Folded fin heat sinks

Abstract

Folded fin heat sinks are provided to inhibit thermal deterioration in the performance of devices. An exemplary heat sink includes a sheet creased in an accordion fold to form a plurality of fins. The plurality of fins is modified to form a plurality of openings. An exemplary method includes forming the fin from a sheet that has been modified to form a plurality of openings. Given the openings, over fifty percent of the fin structure is receptive to an introduced convection medium.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A heat sink, comprising: 
 a plurality of laterally placed planar fins forming from a sheet, the plurality of laterally placed planar fins defining a folded fin structure having a top, a bottom, and a front, and wherein the top of at least one fin of the folded fin structure is modified to form an opening to receive a convection medium; and    a base attached to the bottom of the folded fin structure.    
     
     
         2 . The heat sink of    claim 1   , further comprising a first fan attached to the top of the folded fin structure to introduce the convection medium.  
     
     
         3 . The heat sink of    claim 2   , further comprising a second fan attached to the front of the folded fin structure to introduce the convection medium.  
     
     
         4 . The heat sink of    claim 1   , further comprising a clip, and wherein the clip thermally couples the folded fin structure to the base.  
     
     
         5 . The heat sink of    claim 1   , wherein the sheet is made from a material selected from a group consisting of copper, aluminum, a compound containing copper, a compound containing aluminum, or thermally conductive plastic.  
     
     
         6 . The heat sink of    claim 1   , wherein the folded fin structure allows greater than fifty percent of the plurality of laterally placed planar fins to be receptive to the convection medium.  
     
     
         7 . The heat sink of    claim 1   , wherein the convection medium is guided by the folded fin structure to flow parallel to each surface of each fin of the plurality of laterally placed planar fins and parallel to the base.  
     
     
         8 . The heat sink of    claim 1   , wherein the base is solid.  
     
     
         9 . The heat sink of    claim 8   , wherein the base is made from a material selected from a group consisting of copper, aluminum, a compound containing copper, a compound containing aluminum, or manufactured diamond.  
     
     
         10 . The heat sink of    claim 1   , wherein the base comprises two rectangular faces and four sides to define a sealed chamber.  
     
     
         11 . The heat sink of    claim 10   , wherein the sealed chamber comprises a predetermined quantity of aqueous solution.  
     
     
         12 . The heat sink of    claim 11   , wherein the aqueous solution is capable of changing to a gaseous state to transfer thermal energy from the second planar face to the first planar face.  
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacturing a heat sink, comprising: 
 creating a plurality of openings placed at predetermined intervals on a sheet;    folding the sheet in an accordion fold to form a plurality of laterally placed fins, the plurality of laterally placed fins defining a folded fin structure having a top and a bottom; and    attaching a base to the bottom of the folded fin structure.    
     
     
         14 . The method of    claim 13   , further comprising attaching a fan to the top of the folded fin structure.  
     
     
         15 . The method of    claim 13   , wherein creating a plurality of openings occurs before folding a sheet in an accordion fold.  
     
     
         16 . The method of    claim 15   , wherein creating the plurality of openings is executed through a progressive stamping process.  
     
     
         17 . The method of    claim 15   , wherein creating the plurality of openings is executed by removing a plurality of rectangular portions at the predetermined intervals on the sheet.  
     
     
         18 . The method of    claim 13   , wherein creating a plurality of openings occurs after folding a sheet in an accordion fold.  
     
     
         19 . The method of    claim 13   , wherein attaching the base to the bottom of the folded fin structure is executed through using a brazing process.  
     
     
         20 . The method of    claim 13   , wherein attaching the base to the bottom of the folded fin structure is executed through using an epoxy.  
     
     
         21 . The method of    claim 13   , wherein attaching the base to the bottom of the folded fin structure is executed through a soldering process.  
     
     
         22 . A heat sink, comprising: 
 a thermally conductive sheet creased in an accordion fold to form a plurality of surfaces defining a fin bundle having a top and a bottom, wherein the top of the fin bundle is modified to create a plurality of openings, and wherein more than fifty percent of the plurality of surfaces are receptive to an introduced convection medium;    a fan for introducing the convection medium, the fan attached to the top of the fin bundle; and    a base attached to the bottom of the fin bundle.    
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of    claim 22   , wherein the sheet is made from an alloy containing aluminum.  
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of    claim 22   , wherein the base is made out of manufactured diamond.