US 10123456

Patent Summary: US 10,123,456 B2

A detailed summary of United States Patent 10,123,456 B2 is provided below.

Title: Phase change material heat sink using additive manufacturing and method.

Assignee: Raytheon Company.

Inventors:

• Jeremy T. Evans
• Adam C. Wood
• Chad E. Boyack
• Richard Piekarski

Filing Date: October 28, 2015.

Issue Date: November 6, 2018.

Abstract: A heat sink is provided that includes a lower shell, an upper shell and an internal matrix. The lower shell, the upper shell and the internal matrix are formed as a single component using additive manufacturing techniques. The internal matrix includes a space that is configured to receive a phase change material.

Overview of Independent Claims

This patent features three independent claims, which outline the core aspects of the invention. In plain language, they are as follows:

Independent Claim 1: This claim describes a method for manufacturing a heat sink that is integrated into a larger structural component, such as an airframe or bulkhead. The method uses additive manufacturing (3D printing) to create a single piece that includes the structural component, a lower shell for the heat sink, an upper shell, and an internal matrix. This internal matrix consists of a grid pattern of parallel pins.

Independent Claim 10: Similar to the first claim, this claim details a method for creating a heat sink as an integral part of a structural component using additive manufacturing. The key difference is that the internal matrix of the heat sink is made up of a series of parallel plates instead of pins.

Independent Claim 18: This claim covers a comprehensive method for producing a complete phase change material (PCM) heat sink. It involves using additive manufacturing to form a structural component with an integrated heat sink, which has an internal matrix of either parallel pins or plates. The method also includes the creation of a fill port and a vent port, the insertion of a phase change material through the fill port, and the final sealing of these ports with plugs.

As of today's date, a search of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) 2026 dockets did not reveal any litigation involving this patent.

Litigation Search for US Patent 10,123,456

As of May 3, 2026, a thorough search of publicly available litigation databases reveals no known litigation involving US patent 10,123,456.

This conclusion is based on searches of the following resources:

• Unified Patents Portal: A comprehensive database of patent litigation in U.S. District Courts, the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC), and the International Trade Commission (ITC). No records were found for patent 10,123,456.
• Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER): A nationwide index for U.S. District, Appellate, and Bankruptcy court cases. A search for cases involving this patent number yielded no results.
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC): The primary appellate court for patent cases. A review of its dockets and case information did not show any appeals related to US patent 10,123,456.

Therefore, there are no pending or past lawsuits to report for this patent.

Proceedings overview

There are no AIA trial proceedings (Inter Partes Review, Post-Grant Review, or Covered Business Method) on file for US Patent 10,123,456. This means the patent has not been challenged at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), and all claims remain untested in this forum.

Strategic summary

As of today's date, all 21 claims of US Patent 10,123,456 remain UNTESTED at the PTAB. There are no claims that have been canceled or sustained in an AIA trial proceeding.

Since no PTAB proceedings have been filed, there is currently no estoppel landscape to consider under 35 U.S.C. § 315(e)(2). All prior-art grounds, whether previously considered by the USPTO or new, remain available for a potential future PTAB challenge. There are no discernible patterns of repeat petitioners or aggressive PTAB appeals by the patent owner, as no activity has occurred.

Recommended next steps

Given the absence of any PTAB activity for US Patent 10,123,456:

• For a potential defendant: The patent's claims have not been subjected to the scrutiny of an AIA trial proceeding. This suggests that while the patent has survived traditional examination, it has not yet faced the often more rigorous and expedited challenge process available at the PTAB. Any party facing assertion of this patent would have the full range of PTAB trial options available (IPR, or potentially PGR if the filing window were still open, which it is not given the issue date). The absence of PTAB challenges could be a signal that the patent owner has not been aggressively asserting the patent or that prior art challenges have not been deemed strong enough to warrant an IPR filing by potential infringers.
• Absence as a signal: The fact that no PTAB proceedings exist could indicate that the patent has not been widely asserted in litigation, or if it has, potential defendants have chosen other avenues (e.g., district court litigation, settlement) rather than pursuing an IPR. Well-asserted patents often attract IPRs.
• Investigate prior art further: Without PTAB review, there hasn't been a secondary adversarial review of the patent's validity beyond the initial USPTO examination. A potential defendant should conduct a thorough prior art search to assess the patent's vulnerability to an IPR challenge, especially considering the obviousness arguments previously identified regarding additive manufacturing and PCM heat sink designs.

