Thermal management devices and methods of making the same

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention relate to thermal management devices and methods of making the same. In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides a heat sink system (250, 252) including a heat sink (200, 253) having thermal wicks (214) and cooling structures (205). The thermal wicks (214) can extend from a heat source (48) at a first end (202) of the heat sink (200, 253) to a second end (204) and the cooling structure (205) can include at least one channel (246) configured to receive a thermal transport material positioned within the main body (201) of the heat sink (200, 253).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat sink system, comprising:
 a heat sink formed from a plastic, the heat sink including:
 a main body extending from a first end toward a second end, the first end configured to couple with a heat source; 
 at least one thermal wick extending from the first end toward the second end, the at least one thermal wick formed from a metal; and 
 a cooling structure including at least one channel extending through the main body, the at least one channel configured to receive a thermal transport medium. 
   
     
     
         2 . The heat sink system of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the main body defines a recess configured to receive the heat source. 
     
     
         3 . The heat sink system of  claim 2 , wherein the cooling structure further includes:
 a seal coupled to the first end of the main body to form a chamber, the chamber including an outlet opening and an inlet opening, and wherein the at least one channel extends from the outlet opening to the inlet opening.   
     
     
         4 . The heat sink system of  claim 2 , wherein the heat source is coupled to the heat sink within the chamber such that the heat source is configures to be submerged within the thermal transport medium. 
     
     
         5 . The heat sink system of  claim 2 , wherein the seal is selected from plastics, structured diffuser films, glass, and thermoplastic films. 
     
     
         6 . The heat sink system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one channel is a plurality of channels, and wherein the plurality of channels are discrete channels not in fluid communication with each other. 
     
     
         7 . The heat sink system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one channel is a plurality of channels, and wherein the plurality of channels are in fluid communication with each other via a chamber formed by a seal coupled to the first end of the main body. 
     
     
         8 . The heat sink system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling structure further includes:
 a chamber formed within the main body of the heat sink, wherein the chamber has at least one inlet opening and at least one outlet opening, wherein the at least one channel extends from the at least one outlet opening to the at least one inlet opening.   
     
     
         9 . The heat sink system of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal wick is formed from copper, silver, gold, aluminum and all the metals and alloys of high thermal conductivity. 
     
     
         10 . The heat sink system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one thermal wick is a plurality of thermal wicks, and wherein the plurality of thermal wicks are thermally coupled via a wick connector. 
     
     
         11 . The heat sink system of  claim 10 , wherein the wick connector is configured to be thermally coupled to the heat source. 
     
     
         12 . The heat sink system of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal transport material includes at least one of mineral oil, silicone oil, nanofluids, and fluorinated hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         13 . A heat sink system, comprising:
 a heat sink formed from a plastic, the heat sink including:
 a main body extending from a first end toward a second end, the first end configured to couple with a heat source, the first end defining a recess; 
 at least one thermal wick extending from the first end toward the second end, the at least one thermal wick formed from a metal; and 
 a cooling structure, including:
 a seal coupled to the first end of the main body to form a chamber, the chamber including at least one outlet opening and at least one inlet opening; 
 at least one channel extending from the at least one outlet opening, through the main body, and to the at least one inlet opening; and 
 a thermal transport material positioned within the chamber and the at least one channel; and 
 
   a heat source coupled to the main body within the chamber and submerged within the thermal transport material.   
     
     
         14 . The heat sink system of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one channel includes a plurality of channels, and further including:
 a reservoir positioned at the second end of the main body, the reservoir in fluid communication with the plurality of channels and the chamber.   
     
     
         15 . The heat sink system of  claim 12 , further including:
 an expansion chamber in fluid communication with the at least one channel and the chamber, wherein a volume of the expansion chamber, the at least one channel, and the chamber is greater than a volume of the thermal transport material.   
     
     
         16 . The heat sink system of  claim 13 , wherein the main body includes a plurality of heat dissipation fins, and wherein the thermal wicks extend along a face of the fins. 
     
     
         17 . The heat sink system of  claim 13 , wherein the main body includes a plurality of heat dissipation fins, wherein the at least one channel extends within the heat dissipation fin. 
     
     
         18 . A method of forming a heat sink system, the method comprising:
 providing or obtaining a heat sink formed from a plastic, the heat sink including a main body extending from a first end to a second end, the first end defining a recess, and the main body including at least one channel extending from an inlet opening along the recess to an outlet opening along the recess;   forming at least one thermal wick along the main body extending from the first end toward the second end;   coupling a heat source to the main body within the recess;   introducing a thermal transport material into the recess and the at least one channel; and   coupling a seal to the first end of the main body forming a chamber including the heat source and the thermal transport material.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein forming the thermal wick along the main body includes forming the thermal wick using a selective metallization process. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the selective metallization process is one of laser direct structuring and selective masking.