Adjustable Heat Sink Assembly With Elevation and Pitch Fasteners

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional heat sink technologies using aluminum or copper columns between circuit boards and housings face issues such as increased weight, lack of shock absorption, potential for heat accumulation gaps, and precision size requirements, which complicate installation and reduce product reliability.

Innovation Solution

An adjustable heat sink assembly featuring a thermo-conductive bottom and top panel with heat pipes, elevation-adjustment fasteners to secure the base to a circuit board, and pitch-adjustment fasteners to optimize contact with both the heat source and an external thermo-conductive object for enhanced heat dissipation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If aluminum or copper columns are used as thermo-conductive media between the circuit board and the housing, then heat transfer is achieved, but the weight of the electronic apparatus increases greatly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat transferVSAvoidweight of electronic apparatus

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameter from heavy aluminum or copper columns to lighter heat pipe technology. The heat pipe assembly uses a sealed capillary structure with working fluid that transfers heat through phase change, achieving high thermal conductivity with significantly reduced weight compared to traditional metal columns.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Temperature

If aluminum or copper columns are used as thermo-conductive media, then heat transfer is achieved, but the columns are not shock absorptive and the electronic apparatus may be damaged easily upon impact

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat transferVSAvoidshock absorption

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The heat pipe assembly incorporates a flexible structure with a sealed capillary tube containing working fluid. This flexible design allows the heat pipe to absorb shock and impact forces while maintaining thermal conduction, protecting the electronic apparatus from damage upon impact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Temperature

If aluminum or copper columns are used as thermo-conductive media, then heat transfer is achieved, but a gap exists between the circuit board and the housing where waste heat accumulates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat transferVSAvoidheat accumulation gap

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The heat pipe assembly merges the thermal conduction function with the structural connection function. The heat pipe is directly attached to both the circuit board and the housing, eliminating gaps and ensuring continuous thermal path from the heat source to the housing without interruption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Temperature

If aluminum or copper columns are used as thermo-conductive media, then heat transfer is achieved, but the precision of the size is critical and size deviation complicates installation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat transferVSAvoidinstallation precision

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The heat pipe assembly incorporates adjustable components that allow dynamic adjustment of the thermal contact pressure and position. This adjustability compensates for size deviations and simplifies installation, eliminating the need for high-precision manufacturing tolerances while maintaining effective heat transfer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The adjustable heat sink assembly ensures rapid heat transfer and dissipation by maintaining positive contact with both the heat source and external object, facilitating quick installation and ensuring stability and tightness, while accommodating varying sizes and applications.

Implementation Method 1

a plurality of heat pipes, a plurality of elevation-adjustment fasteners adapted to fasten the heat-sink base to a circuit board

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat pipe: Heat Pipe

Implementation Method 2

a heat-sink base formed of a thermo-conductive bottom panel, a thermo-conductive top panel and a plurality of heat pipes

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS8861203B2Adjustable heat sink assembly

Publication Date: 2014.10.14 ADLINK TECH INC

AI summary

An adjustable heat sink assembly includes a thermo-conductive bottom panel having a flat contact face protruded from the bottom wall thereof, elevation-adjustment fasteners mounted in the thermo-conductive bottom panels and fastened to a circuit board and vertically adjusted to keep the flat contact face in positive contact with a heat source at the circuit board, a thermo-conductive top panel, pitch-adjustment fasteners joining the thermo-conductive bottom panel and the thermo-conductive top panel and adjustable to control the distance between the thermo-conductive bottom panel and the thermo-conductive top panel and to keep the thermo-conductive top panel in positive contact with the housing, face panel or radiation fin of the electronic apparatus using the circuit board, and heat pipes connected between the thermo-conductive bottom panel and the thermo-conductive top panel.