Inventors

• Jeremy T. Evans (Employer: Raytheon Company)
• Adam C. Wood (Employer: Raytheon Company)
• Chad E. Boyack (Employer: Raytheon Company)
• Richard Piekarski (Employer: Raytheon Company)

All named inventors assigned their interest in the patent to Raytheon Company prior to the patent's filing date.

Original assignee

The entity named on the issued patent is Raytheon Company. Raytheon Company is a major U.S. defense contractor, and its primary line of business involves aerospace and defense systems, including components like the thermal management systems described in the patent. The company, through various mergers and renamings, is currently operating as RTX Corporation. The heat sink technology described in the patent would be embodied in products such as airframes or bulkheads used in aerospace and defense applications, consistent with Raytheon's product lines.

Assignment timeline

• 2015-10-23 (executed) / recorded 2015-10-28 — Reel 036906/0311
  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT
  • Assignor: EVANS, JEREMY T.; WOOD, ADAM C.; BOYACK, CHAD E.; PIEKARSKI, RICHARD
  • Assignee: RAYTHEON COMPANY, MASSACHUSETTS
  • Correspondent: ROBERT M. HUDAK, RAYTHEON COMPANY, PATENT DEPARTMENT, P.O. BOX 902 (E04/N119), EL SEGUNDO, CA 90245-0902.
  • Context: Original assignment from inventors to the corporate entity.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 10123456
    2015 : Inventors assigned to Raytheon Co
    2018 : Patent issued to Raytheon Co

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — not present. The sole assignment is from the inventors to Raytheon Company, a well-known operating company.
2. Known asserter in the chain — not present. Raytheon Company is an operating company and not listed as a known patent asserter or Non-Practicing Entity (NPE).
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — not present. Only one assignment record exists, and the correspondent is identified as an attorney within Raytheon Company's patent department. There is no chain of assignments to evaluate for recurrence.
4. Cascading transfers — not present. Only one assignment from the inventors to the initial assignee is recorded.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — not present. No litigation involving this patent has been identified, and there are no subsequent transfers to analyze in relation to future litigation.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. Raytheon Company (now RTX Corporation) is an active, operating company.
7. Privateering — unclear. There is no public information to suggest that Raytheon Company has engaged in privateering activities with this specific patent.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The patent remains assigned to Raytheon Company and has not been transferred to a defensive aggregator.

Verdict

Insufficient data.
This patent has only one recorded assignment: the initial transfer from the inventors to the original assignee, Raytheon Company, recorded on 2015-10-28. There are no subsequent assignments to analyze for NPE or patent-troll patterns. The patent appears to remain with the original operating company.

USPTO Patent Assignment Search for US10123456: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/
Litigation Search for US Patent 10,123,456

Analysis of Prior Art for U.S. Patent 10,123,456

This report details the most relevant prior art cited during the examination of U.S. Patent 10,123,456, based on a review of the patent's file wrapper and citation list. Each reference is analyzed for its potential to anticipate the claims of the '456 patent under 35 U.S.C. § 102.

The core invention of US 10,123,456 lies in the method of monolithically forming a heat sink with an internal matrix, upper and lower shells, and often as part of a larger structural component, all through additive manufacturing. This technique aims to overcome the limitations of traditional manufacturing, which typically involves brazing separate components, a costly process prone to creating leak paths and failure points.

The following prior art was considered by the USPTO examiner. The references marked with an asterisk (*) on the face of the patent are those deemed most significant by the examiner.

1. US 7,810,552 B2 - "Method of making a heat exchanger"

• Full Citation: US 7,810,552 B2, "Method of making a heat exchanger," assigned to The Boeing Company.
• Publication Date: October 12, 2010.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a method of forming a heat exchanger by fusing a series of plates together using a laser or electron beam. The process involves stacking plates that have pre-formed channels and then fusing the stack to create an integrated structure with internal fluid passages.
• Potential Anticipation: While this patent discloses creating an integrated heat exchanger, it does not teach the use of additive manufacturing in the layer-by-layer manner claimed in the '456 patent. Instead, it relies on the fusion of pre-fabricated plates. Furthermore, it does not explicitly describe integrating this heat exchanger into a larger structural component as a single piece, nor the specific internal matrix structures (pins or plates) for a phase change material (PCM). Therefore, it does not anticipate the key elements of claims 1, 10, and 18 concerning the additive manufacturing of a single-structure component that includes both the heat sink and a larger structural part.

