Heat exchanger with variable base thickness and fin height
AssigneesDENSO International America, Inc., Denso Corporation
InventorSiddharth DASGUPTA
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A heat sink for a power inverter assembly is provided. The heat sink includes a base having a lower surface and an opposing upper surface that define a thickness of the base, wherein the lower surface contacts a heat-generating device. A plurality of fins extend from the upper surface. The fins include a first group of fins extending directly from a first region of the base, and a second group of fins extending directly from a second region of the base. The first region of the base has a first thickness, and the second region of the base has a second thickness that differs from the first thickness. The variable base thickness allows for customized and particular adjustment to heat transfer capabilities of the heat sink.
Claims20
A heat sink for a power inverter assembly in a motor vehicle, the heat sink comprising:
- a base having a lower surface and an opposing upper surface that define a thickness of the base, wherein the lower surface contacts a heat-generating device;
- and
- a plurality of fins extending from the upper surface of the base, wherein the plurality of fins include a first group of fins extending directly from a first region of the base, and a second group of fins extending directly from a second region of the base;
- wherein the first region of the base has a first thickness, and the second region of the base has a second thickness that differs from the first thickness.
A power inverter assembly for a motor vehicle, the power inverter assembly comprising:
- a heat-generating component;
- and
- a heat sink having:
- a base that includes a lower surface, an upper surface, and a thickness therebetween, wherein the lower surface contacts the heat-generating component;
- an inlet region at or near an inlet of the heat sink;
- an outlet region at or near an outlet of the heat sink, wherein fluid flows from the inlet to the outlet;
- and
- a plurality of fins extending from the upper surface of the base, wherein the plurality of fins include a first group of fins in the inlet region and a second group of fins in the outlet region;
- wherein the thickness of the base at the inlet region is different than the thickness of the base at the outlet region, and wherein the first group of fins have a different height than the second group of fins.
A power inverter assembly for a motor vehicle, the power inverter assembly comprising:
- a heat sink having a base that includes a lower surface, an upper surface, a thickness therebetween, and a plurality of fins extending from the upper surface of the base, wherein the heat sink includes an inlet region and an outlet region such that fluid flows across the heat sink from the inlet region to the outlet region, and wherein the heat sink has a width extending in a lateral direction and a length extending in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the lateral direction;
- a plurality of heat-generating components contacting the lower surface of the base, wherein the heat-generating components are distributed along a first lateral side of the base, and wherein the base has a second lateral side;
- wherein the thickness of the base in the first lateral side is less than the thickness of the base in the second lateral side.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.