US20100038064A1

US20100038064A1 - Reinforced Thermal Module Structure

Info

Publication number: US20100038064A1
Application number: US12/243,396
Authority: US
Inventors: Jin-Hsun Liu; Li-Dong Zhang
Original assignee: Asia Vital Components Co Ltd
Current assignee: Asia Vital Components Co Ltd
Priority date: 2008-08-15
Filing date: 2008-10-01
Publication date: 2010-02-18
Also published as: TWM354101U

Abstract

A reinforced thermal module structure includes a radiating fin assembly, a radiating base, and at least one heat pipe. The radiating fin assembly consists of a plurality of stacked and spaced radiating fins, each of which has at least two notches. The heat pipe includes a conducting section in contact with the radiating base, and a heat-dissipating section extended through the radiating fin assembly to connect thereto. The radiating base has at least two support arms for correspondingly engaging with the at least two notches on the radiating fins. The support arms help in enhancing the structural strength, heat conducting efficiency, and heat-dissipating effect of the thermal module structure.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a thermal module structure, and more particularly to a reinforced thermal module structure with enhanced structural strength and increased heat conducting area.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In recent years, with the quick development in electronic information technologies, various kinds of electronic products, such as computers, notebook computers, etc., have become highly popular and been widely applied by users in various fields. Taking computer as an example, with the tendency of increased processing speed and expanded access capacity, a central processing unit (CPU) of the computer working at high speed would also have a constantly increased heating power to generate a large amount of heat during the operation thereof.
In order to avoid a temporary or permanent failure of the computer due to an overheated CPU thereof, the computer must have sufficient heat-dissipating ability to keep the CPU working normally. Conventionally, for the purpose of removing the heat generated by the CPU during the high-speed operation thereof and keeping the CPU to work normally at the high speed, a thermal module is directly mounted to the CPU, so that the heat generated by the CPU can be quickly dissipated into ambient environment via the thermal module.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional thermal module including a radiating fin assembly 110, a heat pipe 120, a fixing section 130, and a radiating base 140. The heat pipe 120 includes a conducting section 122 and a heat-dissipating section 123. The radiating fin assembly 110 is fitted on the heat-dissipating section 123 of the heat pipe 120. The conducting section 122 is held to an interface between the radiating base 140 and the fixing section 130. A bottom face of the radiating base 140 is attached to one surface of a CPU (not shown).
When the CPU generates heat, the generated heat is transferred via the radiating base 140 to the conducting section 122 of the heat pipe 120, and then transferred from the conducting section 122 to the heat-dissipating section 123, which further transfers the heat to the radiating fin assembly 110, so that the heat is radiated from the radiating fin assembly 110 and diffused into ambient air. However, since the heat pipe 120 is the only element in the thermal module for conducting heat, the large amount of heat generated by the CPU just could not be timely transferred to the radiating fin assembly 110. Moreover, the conducting section 122 is usually partially connected to the fixing section 130 and the radiating base 140 by locally applied solder paste or spot welding, and therefore tends to loosen from the conventional thermal module due to shaking or vibrating during transportation of the thermal module.
Accordingly, the conventional thermal module has some disadvantages as follows: (1) insufficient structural strength; (2) low heat conducting efficiency; and (3) poor heat dissipating effect.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a reinforced thermal module structure with enhanced structural strength.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a reinforced thermal module structure with enhanced heat conducting efficiency.
To achieve the above and other objects, the reinforced thermal module structure according to the present invention includes a radiating fin assembly, a radiating base, and at least one heat pipe. The heat pipe includes a conducting section and a heat-dissipating section. The heat-dissipating section is extended through and connected to the radiating fin assembly, and the conducting section is in contact with the radiating base. The radiating fin assembly consists of a plurality of stacked and spaced radiating fins. Each of the radiating fins is provided at predetermined positions with at least two notches. The radiating base is provided with at least two support arms corresponding to the notches on the radiating fins, so that the support arms are engaged with the notches. The support arms help in enhancing an overall structural strength and the heat conducting efficiency of the thermal module structure, enabling the thermal module structure to provide excellent heat-dissipating effect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional thermal module;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a reinforced thermal module structure according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an assembled view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a reinforced thermal module structure according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an assembled view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a reinforced thermal module structure according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7A is an assembled view of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 7B is an enlarged fragmentary cutaway view of FIG. 7A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 2 and 3 that are exploded and assembled perspective views, respectively, of a reinforced thermal module structure according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the reinforced thermal module structure includes a radiating fin assembly 20, at least one heat pipe 30, and a radiating base 40. The radiating fin assembly 20 consists of a plurality of radiating fins 201, which are sequentially stacked with a fixed space existed between any two adjacent radiating fins 201. The radiating fins 201 each have at least two notches 203 and at least one through hole 204 formed thereon. The at least one heat pipe 30 is extended through the at least one through hole 204.
