Heat spreading cloths

Abstract

Heat spreading cloths, associated devices, systems, and methods can include a plurality of attached polymeric fibers that are thermally conductive and electrically insulative. The heat spreading cloth can be configured to couple an electronic component thereto in a heat spreading relationship.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat spreading cloth, comprising:
 a plurality of attached polymeric fibers, said polymeric fibers being thermally conductive and electrically insulative; and   an electronics area configured to thermally couple to an electronic device in a heat spreading relationship.   
     
     
         2 . The heat spreading cloth of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of polymeric fibers includes a thermoplastic polymeric fiber. 
     
     
         3 . The heat spreading cloth of  claim 2 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer fiber includes polyamide, polybenzimidazole, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The heat spreading cloth of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of polymeric fibers includes aligned polymeric fibers having a high degree of molecular alignment to provide the aligned polymeric fibers with a thermal conductivity of at least 10 times the thermal conductivity of the unaligned polymeric fibers. 
     
     
         5 . The heat spreading cloth of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers have a linear mass density of from 10 denier to 6000 denier. 
     
     
         6 . The heat spreading cloth of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers are attached by interweaving the polymeric fibers. 
     
     
         7 . The heat spreading cloth of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of carrier fibers. 
     
     
         8 . The heat spreading cloth of  claim 7 , wherein the carrier fibers are either natural fibers or synthetic fibers. 
     
     
         9 . The heat spreading cloth of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of polymeric fibers comprises at least 20 wt % of the heat spreading cloth. 
     
     
         10 . The heat spreading cloth of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers are attached by fusing a portion of the plurality of polymeric fibers together or to a carrier fiber. 
     
     
         11 . The heat spreading cloth of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers have a thermal conductivity of at least 5 watts per meter kelvin (W/m-K). 
     
     
         12 . The heat spreading cloth of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers have a dielectric strength of at least 10 kV/cm. 
     
     
         13 . The heat spreading cloth of  claim 1 , wherein the electronics area is marked for placement of an electronic device. 
     
     
         14 . The heat spreading cloth of  claim 1 , wherein the electronics area is substantially free of a carrier fiber. 
     
     
         15 . The heat spreading cloth of  claim 1 , wherein the electronics area includes carrier fiber in an amount from about 0 wt % to about 50 wt % of a carrier fiber. 
     
     
         16 . The heat spreading cloth of  claim 1 , wherein the electronics area is an area having an effective heat spreading weave or orientation of the polymeric fibers. 
     
     
         17 . The heat spreading cloth of  claim 1 , wherein the electronics area is an area of the heat spreading cloth including a polymeric material suitable for attachment of the electronic device thereto via sintering. 
     
     
         18 . The heat spreading cloth of  claim 1 , wherein the electronics area is disposed at a perimeter of the heat spreading cloth. 
     
     
         19 . The heat spreading cloth of  claim 1 , wherein the electronics area is disposed at a central location of the heat spreading cloth. 
     
     
         20 . A method of manufacturing a heat spreading cloth, comprising:
 attaching a plurality of polymeric fibers, said polymeric fibers being thermally conductive and electrically insulative; and   forming an electronics area of the heat spreading cloth, said electronics area being configured to thermally couple to an electronic device in a heat spreading relationship.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein attaching includes interweaving the polymeric fibers. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein attaching includes attaching the polymeric fibers to a plurality of carrier fibers. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the plurality of polymeric fibers comprises at least 20 wt % of the heat spreading cloth. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein attaching includes fusing a portion of the plurality of polymeric fibers together or to a carrier fiber. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein forming includes preparing an effective heat spreading weave or orientation of the polymeric fibers. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein forming includes marking the electronics area for placement of the electronic device.