Patent Abstract:
A combination cooler module is disclosed, which includes a plurality of radiating fins that are arranged in a stack, a plurality of heat tubes inserted through the radiating fins, and a heat conductive base affixed to the radiating fins by means of a dovetail joint, hook or scarf joint and disposed in contact with the heat tubes.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     (a) Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a cooler module and more particularly to a combination cooler module in which the base and the radiating fins are fastened together by a dovetail, hook or scarf joint.  
         [0003]     (b) Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     A conventional cooler module is known to comprise a plurality of aluminum or copper radiating fins, a plurality of heat tubes, and a base (copper base). The radiating fins are arranged in parallel. The heat tubes are inserted through the radiating fins to hold the radiating fins in parallel. Further, the heat tubes are soldered to the base by means of the application of a bonding medium, for example, solder paste. If the heat tubes and the base are made of different materials, a nickel-plating treatment is necessary before bonding the heat tubes to the base. This assembly process is complicated, resulting in a high manufacturing cost and low yield. Further, this assembly process will also lower the heat transfer efficiency between the base and the heat tubes.  
         [0005]     When using the aforesaid cooler module, a frame holder may be affixed to the radiating fins to hold a cooling fan.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. According to the present invention, the combination cooler module comprises a plurality of radiating fins arranged in a stack, a plurality of heat tubes inserted through the radiating fins, and a heat conductive base fastened to the radiating fins and disposed in contact with the heat tubes, wherein male coupling means and corresponding female coupling means are provided at the radiating fins and the base for enabling the base to be affixed to the radiating fins by forcing the male coupling means into engagement with the female coupling means.  
         [0007]     More precisely, male coupling means may be provided at either the radiating fins or the base, with corresponding female coupling means provided at the base or the radiating fins. Furthermore, both male coupling means and female coupling means may be provided at the radiating fins, with corresponding female coupling means and male coupling means provided at the base. The male coupling means and female coupling means may be arranged symmetrically or asymmetrically.  
         [0008]     In one embodiment of the present invention, the male coupling means comprises a plurality of hooked portions downwardly extending from the radiating fins; the female coupling means comprises a plurality of locating grooves formed in the base and respectively forced into engagement with the hooked portions at the radiating fins.  
         [0009]     In another embodiment of the present invention, the male coupling means comprises a plurality of protruded portions respectively protruded from the radiating fins and the base; the female coupling means comprises a plurality of locating grooves respectively formed in the radiating fins and the base; the protruded portions of the male coupling means at the radiating fins and the locating grooves of the female coupling means at the radiating fins are respectively forced into engagement with the locating grooves of the female coupling means at the base and the protruded portions of the male coupling means at the base.  
         [0010]     In still another embodiment of the present invention, the male coupling means comprises at least one dovetail tongue provided at the radiating fins (or the base); the female coupling means comprises at least one dovetail groove provided at the base (or the radiating fins) and respectively forced into engagement with the at least one dovetail tongue.  
         [0011]     In still another embodiment of the present invention, the radiating fins include a plurality of first radiating fins, a plurality of second radiating fins, and a plurality of third radiating fins, the first, second and third radiating fins each having a plurality of upper mounting through holes, the first and third radiating fins each further having a plurality of lower mounting through holes, the second radiating fins each further having a plurality of circularly arched bottom notches; the heat tubes are inserted through the upper mounting through holes and the lower mounting through holes of the radiating fins and attached to the circularly arched bottom notches of the radiating fins.  
         [0012]     In still another embodiment of the present invention, the male coupling means comprises two engagement bars, the engagement bars each being formed of a plurality of protruding strips respectively downwardly protruded from the radiating fins at a bottom side; the female coupling means comprises two engagement grooves bilaterally formed in the base and respectively forced into engagement with the protruding strips of the engagement bars. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a combination cooler module according to a first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a schematic assembly view of the combination cooler module according to the first embodiment of the present invention before fixation.  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a schematic assembly view of the combination cooler module according to the first embodiment of the present invention after fixation.  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is an perspective view of the combination cooler module according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of a combination cooler module according to a second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a schematic assembly view of the combination cooler module according to the second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a schematic assembly view of a combination cooler module according to a third embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is an exploded view of  FIG. 7 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is a schematic assembly view of a part of a combination cooler module according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 10  is a schematic assembly view of a part of a combination cooler module according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 111  is a schematic assembly view of a part of a combination cooler module according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a radiating fin for a combination cooler module according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 13  is an exploded view of the combination cooler module according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0026]      FIG. 14  is a schematic end view showing the combination cooler module of the seventh embodiment of the present invention assembled. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0027]     Referring to FIGS.  1 ˜ 4 , a combination cooler module in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention comprises a plurality of radiating fins  1 , a plurality of heat tubes  2 , and a base  3 .  
