Heat sink for power module

• US 8,387,685 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2006
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Showa Denko KK (Resonac Holdings Corp.), Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Jidoshokki, Showa Denko KK (Resonac Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Kimbara, Masahiko, Toh, Keiji, Kubo, Hidehito, Tanaka, Katsufumi, Otoshi, Kota, Kono, Eiji, Wakabayashi, Nobuhiro, Nakagawa, Shintaro, Furukawa, Yuichi, Yamauchi, Shinobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong, Tho V
• Application Number:
  US11/919,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20090314474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,512 Days
• Field of Search: 165/80.4, 165/104.33, 165/80.3, 165/169, 165/170, 361/698, 361/699, 257/714
• US Class Current: 165/80.4
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/086 having one or more openings therein forming tubular heat-exchange passages
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/12 Elements constructed in the shape of a hollow panel, e.g. with channels F28D1/02, F28D1/03 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48137 the bodies being arranged next to each other, e.g. on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3731 Ceramic materials or glass H01L23/3732, H01L23/3733, H01L23/3735, H01L23/3737, H01L23/3738 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3736 Metallic materials H01L23/3732, H01L23/3733, H01L23/3735, H01L23/3737, H01L23/3738 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details

Abstract

A heat sink for a power module able to realize a further improvement of heat radiating performance and a further improvement of a mounting property is provided.

The heat sink 1 for a power module has a laminating body 20, a first side plate 30 and a second side plate 40. The laminating body 20 has plural flow path plates 21 formed in a plate shape in which plural grooves 23 parallel to each other are concavely arranged on a flat joining face 22. Each groove 23 is set to a parallel flow path 50 parallel to a front face side by laminating each flow path plate 21 by each joining face 22. A portion other than each groove 23 of each joining face 22 forms a heat transfer path 70a to each parallel flow path 50 of a laminating direction. A flow-in path 30a and a flow-out path 40a are formed in the first and second side plates 30, 40. The flow-in path 30a and the flow-out path 40a are joined to side faces 26a, 26b of the laminating body 20, and are communicated with each parallel flow path 50. The flow-in path 30a flows a cooling medium into each parallel flow path 50. The flow-out path 40a flows the cooling medium out of each parallel flow path 50. A refrigerant flow path is constructed by the flow-in path 30a, each parallel flow path 50 and the flow-out path 40a.

Claims

1. A heat sink for a power module in which a power device is mounted to at least one face, and heat from said power device is radiated by a cooling medium circulated within a refrigerant flow path arranged in the interior, said heat sink comprising:

a laminating body in which plural flow path plates formed in a plate shape and concavely arranging plural grooves parallel to each other on a flat joining face are arranged, and each groove is set to a parallel flow path parallel to said one face by laminating each flow path plate by each joining face, and a portion other than each groove of each joining face forms a heat transfer path to each parallel flow path of the laminating direction, said heat transfer path is formed such that a heat transfer area is gradually reduced from said one face side;

a first side plate joined to a side face of one end side of said laminating body and communicated with one end of each parallel flow path, and forming a flow-in path for flowing said cooling medium into each parallel flow path; and

a second side plate joined to a side face of the other end side of said laminating body and communicated with the other end of each parallel flow path, and forming a flow-out path for flowing said cooling medium out of each parallel flow path; and

said refrigerant flow path is constructed by the flow-in path, each parallel flow path and the flow-out path,

wherein a flow-in hole is mounted on the first side plate such that the flow-in hole communicates with the flow-in path and projects in a direction in which the plural grooves on each of the flow path plates are aligned parallel to each other, and

wherein a flow-out hole is mounted on the second side plate such that the flow-out hole communicates with the flow-out path and projects in a direction in which the plural grooves on each of the flow path plates are aligned parallel to each other.

2. The heat sink for a power module according to claim 1, wherein plural through holes passing through a bottom face of said each groove and communicating said each parallel flow path of the laminating direction are formed in said each flow path plate.

3. The heat sink for a power module according to claim 2, wherein said each through hole is shifted in the laminating direction.

4. The heat sink for a power module according to claim 2, wherein said each through hole is formed so as to guide said cooling medium in the laminating direction.

5. The heat sink for a power module according to claim 1, wherein said each flow path plate is formed by at least press molding, cutting processing, extrusion molding or roll forming.

6. The heat sink for a power module according to claim 1, wherein a fin extending in a longitudinal direction is arranged within said groove.