IP Library Granted Patent US 9,246,037
Granted Patent B2
US 9,246,037 · App. 12/960,039 · Granted Jan 26, 2016

Folded fin heat sink

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,246,037
App. No.
12/960,039
Granted
Jan 26, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A heat sink can include a folded fin with a base portion, an offset portion extending away from the base portion, the offset portion having a width, a narrowing tapering portion having a maximum width equal to the width of the offset portion, and an extension portion extending away from the narrowing tapering portion, the extension portion having a width smaller than the width of the offset portion.

Claims (32)

1. A heat sink comprising a folded fin, the folded fin comprising:

a flat base portion extending along a base direction;

an offset portion extending away from the base portion along an offset direction that is transverse to the base direction, the offset portion having a width defined along the base direction;

a narrowing tapering portion extending along a tapering direction that is transverse to both the base direction and the offset direction, the narrowing tapering portion having a maximum width defined along the base direction equal to the width of the offset portion; and

an extension portion extending away from the narrowing tapering portion and extending along an extension direction that is parallel to the offset direction, the extension portion having a width defined along the base direction that is smaller than the width of the offset portion.

2. The heat sink of claim 1 , wherein the folded fin has a thickness of approximately 0.5 mm.

3. The heat sink of claim 1 , wherein the offset portion has a height of approximately 2 mm.

4. The heat sink of claim 1 , wherein the narrowing taper portion has a height approximately the same as the offset portion.

5. The heat sink of claim 1 , wherein the narrowing taper portion is formed at approximately a 45° angle to the offset portion.

6. The heat sink of claim 5 wherein the narrowing taper portion is formed at approximately a 45° angle to the extension portion.

7. The heat sink of claim 1 , wherein the folded fin comprises copper.

8. The heat sink of claim 1 , wherein the folded fin comprises aluminum.

9. A folded fin heat sink having a repeating shape, each instance of the repeating shape having:

a base portion;

a first pair of offset walls extending along a first direction from the base portion and parallel to each other;

a tapering pair of walls extending from the first pair of offset walls along a tapering direction that is transverse to the first direction;

a second pair of offset walls extending along a second direction that is transverse to the tapering direction and extending from the tapering pair of walls; and

a pair of bridging portions, each bridging portion connecting one of the second pair of offset walls to an adjacent instance of the repeating shape.

10. The folded fin heat sink of claim 9 , wherein the width of the first pair of offset walls is approximately the same as the width of the base portion.

11. The folded fin heat sink of claim 9 , wherein the width of the first pair of offset walls is larger than the width of the second pair of offset walls.

12. The folded fin heat sink of claim 9 , wherein the folded fin heat sink has a pair of terminating shapes surrounding the repeating shapes, the terminating shapes formed without the pair of bridging shapes.

13. The folded fin heat sink of claim 9 , wherein each of the first pair of offset walls extends from the base portion at a right angle to the base portion.

14. The folded fin heat sink of claim 9 , wherein each of the first pair of offset walls forms an acute angle with the base portion.

15. The folded fin heat sink of claim 9 , wherein each base portion is spaced apart from each adjacent base portion.

16. A heat sink comprising a folded fin, the folded fin comprising:

a base portion;

an offset portion extending along an offset direction away from the base portion, the offset portion having a width; and

an extension portion connected to the offset portion, the extension portion extending along an extension direction away from the base portion, the extension direction being parallel to and spaced from the offset direction, such that the extension portion has a width smaller than the width of the offset portion.

17. The heat sink of claim 16 , wherein the offset portion has a constant width.

18. The heat sink of claim 16 , wherein the extension portion has a constant width.

19. The heat sink of claim 16 , further comprising a tapering portion connecting the offset portion to the extension portion, wherein the tapering portion has a changing width.

20. The heat sink of claim 16 , wherein, the base portion has a width of approximately 11 mm.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 10, 2024
From: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
To: NEXTRACKER LLC
Reel/Frame 067682/0716 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 24, 2024
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 067528/0167 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 24, 2024
From: GLAS AMERICAS LLC
To: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 067528/0194 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 14, 2024
From: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
To: GLAS AMERICAS LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066598/0964 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2022
From: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 061422/0566 →