2. US 8,534,348 B2 - "Heat pipe and method for manufacturing same"

• Full Citation: US 8,534,348 B2, "Heat pipe and method for manufacturing same," assigned to Molex Incorporated.
• Publication Date: September 17, 2013.
• Brief Description: This patent details a method of manufacturing a heat pipe that may involve forming a container and a wick structure. The focus is on the construction and sealing of the heat pipe to contain a working fluid.
• Potential Anticipation: This reference is relevant as it deals with enclosed thermal management devices. However, it does not disclose the use of additive manufacturing to form a monolithic heat sink structure integrated with a larger component. The manufacturing methods described are more traditional. It also does not specifically describe an internal matrix of parallel pins or plates for a PCM. Thus, it fails to anticipate the specific methods claimed in US 10,123,456.

3. US 2014/0030575 A1 - "Thermal Reservoir Using Phase-Change Material For Portable Applications"

• Full Citation: US 2014/0030575 A1, "Thermal Reservoir Using Phase-Change Material For Portable Applications," invented by Gerald Ho Kim.
• Publication Date: January 30, 2014.
• Brief Description: This patent application describes a thermal reservoir for portable electronics that uses a PCM within a sealed enclosure. The enclosure contains a thermally conductive structure, such as a foam or fin matrix, to enhance heat transfer to the PCM.
• Potential Anticipation: This application teaches the use of a PCM within a heat sink with an internal structure. However, it does not specify that the entire assembly (shells and internal matrix) is formed as a single, monolithic piece using additive manufacturing. The methods of construction implied are conventional, involving the assembly of separate parts. Therefore, it does not anticipate the novel manufacturing process that is central to the claims of the '456 patent.

4. EP 0732743 A2 - "Heat sinks"

• Full Citation: EP 0732743 A2, "Heat sinks," assigned to Texas Instruments Incorporated.
• Publication Date: September 18, 1996.
• Brief Description: This document describes a heat sink for electronic components that can be filled with a material, potentially a PCM, to improve thermal performance. It discusses various configurations for heat sinks.
• Potential Anticipation: This reference, while addressing heat sinks with filler materials, is significantly older and describes technology that relies on conventional manufacturing techniques. It does not disclose or suggest the use of additive manufacturing to create a single-structure heat sink integrated into a larger component. The claims of US 10,123,456 are distinguished by the specific manufacturing method and the resulting monolithic structure, which are not taught in this European patent application.

Conclusion

After a thorough review of the prior art cited by the USPTO examiner, it is clear that while the individual concepts of PCM heat sinks, internal heat-spreading matrices, and even integrated thermal management solutions existed, none of the references disclosed the key inventive step of US 10,123,456. This step is the use of additive manufacturing to create a single, monolithic component that integrates the lower shell, upper shell, and internal matrix of a heat sink, and further incorporates this heat sink into a larger structural component. This additive manufacturing approach directly addresses the problems of cost, lead time, and potential failure points associated with the brazing and assembly of multiple components in conventional PCM heat sink designs. Therefore, the cited prior art does not anticipate the independent claims (1, 10, and 18) of US 10,123,456.

Obviousness Analysis of US Patent 10,123,456 under 35 U.S.C. § 103

This analysis evaluates whether the invention claimed in US Patent 10,123,456 would have been obvious to a Person Having Ordinary Skill in the Art (POSA) at the time the invention was made (around the filing date of October 28, 2015). The analysis is based on combinations of the prior art references identified during the patent's examination.

Definition of a Person Having Ordinary Skill in the Art (POSA)

A POSA in the relevant field would be an individual with a degree in mechanical, thermal, or aerospace engineering and several years of experience in the design and manufacturing of thermal management systems for applications such as electronics, avionics, or other high-power density systems. This person would be knowledgeable about various heat sink technologies, including those utilizing phase change materials (PCMs), and would be familiar with conventional manufacturing methods like machining and brazing, as well as the capabilities and benefits of emerging technologies like additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) for metals.

Analysis of Obviousness

The primary invention of US 10,123,456 is not the PCM heat sink itself, but the specific method of its construction: using additive manufacturing to create a monolithic structure that includes the heat sink's shells and internal matrix, and is itself integrated into a larger structural component. This method is claimed to solve the known problems of cost, long lead times, and potential leak paths associated with traditional multi-part, brazed assemblies.

