Abstract:
A method for assembling a vertical heat radiator comprises the steps of assembling heat-radiator fins in which a multitude of radiator fins, each having upper and lower holes or retaining notches, are combined with fixed spacing by lateral locking pieces, connecting heat pipes in which a set of heat pipes are put to go through the upper and lower holes or retaining notches and integrating components by punching in which the modules of heat-radiator fins and the heat pipes are integrated by an external punching tool.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to methods for assembling a vertical heat radiator, more particularly to a method for assembling a vertical heat radiator by which various components are integrated by a simple punching machine device. A radiator thereby formed has a set of extended heat pipes outreaching an external electronic element for facilitating heat conduction. Therefore, a heat radiator assembled by the present invention has the advantages of structural compactness and high efficiency of heat dissipation. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A heat radiator  1  of high efficiency of heat dissipation used with electronic elements of the prior art comprises a heat pipes  11 , radiator fins  12  and a heat sink  13  for an area contact with an electronic device  2 , whereby the heat generated in the device  2  will be conducted through the sink  13  and the pipes to the fins  12 . Therefore, the connection between the pipes  11  and the sink  13  directly affects the heat-radiation efficiency of the electronic device  2 . However, the manufacturing cost of the conventional radiator  1  is high due to the cost of the components. 
         [0003]    Referring to  FIG. 1A , a heat dissipating device including heat pipes made by punching is characterized by at least a groove  15  on the top face of a heat sink  14  for housing at least a heat pipe  17 . There is a plurality of slots formed at ends of the grooves  15  in a perpendicular to the grooves  15 , whereby the radiator fins  18  can be inserted into the slots. The fins  18  are integrated with the sink  14  by two lateral casting molds; punched by the casting molds, the fins are deformed and expanded outwardly, whereby the fins  18 , the pipes  17  and the sink  14  are tightly integrated. 
         [0004]    However, the invention of R.O.C. patent number M268112 still has a sink, and therefore a problem of radiation efficiency caused by the tightness between the heat pipes and the sink. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a method for assembling a vertical heat radiator by which the above-mentioned disadvantages in conventional heat radiators. The present invention redesigns the assembling mechanism of the various components by introducing simple compression machine tool, compression method and component arrangement. A radiator thereby formed has a set of extended heat pipes outreaching an external electronic element for facilitating heat conduction. Therefore, a heat radiator assembled by the present invention has the advantages of structural compactness and high efficiency of heat dissipation. 
         [0006]    The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a heat radiator of the prior art. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of another heat radiator of the prior art. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a heat radiator made by the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  shows a front view and a side view of the heat radiator in  FIG. 2  before punch forming. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a front view of a heat radiator made of the present invention before the radiator fins and the heat pipes are punched. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  shows a front view and a side view of the heat radiator in FIG.  2  after punch forming. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a front view of a heat radiator made of the present invention after the radiator fins and the heat pipes are punched. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a bottom perspective view of the heat radiator in  FIG. 2  after punch forming. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7A  shows the attachment of the heat radiator in  FIG. 2  onto an electronic element. 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is the side view of another preferred embodiment made of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0017]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 to 7 , a method for assembling a vertical heat radiator according to the present invention comprises the steps of 
         [0018]    Step (1)—Assembling Heat-Radiating Fins: 
         [0019]    A multitude of first radiator fins  3  are respectively provided with upper connecting holes  31  and lower connecting holes  32 . Each of the upper connecting holes  31  has a slot  33  extended upward to the boundary of a corresponding upper connecting hole  31  and a locking neck piece  34  for holding a heat pipe. 
         [0020]    One side of each of the upper connecting holes  31  and lower connecting holes  32  is provided with a ring flange ( 311 ,  312 ) for increasing the contact area with a corresponding one of the heat pipes  6 . Each of the ring flanges  311  of the upper connecting holes  31  is provided with a slit  3   12  aligned with the corresponding slot  33 . Each of the locking neck pieces  34  further includes two clip pieces  341 ,  342  formed on the surface of the corresponding first radiator fin  3 . 
