U.S. patent application number 11/959328 was filed with the patent office on 2009-06-18 for heat sink.
This patent application is currently assigned to FU ZHUN PRECISION INDUSTRY (SHEN ZHEN) CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to CHENG-TIEN LAI, CHI-YUAN LAI, ZHI-YONG ZHOU.
Application Number | 20090151898 11/959328 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40751680 |
Filed Date | 2009-06-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090151898 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LAI; CHI-YUAN ; et
al. |
June 18, 2009 |
HEAT SINK
Abstract
A heat sink adapter for cooling an electronic component includes
a lower plate, an upper plate, an upper fin set and a lower fin set
respectively fixed on the upper plate and the lower plate, and a
plurality of heat pipes sandwiched between the upper plate and the
lower plate. The lower plate includes a panel contacting the heat
pipes, two sidewalls extending upwardly from the panel and
separated from the heat pipes, and two flanges extending oppositely
from the two sidewalls and soldered on the upper plate. The heat
pipes are juxtaposed with each other at a central position thereof,
and partially spaced from each other at two opposite end positions
thereof.
Inventors: |
LAI; CHI-YUAN; (Tu-Cheng,
TW) ; ZHOU; ZHI-YONG; (Shenzhen, CN) ; LAI;
CHENG-TIEN; (Tu-Cheng, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PCE INDUSTRY, INC.;ATT. Steven Reiss
458 E. LAMBERT ROAD
FULLERTON
CA
92835
US
|
Assignee: |
FU ZHUN PRECISION INDUSTRY (SHEN
ZHEN) CO., LTD.
Shenzhen City
CN
FOXCONN TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Tu-Cheng
TW
|
Family ID: |
40751680 |
Appl. No.: |
11/959328 |
Filed: |
December 18, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/80.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 23/427 20130101;
H01L 2924/0002 20130101; F28D 15/0233 20130101; H01L 23/4006
20130101; H01L 2924/0002 20130101; H01L 2924/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/80.3 |
International
Class: |
F28F 7/02 20060101
F28F007/02 |
Claims
1. A heat sink adapted for cooling an electronic component,
comprising: a lower plate; a lower fin set attached on a bottom
face of the lower plate; an upper plate; an upper fin set attached
on a top face of the upper plate; and a plurality of heat pipes
sandwiched between the lower plate and the upper plate.
2. The heat sink as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper plate is
planar, and the lower plate comprises a planar panel, the heat
pipes being sandwiched between the upper plate and the panel.
3. The heat sink as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lower plate
further comprises a pair of sidewalls extending upwardly from two
opposite lateral sides of the panel, and a pair of flanges
extending horizontally from tops of the pair of sidewalls
respectively and are soldered on the upper plate.
4. The heat sink as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a pair of
securing members inserted into the pair of sidewalls and the pair
of flanges, wherein each of the pair of securing members has a
rectangular configuration.
5. The heat sink as claimed in claim 4, wherein the upper plate
defines four cutouts at two lateral sides thereof and forms a pair
of tabs between adjacent cutouts corresponding to the pair of
securing members, the pair of tabs resiliently abutting against the
securing members, respectively.
6. The heat sink as claimed in claim 3, wherein the heat pipes are
juxtaposed with each other and spaced from the pair of sidewalls of
the lower plate to form air passages.
7. The heat sink as claimed in claim 2, wherein the panel of the
lower plate forms a protrusion projecting downwardly therefrom, and
a cavity defined in the protrusion and opened upwardly.
8. The heat sink as claimed in claim 7, wherein the upper fin set
occupies a total area of a top face of the upper plate, and the
lower fin set occupies a part of a bottom face of the panel and is
located near the protrusion.
9. The heat sink as claimed in claim 7, wherein corresponding parts
of the heat pipes project downwardly to form chassises, the
chassises being received in the cavity and contacting the
protrusion directly.
10. The heat sink as claimed in claim 1, wherein two middle ones of
the heat pipes are straight, and two lateral ones of the heat pipes
are partially bended and each has a straight section, a pair of
bended sections extending slantwise from the straight section and
an extremity end extending from one of the pair of bended
sections.
