Abstract:
An electrical connector is constructed including heat-spreading devices in order to reduce hotspots within the connector and to efficiently dissipate heat to the surrounding atmosphere, thus increasing the current carrying capability of the connector.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of electrical connectors and more specifically to the field of heat dissipation within electrical connectors. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Many modern electronic devices, such as computers, include modular power supply connectors. These modular connectors allow easy connection and disconnection of the power supply conductors without the use of tools. Within these connections, contact resistance may result in heat build up in high current uses. Often the heat is generated at or around the contact itself, in contrast to heat being generated throughout the connector. This localized heating often results in hot spots within the connectors, and if allowed to get too hot, may result in failure of the connector due to melting of the insulating material surrounding the contact. The current carrying capability of modern connectors is often limited by this localized heating at the contact, and the connector&#39;s maximum current allowable is determined by how much heating the insulating material can withstand. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An electrical connector is constructed including heat-spreading devices in order to reduce hotspots within the connector and to efficiently dissipate heat to the surrounding atmosphere, thus increasing the current carrying capability of the connector. 
     Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIGS. 1A-1D are engineering drawings of an example embodiment of a electrical connector. 
     FIGS. 2A-2D are engineering drawings of an example embodiment of a thermally enhanced electrical connector according to the present invention. 
     FIGS. 3A-3D are engineering drawings of an example embodiment of a thermally enhanced electrical connector according to the present invention. 
     FIGS. 4A-4D are engineering drawings of an example embodiment of a thermally enhanced electrical connector according to the present invention. 
     FIGS. 5A-5D are engineering drawings of an example embodiment of a thermally enhanced electrical connector according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of a portion of an example embodiment of a thermally enhanced electrical connector including a heat pipe used as a heat sink fin according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view of an example embodiment of a portion of a thermally enhanced electrical connector including a heat pipe used as a pin according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 7A connected with a mating socket. 
     FIG. 8 is an example embodiment of a computer system including a thermally enhanced electrical connector according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIGS. 1A-1D are engineering drawings of an example embodiment of an electrical connector. In an example embodiment of a prior art electrical connector as shown in FIGS. 1A-1D, the connector body  100  may be constructed from plastic, ceramic, or other electrically insulating material. Two electrical connections are shown within the connector body  100 , a left connection  102  and a right connection  104 . Each electrical connection  102 ,  104  extends through a pin  106 , for attachment to another connector, printed circuit board, or other electrical device. FIGS. 1A-1D include a front view, top view, side view, and perspective view of the prior art electrical connector. 
     FIGS. 2A-2D are engineering drawings of an example embodiment of a thermally enhanced electrical connector according to the present invention. The example embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 2A-2D is an electrical connector similar to the device of FIGS. 1A-1D with the addition of a heat spreader  200  within the connector body  202 . The heat spreader  200  may be made out of metal or other thermally conductive material. In the example embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the heat spreader  200  is exposed to the front and back of the connector body  202 . However, in other embodiments of the present invention the connector body  202  may completely encapsulate the heat spreader  200  such that it is not externally visible. In other embodiments of the present invention the single heat spreader  200  may be physically located elsewhere within the connector body  202  such as below the left connection  102  and the right connection  104  or possibly between the two connections. 
     In other embodiments of the present invention, it may be desirable to load the body  202  of the connector with a thermally conductive, electrically resistive material, such as aluminum nitride. This provides a reduction in thermal resistance of the heat path from the contacts through the connector body  202 , to the heat spreader. With such a thermally conductive path from the contacts to the heat spreader, the connector may handle higher currents than an equivalent connector without the thermally conductive, electrically resistive material. Alternatively, the connector body may be made completely out of a thermally conductive, electrically resistive material. 
     FIGS. 3A-3D are engineering drawings of an example embodiment of a thermally enhanced electrical connector according to the present invention. The example embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 3A-3D is an electrical connector similar to the device of FIGS. 2A-2D with the addition of a second heat spreader  300  within the connector body  302 . The heat spreaders  200 ,  300  may be made out of metal or other thermally conductive material. In the example embodiment shown in FIGS. 3A-3D, the heat spreaders  200 ,  300  are exposed to the front and back of the connector body  302 . However, in other embodiments of the present invention the connector body  302  may completely encapsulate the heat spreaders  200 ,  300  such that they are not externally visible. In other embodiments of the present invention the two heat spreaders  200 ,  300  may be physically located elsewhere within the connector body  302  such as between the two connections  102 ,  104 . 
     FIGS. 4A-4D are engineering drawings of an example embodiment of a thermally enhanced electrical connector according to the present invention. The example embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 4A-4D is an electrical connector similar to the device of FIGS. 1A-1D with the addition of an interconnected plurality of heat spreaders  400  within the connector body  402 . The plurality of heat spreaders  400  may be made out of metal or other thermally conductive material. In the example embodiment shown in FIGS. 4A-4D, the plurality of heat spreaders  400  is exposed to the front and back of the connector body  402 . However, in other embodiments of the present invention the connector body  402  may completely encapsulate the mesh of heat spreaders  400  such that they are not externally visible. 
