermal interface material does not protrude outwardly beyond the one or more wall portions of the second thermal interface material; and

the first thermal interface material has a coefficient of thermal expansion higher than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the second thermal interface material such that upon heating the first thermal interface material expands outwardly beyond the one or more wall portions of the second thermal interface material, which thereby increases contact between the first thermal interface material and the surface of the second component thereby resulting in a lower thermal resistance.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement comprises material along a surface of the first component to thereby define a walled off area along the surface of the first component that generally surrounds the thermal interface material and confines the thermal interface material within the walled off area defined by the material; and wherein the thermal interface material does not protrude outwardly beyond the material defining the walled off area; and wherein the thermal interface material has a coefficient of thermal expansion higher than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the material defining the walled off area such that upon heating the thermal interface material expands outwardly beyond the material defining the walled off area, which thereby increases contact between the thermal interface material and the surface of the second component thereby resulting in a lower thermal resistance.

10. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement comprises a channel formed along the first component and configured with a sufficient depth to entirely or substantially confine the thermal interface material within the channel.

11. A heat sink comprising the assembly of claim 1 and a protruding portion that protrudes outwardly from a surface of the heat sink, wherein:

the one or more strips of reinforcement material are along the protruding portion of the heat sink such that the one or more strips of reinforcement material define the area as a channel along the protruding portion of the heat sink; and

the thermal interface material is along the protruding portion of the heat sink within the channel defined generally between the one or more strips of reinforcement material.

12. The heat sink of claim 11 , wherein:

the protruding portion of the heat sink comprises a pedestal;

the one or more strips of reinforcement material comprise first and second strips of reinforcement material applied respectively along opposing first and second longitudinal edges of the pedestal such that the first and second strips of reinforcement material define the channel along the pedestal generally between the first and second strips of reinforcement material; and

the thermal interface material is along the pedestal within the channel defined generally between the first and second strips of reinforcement material.

13. The heat sink of claim 12 , wherein:

the pedestal protrudes outwardly from a surface of a first side of the heat sink, and the heat sink further comprises a plurality of fins protruding outwardly from a second side of the heat sink opposite the first side; and

the thermal interface material does not protrude outwardly beyond the first and second strips of reinforcement material except upon heating whereby the thermal interface material expands outwardly beyond the first and second strips of reinforcement material.

14. A device comprising the heat sink of claim 11 and a housing adapted to slidably receive a connector, wherein the thermal interface material is generally between the connector and the heat sink when the connector is received within the housing whereby the thermal interface material directly contacts the connector and defines at least a portion of a thermally-conductive heat path between the connector and the heat sink.

15. A device comprising the assembly of claim 1 and the first component, wherein:

the one or more strips of reinforcement material are along the first component that define a channel along the first component, and the thermal interface material is along the first component within the channel defined generally between the one or more portions of reinforcement material; and

the channel is configured with a sufficient depth to entirely or substantially confine the thermal interface material within the channel.

16. A device comprising the assembly of claim 1 and a housing adapted to slidably receive a connector, wherein the thermal interface material is generally between the connector and the housing when the connector is slidably received within the housing whereby the thermal interface material directly contacts the connector and defines at least a portion of a thermally-conductive heat path between the connector and the housing.

17. A method of reinforcing a thermal interface material for use between a first component and a second component slidable relative to the first component, the method comprising:

providing reinforcement along the first component to thereby define an area along a surface of the first component; and

thereafter providing the thermal interface material along the surface of the first component such that the thermal interface material is within the area defined by the reinforcement and a portion of the thermal interface material remains exposed for making contact with a surface of the second component, whereby the reinforcement provides abrasion resistance for the thermal interface material when the thermal interface material is slid relatively against the surface of the second component wherein the thermal interface material includes edges defining an outer perimeter of the thermal interface material, and the method includes providing the reinforcement along each said edge of the thermal interface material such that the reinforcement is along an entirety of the outer perimeter of the thermal interface material and thereby generally surrounds the thermal interface material, confines the thermal interface material within the area defined by the reinforcement, and inhibits migration of the thermal interface material from out of the area in all directions along the first component; wherein:

the reinforcement comprises one or more strips of reinforcement material;

the reinforcement has a height greater than a height of the thermal interface material relative to the surface of the first component along which the area is defined such that the thermal interface material does not protrude outwardly beyond the reinforcement; and

the thermal interface material has a coefficient of thermal expansion higher than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the reinforcement, whereby upon heating the thermal interface material expands outwardly beyond the reinforcement, which increases contact with the surface of the second component thereby resulting in a lower thermal resistance.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein:

the thermal interface material is a first thermal interface material having a thermal conductivity of at least 1 W/mK, and providing the reinforcement comprises applying one or more wall portions of a second thermal interface material along the first component to thereby define the area along the first component generally between the one or more wall portions of the second thermal interface material, the second thermal interface material having a thermal conductivity of at least 1 W/mK; or

providing the reinforcement comprises building up a walled off area of material harder than the thermal interface material along a surface of the first component to thereby define the area along the first component generally between one or more walls of the walled off area of material; or

providing the reinforcement comprises forming a channel along the first component such that the channel has a depth to entirely or substantially confine the thermal interface material within the channel.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein:

providing the reinforcement comprises providing the one or more strips of reinforcement material along a protruding portion of a heat sink such that the one or more strips of reinforcement material define a channel along a surface of the protruding portion of the heat sink;

providing the thermal interface material comprises providing the thermal interface material along the protruding portion of the heat sink within the channel defined generally between the one or more strips of reinforcement material;

the one or more portions of reinforcement material have a height greater than a height of the thermal interface material relative to the surface of the protruding portion of the heat sink along which the channel is defined such that the thermal interface material does not protrude outwardly beyond the one or more strips of reinforcement material; and

the thermal interface material has a coefficient of thermal expansion higher than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the one or more strips of reinforcement material, whereby upon heating the thermal interface material expands outwardly beyond the one or more strips of reinforcement material, which thereby increases contact between the thermal interface material and the surface of the second component thereby resulting in a lower thermal resistance.