U.S. patent application number 11/837355 was filed with the patent office on 2009-02-12 for cooler module.
Invention is credited to Tsung-Hsien Huang.
Application Number | 20090038776 11/837355 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40345372 |
Filed Date | 2009-02-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090038776 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Huang; Tsung-Hsien |
February 12, 2009 |
COOLER MODULE
Abstract
A cooler module includes a heat sink formed of a stack of
radiation fins each having a plurality of double-step mounting
holes for allowing quick mounting of the radiation fins by fitting
the annular outer step portions of the double-step mounting holes
of one radiation fin tightly into the annular inner step portions
of the double-step mounting holes of another radiation fin, a base
block tightly fastened to the bottom side of the heat sink, a
plurality of heat pipes tightly fitted into the double-step
mounting holes of the radiation fins to reinforce engagement
between the respective annular outer step portions with the
corresponding annular inner step portions and tightly fitted into
the bottom wall of the base block to secure the heat sink and the
base block firmly together.
Inventors: |
Huang; Tsung-Hsien; (I-Lan
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PAI PATENT & TRADEMARK LAW FIRM
1001 FOURTH AVENUE, SUITE 3200
SEATTLE
WA
98154
US
|
Family ID: |
40345372 |
Appl. No.: |
11/837355 |
Filed: |
August 10, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/80.3 ;
165/104.33 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28F 1/32 20130101; F28F
2275/10 20130101; F28D 15/0275 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/80.3 ;
165/104.33 |
International
Class: |
F28D 15/00 20060101
F28D015/00; F28D 7/00 20060101 F28D007/00 |
Claims
1. A cooler module, comprising a heat sink formed of a stack of
radiation fins, a base block attached to said heat sink, and a
plurality of heat pipes tightly inserted through the radiation fins
of said heat sink and closely attached to said base block, wherein:
said radiation fins each have a plurality of double-step mounting
holes, which receive said heat pipes tightly, said double-step
mounting holes each having an annular inner step portion and an
annular outer step portion, the annular outer step portion of each
of the double-step mounting holes of said radiation fins being
respectively and tightly fitted into the annular inner step portion
of a corresponding double-step mounting hole of respective
neighboring radiation fins; and said heat pipes are respectively
tightly fitted into the double-step mounting holes of said
radiation fins to force the annular outer step portions of the
double-step mounting holes of said radiation fins against the
annular inner step portions of the corresponding double-step
mounting holes of said neighboring radiation fins.
2. The cooler module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the annular
inner step portions of said double-step mounting holes have an
inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the annular outer
step portions of said double-step mounting holes.
3. The cooler module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the annular
outer step portions of said double-step mounting holes have an
inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of said heat
pipes.
4. The cooler module as claimed in claim 1, wherein said heat sink
has a bottom side configured to fit a top wall of said base
block.
5. The cooler module as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a
thermal pad bonded to a bottom wall of said base block to cover
said heat pipes and to hold down said heat pipes in the bottom wall
of said base block.
6. The cooler module as claimed in claim 1, wherein said heat pipes
each have an extension arm tightly fitted into said base block.
7. The cooler module as claimed in claim 1, wherein said heat pipes
each have a U-turn tightly fitted into said base block.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] (a) Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a cooler module for cooling
an electronic chip and more particularly to such a cooler module,
which has radiation fins tightly fastened together in a stack by
fitting the double-step mounting holes of one radiation fin into
corresponding double-step mounting holes of another radiation fin.
The engagement among the double-step mounting holes is enhanced
when heat pipes are inserted through the double-step mounting holes
in a tight manner.
[0003] (b) Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Heat pipes are intensively used in cooler modules for
cooling semiconductor chips or the like. In addition to heat pipes,
a cooler module further comprises a heat sink formed of a stack of
radiation fins, and a copper or aluminum base block. The radiation
fins are extruded from aluminum or copper. The heat pipes are
enclosed metal tubes filled with a working fluid. The base block is
an aluminum or copper block.
[0005] The aforesaid heat pipes have a relatively greater diameter
at one end and a relatively smaller diameter at the other end. The
tolerance of the diameter is about .+-.0.05 mm. Therefore, the
cross section of the heat pipes is not a true circle. Because of
the diameter tolerance of the heat pipes, the heat pipes may not be
kept in tight contact with all the radiation fins, thus lowering
the structural strength or causing vibration of the radiation fins.
During delivery of the cooler module, the radiation fins may be
damaged easily. Solder bonding may be employed to reinforce the
structural strength. However, this extra processing causes
environmental pollution, and greatly complicates the fabrication of
the cooler module and increases its cost.
[0006] FIG. 8 shows a prior art design, in which each heat pipe
mounting hole of each radiation fin 10 has step portion 101. By
means of stopping the step portions 101 of the heat pipe mounting
holes of one radiation fin 10 against the corresponding step
portions 101 of the heat pipe mounting holes of another radiation
fin 10, the radiation fins 10 are arranged in a stack. Thereafter,
heat pipes 20 are fitted into the heat pipe mounting holes of the
radiation fins 10 to enhance the engagement of the step portions
101 of the radiation fins 10. However, because the heat pipes 20 do
not have a true roundness, and the diameter of the heat pipes 20
has a tolerance about .+-.0.05 mm, the heat pipes 20 may not be
kept in close contact with the radiation fins 10. Therefore, the
radiation fins 10 may be loosened easily, thus lowering the heat
dissipation performance of the cooler module.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention has been accomplished under the
circumstances in view. According to one aspect of the present
invention, the cooler module comprises a plurality of radiation
fins, a plurality of heat pipes, a base block, and a thermal pad.
