Patent Application
20110299252
1. Technical Field
The disclosure generally relates to heat sinks; and more particularly to a heat sink for an expansion card.
2. Description of Related Art
Expansion cards, such as a sound card, a network card or a graphics card, generally includes a board and a plurality of electronic components mounted on the board.
In operation of an expansion card, the electronic components generate heat. In order to remove the heat and hence ensure normal operation, a heat sink is usually provided. The heat sink includes a rectangular base and a plurality of fins formed on the base. The heat sink may for example be attached to one major heat-generating electronic component on the expansion card. Heat generated by the electronic component is transferred to the base and then dissipated by the fins. When the expansion card is used in a thin electronic device such as a rack server or a notebook computer, a height of the fins of the heat sink is limited. As a result, the heat sink may not be able to properly satisfy the heat dissipation requirements of the electronic device.
What is needed, therefore, is a means to overcome the described limitations.
Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
Referring to
The expansion card 10 includes a board 11, and two electronic components 12, 13 mounted on one side of the board 11. The board 11 has a top component side on which the electronic components 12, 13 are mounted, and a bottom solder side on which leads of the electronic components 12, 13 are soldered. In this embodiment, the electronic component 12 is located adjacent to a right end of the board 11.
The heat sink 20 includes a base 21, and a plurality of first fins 22 and a plurality of second fins 23 formed on the base 21. The base 21 is U-shaped, and includes a heat absorbing plate 211, a heat dissipation plate 212, and a connecting plate 213 between the heat absorbing plate 211 and the heat dissipation plate 212. The heat dissipation plate 212 is parallel to and spaced from the heat absorbing plate 211. A receiving space 24 is defined between the heat absorbing plate 211 and the heat dissipation plate 212.
The heat absorbing plate 211 has an inner surface facing the heat dissipation plate 212, and an outer surface. The first fins 22 are formed on the outer surface of the heat absorbing plate 211. The first fins 22 are parallel to and spaced from each other. A first air passage 221 is defined between every two adjacent first fins 22. The heat dissipation plate 212 has an inner surface facing the heat absorbing plate 211, and an outer surface. The second fins 23 are formed on the outer surface of the heat dissipation plate 212. The second fins 23 are parallel to and spaced from each other. A second air passage 231 is defined between every two adjacent second fins 23. An extending direction of each of the first air passages 221 is parallel to that of each of the second air passages 231. In this embodiment, the first fins 22, the second fins 23 and the base 21 are integrally formed as a single piece.
In assembly, the end of the board 11 of the expansion card 10 adjacent to the electronic component 12 is received in the receiving space 24 of the heat sink 20. The heat absorbing plate 211 and the heat dissipation plate 212 of the base 21 of the heat sink 20 are located at two opposite sides of the board 11 of the expansion card 10, to sandwich the end of the board 11 therebetween. The heat dissipation plate 212 is located at the solder side of the board 11 of the expansion card 10. The heat absorbing plate 211 is located at the component side of the board 11 of the expansion card 10, and is attached to the electronic component 12. That is, the heat absorbing plate 211 thermally contacts the electronic component 12.
In the expansion card assembly, the heat dissipation plate 212 of the base 21 of the heat sink 20 extends to the solder side of the board 11. Thereby, the heat dissipation area of the heat sink 20 is increased, and space available at the solder side of the board 11 of the expansion card 10 is efficiently utilized. The second fins 23 formed on the heat dissipation plate 212 further increase the total heat dissipation area of the heat sink 20.
In this embodiment, the second fins 23 are integrally formed with the base 21 as a single piece. That is, the entire heat sink 20 is a single one-piece monolithic body of material. In other embodiments, the second fins 23 and the base 21 can be separately made, and then assembled together. Referring to
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99118420 | Jun 2010 | TW | national |
