IP Library Granted Patent US 12666524
Granted Patent B2
US 12666524 · App. 17/826,261 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Home appliance and heat sink installed therein

Inventors: Mijung Kim (Seoul, KR); Junghyeon Cho (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
H05K1/0203F24C15/006H05B6/04H05K7/20136H05K7/2039H05B6/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12666524
App. No.
17/826,261
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A home appliance is provided that may include a first air flow path included in a heat sink, and a second air flow path defined at a lower side of the heat sink, such that air flows to inside and outside of the heat sink efficiently. A plurality of heat dissipation fins may protrude downward from a wall of the second air flow path, increasing a contact surface between the heat sink and air. A projection may be formed on at least one of the walls of the first air flow path, the walls of the second air flow path, an outer surface of the plurality of heat dissipation fins, or an upper surface of the heat sink.

Claims (33)

1 . A home appliance, comprising:

a circuit board on which a plurality of electronic elements is disposed; and

a heat sink mounted on the circuit board, the heat sink comprising:

a first portion in which a first air flow path having a hollow hole shape is formed;

a second portion that is inclined downward from a first side of the first portion; and

a third portion that is inclined downward from a second side of the first portion, wherein a lower surface of the first portion, an inner slanted surface of the second portion, and an inner slanted surface of the third portion define a second air flow path.

2 . The home appliance of claim 1 , wherein the lower surface of the first portion is disposed at a height greater than a lower surface of the second portion and a lower surface of the third portion.

3 . The home appliance of claim 1 , wherein at least one first projection is formed on an upper surface of the first portion and extends in a lengthwise direction of the heat sink.

4 . The home appliance of claim 3 , wherein at least one second projection is formed in at least a portion of walls of the first air flow path and extends in a lengthwise direction of the heat sink.

5 . The home appliance of claim 4 , further comprising:

a plurality of heat dissipation fins that protrudes downward from a wall of the second air flow path, wherein walls of the second air flow path corresponds to the lower surface of the first portion, the inner slanted surface of the second portion, and the inner slanted surface of the third portion.

6 . The home appliance of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of heat dissipation fins extends in the lengthwise direction of the heat sink.

7 . The home appliance of claim 5 , wherein a third projection is formed on outer surfaces of at least a portion of the plurality of heat dissipation fins.

8 . The home appliance of claim 7 , wherein a fourth projection is formed on a wall of the second air flow path in the lengthwise direction of the heat sink.

9 . The home appliance of claim 7 , wherein a coupling member is formed respectively on a lower surface of the second portion and a lower surface of the third portion, wherein the heat sink is mounted on the circuit board by the coupling member, and wherein a projection is formed on an outer surface of the coupling member.

10 . The home appliance of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of heat dissipation fins is spaced at predetermined intervals.

11 . The home appliance of claim 5 , wherein a lower end of the plurality of heat dissipation fins is respectively spaced from the printed circuit board at a regular interval.

12 . The home appliance of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of heat dissipation fins has a maximum height to an extent that the plurality of heat dissipation fins does not interfere with an electronic element disposed under the heat sink among the plurality of electronic elements.

13 . The home appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion are formed integrally.

14 . The home appliance of claim 1 , wherein the second portion and the third portion have a slant angle of at least 40 degrees, and wherein the first air flow path has a height of at least 6 mm.

15 . The home appliance of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the plurality of electronic elements is attached to outer slanted surfaces of the second and third portions of the heat sink.

16 . The home appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:

a base bracket on which the circuit board is mounted; and

an air blowing fan spaced apart from the heat sink, mounted on the base bracket, and configured to supply air to the heat sink, wherein air discharged from the air blowing fan is supplied to an upper surface of the first portion, outer slanted surfaces of the second and third portions, and the first and second air flow paths.

17 . The home appliance of claim 16 , further comprising:

an air guide that is mounted on the circuit board, surrounds the heat sink, and guides air supplied by the air blowing fan.

18 . The home appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:

a case;

a cover plate coupled to an upper end of the case;

a plurality of heaters disposed under the cover plate;

the circuit board, which has a drive circuit that drives the plurality of heaters;

the heat sink mounted on the circuit board; and

an air blowing fan that is spaced from the heat sink and supplies air to the heat sink, wherein the heat sink is formed into a cuboid having a trapezoid-shaped front surface and a trapezoid-shaped rear surface, wherein the heat sink includes the first air flow path and the second air flow path that provide a flow path of air discharged from the air blowing fan, wherein the first air flow path is formed under the second air flow path, and wherein the second air flow path has at least one heat dissipation fin that extends vertically.