U.S. patent number 3,648,113 [Application Number 05/082,873] was granted by the patent office on 1972-03-07 for electronic assembly having cooling means for stacked modules.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The Singer Company. Invention is credited to Lothar Laermer, J. Fred Rathjen.
United States Patent |
3,648,113 |
Rathjen , et al. |
March 7, 1972 |
ELECTRONIC ASSEMBLY HAVING COOLING MEANS FOR STACKED MODULES
Abstract
A modular electronic system includes a plurality of stacked
electronic units. The stacked units have a first cavity
therethrough along one edge thereof, and a second cavity
therethrough along an opposite edge thereof. Each of the units has
a spacing joining the two cavities. A first mounting plate has an
orifice therethrough for communicating with the first cavity, and a
second mounting plate has an orifice therethrough for communicating
with the second cavity. Means are provided for clamping the fist
mounting plate, the stacked units, and the second mounting plate
together, so that cooling fluid can be passed from an exterior
source through the first mounting plate orifice, through the first
cavity, through in parallel all of the spacings, through the second
cavity, and exiting through the second mounting plate orifice.
Inventors: |
Rathjen; J. Fred (Franklin
Lakes, NJ), Laermer; Lothar (Paramus, NJ) |
Assignee: |
The Singer Company (New York,
NY)
|
Family
ID: |
22173994 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/082,873 |
Filed: |
October 22, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
361/707;
174/15.1; 361/689; 361/736 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05K
7/20563 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H05K
7/20 (20060101); H05k 007/20 () |
Field of
Search: |
;174/15R,16R,16HS
;317/100,11DH,11CM,11CX |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Myers; Lewis H.
Assistant Examiner: Tolin; Gerald P.
Claims
We claim:
1. A modular electronic system comprising
A. a plurality of stacked electronic circuit units having a first
cavity through the stack along one edge thereof, and a second
cavity through the stack along an opposite edge thereof, each of
said units having a chamber joining said first cavity to said
second cavity, each of said units including, a first insulated
printed circuit board having components thereon and a first sheet
of heat conductive material forming together a first laminate, a
second insulated printed circuit board having components thereon
and a second sheet of heat conductive material forming together a
second laminate, and a frame holding said first laminate on one
side thereof and holding said second laminate on the opposite side
thereof forming said chamber therebetween, said frame having a pair
of slots connecting said chamber to said first cavity and to said
second cavity,
B. a first mounting plate having an orifice therethrough
communicating with said first cavity,
C. a second mounting plate having an orifice therethrough
communicating with said second cavity, and
D. means clamping said first mounting plate, said stacked units,
and said second mounting plate together forming a continuous
passageway through
1. said first mounting plate orifice, through
2. said first cavity, through, in parallel,
a. all of said chambers, through
3. said second cavity, and exiting through
4. said second mounting plate orifice.
2. A modular electronic system comprising:
A. a plurality of stacked electronic circuit units, each of said
units including
1. a first, substantially rectangular, printed circuit board having
components thereon,
2. a first, substantially rectangular, thin sheet of heat
conductive material,
3. insulating means for laminating said first printed circuit board
to said first sheet, thus forming a first laminate,
4. a second, substantially rectangular printed circuit board having
components thereon,
5. a second, substantially rectangular, thin sheet of heat
conductive material,
6. insulating means for laminating said second printed circuit
board to said second sheet, thus forming a second laminate,
7. a hollow, heat conductive frame holding said first laminate on
one side thereof, and holding said second laminate on the opposite
side thereof, the sheets of both of said laminates being oriented
inwardly with respect to said frame and separated from each other
to form a chamber between them, said frame being formed in a
generally rectangular configuration having four border members,
a. one of said border members having a first elongated aperture
formed therethrough and therealong from one side of said frame to
the opposite side of said frame, and further having a first slot
joining said first elongated aperture to said chamber, and
b. a second of said border members, nonadjacent to said one member,
having an elongated aperture--hereinafter termed second elongated
aperture--formed therethrough and therealong from one side of said
frame to the opposite side of said frame, and further having a
slot-- hereinafter termed second slot--joining said second
elongated aperture to said chamber, and
8. means affixing said laminates to said frame,
B. a front mounting plate, in contact with one end of said stacked
electronic units, having an orifice therethrough communicating with
the first elongated apertures of said frames,
C. a back mounting plate, in contact with the opposite end of said
stacked electronic units, having an orifice therethrough
communicating with the second elongated apertures of said frames,
and
D. means clamping the front and back mounting plates and the
intermediately oriented stacked electronic units forming a
continuous passageway through
1. said front mounting plate orifice, through
2. a plenum formed by the stacked first elongated apertures of said
circuit units, through, in parallel,
a. the first slots of all of said frames, then,
b. said chambers of all of said frames, thereby directly cooling
said sheets and indirectly cooling said boards and the components
on said boards, and then
c. the second slots of all said frames,
3. a cavity formed by the stacked second elongated apertures of
said circuit units, and exiting through
4. said back mounting plate orifice.
