Heat sink for a motor vehicle light module

Abstract

The invention relates to a heat sink (1, 100) for a light source of a motor vehicle light module, wherein: the heat sink (1, 100) comprises a main body (2) and cooling plates (3, 300) which can be arranged on the main body (2); when the cooling plates (3, 300) are connected to the main body (2), the cooling plates (3, 300) are in heat-conducting contact with the main body (2), each cooling plate (3, 300) having a base side (31, 310); the main body (2) has fastening elements (21) on a surface (22), the surface (22) facing the base sides (31, 310) of the cooling plates (3, 300); counter elements (32) mating with the fastening elements (21) are arranged on each base side (31, 310), the fastening elements (21) being designed to engage in the counter elements (32); the fastening elements (21) are arranged in a grid (23); the counter elements (32) are arranged on the respective base sides (31, 310) at regular distances (d1) from one another, and the grid (23) has a grid spacing (d2), the grid spacing (d2) being greater than the distance (d1) between the counter elements (32).

Claims

1. A heat sink (1, 100) for a light source of a motor vehicle light module, the heat sink (1, 100) comprising: a base body (2); and cooling plates (3, 300) arranged on the base body (2), the cooling plates (3, 300) being configured to be in thermally conductive contact with the base body (2), each cooling plate (3, 300) having a base side (31, 310), the base body (2) having fastening elements (21) on a surface (22), which faces the base sides (31, 310) of the cooling plates (3, 300), counterpart elements (32), which correspond to the fastening elements (21), being arranged on each base side (31, 310), and the fastening elements (21) being constructed to engage into the counterpart elements (32), wherein the fastening elements (21) are arranged in a matrix (23), wherein the counterpart elements (32) are arranged on the respective base sides (31, 310) at regular spacings (d1) from one another and the matrix (23) has a matrix spacing (d2), which is greater than the spacing (d1) between the counterpart elements (32); wherein the fastening elements are arranged in vertices of a two-dimensional square grid and the base sides of the cooling plates are constructed separately from one another, wherein the spacing (d1) between the counterpart elements (32) is the same for all cooling plates (3, 300) and is approximately half of the matrix spacing (d2), and wherein the cooling plates (3, 300) are arranged on the base body (2) offset with respect to one another in a direction (X), which is predetermined by the matrix (23), wherein the cooling plates (3, 300) are arranged equidistantly from one another in a different direction (Y).

2. The heat sink according to claim 1, wherein each cooling plate (3) is constructed in a U-shaped manner and has two legs (33), which run substantially parallel to one another at a mutual spacing and are connected by a connecting web, wherein the connecting web forms the base side (31).

3. The heat sink according to claim 1, wherein each cooling plate (300) is constructed in an L-shaped manner, wherein the base side is formed by a short side (310) of the L-shaped cooling plate.

4. The heat sink according to claim 1, wherein all cooling plates (3, 300) are constructed identically.

5. The heat sink according to claim 1, wherein all cooling plates (3, 300) are connected to the base body (2) by press-joining.

6. The heat sink according to claim 1, wherein the fastening elements are constructed as projections (21) and the counterpart elements are constructed as recesses (32) corresponding to the projections.

7. The heat sink according to claim 6, wherein the fastening elements form a monolithic structure with the base body (2).

8. The heat sink according to claim 6, wherein the projections (21) are cylindrical projections, and the counterpart elements are through-holes.

9. The heat sink according to claim 1, wherein the counterpart elements are constructed as projections and the fastening elements are constructed as recesses corresponding to the projections.

10. The heat sink according to claim 9, wherein the counterpart elements form a monolithic structure with the cooling plates.

11. The heat sink according to claim 9, wherein the counterpart elements are cylindrical projections, and the fastening elements are constructed as through-holes.

12. A motor vehicle light module or motor vehicle headlamp light module comprising at least one heat sink according to claim 1.

13. A motor vehicle headlamp comprising at least one motor vehicle headlamp light module or motor vehicle light module according to claim 12.

14. The heat sink according to claim 1, wherein the different direction (Y) is orthogonal to the direction (X).

Description

(1) The invention, together with further advantages is explained in more detail in the following on the basis of exemplary embodiments, which are shown in the drawing. In the figures

(2) FIGS. 1a and 1b show an exploded illustration of a heat sink;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a front view of the heat sink of FIG. 1a;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a sectional illustration of the heat sink of FIG. 1a or 1b, and

(5) FIG. 4 shows an exploded illustration of a heat sink with cooling plates which are arranged offset.

(6) In the following figures—insofar as not otherwise specified—the same reference numbers label the same features.

(7) First, reference is made to FIGS. 1a and 1b. These respectively show a heat sink 1, 100 having a base body 2 and differently configured cooling plates 3, 300, which are arranged on the base body 2 and are in thermally conductive contact with the base body 2.

(8) A heat sink 1, 100 of this type is advantageously used for cooling a light source (not shown), for example a semiconductor-based light source, particularly an LED light source of a light module (not shown) and can in this case be used as a support for this light source and, under certain circumstances, also for other elements which are provided for imaging light which is generated by the light source, such as reflectors, lens-supporting lens holders, objectives, etc. The previously mentioned light module can for example be installed in a motor vehicle headlamp or in a motor vehicle.

(9) Both the base bodies 2 and the cooling plates 3, 300 are made from a thermally conductive material, preferably metal, for example from aluminium, such as Al99.5 or Al99.9. In this case, the term aluminium also includes aluminium alloys such as AlMg3. For example, it is conceivable that the base body 2 is constructed from Al99.5 or Al99.9 and the cooling plates 3, 300 are constructed from AlMg3.

