US 7,612,446 B2
Structures to enhance cooling of computer memory modules
Hien P. Dang, Nanuet, N.Y. (US); Vinod Kamath, Raleigh, N.C. (US); Vijayeshwar D. Khanna, Millwood, N.Y. (US); Gerard McVicker, Stormville, N.Y. (US); Sri M. Sri-Jayantha, Ossining, N.Y. (US); and Jung H. Yoon, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. (US)
Assigned to International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, N.Y. (US)
Filed on Nov. 22, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/604,152.
Prior Publication US 2008/0116571 A1, May 22, 2008
Int. Cl. H01L 23/34 (2006.01); H05K 7/20 (2006.01); H01L 21/00 (2006.01); F28F 7/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 257—707  [257/717; 257/719; 257/720; 257/726; 361/704; 361/710; 361/711; 361/717; 438/123; 165/80.3; 174/16.3] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cooling structure for an in-line chip module, the cooling structure comprising:
a thermal conductive path comprising a continuous sheet of a thermally conducting material having a front side and a back side, the sheet folded at substantially a one-hundred and eighty degree angle, wherein a length of the structure substantially correlates to a length of the in-line chip module, and a width of the structure is wider than a width of the in-line chip module such that the structure fits over and substantially around the in-line chip module;
airflow paths between the structure and the in-line chip module formed when the structure is affixed to the in-line chip module;
openings at a left-side of the structure, a right-side of the structure, and a bottom of the structure for easily affixing and removing the structure from the in-line chip module;
the structure further comprising:
a top part comprising a top surface disposed over a top of the in-line chip module when affixed to the in-line chip module, and further comprising an angled surface extending from the top surface, the angled surface flaring outward from the in-line chip module, the angled surface positioned directly beneath the top surface;
a center horizontal part, the center horizontal part angled inward from the top part such that the center horizontal part is in good thermal contact with a plurality of chips affixed to a printed circuit board of the in-line chip module, the center horizontal part having the length of the in-line chip module and a width of the plurality of chips wherein the center horizontal part has horizontal fins that are formed adjacent to compliant slots in the front and back surfaces;
a gap between the center horizontal part and the plurality of chips, the gap for placement of a thermal interface material; and
a flared bottom area of the structure, extending outward from the in-line chip module and ending in a vertical lip, the bottom area of the structure having no contact with the in-line chip module when affixed to the in-line chip module.