JP2024166649A - heat sink - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] The problem is to improve the cooling capacity of a heat sink. [Solution] A heat sink comprising a fin section and a base plate, the fin section being made of corrugated fins, the base plate having fitting grooves formed at a uniform pitch, the fitting grooves fitting the bases of the corrugated fins, the fin section having an area where the density of the corrugated fins is changed by fitting the bases skipping the fitting grooves. [Selected Figure] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a heat sink used to cool electrical equipment, etc.

Conventionally, air-cooled heat sinks have been used to cool electrical equipment, and one example of a heat sink with corrugated fins on a base plate is known (Patent Document 1).

Patent No. 3623055

Conventionally, in air-cooled heat sinks, the arrangement of fins has been devised to improve the cooling capacity, but depending on the object to be cooled, the arrangement may still be insufficient.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to improve the cooling capacity of a heat sink.

To solve the above problems, the heat sink of the present invention comprises a fin section and a base plate, the fin section is made of corrugated fins, the base plate has mating grooves formed at a uniform pitch, the mating grooves are for fitting the bases of the corrugated fins, and the fin section has an area with a changed density of the corrugated fins by fitting the bases over the mating grooves.

The present invention provides a heat sink with improved cooling capacity by having a fin section with areas of varying density of the corrugated fins, which is achieved by fitting the base of the corrugated fins through the fitting grooves.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a heat sink 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating the cooling effect of a heat sink 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram of a heat sink 1 according to a first modified example of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a diagram of a heat sink 1 according to a second modified example of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a diagram of a heat sink 1 according to a third modified example of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram of a conventional heat sink. 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating the cooling effect of a conventional heat sink 1.

[Embodiment]
A heat sink according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In the following description, the same reference numerals in different drawings indicate parts having the same functions, and duplicated descriptions in each drawing will be omitted as appropriate.

[Overall configuration]
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a heat sink 1 of this embodiment, where (a) is a plan view, (b) is a perspective view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a right side view, (e) is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in (a), and (f) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in (a).
The heat sink 1 of this embodiment is composed of a base plate 2 and a fin portion 3. The surface of the base plate 2 opposite to the side where the fin portion 3 is provided is the surface that comes into contact with an object to be cooled, such as an electric device.
The base plate 2 is made of an aluminum alloy having high thermal conductivity and is formed by extrusion molding, and the fin section 3 is formed of corrugated fins formed by folding back a thin plate made of an aluminum alloy having high thermal conductivity and having a substantially rectangular wave shape in cross section. Note that the material is not limited to an aluminum alloy, and any material having high thermal conductivity, such as a copper alloy, may be used.

The heat sink 1 of this embodiment is configured as a cooling means for forced air cooling by airflow from an axial fan (not shown), with the front side facing upwind and the rear side facing downwind (see FIG. 1(b)).
The cooling means for forced air cooling is not limited to axial fans, and any other type of fan may be used. The object to be cooled is not limited to electrical equipment, but may be electronic equipment, electrical components, or other objects that have a structure that generates heat due to combustion or friction.

[Base plate]
The base plate 2 has a generally rectangular shape in plan view, and a plurality of fitting grooves 21 are formed by extrusion molding over the entire surface of one of the faces at the same pitch p.
The fitting grooves 21 are grooves into which bases 311 of corrugated fins 31 of the fin portion 3, which will be described later, are fitted.
The longitudinal direction of the fitting groove 21 is simply referred to as the longitudinal direction, and the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is simply referred to as the width direction.

[Fin section]
In this embodiment, the fin section 3 is divided into a windward region 3U on the windward side and a leeward region 3D on the leeward side. The windward region 3U on the windward side and the leeward region 3D on the leeward side are configured to have the same longitudinal length.
The windward area 3U and the leeward area 3D on the leeward side are each formed of a corrugated fin 31 that is installed by folding back a long thin plate and fitting a part of it into the fitting groove 21. The part of the corrugated fin 31 that is fitted into the fitting groove 21 is called a base 311.
The fin portion 3 has a substantially rectangular wave shape in a widthwise cross section.
In the upwind region 3U, the corrugated fins 31 are fitted into every other fitting groove 21, while in the downwind region 3D, the corrugated fins 31 are fitted into all of the fitting grooves 21. That is, in the upwind region 3U, the bases 311 are fitted into the fitting grooves 21 skipping over the other fitting grooves 21, thereby changing the installation density of the corrugated fins 31 to a lower density compared to the downwind region 3D in which the bases 311 are fitted into all of the fitting grooves 21.
In this way, the downwind region 3D, which is an area where the bases 311 are fitted into all of the fitting grooves 21, and the upwind region 3U, which is an area where the bases 311 are fitted in all of the fitting grooves 21, are arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the fitting grooves 21.
The length of the base plate 2 in the longitudinal direction can be set to any length according to the size and amount of heat generated of the object to be cooled. The lengths of the upwind area 3U and the downwind area 3D can also be set to any length according to the size and amount of heat generated of the object to be cooled, and further, the lengths of the upwind area 3U and the downwind area 3D can be different.

