High-density computer modules with double-layer packaging

Claim 2

A module for mounting in a computer, comprising: a board; an aperture formed through said board, wherein said aperture extends completely through said board from an upper surface to a lower surface thereof; a chip package mounted to said board substantially within said aperture, said chip package having an upper surface and a lower surface; and a continuous uninterrupted cooling air layer extending from an outer edge of said chip package to an opposite outer edge of said chip package and from said upper surface of said chip package to outwardly beyond said upper surface of said board; wherein cooling air being allowed to flow through said aperture to cool said chip package; and wherein said upper surface and said lower surface of said chip package being left exposed to communicate directly with the cooling air to radiate heat from said chip package to the cooling air.

Claim 3

The module of claim 1 further comprising a second chip package mounted to said board in a substantially spaced relationship with said chip package mounted within said aperture such that said second chip package being disposed above said chip package mounted within said aperture.

Claim 4

The module of claim 2 wherein said chip packages are substantially parallel with each other.

Claim 5

The module of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of chip packages, wherein said board includes a plurality of apertures; each of said apertures having at least one of said chip packages mounted to said board substantially therewithin.

Claim 6

The module of claim 4 wherein each of said apertures has another one of said chip packages mounted to said board in a spaced relationship with said at least one of said chip packages such that said another one of said chip packages being above said at least one of said chip packages.

Claim 7

A module for mounting in an expansion slot of a computer board, said module comprising: a board including an aperture formed therein and an interface for connecting with the expansion slot, wherein said aperture extends completely through said board from an upper surface to a lower surface thereof; a first chip package mounted substantially within said aperture; a second chip package mounted in a substantially parallel-plane arrangement with said first chip package such that said second chip package being disposed directly above said first chip package; and a space defined between said first and second chip packages such that a continuous uninterrupted ambient air layer extends from outer edges of said first and second chip packages to opposite outer edges of said first and second chip packages and in between said first and second chip packages; wherein ambient air being allowed to flow through said aperture to cool said first and second chip packages.

Claim 8

A module for mounting in an expansion slot of a computer board, said module comprising: a board including an aperture formed therein and an interface for connecting with the expansion slot, wherein said aperture extends completely through said board from an upper surface to a lower surface thereof; a first chip package mounted substantially within said aperture; a second chip package mounted in a substantially parallel-plane arrangement with said first chip package such that said second chip package being disposed directly above said first chip package; and a space defined between said first and second chip packages such that a continuous uninterrupted ambient air layer extends from outer edges of said first and second chip packages to opposite outer edges of said first and second chip packages and in between said first and second chip packages; wherein ambient air being allowed to flow through said aperture to cool said first and second chip packages.

Claim 9

The module of claim 6 wherein each of said first chip packages includes a pin arrangement connected to said board.

Claim 10

The module of claim 6 wherein said chip packages are substantially aligned with each other.

Claim 11

The module of claim 6 wherein said board includes a plurality of apertures; each said aperture having a first chip package mounted substantially therewithin and a second chip package mounted in a substantially spaced relationship with said first chip package thereof such that said second chip package being disposed above said first chip package.

Claim 12

The module of claim 9 wherein said chip packages include memory integrated circuits.

Claim 13

The module of claim 6 wherein said board is configured for mounting in the expansion slot of a portable computer.

Claim 14

An article of manufacture for receiving chip packages, each of the chip packages including a pin arrangement, said article of manufacture comprising: a board; an aperture formed in said board and defining a spatial boundary; said aperture being adapted to receive at least one chip package substantially within said spatial boundary thereof with the pin arrangement thereof connected to said board; said aperture extending completely through said board from an upper surface to a lower surface thereof such that ambient air is allowed to flow through said aperture to cool said at least one chip package; and a continuous uninterrupted ambient air layer extending from an outer edge of said at least one chip package to an opposite outer edge of said at least one chip package and from said upper surface of said at least one chip package to outwardly beyond said upper surface of said board; wherein said upper surface and said lower surface of said at least one chip package being left exposed to communicate directly with the ambient air to radiate heat from said at least one chip package to the ambient air.

Claim 15

An article of manufacture for receiving chip packages, each of the chip packages including a pin arrangement, said article of manufacture comprising: a board; an aperture formed in said board and defining a spatial boundary; said aperture being adapted to receive at least one chip package substantially within said spatial boundary thereof with the pin arrangement thereof connected to said board; said aperture extending completely through said board from an upper surface to a lower surface thereof such that ambient air is allowed to flow through said aperture to cool said at least one chip package; and a continuous uninterrupted ambient air layer extending from an outer edge of said at least one chip package to an opposite outer edge of said at least one chip package and from said upper surface of said at least one chip package to outwardly beyond said upper surface of said board; wherein said upper surface and said lower surface of said at least one chip package being left exposed to communicate directly with the ambient air to radiate heat from said at least one chip package to the ambient air.

Claim 16

An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 12 further comprising a plurality of apertures formed in said board; each of said apertures being adapted to receive at least one chip package substantially within said spatial boundary thereof with the pin arrangement thereof connected to said board.

Claim 17

An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 12 wherein said board is a printed circuit board.

Claim 18

A computer comprising: an expansion slot; and a module including: a board including an interface connected to said expansion slot and a plurality of apertures each having a planar boundary, said plurality of apertures extending completely through said board from an upper surface to a lower surface thereof; and a plurality of pairs of chip packages, each of said pairs of chip packages including a first chip package and a second chip package, said first and second chip packages being stack mounted to said board in a substantially spaced relationship with each other and substantially aligned with said planar boundary of said aperture such that said first chip package being disposed below said second chip package; and a space defined between said first and second chip packages such that a continuous uninterrupted cooling air layer extends from outer edges of said first and second chip packages to opposite outer edges of said first and second chip packages and in between said first and second chip packages; wherein cooling air being allowed to flow through said plurality of apertures to cool said plurality of pairs of chip packages; wherein a lower surface of said first chip package being left exposed to communicate directly with the cooling air to radiate heat from said first chip package to the cooling air; and wherein an upper surface of said second chip package being left exposed to communicate directly with the cooling air to radiate heat from said second chip package to the cooling air.