(10) Each cooling plate 3, 300 has a base side 31, 310. The base body 2 can be constructed as a plate. Identically constructed fastening elements 21 are for example arranged on a surface 22 of the base body 2 facing the base sides 31, 310. The base sides 31, 310 preferably lie in a plane arranged parallel to the surface 22 of the base body 2. Identically constructed counterpart elements 32, which correspond to the fastening elements 21, are for example arranged on each base side 31, 310. For example, the counterpart elements 32 can be arranged in a row along a longitudinal side of the base side 31, 310 of the respective cooling plate 3, 300. The fastening elements 21 engage into the counterpart elements 32.

(11) In this case, the fastening elements 21 are arranged in a matrix 23. As mentioned, above, in connection with the present invention, the term “arranged in a matrix” is understood to mean a matrix-array-like arrangement, for example an arrangement in vertices of an imaginary two-dimensional, preferably regular, particularly square grid.

(12) The counterpart elements 32 are arranged on the respective base sides 31, 310 at regular spacings d1 from one another, wherein the matrix 23 has a matrix spacing d2 between the—imaginary—matrix lines or between adjacent vertices of the imaginary grid or between the array elements of the matrix-array-like arrangement. The matrix spacing d2 is greater than the spacing d1 between the counterpart elements 32.

(13) FIG. 1a shows an embodiment in which each cooling plate 3 is constructed in a U-shaped manner. In this case, each cooling plate 3 has two legs 33, which run substantially parallel to one another at a mutual spacing and are connected by means of a connecting web 31. In this embodiment, the base side is formed by the connecting web 31.

(14) FIG. 1b shows an embodiment in which each cooling plate 300 is constructed in an L-shaped manner, wherein the base side is formed by a short side 310 of the L-shaped cooling plate 300.

(15) Both the U- and the L-shaped cooling plates 3, 300 can be arranged on the base body 2 and connected to the same. For example, the short side 310 of the L-shaped cooling plate 300 and the connecting web 31 of the U-shaped cooling plate 300 can be constructed identically.

(16) In a preferred embodiment, the spacing d1 between the counterpart elements 33 can be the same for all cooling plates 3, 300 and preferably be approximately half of the matrix spacing d2. In this case, the spacing d1 for example lies between 8 mm and 12 mm, preferably between 9 mm and 11 mm. In particular, the spacing d1 may lie between 9.5 mm and 10 mm, which facilitates the manufacturing of the base bodies 2 with fastening elements 21.

(17) All cooling plates, for example U-shaped 3 or L-shaped 300 cooling plates, can be constructed identically.

(18) The cooling plates 3, 300 can for example be connected to the base body 2 by means of press-joining or clinching.

(19) A further surface 24 of the base body 2 is opposite the surface 22 having the fastening elements 21. It can be seen from FIG. 3 that the further surface 24 may have depressions 25 corresponding to the fastening elements 21, which depressions are created by using a tool, using which the fastening elements 21 are pressed. The number and/or the arrangement of the depressions 25 and the corresponding fastening elements 21 can be chosen such that the heat transfer is not impaired. Furthermore, the surface 24 can be used as a supporting surface for a circuit board with a number of LED light sources. The LED light sources can be arranged on the circuit board for example in a matrix array, such as a 2×3-, 3×3-, 3×4- or 4×4-array.

(20) FIG. 2 shows a front view of the heat sink 1 of FIG. 1a, FIG. 3 shows a sectional illustration of the heat sink 1 of FIG. 1a or the heat sink 100 of FIG. 1b. It can be drawn from the FIGS. 1a, 1b, 2 and 3, that the fastening elements can be constructed as projections 21, which are cylindrical for example and which can form a monolithic structure with the base body 2. In this case, the counterpart elements can be constructed as recesses 32, preferably through holes, corresponding to the projections.

(21) It is quite possible—this is not shown in the figures—that the counterpart elements are constructed as for example cylindrical projections, which preferably form a monolithic structure with the cooling plates. In this case, it is expedient if the fastening elements are constructed as recesses, preferably through holes, corresponding to the projections.

(22) It can be seen from FIG. 4 that the cooling plates 3 can be arranged on the base body 2 offset with respect to one another in a predetermined direction X. The direction X can for example be predetermined by the matrix 23. It is understood that the above-described matrix 23 predetermines two directions. These are the directions in which the matrix extends. It is however quite conceivable that the direction X deviates from the direction predetermined by the matrix 23. This can for example be rotated by 45° or 90° in the plane of the surface 22. It can furthermore be seen from FIG. 4 that the centrally arranged cooling plates protrude beyond an edge of the base body 2. Overall, the arrangement of the cooling plates 3 on the base body 2 has a curved course. Other arrangements of the cooling plates 3 on the base body 2 are also conceivable. Although the U-shaped cooling plates 3 can be seen clearly in FIG. 4, the L-shaped cooling plates 300 or cooling plates of a different shape can likewise be arranged offset on the base body 2.

(23) The cooling plates 3, 300 are preferably arranged equidistantly from one another in a different direction Y, which is for example orthogonal to the predetermined direction X.

(24) The object of the preceding description only consists in providing illustrative examples and specifying further advantages and characteristic features of the present invention. Thus, the preceding description cannot be interpreted as a limitation of the field of application of the invention or the patent rights claimed in the claims. In the preceding detailed description, various features of the invention are for example aggregated in one or more embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This type of disclosure is not to be understood to mean that it reflects the intention that the claimed invention requires more features than explicitly mentioned in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects are present in fewer than all features of a single previously described embodiment.

(25) Furthermore, although the description of the invention contains the description of one or more embodiments and certain variations and modifications, other variations and modifications lie within the scope of the invention, e.g. within the capabilities and knowledge of persons skilled in the art after understanding the present disclosure.

(26) The reference numbers in the claims are used solely for better understanding of the present inventions and in no way mean a limitation of the present inventions.