11. The heat sink as claimed in claim 10, wherein the two middle
heat pipes and the straight sections of the two lateral heat pipes
contact with each other, the bended sections are slantwise spaced
from the two middle heat pipes, and the extremity ends are spaced
from and parallel to the two middle heat pipes.
12. A heat sink for dissipating heat from an electronic component,
comprising: a lower plate comprising a planar panel; a planar upper
plate; and a plurality of heat pipes substantially sandwiched
between the panel and the upper plate; wherein the heat pipes are
straight and juxtaposed with each other and directly contact with
each other at a first position, and are at least partially
separated from each other at a second position and a third
position, the first position is located between the second position
and the third position.
13. The heat sink as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first
position is located at a central area of the heat pipes, the second
position and the third position are located at two opposite ends of
the heat pipes, respectively.
14. The heat sink as claimed in claim 12, wherein two middle ones
of the heat pipes are straight and parallel to and directly contact
with each other from begin to end.
15. The heat sink as claimed in claim 14, wherein two lateral ones
of the heat pipes each have a middle section being straight, two
bended sections extending slantwise and outwardly from two opposite
ends of the middle section, and an extremity end extending parallel
to the middle section from one of the two bended sections.
16. The heat sink as claimed in claim 15, wherein the middle
sections of the two lateral heat pipes contact with the two middle
heat pipes at the first position, corresponding bended sections are
separated from the two middle heat pipes at the second position,
and the extremity ends are separated from the two middle heat pipes
at the third position.
17. The heat sink as claimed in claim 12 further comprising an
upper fin set arranged on the upper plate and a lower fin set
arranged on the panel, wherein the upper fin set is located over
the first position, the second position and the third position, and
the lower fin set is located next to the third position.
18. The heat sink as claimed in claim 12, wherein the panel has a
protrusion formed downwardly therefrom and a cavity defined in the
protrusion and opened upwardly, the protrusion being located
adjacent to the second position.
19. The heat sink as claimed in claim 18, wherein the heat pipes
forms chassises on bottom faces thereof, the chassises being
received in the cavity and contact the protrusion directly.
20. The heat sink as claimed in claim 12, wherein the lower plate
further comprises a pair of sidewalls extending upwardly from two
lateral sides of the panel and two flanges extending horizontally
and oppositely from tops of the pair of sidewalls, the pair of
sidewalls being separated from the heat pipes and the two flanges
are fixed on the upper plate.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a heat sink, and more
particularly to a heat sink incorporating heat pipes for enhancing
a heat dissipating efficiency thereof.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] The central processing unit (CPU) mounted on the motherboard
in a computer is the center of operations of the computer. During
the operations of the computer, the CPU produces heat. The heat
must be quickly carried away from the CPU during the operations of
the computer. Accordingly, a heat sink is used to remove the heat
from the CPU.
[0005] Conventionally, a heat sink includes a metal base contacting
with the CPU to absorb heat therefrom, and a plurality of fins
extending from the base to dissipate the heat to an ambient. In
order to increase a heat dissipating efficiency, heat pipes are
often embedded into the metal base to transfer the heat from the
metal base to the fins more rapidly.
[0006] In most of the heat sinks, the heat pipes are accommodated
in grooves which are defined in the metal base. However, the
process to form the grooves in the metal base is costly since it
needs a hard machine work. Furthermore, in order to receive the
heat pipes therein substantially, the metal base should be made to
have a thickness larger than diameters of the grooves, whereby a
material cost of the metal base is increased.
[0007] What is needed, therefore, is a heat dissipating device
which can overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] A heat sink adapter for cooling an electronic component
includes a lower plate, a planar upper plate, an upper fin set and
a lower fin set respectively fixed on the upper plate and the lower
plate, and a plurality of heat pipes sandwiched between the upper
plate and the lower plate. The lower plate includes a planar panel
contacting the heat pipes, two sidewalls extending upwardly from
the panel and separated from the heat pipes, and two flanges
extending oppositely from the two sidewalls and soldered on the
upper plate. The heat pipes are juxtaposed with each other at a
central position thereof, and partially spaced from each other at
two opposite end positions thereof. Compared with conventional heat
sink that forms grooves on a base to embed heat pipes therein, the
heat sink of the present invention does not need forming grooves in
the lower plate, whereby a material cost and a machine work are
reduced and avoided, respectively.
