HEAT DISSIPATION DEVICE WITH A HEAT PIPE

Abstract

includes a base for contacting with a heat-generating electronic component, a fin assembly, a heat pipe connecting with the base and the fin assembly, and a holder connecting with the base and the fin assembly and supporting the heat pipe. The fin assembly includes a plurality of fins far away from the base. The heat pipe includes an evaporation portion thermally engaging with the base, a condensation portion connecting with the fin assembly and a connecting portion connecting with the evaporation portion and the condensation portion. The holder has a profile similar to the connecting portion of the heat pipe.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001]1. Field of the Invention

[0002]The present invention generally relates to heat dissipation devices, and more particularly to a heat dissipation device having a heat pipe for cooling an electronic component, such as an integrated circuit package.

[0003]2. Description of related art

[0004]Electronic components, such as central processing units (CPUs), comprise numerous circuits operating at high speed and generating substantial heat. Under most circumstances, it is necessary to cool the CPUs in order to maintain safe operating conditions and assure that the CPUs function properly and reliably. In the past, various approaches have been used to cool electronic components. Typically, a heat dissipation device is attached to an outer surface of a CPU to remove the heat therefrom.

[0005]A typical heat dissipation device generally comprises a base for absorbing heat from an electronic component mounted on a motherboard located in a computer enclosure and a plurality of fins arranged on the base. However, as the volume of the enclosure becomes smaller and smaller, space adjacent to the top of the base is limited and the fins are difficult to be located on the base. Generally, the fins are disposed at another position of the enclosure far away from the base, where there is larger space for receiving the fins, and an elongate and curved heat pipe is used to connect with the base and the fins for transferring the heat from the base to the fins. But the elongated heat pipe is fragile and easily to be damaged by external force, which results in an insecure heat dissipation performance of the heat dissipation device.

[0006]Accordingly, what is needed is a heat dissipation device with a heat pipe which can be firmly and reliably protected in the enclosure and has a steady heat dissipation performance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007]According to an embodiment of the present invention, a heat dissipation device includes a base for contacting with a heat-generating electronic component, a fin assembly, a heat pipe connecting with the base and the fin assembly, and a holder connecting with the base and the fin assembly and supporting the heat pipe. The fin assembly includes a plurality of fins far apart from the base. The heat pipe includes an evaporation portion thermally engaging with the base, a condensation portion connecting with the fin assembly and a connecting portion connecting with the evaporation portion and the condensation portion. The holder has a profile similar to the connecting portion of the heat pipe.

[0008]Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]Many aspects of the present heat dissipation device can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present heat dissipation device. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

[0010]FIG. 1 is an assembled, isometric view of a heat dissipation device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0011]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of FIG. 1; and

[0012]FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a holder of the heat dissipation device of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013]Referring to FIGS. 1-2, a heat dissipation device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The heat dissipation device is for being mounted to a printed circuit board (not shown) to remove heat from a heat-generating electronic component (not shown) mounted on the printed circuit board, such as a CPU (not shown). The heat dissipation device comprises a base 10 for contacting the CPU, a fin assembly 20 far from the base 10, a first heat pipe 30 and a second heat pipe 40 thermally connecting with the base 10 and the fin assembly 20, and a holder 50 connecting with the base 10, the fin assembly 20, the first and second heat pipes 40, 50 for supporting and strengthening the first and second heat pipes 40, 50.

[0014]The base 10 is substantially rectangular, and is made of highly thermal conductive material such as copper or aluminum. The base 10 comprises a heat spreader 11 and a supporting portion 13 extending horizontally from the heat spreader 11. The heat spreader 11 has a top surface 110 supporting the first and second heat pipes 30, 40 thereon and a flat bottom surface (not labeled) for directly contacting the CPU to absorb heat therefrom. The heat spreader 11 defines two parallel straight grooves 115 at the top surface 110 thereof, for receiving the first and second heat pipes 30, 40 therein. The heat spreader 11 defines four through holes 118 at four corners thereof. The base 10 thermally engages with the CPU by extending four fasteners (not shown) through the through holes 118 thereof. The four fasteners are used to extend through the printed circuit board and threadedly engage with a back plate (not shown) on a bottom of the printed circuit board. The supporting portion 13 defines a rectangular groove 130 communicated with the two grooves 115 of the heat spreader 11. A depth of the groove 130 is slightly greater than a depth of each groove 115.