With this configuration, the total area of the corrugated fins 31 in the windward region 3U is smaller than the total area of the corrugated fins 31 in the downwind region 3D, so that the heat dissipation capacity (cooling capacity) of the fin portion 3 itself is lower in the upwind region 3U than in the downwind region 3D.
However, while low-temperature air is supplied to the upwind region 3U, high-temperature air is supplied to the downwind region 3D. When combined with the low heat dissipation capacity of the upwind region 3U and the high heat dissipation capacity of the downwind region 3D, the upwind region 3U and the downwind region 3D achieve almost the same cooling effect.
An example of this cooling effect is shown in Figure 2. In this example, three electrical devices are arranged in the longitudinal direction in contact with the heat sink 1. From Figure 2, it can be seen that the three electrical devices are at approximately the same temperature, and are uniformly heated.

In contrast, in the conventional heat sink 1 shown in FIG. 6, the installation density of the corrugated fins 31 is the same in the upwind region 3U and the downwind region 3D, and the heat dissipation capacity (cooling capacity) is also the same. However, while low-temperature air is supplied to the upwind region 3U, air that has been heated in the upwind region 3U is supplied to the downwind region 3D, so that the cooling effect in the upwind region 3U is greater than that in the downwind region 3D, and the temperature difference between the upwind region 3U and the downwind region 3D is large.

An example of this cooling effect is shown in Figure 7. In this example, three electrical devices are arranged in the longitudinal direction in contact with the heat sink 1. From Figure 7, it can be seen that of the three electrical devices, the electrical device on the windward side has the lowest temperature, the electrical device on the leeward side has the highest temperature, and the temperature of the intermediate electrical device is intermediate between these two, meaning that the temperatures of the three electrical devices are significantly different. Thus, it can be seen that with the conventional heat sink 1, the three electrical devices are not at equal temperatures and are not uniformly heated.
Comparing Figures 2 and 7, it can be seen that with the heat sink 1 of this embodiment, the three electrical devices have uniform temperatures compared to the conventional heat sink 1, and the maximum temperature of the three electrical devices is also lower with the heat sink 1 of this embodiment than with the conventional heat sink 1.

The heat sink 1 of this embodiment will be compared with the conventional heat sink 1.
The installation density of the corrugated fins 31 in the windward region 3U of the heat sink 1 of this embodiment is smaller than that of the conventional heat sink 1. Therefore, the heat sink 1 of this embodiment has a smaller heat dissipation capacity (cooling capacity) and a smaller cooling effect.
Therefore, the amount of heat dissipation in the upwind region 3U is smaller for the heat sink 1 of this embodiment than for the conventional heat sink 1, and the temperature of the air flowing into the downwind region 3D is lower for the heat sink 1 of this embodiment than for the conventional heat sink 1.
As a result, even if the installation density of the corrugated fins 31 in the downwind region 3D is the same in the heat sink 1 of this embodiment and the conventional heat sink 1, the cooling effect of the heat sink 1 of this embodiment is greater than that of the conventional heat sink 1.
In the conventional heat sink 1, the cooling effect of the downwind region 3D was smaller than that of the upwind region 3U, and the temperature of the downwind region 3D was higher than that of the upwind region 3U. In contrast, in the heat sink 1 of the present embodiment, the cooling effect of the upwind region 3U is smaller and the cooling effect of the downwind region 3D is greater than that of the conventional heat sink 1. As a result, the cooling effects of the upwind region 3U and the downwind region 3D are approximately the same, and the temperatures of the upwind region 3U and the downwind region 3D are approximately uniform.

In this embodiment, in the downwind region 3D, the base 311 is fitted into all of the fitting grooves 21, whereas in the upwind region 3U, one fitting groove 21 is skipped and the base 311 is simply fitted into it, making it possible to easily manufacture regions with different installation densities of the corrugated fins 31.
In addition, the fin section 3 can be formed by providing the corrugated fins 31 in each region at the required density, and no unnecessary material is used, so that the heat sink 1 can be made lighter and manufactured at low cost. Furthermore, efficient cooling can be achieved with a small amount of material.

