Cabinet assisted heat sink

• US 6,343,643 B1
• Filed: 12/15/1999
• Issued: 02/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Bollesen, Vernon P.
• Primary Examiner(s): ATKINSON, CHRISTOPHER MARK
• Application Number:
  US09/464,321
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 165/803, 165/185, 165/104.33, 165/104.21, 165/104.26, 361/704, 361/700, 257/714, 257/715, 257/722, 257/718, 257/719
• US Class Current: 165/80.3
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/02 in which the medium condenses and evaporates, e.g. heat pipes heat pipes used in solar heat collectors F24S10/95; in radiators F28D1/0226; in nuclear reactors G21C15/257
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/427 Cooling by change of state, e.g. use of heat pipes by liquefied gas H01L23/445
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/433 Auxiliary members in containers characterised by their shape, e.g. pistons
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

A heat sink structure includes a lower heat sink in thermal contact with a heat emitting component. The heat sink structure further includes an upper heat sink and at least one heat pipe extending from the lower heat sink to the upper heat sink. At least one spring urges the upper heat sink away from the lower heat sink and into thermal contact with a cabinet, sometimes called a cover or a lid, of a computer system. During use, the heat emitting component generates heat. This heat is conducted to the lower heat sink, the upper heat sink, and the cabinet. The cabinet dissipates heat to the outside of the computer system.

Claims

1. A heat sink structure comprising:

a first heat sink;

a second heat sink;

at least one heat pipe extending from said first heat sink to said second heat sink, said at least one heat pipe comprising a first heat pipe, wherein a first end of said first heat pipe is secured to said first heat sink and wherein a second end of said first heat pipe is secured to said second heat sink; and

at least one spring which urges said second heat sink away from said first heat sink.

2. The heat sink structure of claim 1 further comprising a heat emitting component in thermal contact with said first heat sink.

3. The heat sink structure of claim 2 further comprising:

a substrate, said heat emitting component being attached to a first surface of said substrate; and

a bolster plate position opposite of said heat emitting component on a second surface of said substrate.

4. The heat sink structure of claim 3 further comprising a pin extending in a first direction from said bolster plate, said pin passing through an aperture in said substrate, said pin passing through an aperture of said first heat sink, wherein a head of said pin presses in a second direction opposite said first direction against said first heat sink.

5. The heat sink structure of claim 1 wherein said first heat sink comprises:

a base section; and

a plurality of fins extending from said base section.

6. The heat sink structure of claim 5 wherein said second heat sink comprises a flat metal plate.

7. The heat sink structure of claim 5 wherein a first fin of said plurality of fins is longer than a second fin of said plurality of fins.

8. The heat sink structure of claim 1 wherein said second heat sink comprises:

a base section; and

a plurality of fins extending from said base section.

9. The heat sink structure of claim 8 wherein a first fin of said plurality of fins is longer than a second fin of said plurality of fins.

10. The heat sink structure of claim 1 wherein said first end of said first heat pipe is secured in an aperture of said first heat sink and wherein said second end of said first heat pipe is secured in an aperture of said second heat sink.

11. The heat sink structure of claim 1 further comprising a cabinet in thermal contact with said second heat sink.

12. The heat sink structure of claim 11 wherein said second heat sink is bolted to said cabinet.

13. A heat sink structure comprising:

a first heat sink;

a second heat sink;

at least one heat pipe extending from said first heat sink to said second heat sink; and

at least one spring which urges said second heat sink away from said first heat sink, said at least one spring comprising a first spring, a first end of said first spring being secured to said first heat sink, a second end of said first spring being secured to said second heat sink.

14. The heat sink structure of claim 13 wherein said first end of said first spring is secured in an aperture of said first heat sink, and wherein said second end of said first spring is secured in an aperture of said second heat sink.

15. A heat sink structure comprising:

a first heat sink;

a second heat sink;

at least one heat pipe extending from said first heat sink to said second heat sink;

at least one spring which urges said second heat sink away from said first heat sink; and

a pin which extends through an aperture of said first heat sink and into a pinhead cavity of said second heat sink.

16. The heat sink structure of claim 15 wherein said pin comprises a head in said pinhead cavity, said pinhead cavity having a greater diameter than a diameter of said head.

17. The heat sink structure of claim 16 wherein said pin extends through an aperture of said second heat sink, said diameter of said head being greater than a diameter of said aperture of said second heat sink.

18. The heat sink structure of claim 15 wherein said at least one spring comprises a first spring which surrounds said pin.

19. The heat sink structure of claim 18 wherein said first spring and said pin have a common longitudinal axis.

20. The heat sink structure of claim 18 wherein said pin comprises a stop, said first spring being located between said stop and said second heat sink.

21. The heat sink structure of claim 20 further comprising a second spring located between said stop and said first heat sink.

22. The heat sink structure of claim 18 wherein a second spring surrounds said pin, an outer diameter of said second spring being less than an inner diameter of said first spring.

23. The heat sink structure of claim 22 wherein said second spring extends between a head of said pin and said first heat sink.