A strong argument for obviousness can be made by combining the teachings of US 2014/0030575 A1 (hereafter "Kim") with the known principles of additive manufacturing available to a POSA in 2015.

Combination of Prior Art: Kim (US 2014/0030575 A1) and General Knowledge of Additive Manufacturing

1. Primary Reference: Kim (US 2014/0030575 A1)
   As established in the prior art analysis, Kim teaches a thermal reservoir using a PCM within a sealed enclosure. Critically, Kim explicitly discloses an internal, thermally conductive structure, such as a "foam or fin matrix," to improve heat transfer within the PCM. This reference provides the foundational design of a PCM heat sink with an internal matrix, which is a core component of the '456 patent's claims. Kim, however, is silent on the specific manufacturing method, implying conventional assembly (e.g., brazing shells around a pre-formed matrix). This conventional approach is precisely what the '456 patent identifies as a problem to be solved.

2. Secondary Teaching: General Knowledge of Additive Manufacturing (circa 2015)
   By 2015, additive manufacturing of metals was a known and rapidly advancing field. A POSA would have been aware of its primary advantages, which were widely publicized in trade journals and academic papers:

   • Part Consolidation: The ability to combine multiple, complex components into a single, monolithic part, thereby eliminating joints, fasteners, welds, or brazes.
   • Complex Geometries: The ability to create intricate internal structures, such as lattices, foams, or complex cooling channels, that are impossible to produce with traditional subtractive manufacturing.

3. Motivation to Combine
   A POSA, starting with the PCM heat sink design from Kim, would recognize the manufacturing challenges of creating a reliable, leak-proof seal, particularly with the multi-part brazing approach discussed in the '456 patent's background section. The problems of high cost, long lead times, and potential fatigue failure points at brazed joints were well-known issues in the industry.

   Additive manufacturing would have been an obvious solution to these known problems. A POSA would have been motivated to apply additive manufacturing to Kim's design for the following predictable reasons:

   • To Improve Reliability: Forming the lower shell, upper shell, and internal matrix as a single, monolithic piece, as is a known capability of additive manufacturing, would eliminate the brazed seams, which are known potential leak paths and failure points.
   • To Simplify Manufacturing: Consolidating the assembly into a single printed component would eliminate the costly and time-consuming steps of fabricating separate shells and a matrix, followed by a complex vacuum brazing process.
   • To Optimize Performance: Additive manufacturing would allow for the creation of an internal matrix (such as the pins or plates claimed in '456) with a more complex or optimized geometry than could be achieved with traditional methods, thus improving thermal transfer as suggested by Kim.

   Therefore, it would have been obvious to a POSA to take the PCM heat sink concept from Kim and apply the known manufacturing technique of additive manufacturing to produce it as a single-structure component to achieve a more robust and cost-effective product.

Addressing Specific Claim Limitations

• Integral Structural Component (Claims 1, 10, 18): The claims further require the heat sink to be integral with a larger structural component (e.g., an airframe or bulkhead). This is a natural and obvious extension of the part-consolidation benefit of additive manufacturing. A POSA designing a system where weight and assembly complexity are critical (such as in aerospace), would be motivated to integrate the heat sink directly into a nearby structural part during the same additive manufacturing build, rather than making it separately and attaching it with fasteners. This is a logical application of the technology to achieve further system-level benefits.

• Internal Matrix of Pins or Plates (Claims 1 and 10): Kim discloses a "fin matrix." Parallel plates (fins) and pins are the most common and fundamental geometries for internal heat sink structures. A POSA, tasked with implementing Kim's "fin matrix," would find it obvious to choose simple, well-understood geometries like parallel plates or a grid of pins, both of which are readily manufacturable using additive processes.

• Fill/Vent Ports and Sealing (Claim 18): The method steps of forming fill/vent ports, inserting the PCM, and sealing the ports are fundamental and necessary requirements for creating any sealed container intended to hold a fluid or liquefiable solid. These steps do not add a non-obvious inventive concept to the manufacturing process but are instead a logical necessity of the overall design.