3. The modular electronic system as recited in claim 2 further
wherein said printed circuit boards have male electrical contacts
disposed along a third of said border members, and further
comprising electrical interconnecting means including female
electrical contacts mating with said male contacts.
4. The modular electronic system as recited in claim 3 wherein each
male electrical contact has a width substantially greater than its
thickness, said male contacts being so oriented with their widths
perpendicular to the surface of the printed circuit boards, and
wherein the mating female electrical contacts are tight fitting
with respect to thickness and loose fitting with respect to
width.
5. The modular electronic system as recited in claim 4 wherein said
electrical interconnecting means comprises
A. a first electrical interconnect board containing female
electrical contacts communicating with corresponding male contacts
of a first plurality of adjacent stacked electronic circuit
units;
B. a second electrical interconnect board containing female
electrical contacts communicating with corresponding male contacts
of a second plurality of adjacent stacked electronic circuit units;
and
C. flexible electrical wiring tape joining said first interconnect
board to said second interconnect board, said tape having a length
exceeding L +T;
said system further comprising a dummy electronic circuit unit
including a plate having a width L having elongated apertures along
two opposite borders thereof so as to align, plenum and cavity,
with the first and second pluralities of stacked units, said plate
having a concavity within a third border thereof so as to receive a
loop of said tape therewithin, and
wherein the value T represents the maximum dimensional tolerance
error in width that can occur by stacking a first plurality of
adjacent stacked circuit units together.
6. The modular electronic system as recited in claim 2 further
wherein each of said stacked electronic circuit units contains a
heat conductive structural member joining one of said border
members intermediate said first elongated aperture to the second of
said border members intermediate said second elongated aperture
forming chamber portions, the width of the various structural
members being optimized so as to vary the cross-sectional area of
the chamber portions of each unit, so as to optimize the degree of
cooling of each circuit unit.
7. The modular electronic system as recited in claim 2 wherein said
front mounting plate and said back mounting plate are constructed
of heat conductive material.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to modular electronic systems and, in
particular, relates to a high-density electronic packaging
arrangement which provides for efficient heat dissipation and can
withstand high vibration and shock. Accordingly, the general
objects of the invention are to provide new and improved apparatus
of such character.
Various electronic packages have been designed in the past with
various degrees of effectiveness for housing electronic components
and for dissipating the heat generated thereby.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 3,395,318, issued July 30, 1968 to Lothar
Laermer (one of the applicants hereof) and Arthur J. Pretty and
Philip Gray and assigned to the assignee of this invention, a
circuit board card arrangement for the interconnection of
electronic components is described. The aforesaid patent relates to
a circuit board for the interconnection of electronic components
such as flat packs and discrete components, and includes a flat
rectangular plate with an insulating coating having a plurality of
apertures wherever necessary for passing leads. Around the plate is
a metal frame and an extension which may be coupled to a heat
exchanger. Over one or both faces of each flat side of the plate is
an epoxy resin and an X-Y circuit board with X-lines on one side
and Y-lines on the other. Electrostatic shielding is provided by
applying a ground termination to the plate.
