COOLING APPARATUS WITH DYNAMIC LOAD ADJUSTMENT

摘要

A cooling apparatus is disclosed, which may include multiple heat producing units. The cooling apparatus may also have a thermal interface material (TIM) to facilitate heat transfer away from the heat producing units. The cooling apparatus may also have multiple heat sink columns located above, and designed to conduct heat away from, corresponding heat producing units, through thermally conductive contact with corresponding portions of the TIM layer. The cooling apparatus may also have a load plate located above the heat sink columns, designed to hold the heat sink columns in a relatively fixed position above the heat producing units. The TIM layer may have an initial compressed state between the heat sink columns and the corresponding heat producing units. Each of the heat sink columns may be designed so that, in operation, the corresponding portion of the TIM layer may have a further compressed state.

主权项

1. A method for cooling heat producing units, comprising:
using a device having: a first thermal interface material (TIM) layer on a top surface of at least one heat producing unit of a plurality of heat producing units, to facilitate heat transfer away from the at least one heat producing unit; a plurality of heat sink columns above corresponding heat producing units and above the first TIM layer; and a load plate above the heat sink columns, by:
exerting a compressive force on each heat sink column, by moving the load plate into a latched position;conducting heat away from the first TIM layer with at least one of the plurality of heat sink columns;adjusting, in response to a first level of heat produced by a first heat producing unit, compression of a first portion the first TIM layer that is above the first heat producing unit by a first amount; andadjusting, in response to a second level of heat produced by a second heat producing unit, compression of a second portion of the first TIM layer that is above a second heat producing unit by a second amount that is different than the first amount.