Foil heat sink and a method for fabricating same

#The present invention relates generally to a heat sink and more particularly to a foil heat sink and a method for fabricating the same.

#As an electronic component operates, the electron flow within the component generates heat. If this heat is not removed, or dissipated, the electronic component may not operate correctly and may become damaged. Typically, the heat generated by the electronic component is dissipated by a cooling means, such as an aluminum (Al) or copper (Cu) heat sink which absorbs and dissipates the heat via direct air convection. Heat sinks are well known in the electronics industry and are used extensively to dissipate heat generated by electronic components used in computers and various other electronic equipment.

#However, improvements in integrated circuit (IC) design and fabrication techniques are allowing IC manufacturers to produce smaller IC devices and other electronic components which operate at increasingly faster speeds and which perform an increasingly higher number of operations. As the operating speed and operational parameters of an electronic component increases, so to does the heat generated by these components. As a result, aluminum (Al) or copper (Cu) heat sinks that use conventional direct air cooling technology, or direct air convection, to dissipate heat are fast approaching the limits of their cooling abilities and it is becoming increasingly difficult to dissipate this increased heat. This is true even for electronic components that were once considered to be a low power technology and as such low heat generators, such as complementary metal oxide semiconductor, or CMOS, circuitry.

#FIG. 1 is a side view of a graphite foil heat sink in accordance with a first embodiment;

#FIG. 2a is a top down view of a graphite foil heat sink having an impinging-flow configuration in accordance with a first embodiment;

#FIG. 2b is a top down view of a graphite foil heat sink having a cross-flow configuration in accordance with a first embodiment;

#Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1, FIG. 2a, FIG. 3a, FIG. 3b, FIG. 4a, FIG. 4b and FIG. 4c illustrates a foil heat sink 1 having an impinging-flow configuration in accordance with a first embodiment and preferably includes a fin body 2 having a plurality of heat sink fins 4, a fin support 6 having a plurality of fin support structures 8 and a fin base 10 having a plurality of fin spacers 12. Heat sink fins 4 preferably include a plurality of external fins 14 and a plurality of internal fins 16, wherein internal fins 16 are disposed between external fins 14 in a sandwich fashion such that external fins 14 are disposed on the outer most portion of foil heat sink 1. In addition, heat sink fins 4 preferably include a fin head 18 and a fin foot 20, wherein heat sink fins 4 are preferably disposed so as to be adjacent to and parallel with each other. In accordance with a first embodiment, fin spacers 12 are preferably disposed between heat sink fins 4 in a sandwich fashion so as to separate heat sink fins 4 from each other.

#Fin support structures 8 preferably include a plurality of elongated support structures 22 and a plurality of shortened support structures 24, wherein fin support structures 8 are preferably disposed between heat sink fins 4 so as to separate heat sink fins 4 from each other. In accordance with a first embodiment, one of the elongated support structures 22 is preferably disposed on one side of foil heat sink 1 so as to be between one of the external fins 14 and one of the internal fins 16. The other of the elongated support structures 22 is preferably disposed on the opposing side of foil heat sink 1 so as to be between the other of the external fins 14 and one of the internal fins 16. However, elongated support structures 22 and shortened support structures 24 may be dispose relative to each other in any manner suitable to the desired end purpose.

#In accordance with a first embodiment, fin spacers 12 are preferably disposed so as to be adjacent to fin foot 20 and fin support structures 8 are preferably disposed so as to be adjacent to fin head 18. The disposition of fin support structures 8 and fin spacers 12 between heat sink fins 4, as described hereinabove, preferably create a plurality of horizontal channels 26 between heat sink fins 4, fin support structures 8 and fin spacers 12. Moreover, the disposition of the elongated support structures 22 nearest to the external fins 14 and the disposition of the shortened support structures 24 between the elongated support structures 22 and internal fins 16 preferably create a plurality of vertical channels 28 between heat sink fins 4 and fin support structures 8. This advantageously allows a fluid to flow into vertical channels 28, in an impinging-flow manner perpendicular to fin base 10, and out through horizontal channels 26, allowing the flowing fluid to assist cooling foil heat sink 1.