Patent ID: 8493738

Claim:
A cooled electronic system comprising: an electronic assembly, the electronic assembly comprising: an electronics card comprising a first surface and a second surface on opposite sides of the electronics card; a socket with a latch at one end of the socket, the latch facilitating latching of the electronics card within the socket or unlatching of the electronics card from the socket; a cooling apparatus, the cooling apparatus comprising: a liquid-cooled structure disposed at the one end of the socket, the liquid-cooled structure comprising a thermally conductive structure with at least one coolant-carrying channel extending therein; and a thermal spreader coupling the electronics card to the liquid-cooled structure and facilitating conduction of heat from the electronics card to the liquid-cooled structure, the thermal spreader comprising: a first thermal transfer plate and a second thermal transfer plate, the first thermal transfer plate comprising a first thermal conduction surface and the second thermal transfer plate comprising a second thermal conduction surface, the first thermal conduction surface and the second thermal conduction surface being in spaced, opposing relation and configured to accommodate the electronics card therebetween with the first thermal conduction surface coupled to the first surface of the electronics card and the second thermal conduction surface coupled to the second surface of the electronics card, and wherein the first thermal transfer plate and the second thermal transfer plate each comprises a first end edge and a second end edge; a first thermally conductive extension extending from the first end edge of the first thermal transfer plate, and a second thermally conductive extension extending from one of the first end edge or the second end edge of the second thermal transfer plate, the first thermally conductive extension coupling the first thermal transfer plate to the liquid-cooled structure, and wherein the first thermally conductive extension is disposed at a first side of the latch at the one end of the socket of the electronic assembly, the latch comprising opposite first and second sides, and wherein the latch is accessible and facilitates securing the electronics card within the socket or removal of the electronics card from the socket without removing at least one of the liquid-cooled structure or the thermal spreader; wherein the second thermally conductive extension extends from the first end edge of the second thermal transfer plate and couples the second thermal transfer plate to the liquid-cooled structure, and wherein the second thermally conductive extension is disposed at the second side of the latch at the one end of the socket of the electronic assembly; and wherein the thermal spreader further comprises a connecting flange connecting the first thermally conductive extension and the second thermally conductive extension where physically attached to an upper surface of the liquid-cooled structure.