Apparatus, constructed and operated in accordance with the
teachings of the aforementioned patent, utilized a plurality of
card units in which each card unit contained a central aluminum
core and two epoxy circuit boards laminated to each side of the
core. The aluminum body of each card unit was connected by contacts
to the outside surface of a frame. The outside surface of the frame
was formed in a corrugated manner to act as a heat exchanger so
that, when air was blown past the outside surface of the frame, the
large corrugated surface area would give up heat to effectively
cool the entire electrical package. Air would be passed from one
card, to the next card, and to the succeeding cards in a manner
which could be referred to as a series type heat exchanger. With
such a system (as a series-type heat exchanger), when air is blown
from one side to the opposite side, by the time the air gets to the
opposite side, the air would be hot and insufficient cooling might
take place at the rear of the unit. Hence, such an electronic
package is limited to comparatively low-wattage ratings per card,
for example, to about 3 watts of power per card. Disadvantageously,
however, such a system does not work well in dealing with higher
wattages, for example, in the order of 20 watts per card.
At the bottom of such apparatus, an integral, interconnect board,
otherwise termed a "motherboard," contained all the interconnect
connections in one solid block for all the modular circuit board
units. Disadvantageously, the motherboard was fixed dimensionally,
was not easily changeable, and would necessitate a redesign if it
was desired that additional circuit boards be added to the overall
system.
In prior systems, flat printer circuit pins or male contacts were
oriented and aligned with the flat surfaces of the pins parallel to
the surface of the board. Each card was individually retained in
the motherboard by corresponding female contacts.
It is desired to provide an electrical system which occupies as
minimum a volume as possible. When electrical circuitry is placed
into a housing which is close quartered so as to utilize a small
volume, a heat problem arises. Thus, it is desired to provide for
efficient dissipation of the heat. In addition, in complex
electronic circuits, such as computers, it is desired to make the
system expandable. Also, it is desired to provide a system which is
able to withstand high shock and vibrations for rugged commercial
or government applications.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Another object of this invention is to provide new and improved
modular electronic systems.
It is another object of this invention to provide new and improved
modular electronic systems in which the thermal resistance between
the source of heat and airflow passing by the heat exchanger is
less than corresponding designs of the prior art.
Another object of this invention is to provide new and improved
modular electronic systems which can withstand high shock and
vibration.
Still another object of this invention is to provide new and
improved modular electronic systems in which the systems can be
made expandable by adding additional components thereto or by
deleting several components therefrom, without necessitating a
complete redesign of such a structure.
With these and other objects in mind, a modular electronic system
can be provided including a plurality of stacked electronic circuit
units having a first cavity through the stack along one edge
thereof and a second cavity through the stack along an opposite
edge thereof. Each of the units has a spacing joining the two
cavities. A first mounting plate is provided having an orifice
therethrough for communicating with the first cavity. A second
mounting plate has an orifice therethrough for communicating with
the second cavity. Means are provided for clamping the first
mounting plate, the stacked units, and the second mounting plate
together so that cooling fluid can be passed from an exterior
source through the first mounting plate orifice, through the first
cavity, through in parallel all of the spacings, through the second
cavity, and exiting through the second mounting plate orifice.
More specifically, the invention contemplates a modular electronic
system including a first plurality of stacked electronic circuit
units wherein each of the units includes a first laminate formed by
a first substantially rectangular printed circuit board having
components thereon, a first substantially rectangular thin sheet of
heat conductive material, and insulating means for laminating the
printed circuit board to the printed sheet. The unit further
includes a second laminate similarly formed. A hollow heat
conductive frame holds the two laminates, one on each side thereof,
wherein the sheets of both laminates are oriented inwardly with
respect to the frame and separated from each other to form a
spacing between them, the frame being formed in a generally
rectangular configuration having four border members. A first
elongated aperture is formed through and along one of said border
members from one side of the frame to the opposite side thereof. A
slot is provided joining the first elongated aperture to the
spacing. Similarly, a second of the border members nonadjacent to
the first member has an elongated aperture formed therethrough and
therealong from one side of the frame to the opposite side thereof,
and further having a slot joining the second elongated aperture to
the spacing. The laminates are fixed to both sides of the frame.
