Patents by Inventor Thomas J. Brunschwiler

Thomas J. Brunschwiler has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20150155186
    Abstract: A bridging arrangement for coupling a first terminal to a second terminal includes a plurality of particles of a first type forming at least one path between the first terminal and the second terminal, wherein the particles of the first type are attached to each other; a plurality of particles of a second type arranged in a vicinity of a contact region between a first particle of the first type and a second particle of the first type, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of particles of the second type is attached to the first particle of the first type and the second particle of the first type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas J. Brunschwiler, Javier V. Goicochea, Cyrill Kuemin, Walter H. Riess, Heiko Wolf
  • Patent number: 8951445
    Abstract: A bridging arrangement for coupling a first terminal to a second terminal includes a plurality of particles of a first type forming at least one path between the first terminal and the second terminal, wherein the particles of the first type are attached to each other; a plurality of particles of a second type arranged in a vicinity of a contact region between a first particle of the first type and a second particle of the first type, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of particles of the second type is attached to the first particle of the first type and the second particle of the first type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Brunschwiler, Javier V. Goicochea, Cyrill Kuemin, Walter H. Riess, Heiko Wolf
  • Patent number: 8937810
    Abstract: Cooled electronic assemblies, and a method of decoupling a cooled electronic assembly, are provided. In one embodiment, the assembly includes a coolant-cooled electronic module with one or more electronic components and one or more coolant-carrying channels integrated within the module and configured to facilitate flow of coolant through the module for cooling the electronic component(s). In addition, the assembly includes a coolant manifold structure detachably coupled to the electronic module. The manifold structure, which includes a coolant inlet and outlet in fluid communication with the coolant-carrying channel(s) of the electronic module, facilitates flow of coolant through the coolant-carrying channel, and thus cooling of the electronic component(s). Coolant-absorbent material is positioned at the interface between the electronic module and the manifold structure to facilitate absorbing any excess coolant during a stepwise detaching of the manifold structure from the electronic module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Brunschwiler, Evan G. Colgan, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Werner Escher, Ingmar G. Meijer, Stephan Paredes, Gerd Schlottig, Martin Witzig, Jeffrey A. Zitz
  • Patent number: 8907503
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an underfill in a semiconductor chip stack having a cavity between a first surface and a second surface includes providing at least one access hole in one of the first or second surface; providing at least one vent hole in the one of the first or second surfaces; and applying a viscous filling material through the at least one access hole into the cavity thereby squeezing out air or gas through the at least one vent hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Brunschwiler, Javier V. Goicochea, Stefano S. Oggioni, Gerd Schlottig
  • Publication number: 20140238071
    Abstract: Adsorption heat exchanger devices (11, 25) are provided for use in solid sorption refrigeration systems (1) together with methods for making such devices and adsorbent structures therefor. The methods include applying a curable binder, in solution in a solvent, to granular adsorbent material, and then evaporating the solvent and curing the binder. The curable binder solution is sufficiently dilute that, during evaporation of the solvent, the binder becomes concentrated around contact points between granules (18) of the adsorbent material whereby localized bonds (19) are formed around the contact points on curing of the binder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas J. Brunschwiler, Javier V. Goicochea, Bruno Michel, Patrick Ruch
  • Publication number: 20140198452
    Abstract: Cooled electronic assemblies and methods of fabrication are provided. In one embodiment, the assembly includes a coolant-cooled electronic module with one or more electronic component(s), and one or more coolant-carrying channel(s) integrated within the module, and configured to facilitate flow of coolant through the module for cooling the electronic component(s). In addition, the assembly includes a coolant manifold structure detachably coupled to the electronic module. The manifold structure facilitates flow of coolant to the coolant-carrying channel(s) of the electronic module, and the coolant manifold structure and electronic module include adjoining surfaces. One surface of the adjoining surfaces includes a plurality of coolant capillaries or passages. The coolant capillaries are sized to inhibit, for instance, via surface tension, leaking of coolant therefrom at the one surface with decoupling of the coolant manifold structure and electronic module along the adjoining surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas J. BRUNSCHWILER, Evan G. COLGAN, Michael J. ELLSWORTH, JR., Werner ESCHER, Ingmar MEIJER, Stephen PAREDES, Gerd SCHLOTTIG, Jeffrey A. ZITZ
  • Publication number: 20140078672
