Heat sink apparatus and method for making the same

• US 5,930,135 A
• Filed: 09/30/1998
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Allen-Bradley Company LLC (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Reliance Electric Industrial Company (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Janko, Steven P.
• Primary Examiner(s): BERHANE, ADOLF D
• Application Number:
  US09/164,090
• Time in Patent Office: 300 Days
• Field of Search: 363/144, 310/54, 310/58, 310/64, 62/259.2, 165/104.33
• US Class Current: 363/144
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 13/00 Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing F28F1/00 - F28F11/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 21/084 from aluminium or aluminium alloys
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 21/085 from copper or copper alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 5/005 Laminated bus-bars
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20936 Liquid coolant with phase change

Abstract

A heat sink apparatus and method for making the same including a metallic main body portion and a hollow metallic fluid conduit assembly disposed within the main body portion and a binder material disposed between the assembly and the main body portion wherein the binder material prohibits alloying between the materials used to form each of the assembly and the body portion. The invention includes a supporter for maintaining the tube conduit position, both laterally and vertically during formation.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a heat transfer apparatus from first and second materials which are characterized by first and second melting temperatures, respectively, and, wherein, the first and second materials alloy at a lower temperature than each of the first and second temperatures, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a conduit construction including a first portion from the first material, the first portion forming a passageway which traverses the distance between a first construction end and a second construction end;

coating the first portion with a binder material, the binder material operating as a barrier to alloying between the first and second materials;

disposing the first portion in a mold cavity such that the first and second ends are located outside the cavity;

introducing the second material in molten fluid form into the cavity so as to cover the first portion; and

permitting the molten second material to solidify.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second materials is a construction material and the construction materials are chosen from the group consisting of aluminum and copper.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of forming includes forming at least two passageways which traverse the distance between the first and second ends.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of forming includes forming the first and second ends so as to each have a first set of cross-sectional dimensions and forming at least a portion of the passageway having a second set of cross-sectional dimensions which is different than the first set.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the method of forming includes forming the first and second ends so as to each have a first cross-sectional area and forming at least a portion of the passageway having a second cross-sectional area which is different than the first cross-sectional area.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of forming includes forming a first conduit, a spreader assembly and a second conduit, the first and second conduits linked to the first and second ends, respectively, and the spreader assembly traversing the distance between the first and second conduits, the step of forming the spreader assembly includes the steps of forming a plurality of ducts, each duct having first and second ends, linking each first duct end to the first conduit for passing coolant therewith and linking each second duct end to the second conduit for passing coolant therewith.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of forming includes forming at least a portion of the passageway so as to have first and second perpendicular cross sectional dimensions wherein the first dimension is larger than the second dimension.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of forming includes brazing the first conduit to the first end and to the spreader and brazing the second conduit to the second end and the spreader.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of forming includes providing at least first and second separate members and brazing the first and second members together.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of brazing includes brazing with a copper-zinc brazing compound.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of disposing includes disposing the first portion such that all brazing joints are within the mold cavity.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of disposing includes disposing the first portion within the cavity such that the first portion is suspended vertically and horizontally from all mold cavity surfaces and the method further includes the step of, prior to the step of introducing, providing a supporter within the mold cavity for maintaining the first portion position during the introducing step.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of providing includes the step of providing a lattice structure which is constrained by the mold cavity and which contacts the first portion.

14. The method of claim 13 for use with a mold including a drag and a coop which together define a parting line and wherein the step of providing a lattice structure includes providing a lateral member linked to the structure which is received within the parting line during the introducing step, the lateral member restricting lateral tube movement during the introducing step.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of providing the lattice structure includes forming the lattice structure of a third metal and, prior to the step of introducing, the method also includes the step of coating the lattice structure with a binder material, the binder material operating as a barrier to alloying between the third and second materials.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the third material is the first material.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the binder material includes at least some graphite.

18. A heat transfer apparatus comprising:

a conduit construction formed of a first material which has a first melting temperature, the construction including a first portion which forms a passageway which traverses the distance between a first construction end and a second construction end;

a metallic main body portion which is formed of a second material and which is disposed about the first portion, the second material having a second melting temperature, the first and second materials alloying at a lower temperature than each of the first and second melting temperatures; and

a binder interface disposed between the first and second materials, the interface formed of a material which prohibits alloying between the first and second materials when the second material is above the second melting temperature.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein each of the first and second materials is a construction material and the construction materials are chosen from the group comprising aluminum and copper.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the first portion includes at least two passageways which traverse the distance between the first and second ends.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein each of the first and second ends forms a cross-section having a first dimension set and at least a portion of the passageway forms a cross-section having a second dimension set which is different than the first set.

22. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein each of the first and second sets forms a cross-section having a first area and at least a portion of the passageway forms a cross-section having a second area which is different than the first area.

23. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the first portion includes a first conduit, a spreader assembly and a second conduit, the first and second conduits linked to the first and second ends, respectively, and the spreader assembly traversing the distance between the first and second conduits, and, wherein the first conduit is brazed to the first end and to the spreader and the second conduit is brazed to the second end and the spreader.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the spreader assembly includes a plurality of ducts, each duct having first and second ends, each first duct end linked to the first conduit for passing coolant therewith and each second duct end linked to the second conduit for passing coolant therewith.

25. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the passageway includes at least one duct having first and second perpendicular cross sectional dimensions wherein the first dimension is larger than the second dimension.

26. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the first portion includes at least first and second separate members and the members are brazed together.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the members are brazed together using a copper-zinc brazing compound.