US 2006/0230616 A1 · Method and apparatus for fabricating high fin-density heatsinks

Abstract

A dual base plate heatsink for use in dissipating heat for electronic devices has sufficient thermal contact between fins and the base plates and is manufactured without the requirement for welding. Separately extruded fins are connected to both base plates by placing the fins side by side in channels in both base plates. In order to couple the base plates and the fins, the base plates are maintained at a constant relative distance and a swaging tool is passed adjacent the fins and between the base plates in a direction parallel to the surface of the base plates. The swaging tool asserts pressure to the base plates to thereby swage the base plates against the ends of the fins. Undesirable warping of the base plates during the process is reduced or prevented by providing a base plate configuration that minimises the bending moment between the swaged base plate material and the rest of the base plate.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A method of manufacturing a dual base plate heatsink, said method comprising:

providing a plurality of heat-conducting fins, each with opposing ends;
providing two opposing heat conducting base plates, each of said base plates comprising an inward facing surface with a plurality of elongate landing areas thereon, each of said landing areas separated by an elongate channel;
inserting said ends of said fins into respective ones of said channels of each of said opposing base plates;
placing a first portion of a swaging tool between said opposing base plates, said swaging tool comprising a series of elongate tines, said series of tines dimensioned to be disposed adjacent each of said fins, each of said tines increasing in height from said first portion to a second portion;
while maintaining relative distance between said base plates, sliding said swaging tool adjacent said fins in a direction parallel to each said surface so that said second portion of each said tine increasingly applies pressure to a corresponding landing area, to increasingly swage each said landing area against each adjacent fin;
whereby swaging of each said landing area secures each said fin to each said base plate.

3 more elements

A swaging tool for use in coupling two opposing heat conducting base plates each having an inward facing surface with a plurality of elongate landing areas separated by an elongate channel, to a plurality of heat conducting fins each having opposing ends, said swaging tool comprising:

a retaining structure for maintaining the relative distance between said base plates, with the ends of said fins inserted into respective ones of said channels;
a series of parallel planar tines positioned between said opposing base plates and between respective ones of said fins, each of said tines having a first end increasing in height towards a second end and dimensioned to slide parallel to said surface between said base plates and adjacent a respective landing area;
and
apparatus for sliding said series of parallel planar tines adjacent said fins in a direction parallel to each said surface so that said second portion of each said tine increasingly applies pressure to a respective landing area, to increasingly swage each said landing area against each adjacent fin to secure it to each said base plate.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for fabricating high fin-density heatsinks

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for fabricating high fin-density heatsinks

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14