Method for making heat sink vacuum

• US 6,257,310 B1
• Filed: 08/19/1999
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Reliance Electric Industrial Company
• Original Assignee: Reliance Electric Technologies LLC (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Janko, Steven P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, Kuang Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/377,259
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 164/98, 164/100, 164/61
• US Class Current: 164/61
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 19/0072 for making objects with integrated channels

Abstract

A method for forming a heat transfer apparatus wherein a conduit construct is formed between first and second construct ends and is disposed in a mold cavity with the first and second ends extending from the cavity, air is removed from the construct, body material in molten fluid form is provided in the cavity so as to cover the construct and the molten material is permitted to solidify. In addition, the invention includes a manganese/nickel barrier material which is placed on a conduit construct prior to introducing molten material into the cavity to reduce bubbles in the sink. The invention also includes a system for maintaining heat sink temperature despite fluctuating amount of heat generated by devices mounted to or adjacent a sink wherein the system includes a temperature sensor, a controller and a regulator, the controller controlling the regulator as a function of feedback signals received from the sensor.

Claims

1. A method for forming 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 construct including a first portion from the first material, the first portion forming a passageway which traverses the distance between first and second construct ends;

disposing at least the construct first portion in a mold cavity;

evacuating substantially all air from the construct;

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

permitting the molten material to solidify.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of removing includes forming a vacuum in the construct.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of forming a vacuum includes the steps of blocking the first end and forming a suction at the second end.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of removing includes filling the construct with an inert gas.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of filling includes blocking each of the first and second ends.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the inert gas is nitrogen.

7. The method of claim 1 further including the step of, prior to introducing, eliminating all moisture within the construct.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein aluminum and copper are sink materials and wherein at least one of the first or second materials is a sink material.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the first material is copper.

10. The method of claim 1 further including the step of, prior to introducing, coating the first portion with a binder material which operates as a barrier to alloying between the first and second materials.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the mold is a permanent mold.

12. An apparatus for forming a heat sink from first and second materials which are characterized by first and second melting temperatures, respectively, the first and second materials alloying at a lower temperature than each of the first and second temperatures, the apparatus comprising:

a mold defining the external surface of the sink and said sink including a conduit having an inlet and an outlet; and

an evacuator linked to the inlet and outlet for removing substantially all air from within the space between the inlet and outlet;

wherein, to form a heat sink, a first end and a second end of a conduit construct which is formed of the first material are linked to the inlet and outlet, respectively, so that the space defined by the construct is between the inlet and the outlet, after the evacuator is used to remove air from within the construct, the second material is introduced in molten form into the mold and is permitted to solidify.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the evacuator is a vacuum device and the vacuum device is used to form a vacuum in the construct prior to introducing the molten material.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the vacuum device includes a suction apparatus and a block, the block used to block the inlet and the suction apparatus linked to the outlet to form the vacuum.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the evacuator includes an inert gas source and the air is removed by filling the construct with inert gas.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the mold is a permanent mold.