Heat sink with orientable fins
View Patent ↗A heat sink comprises a plurality of fins that may be positioned in a plurality of orientations relative to a heat-generating electronic component to which the heat sink is thermally coupled. A controller may be used to detect an elevated processor temperature and to activate a drive member to automatically adjust the orientation of fins on the heat sink. The fins may be moved and aligned with an air flow made over the heat sink. The adjustable-fin heat sink affords added flexibility in arranging a processor or other heat-generating electronic component on a circuit board. The orientation or position of the heat sink fins may also be automatically changed in response to a change in the air flow direction as manifested by a rise in the temperature of the heat sink or the heat-generating member.
1. A heat sink, comprising:
a base having a first face to engage a heat-generating electronic device and a second face;
a rotary member having a first face to support a plurality of fins in a generally parallel configuration and a second face to engage the second face of the base, wherein the rotary member is rotatably received on the base;
a drive member coupled to the rotary member to rotate the rotary member relative to the base in response to a control signal; and
a controller providing the control signal to align the plurality of fins with air flow across the heat sink.
2. The heat sink of claim 1 , further comprising:
a thermally conductive material disposed intermediate the face of the first base and the face of the second base to enhance heat transfer across the interface.
3. The heat sink of claim 2 , wherein the thermally conductive material is at least one of thermal grease and liquid metal.
4. The heat sink of claim 1 , wherein the rotary member has a gear to engage the drive member and the drive member is coupled to the computer chassis.
5. The heat sink of claim 1 , wherein the drive member is coupled to the rotary member and the drive member has a gear that engages a gear coupled to the computer chassis.
6. The heat sink of claim 1 , further comprising:
a temperature sensor coupled to the base.
7. The heat sink of claim 6 , wherein the temperature sensor and the drive member are in electronic communication with the controller.
8. The heat sink of claim 7 , wherein the controller generates the control signal to the drive member to minimize the temperature of the base.
9. The heat sink of claim 1 , wherein the drive member is an electric motor.
10. The heat sink of claim 9 , wherein the electric motor is powered by electric current provided from a circuit board to which the heat-generating electronic device is securable.
11. The heat sink of claim 1 , wherein the base and the rotary member are circular.
12. A computer program product including computer usable program code embodied on a computer usable storage medium, wherein the computer usable program code is executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform various actions, the computer program product comprising:
computer usable program code for receiving a signal from a temperature sensor coupled to a heat sink; and
computer usable program code for activating a drive member to rotate a rotary member of the heat sink to minimize the temperature of heat sink, wherein the minimum temperature of the heat sink is minimized in response to aligning fins in a generally parallel configuration on the rotary member of the heat sink with air flow across the heat sink;
the heat sink, comprising:
a base having a first face to engage a heat-generating electronic device and a second face;
a rotary member having a first face to support a plurality of fins in a generally parallel configuration and a second face to engage the second face of the base, wherein the rotary member is rotatably received on the base; and
a drive member coupled to the rotary member to rotate the rotary member relative to the base in response to a control signal.
13. The computer program product of claim 12 , further comprising:
computer usable program code for comparing the signal from the temperature sensor to a predetermined value; and
computer usable program code for activating the drive member if the signal exceeds the predetermined value.
14. The computer program product of claim 12 , further comprising:
computer usable program code for periodically activating the drive member to rotate the rotary member and fins of the heat sink from a first position to a second position;
computer usable program code for receiving the signal from the temperature sensor at the first position and the second position;
computer usable program code for comparing the heat sink temperature at the first position and the second position; and
computer usable program code for rotating the rotary member to the position having the lowest temperature.