The radiation fins each have a plurality of double-step mounting
holes, which receive the heat pipes tightly. The double-step
mounting holes each have an annular inner step portion and an
annular outer step portion. The annular outer step portion of one
double-step mounting hole of one radiation fin is tightly fitted
into the annular inner step portion of the corresponding
double-step mounting hole of another radiation fin so that the
radiation fins are tightly fastened together in a stack. The heat
pipes are respectively tightly fitted into the double-step mounting
holes of the radiation fins to force the annular outer step
portions of the double-step mounting holes of the radiation fins
against the corresponding annular inner step portions of the
double-step mounting holes of the neighboring radiation fins,
reinforcing the structural strength and enhancing the heat
dissipation effect.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a cooler module in accordance
with the present invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 is an elevational assembled view of the cooler module
in accordance with the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a side view of the cooler module in accordance
with the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the cooler module in
accordance with the present invention, taken along line 4-4 of FIG.
3.
[0012] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 4.
[0013] FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing showing the fitting of one
heat pipe into one double-step mounting hole of each of the
radiation fins according to the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of a U-turn cooler module.
[0015] FIG. 8 is a schematic sectional assembled view of radiation
fins and one heat pipe according to the prior art.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] Referring to FIG. 1, a cooler module in accordance with a
first embodiment of the present invention is shown comprised of a
heat sink 1, which is formed of a stack of first radiation fins 11a
and second radiation fins 11b, a plurality of heat pipes 2, and a
base block 3 (see also FIGS. 2 and 3).
[0017] The heat pipes 2 are enclosed metal pipes filled with a
working fluid, each having a selected part (an extension (see FIGS.
1 and 2) arm or U-turn (see FIG. 7)) bonded to the base block 3.
The base block 3 is a solid metal (copper or aluminum) block
tightly fastened with the heat pipes 2. The bottom surface of the
base block 3 may be mounted with a thermal pad 4 (by means of rivet
or tongue-and-groove joint, or compression bonding technique).
[0018] The main feature of the present invention is at the mounting
arrangement between the heat sink 1 and the heat pipes 2. The
radiation fins 11a or 11b each have a plurality of double-step
mounting holes 13 for receiving the heat pipes 2 tightly (see FIGS.
2 through 4). Each double-step mounting hole 13 has an outer step
portion 131 and an inner step portion 132 (see FIG. 5), i.e., each
double-step mounting hole 13 has two annular steps of different
diameters such that the radiation fins 11a and 11b can be firmly
arranged in a stack by tightly fitting the outer step portion 131
of each of the double-step mounting holes 13 of one radiation fin
11a or 11b into the inner step portion 132 of one of the
double-step mounting holes 13 of another radiation fin 11a or 11b.
When the radiation fins 11a and 11b are fastened together, the
associated double-step mounting holes 13 form respective through
holes into which the heat pipes 2 are tightly fitted.
[0019] Referring to FIG. 6, the inner diameter C of the inner step
portions 132 of the double-step mounting holes 13 of the radiation
fins 11a and 11b is slightly smaller than the outer diameter A of
the outer step portions 131 of the double-step mounting holes 13 of
the radiation fins 11a and 11b.
[0020] Therefore, the double-step mounting holes 13 of one
radiation fin 11a or 11b can be tightly fitted into the double-step
mounting holes 13 of another radiation fin 11a or 11b. Further, the
inner diameter B of the outer step portions 131 of the double-step
mounting holes 13 of the radiation fins 11a and 11b is slightly
smaller than the outer diameter D of the heat pipes 2 so that the
heat pipes 2 can be tightly fitted into the double-step mounting
holes 13 of the radiation fins 11a and 11b to enhance engagement
between the respective outer step portions 131 and the respective
inner step portions 132. Therefore, the radiation fins 11a and 11b
and the heat pipes 2 are firmly secured together to provide a high
strength against impact during delivery or installation. Further,
because the radiation fins 11a and 11b are kept in close contact
with the heat pipes 2, the cooler module provides excellent heat
transfer and dissipation effects.
[0021] Further, the radiation fins 11a and 11b have the respective
bottom edge configured to fit the configuration of the top wall of
the base block 3. The heat pipes 2 each have a flat bottom wall
disposed in flush with the bottom wall of the base block 3.
Further, the thermal pad 4 is bonded to the bottom wall of the base
block 3 to wrap the heat pipes 2 tightly (see FIG. 3). After
installation, the thermal pad 4 has its top and bottom surfaces
respectively disposed in contact with the flat bottom walls of the
heat pipes 2 and the hot side of the electronic chip (such as CPU
or GPU). When the thermal pad 4 and the heat pipes 2 are hot during
dissipation of heat from the electronic chip, the heat expansion
effect reinforces the surface contact between the heat pipes 2 and
the thermal pad 4. Therefore, heat can be transferred from the
electronic chip to the heat pipes 2 rapidly for quick
dissipation.
[0022] A prototype of cooler module has been constructed with the
features of FIGS. 16. The cooler module functions smoothly to
provide all of the features discussed earlier.
[0023] Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been
described in detail for purposes of illustration, various
modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention
is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
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