Cooling fin structure and heat-dissipating module thereof

Abstract

A cooling fin structure and a heat-dissipating module thereof are provided. The cooling fin structure includes a plate. The plate extends bilaterally to form a first guiding portion and a second guiding portion with a first included angle between the first guiding portion and the plate and a second included angle between the second guiding portion and the plate. The plate and the first and second guiding portions together define a trough. The cooling fins are stacked up and coupled to a heat pipe, a base, and a fan so as to form a heat-dissipating module. The first guiding portion and the second guiding portion of the cooling fin structure guide a heat-dissipating fluid generated by the fan to the plate and concentrate the fluid so as to enhance heat dissipation greatly.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to cooling fin structures and heat-dissipating modules thereof, and more particularly, to a cooling fin structure capable of guiding and concentrating a heat-dissipating fluid and a heat-dissipating module thereof.

2. Description of the Prior Art

With information-related electronic products (for example, computers) becoming more popular and versatile and the development of demand-led information-related electronic industry/technology becoming faster, there is a trend toward increasingly high capacity access and increasingly fast computation of electronic information. As a result, parts and components of information-related electronic products always generate a tremendous amount of heat during high-speed operation.

Take a host computer as example, the central processing unit (CPU) installed therein accounts for most of the heat generated by the host computer. Accumulation of heat inside the host computer usually accompanies deteriorating CPU performance, causes the host computer to hang as soon as the accumulated heat goes beyond a limit, and even damage the host computer in a serious scenario. More badly, to address the issue of electromagnetic radiation, the host computer is usually enclosed by a casing in an airtight manner. Hence, an important issue facing the information-related electronic industry involves rapid removal of heat from the CPU and heat-generating components.

To facilitate heat dissipation, a conventional CPU is installed with a heat sink thereon, and the heat sink has one side equipped with some fins and the other side (not equipped with fins) in immediate contact with the CPU, so as to transfer heat to the end of each of the fins and then dissipate the heat rapidly by radiation or an additional fan capable of blowing air.

Referring to FIGS. 1a, 1b, and 1c, which illustrate a conventional cooling fin structure, a cooling fin 1a is a plate bilaterally bent to form bends 11. The cooling fins 1a are stacked up to form a cooling fin set 1. Between two adjacent ones of the cooling fins 1a is a heat-dissipating space 11a. The cooling fin set 1, a heat-dissipating base 2, and at least a heat pipe 3 together form a heat-dissipating module 4. According to the prior art, the heat-dissipating module 4 comes into contact with a heat-generating unit (not shown) via a lower end surface 21 of the heat-dissipating base 2 which, in turn, transfers heat to the heat pipe 3, and then the heat pipe 3 transfers the heat to the cooling fin set 1, and in consequence the heat is released to the air by radiation. Optionally, the heat-dissipating module 4 is provided with a cooling fan (not shown) to blow air and boost heat dissipation. Each of the cooling fins 1a is flat and plate-shaped and is merely provided with an upper surface and a lower surface whereby heat dissipation takes place, and thus heat dissipation is inefficient due to small dissipation area. The heat-dissipating space 11a between the cooling fins 1a is small and incapable of guiding a heat-dissipating air stream 5 generated by the cooling fan (not shown) along a course of a smooth flow. Hence, the heat-dissipating air stream 5 that pours into the heat-dissipating space 11a overwhelmingly is likely to flow within the heat-dissipating space 11a disorderly or even spread to the bilaterally-positioned bends 11 and eventually seep through cracks. As a result, it is infeasible to concentrate the heat-dissipating air stream 5, and thus the intended heat dissipation function of the cooling fan (not shown) turns out to be feeble and even unfavorable. In conclusion, the conventional heat-dissipating module has the following drawbacks:

• 1. inefficient heat dissipation
• 2. failure to guide a heat-dissipating air stream
• 3. failure to concentrate a heat-dissipating air stream
• 4. small heat dissipation area

In view of the drawbacks of the prior art, the inventor of the present invention endeavored to improve the prior art and eventually devised a cooling fin structure and a heat-dissipating module thereof that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In light of the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a cooling fin structure favorable for an increased heat dissipation area.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a cooling fin structure and a heat-dissipating module thereof so as to guide a running fluid from two peripheral sides of the cooling fin structure to the center of the cooling fin structure and stop the running fluid from spreading to the two peripheral sides of the cooling fin structure.

Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a cooling fin structure and a heat-dissipating module thereof capable of guiding a heat-dissipating fluid.

