Means for heat dissipation for electrical and/or electronic apparatus
View Patent ↗The invention relates to heat dissipation means for use with electrical and/or electronic apparatus to provide for the improved cooling of at least one component within the housing of the apparatus. The heat dissipation means includes a first portion located internally of the housing at or adjacent to the at least one component to be cooled and the means is formed of a material to allow the same to be passed via the first portion to an interface and onto a second portion located externally of the housing to allow the heat to be dissipated therefrom to the external environment more effectively. This allows heat to be dissipated without the need for moving heat dissipation means to be provided and avoids the noise and/or vibration which can be created.
1. Apparatus including a plurality of electrical or electronic components, at least one of which generates heat when in use and a housing which at least partially encloses said electrical or electronic components therein, there is provided a heat dissipation means comprising a first portion located within the housing and a second portion located externally of the housing so as to allow the passage of heat from internally of the housing to externally of the housing via said portions of the heat dissipation means, and wherein said first portion is formed integrally with said second portion and an interface portion is provided between said first and second portions which is located to pass through an aperture formed in said housing and the second portion of the heat dissipation means is located in a recess channel of the housing and the heat dissipation means is mechanically located with the housing via one or a plurality of engagement means.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that the heat dissipation means is formed of a heat conductive material which allows the heat to be conducted from the first portion to the second portion.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that the first portion is directly contacted with at least one component within the housing which creates heat when in use and from which heat is required to be dissipated.
4. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that the said first portion is located adjacent to said at least one component which creates heat in use.
5. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that the said first portion is in indirect contact with the at least one heat producing component via a further heat dissipation or heat transfer means located between the said at least one component and heat dissipation means.
6. Apparatus according to claim 5 characterized in that the said first and second portions are formed from a sheet material.
7. Apparatus according to claim 6 characterized in that the sheet material which is used is aluminium.
8. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that the heat dissipation means is provided in electrical contact with the housing so as to create a ground connection between the heat dissipation means and the housing.
9. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that the engagement means connect the second portion to the housing and are located on said second portion at one or more areas of the housing.
10. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that a material of the housing and/or a coating applied to the housing, at least in the vicinity of the second portion is of a form so as to minimise the opportunity for heat to pass from the second portion to the housing.
11. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that the recess channel of the housing leads to a recess in at least one of the faces of the housing.
12. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that the area of the second portion of the dissipation means is greater than the area of the first portion.
13. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that the one or more components which are to be cooled are integrated circuits located on a printed circuit board within the housing.
14. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that the first and second portions are provided in substantially parallel, offset, planes.
15. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes a data storage medium.
16. A heat dissipation means comprising:
a first portion and a second portion formed integrally therewith, characterised in that said first portion is provided for location within a housing of electrical or electronic apparatus for location at or adjacent to one or more components from which heat is required to be dissipated when in use and the second portion is provided for location externally of the housing in a recess channel of the housing and heat is transferred to the second portion from the first portion, to be dissipated externally of the housing and wherein said first and second portions are connected by an interface portion which is located to pass through an aperture in the housing wherein the heat dissipation means is mechanically located with the housing via one or a plurality of engagement means.
17. Heat dissipation means according to claim 16 characterized in that the first and second portions of the heat dissipation means are formed in substantially parallel, offset, planes.