         [0028]     The radiating fins  1  are flat metal sheet members arranged in a stack, each having a plurality of upper mounting through holes  11 . Some radiating fins  1  further have a plurality of lower mounting through holes  12  and two bottom hooked portions  14 . Further, some radiating fins  1  that have bottom hooked portions  14  have a series of circularly arched bottom notches  13  arranged between the respective bottom hooked portions  14 .  
         [0029]     The heat tubes  2  are metal U-tubes, each having the two distal ends closed and a working fluid filled therein. The heat tubes  2  are respectively inserted through the upper mounting through holes  11  and lower mounting through holes  12  of the radiating fins  1 .  
         [0030]     The base  3  is a plate member made out of copper, aluminum, or any of a variety of heat conductive materials, having two vertical sidewalls  32 , two locating grooves  321  respectively formed in the top side of the vertical sidewalls  32  and extending along the length of the vertical sidewalls  32 , and a plurality of positioning grooves  31  formed in the top surface and extending to the front and rear sides. The positioning grooves  31  have a circularly arched cross section. The two vertical sidewalls  32  have the front and rear sides respectively protruded over the front and rear sides of the positioning grooves  31 , therefore the base  3  shows an H-shaped cross section.  
         [0031]     During assembly process, the heat tubes  2  are inserted with the respective two distal ends through the upper mounting through holes  11  and lower mounting through holes  12  and peripherally attached to the circularly arched bottom notches  13  to join the radiating fins  1 , and then the base  3  is attached to the heat tubes  2  and the radiating fins  1  to force the positioning grooves  31  toward the heat tubes  2 , and then a pressure is applied to the base  3  against the heat tubes  2  and the radiating fins  1  to force the positioning grooves  31  of the base  3  into engagement with the periphery of the heat tubes  2  and to simultaneously force the locating grooves  321  of the base  3  into engagement with the bottom hooked portions  14  of the radiating fins  1  (see  FIG. 3 ).  
         [0032]      FIGS. 5 and 6  show a combination cooler module in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment with the exception of the location of the locating grooves  321  at the vertical sidewalls  32  of the base  3 . This embodiment is assembled in the same manner as the aforesaid first embodiment.  
         [0033]      FIGS. 7 and 8  show a combination cooler module in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the radiating fins  1  each have two bottom protrusions  15  that define with the bottom edge of the respective radiating fin a dovetail groove, and the base  3  has a corresponding dovetailed cross section that is forced into engagement with the dovetail groove between the two bottom protrusions  15  of each radiating fin  1 .  
         [0034]      FIG. 9  is a schematic assembly view of a part of a combination cooler module according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the base  3  has an upper part forming a dovetail tongue  30   a  that is forced into engagement with a corresponding dovetail groove  16   a  at the bottom side of the radiating fins  1 .  
         [0035]      FIG. 10  is a schematic assembly view of a part of a combination cooler module according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the radiating fins  1  each have two bottom dovetail tongues  17   a  respectively forced into engagement with a corresponding dovetail groove  31   a  at the base  3 .  
         [0036]      FIG. 111  is a schematic assembly view of a part of a combination cooler module according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the radiating fins  1  and the base  3  are fastened together by means of a scarf joint  18   a / 32   a.    
         [0037]     FIGS.  12 ˜ 14  show a combination cooler module in accordance with a seventh embodiment of the present invention assembled. According to this embodiment, the radiating fins  1  each have two bottom protruding strips  19 ; the base  3  has two engagement grooves  33  formed in the top surface and arranged in parallel at two sides of the positioning grooves  31 . When the radiating fins  1  are arranged in a stack, the bottom protruding strips  19  of the radiating fins  1  form two engagement bars that are forced into engagement with the engagement grooves  33  of the base  3 .  
         [0038]     Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5