    Abstract: Cooled electronic assemblies, and a method of decoupling a cooled electronic assembly, are provided. In one embodiment, the assembly includes a coolant-cooled electronic module with one or more electronic components and one or more coolant-carrying channels integrated within the module and configured to facilitate flow of coolant through the module for cooling the electronic component(s). In addition, the assembly includes a coolant manifold structure detachably coupled to the electronic module. The manifold structure, which includes a coolant inlet and outlet in fluid communication with the coolant-carrying channel(s) of the electronic module, facilitates flow of coolant through the coolant-carrying channel, and thus cooling of the electronic component(s). Coolant-absorbent material is positioned at the interface between the electronic module and the manifold structure to facilitate absorbing any excess coolant during a stepwise detaching of the manifold structure from the electronic module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas J. BRUNSCHWILER, Evan G. COLGAN, Michael J. ELLSWORTH, JR., Werner ESCHER, Ingmar G. MEIJER, Stephan PAREDES, Gerd SCHLOTTIG, Martin WITZIG, Jeffrey A. ZITZ
  • Publication number: 20140071628
    Abstract: A package structure to implement two-phase cooling includes a chip stack disposed on a substrate, and a package lid that encloses the chip stack. The chip stack includes a plurality of conjoined chips, a central inlet manifold formed through a central region of the chip stack, and a peripheral outlet manifold. The central input manifold includes inlet nozzles to feed liquid coolant into flow cavities formed between adjacent conjoined chips. The peripheral outlet manifold outputs heated liquid and vapor from the flow cavities. The package lid includes a central coolant supply inlet aligned to the central inlet manifold, and a peripheral liquid-vapor outlet to output heated liquid and vapor that exits from the peripheral outlet manifold. Guiding walls may be included in the flow cavities to guide a flow of liquid and vapor, and the guiding walls can be arranged to form radial flow channels that are feed by different inlet nozzles of the central inlet manifold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Inventors: Thomas J. Brunschwiler, Evan G. Colgan, John U. Knickerbocker, Bruno Michael, Chin Lee Ong, Cornelia K. Tsang
  • Patent number: 8659898
    Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated circuit stack (1) comprising a plurality of integrated circuit layers (2) and at least one cooling layer (3) arranged in a space between two circuit layers (2). The integrated circuit stack (1) is cooled using a cooling fluid (10) pumped through the cooling layer (3). The invention further relates to a method for configuring of such an integrated circuit stack (1) by optimizing a configuration of the cooling layer (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Brunschwiler, Ryan J. Linderman, Bruno Michel, Hugo E. Rothuizen
  • Publication number: 20140027932
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an underfill in a semiconductor chip stack having a cavity between a first surface and a second surface includes providing at least one access hole in one of the first or second surface; providing at least one vent hole in the one of the first or second surfaces; and applying a viscous filling material through the at least one access hole into the cavity thereby squeezing out air or gas through the at least one vent hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventors: Thomas J. Brunschwiler, Javier V. Goicochea, Stefano S. Oggioni, Gerd Schlottig
  • Patent number: 8413712
    Abstract: A cooling device has a large number of closely spaced impinging jets, adjacent an impingement gap, with parallel return paths for supplying coolant flow for the impinging jets with the least possible pressure drop using an interdigitated, branched hierarchical manifold. Surface enhancement features spanning the impingement gap form U-shaped microchannels between single impinging jets and single outlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Brunschwiler, Urs Kloter, Ryan Joesph Linderman, Bruno Michel, Hugo E. Rothuizen
  • Publication number: 20130062789
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a filling of a gap region. The method includes the steps of: applying a carrier fluid and filler particles in a gap region between a first surface and a second surface; exposing the filler particles to a force field for driving the filler particles towards a preferred direction; and withholding the filler particles in a gap region by using a barrier element for forming a path of attached filler particles between the first surface and the second surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Brunschwiler, Javier V. Goicochea, Heiko Wolf
  • Patent number: 8363402
    Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated circuit stack (1) comprising a plurality of integrated circuit layers (2) and at least one cooling layer (3) arranged in a space between two circuit layers (2). The integrated circuit stack (1) is cooled using a cooling fluid (10) pumped through the cooling layer (3). The invention further relates to a method for optimizing a configuration of such an integrated circuit stack (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Brunschwiler, Ryan J. Linderman, Bruno Michel, Hugo E. Rothuizen
  • Publication number: 20130008632
