Interchangeable cooling system for integrated circuit and circuit board

Abstract

Several apparatuses and methods for providing cooling system interchangeability. One apparatus includes a thermally conductive plate thermally coupled to an integrated circuit. The thermally conductive plate is configured to couple interchangeably to a liquid cooling assembly or an air cooling assembly, and the liquid cooling assembly and the air cooling assembly are separate devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for providing cooling system interchangeability, the apparatus comprising:
 a thermally conductive plate thermally coupled to an integrated circuit and configured to couple interchangeably to one of a liquid cooling assembly and an air cooling assembly, wherein the liquid cooling assembly and the air cooling assembly are separate devices.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an inner thermal interface material disposed between the thermally conductive plate and the integrated circuit.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a spring wire mechanism configured to fasten the thermally conductive plate to a printed circuit board, the spring wire mechanism having at least two wire springs, each wire spring connected to a corresponding wire bail, the wire bail configured to attach to the printed circuit board.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the air cooling assembly includes a heat sink configured to dissipate heat into air. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid cooling assembly includes a cold plate configured to receive liquid from piping, the piping configured to carry the liquid to and from the cold plate. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an outer thermal interface material disposed between the thermally conductive plate and one of the air cooling assembly and liquid cooling assembly, the outer thermal interface material thermally coupling the thermally conductive plate and one of the air cooling assembly and liquid cooling assembly.   
     
     
         7 . A method for providing cooling system interchangeability, the method comprising:
 thermally coupling a thermally conductive plate to an integrated circuit, the thermally conductive plate configured to couple interchangeably to one of a liquid cooling assembly and an air cooling assembly, wherein the liquid cooling assembly and the air cooling assembly are separate devices.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 disposing an inner thermal interface material between the thermally conductive plate and the integrated circuit.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 electrically connecting the integrated circuit to a printed circuit board;   fastening the thermally conductive plate to the printed circuit board by a spring wire mechanism, the spring wire mechanism having at least two wire springs, each wire spring connected to a corresponding wire bail attached to the printed circuit board; and   attaching one of the liquid cooling assembly and the air cooling assembly to the thermally conductive plate.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the air cooling assembly includes a heat sink configured to dissipate heat into air. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the liquid cooling assembly includes a cold plate configured to receive liquid from piping, the piping configured to carry the liquid to and from the cold plate. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 disposing an outer thermal interface material between the thermally conductive plate and one of the air cooling assembly and liquid cooling assembly.   
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for providing cooling system interchangeability, the apparatus comprising:
 a thermally conductive encasement configured to enclose an integrated circuit and to couple interchangeably to one of a liquid cooling assembly and an air cooling assembly, the encasement is at least partially filled with a dielectric fluid thermally coupling the integrated circuit to the encasement, the dielectric fluid is not circulated out of the encasement, wherein the liquid cooling assembly and the air cooling assembly are separate devices.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a printed circuit board carrying the integrated circuit, the encasement is attached to the printed circuit board.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the encasement encloses more than one integrated circuit on the printed circuit board and less than the entire printed circuit board. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the air cooling assembly includes a heat sink configured to dissipate heat into air. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the liquid cooling assembly includes a cold plate configured to receive liquid from piping, the piping configured to carry the liquid to and from the cold plate. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 an outer thermal interface material configured to thermally couple the encasement and one of the air cooling assembly and liquid cooling assembly.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a thermally conductive plate thermally coupled to the integrated circuit and enclosed by the encasement, wherein the thermally conductive plate is configured to couple interchangeably to the liquid cooling assembly and the air cooling assembly in the absence of the encasement; and   a spring wire mechanism configured to fasten the thermally conductive plate to a printed circuit board, the spring wire mechanism having at least two wire springs, each wire spring connected to a corresponding wire bail, the wire bail configured to attach to the printed circuit board.   
     
     
         20 . A method for providing cooling system interchangeability, the method comprising:
 enclosing an integrated circuit by a thermally conductive encasement configured to couple interchangeably to one of a liquid cooling assembly and an air cooling assembly, the encasement is at least partially filled with a dielectric fluid thermally coupling the integrated circuit to the encasement, the dielectric fluid is not circulated out of the encasement, wherein the liquid cooling assembly and the air cooling assembly are separate devices.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 electrically connecting the integrated circuit to a printed circuit board, the encasement coupled to the printed circuit board; and   disposing an outer thermal interface material between the encasement and one of the air cooling assembly and liquid cooling assembly.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the encasement encloses more than one integrated circuit on the printed circuit board and less than the entire printed circuit board. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the air cooling assembly includes a heat sink configured to dissipate heat into air. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the liquid cooling assembly includes a cold plate configured to receive liquid from piping, the piping configured to carry the liquid to and from the cold plate. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 providing a thermally conductive plate thermally coupled to the integrated circuit, wherein enclosing the integrated circuit by the encasement includes enclosing the thermally conductive plate, wherein the thermally conductive plate is configured to couple interchangeably to the liquid cooling assembly and the air cooling assembly in the absence of the encasement.