[0009] Other advantages and novel features of the present invention
will become more apparent from the following detailed description
when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] Many aspects of the present apparatus can be better
understood with reference to the following drawings. The components
in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis
instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of
the present apparatus. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference
numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several
views.
[0011] FIG. 1 is an assembled, isometric view of a heat sink in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of heat pipes of the heat sink of
FIG. 2 from another aspect;
[0014] FIG. 4 is an inverted view of FIG. 1; and
[0015] FIG. 5 is a front view of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a heat sink 10 in accordance
with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is for being
mounted on an electronic component (not shown) to dissipate heat
therefrom. The heat sink 10 comprises a lower plate 20, an upper
plate 30, a plurality of heat pipes 60 sandwiched between the lower
plate 20 and the upper plate 30, and an upper fin set 40 and a
lower fin set 50 attached on the upper plate 30 and the lower plate
20, respectively.
[0017] Also referring to FIG. 4, the lower plate 20 is made by
bending a metal plate, it comprises a rectangular and planar panel
22, a pair of sidewalls 24 extending upwardly and perpendicularly
from two opposite lateral sides of the panel 22, and a pair of
flanges 26 formed horizontally and oppositely from tops of the pair
of sidewalls 24, respectively. A square area of the panel 22 is
stamped downwardly to form a protrusion 220 (shown in FIG. 4)
projecting beyond a bottom face the panel 22, and a cavity 222
located corresponding to the protrusion 220 and beneath a top face
of the panel 22. The protrusion 220 is adapted for contacting the
electronic component to absorb heat therefrom. In the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, the protrusion 220 is located
at a front part of the panel 22; nevertheless, a location of the
protrusion 220 on the panel 22 can be changed according to
positions of the electronic component. Corresponding portions of
the sidewalls 24 and the flanges 26 are bent outwardly and
oppositely to form a pair of horizontal wings (not labeled) at two
lateral sides of the lower plate 20, respectively. A pair of
rectangular securing members 70 are disposed on the two wings of
the lower plate 20 and inserted into the flanges 26 and the
sidewalls 24, with an outer side thereof being coincidental with an
outer edge of a corresponding wing. Each of the securing members 70
has a height larger than that of the sidewalls 24, whereby a top of
the each securing member 70 extends beyond the flanges 26. A hole
700 is defined through each securing member 70 and each wing to
provide a passage for a fastener (not shown).
[0018] The upper plate 30 is soldered on the two flanges 26 of the
lower plate 20. The upper plate 30 has a periphery coincidental
with a periphery of the lower plate 20. A pair of cutouts 32 are
defined at each lateral side of the upper plate 30 corresponding to
the wing, while a part of the upper plate 30 located between the
pair of cutouts 32 forms a rectangular tab 34, which is for
resiliently abutting against a corresponding securing member 70.
Total areas of the two cutouts 32 and the tab 34 are identical to
an area of a top face of the securing member 70 (illustrated in
FIG. 1). A circular hole 340 is defined in each tab 34
corresponding to the hole 700 in the lower plate 20 and the
securing member 70. The fastener extends through the circular hole
340 of the upper plate 30 and a corresponding hole 700 of the lower
plate 20 and the securing member 70 to attach them on a printed
circuit board (not shown) where the electronic component is
mounted.