     FIGS. 5A-5D are engineering drawings of an example embodiment of a thermally enhanced electrical connector according to the present invention. The example embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 5A-5D is an electrical connector similar to the device of FIGS. 4A-4D with the addition of heat sink fins  500  extending above the connector body  502 . The heat sink fins  500  may be made out of metal or other thermally conductive material. In the example embodiment shown in FIGS. 5A-5D, the plurality of heat spreaders  400  is exposed to the front and back of the connector body  502 . However, in other embodiments of the present invention the connector body  502  may completely encapsulate the plurality of heat spreaders  400  such that they are not externally visible. In some embodiment of the present invention, the heat sink fins  500  may be configured to allow physical connection to another object, such as a chassis of an electrical device. If this physical connection is thermally conductive, heat can be conducted from the heat sink fins  500  into the chassis in addition to the convective cooling obtained from airflow over the heat sink fins  500 . 
     In other embodiments of the present invention, the heat sink fins  500  may comprise heat pipes. FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of a portion of an example embodiment of a thermally enhanced electrical connector including a heat pipe  600  used as a heat sink fin according to the present invention. The heat pipe  600  comprises a vapor  602  surrounded by a wick  604  within the vessel of the heat pipe  600 . Where the heat pipe  600  is thermally connected with a heat spreader  400  the liquid within the wick  604  evaporates to form a vapor  602  this heated vapor  602  rises within the heat pipe  600  to the cooler area outside of the connector body  606  where the vapor  602  condenses on the wick  604  into a liquid that then flows back down the wick  604  to the bottom of the heat pipe  600  where the process continues. 
     In some embodiments of the present invention, it may be desirable to electrically connect some or all of the heat spreaders to one or more of the electrical connections within the connector body  606 . This may be used to keep the electrical potential on the heat spreaders and fins at ground. 
     FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an example embodiment of a thermally enhanced electrical connector including a heat pipe used as a pin according to the present invention. An ideal heat pipe is an infinite thermal conductor. Due to the phase changes of the liquid to a vapor and back to a liquid at the ends of the heat pipe, the temperature is substantially constant along the length of the heat pipe. Because of these phase changes, a heat pipe is a much better thermal conductor that a solid metal pin of the same size. In an example embodiment of the present invention, a heat pipe  710  may be used as a conducting pin  700  of the electrical connector. The heat pipe  710  is similar to that described in FIG. 6 but adapted to act as the actual conducting pin  700  of the thermally enhanced electrical connector. The heat pipe  710  comprises a vapor  712  surrounded by a wick  714  within the vessel of the heat pipe  710 . In the portions of the heat pipe  710  at a high temperature, the liquid within the wick  714  evaporates to form a vapor  712 . This heated vapor  712  moves within the heat pipe  710  to cooler areas of the heat pipe  710  where the vapor  712  condenses on the wick  714  into a liquid that then flows back along the wick  714  to the hotter portions of the heat pipe  710  where the process continues. The signal or power supply electrically connected through the thermally enhanced connector is attached to the heat pipe pin  700  at a connection  702 . This connection  702  may be a solder tab, clamp, crimped contact, or any other equivalent means for electrically connecting the signal or power supply to the heat pipe pin  700  within the thermally enhanced connector. 
     FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 7A connected with a mating socket  704 . The example mating socket  704  shown in FIG. 7B includes two contact points  706  where the heat pipe pin  700  is electrically connected to the mating socket  704 . These contact points  706  are the likely points of heating the connector due to the contact resistance of the points  706  contacting the pin  700 . In the example embodiment of the present invention, two contact points  706  are shown. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that other contact configurations may be used within the scope of the present invention. These are the high temperature points of the heat pipe  710  where the liquid within the wick  714  evaporates to form a vapor  712 . The heat pipe pin  700  acts as a thermal conductor to spread the heat generated at the contact points  706  more evenly through the connector body  708  and the mating socket  704 . 
     FIG. 8 is an example embodiment of a computer system including a thermally enhanced electrical connector according to the present invention. In an example embodiment of a computer system including the present invention, a computer chassis  800 , including a power supply  808  is built including at least one thermally enhanced electrical connector according to the present invention. The computer receives input from the user via a mouse  810  and a keyboard  804  and outputs information or graphics to a display  802 . Many other uses of the present invention will be apparent to those of skill in the art, this is but one example usage of the present invention. 
     The foregoing description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and other modifications and variations may be possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the appended claims be construed to include other alternative embodiments of the invention except insofar as limited by the prior art.