The modular electronic system further includes a front mounting
plate in contact with one end of the stacked electronic units
having an orifice therethrough for communicating with the first
elongated apertures of the frames, and a back mounting plate in
contact with the opposite end of the stacked electronic units
having an orifice therethrough for communicating with the second
elongated apertures of the frames. The front and back mounting
plates the the intermediately oriented stacked electronic units are
clamped so that cooling fluid can be passed from an outside source,
serially through the front mounting plate orifice, through a plenum
formed by the stacked first elongated apertures of the circuit
units, through in parallel the first slots of all the frames, then
the spacing of all the frames, thereby directly cooling the sheets
and indirectly cooling the boards and the components on the boards,
and then the second slots of all the frames, serially through a
cavity formed by the stacked elongated apertures of the circuit
units, and exiting through the back mounting plate orifice.
In certain features of the invention, the printed circuit boards
have male electrical contacts disposed along a third of the border
members and further include electrical interconnecting means
including female electrical contacts for mating with the male
contacts. Each male electrical contact has a width substantially
greater than its thickness and is so oriented with its width
perpendicular to the surface of the printed circuit boards. The
corresponding mating female electrical contacts are tight fitting
with respect to thickness and loose fitting with respect to
width.
Additional features of the invention include electrical
interconnecting means having a first electrical interconnect board
containing female electrical contacts for communicating with the
corresponding male contacts of the first plurality of the adjacent
stacked electronic circuit units, a second electrical interconnect
board containing female electrical contacts for communicating with
corresponding male contacts of a second plurality of adjacent
stacked electronic units and flexible electrical wiring tape for
joining the first interconnect board to the second interconnect
board. The modular system would further include a dummy electronic
circuit unit having a plate having an elongated aperture along two
opposite borders thereof so as to align, plenum and cavity, with
the first and second pluralities of stacked units, said plate
having a concavity within the third border thereof, so as to
receive a loop of the tape therewithin. The wiring tape would have
a length exceeding a value L +T wherein L is a value representing
the width of the dummy plate and wherein T is a value representing
the maximum dimensional tolerance error in width that could occur
by stacking a first plurality of adjacent stacked circuit units
together.
In an additional feature of the invention, each of the stacked
electronic circuit units contains a heat conductive structural
member joining one of the border members intermediate the first
elongated aperture to the second of the border members intermediate
the second elongated aperture. The width of the various structural
members are optimized so as to vary the cross-sectional area of the
spacings of each unit and to control the corresponding coolant
fluid flow rate therebetween so as to optimize the degree of
cooling of each circuit unit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Other objects, advantages, and aspects of the invention will become
apparent by reference to the following detailed specification and
drawings of a specific embodiment thereof, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the
invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines 2--2 of FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 3--3 of FIG.
2;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the lines 4--4 of FIG.
3;
FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing the flow of cooling fluid
through the system illustrated in FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is an exploded view of an electronic circuit unit for use in
the embodiment of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of an electronic circuit
unit including a discrete component, such as a resistor, affixed to
one side of the unit in which the leads of the components are
coupled to the opposite side of the unit.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 illustrates, in perspective, a modular electronic system 10
constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention. The
system 10 includes a plurality of stacked electronic units 11--11,
one of the units 11 being shown partially removed from the stack to
provide for a better understanding of the invention. An optional,
enclosing cover 12 is shown partly broken away and exploded away
from the unit 10 to provide for a better pictorial representation
of the view. The cover 12 is not necessary for an understanding of
the invention.