         [0021]    A multitude of second radiator fins  4  are respectively provided with upper connecting holes  41  and lower retaining slots  42 . Each of the upper connecting holes  41  has a slot  43  extended upward to the boundary of a corresponding upper connecting hole  41  and a locking neck piece  44  for holding a heat pipe. 
         [0022]    One side of each of the upper connecting holes  41  is provided with a ring flange  411  for increasing the contact area with a corresponding one of the heat pipes  6 . Each of the ring flanges  411  of the upper connecting holes  41  is provided with a slit  412  aligned with the corresponding slot  43 . Each of the lower retaining slots  42  is provided with an arched flange  412 , preferable taking the shape of a semi-circle. Each of the locking neck pieces  44  further includes two clip pieces  441 ,  442  formed on the surface of the corresponding second radiator fin  4 . 
         [0023]    The first radiator fins  3  and the second radiator fins  4  are respectively arranged with equal spacing by lateral retaining pieces  30  and  40 . The vertical heat radiator further includes a module of heat-radiator fins  5  in an internal space  50 . 
         [0024]    The internal space  50  is defined as the space around the middle section of the heat pipes  6  between the first radiator fins  3  and the second radiator fins  4 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0025]    Step (2)—Connecting the Heat Pipes  6 : 
         [0026]    At least one of the heat pipes  6  goes through the module of heat-radiator fins  5 , the upper/lower connecting holes  31 ,  41 / 32  and the lower retaining slots  42 . One end of the heat pipe  6  supports against the lower retaining slots  42  of the second radiator fins  4 . A section of the heat pipe  6  therefore will be exposed in the internal space  50 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0027]    Step (3)—Preparing a Compression Machine Tool 
         [0028]    A compression machine tool  7  comprising an upper punching part  71  and a lower punching part  72  is used in this step, as shown in  FIG. 3 . The upper punching part  71  further includes a punch head  711  for punching the locking neck pieces  44  and the heat pipes  6  together. The lower punching part  72  has a section of bulged pieces  721  corresponding to the internal space  50 , whereby the punch heads  722  on the section of bulged pieces  721  punch the lower connecting holes  32  and the heat pipes  6  together. 
         [0029]    Step (4)—Integrating Components by the Compression Machine Tool: 
         [0030]    The technique of punch forming is applied to the upper punching part  71  and the upper punching part  71  of the compression machine tool  7 , whereby the punch head  711  on the upper punching part  71  will punch the locking neck pieces  44  so that the heat pipes  6  can be integrated with the slots  33 ,  34 . At the same time, the punch heads  722  on the lower punching part  72  will punch at the lower connecting holes  32  on the first radiator fins  3  and the module of heat-radiator fins  5  so that the heat pipes  6  will be integrate therein. Further, the section of bulged pieces  721  will punch the exposed section of the heat pipes  6  in the internal open space  50 , so that a contact area can be formed for being attached to an external electronic element  8  (using a layer of heat-conducting paste). 
         [0031]    In other preferred embodiments made of the present invention, the lower punching part  72  does not have a section of bulged pieces  721 ; so the lateral surfaces of the heat pipes  6  exposed in the internal open space  50  will not be punched. The connection between the portion of heat pipes  6  and an external electronic element  8  is realized by a layer of heat-conducting paste. 
         [0032]    Step (5)—Forming an Internal Open Space  50 : 
         [0033]    The portion of heat pipes  6  exposed in the open space  50  is for connecting an external electronic element  8  (using a layer of heat-conducting paste), whereby the heat generated in the electronic element  8  will be efficiently conducted to the heat pipes  6  and immediately the adjacent modules of heat-radiator fins  5 . Therefore, the production cost can be significantly reduced. 
         [0034]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , another preferred embodiment made by the present invention as a heat radiator has heat pipes  6  with upward tilted sections  61 , whose position after the assembly forms a downwardly extended portion capable of providing area contact with the electronic device to be treated. The upward tilted sections  61  are formed in the process of connecting heat pipes. Therefore, a heat sink is not necessary. 
         [0035]    The present invention is thus described, and it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.