System and Method of Producing Scalable Heat-sink Assembly

Abstract

A system for producing heat-sink assemblies in which a series of extruded members possess mating faces, each face having an alternating series of troughs and bulbous shaped ridges which are formed from the sides of the troughs. Mating ridges of one face of each extruded member are dipped with a thermally conductive compound prior to press-fitting and at least some of the ridges and troughs possess a groove that when mated to an opposing region of an adjacent extruded member, produces a reservoir that serves as a feeder source for thermally conductive compound. Once the extruded members are press-fitted, portions of the bulbous-shaped ridges on one face are forced past portions of the bulbous-shaped ridges of the opposing face and into the troughs. Deformation of the bulbous-shaped ridges is uniformly expansive so as to reduce shearing relative to the surfaces of the troughs, and the formed reservoirs are further compressed and feed thermal compound into the interstices between mating members.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat-sink assembly comprising:
 (1) at least two extruded members, each extruded member having length, width, a top portion, a middle portion, a bottom portion, a first face and a second face, with the top portion extending to a fin, and the first and second faces having an alternating pattern of longitudinal ridges and troughs; and,   (2) a generally bulbous formation formed from each ridge, the bulbous formation possessing a head portion, and a neck portion that transitions to an adjacent trough; and, wherein the first face of one extruded member is mateably engageable with the second face of another extruded member, with the spaces between adjacent extrusions defining interstices; and, at least some of the head portions and it least some of the troughs of an extruded member possessing a groove that when engaged with an adjacent extruded member produces a reservoir for the feeding of a thermally conductive compound into the interstices during a press-fitting operation producing a multi-part heat sink assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The heat-sink assembly according to  claim 1  in which at least a portion of the ridges includes a coating of thermally conductive compound prior to mateable engagement. 
     
     
         3 . A heat-sink assembly comprising:
 (1) at least two extruded members, each extruded member having length, width, a top portion, a middle portion, a bottom portion, a first face and a second face, with the top portion extending to a fin, and the first and second faces having an alternating pattern of longitudinal ridges and troughs; and,   (2) a generally bulbous formation at each ridge terminus, the bulbous formation possessing a neck portion that transitions to an adjacent trough; and, wherein the first face of one extruded member is mateably engageable with the second face of another extruded member, and when thus engaged, the spaces between adjacent extrusions defining interstices; and, at least some of the bulbous formations and it least some of the troughs of an extruded member possessing a groove that when engaged with an adjacent extruded member produces a reservoir for the feeding of a thermally conductive compound into the interstices during a press-fitting operation, thus producing a multi-part heat sink assembly.   
     
     
         4 . The heat-sink assembly according to  claim 3  wherein either a first or second face further comprises a coating of thermally conductive compound.