US3766977A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Heat sinks
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-09-15
•
Granted: 1973-10-23
•
Expires: 1992-09-15
Abstract
Abstract Improved heat sinks, especially aluminum heat sinks, are provided for cooling heat-producing electrical and electronic components, such as diodes and thyristors, including SCR (silicon controlled rectifier) type semiconductors.
Inventors
- 👤 M Pravda
- 👤 W Bienert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 17:14
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W40/00; H10W40/60; H10W40/611; H10W72/00; H10W40/20; H10W40/231; H10W40/237; H10W40/625
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
219 words
In a heat sink for cooling a heat-producing electrical or electronic component comprising at least two units each made up of a web having fins extending from one side and having on the other side a component-engaging surface, wherein opposite faces of said component are engageable by a pair of said units, means on the units for holding the same in compressive engagement with the component, and wherein said units are made of aluminum to pass current and to conduct heat away from said component and to dissipate said heat to the surrounding atmosphere, the improvement comprising a substantially centrally located recess in the web of each unit which opens through said componentenagaging surface, a copper plug in each recess having a fit therein sufficiently tight to permit effective heat transfer from the plug to the web, each plug having an exposed face which engages, in heat exchange relation, one of said component faces and which serves to transfer heat from the component through the plug to said web, a plurality of heat-dissipating fins on said other side of the web of each unit which extend substantially throughout the entire area thereof except for the area occupied by said plug, and said units being compressively held together so that the plugs make effective electrical contact with said component faces.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
219 words
In a heat sink for cooling a heat-producing electrical or electronic component comprising at least two units each made up of a web having fins extending from one side and having on the other side a component-engaging surface, wherein opposite faces of said component are engageable by a pair of said units, means on the units for holding the same in compressive engagement with the component, and wherein said units are made of aluminum to pass current and to conduct heat away from said component and to dissipate said heat to the surrounding atmosphere, the improvement comprising a substantially centrally located recess in the web of each unit which opens through said componentenagaging surface, a copper plug in each recess having a fit therein sufficiently tight to permit effective heat transfer from the plug to the web, each plug having an exposed face which engages, in heat exchange relation, one of said component faces and which serves to transfer heat from the component through the plug to said web, a plurality of heat-dissipating fins on said other side of the web of each unit which extend substantially throughout the entire area thereof except for the area occupied by said plug, and said units being compressively held together so that the plugs make effective electrical contact with said component faces.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
Heat sink of claim 1 wherein siad plug has a shrink fit in the recess of each unit by virtue of which the plug is in a state of compression in the recess during the passage of heat therethrough.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
Heat sink of claim 1 wherein one of said units is more than twice as long as the other and contains a second recess spaced from the first, a copper plug plug in said second recess, and said longer unit being adapted to be used with two of said shorter units to support and cool a pair of components.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
Heat sink of claim 1 wherein said component is a power semiconductor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
65 words
Heat sink of claim 4 wherein a layer of a low melting point metal is present between each plug face and its mating component face to form an interface therebetween, said metal being soliD at ambient conditions but having a melting point sufficiently low that the passage of heat through the interface is enough to melt the metal and to form a liquefied metal interface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
Heat sink of claim 5 wherein each plug face has a plurality of annular grooves and recessed bands which serve to retain said liquefied metal in each said interface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
Heat sink of claim 6 wherein said metal has a melting point in the range of 140* to 250* F.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
Heat sink of claim 1 wherein a liner of an electrically insulating, thermally conducting material is present between each plug and the walls of said recess, whereby said heat sink units do not pass current.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
158 words
In a heat sink for cooling a heat-producing electrical or electronic component comprising a metal unit made up of a web having fins, a component-engaging surface on said web for engaging a face on said component, an electrical connection secured to another component face and extending from the heat sink, the improvement comprising a metal plug embedded in said web sufficiently tightly to provide effective heat transfer from the plug to the web, said plug having an exposed face which engages, in heat exchange relation, said first-mentioned component face and which serves to transfer heat from the component through the plug to said web, said plug making effective electrical contact with said component, the metal of said unit having a thermal conductivity of at least 25 BTU per hr. per sq. ft. per *F. per ft., and the metal of the plug having a thermal conductivity that is at least twice that of the metal of said unit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
158 words
In a heat sink for cooling a heat-producing electrical or electronic component comprising a metal unit made up of a web having fins, a component-engaging surface on said web for engaging a face on said component, an electrical connection secured to another component face and extending from the heat sink, the improvement comprising a metal plug embedded in said web sufficiently tightly to provide effective heat transfer from the plug to the web, said plug having an exposed face which engages, in heat exchange relation, said first-mentioned component face and which serves to transfer heat from the component through the plug to said web, said plug making effective electrical contact with said component, the metal of said unit having a thermal conductivity of at least 25 BTU per hr. per sq. ft. per *F. per ft., and the metal of the plug having a thermal conductivity that is at least twice that of the metal of said unit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
Heat sink of claim 9 wherein the metal of said unit has a thermal conductivity of at least 90 BTU per hr. per sq. ft. per *F. per ft.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2936409A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-22 | 1977-04-23 | 1977-10-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-22 | 1981-04-23 | 1981-10-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-22 | 1985-04-23 | 1985-10-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |