Die-cast bodies with thermal conductive inserts

Abstract

A method of making an article includes placing a high thermal conductive insert in a mold. A liquid metal composition is introduced into the mold into contact with the high thermal conductive insert. The liquid metal composition in the mold is solidified to form a solid metal article with the high thermal conductive insert retained therein, and the solid metal article with the high thermal conductive insert retained therein is removed from the mold.

1 . A method of making an article, comprising:
 disposing a high thermal conductive insert in a mold;   introducing a liquid metal composition into the mold in contact with the high thermal conductive insert;   solidifying the liquid metal composition to form a solid metal article comprising the high thermal conductive insert retained therein; and   removing the solid metal article comprising the high thermal conductive insert retained therein from the mold.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein introduction of the liquid metal composition at least partially surrounds the high thermal conductive insert with the liquid metal composition. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the high thermal conductive insert has anisotropic thermal conductivity and comprises an axis of thermal conductivity that is relatively low with respect to at least one other axis, and further wherein the high thermal conductive insert comprises a through-hole along the axis of relatively low thermal conductivity that is filled with the liquid metal composition to form a thermally-conductive metal via comprising solidified metal composition. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying a surface treatment to the high thermal conductive insert before introducing the liquid metal composition to promote bonding of the solidified metal composition to the high thermal conductive insert. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the high thermal conductive insert comprises pyrolytic graphite or pyrolytic carbon. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid metal composition comprises components of an aluminum alloy or nickel alloy. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising disposing a heating element in the solid metal article. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the high thermal conductive insert is disposed along a thermal flow path between the heating element and a heated portion of the solidified metal composition. 
     
     
         9 . An article, comprising a cast metal body and a high thermal conductive insert retained in the cast metal body. 
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 9 , wherein the cast metal body at least partially surrounds the high thermal conductive insert with the liquid metal composition. 
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 9 , wherein the high thermal conductive insert has anisotropic thermal conductivity and comprises an axis of thermal conductivity that is relatively low with respect to at least one other axis, and further wherein the high thermal conductive insert comprises a thermally-conductive metal via comprising cast metal. 
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 9 , wherein the high thermal conductive insert comprises pyrolytic graphite or pyrolytic carbon. 
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 9 , wherein the cast metal body comprises components of an aluminum alloy or nickel alloy. 
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 9 , wherein the cast metal body comprises a heating element. 
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 14 , wherein the high thermal conductive insert is disposed along a thermal flow path between the heating element and a heated portion of the cast metal body. 
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 15 , wherein the article comprises an aircraft sensor housing, and said heated portion of the cast metal body comprises an ice forming portion of the cast metal body. 
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the aircraft sensor housing comprises a Pitot tube. 
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the aircraft sensor housing comprises a total air temperature sensor housing. 
     
     
         19 . A method for transferring heat, comprising
 providing a cast metal body and a high thermal conductive insert retained in the cast metal body;   providing heat from a heat source at a first location of the cast metal body; and   transferring heat from the heat source from the first location of the cast metal body through the high thermal conductive insert to a second location of the cast metal body.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the cast metal body is an aircraft sensor housing, the heat source is a heating element disposed in or on the cast metal body, and the second location of the cast metal body is an ice-forming location. 
     
     
         21 . An article made by the method of  claim 1 .