To achieve the aforesaid objectives, the present invention provides a cooling fin structure and a heat-dissipating module thereof. The cooling fin structure comprises a plate, a first guiding portion, and a second guiding portion. The first guiding portion and the second guiding portion extend from and form integrally with the plate bilaterally with a first included angle between the first guiding portion and the plate and a second included angle between the second guiding portion and the plate. The cooling fins are stacked up and coupled to a heat pipe, a base, and a fan to form a heat-dissipating module. The first guiding portion and the second guiding portion of the cooling fin structure guide a fluid generated by the fan to the plate and concentrate the fluid therein, so as to allow the fluid to flow smoothly and greatly enhance heat dissipation. Accordingly, the present invention has the following advantages:

• 1. air stream guidance and enhanced heat dissipation
• 2. large heat dissipation area and heat-dissipating space
• 3. smooth flow of a fluid in heat-dissipating space
• 4. concentrating a heat-dissipating fluid
• 5. efficient heat exchange

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1a (PRIOR ART) is a perspective view of a conventional cooling fin;

FIG. 1b (PRIOR ART) is an exploded view of a conventional cooling fin set;

FIG. 1c (PRIOR ART) is a perspective view of a conventional heat-dissipating module;

FIG. 1d (PRIOR ART) is a schematic view of a conventional state according to the prior art;

FIG. 2a is a perspective view of a cooling fin according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2b is a front elevational view of a cooling fin according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cooling fin set according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4a is a front elevational view of a cooling fin according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4b is a front elevational view of a cooling fin according to yet another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a heat-dissipating module according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a heat-dissipating module according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a heat-dissipating module according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a state of a heat-dissipating module according to the other embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing a state of a heat-dissipating module according to the other embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of a cooling fin set according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is herein illustrated with specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings, so that one skilled in the pertinent art can easily understand the aforesaid objectives, structural features, functional features, other advantages and effects of the present invention from the disclosure of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 2a and 2b, a cooling fin 6a comprises a plate 61, a first guiding portion 62, and a second guiding portion 63. The first guiding portion 62 and the second guiding portion 63 extend from and form integrally with the plate 61 bilaterally. The first guiding portion 62 and the second guiding portion 63 are opposite. The first guiding portion 62 angles upwardly relative to the plate 61 with a first included angle 621 therebetween. The second guiding portion 63 angles upwardly relative to the plate 61 with a second included angle 631 therebetween. The plate 61, the first guiding portion 62, and the second guiding portion 63 together define a trough 65.

The first guiding portion 62 extends in the direction opposite to the plate 61 to form a first heat-dissipating portion 622. The second guiding portion 63 extends in the direction opposite to the plate 61 to form a second heat-dissipating portion 632. The first and second heat-dissipating portions 622, 632 are formed with a first bend 623 and a second bend 633 respectively, and are formed with at least a through hole 64 penetratable by a heat pipe (not shown).

Referring to FIG. 3, the cooling fins 6a are stacked up to form a cooling fin set 6, and the first and second bends 623, 633 of each of the cooling fans 6a are in contact with a corresponding one of the cooling fins 6a, thus allowing a channel 66 to be formed between two adjacent ones of the cooling fins 6a.

Referring to FIGS. 2b, 4a and 4b, the first included angle 621 between the plate 61 and the first guiding portion 62 of the cooling fin 6a is greater than 90 degrees (as shown in FIG. 2b), equal to 90 degrees (as shown in FIG. 4a), or less than 90 degrees (as shown in FIG. 4b), and the second included angle 631 between the plate 61 and the second guiding portion 63 of the cooling fin 6a is greater than 90 degrees (as shown in FIG. 2b), equal to 90 degrees (as shown in FIG. 4a), or less than 90 degrees (as shown in FIG. 4b).

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the cooling fin set 6, at least a heat pipe 8, and a base 9a combine to form a heat sink 9. A pad 91 is disposed on the base 9a. At least a hole 911 is formed on a side surface 91a of the pad 91. The hole 911 penetrates the pad 91. A groove 912 is formed in the base 9a in such a manner that the groove 912 corresponds in position to and extends from the hole 911. The base 9a has a lower end surface 91b. The lower end surface 91b is in contact with at least a heat-generating unit (not shown) so as to enable heat transfer.

The heat pipe 8 comprises at least a heat absorption portion 81 and at least a heat transfer portion 82. The heat absorption portion 81 penetrates the hole 911 of the base 9a and is received in the groove 912.

The first heat-dissipating portion 622 and the second heat-dissipating portion 632 of each of the cooling fins 6a are formed with at least one of a plurality of through holes 64. The through holes 64 are oppositely sequentially disposed with the heat transfer portion 82 of the heat pipe 8 and thereby coupled to the heat pipe 8. Hence, heat is transferred from the base 9 to the heat absorption portion 81 of the heat pipe 8, and then from the heat transfer portion 82 of the heat pipe 8 to the cooling fin set 6 penetrated by the heat transfer portion 82 of the heat pipe 8, thereby allowing the cooling fin set 6 to release the heat to the air.

