Heat dissipation module and method of using the heat dissipation module

Abstract

A heat dissipation module includes a heat sink. A plurality of grooves are defined in a bottom surface of the heat sink, a heat pipe is accommodated in each groove of the heat sink, and a heat conducting pad made of phase change material is adhered to the bottom surface of the heat sink to cover the grooves and the heat pipes. The heat conducting pad is a solid material at an ambient room temperature. When heated to a temperature higher than a transition temperature of the heat conducting pad, the heat conducting pad softens to fill spaces between the heat conducting pad, the heat sink, and the heat pipes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat dissipation module, comprising:
 a heat sink defining a plurality of grooves in a bottom surface of the heat sink;   a plurality of heat pipes accommodated in the grooves of the heat sink; and   a heat conductive pad adhered to the bottom surface of the heat sink to cover the grooves and the heat pipes, wherein the heat conductive pad is a tacky, flexible solid at an ambient room temperature, and softens when heated to a temperature higher than a transition temperature of the heat conductive pad fill spaces between the heat conductive pad, the heat sink, and the heat pipes.   
     
     
         2 . The heat dissipation module of  claim 1 , wherein the heat sink comprises a base plate and a plurality of fins perpendicularly extending from a top surface of the base plate, the embedded grooves are defined in a bottom surface of the base plate. 
     
     
         3 . A method of dissipating heat, comprising:
 providing a heat sink defining a plurality of grooves in a bottom surface of a heat sink;   providing a plurality of heat pipes correspondingly accommodated in the grooves of the heat sink;   providing a heat conductive pad made of phase change material adhered to the bottom surface of the heat sink to cover the grooves and the heat pipes;   mounting the heat sink on an electronic component, with a bottom surface of the heat conductive pad opposite to the heat sink and abutting against a top surface of the electronic component; and   softening the heat conductive pad by heating to fill spaces between the heat sink, the heat pipes, and the heat conductive pad.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the softening step comprises heating the heat conductive pad to a temperature higher than a transition temperature of the heat conductive pad. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the heat conductive pad is heated by heat generated by the electronic component.