Method for making a metal isolator body and associated device including the same

Abstract

A method for making a metal isolator body to be positioned between a heat sensitive component and a heat source includes obtaining at least a thermal conductivity specification and a load specification for the metal isolator body, and generating a metal isolator body design including solid regions and lattice regions to meet at least the thermal conductivity specification and the load specification. Three dimensional (3D) metal printing is used to form the metal isolator body based upon the metal isolator body design.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for making a metal isolator body to be positioned between a heat sensitive component and a heat source comprising:
 obtaining at least a thermal conductivity specification and a load specification for the metal isolator body;   generating a metal isolator body design including solid regions and lattice regions to meet at least the thermal conductivity specification and the load specification; and   using three dimensional (3D) metal printing to form the metal isolator body based upon the metal isolator body design.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 obtaining a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) specification for the metal isolator body; and 
 generating the metal isolator body design including solid regions and lattice regions to also meet the CTE specification. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the metal isolator body comprises a cold face to be positioned adjacent the heat sensitive component, and a hot face to be positioned adjacent the heat source. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3  wherein the metal isolator body has at least one fastener receiving passageway extending between the cold face and the hot face. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4  wherein generating the metal isolator body design comprises forming a continuous solid region surrounding the at least one fastener receiving passageway. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein generating the metal isolator body design comprises generating the metal isolator body design to include lattice regions exposed on an outer surface of the metal isolator body to permit airflow therethrough. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1  generating the metal isolator body design comprises generating the metal isolator body design so that the metal isolator body has a thermal conductivity less than one tenth a thermal conductivity of a hypothetical solid metal body having a same outer shape as the metal isolator body. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the metal isolator body comprises a same metal as at least one of the heat source and the heat sensitive component. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein using 3D printing comprises direct laser metal sintering (DMLS). 
     
     
         10 . A method for isolating a heat sensitive component from a heat source comprising:
 generating a metal isolator body design including solid regions and lattice regions to meet at least a thermal conductivity specification and a load specification;   using three dimensional (3D) metal printing to form the metal isolator body based upon the metal isolator body design; and   positioning the metal isolator body between the heat sensitive component and the heat source.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10  further comprising:
 obtaining a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) specification for the metal isolator body; and 
 generating the metal isolator body design including solid regions and lattice regions to also meet the CTE specification. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein the metal isolator body comprises a cold face to be positioned adjacent the heat sensitive component, and a hot face to be positioned adjacent the heat source. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12  wherein the metal isolator body has at least one fastener receiving passageway extending between the cold face and the hot face. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein generating the metal isolator body design comprises forming a continuous solid region surrounding the at least one fastener receiving passageway. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein generating the metal isolator body design comprises generating the metal isolator body design to include lattice regions exposed on an outer surface of the metal isolator body to permit airflow therethrough. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 10  generating the metal isolator body design comprises generating the metal isolator body design so that the metal isolator body has a thermal conductivity less than one tenth a thermal conductivity of a hypothetical solid metal body having a same outer shape as the metal isolator body. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein the metal isolator body comprises a same metal as at least one of the heat source and the heat sensitive component. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein using 3D printing comprises direct laser metal sintering (DMLS). 
     
     
         19 . A device comprising:
 a heat sensitive component;   a thermal isolator coupled to said heat sensitive component and comprising a metal isolator body including solid regions and lattice regions meeting at least a thermal conductivity specification and a load specification; and   a heat source coupled to said thermal isolator.   
     
     
         20 . The device according to  claim 19  wherein said metal isolator body comprises a cold face to be coupled to said heat sensitive component, and a hot face to be coupled to said heat source. 
     
     
         21 . The device according to  claim 20  wherein said metal isolator body has at least one fastener receiving passageway extending between the cold face and the hot face. 
     
     
         22 . The device according to  claim 21  wherein said metal isolator body further comprises a continuous solid region surrounding the at least one fastener receiving passageway. 
     
     
         23 . The device according to  claim 19  wherein said lattice regions are exposed on an outer surface of said metal isolator body to permit airflow therethrough. 
     
     
         24 . The device according to  claim 19  wherein said metal isolator body comprises a same metal as at least one of said heat source and said heat sensitive component.