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US5437328A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Multi-stage heat sink

Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1994-04-21
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Granted: 1995-08-01
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Expires: 2014-04-21
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Abstract

Abstract A multi-stage heat sink for cooling an integrated circuit module is described. The heat sink is preferably formed by an assembly of plates. A unique arrangement of slots in each plate forms different stages of air flow channels. Each stage contains a different number of slots with the number of slots increasing in successive stages. Thermal conduction of heat away from the module through fins which define the air flow channels is balanced against convective heat transfer from air flow channel walls at each stage to improve total heat transport per heat sink volume and to achieve a very low thermal resistance heat sink.

Inventors

  • 👤 Robert E. Simons

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 21:22
CPC Classifications
F; F28; F28F; F28F13/00; F28F13/003; F28F3/00; F28F3/08; F28F3/086; H; H10; H10W; H10W40/00; H10W40/20; H10W40/22; H10W40/226; H10W40/40; H10W40/43

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 175 words
A heat sink for a body to be cooled comprising: a primary stage containing: a base adjacent to a body to be cooled; a plurality of fins integral with said base and extending to normal to said base and substantially parallel to each other such that internal air flow channels are formed within said primary stage; a top plate integral with said plurality of fins and parallel to said base; at least one secondary stage containing: a plurality of fins integral with said top plate from a previous stage adjacent to said secondary stage in a direction towards said base, said fins extending normal to said top plate and substantially parallel to each other such that internal air flow channels are formed within said secondary stage; a top plate integral with said plurality of fins and parallel to said base; said internal air flow channels being substantially parallel to each other within said stages and normal to said base; said internal air flow channels within each successive stage away from said base increasing in number.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 175 words
A heat sink for a body to be cooled comprising: a primary stage containing: a base adjacent to a body to be cooled; a plurality of fins integral with said base and extending to normal to said base and substantially parallel to each other such that internal air flow channels are formed within said primary stage; a top plate integral with said plurality of fins and parallel to said base; at least one secondary stage containing: a plurality of fins integral with said top plate from a previous stage adjacent to said secondary stage in a direction towards said base, said fins extending normal to said top plate and substantially parallel to each other such that internal air flow channels are formed within said secondary stage; a top plate integral with said plurality of fins and parallel to said base; said internal air flow channels being substantially parallel to each other within said stages and normal to said base; said internal air flow channels within each successive stage away from said base increasing in number.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 15 words
The heat sink according to claim 1 wherein said heat sink is composed of metal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
The heat sink according to claim 1 wherein said heat sink is composed of graphite.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 17 words
The heat sink according to claim 1 wherein said internal air flow channels are of uniform thickness.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 39 words
The heat sink according to claim 1 wherein said internal air flow channels are of uniform thickness within each stage, and said internal air flow channels are of progressively decreasing thickness with each successive stage away from said base.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 17 words
The heat sink according to claim 1 wherein the length of each of said stages is different.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 17 words
The heat sink according to claim 1 wherein said internal air flow channels are tapered in thickness.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 156 words
A heat sink for a body to be cooled, said heat sink comprising: a primary stage including: a base adjacent to a body to be cooled; a first plurality of fins attached to said base and extending normal to said base and substantially parallel to each other so as to provide a first set of internal air flow channels; a first top plate which is attached to said first plurality of fins and which is parallel to said base; at least one secondary stage including: a second plurality of fins attached to said first top plate and extending normal to said first top plate and substantially parallel to each other so as to provide a second set of internal air flow channels; a second top plate which is attached to said second plurality of fins and parallel to said base; said internal air flow channels, within each successive stage away from said base, increasing in number.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 156 words
A heat sink for a body to be cooled, said heat sink comprising: a primary stage including: a base adjacent to a body to be cooled; a first plurality of fins attached to said base and extending normal to said base and substantially parallel to each other so as to provide a first set of internal air flow channels; a first top plate which is attached to said first plurality of fins and which is parallel to said base; at least one secondary stage including: a second plurality of fins attached to said first top plate and extending normal to said first top plate and substantially parallel to each other so as to provide a second set of internal air flow channels; a second top plate which is attached to said second plurality of fins and parallel to said base; said internal air flow channels, within each successive stage away from said base, increasing in number.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 15 words
The heat sink according to claim 8 wherein said heat sink is composed of metal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 15 words
The heat sink according to claim 8 wherein said heat sink is composed of graphite.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 20 words
The heat sink according to claim 8 wherein said heat sink is composed of a combination of graphite and metal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 88 words
A heat sink for a body to be cooled, said heat sink comprising: a series of plates stacked in layers with said plates having slots formed therein such that said slots are aligned to form a base, for thermal contact with said body to be cooled, and at least two stages of internal air flow channels; said internal air flow channels being substantially parallel to each other within said stages; and with said internal air flow channels increasing in number within each successive stage away from said base.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 88 words
A heat sink for a body to be cooled, said heat sink comprising: a series of plates stacked in layers with said plates having slots formed therein such that said slots are aligned to form a base, for thermal contact with said body to be cooled, and at least two stages of internal air flow channels; said internal air flow channels being substantially parallel to each other within said stages; and with said internal air flow channels increasing in number within each successive stage away from said base.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 12 words
The heat sink according to claim 12 wherein said plates are metal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 12 words
The heat sink according to claim 12 wherein said plates are graphite.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 19 words
The heat sink according to claim 12 wherein said fins have protuberances projecting into said internal air flow channels.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 110 words
A heat sink for cooling a body, said heat sink comprising: a body composed of thermally conductive material having a base for placement in thermal contact with said body to be cooled, said body also having a first row of substantially parallel fluid flow channels adjacent to said base and at least one subsequent row of substantially parallel fluid flow channels disposed adjacent to said first row of channels, with there being more channels in at least one subsequent row of channels than in said first row of channels, said at least one subsequent row of channels being located further away from said base than said first row of channels.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 110 words
A heat sink for cooling a body, said heat sink comprising: a body composed of thermally conductive material having a base for placement in thermal contact with said body to be cooled, said body also having a first row of substantially parallel fluid flow channels adjacent to said base and at least one subsequent row of substantially parallel fluid flow channels disposed adjacent to said first row of channels, with there being more channels in at least one subsequent row of channels than in said first row of channels, said at least one subsequent row of channels being located further away from said base than said first row of channels.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2512540A Cited
US4103737A Cited
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US4765397A Cited
US4918571A Cited
US5002123A Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1998-07-31 1999-01-30 1999-08-01 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2002-07-31 2003-01-30 2003-08-01 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2006-07-31 2007-01-30 2007-08-01 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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