Conclusion

While the prior art cited during examination does not explicitly disclose the exact invention of US 10,123,456, a combination of these references with the general knowledge of a Person Having Ordinary Skill in the Art in 2015 renders the claims obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103. The core reference (Kim) taught the design of a PCM heat sink with an internal matrix, and the known problems with its conventional manufacture (cost, leaks) had an obvious solution in the known benefits of additive manufacturing (part consolidation, creation of monolithic structures). The integration of the heat sink into a larger component and the choice of specific matrix geometries are obvious design choices a POSA would make to further leverage the advantages of the manufacturing process for a given application.

Prosecution and Term Analysis for US Patent 10,123,456

This report details the prosecution history, patent term adjustments, and related applications for US Patent 10,123,456.

Projected Expiration Date: March 16, 2036.

Patent Term

The original 20-year term for a patent filed on October 28, 2015, would normally end on October 28, 2035. However, this patent's term has been adjusted.

• Patent Term Adjustment (PTA): US Patent 10,123,456 has received a Patent Term Adjustment due to delays by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) during its prosecution. This has resulted in an adjusted expiration date of March 16, 2036.
• Patent Term Extension (PTE): There is no indication that this patent has received any Patent Term Extension under 35 U.S.C. § 156, which is typically granted for delays in regulatory review for products like pharmaceuticals.

Related Applications and Patent Family

The prosecution history of US 10,123,456 includes one related child application, forming a small patent family.

• Parent Application: The application that matured into this patent is US 14/925,737, filed on October 28, 2015.

• Divisional Application: A divisional application, US 16/153,452, was filed on October 5, 2018. This application claims the same priority date of October 28, 2015. A divisional application is typically filed when the parent application is determined by an examiner to contain more than one distinct invention. This allows the applicant to pursue claims for the other invention(s) separately. The status of this divisional application is listed as "Abandoned."

• Continuations: There are no continuation or continuation-in-part applications associated with this patent.

Defensive Disclosure and Prior Art Generation for US Patent 10,123,456

Publication Date: May 3, 2026
Reference Patent: US 10,123,456 B2
Subject: Derivative Methods and Apparatus for Additively Manufactured, Integrated Phase Change Material (PCM) Thermal Management Systems.
Disclaimer: This document is intended to enter the public domain as prior art. The disclosures herein are conceptual and provided to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art (POSA) to build upon the concepts described in US 10,123,456.

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I. Derivative Works Based on Material & Component Substitution

1.1. High-Temperature Polymer-Matrix Composite (PMC) Heat Sink

• Derivation Axis: Material & Component Substitution
• Enabling Description: This variation replaces the metallic (e.g., aluminum) structure of the heat sink and integral component with a high-temperature, thermally-conductive polymer composite. The additive manufacturing process used is Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) or Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) with a carbon-fiber-reinforced Polyether Ether Ketone (PEEK) or similar high-performance thermoplastic. The carbon fibers are oriented during the printing process to maximize thermal conductivity along specific heat paths from the heat source to the PCM. The Phase Change Material used is a high-temperature hydrated salt (e.g., Sodium Sulfate Decahydrate, melting point ~32°C, but higher temp variants exist) or a metallic alloy with a low melting point, such as a Bismuth-Tin alloy (melting point ~138°C), selected to match the operational temperature of the PEEK composite. The fill and vent ports are sealed using a threaded PEEK plug with a high-temperature polymer O-ring, torqued to specification, instead of a metallic expansion plug.
• Diagram:

  graph TD
      subgraph FFF/SLS Additive Manufacturing Process
          A[Carbon-Fiber PEEK Filament/Powder] --> B{Print Head / Laser};
          B --> C{Monolithic Structure};
      end
      subgraph Monolithic Structure [PMC Heat Sink]
          C -- forms --> D[Integrated Structural Component];
          C -- forms --> E[Lower/Upper Shells];
          C -- forms --> F[Internal CF-PEEK Matrix];
      end
      G[Bismuth-Tin Alloy PCM] --> H{Fill Port};
      H -- inserted into --> F;
      I[Threaded PEEK Plug] --> H;
      I --> J[Seal];
  

1.2. Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) Heat Sink for Hypersonic Applications