[0015]The fin assembly 20 is secured far away from the base 10, consisting of a plurality of parallel fins 23. Each of the fins 23 forms flanges (not labeled) perpendicularly extending from a top edge and a bottom edge thereof. The fin assembly 20 defines two spaced channels 230 for receiving the first and second heat pipes 30, 40 therein. The fin assembly 20 defines a mounting hole 235 between the two channels 230. An outmost fin 23 of the fin assembly 20 defines two slots 237 below the two channels 230. The mounting hole 235 and the two slots 237 are used for engaging with the holder 50.

[0016]The first heat pipe 30 is flattened. The first heat pipe 30 comprises an evaporation portion 31, a condensation portion 37 and a connecting portion 35 connecting with the evaporation portion 31 and the condensation portion 37. The evaporation portion 31 is straight and received in one of the grooves 115 of the base 10. The condensation portion 37 is straight and received in the one of the channels 230 of the fin assembly 20. The connecting portion 35 is elongated and has a serpentine configuration. In this embodiment, the connecting portion 35 comprises a first curved portion 351, a second curved portion 352 and a third curved portion 353. The first curved portion 351 connects with the evaporation portion 31 and the second curved portion 353 and is at an angle to them. The third curved portion 353 connects with the condensation portion 37 and the second curved portion 352 and is at an angle to them.

[0017]The second heat pipe 40 has a configuration similar to that of the first heat pipe 30 and is approximately parallel to the first heat pipe 30. The second heat pipe 40 comprises an evaporation portion 41, a condensation portion 47 and a connecting portion 45 connecting with the evaporation portion 41 and the condensation portion 47. The evaporation portion 41 has a straight configuration and is received in the other groove 115 of the base 10 and parallel to the evaporation portion 41 of the first heat pipe 40. The condensation portion 47 has a straight configuration and is received in the other channel 230 of the fin assembly 20. The connecting portion 45 is elongated and has a serpentine configuration. The connecting portion 45 comprises a first curved portion 451 connecting with the evaporation portion 41, a third curved portion 453 connecting with the condensation portion 47, and a second curved portion 452 connecting with the first and second curved portion 451, 453 and at an angle to them.

[0018]Referring to FIG. 3, the holder 50 is made of metallic material and mainly has a bottom plate 51. The bottom plate 51 is serpentine and has a profile similar to the connecting portions 35, 45 of the first and second heat pipes 30, 40. The bottom plate 51 comprises an engaging portion 510 connecting with the base 10, a first extending portion 511, a second extending portion 512, and a third extending portion 513 engaging with the fin assembly 20 in sequence. The first, second and third extending portions 511, 512, 513 has a configuration corresponding to the first curved portions 351, 451, the second curved portions 352, 452 and third curved portions 353, 453 of the first and second heat pipes 30, 40. Two flanges 52 extend perpendicularly from two opposite sides of the bottom plate 51 and sandwiching the connecting portion 35, 45 of the first and second heat pipe 30, 40 therebetween. A height of each flange 52 is substantially equal to the thickness of each of the first and second heat pipes 30, 40 so that the flanges 52 can protect the first and second heat pipes 30, 40. A mounting plate 53 extends perpendicularly from a free end of the third extending portion 513 of the holder 50. The mounting plate 53 defines a through hole 530 thereof corresponding to the mounting hole 235 of the fin assembly 20. Two inserting tabs 54 are bent from the free end of the third extending portion 513 and located at two flanks of the mounting plate 53. Each inserting tab 54 has a tongue 540 at a top thereof for being inserted into the slot 237 of the fin assembly 20.

[0019]In assembly, the engaging portion 510 of the holder 50 is soldered in the rectangular groove 130 of the base 10. As such, after the engaging portion 510 is positioned in the groove 130, a top surface of the engaging portion 510 is coplanar with a bottom surface of each groove 115 of the base 10. The inserting tabs 54 engage with the fin assembly 20, wherein the tongues 540 of the inserting tabs 54 are inserted into the slots 237 of the outmost fin 23. A screw 60 extends through the mounting plate 53 and is engaged into the mounting hole 235 of the fin assembly 20 for securely mounting the holder 50 to the fin assembly 20. The first and second heat pipes 30, 40 are soldered with the base 10 and the fin assembly 20. Simultaneously, the first and second heat pipes 30, 40 are securely mounted on the holder 50 via some mean, in this embodiment, the first and second heat pipes 30, 40 are soldered on the holder 50.