Referring to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, the heat sink 9 and a fan 7 are coupled together to form a heat-dissipating module 10, and the fan 7 is coupled to the cooling fin set 6 sideward. Specifically speaking, the fan 7 faces the plate 61, the first and second guiding portions 62, 63, and the first and second heat-dissipating portions 622, 632 of the cooling fin 6a. Hence, a heat-dissipating fluid 71 blown into the channels 66 by the fan 7 is always guided to the plates 61 by the first guiding portions 62 and the second guiding portions 63, and in consequence the heat-dissipating fluid 71 concentrates on the plates 61. As a result, the heat-dissipating fluid 71, which plays an auxiliary role in enhancement of heat dissipation taught by the present invention, flows in the channels 66 smoothly, orderly, and regularly. Furthermore, the heat-dissipating fluid 71 in the channels 66 concentrates and therefore does not spread to the first and second bends 623, 633, thereby enhancing heat dissipation of the heat-dissipating module 10 greatly.

Referring to FIG. 10, at least a first engaging portion 624 and at least a second engaging portion 634 are provided on opposing sides of the first heat-dissipating portion 622 and the second heat-dissipating portion 632 of the cooling fin 6a respectively. Each of the first engaging portions 624 and each of the second engaging portions 634 are adapted for engagement with a corresponding one of the first engaging portions 624 and a corresponding one of the second engaging portions 634, so as to facilitate stacking the cooling fins 6a and forming the cooling fin set 6. The modification stays within the scope of the claims of the present invention and serves to increase heat dissipation area, guide a fluid to the center of the cooling fin 6a, and concentrate the outgoing fluid as taught in the preceding embodiments.

The trough 65 of the cooling fin set 6 not only contributes to an increased heat dissipation area of the cooling fin set 6, but also guides and concentrates the heat-dissipating fluid 71 generated by the fan 7 for heat dissipation. Accordingly, the heat-dissipating module 10 is rendered efficient in heat dissipation, and thus the drawbacks of the prior art are overcome.

The above-described preferred embodiments are intended to illustrate the principles and features of the present invention. The present invention is not intended to be limited to the preferred embodiments. All equivalent modifications and changes made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. The scope of the present invention should be determined with reference to the appended claims.

In conclusion, the cooling fin structure and the heat-dissipating module thereof provided by the present invention are capable of accomplishing the effect thereof and achieving the objectives thereof, and thus the present invention is novel, non-obvious, and useful, and meets all the conditions for filing an invention patent application. The applicant hereby files the invention patent application in hopes of receiving allowance of the invention patent application and securing patent protection.

Claims

1. A cooling fin structure comprising a plate, a first guiding portion, and a second guiding portion, the first and second guiding portions extending from and formed integrally with the plate with a first included angle between the first guiding portion and the plate and a second included angle between the second guiding portion and the plate.

2. The cooling fin structure of claim 1, wherein the first guiding portion angles upwardly relative to the plate, the second guiding portion angles upwardly relative to the plate.

3. The cooling fin structure of claim 1, wherein the first guiding portion and the second guiding portion flank the plate.

4. The cooling fin structure of claim 2, wherein the first guiding portion and the second guiding portion flank the plate.

5. The cooling fin structure of claim 1, wherein the first guiding portion extends to form a first heat-dissipating portion, and the second guiding portion extends to form a second heat-dissipating portion.

6. The cooling fin structure of claim 5, wherein the first and second heat-dissipating portions are formed with at least a through hole.

7. The cooling fin structure of claim 1, wherein the first and second included angles are one of less than 90 degrees, equal to 90 degrees, and greater than 90 degrees.

8. The cooling fin structure of claim 1, wherein the plate and the first and second guiding portions together define a trough.

9. The cooling fin structure of claim 2, wherein the plate and the first and second guiding portions together define a trough.

10. A heat-dissipating module, comprising:

a base;

a heat pipe with at least a heat absorption portion and at least a heat transfer portion, the heat absorption portion being connected to the base; and

a cooling fin set comprising a plurality of cooling fins stacked up and penetrated by the heat transfer portion of the heat pipe, the cooling fins each comprising a plate, a first guiding portion, and a second guiding portion, the first and second guiding portions extending from and formed integrally with the plate with a first included angle between the first guiding portion and the plate and a second included angle between the second guiding portion and the plate.

11. The heat-dissipating module of claim 10, wherein the first guiding portion and the second guiding portion angle upwardly relative to the plate, and the first guiding portion and the second guiding portion together define a trough.

12. The heat-dissipating module of claim 10, wherein the first guiding portion extends to form a first heat-dissipating portion, and the second guiding portion extends to form a second heat-dissipating portion.

13. The heat-dissipating module of claim 12, wherein the first and second heat-dissipating portions are formed with at least one of a plurality of through hole, the through holes being oppositely sequentially disposed with the heat transfer portion.

14. The heat-dissipating module of claim 10, wherein the first and second included angles are one of less than 90 degrees, equal to 90 degrees, and greater than 90 degrees.

15. The heat-dissipating module of claim 10, wherein a channel is formed between two adjacent ones of the cooling fins of the cooling fin set.

16. The heat-dissipating module of claim 10, wherein the cooling fin set is coupled to a fan sideward, and the fan faces the plate and the first and second guiding portions.