Heatsink shield with thermal-contact dimples for thermal-energy distribution in a radar assembly
A heatsink shield with thermal-contact dimples can improve thermal-energy distribution in a radar assembly. The radar assembly includes a printed circuit board (PCB), the heatsink shield, a radome, and a housing. The PCB can include integrated circuits and other components, along with a thermally-conductive material that covers at least a portion of the PCB surfaces. The heatsink shield includes multiple dimples that thermally contact the thermally-conductive material. The heatsink shield is configured to distribute thermal energy produced at least in part by the PCB components to the housing. In this way, the described techniques and systems permit the radar assembly to better distribute thermal energy away from the PCB components to the rest of the PCB and through the housing.
1. A radar assembly comprising:
a printed circuit board (PCB) that includes an integrated circuit (IC) and a thermally-conductive material that covers at least a portion of a first surface of the PCB and at least a portion of a second surface of the PCB opposite the first surface of the PCB;
a heatsink shield that includes multiple dimples that thermally contact the thermally-conductive material of the PCB, the heatsink shield being adjacent to the IC and the first surface of the PCB, the heatsink shield being configured to distribute thermal energy produced at least in part by the IC to a housing adjacent to the second surface of the PCB; and
a radome adjacent to an elastomer pad and at least a portion of the housing, the elastomer pad being positioned between the radome and the heatsink shield, the radome and the housing encompassing the PCB and the heatsink shield.
2. The radar assembly of claim 1 , the radar assembly further comprising:
multiple alignment pins configured to align for assembly, the PCB, the heatsink shield, and the housing.
3. The radar assembly of claim 2 , wherein the multiple alignment pins pass through the heatsink shield amongst at least some of the multiple dimples.
4. The radar assembly of claim 2 , wherein:
the elastomer pad is configured to provide sufficient pressure in the radar assembly to compress the heatsink shield against the thermally-conductive material of the PCB, the elastomer pad including dimples configured to fit within recesses created by the dimples of the heatsink shield.
5. The radar assembly of claim 1 , the radar assembly further comprising:
an antenna positioned between the radome and the heatsink shield.
6. The radar assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the IC is a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) and is positioned on the first surface of the PCB;
the PCB further includes multiple thermal vias between the first surface of the PCB and the second surface of the PCB, the multiple thermal vias configured to distribute thermal energy produced at least in part by the MMIC from the first surface of the PCB to the second surface of the PCB; and
the thermally-conductive material covers an inner surface of the thermal vias.
7. The radar assembly of claim 6 , wherein the thermally-conductive material also covers a first distal end and a second distal end of the thermal vias to distribute the thermal energy produced at least in part by the MMIC along the first surface of the PCB.
8. The radar assembly of claim 6 , wherein a first distal end and a second distal end of the thermal vias are not covered by the thermally-conductive material.
9. The radar assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the housing includes a thermoplastic;
the thermally-conductive material comprises circuit traces; and
the thermally-conductive material and the heatsink shield are metal.
10. The radar assembly of claim 9 , wherein the thermally-conductive material and the heatsink shield include a copper alloy.
11. The radar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the thermally-conductive material covers unpopulated areas of the first surface of the PCB and the second surface of the PCB to avoid interfering with a connection between the IC and the PCB.
12. The radar assembly of claim 11 , wherein the thermally-conductive material does not cover populated areas of the first surface of the PCB and the second surface of the PCB.
13. The radar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the dimples have a depth of approximately 0.25 to 0.50 millimeters, a diameter of approximately 1 millimeter, and a pitch of approximately 2.5 millimeters.
14. The radar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the dimples are arranged in an aligned or staggered pattern on the heatsink shield.
15. A method of assembling a radar system, the method comprising:
positioning a printed circuit board (PCB) into a housing, the PCB including an integrated circuit (IC) and a thermally-conductive material that covers at least a portion of a first surface of the PCB and at least a portion of a second surface of the PCB opposite the first surface of the PCB, the housing being adjacent to the second surface of the PCB;
positioning a heatsink shield adjacent to the IC and the first surface of the PCB, the heatsink shield including multiple dimples that thermally contact the thermally-conductive material of the PCB and being configured to distribute thermal energy produced at least in part by the IC to the housing;
positioning a radome adjacent to an elastomer pad and at least a portion of the housing, the elastomer pad being positioned between the radome and the heatsink shield, the radome and the housing encompassing the PCB and the heatsink shield; and
attaching together the housing, the PCB, the heatsink shield, the elastomer pad, and the radome to form the radar system.
16. The method of claim 15 , the method further comprising:
aligning, using multiple alignment pins, the PCB, the heatsink shield, and the housing.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein:
the elastomer pad is configured to provide sufficient pressure in the radar system to compress the heatsink shield against the thermally-conductive material of the PCB, the elastomer pad including dimples configured to fit within recesses created by the dimples of the heatsink shield.
18. The method of claim 15 , the method further comprising:
positioning an antenna between the radome and the heatsink shield.
19. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the IC is a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) and is positioned on the first surface of the PCB;
the PCB further includes multiple thermal vias between the first surface of the PCB and the second surface of the PCB, the multiple thermal vias configured to distribute thermal energy produced at least in part by the MMIC from the first surface of the PCB to the second surface of the PCB; and
the thermally-conductive material covers an inner surface of the thermal vias.
20. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the IC is positioned on the first surface of the PCB;
the PCB further includes a processor positioned on the second surface of the PCB and approximately opposite the IC; and
the heatsink shield is positioned adjacent to both the first surface of the PCB and the second surface of the PCB.