Patent Application
20100079950
The present invention relates to a radiating fin and a thermal module formed therefrom, and more particularly to a radiating fin and a thermal module formed therefrom that enable smooth flowing of heat-carrying airflows and upgraded heat dissipating efficiency.
With the quick development in the field of electronic technologies, electronic elements are designed to operate at a largely increased speed and accordingly, would produce a large amount of heat during the operation thereof. Therefore, the demands for functionally improved heat sink are also increased.
A conventional way of enhancing the heat dissipating function of a heat sink is to use a stack-type radiating fin assembly for it. Many researches have been conducted to develop improved radiating fins, and it has become one of the most important issues in the industrial field to develop a high-performance heat sink.
Taking a computer as an example, when the computer is started, a central processing unit (CPU) inside the computer will operate at high speed and produce a large amount of heat. When the heat produced by the CPU gradually increases, the computer tends to have reduced running speed. When the heat accumulated in the computer exceeds an allowable high limits thereof, unexpected shutdown of the computer or even a burned-out CPU would occur. Moreover, to solve the problem of electromagnetic radiation, most of the important components of the computer are enclosed in a case. The case also prevents the heat produced by the CPU and other heat-producing elements from quickly dissipating into ambient air. Therefore, it is desirable to develop an effective way for quickly conducting and dissipating the heat produced by the CPU and other heat-producing electronic elements in the case.
In brief, the thermal module formed from the conventional radiating fins has the following disadvantages: (1) having very narrow and small heat dissipating spaces; (2) having poor heat exchange efficiency; and (3) providing low heat dissipating efficiency.
It is therefore tried by the inventor to develop an improved radiating fin for forming an improved thermal module to overcome the disadvantages in the conventional thermal module.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a radiating fin being formed on at least one transverse edge with spaced projected portions. When a plurality of the radiating fins are stacked to form a radiating fin assembly, the projected portions on two adjacent radiating fins are staggered, so that expanded heat dissipating spaces can be formed on the radiating fin assembly to enable smooth flowing of heat-carrying airflows and upgraded heat dissipating efficiency.
To achieve the above and other objects, the radiating fin according to the present invention includes a flat main body having a first transverse edge and a second transverse edge, and at least one horizontally outward projected portion selectively provided on at least one of the first and the second transverse edge, such that at least one open portion is formed along the first or the second transverse edge at a position where the projected portion is not formed. A plurality of the radiating fins can be stacked to form a radiating fin assembly. The projected portions on a first radiating fin are in a staggered relation to the projected portions on an adjacent second radiating fin, so that expanded heat dissipating spaces can be formed on the radiating fin assembly between a first and a third radiating fin thereof.
The radiating fin assembly together with a base, at least one heat pipe, and a fan can form a thermal module. The base is in direct contact with a heat source to transfer the heat to the radiating fin assembly via the heat pipe. The fan blows airflows through the radiating fin assembly to carry away heat absorbed by the radiating fins. With the staggered projected portions on the radiating fin assembly, expanded heat dissipating spaces can be provided on the radiating fin assembly to enable smooth flowing of the heat-carrying airflows and upgraded heat dissipating efficiency.
In conclusion, the present invention provides the following advantages: (1) enabling smooth flowing of the heat-carrying airflows through the radiating fin assembly at high flowing efficiency; (2) providing increased heat radiating area; (3) enabling reduced resistance to the heat-carrying airflows; and (4) providing upgraded heat dissipating efficiency.
The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein
a is an exploded perspective view showing the forming of a radiating fin assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;
b is an assembled view of
The present invention directs to a radiating fin and a thermal module formed therefrom, some preferred embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Please refer to
The main body 31 is provided at two longitudinal ends 315, 316 with a first and a second downward extended skirt portion 3151, 3161, respectively. At least one through hole 317 is formed on the main body 31 for a heat pipe (not shown) to extend therethrough.
As shown in
The radiating fin assembly 3 shown in
When the first radiating fin assemblies 3c and the second radiating fin assemblies 3d are alternatively arranged to form the radiating fin assembly 3, the projected portions 313 on the first radiating fin assemblies 3c are aligned with the open portions 314 on the second radiating fin assemblies 3d. Since the open portions 314 on the second radiating fin assembly 3d each are located between two projected portions 313 on two first radiating fin assemblies 3c separately located above and below the second radiating fin assembly 3d, a first heat dissipating space 318 larger than the air passage 3b can be formed between two projected portions 313 on two spaced first radiating fin assemblies 3c. Therefore, the radiating fin assembly 3 has a plurality of expanded heat dissipating spaces formed on one or both transverse sides thereof.
When the fan 43 blows airflows into the air passages 3b in the radiating fin assembly 3 to carry heat away from the radiating fin assembly 3, the heat-carrying airflows flow from one transverse side of the radiating fin assembly 3 toward the other transverse side thereof that is usually provided with the projected portions 313 and accordingly the expanded first heat dissipating spaces 318.
With the expanded first heat dissipating spaces 318, the heat-carrying airflows can more smoothly flow through and out of the radiating fin assembly 3 at increased flowing efficiency, preventing heat from stagnating in the radiating fin assembly 3. Thus, the thermal module 4 can provide upgraded heat dissipating efficiency.
The number and the positions of the projected portions 313 and the open portions 314 on the radiating fin 3a can be varied in many different ways.
Alternatively, two types of radiating fins 3a having projected portions 313 and open portions 314 in different numbers and positions can be alternately arranged for forming the radiating fin assembly 3. An example of this arrangement is used in a thermal module 4 according to a third embodiment of the present invention shown in
The present invention has been described with some preferred embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in the described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.
