High thermal capability positive heat sink for rectifier assembly

Abstract

A heat sink structure is provided for a rectifier assembly of an air-cooled generator. The heat sink structure comprises a substantially annular base that defines a plane. The base has a plurality of cooling fins extending from it and which project from the plane. The base further has a plurality of cooling slots, which comprise cutouts of the fins. Additionally, the base has diode mounts, each of which is adapted to retain a respective diode in a thermally conductive manner, whereby heat from each respective diode is transferred to the base and to the cooling fins. Also provided is a method for manufacturing a heat sink structure. The method comprises the steps of configuring a sheet of thermally conductive material to include a substantially annular base, perforating the base to form contiguous fin projections, and bending the fin projections out of the base whereby fin shaped slots remain.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A heat sink structure for a rectifier assembly of an air-cooled generator, said heat sink structure comprising: 
 a substantially annular base, said base defining a plane;    a plurality of cooling fins extending from said base and projecting out from said plane;    a plurality of cooling slots in said base, said slots comprising cutouts of said fins; and    diode mounts, each of which is adapted to retain a respective diode in a thermally conductive manner, whereby heat from each respective diode is transferred to said base and to said cooling fins, to provide a heat sink effect.    
     
     
         2 . The heat sink structure of  claim 1 , wherein said cooling fins project substantially perpendicular to said plane.  
     
     
         3 . The heat sink structure of  claim 1 , wherein said slots further comprise angularly spaced radial slots in said base, said slots having an inner edge proximate to the center of said substantially annular base, an outer edge distal to the center of said substantially annular base, and radially extending edges between said inner and outer edges.  
     
     
         4 . The heat sink structure of  claim 3 , wherein each of said fins is contiguous with said base.  
     
     
         5 . The heat sink structure of  claim 4 , wherein each of said fins are contiguous with said outer edge of each of said slots.  
     
     
         6 . The heat sink structure of  claim 3 , wherein said radially extending edges of each slot taper toward each other at a radial end of each slot.  
     
     
         7 . The heat sink structure of  claim 3 , wherein each of said diode mounts is defined by a circumferential wall of a recess or hole in said base.  
     
     
         8 . The heat sink structure of  claim 7 , wherein said wall is adjacent said outer edge of said slot.  
     
     
         9 . The heat sink structure of  claim 1 , wherein said base comprises an aluminum base.  
     
     
         10 . A method of manufacturing a heat sink structure for a rectifier assembly, said method comprising the steps of: 
 configuring a sheet of thermally conductive material to include a substantially annular base;    perforating said base to form fin projections contiguous with said base; and    bending said fin projections out from said base whereby fin shaped slots remain in said base.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of configuring said sheet of thermally conductive material comprises the step of stamping a substantially annular base from a metal sheet.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of perforating said base further comprises shear forming fins in said base.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of shear forming further comprises shear forming substantially radially extending and angularly spaced slots in said base.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of shear forming slots each of which having radially extending edges that taper toward each other at a radial end of each slot.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of bending said fins comprises the step of bending said shear formed fins in a substantially axial direction, whereby each of said fins is contiguous with an edge of said slot.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of bending said fin further comprises the step of bending each of said fins at an edge contiguous with an edge of said slot, said edge being radially distal from the center of said substantially annular base.