Heat Sinks Including Heat Pipes And Related Methods

Abstract

According to various aspects, exemplary embodiments are disclosed of heat sinks and methods of making and operating heat sinks. In an exemplary embodiment, a heat sink generally includes at least one thermally conductive material and a fan configured to provide an air flow across the thermally conductive material with a non-uniform distribution such that one or more sections of the thermally conductive material have an increased air flow from the fan. The heat sink also includes at least one heat pipe disposed substantially within the thermally conductive material. The at least one heat pipe is angled towards the one or more sections of the thermally conductive material having the increased air flow from the fan.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat sink comprising at least one thermally conductive material having a bottom portion, one or more fins protruding upwardly relative to the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material and defining a surface opposite the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material, an impingement fan, and at least one heat pipe disposed within the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material, wherein:
 the impingement fan is configured to direct air downwards toward the surface defined by the one or more fins so that air flow of the impingement fan is redirected across the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material, thereby providing the air flow across the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material with a non-uniform distribution such that opposite first and second edges of the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material that are in the rotation direction of the impingement fan receive more air velocity to have an increased air flow from the impingement fan; and   the at least one heat pipe is angled within the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material in the rotation direction of the impingement fan and/or the at least one heat pipe is oriented to extend towards the opposite first and second edges of the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material having the increased air flow and away from decreased air flow in the airflow directions that are opposite the rotation direction of the impingement fan.   
     
     
         2 . The heat sink of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat pipe includes first and second opposite end portions adjacent the opposite first and second edges, respectively, of the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material having the increased air flow from the impingement fan, whereby the first and second opposite end portions of the at least one heat pipe are located adjacent areas of the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material that receive more of the increased air flow and less of the decreased air flow, thereby allowing the at least one heat pipe to spread heat within the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material to the areas of the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material having the increased air flow and reduce thermal resistance of the heat sink. 
     
     
         3 . The heat sink of  claim 1 , wherein the impingement fan is configured to direct air downwards toward the surface defined by the one or more fins so that air flow at an inlet of the impingement fan is redirected, from a downward direction, horizontally across the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material, thereby providing the air flow horizontally across the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material. 
     
     
         4 . The heat sink of  claim 1 , wherein the impingement fan is configured to direct air downwards toward the surface defined by the one or more fins so that air flow at an inlet of the impingement fan is redirected at an angle of about ninety degrees across the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material. 
     
     
         5 . The heat sink of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat pipe is angled within the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material in the rotation direction of the impingement fan at approximately forty-five degrees relative to at least one side of the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material. 
     
     
         6 . The heat sink of  claim 1 , wherein a plane of the heat pipe, a plane of the thermally conductive material and a plane of the rotation direction of the fan are parallel with one another. 
     
     
         7 . The heat sink of  claim 1 , wherein a horizontal X-Y plane including the at least one heat pipe and the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material in which the at least one heat pipe is disposed is parallel with a plane defined by the rotation direction of the impingement fan. 
     
     
         8 . The heat sink of  claim 1 , wherein a first end of the at least one heat pipe extends upwards through the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material. 
     
     
         9 . The heat sink of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the first end of the at least one heat pipe extends upwards at approximately a ninety degree angle from a main portion of the at least one heat pipe; and/or   the first end of the at least one heat pipe extends upwards through the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material adjacent a side of the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material.   
     
     
         10 . The heat sink of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one heat pipe extends upwards through the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material at a second end of the heat pipe, the second end opposite the first end of the heat pipe. 
     
     
         11 . The heat sink of  claim 8 , wherein the first end of the at least one heat pipe is positioned to receive direct air flow from the impingement fan. 
     
     
         12 . The heat sink of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one heat pipe does not protrude beyond an exterior of the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material. 
     
     
         13 . The heat sink of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat pipe is disposed at about a forty-five degree angle horizontally inside the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material relative to at least one side of the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material. 
     
     
         14 . The heat sink of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat pipe includes a plurality of heat pipes positioned such that at least a portion of each of the plurality of heat pipes is adjacent at least one of the opposite first and second edges of the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material having the increased air flow from the impingement fan. 
     
     
         15 . The heat sink of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one thermoelectric module coupled to the thermally conductive material. 
     
     
         16 . The heat sink of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more fins comprise one or more fins integrally formed from the thermally conductive material. 
     
     
         17 . The heat sink of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one heat pipe comprises at least one of copper, stainless steel, nickel, aluminum, and brass; and/or   the at least one heat pipe is hollow and includes a working fluid disposed within the heat pipe; and/or   the thermally conductive material includes at least one of aluminum and copper.   
     
     
         18 . The heat sink of  claim 1 , wherein completely all of the at least one heat pipe is disposed within the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material. 
     
     
         19 . The heat sink of  claim 1 , further comprising at least two thermoelectric modules arranged in a row along a bottom surface of the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material. 
     
     
         20 . The heat sink of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one thermoelectric module coupled to the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material opposite the impingement fan, and wherein the at least one heat pipe is positioned within the bottom portion of the thermally conductive material adjacent the at least one thermoelectric module to transfer heat from the thermoelectric module to other portions of the thermally conductive material.