Multiple evaporator heat pipe assisted heat sink

• US 7,059,391 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2005
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aavid Thermalloy LLC (LTI Flexible Products Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Aavid Thermalloy LLC (LTI Flexible Products Inc.)
• Inventors: Whitney, Bradley Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): MCKINNON, TERRELL L
• Application Number:
  US11/100,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20050224217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 165/104.33, 165/104.21, 165/104.26, 165/80.4, 361/697, 361/700, 361/704, 257714-716, 174/15.2
• US Class Current: 165/104.33
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0233 the conduits having a particular shape, e.g. non-circular cross-section, annular F28D15/0241, F28D15/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0266 with separate evaporating and condensing chambers connected by at least one conduit; Loop-type heat pipes; with multiple or common evaporating or condensing chambers F28D15/043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0275 Arrangements for coupling heat-pipes together or with other structures, e.g. with base blocks; Heat pipe cores
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0029 Heat sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/02 Elements or assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with recesses, with corrugations F28F3/08 takes precedence
• 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 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 includes a base plate which is fitted against a component to be cooled, and a heat pipe formed as a loop having a condenser portion upstanding from the base plate and a pair of ends which form a pair of evaporator portions received in parallel channels in the base plate. A wall upstanding from the base plate between the channels is formed with an upright channel which receives the condenser portion substantially within the profile of the wall, so that a plurality of horizontal cooling fins can be fixed to the wall in thermal contact with the condenser portion.

Claims

1. A heat sink comprising:

a base plate for fitting against a component to be cooled;

a heat pipe formed in a loop having a condenser portion upstanding from the base plate and a pair of ends which form a pair of evaporator portions in thermal contact with said base plate and extending parallel to said base plate; and

a plurality of cooling fins having an edge shaped to receive a portion of the periphery of said condenser portion to provide direct thermal contact with said condenser portion at said edge, said fins extending substantially parallel to said base plate.

2. The heat sink of claim 1 wherein said base plate comprises at least one channel which receives said evaporator portions of said heat pipe.

3. The heat sink of claim 2 wherein said at least one channel comprises at least one aperture through said base plate, whereby said evaporator portions can directly abut said component.

4. The heat sink of claim 2 wherein said at least one channel comprises at least one trough in said base plate.

5. The heat sink of claim 2 wherein said at least one channel comprises a pair of channels.

6. The heat sink of claim 1 wherein said evaporator portions are substantially parallel.

7. The heat sink of claim 1 further comprising an upright wall upstanding from said base plate between said evaporator portions, said upright wall having an upright channel which receives said condenser.

8. The heat sink of claim 7 wherein said fins are fixed to at least one side of said upright wall.

9. The heat sink of claim 7 wherein said base plate and said upright wall are made of copper.

10. The heat sink of claim 9 further comprising a circumferential aluminum frame in which the base plate is fitted.

11. The heat sink of claim 7 wherein said base plate and said upright wall are formed by a pair of L-shaped members, each said L-shaped member having a base portion and an upright portion, said upright portions being juxtaposed to form said upright wall, said base portions forming said base plate.

12. The heat sink of claim 11 wherein each said base portion is formed with a base channel and each said upright portion is formed with an upright channel portion, said upright channel portions forming said upright channel in said upright wall, said condenser portion being received in said upright channel portions, said evaporator portions being received in respective said base channels.

13. The heat sink of claim 12 wherein said upright channel portions are formed as troughs in said upright portions, said condenser being captured between said upright channel portions.

14. The heat sink of claim 12 wherein said members are identical castings.

15. The heat sink of claim 14 wherein said castings each have posts and holes, the posts of one casting being received in the holes of the other casting.

16. The heat sink of claim 12 wherein the condenser portion of the heat pipe is deformed to conform to said upright channel portions.

17. The heat sink of claim 1 further comprising additional fins disposed on said plurality of cooling fins, said additional fins not having an edge shaped to receive a portion of the periphery of the condenser portion.

18. The heat sink of claim 1 wherein said plurality of cooling fins comprise folded fins.

19. The heat sink of claim 1 wherein said plurality of cooling fins comprises a first plurality of cooling fins disposed on one side of said condenser portion, and further comprising a second plurality of cooling fins disposed on another side of said condenser portion.