US20110214842A1

US20110214842A1 - Heat sink

Info

Publication number: US20110214842A1
Application number: US12/718,861
Authority: US
Inventors: Chris Lee
Original assignee: LEA MIN Tech CO Ltd
Current assignee: LEA-MIN TECHNOLOGIES Co Ltd; LEA MIN Tech CO Ltd
Priority date: 2010-03-05
Filing date: 2010-03-05
Publication date: 2011-09-08

Abstract

A heat sink has a fin set and at least one heat pipe. The fin set has multiple stacked fins and at least one tapered tube. Each fin has at least one protrusion. The at least one protrusion protrudes from each fin and each protrusion has an internal surface. The at least one tapered tube is defined through corresponding protrusions of the fins. The at least one heat pipe has at least one tapered arm and a pipe wall. The tapered arm corresponds to and is mounted through a corresponding tapered tube of the fin set. The pipe wall of the heat pipe abuts the internal surfaces of corresponding protrusions of the fins tightly so heat can be dissipated efficiently during use.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat sink, and more particularly to a heat sink that has at least one tapered heat pipe mounted through and contacting fins tightly to improve thermal conductivity.
2. Description of the Prior Arts
A heat sink is connected to a central processing unit (CPU) to dissipate heat from the CPU so preventing the CPU from overheating and maintaining working efficiency.
A conventional heat sink is a metal device with multiple fins and at least one heat pipe. The fins are stacked and each fin has a surface area, multiple through holes and multiple protrusions. The through holes are defined through the fins and correspond to and align with the through holes of adjacent fins. The protrusions are formed around the through holes and have inner surfaces. The at least one heat pipe abuts an electronic device and is mounted through corresponding through holes and has a pipe wall. Solder is filled between the pipe wall of the at least one heat pipe and the internal surfaces of the protrusions to weld the heat pipe and the protrusions. The heat pipe absorbs heat from the electronic device and transmits the heat to the fins that radiate the heat to the air rapidly due to the surface area of the fins.
However, to ensure the heat pipe can be mounted through the fins, the through holes must be bigger than the heat pipe, in other words, there is a gap between the heat pipe and the fins. If the gap is too small, the heat pipe will be mounted through the fins not easily. If the gap is too big, the more solder must be used and thick solder will reduce thermal efficiency. Accordingly, the heat absorbed by the heat pipe is not dissipated efficiently.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a heat sink to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to provide a heat sink with better heat conducting efficiency.
A heat sink comprises a fin set and at least one heat pipe. The fin set has multiple fins and multiple tapered tubes. The fins are stacked and each fin has at least one protrusion. The at least one protrusion protrudes from each fin and each protrusion has an internal surface. Each tapered tube is defined through corresponding protrusions of the fins. The at least one heat pipe has at least one tapered arm corresponding to and mounted through a corresponding tapered tube of the fin set and has a pipe wall. The pipe wall of the heat pipe abuts the internal surfaces of corresponding protrusions of the fins tightly. Therefore, the heat absorbed by the heat pipe can be dissipated efficiently during use.
Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a heat sink in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the heat sink in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged side view in cross section of fins of the heat sink in FIG. 1 showing a heat pipe in phantom lines; and

FIG. 4 is a front view of a heat pipe of the heat sink in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a heat sink in accordance with the present invention comprises a fin set, at least one heat pipe (20) and a metal seat (30).
With further reference to FIG. 3, the fin set has multiple fins (10) and at least one tapered tube (11). The fins (10) are stacked in sequence and each fin (10) has at least one protrusion (12). The at least one protrusion (12) protrudes from each fin (10), has an internal surface and a tapered hole (13). The tapered hole (13) is defined through the protrusion (12) of each fin (10) and corresponds to and aligns with the tapered hole (13) of subsequent adjacent fins (10). Each tapered tube (11) is formed through the fin set and is defined in corresponding tapered holes (13) of the fins (10), each tapered tube (11) has a bottom hole edge and a top hole edge.
With further reference to FIG. 4, the at least one heat pipe (20) has at least one tapered arm corresponding to and mounted through a corresponding tapered tube (13) of the fin set and has a pipe wall. The pipe wall of the heat pipe (20) abuts corresponding internal surfaces of the protrusions (12) tightly. Solder may be filled between the pipe wall of the at least one heat pipe (20) and the internal surfaces of the protrusions (12) to weld the heat pipe (20) and the protrusions (12) more securely. In a preferred embodiment, the at least one heat pipe (20) is U-shaped and has a central arm (21) and two tapered arms (22). The central arm (21) has two ends. The tapered arms (22) are respectively formed on the ends of the central arm (21) and each tapered arm (22) is tapered and is mounted through corresponding tapered tubes (11) of the fin set.
The metal seat (30) is mounted around the heat pipe (20) and abuts an electronic device, such as, a CPU. Heat generated by the CPU can be transmitted to the heat pipe (20) via the metal seat (30). In a preferred embodiment, the metal seat (30) is mounted around the central arm (21) of the heat pipe (20).
Since the tapered tubes (11) of the fin set are tapered and correspond to the heat pipe (20), which also is tapered, the heat pipe (20) is mounted through the tapered tubes (11) of the fin set smoothly and the pipe wall of the heat pipe (20) abuts the internal surface of the protrusions (12) of the fins (10) tightly. Therefore, heat absorbed by the heat pipe (20) can be transmitted to the fins (10) to be dissipated efficiently and thermal conductivity of the heat sink as described is improved.
Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

1. A heat sink comprising:

a fin set comprising multiple sequentially stacked fins, each fin having at least one protrusion protruding from the fin and defining a tapered hole corresponding to and aligning with the tapered hole of subsequent adjacent fins to define a tapered tube through the fin set and having an internal surface; and

at least one heat pipe having at least one tapered arm corresponding to and mounted through a corresponding tapered tube of the fin set and having a pipe wall abutting corresponding internal surfaces of the protrusions of the fins.

2. The heat sink as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one heat pipe is U-shaped and has

a central arm having two ends; and

two tapered arms respectively formed on the ends of the central arm and each tapered arm formed tapered and mounted through corresponding tapered tube of the fin set.

3. The heat sink as claimed in claim 1 further having solder filled between the pipe wall of the at least one heat pipe and the internal surfaces of the protrusions.

4. The heat sink as claimed in claim 2 further having solder filled between the pipe wall of the at least one heat pipe and the internal surfaces of the protrusions.

5. The heat sink as claimed in claim 1 further having a metal seat mounted around the heat pipe.

6. The heat sink as claimed in claim 2 further having a metal seat mounted around the central arm of the heat pipe.

7. The heat sink as claimed in claim 3 further having a metal seat mounted around the heat pipe.

8. The heat sink as claimed in claim 4 further having a metal seat mounted around the central arm of the heat pipe.