A front mounting plate 13 has an orifice 14 for an air inlet
therethrough for providing a coolant fluid through to the system
10. The coolant fluid may be air or other suitable medium. The
front mounting plate 13 includes various electrical connectors
16--16 for mating with electrical cables (not shown) for connection
to other electrical apparatus (not shown). A rear mounting plate 18
is provided at the opposite end of the system 10. Clamping arms
19--19, at both the upper left and upper right of the system 10,
are pivotally connected to the rear mounting plate 18, and are
adapted to engage with the front mounting plate 13 so as to clamp
the rear mounting plate 18, all of the electronic units 11--11, and
the front mounting plate 13 together in a stacked arrangement. The
clamping arms hold the units 11--11 together from front to back.
They do not press the units 11--11 down as such. The units 11--11
form an integral part of a boxlike structure so that vibration is
kept to a minimum.
FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of an electronic unit 11 taken along
the lines 2--2 of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 illustrates an exploded view
thereof. The electronic unit 11 includes a hollow, heat conductive
frame 20 constructed of suitable heat conductive material, such as
aluminum. The hollow frame 20 is generally rectangular in shape and
is provided with cutaway notches 21--21 at its four corners so as
to receive the two upper clamping arms 19--19 and lower guide rods
(not shown). The hollow frame 20 is formed with a left border
member 22, a top border member 23, a right border member 24, and a
lower border member 25. The left border member 22 has an elongated
aperture 27 formed therein and therealong from one side of the
frame 20 to the opposite side thereof. Similarly, the right border
member 24 contains an elongated aperture 28 therethrough and
therealong from one side of the frame 20 to the opposite side
thereof.
A slot 29 joins the aperture 27 to the interior or hollow portion
of the frame 20. The slot 29 may be constructed of two distinct
slot portions 29a, 29b between the aperture 27 and the hollow
portion of the frame 20. The slot portions 29a, 29b can be
separated by a structural member 31 which joins the left border
member 22 to the right border member 24. In similar fashion, slot
portions 32a, 32b join the hollow portion of the frame 20 to the
aperture 28 of the right border member 24.
Most of the units 11--11 include the structural member 31, or
central spacer from one side to the other to provide support. The
width of the member 31 can vary, depending upon the amount of air
in which is desired to flow through the unit 11 to provide for
optimum heat dissipation therethrough.
The electronic unit 11 includes the hollow heat conductive frame 20
as its basic structural member. In addition, the unit 11 includes a
pair of laminates 36, 43 (FIG. 6), one affixed to each side of the
frame 20. The laminate 36 includes a first, substantially
rectangular printed circuit board 33, having components 34--34
disposed thereon, and a first, similarly shaped rectangular thin
sheet 35 of heat conductive metal, such as copper. Electrical
insulating means 37 are provided for laminating the printed circuit
board 33 to the metal sheet 35. In a similar fashion, a second
printer circuit board 39, a metal sheet 41, and electrical
insulating means 42 are laminated together to form the laminate 43.
The laminates 36 and 43 are affixed to each side of the heat
conductive frame 20 by means of adhesive 44.
When the laminates 36 and 43 affixed to both sides of the hollow
frame 20, suitable electrical connections are provided for coupling
the printed circuit boards 33 and 39 through the lower border
member 25 of the frame 20, in a manner depicted in FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 further illustrates the electronic unit 11 inserted into an
electrical connection medium, such as a motherboard 50, through the
use of male electrical contacts 51--51.
The male electrical contacts 51--51 of the printed circuit boards
33, 39 fit within corresponding female electrical contacts of the
motherboard 50. Each male electrical contact 51 has a width
substantially greater than its thickness. The contacts 51--51 are
so oriented with their widths perpendicular to the surface of the
printed circuit boards 33, 39. The mating female electrical
contacts of the motherboard 50 are tight fitting with respect to
thickness and loose fitting with respect to width, so that the
electronic units 11--11 can be slightly moved in a directing
towards or away from the front of the system 10 as shown in FIG. 1.