    Abstract: A flexible, self-contained active multi-phase heat spreader apparatus for cooling electronic components, the heat spreader having fluid sealed between two plates and a pumping mechanism to actuate multi-phase flow of the fluid. Thermal energy from an electronic component in contact with the heat spreader is dissipated from a core region via the working fluid to the entire heat spreader, and then to a heat sink. Surface enhancement features located between the two plates aid transfer of thermal energy from a first metal plate into the fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Brunschwiler, Urs Kloter, Ryan Joesph Linderman, Bruno Michel, Hugo E. Rothuizen
  • Publication number: 20120331433
    Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated circuit stack (1) comprising a plurality of integrated circuit layers (2) and at least one cooling layer (3) arranged in a space between two circuit layers (2). The integrated circuit stack (1) is cooled using a cooling fluid (10) pumped through the cooling layer (3). The invention further relates to a method for optimizing a configuration of such an integrated circuit stack (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas J. Brunschwiler, Ryan J. Linderman, Bruno Michel, Hugo E. Rothuizen
  • Patent number: 8327540
    Abstract: A method for producing a plate with a first face with protrusions confined by first and second grooves includes steps of: etching recessed zones into a plate; depositing a photoresist layer on the plate; forming a passivation layer over the photoresist layer; removing the passivation layer at the bottom of the recessed zones; electroplating metal in the recessed zones; removing the passivation layer; removing the photoresist layer; and removing the semiconductor material to expose the first and second grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bruno Michel, Thomas J. Brunschwiler, Hugo E. Rothuizen, Urs Kloter
  • Publication number: 20120261819
    Abstract: A bridging arrangement for coupling a first terminal to a second terminal includes a plurality of particles of a first type forming at least one path between the first terminal and the second terminal, wherein the particles of the first type are attached to each other; a plurality of particles of a second type arranged in a vicinity of a contact region between a first particle of the first type and a second particle of the first type, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of particles of the second type is attached to the first particle of the first type and the second particle of the first type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas J. Brunschwiler, Javier V. Goicochea, Cyrill Kuemin, Walter H. Riess, Heiko Wolf
  • Patent number: 8107234
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a data center having a plurality of liquid cooled computer systems. The computer systems each include a processor coupled with a cold plate that allows direct liquid cooling of the processor. The cold plate is further arranged to provide adapted flow of coolant to different portions of the processor whereby higher temperature regions receive a larger flow rate of coolant. The flow is variably adjusted to reflect different levels of activity. By maximizing the coolant temperature exiting the computer systems, the system may utilize the free cooling temperature of the ambient air and eliminate the need for a chiller. A data center is further provided that is coupled with a district heating system and heat is extracted from the computer systems is used to offset carbon emissions and reduce the total cost of ownership of the data center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Brunschwiler, Ryan J. Linderman, Bruno Michel, Erich M. Ruetsche
  • Publication number: 20110205708
    Abstract: A plurality of heat-dissipating electronic chips are arranged in a vertical chip stack. The electronic chips have electronic components thereon. A cold plate is secured to a back side of the chip stack. A silicon carrier sandwich, defining a fluid cavity, is secured to a front side of the chip stack. An inlet manifold is configured to supply cooling fluid to the cold plate and the fluid cavity of the silicon carrier sandwich. An outlet manifold is configured to receive the cooling fluid from the cold plate and the fluid cavity of the silicon carrier sandwich. The cold plate, the silicon carrier sandwich, the inlet manifold, and the outlet manifold are configured and dimensioned to electrically isolate the cooling fluid from the electronic components. A method of operating an electronic apparatus and a method of manufacturing an electronic apparatus are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Paul S. Andry, Thomas J. Brunschwiler, Evan G. Colgan, John H. Magerlein
  • Patent number: 8004832
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a data center having a plurality of liquid cooled computer systems. The computer systems each include a processor coupled with a cold plate that allows direct liquid cooling of the processor. The cold plate is further arranged to provide adapted flow of coolant to different portions of the processor whereby higher temperature regions receive a larger flow rate of coolant. The flow is variably adjusted to reflect different levels of activity. By maximizing the coolant temperature exiting the computer systems, the system may utilize the free cooling temperature of the ambient air and eliminate the need for a chiller. A data center is further provided that is coupled with a district heating system and heat is extracted from the computer systems is used to offset carbon emissions and reduce the total cost of ownership of the data center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Brunschwiler, Ryan J. Linderman, Bruno Michel, Erich M. Ruetsche