[0019] Also referring to FIG. 5, the upper fin set 40 and the lower
fin set 50 are fixed on the upper plate 30 and the lower plate 20
by soldering, respectively. Each of the upper fin set 40 and the
lower fin set 50 comprises a plurality of parallel fins 42, 52,
each of which consists of an upright sheet (now labeled) and a pair
of pieces (not labeled) bent horizontally from a top and a bottom
of the sheet, respectively. The lower fin set 50 is secured on a
rear part of the bottom face of the panel 22 and near the
protrusion 220 (viewed from FIG. 4), by soldering upper pieces of
the fins 52 on the panel 22; the upper fin set 40 is secured on a
whole top face of the upper plate 30, by soldering lower pieces of
the fins 42 on the upper plate 30, wherein every two adjacent fins
42, 52 form a passage therebetween for allowing an airflow
therethrough. The lower fin set 50 has a width similar to that of
the panel 22, and the upper fin set 40 has a profile coincidental
to that of the upper plate 30 and a width larger than that of the
lower fin set 50 (shown in FIG. 5).
[0020] As viewed from FIGS. 2-3, the heat pipes 60 are sandwiched
between the upper plate 30 and the lower plate 20. In the preferred
embodiment of the present invention there are four heat pipes 60;
however, the number of the heat pipes 60 is adjustable according to
amount of heat that the electronic component generates. Two middle
ones 62 of the four heat pipes 60 are straight and planar and
parallel to each other; two lateral ones 64 of the four heat pipes
60 are planar and each have a straight section 640 parallel to the
two middle heat pipes 62, two bended sections 642 extending
slantwise and outwardly from two opposite ends of the straight
section 640, and an extremity end 644 extending backwardly from a
rear bended section 642, wherein each bended section 642 defines an
angle approximate to 135 degrees with the straight section 640. The
four heat pipes 60 are so arranged that the two middle heat pipes
62 abut side-by-side against each other along a lengthwise
direction of the lower plate 20, and the two lateral heat pipes 64
are juxtaposed with the two middle heat pipes 62 in a manner that
the straight sections 640 thereof directly contact the two middle
heat pipes 62, the bended sections 642 are inclinedly spaced from
the two middle heat pipes 62, and the extremity ends 644 are gapped
from and parallel to the two middle heat pipes 62. A distance from
an outmost portion of a front bended section 642 to an outmost
portion of the extremity end 644 of each lateral heat pipe 64 is
identical to a length of the middle heat pipe 62. A distance
between two extremity ends 644 of the two lateral heat pipes 64 is
less than that between two sidewalls 24 of the lower plate 20,
whereby when the four heat pipes 60 are fixed on the lower plate
20, the extremity ends 644 would be spaced from the sidewalls 24 to
define gaps (not labeled) therebetween (illustrated in FIG. 5),
which allow the airflow therethrough to increase heat dissipation
of the heat sink 10. Each heat pipe 60 has a part projecting
downwardly from a bottom face thereof to form a rectangular chassis
626, 646, which has a length less than that of the cavity 222 of
the lower plate 20, and a thickness approximate to a depth of the
cavity 222 of the lower plate 20. Four chassises 626, 646 are
located just above the cavity 222 and for being substantially
accommodated into the cavity 222 and directly contacting a top face
of the protrusion 220 to absorb heat therefrom.
[0021] In use, the heat sink 10 is disposed on the printed circuit
board with its protrusion 220 contacting with the electronic
component, wherein the upper fin set 40 is located above the
printed circuit board, and the lower fin set 50 extends downwardly
beyond the printed circuit board and has a part located lower than
the printed circuit board. Heat generated by the electronic
component is absorbed by the protrusion 220, and then is
transferred to other portions of the heat pipes 60 via the
chassises 626, 646. The heat pipes 60 distribute the heat over the
upper plate 30 and the lower plate 20, which disperses the heat to
the ambient via the lower fin set 50 and the upper fin set 40.
[0022] In contrast to the conventional heat sink which forms
grooves in a base to accommodate heat pipes therein, the lower
plate 20 of the present invention does not need forming any grooves
since the heat pipes 60 are sandwiched between the lower plate 20
and the upper plate 30 and directly welded on the lower plate 20,
whereby no machine work is needed and a thickness of the lower
plate 20 is capable of being controlled in a small range; thus, a
machine cost and material cost of the heat sink 10 is reduced.
[0023] It is believed that the present invention and its advantages
will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be
apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of
its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely
being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.
* * * * *