U.S. patent application number 12/286828 was filed with the patent office on 2010-02-18 for reinforced thermal module structure.
This patent application is currently assigned to Asia Vital Components Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Chih Peng Chen.
Application Number | 20100038059 12/286828 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41680462 |
Filed Date | 2010-02-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100038059 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chen; Chih Peng |
February 18, 2010 |
Reinforced thermal module structure
Abstract
A reinforced thermal module structure includes a heat pipe, a
radiating base, and a radiating fin assembly. The heat pipe
includes a conducting section and a heat-dissipating section. The
conducting section is in contact with and connected to the
radiating base, and the heat-dissipating section is extended
through and connected to the radiating fin assembly. The radiating
base has at least two support arms. Each of the support arms has an
extended free end extended toward and pressed against one side of
the radiating fin assembly. The support arms not only help in
giving the entire thermal module an enhanced structural strength,
but also in increasing the heat conducting area and heat
dissipating efficiency of the thermal module.
Inventors: |
Chen; Chih Peng; (Sinjhuang
City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NIKOLAI & MERSEREAU, P.A.
900 SECOND AVENUE SOUTH, SUITE 820
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55402
US
|
Assignee: |
Asia Vital Components Co.,
Ltd.
Sinjhuang City
TW
|
Family ID: |
41680462 |
Appl. No.: |
12/286828 |
Filed: |
October 2, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/104.11 ;
165/172 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 23/427 20130101;
H01L 2924/0002 20130101; F28D 15/0275 20130101; H01L 2924/0002
20130101; H01L 2924/00 20130101; H01L 23/467 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/104.11 ;
165/172 |
International
Class: |
F28D 15/00 20060101
F28D015/00; F28F 1/24 20060101 F28F001/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 15, 2008 |
TW |
097214653 |
Claims
1. A reinforced thermal module structure, comprising a radiating
fin assembly, a heat pipe, and a radiating base; the heat pipe
including a conducting section and a heat-dissipating section, the
heat-dissipating section being extended through and connected to
the radiating fin assembly, and the conducting section being in
contact with and connected to the radiating base; and the radiating
base having at least two support arms, and each of the support arms
having an extended free end extended toward and pressed against the
radiating fin assembly.
2. The reinforced thermal module structure as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the support arms are formed on one face of the radiating
base facing toward the radiating fin assembly.
3. The reinforced thermal module structure as claimed in claim 1,
further comprising a heat sink disposed on the radiating base.
4. The reinforced thermal module structure as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the radiating fin assembly has a bottom facing toward the
radiating base, and the extended free ends of the support arms are
extended toward and pressed against the bottom of the radiating fin
assembly.
5. The reinforced thermal module structure as claimed in claim 2,
wherein the radiating fin assembly has a bottom facing toward the
radiating base, and the extended free ends of the support arms are
extended toward and pressed against the bottom of the radiating fin
assembly.
6. The reinforced thermal module structure as claimed in claim 3,
wherein the radiating fin assembly has a bottom facing toward the
radiating base, and the extended free ends of the support arms are
extended toward and pressed against the bottom of the radiating fin
assembly.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a thermal module structure,
and more particularly to a reinforced thermal module structure with
enhanced structural strength and increased heat conducting
area.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In recent years, with the quick development in electronic
information technologies, various kinds of electronic products,
such as computers, notebook computers, etc., have become highly
popular and been widely applied by users in various fields. Taking
computer as an example, with the tendency of increased processing
speed and expanded access capacity, a central processing unit (CPU)
of the computer working at high speed would also have a constantly
increased heating power to generate a large amount of heat during
the operation thereof.
[0003] In order to avoid a temporary or permanent failure of the
computer due to an overheated CPU thereof, the computer must have
sufficient heat-dissipating ability to keep the CPU working
normally. Conventionally, for the purpose of removing the heat
generated by the CPU during the high-speed operation thereof and
keeping the CPU to work normally at the high speed, a thermal
module is directly mounted to the CPU, so that the heat generated
by the CPU can be quickly dissipated into ambient environment via
the thermal module.
[0004] FIG. 1 shows a conventional thermal module including a
radiating fin assembly 110, a heat pipe 120, a fixing section 130,
and a radiating base 140. The heat pipe 120 includes a conducting
section 122 and a heat-dissipating section 123. The radiating fin
assembly 110 is fitted on the heat-dissipating section 123 of the
heat pipe 120. The conducting section 122 is held to an interface
between the radiating base 140 and the fixing section 130. A bottom
face of the radiating base 140 is attached to one surface of a CPU
(not shown).
[0005] When the CPU generates heat, the generated heat is
transferred via the radiating base 140 to the conducting section
122 of the heat pipe 120, and then transferred from the conducting
section 122 to the heat-dissipating section 123, which further
transfers the heat to the radiating fin assembly 110, so that the
heat is radiated from the radiating fin assembly 110 and diffused
into ambient air. However, since the heat pipe 120 is the only
element in the thermal module for conducting heat, the large amount
of heat generated by the CPU just could not be timely transferred
to the radiating fin assembly 110. Moreover, the conducting section
122 is usually partially connected to the fixing section 130 and
the radiating base 140 by locally applied solder paste or spot
welding, and therefore tends to loosen from the conventional
thermal module due to shaking or vibrating during transportation of
the thermal module.