[Modification 1]
3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D are diagrams of a heat sink 1 according to a first modified example of the present invention, in which (a) is a plan view, (b) is a perspective view, (c) is a front view, and (d) is a right side view.
In this first modified example, a base plate 2 having a longer longitudinal length than the base plate 2 of the embodiment is used, and the fin section 3 is divided into three areas: an upwind area 3U, a central area 3C, and a downwind area 3D.
In the windward region 3U and the central region 3C, the corrugated fins 31 are fitted into every other fitting groove 21, while in the leeward region 3D, they are fitted into all of the fitting grooves 21. That is, in the windward region 3U and the central region 3C, the bases 311 are fitted into the fitting grooves 21 skipping each other, thereby changing the installation density of the corrugated fins 31 to a lower density compared to the leeward region 3D in which the bases 311 are fitted into all of the fitting grooves 21.
In this way, the leeward region 3D, which is an area where the base 311 is fitted into all of the fitting grooves 21, and the central region 3C and the windward region 3U, which are areas where the base 311 is fitted without fitting any of the fitting grooves 21, are arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the fitting grooves 21.

With this configuration, the total area of the corrugated fins 31 in the windward region 3U and the central region 3C is smaller than the total area of the corrugated fins 31 in the downwind region 3D, so that the heat dissipation capacity (cooling capacity) of the fin portion 3 itself is lower in the upwind region 3U and the central region 3C than in the downwind region 3D.
However, while low-temperature air is supplied to the upwind region 3U and central region 3C, high-temperature air is supplied to the downwind region 3D. When combined with the low heat dissipation capacity of the upwind region 3U and central region 3C and the high heat dissipation capacity of the downwind region 3D, almost the same cooling effect is achieved in the upwind region 3U, central region 3C, and downwind region 3D.

As in the embodiment, in this variant example 1, the installation density of the corrugated fins 31 in the windward region 3U is small, resulting in a smaller cooling effect in the windward region 3U and a larger cooling effect in the central region 3C and downwind region 3D. As a result, the cooling effects of the windward region 3U, central region 3C, and downwind region 3D are approximately the same, and the temperatures of the windward region 3U, central region 3C, and downwind region 3D are approximately uniform, resulting in uniform heating.
Furthermore, in this way, even when manufacturing a heat sink 1 that uses a long base plate 2, it is possible to use the same long thin plate (of the same width) as in the manufacture of a heat sink 1 that uses a short base plate 2, thereby reducing costs.

[Modification 2]
4A to 4E are diagrams of a heat sink 1 according to a second modified example of the present invention, in which (a) is a plan view, (b) is a perspective view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a right side view, and (e) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in (a).
In the first variant, in both the windward region 3U and the central region 3C, the corrugated fins 31 are fitted into the fitting grooves 21 every other one, but the installation density of the corrugated fins 31 may be different between the windward region 3U and the central region 3C.
In the present modified example 2, in the upwind region 3U, the corrugated fins 31 are fitted into every third fitting groove 21 (excluding the central portion in the width direction), in the central region 3C, the corrugated fins 31 are fitted into every other fitting groove 21, and in the downwind region 3D, the corrugated fins 31 are fitted into all of the fitting grooves 21. That is, in the upwind region 3U, the bases 311 are fitted into every second fitting groove 21 (excluding the central portion in the width direction), thereby changing the installation density of the corrugated fins 31 to a lower density compared to the central region 3C in which the bases 311 are fitted into every fitting groove 21, and also in the central region 3C in which the bases 311 are fitted into every fitting groove 21, thereby changing the installation density compared to the downwind region 3D in which the bases 311 are fitted into all of the fitting grooves 21.
In this way, the downwind region 3D, which is an area where the bases 311 are fitted into all of the fitting grooves 21, the central region 3C, which is an area where the bases 311 are fitted into every one of the fitting grooves 21, and the upwind region 3U, which is an area where the bases 311 are fitted into every two of the fitting grooves 21 (excluding the central portion in the width direction), are arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the fitting grooves 21.

With this configuration, the total area of the corrugated fins 31 in the windward region 3U is smaller than the total area of the corrugated fins 31 in the central region 3C, and the total area of the corrugated fins 31 in the central region 3C is smaller than the total area of the corrugated fins 31 in the downwind region 3D, so that the heat dissipation capacity (cooling capacity) of the fin portion 3 itself is lower in the windward region 3U than in the central region 3C, and lower in the central region 3C than the downwind region 3D.
However, in the upwind region 3U, low temperature air is supplied, whereas in the central region 3C, slightly higher temperature air is supplied, and in the downwind region 3D, higher temperature air is supplied in the upwind region 3U and central region 3C. When combined with the low heat dissipation capacity of the upwind region 3U, the moderate heat dissipation capacity of the central region 3C, and the high heat dissipation capacity of the downwind region 3D, almost the same cooling effect is achieved in the upwind region 3U, central region 3C, and downwind region 3D.

In this second modification, the installation density of the corrugated fins 31 is small in the upwind region 3U, medium in the central region 3C, and large in the downwind region 3D, so that the cooling effect in the upwind region 3U is small, the cooling effect in the central region 3C remains unchanged, and the cooling effect in the downwind region 3D is large. As a result, the cooling effects in the upwind region 3U, central region 3C, and downwind region 3D are approximately the same, and the temperatures in the upwind region 3U, central region 3C, and downwind region 3D are approximately uniform, resulting in uniform heating.