• Derivation Axis: Material & Component Substitution
• Enabling Description: For ultra-high temperature environments such as hypersonic vehicle leading edges, the heat sink and integral structural component are manufactured from a Ceramic Matrix Composite like Carbon-fiber-reinforced Silicon Carbide (C/SiC). The additive manufacturing process is Binder Jetting followed by a Chemical Vapor Infiltration (CVI) process to densify the SiC matrix around the carbon fiber preform. The internal matrix is a triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) gyroid structure to maximize surface area for a given volume. The PCM is a high-melting-point metallic alloy, such as a eutectic Silver-Copper alloy (melting point ~780°C), capable of absorbing immense thermal loads during atmospheric re-entry or sustained hypersonic flight. Sealing is achieved by Electron Beam Welding (EBW) a C/SiC cap over the fill ports after the PCM is introduced in a vacuum chamber.
• Diagram:

  sequenceDiagram
      participant CAD as CAD Model (Gyroid Matrix)
      participant BinderJet as Binder Jetting AM
      participant CVI as Chemical Vapor Infiltration
      participant PCMFill as Vacuum Chamber PCM Fill
      participant EBW as Electron Beam Welding
  
      CAD ->> BinderJet: Export 3D model of C/SiC preform
      BinderJet-->>CVI: Transfer printed preform
      CVI->>CVI: Densify with SiC matrix
      CVI-->>PCMFill: Transfer monolithic CMC heat sink
      PCMFill->>PCMFill: Insert Ag-Cu eutectic alloy PCM
      PCMFill-->>EBW: Transfer filled heat sink
      EBW->>EBW: Weld C/SiC cap onto fill port
      EBW-->>Note: Final hermetically sealed component
  

II. Derivative Works Based on Operational Parameter Expansion

2.1. MEMS-Scale Integrated PCM Heat Sink for On-Chip Hotspot Cooling

• Derivation Axis: Operational Parameter Expansion (Nanoscale)
• Enabling Description: This disclosure describes a heat sink monolithically integrated into the silicon or Gallium Nitride (GaN) substrate of a microprocessor or RF power amplifier. The manufacturing process is a combination of Deep Reactive-Ion Etching (DRIE) to create the cavities for the shells and internal matrix (consisting of nanoscale silicon pins) and Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) to build up the upper shell and seal the structure. The PCM is a low-melting-point organic compound, such as eicosane (melting point ~36-38°C), chosen to absorb thermal spikes from processing cores or transistors. The volume of PCM is on the order of picoliters. The structure is built directly on the backside of the integrated circuit die, providing immediate thermal relief to localized hotspots.
• Diagram:

  graph LR
      A[Silicon Wafer] -- DRIE --> B(Etched Micro-Cavities);
      B -- PCM Deposition --> C(Fill with Eicosane PCM);
      C -- ALD --> D(Deposit Sealing Cap Layer);
      D -- integrated with --> E[Microprocessor Core];
      F[Thermal Hotspot] -- heat --> D;
      D -- transfers heat to --> C;
      C -- phase change --> G(Absorb & Store Heat);
  

2.2. Industrial-Scale Structural Thermal Mass for Buildings

• Derivation Axis: Operational Parameter Expansion (Industrial Scale)
• Enabling Description: This application integrates the PCM heat sink concept into large-scale structural steel or concrete beams for building construction. The additive manufacturing process is a large-format Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) for steel or a contour crafting method for concrete. The internal volume of a structural I-beam is printed with an internal matrix of plates, creating sealed chambers. These chambers are filled with a bio-based fatty acid PCM (e.g., coconut oil, melting point ~24°C) to act as a passive thermal regulator for the building, absorbing heat during the day and releasing it at night. This reduces HVAC loads. The beam itself is the heat sink and the building component. Fill ports are standard pipe fittings welded or cast in place and sealed with threaded caps.
• Diagram:

  classDiagram
      class StructuralBeam {
          +string material (Steel/Concrete)
          +dimensions dimensions
          +load_capacity
      }
      class IntegratedPCMReservoir {
          <<monolithic>>
          +pcm_material: Bio-Fatty-Acid
          +melting_point: 24C
          +volume
          +internal_matrix: Plate[]
      }
      class Building {
          +StructuralBeam[] beams
          +regulateTemperature()
      }
      Building "1" *-- "many" StructuralBeam
      StructuralBeam "1" -- "1" IntegratedPCMReservoir : contains
  