[0006] Accordingly, the conventional thermal module has some
disadvantages as follows: (1) insufficient structural strength; (2)
low heat conducting efficiency; and (3) poor heat dissipating
effect.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] A primary object of the present invention is to provide a
reinforced thermal module structure with enhanced structural
strength.
[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
reinforced thermal module structure with enhanced heat conducting
efficiency.
[0009] To achieve the above and other objects, the reinforced
thermal module structure according to the present invention
includes a radiating fin assembly, a heat pipe, and a radiating
base. The heat pipe includes a conducting section and a
heat-dissipating section. The heat-dissipating section is extended
through and connected to the radiating fin assembly, and the
conducting section is in contact with and connected to the
radiating base. The radiating base is provided with at least two
support arms, each of which has an extended free end in contact
with the radiating fin assembly. With the extended free ends in
contact with the radiating fin assembly, the support arms not only
help in enhancing the structural strength of the thermal module
structure, but also in increasing the heat conducting area and
accordingly, the heat dissipating effect of the thermal module
structure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The structure and the technical means adopted by the present
invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best
understood by referring to the following detailed description of
the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings,
wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional thermal
module;
[0012] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a reinforced
thermal module structure according to a first embodiment of the
present invention;
[0013] FIG. 3 is an assembled view of FIG. 2; and
[0014] FIG. 4 is an assembled perspective view of a reinforced
thermal module structure according to a second embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] Please refer to FIGS. 2 and 3. A reinforced thermal module
structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention
includes a radiating fin assembly 20, a heat pipe 30, and a
radiating base 40. The radiating fin assembly 20 consists of a
plurality of stacked radiating fins 201. The radiating fins 201
each have at least one through hole 202 formed thereon for the heat
pipe 30 to extend therethrough, so that the radiating fins 201 are
sequentially connected together via the heat pipe 30.
[0016] The heat pipe 30 includes a conducting section 301 and a
heat-dissipating section 302. The heat-dissipating section 302 is
extended through and connected to the through holes 202 on the
radiating fins 201. The conducting section 301 is in contact with
the radiating base 40. The radiating base 40 is provided on one
side facing toward the radiating fin assembly 20 with at least two
support arms 410 and two recesses 420. The conducting section 301
of the heat pipe 30 is received in the recess 420.
[0017] The support arms 410 each have an extended free end 411
being pressed against the radiating fin assembly 20. In other
words, the extended free ends 411 of the support arms 410 are
extended toward and pressed against a bottom of the radiating fin
assembly 20 to thereby give the thermal module structure of the
present invention an increased structural strength. In addition,
the support arms 410 also function to transfer heat to the
radiating fin assembly 20 and thereby enhance the heat conducting
efficiency of the radiating base 40.
[0018] Another face of the radiating base 40 facing away from the
radiating fin assembly 20 is attached to a heat-generating element
(not shown), which can be, for example, a CPU of a computer.
[0019] When the heat-generating element generates heat, the
generated heat is conducted by the radiating base 40 to the
conducting section 301 of the heat pipe 30, and by the extended
free ends 411 of the support arms 410 to the radiating fin assembly
20. The heat is then transferred from the conducting section 301 of
the heat pipe 30 to the heat-dissipating section 302, which further
transfers the heat to the radiating fin assembly 20. Since the
extended free ends 411 of the support arms 410 not only conduct
part of the generated heat to the radiating fin assembly 20, but
also more securely connect the radiating base 40 with the radiating
fin assembly 20, the thermal module structure according to the
present invention can have effectively upgraded heat conducting
efficiency and structural strength.
[0020] FIG. 4 shows an enhanced thermal module structure according
to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second
embodiment, a heat sink 50 is further provided on one face of the
radiating base 40 facing toward the radiating fin assembly 20; and
the conducting section 301 of the heat pipe 30 is extended through
an interface between the heat sink 50 and the radiating base
40.
[0021] When the heat-generating unit generates heat, the heat is
transferred from the radiating base 40 to the heat sink 50, the
conducting section 301, and the extended free ends 411 of the
support arms 410. Part of the heat transferred to the conducting
section 301 is further transferred to the heat-dissipating section
302 and then to the radiating fin assembly 20 connected to the
heat-dissipating section 302. Meanwhile, another part of the heat
transferred to the conducting section 301 is transferred to the
heat sink 50 and the support arms 410. The heat transferred to the
heat sink 50 can be quickly radiated and dissipated into ambient
air. In the second embodiment, the support arms 410 not only
transfer part of the heat to the radiating fin assembly 20, but
also directly radiate some part of the heat. Accordingly, in the
process of heat transfer in the thermal module structure of the
present invention, the support arms 410 not only help in increasing
the heat conducting efficiency and the heat conducting area of the
thermal module structure, but also in giving the thermal module
structure an enhanced structural strength.
[0022] With the above arrangements, the reinforced thermal module
structure of the present invention provides the following
advantages: (1) enhanced structural strength; (2) increased heat
conducting efficiency; and (3) good heat dissipating effect.
[0023] The present invention has been described with some preferred
embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and
modifications in the described embodiments can be carried out
without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention
that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.
* * * * *