Cooling element

Abstract

A cooling element includes a base plate and several spaced-apart cooling fins which are arranged on a flat side of the base plate. The end faces of the cooling fins together with the formed cooling channels form an inflow side and an outflow side for cooling air. The end face of the cooling fins on the inflow side and the outflow side are configured to produce a low flow resistance. This substantially reduces the counterpressure exerted on the cooling air flow and thereby obviates the need for high-power fans, without a reduction in the removed heat per unit time {dot over (Q)}.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A cooling element, comprising: 
 a base plate; and    a plurality of cooling fins spaced apart transversely to a flow direction and arranged on a flat side of the base plate so as to form cooling channels, each of the cooling fins having an end face on an inflow side and an end face on an outflow side for flow of cooling air in the flow direction from the inflow side to the outflow side, wherein the end faces of the cooling fins are constructed to enhance flow dynamics.    
     
     
         2 . The cooling element of  claim 1 , wherein the spaced-apart cooling fins are disposed in offset relationship in the flow direction so that the end faces of the cooling fins on the inflow and outflow sides form a wave-shaped pattern transversely to the flow direction.  
     
     
         3 . The cooling element of  claim 1 , wherein the end face on the inflow side of each of the cooling fins has a convex shape and the end face on the outflow side of each of the cooling fins has a wedge shape.  
     
     
         4 . The cooling element of  claim 1 , wherein the end faces on the inflow and outflow sides of the cooling fins are inclined with respect to the flow direction.  
     
     
         5 . The cooling element of  claim 1 , wherein the spaced-apart cooling fins are placed in offset relationship in the flow direction so that both the inflow side and the outflow side form a zigzag pattern.  
     
     
         6 . The cooling element of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling fins includes transverse ribs extending in the flow direction.  
     
     
         7 . The cooling element of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling fins have free ends with narrow sides located opposite the base plate, and further comprising a second base plate having a flat major surface disposed on the narrow sides of the free ends of the cooling fins.  
     
     
         8 . The cooling element of  claim 1 , wherein the base plate has a plurality of spaced-apart grooves substantially aligned in the flow direction of the cooling air, with the cooling fins being pressed into corresponding ones of the spaced-apart grooves.  
     
     
         9 . The cooling element of  claim 7 , wherein the second base plate has a plurality of spaced-apart grooves substantially aligned in the flow direction of the cooling air, with the free ends of the cooling fins being pressed into corresponding ones of the spaced-apart second grooves.  
     
     
         10 . The cooling element of  claim 1 , wherein the base plate and the cooling fins are made of extruded aluminum.  
     
     
         11 . The cooling element of  claim 7 , wherein the second base plate is made of extruded aluminum.