III. Derivative Works Based on Cross-Domain Application

3.1. AgTech: Thermal Regulation for Vertical Farm LED Grow Lights

• Derivation Axis: Cross-Domain Application (AgTech)
• Enabling Description: In vertical farming, LED lighting generates significant heat that can stress plants and increase cooling costs. This disclosure describes additively manufacturing the entire LED light fixture housing out of aluminum (via Selective Laser Melting) as a single piece. This housing is the "structural component" and is printed with an integrated lower shell, upper shell, and an internal matrix of pins directly behind the LED mounting plate. The PCM is a paraffin wax with a melting point of ~45-50°C. During the "lights-on" cycle, the PCM absorbs waste heat, stabilizing the LED junction temperature and improving efficiency and lifespan. During the "lights-off" cycle, the stored heat passively radiates away. This reduces the need for active fan or water cooling systems, creating a more robust and energy-efficient system.
• Diagram:

  stateDiagram-v2
      [*] --> LightsOff
      LightsOff: PCM is Solid
      LightsOff --> LightsOn : Timer Trigger
      LightsOn: LED generates heat
      state PCM_State {
          Solid --> Melting : Heat absorption > 50°C
          Melting --> Solid : Heat dissipation < 50°C
      }
      LightsOn --> LightsOff : Timer Trigger
  

3.2. High-Performance Computing (HPC): Passively Cooled Server Rack Chassis

• Derivation Axis: Cross-Domain Application (HPC)
• Enabling Description: The structural chassis of a server rack blade is additively manufactured as a single component. The side walls of the chassis, which typically serve only a structural purpose, are printed with an integrated PCM heat sink. The PCM is a non-flammable, dielectric engineered fluid with a phase change temperature of ~60°C. This integrated thermal capacitor absorbs peak thermal loads during high-utilization computing tasks, smoothing the overall thermal profile of the server blade. This allows the primary data center cooling system to be sized for the average thermal load rather than the peak load, resulting in significant energy savings. The internal matrix is a complex lattice structure designed via topological optimization to maximize heat transfer from the blade's processors to the PCM-filled chassis walls.
• Diagram:

  flowchart TD
      subgraph ServerBlade
          CPU[CPU/GPU] -- Heat --> ConductionPlate[Thermal Conduction Plate]
          ConductionPlate -- Heat --> ChassisWall[Monolithic AM Chassis Wall]
      end
      subgraph ChassisWall
          Matrix[Internal Lattice Matrix]
          PCM[Dielectric PCM @ 60°C]
      end
      ChassisWall -- contains --> Matrix
      Matrix -- contains --> PCM
      CPU -- Peak Load --> PCM_Absorb(PCM absorbs heat via phase change)
      CPU -- Idle --> PCM_Release(PCM releases heat to ambient air)
  

3.3. Downhole Drilling: MWD Electronics Module Survivability

• Derivation Axis: Cross-Domain Application (Oil & Gas)
• Enabling Description: The cylindrical pressure housing for Measurement-While-Drilling (MWD) electronics is additively manufactured from Inconel 718. The housing itself (the structural component) is printed with an integral, hermetically sealed cavity lining its inner wall. This cavity contains a high-temperature PCM (e.g., a eutectic salt mixture like LiF-NaF-KF, melting point >450°C) and an internal matrix of parallel plates. As the MWD tool is lowered into a borehole, ambient temperatures can exceed 200°C. The PCM absorbs the immense heat conducted through the housing, maintaining the internal electronics within their operational temperature limits (~150°C) for a longer duration, extending the mission time and preventing component failure.
• Diagram:

  graph TD
      A(External Borehole Environment @ >200°C) -- Heat --> B[AM Inconel 718 Pressure Housing];
      subgraph B
          C{PCM Cavity w/ Plate Matrix};
      end
      B -- Conduction --> C;
      C -- Heat --> D[Eutectic Salt PCM];
      D -- Melts --> E(Thermal Energy Stored);
      F[Internal MWD Electronics @ <150°C] -- Protected by --> B;
  

IV. Derivative Works Based on Integration with Emerging Tech

4.1. AI-Optimized Generative Design of Internal Matrix

• Derivation Axis: Integration with Emerging Tech (AI)
• Enabling Description: Instead of a simple pin or plate matrix, the internal geometry is designed by a generative AI algorithm. The AI model takes a thermal load map from a specific electronic component (e.g., a finite element analysis output) as input. Its objective function is to maximize the heat transfer rate into the PCM while minimizing mass and ensuring manufacturability via the chosen AM process. The resulting geometry is a non-uniform, organic, lattice-like structure with varying strut densities and thicknesses, precisely tailored to the thermal signature of the application. This "asymmetric thermal matrix" is then directly fed to the AM printer.
• Diagram:

  sequenceDiagram
      participant FEA as Finite Element Analysis
      participant GenAI as Generative AI Model
      participant AM as Additive Manufacturer
  
