Adjustable modular heat sink
AssigneeAivres Systems Inc.
InventorChia-Yuan Nien
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed herein is an adjustable heat sink comprising a base, a heat pipe, a first plurality of fixed fins, and a second plurality of sliding fins. The base is adapted to be thermally coupled to a heat-generating electronic component. The heat pipe comprises an evaporator portion and a condenser portion, wherein the evaporator portion is attached to the base, and the condenser portion extends away from the evaporator portion. The first plurality of fixed fins is attached to the condenser portion. At least one fixed fin has two parallel grooves along two opposite sides of the fixed fin, and at least one sliding fin has two parallel edges that are slidably inserted into the two parallel grooves, wherein the fixed fin and the sliding fin overlap at least partially.
Claims20
A heat sink comprising:
- a base adapted to be thermally coupled to a heat-generating electronic component;
- a heat pipe comprising an evaporator portion and a condenser portion, wherein the evaporator portion is attached to the base, and the condenser portion extends away from the evaporator portion;
- a first plurality of fixed fins attached to the condenser portion, wherein at least one fixed fin has two parallel grooves along two opposite sides of the at least one fixed fin;
- and
- a second plurality of sliding fins, wherein at least one sliding fin has two parallel edges that are slidably inserted into the two parallel grooves, wherein the at least one sliding fin at least partially overlaps with the at least one fixed fin.
A heat sink comprising a base, a plurality of pairs of cooling fins, and a heat pipe;
- wherein:
- the base comprises a substantially flat region adapted for interfacing with a heat-generating electronic component;
- each pair of cooling fins comprises a sliding fin and a corresponding fixed fin;
- and
- the sliding fin comprises a first metal sheet that is substantially flat and having two parallel edges, and a slit in the first metal sheet;
- the corresponding fixed fin comprises a second metal sheet that is substantially flat, a hole in the second metal sheet, and two parallel grooves along two opposite sides of the second metal sheet;
- the two parallel edges of the sliding fin are slidably inserted into the two parallel grooves of the corresponding fixed fin, and an area of overlap between the sliding fin and the corresponding fixed fin changes with a sliding movement of the sliding fin relative to the corresponding fixed fin;
- the heat pipe comprising an evaporator portion and a condenser portion;
- the evaporator portion is attached to the base, and the condenser portion extends away from the evaporator portion and going through the slit of the sliding fin and the hole of the corresponding fixed fin in each one of the plurality of pairs of cooling fins;
- and
- the corresponding fixed fin of each one of the plurality of pairs of cooling fins is attached to the condenser portion of the heat pipe.
A computer system comprising:
- a chassis,
- a printed circuit board disposed in the chassis and having a heat-generating electronic component, and
- a heat sink attached to the heat-generating electronic component;
- wherein:
- the heat sink comprises a base, a plurality of pairs of cooling fins, and a heat pipe;
- the base comprises a substantially flat region that is thermally connected with the heat-generating electronic component;
- each pair of cooling fins comprises a sliding fin and a corresponding fixed fin;
- and
- the sliding fin comprises a first metal sheet that is substantially flat and having two parallel edges, and a slit in the first metal sheet;
- the corresponding fixed fin comprises a second metal sheet that is substantially flat, a hole in the second metal sheet, and two parallel grooves along two opposite sides of the second metal sheet;
- the two parallel edges of the sliding fin are slidably inserted into the two parallel grooves of the corresponding fixed fin, and an area of overlap between the sliding fin and the corresponding fixed fin changes with a sliding movement of the sliding fin relative to the corresponding fixed fin;
- the heat pipe is thermally connected to the base and extends away from the base and going through the slit of the sliding fin and the hole of the corresponding fixed fin in each one of the plurality of pairs of cooling fins;
- and
- the corresponding fixed fin of each pair of cooling fins is thermally connected to the heat pipe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.