Abstract:
An electrical assembly including a housing having an inner surface. At least one mounting feature protrudes from the inner surface. At least one heat sink is inserted onto the at least one mounting feature. At least one electrical component is in thermal contact with a portion of the at least one heat sink.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to an electrical assembly, and, more particularly to an electrical assembly with a heat sink. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Electrical assemblies produce heat that must be dissipated from the circuitry to allow the electrical components to operate within a preferred temperature range. High power electrical components are often directly mounted to a heat sink that thermally conducts the heat to another place for dissipation. The dissipation of the heat often is by way of convection or radiation methods. Additionally, cooling fans may be incorporated to enhance the convection cooling of the assembly. The sophistication of electrical circuitry has increased and more electronic features are positioned in smaller spaces, thereby requiring the conduction of heat from the circuitry. In some cases liquid coolants are used to cool the electrical components to remove the heat therefrom. 
         [0003]    Heat sink design is customized to accommodate the electrical circuitry, thereby requiring unique heat sinks for each electrical assembly. This leads to a great investment in the original design and when the electrical functions are changed this often leads to a need to replace the entire heat sink. 
         [0004]    What is needed in the art is a flexible heat sink assembly method to reduce the obsolescence of housing heat sink assemblies. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention provides a reconfigurable heat sink assembly. 
         [0006]    The invention comprises, in one form thereof, an electrical assembly including a housing having an inner surface. At least one mounting feature protrudes from the inner surface. At least one heat sink is inserted onto the at least one mounting feature. At least one electrical component is in thermal contact with a portion of the at least one heat sink. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a heat sink assembly of the present invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a mobile heat sink utilized in the assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is another view of the mobile heat sink of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the heat sink assembly of  FIG. 1  with mobile heat sinks of  FIGS. 2 and 3  installed therein; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 ; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is another cross-sectional view taken along lines  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIGS. 1-4 , there is shown an assembly  10  including a housing  12 , modular heat sinks  14  and an electrical circuit assembly  16 . Assembly  10  includes a mixture of electrical and mechanical components. Housing  12  is in thermal contact with modular heat sinks  14  that are mounted thereto. Electrical circuit assembly  16 , which can be a printed circuit board assembly  16 , has various electrical components thereon, which come into contact with a surface of modular heat sinks  14 . 
         [0014]    Housing  12 , which may be part of an electrical enclosure, includes an inner surface  18  from which protrusions  20  extend outwardly. Inner surface  18  is made of a thermal conductive material allowing heat to be dissipated to other surfaces of housing  12  for the removal of heat therefrom. Protrusions  20 , also known as mounting features  20  extend from inner surface  18  and are illustrated as a cross-type protrusion having extensions that extend outwardly as 90° separated fingers. Alternatively housing  12  may be an open assembly that does not fully enclose electrical circuit assembly  16 . 
         [0015]    Modular heat sinks  14  include receiving slots  22  that interact with mounting features  20  to locate and orient modular heat sinks  14  when installed in housing  12 . Receiving slots  22  and mounting features  20  interact to allow modular heat sinks  14  to be positioned in four separate orientations. As illustrated, modular heat sinks  14  can be positioned at any of the locations of a specific mounting feature  20  without altering the height of any contacting surface. Modular heat sinks  14  envelop mounting features  20 , when installed thereon. However, it is within the realm of the present invention to also have modular heat sinks  14  with different shaped or height protrusions extending therefrom. 
         [0016]    Now, additionally referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , there are illustrated modular heat sinks  14  including a first modular heat sink  24 , a second modular heat sink  26  and a third modular heat sink  28 . Heat sink  24  has a height that is shorter than the height of heat sinks  26  and  28 . Heat sink  26  is illustrated as being the tallest heat sink, even extending through printed circuit board assembly  16 . Heat sink  28  extends to and touches printed circuit board  16  and may conduct heat from the circuit board itself or a component on the opposite side of printed circuit board assembly  16 , the component not being illustrated. Protrusions  30  of heat sinks  24 ,  26  and  28  extend away from inner surface  18 . Protrusions  30  make contact with printed circuit board  32  or directly contact an electrical component  34 , of printed circuit board assembly  16 . 
         [0017]    Screws  36  extend through holes in modular heat sinks  14  and hold heat sinks  14  to housing  12 . Screws  36 , even though illustrated as only holding heat sink  14  to housing  12 , could extend through printed circuit board  32  to hold electrical components  34  tightly against a surface of heat sink  14 . 
         [0018]    Heat sink  26  allows components that may be electrically connected to printed circuit board  32  to come in direct contact with heat sink  14  from an opposite side of board  32  that faces away from inner surface  18 . 
         [0019]    Modular heat sinks  14  are basically incompressible and are generally solidly mounted to housing  12 . Modular heat sinks  14  are internally located in position thereby establishing criteria that can be utilized by a replacement printed circuit board assembly  16  that may be configured other than the one shown. This allows housing  12  to be reutilized with a different printed circuit board assembly with modular heat sinks  14  being reconfigured to match the surface topography of the new printed circuit board assembly. Heat sinks  14  may be made from the same material as housing  12  or may be made of other thermally conductive material compatible therewith. When a new printed circuit board assembly is desired the localized heat conducting capabilities are known so that the positioning of components on the printed circuit board assembly can be coordinated with the locations of heat sinking capability that can be attached to housing  12 . 
         [0020]    The present invention is directed to a housing  12  for the mounting of electrical component assemblies, which have heat removed therefrom and conducted by way of heat sinks  14 . Mounting features  20  are geometrical features  20  that are placed on a surface of housing  12  to interact with accommodating mating features in heat sinks  14 . While features  20  are shown as a protrusion other indexing features, such as indentations are also contemplated. The position of features  20  establishes where heat sinks  14  may be located. Features  20  are used to orient heat sinks  14  to establish surfaces to conduct heat that are located apart from feature  20 . The surfaces may be shaped to accommodate the shape of individual electrical components or assemblies. The heat sinks have thermal conductive properties for the conduction of heat from the electrical components. Positioning of the heat sinks allows for easy modification of the assembly. For example, when a new circuit design is to be introduced that will use the same housing as a former circuit, then the location of features  20  is part of the design criteria of the electrical assembly. In the design of the new electrical assembly the location of the heat sinks, which is established by features  20  is known, and the heights of the heat sinks to be located at selected features  20  can then be specified as a part of the design process. The selection of different height heat sinks  14  can then be selectively placed pursuant to the design for the mounting of the new circuit assembly. The removable heat sinks are reusable and allow for a reconfiguring of three dimensional space in a housing for the selective placement of heat conducting structures. 
         [0021]    Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.