Undulating Fin Heat Sink with Interlocking Peaks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat dissipation devices for electronic devices, such as CPUs, face insufficient heat dissipation capacity as they generate more heat, leading to increased size and obstruction of air convection in limited spaces, necessitating an improvement in heat dissipation capability.
Innovation Solution
A heat dissipation device featuring a base with undulating fins and heat pipes, where the fins have peak and trough faces that interlock, creating undulating passages for enhanced airflow and heat transfer, along with a fan for forced airflow, increasing the heat dissipation area and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the size or number of fins is increased to meet higher heat dissipation demands, then heat dissipation capacity is improved, but the device occupies greater proportion of limited space and obstructs air convection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by designing fins with undulating surfaces instead of flat surfaces. The undulating structure includes peak faces, trough faces, and slanted faces that create a three-dimensional wavy pattern. This curvature increases the heat dissipation surface area of each fin while maintaining the same footprint, thereby improving heat dissipation capacity without increasing device volume or obstructing air convection pathways.
2Productivity
If the size or number of fins is increased to meet higher heat dissipation demands, then heat dissipation capacity is improved, but air convection is obstructed in the computer enclosure
Solution Approach 1:
The undulating fin surfaces create a three-dimensional wavy structure with peak and trough faces that increase surface area without expanding the device footprint. This allows maintained air flow pathways while providing greater heat dissipation area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional flat fins to three-dimensional undulating fins by adding vertical dimensionality through the wavy surface profile. This dimensional change increases the heat dissipation surface area within the same spatial envelope, improving heat transfer capacity without blocking air convection routes in the horizontal plane.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional flat fins are used, then manufacturing is simple, but heat dissipation area is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The undulating fin structure with peak, trough, and slanted faces increases heat dissipation surface area while remaining manufacturable through standard metal forming processes. The curved surfaces can be produced by rolling, pressing, or extruding techniques commonly used in heat sink manufacturing, balancing enhanced performance with manufacturing feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the fins by introducing undulation amplitude, wavelength, and surface area expansion ratios. These parameter modifications increase the effective heat dissipation area from the flat fin configuration while maintaining compatibility with existing manufacturing capabilities through adjusted forming parameters.
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 enhances heat dissipation capacity by increasing the surface area of the fins and facilitating full heat exchange between fins and airflow, effectively addressing the limitations of conventional devices.
Implementation Method 1
A plurality of undulating passages is defined between two adjacent fins of the fin set. At least a heat pipe has a first section contacting the base and a second section extending through the fin set for transferring heat from the base to the fin set.
Implementation Method 2
The base is intimately attached to the CPU thereby allowing it to absorb the heat generated by the CPU. Most of the heat accumulated at the base is transferred firstly to the fins and then dissipates away from the fins.
Implementation Method 3
A fan is located corresponding to the passages of the fin set for providing forced airflow to the fin set.
Implementation Method 4
facilitating full heat exchange between fins and airflow
Data Source
AI summary
A heat dissipation device includes a base and a fin set arranged on the base. The fin set includes a plurality of fins each having an undulating body and two flanges extending from the body. The body includes a plurality of peak faces, a plurality of trough faces alternating with the peak faces and a plurality of slanted faces each connecting adjacent peak face and trough face. The peak faces of each fin conform to the peak faces of an adjacent fin, while the trough faces of each fin conform to the trough faces of the adjacent fin. Pluralities of undulating passages are defined between two adjacent fins. Each heat pipe has a first section contacting the base and a second section extending through the fin set. A fan is located corresponding to the passages of the fin set for providing forced airflow to the fin set.