[0020]In used, the first and second heat pipes 30, 40 connecting with the base 10 and the fin assembly 20 is firmly and reliably mounted to the holder 50. The elongated and serpentine connecting portions 35, 45 of the first and second heat pipes 30, 40 are protected by the holder 50 so as to reduce a damage produced by an external force.

[0021]It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A heat dissipation device comprising:a base having a first surface adapted for contacting with a heat-generating electronic component and a second surface opposite to the first surface;a fin assembly comprising a plurality of fins far away from the base;a heat pipe comprising an evaporation portion thermally engaging with the second surface of the base, and a condensation portion connecting with the fin assembly and an elongate connecting portion connecting with the evaporation and the condensation portion; anda holder connecting with the base and the fin assembly, the holder having a profile similar to the connecting portion of the heat pipe, the connecting portion of the heat pipe being mounted on the holder.

2. The heat dissipation device as described in claim 1, wherein the connecting portion of the heat pipe is soldered on the holder.

3. The heat dissipation device as described in claim 1, wherein the holder comprises a bottom plate and two flanges extending from opposite sides of the bottom plate.

4. The heat dissipation device as described in claim 3, wherein each of the flanges has a height similar to a thickness of the heat pipe.

5. The heat dissipation device as described in claim 1, wherein the holder forms a mounting plate from a free end thereof, a screw extending through the mounting plate and engaging with the fin assembly.

6. The heat dissipation device as described in claim 5, wherein the fin assembly defines two slots, the holder comprising two inserting tabs having two tongues inserting into the slots of the fin assembly.

7. The heat dissipation device as described in claim 5, wherein the base defines a groove at the second surface, the holder having an engaging portion at the other free end received in the groove of the base.

8. The heat dissipation device as described in claim 1, wherein the holder is made of metallic material.

9. The heat dissipation device as described in claim 1, wherein the connecting portion of the heat pipe has a serpentine configuration, the holder having a serpentine configuration corresponding to that of the connecting portion of the heat pipe.

10. A heat dissipation device comprising:a base having a flat surface adapted for contacting with a heat-generating electronic component;a fin assembly comprising a plurality of fins far away from the base;a heat pipe comprising an evaporation portion thermally engaging with the base, and a condensation portion connecting with the fin assembly and a connecting portion connecting with the evaporation and the condensation portion; anda holder firmly connecting with the base and the fin assembly, the holder comprising a bottom plate and two flanges extending from opposite sides of the bottom plate, the connecting portion of the heat pipe being soldered on bottom plate and sandwiched between the bottom plate.

11. The heat dissipation device as described in claim 10, wherein the profile of the bottom plate is substantially the same as that of the connecting portion of the heat pipe in whole.

12. The heat dissipation device as described in claim 11, wherein the heat pipe is elongate and serpentine, the holder being elongate and serpentine corresponding to the heat pipe.

13. A heat dissipation device adapted for dissipating heat from an electronic component, comprising:a heat spreader having a flat bottom surface adapted for contacting with the electronic component;a plurality of fins remote from the heat spreader;at least a heat pipe having a first end embedded in the heat spreader at a top surface of the heat spreader, a second end extending through the fins, and a connecting portion interconnecting the first and second ends and located between the first and second ends; anda strengthening retainer having a first portion embedded in an end of the heat spreader, and a second portion bulked with the fins;wherein the connecting portion of the at least one heat pipe is received in the strengthening retainer to prevent a deformation of the at least one heat pipe.

14. The heat dissipation device as described in claim 13, wherein the strengthening retainer comprises a bottom plate and a pair of lateral walls extending from two opposite edges of the bottom plate.

15. The heat dissipation device as described in claim 14, wherein the at least one heat pipe contacts with the lateral walls of the strengthening retainer.

16. The heat dissipation device as described in claim 14, wherein the strengthening retainer further comprises an engaging tab parallel to the fins, the engaging tab abutting against an outmost fin to permit a screw to extend through and engage with the outmost fin.

17. The heat dissipation device as described in claim 16, wherein a pair of inserting tabs are formed at two flanks of the engaging tab to buckle with the outmost fin.

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