Heatsink

Abstract

A heatsink that is sized and shaped to permit positioning multiple adjustable luminaires in close proximity to one another without the heatsinks on the adjustable luminaires contacting one another or otherwise impeding luminaire adjustment. The size and shape of the heatsink of the adjustable luminaire can be determined based on the center-to-center distance desired between the adjustable luminaires and the angle of tilt desired for the adjustable luminaires.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heatsink comprising:
 a base plate having a front, a rear, a left side, a right side, and a middle region; and   a plurality of fins aligned in fin rows, each fin of the plurality of fins having a height, and each fin row extending from the left side of the base plate to the right side of the base plate;   wherein a maximum fin height of the fin rows increases from the front of the base plate to the rear of the base plate, and   wherein the height of each fin of a fin row increases from the left side of the base plate to the middle region of the base plate and decreases from the middle region of the base plate to the right side of the base plate.   
     
     
         2 . The heatsink of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of fins comprise pin fins. 
     
     
         3 . The heatsink of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of fins comprise a continuous fin. 
     
     
         4 . The heatsink of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fins are further aligned in fin columns extending from the front to the back of the base plate, wherein the height of the fin of each fin column increases from the front of the base plate to the rear of the base plate. 
     
     
         5 . The heatsink of  claim 4 , wherein at least some of the plurality of fins comprise pin fins. 
     
     
         6 . The heatsink of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fins comprise aluminum. 
     
     
         7 . The heatsink of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fins comprises copper. 
     
     
         8 . A heatsink comprising:
 a base plate having a front, a rear, a left side, a right side, and a middle region; and   a plurality of pin fins, each having a height, provided in:
 fin rows extending from the left side of the base plate to the right side of the base plate; and 
 fin columns extending from the front to the rear of the base plate, 
   wherein the height of the pin fins within each fin column increases from the front of the base plate to the rear of the base plate, and   wherein the height of the pin fins within each fin row increases from the left side of the base plate to the middle region of the base plate and decreases from the middle region of the base plate to the right side of the base plate.   
     
     
         9 . The heatsink of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of pin fins comprise aluminum. 
     
     
         10 . The heatsink of  claim 8 , wherein each fin row and each fin column comprises a maximum pin fin height, and wherein the maximum pin fin height of each fin row increases from the front of the base plate to the rear of the base plate of the heatsink. 
     
     
         11 . The heatsink of  claim 8 , wherein the pin fins have one of an oval, a circular, or a triangular cross-section. 
     
     
         12 . A method for forming a first heatsink, the method comprising:
 determining a desired center-to-center distance between the first heatsink and a second heatsink;   modeling a first cylinder with a diameter that corresponds to the desired center-to-center distance;   defining a maximum tilt angle of the first heatsink;   establishing a pivot point of the first cylinder, the pivot point reflecting a point about which the first heatsink tilts;   modeling a second cylinder on top of the first cylinder, wherein the second cylinder has a diameter that is the same as the first cylinder;   tilting the second cylinder about the pivot point to the maximum tilt angle; and   determining an overlapping region of the first cylinder and the second cylinder, wherein the overlapping region corresponds to a geometric boundary of the first heatsink.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 forming the first heatsink, wherein the first heatsink comprises a size and a shape that fall within the geometric boundary.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein forming the first heatsink further comprises:
 providing a base plate having a front, a rear, a left side, a right side, and a middle region; and   providing a plurality of fins aligned in fin rows, each fin having a height and each fin row extending from the left side of the base plate to the right side of the base plate,   wherein a maximum fin height of the fin rows increases from the front of the base plate to the rear of the base plate, and   wherein the height of each fin of each fin row increases from the left side of the base plate to the middle region of the base plate and decreases from the middle region of the base plate to the right side of the base plate.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein at least some of the plurality of fins comprise pin fins. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein at least some of the plurality of fins comprise a continuous fin. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein providing a plurality of fins aligned in fin rows further comprises providing the plurality of fins aligned in fin columns, wherein the fin columns extend from the front to the back of the base plate, and wherein the height of each fin of each fin column increases from the front of the base plate to the rear of the base plate. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein forming the first heatsink further comprises forming the first heatsink from aluminum. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein forming the first heatsink, further comprises forming the first heatsink from copper. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein forming the first heatsink further comprises forming the first heatsink via impact forging.