Heatsink with integrated blower for improved heat transfer

Abstract

A device that efficiently transfers heat from a heat source. The device includes a heat sink, the heat sink comprising a thermally conductive base, and a plurality of thermally conductive pin fins coupled to the thermally conductive base. A gas source, such as a blower, proximate to the pin fins, directs a gas, such as ambient air, axially along at least a portion of the pin fins, and then in a direction radial to the pin fins and substantially parallel to the heat source, to transfer heat away from the heat source. The heat transfer device may be utilized in any application that requires efficient removal of heat from a heat source, for example, an electronic device such as an integrated circuit or microprocessor.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus that transfers heat from a heat source, comprising: 
 a thermally conductive base;    a plurality of thermally conductive pins coupled to the thermally conductive base; and    a gas source that encompasses the plurality of pins and directs gas over the pins in a direction substantially axial to the pins.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of    claim 1    wherein the gas source comprises a blower.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of    claim 1   , wherein the pins have an irregular cross section to increase surface area available for convection.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of    claim 1   , wherein the pins have a star shape to increase surface area available for convection.  
     
     
         5 . A heat removal system, comprising: 
 a heat sink coupled to a heat source, said heat source comprising a first plurality of pin fins and a second plurality of pin fins each coupled to a base;    a gas source coupled to said heat sink for directing gas over said first and second plurality of pin fins, said gas source encompassing said first plurality of pin fins.    
     
     
         6 . The heat removal system of    claim 5   , wherein said gas source comprises a blower.  
     
     
         7 . The heat removal system of    claim 5   , wherein the gas is air  
     
     
         8 . The heat removal system of    claim 5   , wherein the heat source is an electronic device.  
     
     
         9 . The heat removal system of    claim 8   , wherein the electronic device is an integrated circuit.  
     
     
         10 . The heat removal system of    claim 9   , wherein the integrated circuit is a microprocessor.  
     
     
         11 . The heat removal system of    claim 5   , wherein the gas source for directing gas over said first and second plurality of pin fins directs gas over said first plurality of pins in a direction substantially axial with said first plurality of pin fins and over said second plurality of pin fins in a direction substantially radial with said second plurality of pin fins.  
     
     
         12 . The heat removal system of    claim 11   , wherein said gas comprises air.  
     
     
         13 . The heat removal system of    claim 5    wherein the heat sink base and pin fins are comprised of metal.  
     
     
         14 . The heat removal system of    claim 6    wherein the first and second plurality of pin fins are distributed over a top surface of the base in a substantially regular pattern.  
     
     
         15 . A heat dissipating apparatus comprising: 
 a body;    a plurality of pin fins coupled to the body within a circular area;    a blower coupled to the body and having an open first face adjacent the body about the circular area and having a second face adjacent ends of the plurality of pins, the blower capable of directing a gas over the plurality of pin fins within the circular area in a direction substantially axial with the pin fins.    
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of    claim 15    further comprising: 
 a second plurality of pins coupled to the body outside the circular area.  
 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of    claim 16    wherein the circular area of the body is substantially non-planar and the plurality of pins are of varying lengths such that the ends of the pins are substantially planar.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of    claim 15    further comprising: 
 metallic wool dispersed among the plurality of pins and in thermal contact with at least a subset of the pins.  
 
     
     
         19 . A heat-dissipating apparatus comprising: 
 a body;    a plurality of rods coupled to the body;    a blower coupled to the body such that the plurality of rods are substantially enclosed within the blower.    
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of    claim 19    wherein the plurality of rods are coupled to the body generally in alignment with a rotational axis of the blower.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of    claim 20    wherein the blower further comprises: 
 a motor having an axle and mounted to the body with the axle substantially normal to a plane of the body; and  
 wherein the blower is coupled to body via the axle.  
 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of    claim 21    further comprising: 
 a constriction ring coupled to the heat dissipating apparatus near an inner perimeter of the blower, to prevent intake of a cooling fluid near the interior perimeter.  
 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of    claim 22    wherein the constriction ring is coupled to the blower.  
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of    claim 21    further comprising: 
 a deflector coupled to the apparatus near an outer perimeter of the blower, to prevent recirculation of a cooling fluid near the outer perimeter.  
 
     
     
         25 . An apparatus that transfers heat from a heat source, comprising: 
 a vessel having a housing and a vapor chamber;    a plurality of thermally conductive pins coupled to the vessel housing, the plurality of pins having a first portion extending outside the vessel housing and a second portion penetrating the vapor chamber to transfer heat from the vessel to the second portion of the plurality of pins; and    a gas source that encompasses the second portion of the plurality of pins and directs gas over the second portion of the pins in a direction substantially axial to the pins.    
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of    claim 25   , wherein the vessel is a rectangular shaped heat pipe.  
     
     
         27 . An apparatus that transfers heat from a heat source, comprising: 
 a vessel having a housing and a vapor chamber;    a plurality of thermally conductive pins coupled to the vessel housing, the plurality of pins each having a base coupled to the vessel housing and a portion extending from the base; and    a gas source that directs gas through the vapor chamber of the vessel to transfer heat from the vessel to the plurality of pins    
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of    claim 27   , wherein the vessel is a rectangular shaped heat pipe.