Abstract:
An apparatus for enclosing an electronic component to a base comprising, an enclosure attached to a base and surrounding an electronic component. The enclosure divided into a first portion and a second portion along a first plane substantially parallel to the base. The second portion of the enclosure is attached to the base. The first portion of the enclosure is attached to the second portion of the enclosure. The enclosure including one or more extruding elements on an exterior surface of the enclosure. The one or more extruding elements on the exterior surface of the enclosure increases an exterior surface area of the enclosure facilitating dissipation of heat from the electronic component.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This disclosure relates generally to integrated circuit packages, and in particular, to heat dissipation of integrated circuit packages. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Typical electronic components, such as semiconductors, can operate in various high and low power printed circuit boards (PCB). Such operating conditions, allow for the semiconductors to produce various amounts of heat during normal operating conditions. Typically, a high power semiconductor can transfer the heat through an attached heat sink, which then allows for heat to be dissipated into the surrounding environment. A typical low power semiconductor may not even require an attached heat sink since the exposed surface of the low power semiconductor can sufficiently dissipate heat into the surrounding environment. When a semiconductor is being manufactured, the final stage of the semiconductor fabrication is known as integrated circuit (IC) packaging. It is in this final stage of manufacturing that a supporting case is fabricated encasing the semiconductor preventing physical damage and corrosion. The supporting case remains in contact with the surrounding environment thus typically being the main source of heat dissipation for the semiconductor. 
         [0003]    The supporting case can be made of various different materials but typically it is of a metallic or plastic material. With ever changing technology and the desire to make such IC packaging smaller, space allotted for the dissipating heat is typically limited. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for enclosing an electronic component to a base comprising, an enclosure attached to a base and surrounding an electronic component. The enclosure divided into a first portion and a second portion along a first plane substantially parallel to the base. The second portion of the enclosure is attached to the base. The first portion of the enclosure is attached to the second portion of the enclosure. The enclosure including one or more extruding elements on an exterior surface of the enclosure. The one or more extruding elements on the exterior surface of the enclosure increases an exterior surface area of the enclosure facilitating dissipation of heat from the electronic component. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The following detailed description, given by way of example and not intended to limit the disclosure solely thereto, will best be appreciated in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  depicts an isometric front view of an integrated cooling shell on an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  depicts an enlarged side view of the integrated cooling shell on an electronic device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  depicts an enlarged side view of the integrated cooling shell on an electronic device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  depicts an isometric front view of an integrated cooling shell on an electronic device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  depicts an enlarged side view of the integrated cooling shell on an electronic device of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  depicts an enlarged side view of the integrated cooling shell on an electronic device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  depicts an isometric front view of an integrated cooling shell with mounting clips on an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  depicts an isometric front view of an integrated cooling shell with an electronic device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    Detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely illustrative of potential embodiments of the invention and may take various forms. In addition, each of the examples given in connection with the various embodiments is also intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. This description is intended to be interpreted merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the various aspects of the present disclosure. In the description, details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the presented embodiments. 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  depicts an isometric front view of an integrated cooling shell on an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0016]    In this embodiment, electronic component package  100  contains an electronic component specified as a wire bond packaged semiconductor chip  102 . In other embodiments semiconductor chip  102  can be a flip-chip, attached via solder bumps. Semiconductor chip  102  may be a central processing unit (CPU) chip, random access memory (RAM) chip, large-scale integration (LSI) chip, or any electronic component capable of producing heat. Integrated cooling shell  104  is coupled to semiconductor chip  102  to dissipate the heat produced into the surrounding environment. Integrated cooling shell  104  can be integrated into the fabrication process of semiconductor chip  102 , more particularly the integrated circuit (IC) packaging phase. 
         [0017]    Integrated cooling shell  104  can consist of member elements extruding from a plurality of sides to increase the amount of surface area exposed to the surrounding environment. In this embodiment, integrated cooling shell  104  consists of rows of extruding angular elements  106 . Due to integrated cooling shell  104  being coupled to semiconductor chip  102 , semiconductor chip  102  can transfer heat to integrated cooling shell  104 . Extruding angular elements  106  allow for integrated cooling shell  104  to transfer heat to the surrounding environment in which semiconductor chip  102  resides. In other embodiments, extruding angular elements  106  can take on various other shapes depending on the operating conditions of semiconductor chip  102  and the desired IC packing. 