The notches 203 are formed on the radiating fins 201 at two opposite sides thereof. The notches 203 provided on two opposite sides of the radiating fins 201 can be aligned with one another or offset from one another. In the illustrated preferred embodiments of the present invention, the notches 203 provided on two opposite sides of the radiating fins 201 are aligned with one another. However, it is understood, in practices, the notches 203 on two opposite sides of the radiating fins 201 are not necessarily aligned with one another.
The two opposite sides of the radiating fins 201 with the notches 203 formed thereon are bent to separately form a first flange 206 and a second flange 207. When the radiating fins 201 are stacked, bottom end faces of the first and second flanges 206, 207 of an upper radiating fin 201 are abutted, on upper end faces of the first and second flanges 206, 207 of a lower radiating fin 201, so that a space exists between any two adjacent ones of the stacked radiating fins 201.
The heat pipe 30 includes a conducting section 301 and a heat-dissipating section 302. The conducting section 301 is in contact with the radiating base 40. The heat-dissipating section 302 is extended through the through holes 204 on the radiating fins 201, so that the radiating fin assembly 20 is connected to the heat-dissipating section 302 of the heat pipe 30. The radiating base 40 is provided at predetermined positions with at least two support arms 410 and two recesses 420. The conducting section 301 of the heat pipe 30 is received in the recess 420. The support arms 410 can be correspondingly engaged with the notches 203 provided at two opposite sides of the radiating fins 201 in a tight-fit relation.
One face of the radiating base 40 facing away from the radiating fin assembly 20 is attached to at least one heat-generating element (not shown), which can be, for example, a CPU of a computer.
When the heat-generating element generates heat, the generated heat is conducted by the radiating base 40 to the conducting section 301 of the heat pipe 30. The heat is also uniformly conducted by the support arms 410 to the radiating fins 201 of the radiating fin assembly 20. The conducting section 301 of the heat pipe 30 transfers the heat to the heat-dissipating section 302, which further conducts the heat to the radiating fin assembly 20 connected thereto. The support arms 410 not only conduct part of the generated heat to the radiating fin assembly 20, but also increase the connecting strength between the radiating base 40 and the radiating fin assembly 20, enabling the thermal module structure of the present invention to have upgraded heat conducting efficiency, increased overall structural strength, and excellent heat-dissipating effect.
Please refer to FIGS. 4 and 5 that are exploded and assembled perspective views, respectively, of an enhanced thermal module structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is generally structurally similar to the first embodiment. Any elements and connection relations that are the same in the two embodiments are not repeatedly described herein. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the support arms 410 thereof each are provided at an end distant from the radiating base 40 with an extension section 411 for abutting on a face of the radiating fin assembly 20 facing away from the radiating base 40.
The extension sections 411 each have a fixed end 413 fixedly connected to the support arm 410 and a free end 414 provided with a perpendicularly bent edge portion 415. The radiating fins 201 each are provided at positions corresponding to the edge portions 415 with a slit 417 each. Therefore, when the support arms 410 are engaged with the notches 203, the perpendicularly bent edge portions 415 of the support arms 410 can be inserted into the slits 417 on the radiating fin assembly 20 to more securely connect the radiating fin assembly 20 to the radiating base 40, as shown in FIG. 5. More particularly, the fixed ends 413 are fixed to the support arms 410. In other words, the fixed ends 413 is connected to and extended from the support arms 410.
FIGS. 6 and 7A are exploded and assembled perspective views, respectively, of an enhanced thermal module structure according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7B is an enlarged fragmentary cutaway view of FIG. 7A. The third embodiment is generally structurally similar to the second embodiment, except that each of the support arms 410 of the radiating base 40 in the third embodiment is provided along at least one of two longitudinal sides thereof with a perpendicularly inward extended flange 418, so that the flanges 418 formed on the two support arms 410 are extended toward one another. Meanwhile, on each of the radiating fins 201, at least an insertion slit 205 is formed at one of two lateral sides of each of the notches 203 corresponding to the flanges 418 on the two support arms 410. When the support arms 410 are engaged with the notches 203, the flanges 418 are snugly fitted in the insertion slits 205 to more tightly connect the radiating fin assembly 20 to the support arms 410. Moreover, an end of each of the support arms 410 distant from the radiating base 40 has an extension section 411 for abutting oh a face of the heat radiating assembly 20 facing away from the radiating base 40.
The extension section 411 has a fixed end 413 fixedly connected to the support arm 410 and a free end 414 provided with a perpendicularly bent edge portion 415. The radiating fins 201 each are provided at positions corresponding to the edge portions 415 with a slit 417 each. Therefore, when the support arms 410 are engaged with the notches 203, the perpendicularly bent edge portions 415 of the support arms 410 can be inserted into the slits 417 to more securely connect the radiating fin assembly 20 to the radiating base 40.
With the above arrangements, the reinforced thermal module structure of the present invention provides the following advantages: (1) enhanced structural strength; (2) increased heat conducting efficiency; and (3) good heat dissipating effect.
The present invention has been described with some preferred embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in the described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A reinforced thermal module structure, comprising:

a radiating fin assembly consisting of a plurality of stacked radiating fins with a space existed between any two adjacent radiating fins, and each of the radiating fins being provided at predetermined positions with at least two notches;

a radiating base having at least two support arms for correspondingly engaging with the notches on the radiating fins of the radiating fin assembly; and

at least one heat pipe each including a conducting section and a heat-dissipating section, the heat-dissipating section being extended through and connected to the radiating fin assembly, and the conducting section being in contact with the radiating base.

2. The reinforced thermal module structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support arms each are provided at an end distant from the radiating base with an extension section for abutting on a face of the radiating fin assembly facing away from the radiating base.

3. The reinforced thermal module structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the extension sections has a fixed end fixedly connected to the support arm and a free end provided with a perpendicularly bent edge portion, and the perpendicularly bent edge portion being inserted into a slit correspondingly formed on each of the radiating fins.

4. The reinforced thermal module structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of the fixed ends is extended from the support arms.

5. The reinforced thermal module structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of the fixed ends is connected to the support arm.

6. The reinforced thermal module structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the notches are provided on two opposite sides of each of the radiating fins.

7. The reinforced thermal module structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the notches provided on two opposite sides of each of the radiating fins are aligned with each other.

8. The reinforced thermal module structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the notches provided on two opposite sides of each of the radiating fins are offset from each other.

9. The reinforced thermal module structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support arms are engaged with the notches in a tight-fit relation.

10. The reinforced thermal module structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the support arms is provided along at least one of two longitudinal sides with a perpendicularly inward bent flange, so that the flanges on the two support arms are extended toward each other.

11. The reinforced thermal module structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein, on each of the radiating fins, at least an insertion slit is formed at one of two lateral sides of each of the notches corresponding, to the at least one flange on the corresponding support arm, whereby when the support arms are engaged with the notches, the flanges on the support arms are snugly fitted in the insertion slits on the radiating fin assembly.