Claim 19

A computer comprising: an expansion slot; and a module including: a board including an interface connected to said expansion slot and a plurality of apertures each having a planar boundary, said plurality of apertures extending completely through said board from an upper surface to a lower surface thereof; and a plurality of pairs of chip packages, each of said pairs of chip packages including a first chip package and a second chip package, said first and second chip packages being stack mounted to said board in a substantially spaced relationship with each other and substantially aligned with said planar boundary of said aperture such that said first chip package being disposed below said second chip package; and a space defined between said first and second chip packages such that a continuous uninterrupted cooling air layer extends from outer edges of said first and second chip packages to opposite outer edges of said first and second chip packages and in between said first and second chip packages; wherein cooling air being allowed to flow through said plurality of apertures to cool said plurality of pairs of chip packages; wherein a lower surface of said first chip package being left exposed to communicate directly with the cooling air to radiate heat from said first chip package to the cooling air; and wherein an upper surface of said second chip package being left exposed to communicate directly with the cooling air to radiate heat from said second chip package to the cooling air.

Claim 22

A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein said board has a length of less than about 3 inches, a width of less than about 2 inches, and a thickness of less than about 0.25 inch.

Claim 23

A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said board has four apertures with each aperture having two chip packages associated therewith.

Claim 24

A module for mounting in a computer, comprising: a board having an upper surface and a lower surface; an aperture formed through said board, wherein said aperture extends completely through said board from said upper surface to said lower surface thereof; and a first chip package and a second chip package mounted to said board partially within said aperture, said first and second chip packages stack mounted in a substantially parallel-plane arrangement such that said first chip package being disposed directly below said second chip package; wherein said first chip package and said second chip package being substantially evenly positioned with respect to said aperture such that a bottom surface of said first chip package extends outwardly beyond said bottom surface of said board about a same distance as a top surface of said second chip package extends outwardly beyond said top surface of said board.

Claim 25

A module for mounting in a computer, comprising: a board having an upper surface and a lower surface; an aperture formed through said board, wherein said aperture extends completely through said board from said upper surface to said lower surface thereof; and a first chip package and a second chip package mounted to said board partially within said aperture, said first and second chip packages stack mounted in a substantially parallel-plane arrangement such that said first chip package being disposed directly below said second chip package; wherein said first chip package and said second chip package being substantially evenly positioned with respect to said aperture such that a bottom surface of said first chip package extends outwardly beyond said bottom surface of said board about a same distance as a top surface of said second chip package extends outwardly beyond said top surface of said board.

Claim 26

The module of claim 19 further comprising a plurality of additional chip packages, wherein said board includes a plurality of apertures; each of said apertures having at least one of said additional chip packages mounted to said board and therewithin.

Claim 27

The module of claim 19 further comprising a space defined between said first and second chip packages such that a continuous uninterrupted cooling air layer extends from outer edges of said first and second chip packages to opposite outer edges of said first and second chip packages and in between said first and second chip packages, wherein cooling air being allowed to flow through said aperture to cool said first and second chip packages.

Claim 28

The module of claim 21 wherein a lower surface of said first chip package being left exposed to communicate directly with the cooling air to radiate heat from said first chip package to the cooling air, and wherein an upper surface of said second chip package being left exposed to communicate directly with the cooling air to radiate heat from said first chip package to the cooling air.

Claim 29

A module for mounting in a computer, comprising: a board having an upper surface and a lower surface; an aperture formed through said board, said aperture extending completely through said board from an upper surface to a lower surface thereof; a first chip package mounted to said board substantially within said aperture, said first chip package having an upper surface and a lower surface; a second chip package stack mounted in a substantially parallel-plane arrangement with said first chip package such that said second chip package being disposed directly above said first chip package; and a third chip package stack mounted in a substantially parallel-plane arrangement with said first chip package such that said third chip package being disposed directly below said first chip package.

Claim 30

A module for mounting in a computer, comprising: a board having an upper surface and a lower surface; an aperture formed through said board, said aperture extending completely through said board from an upper surface to a lower surface thereof; a first chip package mounted to said board substantially within said aperture, said first chip package having an upper surface and a lower surface; a second chip package stack mounted in a substantially parallel-plane arrangement with said first chip package such that said second chip package being disposed directly above said first chip package; and a third chip package stack mounted in a substantially parallel-plane arrangement with said first chip package such that said third chip package being disposed directly below said first chip package.

Claim 31

The module of claim 23 further comprising: a first space defined between said first and second chip packages such that a continuous uninterrupted cooling air layer extends from outer edges of said first and second chip packages to opposite outer edges of said first and second chip packages and in between said first and second chip packages; and a second space defined between said first and third chip packages such that a continuous uninterrupted cooling air layer extends from outer edges of said first and third chip packages to opposite outer edges of said first and third chip packages and in between said first and third chip packages.

Claim 32

The module of claim 24 wherein the space between the first and second chip packages is substantially the same as the space between the first and third chip packages.

Claim 33

The module of claim 23 further comprising a plurality of additional chip packages, wherein said board includes a plurality of apertures; each of said apertures having at least one of said additional chip packages mounted to said board substantially therewithin.

Claim 34

The module of claim 26 wherein each of said apertures has another one of said additional chip packages mounted to said board substantially therewithin.