Patent Application
20070095508
1. Field
This invention is related to a heat dissipation device, and particularly to a heat dissipation device having louvered heat-dissipating fins for use in removing heat from a heat generating electronic device.
2. Related Art
It is well known that, during operation of a computer, electronic devices such as central processor units (CPUs) frequently generate large amounts of heat. The heat must be quickly removed from the electronic device to prevent the electronic device from becoming unstable or being damaged. Typically, heat dissipation devices are desired to dissipate heat generated by the electronic devices.
Conventionally, a heat dissipation device comprises a heat sink which has a base and a plurality of fins on the base. The fins each being flat sheet are parallel to each other and spaced arranged on the base. Therefore, pluralities of passages are defined between the fins for airflow passing therethrough. Generally, the heat dissipation device further comprises a fan for providing forced airflow to the heat sink. However, due to aerodynamics properties of fluid, a boundary layer is always formed at the interface of the fin and the airflow, which prevents cooling airflow from getting to the fin to have heat exchange with the fin. Additionally, each of the fins is flat; therefore, each of the passages between the fins is straight. Consequently, beyond the boundary layer, the airflow suffers from low resistance at a direction of flowing thereof. Thus, the cooling airflow speedily flows out of the passages without sufficient heat exchange with the fins. As a result, the fins of the heat sink is not fully utilized, the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat dissipation is not perfect. Thus, a new heat dissipation device is needed to meet the heat dissipation demand of the electronic device.
Accordingly, what is needed is to provide a heat dissipation device which has a capacity of having sufficient heat exchange with cooling airflow passing through the heat dissipation device.
A heat dissipation device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention comprises a base having a first face and a second face opposite to the first face for contacting a heat generated electronic device, and a fin set arranged on the first face of the base. The fin set comprises a plurality of spaced fins, a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. Pluralities of passages are defined between the fins and extend from the first end to the second end of the fin set. Each of the fins has a plurality of louvers defined therein and a plurality of tabs each extending along a side of each of the louvers from each of the fins. The louvers of the fins communicate with the passages between the fins. The tabs of each of the fins extend toward corresponding louvers of an adjacent fin. The passages communicate with ambient air at the first end and the second end of the fin set. A fan is mounted to the first end of the fin set. When the fan operates, an airflow generated by the fan flows through the passages. The airflow in one passage can flow to an adjacent passage through corresponding louvers in the fin between the two passages.
Other advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention with the attached drawings, in which:
Referring to
The base 10 is a substantially rectangular plate having a high heat conductivity. The base 10 has a top face defining two parallel grooves 110 therein and a bottom face opposite to the top face. The grooves 110 are for receiving the heat pipes 50, and the bottom face is for contacting with a heat generating electronic device, such as a CPU (central processing unit) (not shown).
The bottom wall 20 is substantially a rectangular plate arranged on the base 10. The bottom wall 20 comprises a flat portion 210 thermally contacting with the base 10 and two extension portions 220 integrally extending upwardly from two opposite sides of the flat portion 210. Each of the two extension portions 220 defines two cutouts 230 communicating with the grooves 110 of the base 10, respectively.
The fin set 30 comprises a plurality of fins 31 vertically stacked one by one. The fin set 30 horizontally rests on the two extension portions 220 above the flat portion 210 of the bottom wall 20. Each fin 31 is substantial rectangular, and has a body 310 and two flanges 320 perpendicularly and downwardly extending from two opposite edges of the body 310. The flanges 320 of each fin 31 abut against the body 310 of an adjacent fin 31 therebelow. The flanges 320 of each side of the fins 31 cooperatively form a contacting face for contacting a corresponding sidewall 40. Pluralities of passages 350 are defined between the fins 31. The body 310 can be generally divided into right and left portions along a middle thereof, as viewed from
The two sidewalls 40 are respectively disposed on the extension portions 220 of the bottom wall 20 and located at the two opposite sides of the fin set 30. Each of the sidewalls 40 is substantial rectangular and has an inner face defining two grooves 410 for receiving the heat pipes 50 therein. The two grooves 410 cooperatively form a substantially V-shaped contour. The inner faces of the sidewalls 40 respectively thermally contact the contacting faces of the fin set 30 constituted by the flanges 320. Therefore, the fin set 30 is sandwiched between the two sidewalls 40. The two sides of the fin set 30 are sealed by the two sidewalls 40.
Each of the two heat pipes is substantially U-shaped, and comprises working fluid therein. The working fluid has a phase change when a temperature thereof gets to a certain degree. Each heat pipe 50 comprises a first section 510 and two second sections 520 respectively perpendicularly extending from two ends of the first section 510. A rounder corner is formed at each joint of the sections 510,520 of the heat pipe 50. The first sections 510 of the heat pipe 50 are soldered into the grooves 110 of the base 10, respectively. The second sections 530 of the heat pipes 50 project upwardly beyond the base 10 and the bottom wall 20 from the cutouts 230 of the bottom wall 20, and are soldered into the grooves 410 of the sidewalls 40, respectively.
The ceiling 60 hoods on the fin set 30. The ceiling 60 has two flanges 610 depending from two opposite sides thereof. The two flanges 610 abut against two sides of a top of a top fin 31 of the fin set 30.
Therefore, the fin set 30 is surrounded by the bottom wall 20, the two sidewalls 40 and the ceiling 60. As a result, the passages 350 between the fins 31 communicate with ambient air only at two ends of the fin set 30. Furthermore, a fan 70 is located at one of the two ends of the fin set 30 to provide a forced airflow through the fin set 30.
In use, the heat dissipation device has the bottom face of the base 10 contacting the electronic device to absorb heat generated by the electronic device. Sequentially, the heat in the base 10 is absorbed by the first sections 510 of the heat pipes 50 and by the bottom wall 20. The first sections 510 are constructed as evaporators for the heat pipes 50. The heat in the first sections 510 of the heat pipes 50 reaches the sidewalls 40 via the second sections 520 of the heat pipes 50. The second sections 520 are constructed as condensers for the heat pipes 50. Also, part of the heat in the bottom wall 20 is conducted to the sidewalls 40 through a direction connection between the bottom wall 20 and the sidewalls 40. Then, the heat in the sidewalls 40 is transferred to the fin set 30 to be dissipated to the ambient air.
According to the first embodiment of the present invention, the louvers 330 of the fins 31 communicate the passages 350 between the fins 31, and the tabs 340 of the fins 31 extend toward the louvers 330; thus, when the fan 70 provides the forced airflow through the fin set 30, the tabs 340 guide the airflow to flow from one of the passages 350 to the adjacent upper one of the passages 350 via the louvers 330 between the two passages 350. As a result, the cooling airflow is facilitated to sufficiently contact with the fins 31 and have a full heat exchange with the fins 31. Therefore, in comparison with the conventional heat dissipation device, heat dissipation capacity of the heat dissipation device of the present invention is improved.
Additionally, the fins 31 are surrounded by the bottom wall 20, the sidewalls 40 and the ceiling 60; thus, the airflow between the fins 31 can only flow out of the heat dissipation device via the end opposite to the fan 70; by this, the airflow out of the heat dissipation device can cool other electronic devices located near the end of the heat dissipation device opposite the fan 70; therefore, the airflow of the fan 70 is fully utilized.
Furthermore, the heat dissipation device has two heat pipes 50 connecting the base 10 and the two sidewalls 40 thereof, and the fins 31 thermally contact the two sidewalls 40; therefore, the heat absorbed from the electronic device by the base 10 is rapidly transferred to the sidewalls 40 and then to the fins 31 to be dissipated.
Referring to
It is to be understood, however, that 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 function 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 invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