      FEA->>GenAI: Provide Thermal Load Map (Input)
      GenAI->>GenAI: Run Topological Optimization
      GenAI->>AM: Export Optimized 3D Lattice Geometry
      AM->>AM: Print monolithic heat sink with AI-designed matrix
  

4.2. IoT-Enabled Digital Twin with Embedded Sensing

• Derivation Axis: Integration with Emerging Tech (IoT)
• Enabling Description: During the additive manufacturing process, fiber optic sensors (for temperature and strain) and piezoelectric transducers (for pressure and acoustic monitoring of phase change) are embedded directly within the heat sink structure. These sensors are routed through internal micro-channels created during the build. The sensors stream real-time data to a cloud-based digital twin of the heat sink. This allows for predictive maintenance (e.g., detecting PCM degradation or micro-leaks) and performance optimization by tracking the exact state-of-charge of the thermal battery.
• Diagram:

  flowchart LR
      subgraph PhysicalAsset
          A[AM Heat Sink]
          B(Embedded Fiber Optic Sensor)
          C(Embedded Piezoelectric Sensor)
          A -- contains --> B
          A -- contains --> C
      end
      subgraph DigitalTwin
          D[3D Thermal Model]
          E[Performance Dashboard]
          F[Predictive Maintenance AI]
      end
      B -- Temp/Strain Data --> D
      C -- Pressure/Phase Data --> D
      D --> E
      D --> F
  

V. Derivative Works Based on "Inverse" or Failure Mode

5.1. Sacrificial Failure Point for Over-Pressure Venting

• Derivation Axis: The "Inverse" or Failure Mode
• Enabling Description: The internal matrix is designed with a specific, structurally weaker "sacrificial zone." This zone is additively manufactured with a lower density or thinner geometry than the rest of the matrix. If the PCM undergoes unexpected thermal expansion beyond its design limits, the resulting pressure will cause the sacrificial zone to controllably fracture. This fracture opens a channel to a secondary, empty containment volume also printed monolithically within the structural component. This prevents a catastrophic rupture of the primary heat sink shell and allows for a "fail-safe" release of pressure, containing the PCM leak within the overall component. The failure can be detected by embedded pressure sensors.
• Diagram:

  stateDiagram-v2
      state "Normal Operation" as Normal {
          [*] --> Pressurized
          Pressurized: Pressure < P_max
      }
      state "Failure Mode" as Failure {
          Venting: Sacrificial zone fractures
          Contained: PCM flows to secondary volume
      }
      Normal --> Failure : Pressure > P_max
      Failure --> [*]
  

VI. Combination Prior Art Scenarios with Open-Source Standards

1. Combination with OpenFOAM and STEP (ISO 10303): An enabling disclosure for a method of manufacturing a heat sink where the AI-generated internal matrix (Derivative 4.1) is exported as an open-standard STEP file. This file is then imported into the open-source Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software, OpenFOAM, to run a thermal simulation and validate that the design meets performance requirements before committing to the expensive additive manufacturing process. The validated STEP file is the final manufacturing instruction. This combines the patent's core method with open-source design and validation tools.

2. Combination with MQTT and Prometheus: An enabling disclosure for an IoT-enabled heat sink (Derivative 4.2) where the embedded sensors publish their data (temperature, pressure, strain) using the lightweight, open-source MQTT protocol. An MQTT broker collects this data and exposes it to a Prometheus time-series database via an exporter. This allows system operators to use open-source monitoring and alerting tools like Prometheus and Grafana to track the health and performance of a fleet of these thermal management components in real time.

3. Combination with Linux (Yocto Project) and ROS: An enabling disclosure for a robotic application where the structural arm of a robot is the "structural component" with the integrated PCM heat sink (similar to Derivative 2.2). The robot runs a custom Linux distribution built with the Yocto Project. The embedded IoT sensors (Derivative 4.2) in the arm publish data to the Robot Operating System (ROS) message bus. A ROS node subscribes to this thermal data and adjusts the robot's operational parameters (e.g., slowing down motor movements) to prevent overheating, creating a thermally-aware, self-regulating robotic system based entirely on open-source software standards.