Heat Sink With Protrusions On Multiple Sides Thereof And Apparatus Using The Same

Abstract

Embodiments of a thermal management unit and an electronic apparatus utilizing the thermal management unit are described. In one aspect, the thermal management unit includes a heat sink. The heat sink includes a base portion, a first protrusion structure and a second protrusion structure. The base portion has a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The first protrusion structure protrudes from the first side of the base portion, and includes multiple fins. The second protrusion structure protrudes from the second side of the base portion, and includes multiple ribs. The heat sink may be made of silicon.

1 . An electronic apparatus, comprising:
 a main unit, comprising:
 a substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and 
 at least one integrated-circuit (IC) chip disposed on the second side of the substrate; and 
   a thermal management unit disposed on the first side of the substrate, the thermal management unit comprising a heat sink that comprises:
 a base portion having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, 
 a first protrusion structure protruding from the first side of the base portion, the first protrusion structure comprising a plurality of fins, and 
 a second protrusion structure protruding from the second side of the base portion, the second protrusion structure comprising a plurality of ribs, the second protrusion structure in direct contact with the first side of the substrate when the heat sink is disposed on the first side of the substrate such that at least a portion of heat in the substrate is conducted to the heat sink through the second protrusion structure. 
   
     
     
         2 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fins extend along a first direction on the first side of the base portion, and wherein the ribs extend along the first direction on the second side of the base portion. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fins extend along a first direction on the first side of the base portion, and wherein the ribs extend along a second direction on the second side of the base portion, the first direction and second direction orthogonal to one another. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the fins respectively includes a base connected to the base portion and a tip opposite the base thereof, wherein a surface facing an adjacent fin and connecting the tip and the base of a fin of the plurality of fins is approximately 90° with respect to a plane defined by the first side of the base portion. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the fins respectively includes a base connected to the base portion and a tip opposite the base thereof, wherein a surface facing an adjacent fin and connecting the tip and the base of a fin of the plurality of fins is greater than 90° with respect to a plane defined by the first side of the base portion. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the ribs respectively includes a base connected to the base portion and a tip opposite the base thereof, wherein a surface facing an adjacent rib and connecting the tip and the base of a rib of the plurality of ribs is approximately 90° with respect to a plane defined by the second side of the base portion. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the ribs respectively includes a base connected to the base portion and a tip opposite the base thereof, wherein a surface facing an adjacent rib and connecting the tip and the base of a rib of the plurality of ribs is greater than 90° with respect to a plane defined by the second side of the base portion. 
     
     
         8 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein an amount of protrusion of a fin of the plurality of fins measured from the first side of the base portion and an amount of protrusion of a rib of the plurality of ribs measured from the second side of the base portion are different. 
     
     
         9 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein an amount of protrusion of a first rib of the plurality of ribs measured from the second side of the base portion and an amount of protrusion of a second rib of the plurality of ribs measured from the second side of the base portion are different. 
     
     
         10 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heat sink is made of silicon. 
     
     
         11 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a thermal epoxy disposed between the heat sink and the substrate.   
     
     
         12 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a solder disposed between the ribs of the heat sink and the first side of the substrate; and   a thermal epoxy or solder disposed in a space defined by the first side of the substrate and a gap between every two immediately adjacent ribs of the heat sink.   
     
     
         13 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first side of the substrate is at least partially metalized with a first metal layer, and wherein at least one of the ribs having a surface that faces the substrate is metalized with a second metal layer. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a solder disposed between the first side of the substrate and a surface of each of the ribs that faces the substrate such that the first metal layer and the second metal layer are bonded by the solder; and   a thermal epoxy or solder disposed in a space defined by the first side of the substrate and a gap between every two immediately adjacent ribs of the heat sink.   
     
     
         15 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first side of the substrate comprises a pattern configured to interlockingly engage with the second protrusion structure of the heat sink when the heat sink is disposed on the first side of the substrate. 
     
     
         16 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the pattern comprises a plurality of grooves corresponding to the ribs of the heat sink, the grooves configured to receive and be in direct contact with the ribs when the heat sink is disposed on the first side of the substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a multi-layered printed circuit board (PCB) comprising a plurality of PCB layers and one or more metal layers each of which sandwiched between two immediately adjacent PCB layers of the plurality of PCB layers. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein one or more of the PCB layers are patterned to interlockingly engage with the second protrusion structure of the heat sink. 
     
     
         19 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein a surface of each of the one or more of the PCB layers that are patterned to interlockingly engage with the second protrusion structure of the heat sink defines the first side of the substrate and is metalized with a respective metal layer. 
     
     
         20 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the substrate further comprises one or more thermal vias traversing a thickness of the substrate from the first side of the substrate to the second side of the substrate. 
     
     
         21 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein at least one of the one or more thermal vias corresponds to a respective one of the at least one IC chip and is configured to conduct heat from the respective one of the at least one IC chip in a direction from the second side of the substrate toward the first side of the substrate. 
     
     
         22 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal management unit further comprises:
 a phase-change material in direct contact with at least a portion of the heat sink; and   a container coupled to the heat sink such that the phase-change material is contained in a space defined by the container and the heat sink.   
     
     
         23 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the phase-change material comprises a salt hydrate, an ionic liquid, paraffin, fatty acid, ester, an organic-organic compound, an organic-inorganic compound, or an inorganic-inorganic compound. 
     
     
         24 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the container is made of silicon, plastic, ceramic or metal. 
     
     
         25 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the container comprises a silicon cover with a hollow therein. 
     
     
         26 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the container comprises a pouch that is coupled to the heat sink by heat and pressure, solder, pressure-sensitive adhesive, or epoxy. 
     
     
         27 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the container comprises a pouch that includes a metallic foil. 
     
     
         28 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the container comprises a pouch that includes an aluminum foil having surface areas coated with biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BoPET). 
     
     
         29 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the container is coupled to the first side of the heat sink such that the fins of the heat sink are in direct contact with the phase-change material. 
     
     
         30 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the container is coupled to the second side of the heat sink such that the ribs of the heat sink are in direct contact with the phase-change material. 
     
     
         31 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an enclosure enclosing the main unit and the thermal management unit therein, an inner side of the enclosure that faces the thermal management unit is configured to interlockingly engage with the first protrusion structure of the heat sink.   
     
     
         32 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the enclosure is made of metal. 
     
     
         33 . The electronic apparatus of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 a thermal paste, solder, or epoxy disposed between the enclosure and the heat sink.   
     
     
         34 - 53 . (canceled)