The contacts 51--51 of the printed circuit boards 33, 39 are
oriented perpendicular to the surfaces thereof so that when they
are fed into the motherboard 50, they may move longitudinally to
permit for some movement with respect to the motherboard due to
tolerance accumulations. Hence, by putting in a number of units 11
(e.g., eight units) into a motherboard, due to tolerance
accumulations, the boards 33, 39 may still properly mate within the
motherboard 50 due to the extra width of the female contacts of the
motherboard with respect to the individual contacts 51--51 of the
printed circuit boards.
FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional view taken along the lines 3--3 of
FIG. 2, wherein the motherboard 50 is coupled to a second
motherboard 52 by means of flexible wiring tape 53. The flexible
wiring tape 53 fits within a concavity of a dummy electronic unit
54. A dummy unit 54 is inserted between each functional set of
units 11. This dummy unit 54 would reside between two adjacent
motherboards 50, 52 which are connected to each other by the
flexible printed wiring tape 53, the length of the flexible printed
wiring tape being somewhat in excess of the width of the dummy unit
54. The flexible tape 53 is of sufficient length to form a loop
within the concavity, so that, due to tolerance limitations and
errors that may occur, close compacting of the electronic units
11--11 can occur without physically damaging the contacts 51--51 or
the motherboards 50, 52.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the motherboard 50 (and, similarly, the
motherboard 52) is constructed physically of two portions: an epoxy
circuit board portion 50a and a rigid female connector plate 50b.
Thus, the male contacts 51--51 from the electronic units 11--11 fit
within the female connector plate 50b, the connector plate 50b
providing contacts then directly to the epoxy circuit board 50a.
The epoxy circuit board 50a and the connector plate 50b act as a
motherboard 50 and, by the nature of its construction, combines the
versatility of printed circuitry, via the epoxy circuit board 50a,
together with the structural advantages that a rigid connector
plate 50b offers. One advantage of using flexible wiring tape 53,
such as polyethylene terephthalate tape (such tape being available
under the trademark name Mylar) is to take care of a situation
wherein each of the units 11 is not precisely to size. The units 11
may vary in tolerance so that if the units 11--11 are slightly
oversized or slightly undersized, improper fitting might occur.
However, by using flexible printed wiring, the motherboards 50, 52
permitted to float, all the units 11--11 can fit without jamming,
and the units 11--11 properly mate with the motherboards 50,
52.
As illustrated in FIG. 6, the electronic unit 11 may house
components 34--34, which components 34, typically, may be flat
packs and other miniaturized circuits including beam lead
integrated circuits and the like, which can be affixed directly to
the printed circuitry of the printed circuit board 33. As an
alternative, or in addition if it is so desired, discrete larger
components, such as a resistor 61, as shown in FIG. 7, can be held
against the surface of the printed circuit board 39, with its leads
62 going through the laminate 43, the hollow spacing or chamber
within the unit 11, through the laminate 36, and affixed to the
circuitry of the printed circuit board 33. In such a case, it is
desired that the leads 62 of the resistor 61 be enclosed within the
spacing between the two laminates 43, 36 by an insulating epoxy
button 63. As a feature, the electronic unit 11, when holding
discrete components, such as resistors 61 may have the epoxy button
63 placed within the air spacing between the two opposed laminates
36, 43 which is cemented in place with epoxy. Then, a hole is
drilled through the two laminates 36, 43 through the epoxy button
63 so that the resistor 61 wire lead can be fed through the epoxy
button 63. The button 63 isolates the resistor 61 from the coolant
fluid that is to be passed between the spacings of the electronic
units 11--11. The button 63, or equivalent, is necessary for
certain government requirements and is highly desired from a safety
viewpoint in that, one, a fire hazard is eliminated and, two, air
leakage through the resistor hole is inhibited.
FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing the flow of cooling fluid
through the system 10, wherein cooling fluid can be passed through
the intake orifice 14 of the front mounting plate 13, and passed
through a plenum 66 formed by the elongated apertures 28 of each of
the electronic units 11--11. The cooling fluid then passes from the
plenum 66, in parallel, through all the slot portions 32a, 32b of
the electronic units 11--11, through the hollow spacings 67--67
within the units 11--11, and out through all the slot portions 29a
29b thereof to the cavity 68 formed by all of the elongated
apertures 27 of the electronic units 11--11. Cooling fluid, then,
passes therefrom through an exiting orifice 69 in the rear mounting
plate 18. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 5, air flows in directly
through the front of the system 10, into the plenum 66, in parallel
through all the spaces 67--67 within the units 11--11, through the
cavity 68, and then out through the exiting orifice to the rear of
the system 10.
IN GENERAL
With the rigid construction provided, the modular electronic system
10 is able to withstand high vibrations, high shock, and high "g"
accellerations making it highly suitable for use in aircraft and
spacecraft. Due to its construction, it is inherently a rigid low
vibration transmissibility structure.
By using a parallel air pressure system through the spacings 67--67
within the units 11--11, there is a low pressure drop from the
input air to the output air, thereby maintaining the input airflow
rate. A high pressure input air source, thus, is not required.
Comparatively, serial configurations of the prior art would,
typically, require 4 inches of water drop pressure, whereby in the
novel embodiment described, only one inch of water pressure drop is
required. Air is fed through the front of the system 10, through
the plenum 66 at the right of the electronic units 11--11. All the
units 11--11 are cramped closely together so that a single plenum
66 is formed. The air then passes through the internal spacings 67
of the units 11--11 into the left cavity 68 which is formed by the
apertures 27--27 and out through the outlet 69 at the rear of the
system 10.
The overall modular system 10 can be made expandable because of the
independent front mounting plate 13 and the independent rear
mounting plate 18, so that if it is desired to add additional
electronic units 11--11, the rear plate 18 can be extended so that
additional units 11--11 can be inserted therein. The two clamping
arms 19--19 can be replaced by larger or longer arms.
This invention is applicable to almost any kind of electronic
system, such as television, radar, computers, and the like, with
especial emphasis on large industrial or government systems. For
example, in a data processing system, a plurality of cards can form
an input-output unit, a processing unit, a memory, a power supply,
and a voltage regulator. It is desirable that these "blocks" be
modular and removable and functionally independent of each other.
It is desired that an interconnection system be associated with
each of the "blocks."
The metal sheets 35, 41, in the preferred embodiment, are copper,
although aluminum or another suitable conductive metal may be used.
Copper is preferred because it is easy to manufacture. A copper
interface between the components and the air acts as a thermal
diffuser to spread heat concentrations. It decreases the heat
density over a large surface of the copper sheet. The frames 20,
are, preferably, hard anodized aluminum. There is some, but very
little, heat dissipation through the frame 20. This is advantageous
because if an air supply is temporarily terminated, then there is
some heat dissipated through the frame 20 of the individual units
11--11, and, in case of catastrophic failure of the air flow, heat
can still be dissipated for a short period of time. This would find
advantage in missile applications or space applications where
airflow may be temporarily disrupted for 15 or 20 minutes. During
this temporary period, in missile or space flight, the heat could
be dissipated through the outside of the aircraft. This would be
somewhat similar to prior art systems wherein heat would be
dissipated continuously in this manner; however, with this
invention, heat would be removed only temporarily during that
interval of failure.
CONCLUSION
Various modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in
the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of this
invention. For example, each individual frame 20 can be provided
with gaskets about the large apertures 27, 28 to prevent leakage of
air. In addition, this design is adaptable for continuous heat
dissipation by thermal conduction by including an additional plate
through which a cooling fluid passes. Sandwiched between this plate
and the irregular surface formed by the plurality of frames 20
would be a thin flexible sheet, made from a good thermally
conductive material, which would permit sufficient thermal
conduction between the irregular surface and the additional plate.
Therefore heat is removed from the system by thermal conduction
from the copper sheets, e.g., 35 and 41, through the frame 20,
through the sheet of conductive material to the external cold plate
the temperature of which is maintained at some approximately low
level by the cooling fluid.
* * * * *