HEATSINK AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heatsink and to a method of manufacture for the same, in particular in relation to heatsinks for use with electronic devices.
Background of the invention
The provision of an efficient heatsink to ensure maintenance of effective operating temperatures can be of critical importance to the efficiency of operation of an electronic device. A heatsink for such a purpose is therefore normally relatively large, being designed to have optimum heat dissipating characteristics. A typical arrangement consists of a base material and a plurality of generally upstanding fin elements, both constructed from a thermally conductive material, typically a metallic material. The fin elements may be extruded from the base or the apparatus may be fabricated by attaching fin elements to a suitable base.
The general desire for improved performance and ease of fabrication has recently led to the adoption of folded fin assemblies for heatsinks. Folded fin technology, initially developed for applications such as radiators, thermal transfer devices and like, comprises the multiple, concertina type folding of sheet material of a thermal conductor, so as to produce a structure in which a plurality of typically generally parallel faces of the sheet are formed. The folded fin stock thus produced is then attached to a mechanical heat spreader by means, for example, of thermally conductive epoxy, brazing, welding or similar metallurgical bonding process, so that the faces of the folded fin stock provide generally upstanding fin elements in relation to the heat spreader base. Several such fin stock units may be assembled on a single base unit.
Folded fin assemblies offer advantages of potentially reduced weight, reduced material cost and simplicity of manufacture relative to extruded or fabricated pin fin devices and offer potentially increased performance for a given unit cost. However, a particular problem for folded fin assemblies in comparison to conventional pin fin assemblies lies in their generally uni-directional character.
Air flow in use is generally easy along a direction parallel to the fin elements, but essentially impossible along a direction transverse to the fin elements. As a consequence, the efficiency of a folded fin heatsink can depend critically upon its orientation, and such heatsinks are unlikely to be suitable for omni-directional applications.
European patent application EP-A-0 706 212 describes a heatsink fin assembly of the corrugated type for cooling an LSI package comprising a flat base plate and a heat dissipating member made of a thin metal sheet having convex and concave portions which are comprised of a repeated series of side wall portions. The base plate and the heat dissipating member are integrated with each other by bonding.
Although this publication sets out an intention to provide "a heatsink fin assembly which is substantially free from directionality when subjected to air cooling" the invention disclosed (in any of its embodiments) would appear not to describe the best way of achieving this, as there is still only one direction (in the direction of the folds) in which the air could flow unobstructed through the heatsink. The proposal as described in that publication, appears to have been designed specifically for forced air applications.
German publication DE-A-3 203 609 describes a folded sheet heatsink having slots along the fold regions. These slots would do little to improve overall performance of the heatsink when the air flow is in a direction perpendicular to the folds.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a heatsink based generally upon the principles of folded fin technology, but which mitigates some or all of the above disadvantages, and a further object of the invention to produce a convenient and efficient method of manufacture of such a device.
Summary of the Invention
Thus according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a folded fin unit for a heatsink that comprises an elongate sheet of thermally conducting material which is concertina folded through a plurality of transverse folds so as
to produce a plurality of generally planar fin elements, wherein at least some of, and preferably each of the fin elements incorporates a plurality of generally parallel slots extending for a substantial part of a linear dimension of the said fin element, said slots being sufficiently juxtaposed with slots of any preceding fin element, as to permit increased flow of air through the folded fin unit, in a direction generally perpendicular to said fin element, in use.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a folded fin unit for a heatsink, said unit being of the corrugated sheet type having a plurality of generally planar fin elements defined between folds, said planar fin elements and folds defining therebetween passages permitting air-flow through the unit, wherein each such fin element has a plurality of elongate openings formed within the plane of said fin element, and the respective openings in each fin element are in alignment with corresponding openings in neighbouring fin elements to thereby permit airflow through said fin elements within the height of the fin elements and traversing the aforesaid passages.
Preferably, to form a heatsink device, at least one such folded fin unit is mounted upon a base plate comprising thermally conductive material. The said base plate may also be of thermally conductive sheet material, and may be of the same material as the folded fin unit. The heatsink device may comprise a plurality of such folded fin units mounted upon a single base plate.
Whilst it will be understood that the invention does not exclude the slotting of the pin fin elements in transverse orientation, optimum structural stability is likely to be achieved if the slots comprise a plurality of generally parallel rectangular apertures oriented longitudinally with respect to the folded sheet, and thus lying generally vertically when the folded sheet is mounted upon a base plate.
Conveniently, the sheet comprising the folded fin unit is folded such that each fin element is generally of the same height, and further conveniently so that fin elements lie in a generally parallel orientation. Since it is desirable that the fin elements are spaced apart to allow air flow between them, U-shaped folds are to be preferred, wherein the folded region between fin element comprises two successive generally orthogonal and relatively closely spaced folds.
