Lightweight Polymer Heatsink with Variable Fin Cross-Sections

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional metal heatsinks, such as those made of aluminum, are heavy, costly, and have high interface heat resistance, which limits their effectiveness in heat radiation due to high specific gravity and low heat radiation rates, especially in electronic devices where heat management is critical.

Innovation Solution

A heat-conductive polymer heatsink with a lightweight structure is developed, featuring a base plate with spaced-apart heat-radiating fins, where the cross-sectional area of fins below the light source is larger than adjacent ones, made from plastic materials like PA6 or PPS, potentially incorporating carbon fiber or graphene, to enhance heat radiation performance while minimizing weight.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the number of heat radiating fins is increased and the height of heat radiating fins is made long to improve heat radiation performance, then the heat radiation rate increases, but the weight of the aluminum heatsink significantly increases due to high specific gravity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat radiation rateVSAvoidweight of heatsink

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameter from metal (aluminum) to polymer composite material, fundamentally altering the specific gravity parameter to reduce weight while maintaining heat radiation performance through optimized fin structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite materials (polymer matrix with heat conductive fillers) to replace traditional metal materials, achieving both weight reduction and maintained thermal performance through the synergistic properties of the composite structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Temperature

If aluminum heatsink is used to achieve high heat conductivity, then heat conduction performance improves, but interface heat resistance increases due to metal core PCB attachment requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat conduction performanceVSAvoidinterface heat resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameter from metal to polymer composite, which fundamentally alters the interface compatibility characteristics and reduces interface heat resistance by enabling direct bonding with PCB substrates without requiring metal core PCB construction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of energy

If the cross-sectional area of heat-radiating fins is increased to improve heat saturation, then heat radiation efficiency improves, but the weight of the heatsink increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat radiation efficiencyVSAvoidweight of heatsink

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material density parameter by using polymer composites instead of metals, allowing increased fin cross-sectional area for improved heat radiation without the proportional weight increase that would occur with metal materials

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the heatsink into multiple heat-radiating fins with different cross-sectional areas, where fins below the light source have larger cross-sections for heat saturation while other fins have smaller cross-sections to control overall weight

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 design improves heat radiation efficiency and reduces weight by optimizing the cross-sectional area and spacing of heat-radiating fins, achieving sufficient heat saturation and reducing interface resistance, thus providing effective heat management in electronic devices like headlamps.

Implementation Method 1

heat-conductive polymer heatsink

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

heat-radiating fins

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal radiation: Thermal Radiation

Data Source

PatentUS11015795B2Light weight radiant heat structure of thermoelectric polymer heat sink and manufacturing method of the same

Publication Date: 2021.05.25 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

Provided is a heat-conductive polymer heatsink with a lightweight heat-radiating structure, which may include: a base plate; a plurality of heat-radiating fins, which are formed in a lower part of the base plate to be spaced apart; a substrate, which is connected to an upper part of the base plate; and a light source connected to the substrate; wherein the cross-sectional area of the heat-radiating fin among the plurality of heat-radiating fins formed below the light source is larger than that of the adjacent heat-radiating fins.