Heat sink and assembly method thereof

Abstract

An exemplary heat sink includes a base plate and a fin unit including fins stacked together and arranged on the base plate. The base plate includes two fixing portions extending upward from a top surface thereof. Each of the fixing portions defines a groove therein. Each of the fins includes a main body and two fixing strips extending from two opposite sides of the main body. The fixing strips of the fins contact each other to cooperatively form two protruding members of the fin unit, the protruding members correspond to the grooves of the fixing portions of the base plate, respectively, and the protruding portions are interference fitted in the grooves, whereby the fin unit and the base plate are connected together.

1 . A heat sink, comprising:
 a base plate comprising two fixing portions extending upward from a top surface thereof, each of the fixing portions defining a groove therein; and   a fin unit comprising a plurality of fins stacked together and arranged on the base plate, each of the fins comprising a main body and two fixing strips extending from two opposite sides of the main body;   wherein the fixing strips of the fins contact each other to cooperatively form two protruding members of the fin unit, the protruding members correspond to the grooves of the fixing portions of the base plate, respectively, and the protruding portions are interference fitted in the grooves whereby the fin unit and the base plate are connected together.   
     
     
         2 . The heat sink of  claim 1 , wherein each of the fixing portions comprises a vertical wall extending from the top surface of the base plate and a horizontal wall extending from the vertical wall and spaced from the top surface of the base plate, the groove defined between the horizontal wall and the top surface of the base plate. 
     
     
         3 . The heat sink of  claim 2 , wherein each of the fins further comprises two flanges extending outward from two opposite sides of the main body, one of the flanges is longer than the other flange, and the two fixing strips are formed at two opposite ends of the longer flange, respectively. 
     
     
         4 . The heat sink of  claim 3 , wherein each of the fixing strips comprises a first strip portion extending upward from the corresponding end of the longer flange, and a second strip portion extending inward from the first strip portion towards the other fixing strip. 
     
     
         5 . The heat sink of  claim 4 , wherein the first strip portions are coplanar to cooperatively form two supporting walls of the two protruding members of the fin unit, the supporting walls abutting the vertical walls of the fixing portions, respectively, and the second strip portions are coplanar to cooperatively form two connecting walls of the two protruding members of the fin unit, the two connecting walls abutting the horizontal walls of the fixing portions, respectively. 
     
     
         6 . The heat sink of  claim 3 , wherein each of the fins further comprises a plurality of receiving units on the flanges, each of the receiving units comprising a hook extending outward from a corresponding flange and a receiving hole adjacent to the hook, the hook of the receiving unit of each of the fins engaged in the receiving hole of a corresponding receiving unit of a neighboring fin, whereby the fins are connected together. 
     
     
         7 . A method of assembling a fin unit and a base plate, the method comprising:
 providing a base plate comprising two fixing portions extending upward from a top surface thereof, each of the fixing portions defining a groove therein;   providing a fin unit comprising a plurality of fins stacked together, each of the fins comprising a main body and two fixing strips extending from two opposite sides of the main body, the fixing strips cooperatively form two protruding members of the fin unit, the protruding members corresponding to the grooves of the fixing portions of the base plate, respectively;   mounting the fin unit to the base plate with the protruding members received in the grooves of the fixing portions, respectively; and   punching outer surfaces of the fixing portions to force the fixing portions to interferingly engage with the protruding members of the fin unit.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein each of the fixing portions comprises a vertical wall extending from the top surface of the base plate and a horizontal wall extending from the vertical wall and spaced from the top surface of the base plate, a notch defined in the horizontal wall. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein a punch mold is provided, the punch mold comprising a press plate and two punch plate depending from the press plate, each of the punch plate comprising an edge at a bottom end thereof, the edges received in the notches of the horizontal walls when punching the outer surfaces of the fixing portions. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein each of the fins further comprises two flanges extending outward from two opposite sides of the main body, one of the flanges is longer than the other flange, and the two fixing strips are formed at two opposite ends of the longer flange, respectively. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein each of the fixing strips comprises a first strip portion extending upward from the corresponding end of the longer flange and a second strip portion extending inward from the first strip portion towards the other fixing strip. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first strip portions are coplanar to cooperatively form two supporting walls of the two protruding members of the fin unit, the supporting walls abutting the vertical walls of the fixing portions, respectively, and the second strip portions are coplanar to cooperatively form two connecting walls of the two protruding members of the fin unit, the two connecting walls abutting the horizontal walls of the fixing portions, respectively. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein each of the fins further comprises a plurality of receiving units on the flanges, each of the receiving units comprising a hook extending outward from a corresponding flange and a receiving hole adjacent to the hook, the hook of the receiving unit of each of the fins engaged in the receiving hole of a corresponding receiving unit of a neighboring fin, whereby the fins are connected together. 
     
     
         14 . A heat sink, comprising:
 a base plate defining a pair of grooves at opposite sides thereof;   a fin unit comprising a plurality of fins arranged on the base plate, the plurality of fins cooperatively forming a pair of opposite protruding members of the fin unit;   wherein the base plate is crimped at the grooves such that the protruding members are interferingly held in the grooves and the fin unit and the base plate are connected together.   
     
     
         15 . The heat sink of  claim 14 , wherein the base plate comprises two fixing portions extending upward thereof, and the grooves are defined in the fixing portions, respectively. 
     
     
         16 . The heat sink of  claim 15 , wherein each of the fixing portions comprises a vertical wall extending from a top surface of the base plate and a horizontal wall extending from the vertical wall and spaced from the top surface of the base plate, the grooves defined between the horizontal walls and the top surface of the base plate. 
     
     
         17 . The heat sink of  claim 14 , wherein each of the fins comprising a main body, two flanges respectively extending outward from two opposite sides of the main body and two fixing strips respectively extending from the other two opposite sides of the main body, the fixing strips contacting each other to cooperatively from the protruding members when the fins are stacked together. 
     
     
         18 . The heat sink of  claim 17 , wherein one of the flanges is longer than the other flange, and the two fixing strips are formed at two opposite ends of the longer flange, respectively. 
     
     
         19 . The heat sink of  claim 18 , wherein each of the fixing strips comprises a first strip portion extending upward from the corresponding end of the longer flange and a second strip portion extending inward from the first strip portion towards the other fixing strip, the first strip portions abut the vertical walls of the fixing portions, and the second strip portions abut the horizontal walls of the fixing portions. 
     
     
         20 . The heat sink of  claim 17 , wherein each of the fins further comprises a plurality of receiving units on the flanges, each of the receiving units comprising a hook extending outward from a corresponding flange and a receiving hole, the hook of the receiving unit of each of the fins engaged in the receiving hole of the receiving unit of a neighboring fin to connect the fins together.