In a preferred arrangement, the folded fin unit comprises a plurality of slots in the fold regions, and the elongate sheet is therefore preferably provided with a series of parallel slots located to lie in such orientation after folding. In the case of a fin unit mounted upon a base plate so that the fin elements extend generally vertically therefrom, the fin unit is therefore provided with a plurality of slots in the fold regions lying at the top of the heatsink assembly. Such an arrangement enables air flow into the body of the fin unit between the fin elements in particular from above.
In a preferred embodiment of the above heatsink arrangement, a heatsink comprising at least one of the above fin units is adapted for forced air applications and further comprises a fan located generally above the heatsink so as to force air into the bulk of the folded fin unit through the slots in the fold regions.
Preferably, each fin element comprises a plurality of generally parallel rectangular slots extending for a substantial part of a longitudinal linear dimension, of the said fin element, and the elongate sheet is therefore preferably provided with a series of parallel slots located to lie in such orientation after folding. Such an arrangement ensures that a relatively high degree of air flow is possible through the folded fin plates, as well as between them. Thus, a heatsink manufactured from a folded fin unit in accordance with this aspect of the invention exhibits performance which approximates to omni-directionality, or which at least exhibits reduced directionality in comparison to conventional folded fin devices.
In an arrangement particularly suited to generally omni-directional applications the folded fin unit comprises a plurality of slots in the fold regions, and also a plurality of generally parallel longitudinal slots, so arranged that each fin element is slotted for a substantial part of its longitudinal dimension. Preferably, the fin unit therefore comprises an elongate sheet of thermally conductive material provided with a repeating pattern of a first set of generally parallel rectangular longitudinal slots and a second set of generally parallel rectangular longitudinal slots, which is concertina folded through a plurality of transverse folds so as to produce a plurality of generally planar fin elements, such that the first set of slots
comprises a plurality of slots lying generally in the fold regions, and the second set of slots provides a plurality of slots in the planar regions of the fin elements.
The slots may be manufactured by press cutting, and are conveniently manufactured before folding of the elongate pin fin sheet. This is likely to result in simpler and cheaper fabrication. However, the slots could be manufactured by other means such as cutting, and could be manufactured subsequent to folding.
The thermally conductive material used to manufacture the fin pins and bases may be metallic, and is preferably copper, aluminium, or alloys thereof. The base plate may comprise an extrusion, a pressing, or a flat strip.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of manufacture of a folded fin unit for a heatsink comprising providing an elongate sheet of thermally conducting material, folding said sheet in the fashion of a concertina to form a plurality of transverse folds and a plurality of generally planar fin elements, wherein said method includes forming apertures in said sheet whereby each fin element formed therefrom incorporates a plurality of generally parallel slots extending for a substantial part of a linear dimension of the said fin element, and said slots are formed such that slots in one fin element are sufficiently aligned with slots of a neighbouring fin element, such as to permit increased flow of air through the folded fin unit, in a direction that is generally perpendicular to said fin element.
Preferably, the method comprises the further step of mounting at least one, and more preferably a plurality, of the folded fin units so formed upon a base plate comprising thermally conductive material.
For simplicity of fabrication, the slots are conveniently provided in the elongate sheet prior to folding, for example by press cutting. The slots are conveniently so disposed as to provide a plurality of generally parallel rectangular apertures oriented longitudinally with respect to the folded sheet. In this configuration, the slots will provide generally vertically apertures in use when the folded fin unit is fabricated from the sheet. The press cutting may be designed such that slots in neighbouring fin elements are either offset with respect to one another or in
alignment to provide either a slightly convolute air-flow path or a substantially straight air-flow path in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of a fin element in the folded fin unit.
Further preferred features of the method of manufacture will be readily understood by the skilled person by analogy with the preferred features of device construction described above.
Another aspect of the invention provides a heatsink fin assembly comprising a base plate of thermally conductive material, and fastened thereto, a folded fin array of the corrugated sheet type having a plurality of generally planar fin elements defined between folds, said planar fin elements and folds defining therebetween passages permitting air-flow through the assembly, wherein each such fin element has a plurality of openings formed within the plane of said fin element, and the respective openings in each fin element are sufficiently in alignment with similar openings in neighbouring fin elements to thereby permit airflow through said fin elements within the height of the fin elements and traversing the aforesaid passages.
Preferably, the heatsink assembly provides openings in said fin element that are slots extending for a substantial part of a linear dimension of the said fin element between said folds, and additionally having a plurality of slots formed in the fold regions of the folded fin unit remote from the base plate.
Description of the Drawings
The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention;
Figures 2a-c represent respectively side and end elevations and plan view of the heatsink of Figure 1 ;
Figure 3a shows a portion of a sheet blank suitable for folding into a fin unit of the heatsink of figures 1 and 2;
Figure 3b shows a variant of the sheet in Figure 3a;
Figure 4 represents a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention;
Figures 5a-c represent respectively side and end elevations and a plan view of the second embodiment of Figure 4;
Figure 6 Figure 3 shows a portion of a sheet blank suitable for folding into a fin unit of the heatsink of figures 1 and 2.
