Claims
- 1. A thermal management system comprising a heat sink which comprises a graphite article shaped so as to provide a heat collection surface and at least one heat dissipation surface, wherein arranging the heat collection surface of the graphite article in operative connection with a heat source causes dissipation of heat from the heat source through the at least one heat dissipation surface of the graphite article.
- 2. The thermal management system of claim 1 wherein the at least one heat dissipation surface of the graphite article comprises fins formed at a surface of the graphite article opposite the heat collection surface.
- 3. The thermal management system of claim 1 wherein the graphite article has structural features comprising cavities therein, holes therethrough or combinations of cavities therein and holes therethrough, the at least one heat dissipation surface of the graphite article comprising surfaces of the structural features.
- 4. The thermal management system of claim 1 wherein the graphite article comprises compressed particles of exfoliated graphite.
- 5. The thermal management system of claim 4 wherein the graphite article comprises anisotropic flexible sheets of compressed particles of exfoliated graphite laminated into a unitary article.
- 6. The thermal management system of claim 5 wherein the anisotropic flexible sheets of compressed particles of exfoliated graphite used to form the graphite article are resin-impregnated.
- 7. The thermal management system of claim 5 wherein the anisotropic flexible sheets of compressed particles of exfoliated graphite have an “a” direction extending parallel to the planar direction of the crystal structure of the graphite, and further wherein the unitary article is formed such that the “a” direction of the anisotropic flexible sheets of compressed particles of exfoliated graphite extends between the heat collection surface and the at least one heat dissipation surface of the graphite article.
- 8. The thermal management system of claim 1 wherein the graphite article comprises high density graphite formed from finely divided carbonaceous particles.
- 9. The thermal management system of claim 8 wherein the carbonaceous particles have a particle size of less than about 100 mesh.
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending and commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/513,001, filed Feb. 25, 2000, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09513001 |
Feb 2000 |
US |
Child |
10256800 |
Sep 2002 |
US |