Patent Publication Number: US-2012037348-A1

Title: Heat sink structure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to a heat sink structure and, more particularly, to a heat sink structure with enhanced heat dissipation effect. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     An electronic product typically has a heat source in the form of a central processing unit, a chip, and so on. If the heat generated by the heat source during operation of the electronic product is not effectively dissipated, the electronic product may overheat and be damaged as a result. 
     Conventional heat dissipation devices include fans, heat dissipating fins, heat pipes, and combinations thereof. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  for a perspective view of a conventional heat dissipation structure  9 , the heat dissipation structure  9  includes a plurality of heat dissipating fins  91  which are arranged in a stack, spaced apart from one another, and penetrated by a plurality of heat pipes  92 . The heat dissipating fins  91  and the heat pipes  92  provide heat dissipation from a heat source. 
     However, the aforesaid heat dissipation structure  9  is applicable only to heat sources which generate relatively low heat. The heat dissipation effect of such a structure on a heat source of very high heat is insufficient and needs improvement. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a heat sink structure which includes a plurality of heat dissipating fins and a plurality of heat dissipating elements. 
     The heat dissipating fins are arranged in a stack and spaced apart from one another by a distance, wherein at least one of the heat dissipating fins is coated with a heat dissipating material. The heat dissipating elements pass through the heat dissipating fins. 
     By coating at least one of the heat dissipating fins with the heat dissipating material, the heat dissipation effect of the heat sink structure is enhanced. 
     Preferably, the heat dissipating elements are heat pipes, and the heat dissipating material is a thermal compound or other coating materials capable of heat dissipation. 
     Preferably, each heat dissipating fin has a serrated edge to increase the area for heat dissipation. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A detailed description of further features and advantages of the present invention is given below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional heat dissipation structure; and 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 2  shows a heat sink structure according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a heat sink structure  1  includes a plurality of heat dissipating fins  2  and a plurality of heat dissipating elements  3 . 
     The heat dissipating fins  2  in the drawing are stacked together and spaced apart from one another by a distance. In addition, each of the heat dissipating fins  2  is coated with a heat dissipating material  21 . However, it is understood that the heat dissipating material  21  may be coated on only one of the heat dissipating fins  2  or on certain ones of the heat dissipating fins  2  as needed. 
     The heat dissipating elements  3  in  FIG. 2  pass through the heat dissipating fins  2  and are each coated with the heat dissipating material  21 . However, it is understood that the heat dissipating material  21  may be coated on only one of the heat dissipating elements  3  or on certain ones of the heat dissipating elements  3  as desired. 
     In the present embodiment, the heat dissipating elements  3  are heat pipes or the like and can be made of various materials such as ceramic. In addition to heat conduction, the heat dissipating elements  3  serve the purpose of supporting the heat dissipating fins  2 . 
     The heat dissipating material  21  in the present embodiment is a thermal compound. However, it is understood that the heat dissipating material  21  may also be other coating materials capable of heat dissipation, i.e., materials which have good thermal conductivity and, once applied, increase not only the area for heat dissipation but also heat transfer efficiency so as to produce the desired heat dissipation and cooling effect. 
     Besides, each heat dissipating fin  2  in the present embodiment has a serrated edge  22  in order to increase the area for heat dissipation. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the present embodiment further includes a plurality of heat dissipating fins  4 . Like the heat dissipating fins  3 , the heat dissipating fins  4  are arranged in a stack, spaced apart from one another by a distance, and each coated with another heat dissipating material  41 . Meanwhile, the heat dissipating elements  3  pass through the heat dissipating fins  4  as well as the heat dissipating fins  2  to form a modular heat dissipation structure. 
     Also, it is feasible to coat only one of the heat dissipating fins  4  or certain ones of the heat dissipating fins  4  with the heat dissipating material  41  as needed. 
     In addition, the heat dissipating elements  3  passing through the heat dissipating fins  4  are each coated with the heat dissipating material  41 . However, it is understood that the heat dissipating material  41  may be coated on only one of the heat dissipating elements  3  or on certain ones of the heat dissipating elements  3  according to practical needs. In other words, the portions of the heat dissipating elements  3  that pass through the heat dissipating fins  2  are coated with the heat dissipating material  21  while the portions of the heat dissipating elements  3  that pass through the heat dissipating fins  4  are coated with the heat dissipating material  41 . 
     In the present embodiment, the heat dissipating material  41  is also a thermal compound. However, it is understood that the heat dissipating material  41  may be other coating materials capable of heat dissipation, i.e., materials which have good thermal conductivity and, once applied, increase not only the area for heat dissipation but also heat transfer efficiency so as to produce the desired heat dissipation and cooling effect. 
     Besides, each heat dissipating fin  4  has a serrated edge  42  for increasing the area for heat dissipation. 
     When the heat sink structure  1  is used to dissipate heat from a heat source (not shown), the heat dissipating material  21  coated on each (or at least one) of the heat dissipating fins  2  and the heat dissipating material  41  coated on each (or at least one) of the heat dissipating fins  4  enhance heat dissipation.