Figure 7 is a schematic view of a forced air heatsink device incorporating the heatsink elements of the earlier embodiments.
Modes for Carrying out the Invention
Considering first Figures 1 and 2, a base plate 1 of aluminium alloy of a suitable grade such as 6063, has two folded fin units 2 mounted thereon by means of a thermal epoxy 3. Each folded fin unit comprises aluminium alloy sheet material of a suitable grade such as 3003 aluminium, which has prior to mounting upon the base 1 been subjected to a plurality of U-folds 5 so that the mounted structure defines a plurality of parallel vertical fin plates 6. The U-folds 5 are such as to provide a gap 8 between each fin plate 6.
Prior to folding, a number of generally rectangular slots are punched out of the sheet material 4, as is illustrated in more detail in Figures 3a and 3b. The sheet 4 has repeatedly punched out by press cutting two series of slots each comprising a series of parallel rectangular apertures respectively 11 , 12. The folded fin element is fabricated by U-folding of the sheet blank 4 around the broken lines a-a and b-b, such as to create respectively the upper and lower folded regions 5, 7 illustrated in Figure 2. The slots 11 , 12 then correspond to apertures 13, 14 respectively in the assembled folded fin element 2. The slots may be aligned in the folded fin element so that neighbouring folded fins provide a substantially straight air flow path through the assembly in a direction generally perpendicular to a fin element (Fig. 3a slots), or the slots may be slightly off-set (Fig. 3b slots 12').
In a heatsink assembled in accordance with the this first embodiment of the invention the apertures 13 and 14 serve to mitigate many of the problems encountered in conventional folded fin heatsinks regarding uni-directionality of performance. The apertures 14 permit significant air flow in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the fin plate faces 6 (that is, in the direction of the arrow C of figure 2) which is not possible with conventional folded fin heatsinks. The apertures 13 enhance the free circulation of air between the fin plates 6, and the combination of apertures produces enhanced cooling by taking advantage of convection flow within the system in use, the apertures 13 effectively serving as chimneys.
An alternative embodiment of heatsink in accordance with the invention is illustrated in figures 5 and 6. In this embodiment, a base plate 21 is again provided with fin units 22 mounted upon it by means of a thermal epoxy 23. Similar materials may be used as were used for the earlier embodiment. Again, each folded fin unit comprises aluminium alloy sheet material which has prior to mounting upon the base 21 been subjected to a plurality of U folds 25 so that the mounted structure defines a plurality of fin plates 26 with air gaps 28 therebetween.
The sheet 24 is shown prior to folding in greater detail in figure 6. In this figure, the sheet 24 has repeatedly punched out by press cutting a number of series of slots each comprising a series of parallel apertures 29. The folded element in then fabricated by U folding the sheet 24 around the broken lines c-c and d-d, such as to create respectively the upper and lower folded regions 25, 27 illustrated in figure 5. The slots 29 then correspond to apertures 30 provided in the assembled folded fin element 22.
The heatsink assembled in accordance with this aspect of the invention is provided with apertures 30 which correspond broadly to the apertures 13 in the earlier embodiment of figures 1 to 3, and which convey similar advantages in allowing improved air flow throughout the body of each fin unit 22. Transverse air flow through a fin unit is not as easy as in the earlier embodiment, so that the fin unit of the present embodiment is therefore less suitable for fully omnidirectional applications. However the provision of the slots 30 at the top of the
heatsink element 2 may provide a heatsink which is particularly adapted to applications using forced air from above.
An example of a forced air heatsink which utilises forced air from above to enhance heatsink performance, and which therefore takes advantage of this aspect of the present invention, is illustrated in figure 7.
In figure 7 a heatsink consists of a base plate 41 on which are mounted two conventional folded fin 42 stocks (that is without slots or apertures to improve multi-directionality of air flow) and a folded fin unit in accordance with the invention 43. This is a folded unit provided with apertures 49 in the region of U folds (for example, a fin unit 2, 22 of the type illustrated in the earlier figures). A fan 44 of conventional arrangement is mounted above the unit 43 on mounting posts 45 so as to lie above the apertures 49 provided in the regions of the U folds in the fin unit 43 (as is illustrated more clearly in figure 7b which is a plan view with the fan 44 removed).
Provision of the apertures 49 ensures that during operation of the fan 44 air may be forced throughout the bulk of the fin unit 43 to maximise cooling efficiency. This in contrast to a heatsink using a conventional folded fin, where a top mounted fan would be impracticable, and the fan would need to be mounted at the side where unhindered air flow was possible. Thus, a fin unit manufactured in accordance with the present invention, by making practical a design in which the fan is mounted above the folded fin, gives increased flexibility of design over conventional arrangements.
Industrial Applicability
It will be understood that the foregoing are offered by way of example only of applications of the present invention. The skilled person will readily understand that the invention is applicable to a range of applications where the potential advantages offered by folded fin heatsinks are desirable, but where the problems posed by the unidirectional functionality of prior art folded fin heatsinks need to be mitigated.