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EP-3886157-B1 - ACTIVE LOADING MECHANISM

EP3886157B1EP 3886157 B1EP3886157 B1EP 3886157B1EP-3886157-B1

Inventors

  • Grau, Iwan Ricardo
  • EWY, ERICH NOLAN

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20210226

Claims (13)

  1. An active loading mechanism (120a) comprising: shape memory material; and a heat sink (106f) over a heat source (104h), wherein the active loading mechanism (120a) is configured to allow a gap (134) to be created between the heat source (104h) and the heat sink (106f) when the shape memory material is not activated, whereby the heat sink (106f) is thermally decoupled from the heat source (104h) when the shape memory material is not activated and wherein the heat sink (106f) is thermally coupled to the heat source (104h) when the shape memory material is activated.
  2. The active loading mechanism of Claim 1, further comprising a securing mechanism (148), wherein the securing mechanism (148) secures the active loading mechanism (120a) to a printed circuit board (118).
  3. The active loading mechanism (120a) of any one of Claims 1 or 2, wherein the active loading mechanism (120a) is activated when a temperature of the heat source (104h) satisfies a threshold temperature.
  4. The active loading mechanism (120a) of any of Claims 1-3, wherein the threshold temperature is above a minimum operating temperature of the heat source (104h).
  5. An electronic device comprising: a heat source (104h); and the active loading mechanism (120a) of Claim 1.
  6. The electronic device of Claim 5, wherein the active loading mechanism (120a) is activated when a temperature of the heat source (104h) satisfies a threshold temperature.
  7. The electronic device of Claim 6, wherein the threshold temperature is above a minimum operating temperature of the heat source (104h).
  8. The electronic device of any one of Claims 5-7, wherein the active loading mechanism (120a) is activated by resistive heating from an electrical current.
  9. The electronic device of any one of Claims 5-8, wherein the active loading mechanism includes shape memory material.
  10. The electronic device of Claim 9, wherein the shape memory material is a Nickel-Titanium alloy.
  11. A method comprising: determining if a temperature of a heat source (104h) satisfies a threshold, wherein the heat source (104h) is thermally decoupled from a heat sink (106f); and activating an active loading mechanism (120a) when the temperature of the heat source (104h) satisfies the threshold, wherein the active loading mechanism (120a) is coupled to the heat sink (106f) and when the active loading mechanism (120a) is activated, the heat sink (106f) is thermally coupled to the heat source (104h), wherein a gap (134) is created between heat sink (106f) and heat source (104h) when the active loading mechanism (120a) is not activated.
  12. The method of Claim 11, further comprising: deactivating the active loading mechanism (120a) to thermally decouple the heat source (104h) and the heat sink (106f) when the temperature of the heat source (104h) does not satisfy the threshold.
  13. The method of any one of Claims 11 or 12, wherein the active loading mechanism (120a) is activated by heat from the heat source (104h).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates in general to the field of computing and/or device cooling, and more particularly, to an activate loading mechanism. BACKGROUND Emerging trends in systems place increasing performance demands on the system. The increasing demands can cause the system to operate in a cold environment where it can be difficult to bring the system or portions of the system (e.g., a processor) up to an operating temperature. The increasing demands can also cause thermal increases in the system. The thermal increases can cause a reduction in device performance, a reduction in the lifetime of a device, and delays in data throughput. US2019/0246488A1 discloses an electronic device that can be configured to enable an active loading mechanism. The electronic device can include a printed circuit board, a heat source located on the printed circuit board, and an active loading mechanism secured to the printed circuit board. The active loading mechanism is over the heat source and includes shape memory material. When the shape memory material is not activated, the active loading mechanism applies a first load on the heat source and when the shape memory material is activated, the active loading mechanism applies a second load on the heat source. According to the invention an active loading device and a method are provided as defined in the independent claims 1, 11. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To provide a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and features and advantages thereof, reference is made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts, in which: FIGURE 1 is a simplified block diagram of a system to enable an active loading mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIGURE 2 is a simplified block diagram of a system to enable an active loading mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIGURE 3A is a simplified block diagram of a system to enable an active loading mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIGURE 3B is a simplified block diagram of a system to enable an active loading mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIGURE 4A is a simplified block diagram of a portion of a system to enable an active loading mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIGURE 4B is a simplified block diagram of a system to enable an active loading mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIGURE 4C is a simplified block diagram of a system to enable an active loading mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIGURE 5A is a simplified block diagram of a system to enable an active loading mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIGURE 5B is a simplified block diagram of a system to enable an active loading mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIGURE 6A is a simplified block diagram of a system to enable an active loading mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIGURE 6B is a simplified block diagram of a system to enable an active loading mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIGURE 7A is a simplified block diagram of a portion of a system to enable an active loading mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIGURE 7B is a simplified block diagram of a portion of a system to enable an active loading mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIGURE 7C is a simplified block diagram of a system to enable an active loading mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIGURE 7D is a simplified block diagram of a system to enable an active loading mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIGURE 8A is a simplified block diagram of a system to enable an active loading mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIGURE 8B is a simplified block diagram of a system to enable an active loading mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIGURE 9A is a simplified block diagram of a portion of a system to enable an active loading mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIGURE 9B is a simplified block diagram of a system to enable an active loading mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIGURE 9C is a simplified block diagram of a system to enable an active loading mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; andFIGURE 10 is a simplified flowchart illustrating potential operations that may be associated with the system in accordance with an embodiment. The FIGURES of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, as their dimensions can be varied consi