[Modification 3]
FIG. 5 is a diagram of a heat sink 1 according to a modified example 3 of the present invention, where (a) is a plan view, (b) is a perspective view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a right side view, (e) is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in (a), and (f) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in (a).
In the embodiment and the first modified example, the fin portion 3 has the corrugated fins 31 fitted into the fitting grooves 21 with a uniform installation density in the width direction.
However, the installation density may also be changed in the width direction of the fin portion 3 .
In the present modified example 3, as in the embodiment, the heat sink 1 has a fin portion 3 divided into two regions, an upwind region 3U and a downwind region 3D, and the upwind region 3U is formed as a region where the installation density changes in the width direction.
At both ends and the central region in the width direction, the bases 311 of the corrugated fins 31 are fitted into the adjacent fitting grooves 21, but in other regions, the bases 311 are fitted into each of the fitting grooves 21, skipping one fitting groove 21. In other words, the installation density of the corrugated fins 31 is changed and reduced by fitting the bases 311 into each of the fitting grooves 21, skipping one fitting groove 21, in other regions.
In this way, the regions at both ends and the center in the width direction, where the base 311 is fitted into all of the fitting grooves 21, and the other regions, where the base 311 is fitted in all but one of the fitting grooves 21, are arranged side by side in the width direction of the fitting groove 21.

This is because even in the upwind region 3U, the regions at both ends in the width direction correspond to the outer edges of the axial fan, where the wind from the fan is weak and cooling is difficult, and even in the central region in the width direction, the wind from the fan is weak and cooling is difficult at the location corresponding to the rotation axis of the axial fan. Therefore, in order to increase the installation density in each region, the bases 311 of the corrugated fins 31 are fitted into the adjacent fitting grooves 21.
In the leeward region 3D, the base portions 311 are fitted into all of the fitting grooves 21 across the entire width direction.
As described in Patent Document 1 (particularly, [0076], FIG. 7), when changing the installation density in the width direction, it was necessary to separately mold a base plate in which the pitch of the fitting grooves themselves was changed in the width direction. However, in Modification Example 3, a base plate 2 in which the fitting grooves 21 are formed with the same pitch p is used, and the fitting grooves 21 into which the bases 311 of the corrugated fins 31 are fitted can be manufactured by simply skipping parts in the width direction, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

As described above, the heat sink 1 as shown in the embodiment, modified example 1, modified example 2, and modified example 3 can provide the following effects.
In the heat sink 1 in which the corrugated fins 31 are installed on the base plate 2 in which the fitting grooves 21 are formed at the same pitch p, the fitting grooves 21 are skipped and the base portion 311 is fitted, thereby providing areas with different installation densities of the corrugated fins 31, thereby realizing a cooling capacity in each area according to the size and heat generation of the object to be cooled. Therefore, the fin portion 3 can be formed by installing the corrugated fins 31 at the required installation density in each area, and the heat sink 1 can be made lighter and less expensive without using unnecessary material. Furthermore, efficient cooling can be achieved with less material.

Moreover, in each of the embodiment, modified example 1, modified example 2, and modified example 3, one type of base plate 2 is used in which the fitting grooves 21 are formed at the same pitch p.
In this way, a plurality of different heat sinks 1 can be manufactured using one type of base plate 2. Therefore, a plurality of different types of heat sinks 1 can be manufactured using one type of base plate 2, and therefore the manufacturing cost when manufacturing a plurality of different types of heat sinks 1 can be reduced.
It is also possible to prepare a plurality of types of base plates 2 having different pitches p of the fitting grooves 21. Even in this case, a plurality of different types of heat sinks 1 can be manufactured using the base plates 2 having different pitches p, so that many types of heat sinks 1 can be manufactured using a small number of types of base plates 2, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

The above describes in detail the embodiments and modifications of the present invention with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configurations are not limited to these embodiments and modifications, and the present invention also includes design changes and the like that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention.
Furthermore, the above-described embodiments and modifications can be combined by utilizing each other's technologies, so long as there are no particular contradictions or problems in their purposes, configurations, and the like.

REFERENCE SIGNS 1 Heat sink 2 Base plate 21 Fitting groove 3 Fin portion 31 Corrugated fin 311 Base portion 3U Windward region 3C Central region 3D Downwind region p Pitch

Claims (1)

The fin portion and the base plate are provided.
The fin section is made of corrugated fins,
The base plate has mating grooves formed at the same pitch.
The fitting groove is for fitting the base of the corrugated fin,
A heat sink characterized in that the fin portion has an area where the density of the corrugated fins is changed by skipping the fitting groove and fitting the base portion.

Images