Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-14
2001-04-17
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S715000, C361S719000, C361S749000, C257S713000, C257S717000, C257S706000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06219243
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to a heat dissipation device for an integrated circuit assembly, and more particularly to a heat dissipation device for a chip-on-flex packaged unit.
BACKGROUND
Microprocessors and other related computer components are becoming more and more powerful with increasing capabilities, resulting in increasing amounts of heat generated from these components. Packaged units and integrated circuit die sizes of these components are decreasing or remaining the same, which increases the amount of heat energy given off by the components for a given unit of surface area. Furthermore, as computer related equipment becomes more powerful, more and more components are being placed inside the equipment which is also decreasing in size, resulting in additional heat generation in a smaller volume of space. Increased temperatures can potentially damage the components of the equipment, or reduce the lifetime of the individual components and the equipment. Generally the performance of these components go down with the increase in temperature. Therefore, large amounts of heat produced by many such integrated circuits must be dissipated, and therefore must be accounted for in designing the integrated circuit mounting and packaging devices.
In current packaging techniques, heat sinks are often applied to the side of the integrated circuit opposite the side from which the electrical pin connections are mounted. As such, the heat sink is oriented extending away from a printed circuit board to which the integrated circuit is mounted. Therefore, the heat dissipation can be accomplished from only one side (back side) of the integrated circuit die. Further, the overall size of a heat sink is basically limited by the volume constraints of the housing.
For the reasons stated above and for other reasons explained below, there is a need for an enhanced heat dissipation device for integrated circuit devices.
SUMMARY
The above-mentioned shortcomings, disadvantages and problems are addressed by the present invention, which will be understood by reading and studying the following specification. The present invention provides, among other things, an enhanced heat dissipation device.
According to one aspect of the present subject matter, a heat dissipation device includes a flex circuit material attached to a front side of an integrated circuit die, and the flex circuit material is further attached to a bottom of a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board further defines an opening that exposes the flex circuit material. The heat dissipation device further includes a top heat spreader thermally coupled to the flex circuit material through the opening to dissipate heat from the front side of the integrated circuit die. In one embodiment, the heat dissipation device includes a bottom heat spreader thermally coupled to back side of the integrated circuit die to dissipate heat from the back side of the integrated circuit die. This embodiment enables the heat dissipation device to dissipate heat from both sides of the integrated circuit die. In another embodiment, heat sinks are further mounted to the top and bottom heat spreaders for more efficient heat removal from the top and bottom heat spreaders.
In another embodiment, the printed circuit board has two additional openings, wherein the top heat spreader further passes through the printed circuit board such that the heat generated from the front side of integrated circuit die can be transported to the bottom of the printed circuit board. This embodiment enables the heat dissipation device to dissipate heat from both sides of the integrated circuit die to the bottom of the circuit board, and thereby eliminating the need for mounting two separate heat sinks. This embodiment considerably reduces the volume of space required by the heat dissipation device for a given unit of surface area of the integrated circuit die.
In another embodiment, thermal vias are included in the flex circuit material to enhance the heat dissipation from the front side of the integrated circuit die to the top heat spreader.
Other aspects of the invention will be apparent on reading the following detailed description of the invention and viewing the drawings that form a part thereof.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5155661 (1992-10-01), Nagesh et al.
patent: 5367193 (1994-11-01), Malladi
patent: 5621615 (1997-04-01), Dawson et al.
patent: 5625227 (1997-04-01), Estes et al.
patent: 5734555 (1998-03-01), McMahon
patent: 5751063 (1998-05-01), Baba
patent: 5960535 (1999-10-01), Rubens et al.
patent: 5990550 (1999-11-01), Umezawa
Fujimoto Harry
Ma Qing
Varner Lise
Chervinsky Boris L.
Intel Corporation
Picard Leo P.
Scwegman Lundberg Woessner & Kluth, P.A.
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