Heat dissipating apparatus and method for manufacturing same

Abstract

An exemplary heat dissipation apparatus includes a stack of fins, a heat pipe extending through the fins, and a resilient plate fixed between the fins and the heat pipe. The fins are spaced from each other. Each of the fins defines a through hole therein for extending of the heat pipe therethrough. The heat pipe is mounted in the through hole. The resilient plate is fixed in the through hole and located between an edge of the through hole of the fin and the heat pipe, pushing the heat pipe into abutting engagement against the fin.

1 . A heat dissipation apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of fins stacked together and spaced from each other, each of the fins defining a through hole therein;   a heat pipe mounted in the through holes of the fins; and   a resilient plate fixed in the through hole of each fin and located between an edge of the through hole of the fin and the heat pipe, the resilient plate pushing the heat pipe into abutting engagement against the fin.   
     
     
         2 . The heat dissipation apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the resilient plate is strip-shaped, two opposite lateral edges of the resilient plate abut against each of the fins, and a middle of the resilient plate between the two lateral edges abuts against the heat pipe. 
     
     
         3 . The heat dissipation apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a collar protrudes from the edge of the through hole of each of the fins, and the heat pipe is interferingly mounted in the collars of the fins with the two opposite lateral edges of the resilient plate abutting against inner walls of the collars. 
     
     
         4 . The heat dissipation apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein each fin further defines a recess therein adjacent to the through hole, the recess communicates with the through hole, the collar is C-shaped such that a gap is defined in the collar, the gap communicates with the recess, and perpendicular projections of two ends of the collar at two opposite sides of the gap relative to the fin project into the recess. 
     
     
         5 . The heat dissipation apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein each of the fins further defines a recess therein adjacent to the through hole, the recess communicates with the through hole, two protruding tongues of the fin bound two opposite sides of the recess, the two protruding tongues face each other, and the two opposite lateral edges of the resilient plate respectively abut against the two protruding tongues. 
     
     
         6 . The heat dissipation apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein a collar protrudes from the edge of the through hole of each fin, the collar is C-shaped such that a gap is defined in the collar, the gap communicates with the recess, the heat pipe is interferingly mounted in collar, and perpendicular projections of two ends of the collar at two opposite sides of the gap relative to the fin are located farther away from the recess than the two protruding tongues. 
     
     
         7 . The heat dissipation apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the resilient plate comprises an abutting portion at the middle thereof and two abutting flanges at two opposite lateral sides of the abutting portion, the abutting portion abuts against the heat pipe, and the abutting flanges abut against each of the fins. 
     
     
         8 . The heat dissipation apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heat pipe comprises a plane surface and a curved surface adjacent to the plane surface, the curved surface abuts against each fin, and the resilient plate abuts against the plane surface. 
     
     
         9 . A method for manufacturing a heat dissipation apparatus, comprising:
 providing a plurality of fins each of which defines a through hole and a recess therein, the recess being adjacent to and communicating with the through hole, the fins spaced from each other;   providing a heat pipe and inserting the heat pipe in the through holes of the fins;   providing a resilient plate and inserting the resilient plate in the recesses of the fins;   providing a punching tool, and driving the punching tool to punch the resilient plate to cause the resilient plate to enter the through holes and press the heat pipe to abut against the fins, the heat pipe thereby deforming and becoming interferingly fixed in the through holes, with the resilient plate fixed in the through holes and located between edges of the through holes of the fins and the heat pipe.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the resilient plate is strip-shaped, two opposite lateral edges of the resilient plate abut against the fin, and a middle of the resilient plate between the two opposite lateral edges abuts against the heat pipe. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a collar protrudes from the edge of the through hole of each of the fins, the collar is C-shaped such that a gap is defined in the collar, the gap communicates with the recess, perpendicular projections of two ends of the collar at two opposite sides of the gap relative to the fin project in the recess, when the heat pipe is pressed to deform, the heat pipe is interferingly fixed in collar, and the two opposite lateral edges of the resilient plate abutting against inner walls of the collars. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , two protruding tongues of the fin bound two opposite sides of the recess, the two protruding tongues face each other, and when the heat pipe is pressed to deform, and the two opposite lateral edges of the resilient plate respectively abut against the two protruding tongues. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a collar protrudes from the edge of the through hole of each fin, the collar surrounds a majority the through hole, the collar is C-shaped such that a gap is defined in the collar, the gap communicates with the recess, perpendicular projections of two ends of the collar at two opposite sides of the gap relative to the fin are located farther away from the recess than the two protruding tongues, and when the punching process is over, the heat pipe is mounted in collar through interference fit. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the resilient plate comprises an abutting portion at the middle thereof and two abutting flanges formed at two longitudinal lateral sides of the abutting portion, the abutting portion abuts against the heat pipe, and the abutting flanges abut against each of the fins. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , when the heat pipe is pressed to deform, a plane surface and a curved surface are formed on the heat pipe, the plane surface and the curved surface adjoins each other, the curved surface abuts against the fin, and the resilient plate abuts against the plane surface of the heat pipe. 
     
     
         16 . A heat dissipation apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of parallel fins stacked together and spaced from each other, each of the fins defining a through hole therein;   a heat pipe mounted in the through holes of the fins; and   a resilient plate fixed in the through hole of each fin and located between an edge of the through hole of the fin and the heat pipe, the resilient plate elastically urging the heat pipe and a portion of the fin at the through hole such that the heat pipe abuts against another portion of the fin at the through hole and is in intimate thermal contact with the other portion of the fin.   
     
     
         17 . The heat dissipation apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the resilient plate is strip-shaped and has a saddle-shaped cross section, the resilient plate comprises an abutting portion at a middle thereof and two abutting flanges formed at two longitudinal lateral sides of the abutting portion, the abutting portion abuts against the heat pipe, and the abutting flange abuts against each of the fins. 
     
     
         18 . The heat dissipation apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein a collar protrudes from each of the fins from the edge the through hole of the fin, the heat pipe is interferingly mounted in the collars of the fins, and the two abutting flanges of the resilient plate abut against an inner wall of the collar. 
     
     
         19 . The heat dissipation apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein each fin further defines a recess therein adjacent to the through hole, the recess communicates with the through hole, the collar is C-shaped such that a gap is defined in the collar, the gap communicates with the recess, and perpendicular projections of two ends of the collar at two opposite sides of the gap relative to the fin project into the recess. 
     
     
         20 . The heat dissipation apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the fin further defines a recess therein adjacent to the through hole, the recess communicate with the through hole, two protruding tongues of the fin bound two opposite sides of the recess, the two protruding tongues face each other, and the two abutting flanges of the resilient plate respectively abut against the two protruding tongues.