Method and system for removing heat from multiple controllers on a circuit board

{
  "publication_number": "US9594410B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Method and system for removing heat from multiple controllers on a circuit board",
  "abstract": "A heat sink including a top surface, a first bottom surface configured to thermally contact a first controller having a first height from a circuit board, and a second bottom surface configured to thermally contact a second controller having a second height from the circuit board, wherein the second height is different than the first height.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A device, comprising: a single heat sink, the single heat sink defining a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the single heat sink comprising: a first bottom surface configured to thermally contact a first controller having a first height from a circuit board; a second bottom surface configured to thermally contact a second controller having a second height from the circuit board, wherein the second height is different than the first height; and a plurality of fins that extend from the first side to the second side of the single heat sink and that extend away from the first and second bottom surfaces to form a top surface that extends over both the first and the second controller such that a first portion of the top surface is disposed over the first bottom surface and a second portion of the top surface is disposed over the second bottom surface, at least some of the plurality of fins forming two opposing sides of an aperture in a middle portion of the single heat sink between the first side and the second side; and a standoff component disposed within the aperture between the first bottom surface and the second bottom surface, the standoff component being configured to secure the single heat sink to the circuit board.",
    "2. The device of claim 1, wherein the single heat sink further comprises a shroud attached to the first side.",
    "3. The device of claim 2, wherein the single heat sink further comprises a fan attached to the shroud.",
    "4. The device of claim 3, wherein the fan is configured to supply air into the shroud to remove heat from the single heat sink.",
    "5. The device of claim 3, wherein the shroud is configured to spread out air supplied by the fan over the plurality of fins.",
    "6. The device of claim 1, wherein the single heat sink further comprises a plurality of push pins configured to secure the single heat sink to the circuit board at the first side of the single heat sink.",
    "7. The device of claim 6, wherein the first bottom surface is configured to thermally contact the first controller between the plurality of push pins and the standoff component.",
    "8. The device of claim 7, wherein the second bottom surface is configured to thermally contact the second controller between the standoff component and the second side.",
    "9. The device of claim 1, wherein: the first bottom surface is configured to thermally contact the first controller through a first thermal conduction material, and the second bottom surface is configured to thermally contact the second controller through a second thermal conduction material.",
    "10. The device of claim 9, wherein: the first thermal conduction material comprises a thermal paste, and the second thermal conduction material comprises a thermal pad.",
    "11. A method for removing heat from a first controller and a second controller, the method comprising: providing a single heat sink that defines a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the single heat sink comprising a first bottom surface and a second bottom surface, a plurality of fins that extend from the first side to the second side of the single heat sink and that extend away from the first and second bottom surfaces to form a top surface that extends over both the first and the second bottom surfaces such that a first portion of the top surface is disposed over the first controller and a second portion of the top surface is disposed over the second controller, at least some of the plurality of fins forming two opposing sides of an aperture in a middle portion of the single heat sink between the first side and the second side; thermally contacting the first bottom surface of the single heat sink with the first controller, the first controller having a first height from a circuit board; thermally contacting the second bottom surface of the single heat sink with the second controller, the second controller having a second height from the circuit board, wherein the second height is different than the first height; and providing a standoff component comprising a first section and a second section, disposing the standoff component within the aperture, attaching the first section to the circuit board between the first and second controllers and attaching the second section to the single heat sink.",
    "12. The method of claim 11, further comprising supplying air to the plurality of fins using a fan.",
    "13. The method of claim 12, further comprising spreading out air supplied by the fan to the plurality of fins using a shroud attached to the first side of the single heat sink.",
    "14. The method of claim 11, further comprising securing the single heat sink to the circuit board at the first side of the single heat sink using a plurality of push pins.",
    "15. The method of claim 11, further comprising: thermally contacting the first bottom surface of the single heat sink with the first controller using a first thermal conduction material; and thermally contacting the second bottom surface of the single heat sink with the second controller using a second thermal conduction material.",
    "16. The method of claim 15, wherein: the first thermal conduction material comprises a thermal paste, and the second thermal conduction material comprises a thermal pad."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "In a conventional computer system, a circuit board may include multiple controllers. However, the multiple controllers generally generate a large amount of heat, which the controllers may be unable to sufficiently remove. Without such removal of the heat, the controllers may overheat and be damaged. Thus, heat sinks were generally used with the multiple controllers, with each of the multiple controllers having their own heat sink. However, the use of multiple heat sinks generally increased the size of the circuit board or limited the amount of components which may be placed on the circuit board. Thus, the conventional computer system generally had a larger size to accommodate the increased circuit board size, or it had a reduced performance to accommodate the reduction in heat generation.\n\nIf a compromise was utilized, and only one of the controllers had a heat sink, then the other controller may have a reduced performance in order to reduce heat generation by the other controller. Again, this may affect a performance of the conventional computer system.\n\nThe features and advantages of the present embodiments will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:\n\nFIG. 1A depicts a top perspective view of a heat sink according to an embodiment;\n\nFIG. 1B depicts an exploded top perspective view of a heat sink according to an embodiment;\n\nFIG. 2 depicts a bottom perspective view of a heat sink according to an embodiment;",
  "cpc": [
    "G06F 1/20",
    "F16B 35/06",
    "F16B 5/0233",
    "H05K 1/021",
    "H05K 2201/066",
    "H05K 7/20172",
    "H05K 7/20409",
    "Y10T 29/49117"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G06F 1/20",
    "G11B 33/02",
    "H05K 5/00",
    "H05K 7/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Western Digital Technologies Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Kevin M. Takeuchi"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2013-07-16",
  "publication_date": "2017-03-14",
  "grant_date": "2017-03-14",
  "priority_date": "2013-06-07",
  "application_number": "US-201313943556-A",
  "family_id": "52005307",
  "cited_by_count": 1,
  "citations": [
    "US20060061966A1",
    "US20120151098A1",
    "US6885557B2",
    "US7064957B1",
    "US20050068739A1",
    "US7031162B2",
    "US7042727B2",
    "US7342796B2"
  ]
}