Heat dissipating assembly with reduced thermal gradient

Abstract

A device to dissipate thermal energy generated by a heat generating component. The device includes a base plate and a housing secured to and disposed on the base plate to form an enclosed space surrounded thereby. The device also includes a plurality of fins secured to the base plate and disposed in the space; an inlet pipe for introducing cooling fluid into the space and an outlet pipe for exhausting the cooling fluid from the space. The inlet pipe has a flow exit positioned over the fins so that the cooling fluid flows from the top portions of the fins toward the base plate.

1 . A device for cooling a component, comprising:
 a base plate;   a housing secured to and disposed on the base plate to form an enclosed space surrounded thereby;   a plurality of fins secured to the base plate and disposed in the space;   an inlet pipe for introducing cooling fluid into the space, the inlet pipe having a flow exit positioned over the fins; and   an outlet pipe for exhausting the cooling fluid from the space.   
   
   
       2 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a middle plate separating the space into upper and lower chambers and including one or more openings for fluid communication therebetween,   wherein the inlet pipe extends through the upper chamber to the lower chamber and the outlet pipe is operatively coupled to the upper chamber and the fins are disposed in the lower chamber.   
   
   
       3 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each said fin includes a dome-shaped top portion and a cylinder-shaped bottom portion. 
   
   
       4 . A device as recited in  claim 3 , wherein a cross section of the cylinder-shaped bottom portion has a shape selected from the group consisting of circle, oval, hexagon, and rectangle. 
   
   
       5 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the flow exit of the inlet pipe has an expanding nozzle shape. 
   
   
       6 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the base plate is formed of heat conducting material. 
   
   
       7 . A device as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the heat conducting material is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, and nickel. 
   
   
       8 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the fins are formed of heat conducting material. 
   
   
       9 . A device as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the heat conducting material is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, and nickel. 
   
   
       10 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the housing is formed of plastic. 
   
   
       11 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pump coupled to the inlet and outlet pipes and operative to circulating the cooling fluid through the inlet and outlet pipes.   
   
   
       12 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a cooling system coupled to the inlet and outlet pipes and operative to extract heat energy from the cooling fluid.