         [0018]    In other embodiments, the alignment and orientation of extruding angular elements  106  can be dependent on the direction of the airflow. If there is airflow movement in the environment in which semiconductor chip  102  resides, extruding angular elements  106  can be aligned accordingly to utilize the cooling capabilities. For example, extruding angular elements  106  can be longitudinally oriented such that extruding angular elements  106  are parallel to the air flow. In another example, not illustrated in  FIG. 1 , extruding angular elements  106  can have spacing in both the longitudinal and latitudinal direction in situations where the direction of the airflow is less determinable. The number of spaces can depend on the amount of airflow and the amount of heat being dissipated. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  depicts an enlarged side view of the integrated cooling shell on an electronic device of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0020]    In this exemplary embodiment, extruding angular elements  106  are repetitive angular elements arranged in rows. Integrated cooling shell  104  encases semiconductor chip  102  such that it attached to semiconductor base  202 . Semiconductor base  202  is the portion of electronic component package  100  which is coupled to a circuit. The number and size of extruding angular elements  106  on integrated cooling shell  104  depends on the amount of heat that needs to be dissipated from semiconductor chip  102 . For example, low power semiconductors typically produce lower heat due to the lower energy being used by the low power semiconductors. Due to the lower heat produced, the size of extruding angular elements  106  can be shorter and/or the number of extruding angular elements  106  can be smaller. In another example, when dealing with semiconductors that produce more heat, the size of extruding angular elements  106  can be larger and/or the number of extruding angular elements  106  can be greater. 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  depicts an enlarged side view of the integrated cooling shell on an electronic device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0022]    In this alternative embodiment, integrated cooling shell  104  has finger elements  302  which provide cooling for semiconductor chip  102 . As previously mentioned, integrated cooling shell  104  can consist of member elements extruding from a plurality of sides and member elements can take on a variety of shapes. In this example, finger elements  302  are used to provide the required heat dissipation for semiconductor chip  102 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 4  depicts an isometric front view of an integrated cooling shell on an electronic device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0024]    In this embodiment, semiconductor chip  402  is a high power electronic component that produces a greater amount of heat. Due to the greater amount of heat produced by semiconductor chip  402 , extruding angular elements  106 , which are used to dissipate heat, may be insufficient. Heat sink  404  with connecting angular heat sink elements  406  can be used to dissipate the additionally produced heat. Thermal adhesive  408  can be used to secure extruding angular elements  106  to angular heat sink elements  406 . Typically, thermal adhesive  408  is comprised of synthetic grease capable of transferring heat while securing two surfaces. The increased contact surface area of extruding angular elements  106  and angular heat sink elements  406  to thermal adhesive  408  allows for heat to be transferred to heat sink  404  more efficiently. Transferring heat to heat sink  404  allows for heat sink  404  to dissipate the heat into the surrounding environment. 
         [0025]      FIG. 5  depicts an enlarged side view of the integrated cooling shell on an electronic device of  FIG. 4 . 
         [0026]    In this exemplary embodiment, the preferred alignment of extruding angular elements  106  and angular heat sink elements  406  are such that a minimal amount of thermal adhesive  408  is used. The pointed edges of extruding angular elements  106  align with the pointed edges of angular heat sink elements  406 . In other embodiments, the alignment of extruding angular elements  106  and angular heat sink elements  406  can depend on the preferred orientation of integrated cooling shell  104  with heat sink  404 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 6  depicts an enlarged side view of the integrated cooling shell on an electronic device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0028]    In this alternative embodiment, integrated cooling shell  104  has finger elements  302  which provide cooling for semiconductor chip  402 . Heat sink  404  with connecting finger heat sink elements  602  can be used to dissipate the additionally produced heat with connecting finger elements  302 . Thermal adhesive  408  can be used to secure finger elements  302  to finger heat sink elements  602 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 7  depicts an isometric front view of an integrated cooling shell with mounting clips on an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0030]    In this exemplary embodiment, integrated cooling shell  104  contains two mounting clips  702 . Mounting clips  702  can be used on pick and place machines for mounting electronic component package  100  on circuit boards. Typically, the number of mounting clips  702  used can depend on the weight of electronic component package  100 . For example, a heavier electronic component package  100  may need additional mounting clips  702  to support the weight when being transferred to a circuit board during the assembly. The shape of mounting clips  702  can be dependent on the pick and place machine since different pick and place machines have different methods of mounting electronic components. 
         [0031]      FIG. 8  depicts an isometric front view of an integrated cooling shell with an electronic device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0032]    In this embodiment, integrated cooling shell  104  is comprised of first portion  802  and second portion  804  separated by first plane  806 . First portion  802  contains extruding angular elements  106  and second portion  804  contains extruding elements  814 . In this example, extruding elements  814  have a triangular cross-sectional shape similar in shape to both extruding angular elements  106  and angular heat sink elements  406 . In other examples, extruding elements  814  can have a rectangular cross-sectional shape. Second portion  804  of integrated cooling shell  104  is connected to base  816  of integrated cooling shell  104 . Heat sink  404  is comprised of first portion  808  and second portion  810  separated by second plane  812 . Second portion  810  contains angular heat sink elements  406  wherein thermal adhesive  408  is used to attach angular heat sink elements  406  of second portion  810  to extruding angular elements  106  of first portion  802 . Extruding angular elements  106  and angular heat sink elements  406  are aligned substantially parallel to one and other when heat sink  404  is mounted to integrated cooling shell  104 . 
         [0033]    The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting to the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. 
         [0034]    Having described preferred embodiments of a heat sink for an Integrated Circuit (IC) package (which are intended to be illustrative and not limiting), it is noted that modifications and variations may be made by persons skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that changes may be made in the particular embodiments disclosed which are within the scope of the invention as outlined by the appended claims.