US 11,778,786 B2
Thermal bridge for an electrical component
Alan Weir Bucher, Manheim, PA (US)
Assigned to TE CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS GmbH, Schaffhausen (CH)
Filed by TE Connectivity Services GmbH, Schaffhausen (CH)
Filed on Dec. 22, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/558,655.
Prior Publication US 2023/0200020 A1, Jun. 22, 2023
Int. Cl. H05K 7/20 (2006.01); F28F 3/06 (2006.01); H05K 1/02 (2006.01)
CPC H05K 7/20445 (2013.01) [F28F 3/06 (2013.01); H05K 1/0203 (2013.01); H05K 7/2049 (2013.01); H05K 7/20472 (2013.01); H05K 2201/06 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A thermal bridge comprising:
an upper bridge assembly including a plurality of upper plates arranged in an upper plate stack, each upper plate having a front end and a rear end, each upper plate having sides between the front end and the rear end, each upper plate having an inner end and an outer end;
a lower bridge assembly including a plurality of lower plates arranged in a lower plate stack, each lower plate having a front end and a rear end, each lower plate having sides between the front end and the rear end, each lower plate having an inner end and an outer end, the outer ends of the lower plates configured to face and thermally couple to an electrical component, the sides of the lower plates facing the sides of the upper plates to thermally interface the lower plates with the upper plates;
a spring element positioned between the upper bridge assembly and the lower bridge assembly, the spring element including an upper spring member engaging the upper plates to bias the upper plates with an opening force generally away from the lower plates, the spring element including a lower spring member engaging the lower plates to bias the lower plates with an opening force generally away from the upper plates;
wherein the upper plates and the lower plates are arranged in plate pairs, the spring element forcing the upper plates and the lower plates of the plate pairs apart, the upper plates including upper limit tabs, the lower plates including lower limit tabs, the upper limit tabs and the lower limit tabs operating to limit spreading apart of the upper plates and the lower plates against the opening forces of the spring element.