U.S. patent application number 10/748161 was filed with the patent office on 2005-07-07 for structure of a uniform thermal conductive heat dissipation device.
Invention is credited to Huang, Meng-Cheng, Kang, Jian-Chian, Tseng, Wen-Hae.
Application Number | 20050145369 10/748161 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34710879 |
Filed Date | 2005-07-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050145369 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Huang, Meng-Cheng ; et
al. |
July 7, 2005 |
Structure of a uniform thermal conductive heat dissipation
device
Abstract
An improved structure of a uniform thermal conductive heat
dissipation device, having a thermal conductor and a plurality of
heat pipes. The thermal conductor includes a convex body member, on
which a plurality of parallel connecting parts is formed to allow
the heat pipes embedded therein. Each of the heat pipes has a wick
structure and a working fluid therein. Each heat pipe has a heat
absorbing portion and a heat dissipation portion. The heat
absorption portion is closely in contact with the thermal
conductor. Thereby, each of the heat is subject to the same amount
of heat to result in a uniform thermal conduction and dissipation
effect.
Inventors: |
Huang, Meng-Cheng; (Taipei,
TW) ; Tseng, Wen-Hae; (Taipei, TW) ; Kang,
Jian-Chian; (Taipei, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
YI-WEN TSENG
#D306
509 ROOSEVELT BLVD.
FALL CHURCH
VA
22044
US
|
Family ID: |
34710879 |
Appl. No.: |
10/748161 |
Filed: |
December 31, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/104.11 ;
257/E23.088 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 2924/0002 20130101;
F28D 2021/0029 20130101; H01L 2924/00 20130101; F28D 15/0275
20130101; H01L 23/427 20130101; H01L 2924/0002 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/104.11 |
International
Class: |
F28D 015/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A uniform thermal conductive heat dissipation device, comprising
a thermal conductor and a plurality of heat pipes, wherein the
thermal conductor includes a convex body member and a plurality of
connection portions recessed from a convex surface of the body
member, and each of the heat pipes includes a heat absorbing
portion and a heat dissipation portion, the heat absorbing portion
is embedded in the corresponding connection portion
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the thermal conductor is
fabricated from copper.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein the thermal conductor includes a
semi-cylindrical body member.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the body member has a trapezium
cross section.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein the connection portions include a
plurality of slots.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein the connection portions include a
plurality of circular channel.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein the heat pipes include elongate
tubes.
8. The device of claim 1, wherein the heat pipes include U-shape
tubes.
9. The device of claim 1, further comprising a heat sink mounted to
the heat pipes.
10. The device of claim 9, wherein the bottom of the heat sink is
recessed to form a receiving window, and a plurality of connection
structures are formed on the surface of the receiving window for
receiving the heat dissipation portions of the heat pipes.
11. The device of claim 10, wherein the connection structures
comprise semi-circular slots.
12. The device of claim 9, wherein the connection structures are
conformal to the heat dissipation portions of the heat pipes.
13. The device of claim 12, wherein the connection portions include
circular channels.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates in general to an improved
structure of a uniform thermal conductive heat dissipation device,
and more particular, to a heat dissipation device of which the heat
pipes are embedded in the thermal conductor to result in uniform
thermal conduction and heat dissipation.
[0002] In the old computer design, the operation speed of central
processing unit (CPU) is so slow that an aluminum extrusion type or
fin-type heat sink will be sufficient to dissipate the heat
generated by the central processing unit. However, as the clock of
central processing unit has exceeded 1 GHz or even reached 3 GHz,
the heat generated by the central processing unit increases
proportionally to the operation speed. However, due to the limited
space within the housing, the conventional heat dissipation device
can hardly provide effective heat dissipation. It has thus become a
critical problem to be resolved in computer industry.
[0003] FIG. 1 shows a conventional heat dissipation device. As
shown, the heat dissipation device includes a thermal conductive
plate 10a, a plurality of heat pipes 20a and a heat sink 30a. The
thermal conductive plate 10a has a planar body member attached to a
heat generating device such as a central processing unit. The top
surface of the thermal conductive plate 10a is opened to form a
plurality of parallel channels 11a allowing the heat pipes 11a to
be embedded therein. Each of the heat pipes 11a includes a wick
structure and a work fluid therein. The top end of each heat pipe
11a includes a heat dissipation portion, while the bottom end of
each heat pipe 11a includes a heat absorbing portion in abutting
contact with the thermal conductor 10a. The heat dissipation
portion is in contact with the heat sink 30a to form the heat
dissipation device. Thereby, the heat generated by the heat
dissipation device can be guided to the thermal conductive plate
10a, and further dissipated from the heat sink 30a via the heat
pipes 20a.
[0004] However, the conventional heat dissipation device as
disclosed above has the following drawbacks. As the dimension of
the heat generating device such as the central processing unit
shrinks, the heat generated thereby is very concentrated.
Therefore, the heat pipes 20a closest to the heat generating device
can absorb the heat and vaporize the working fluid therein
instantly. Thereby, the heat can be conducted to the heat
dissipation portion efficiently. However, as the heat sink 30a
cannot dissipate the heat away efficiently, such heat reflows back
to the heat pipes 20a. As a result, the work fluid cannot be
condensed quick enough to absorb further heat. The thermal
conduction mechanism by phase transition between liquid state and
gas state of the heat pipes 20a is thus degraded. Further, the heat
pipes 20a at two sides are relatively remote to the heat generating
device. Therefore, the propagation path of heat is too long, and
the heat pipes 20 cannot absorb the heat efficiently.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention provides an improved structure of a
uniform thermal conductive heat dissipation device, of which heat
pipes are embedded in a thermal conductor, and propagation path of
heat has been so arranged that the distance between the heat source
and each heat pipe is the same. Therefore, a uniform thermal
conduction and heat dissipation effect is obtained.
[0006] The uniform thermal conductive heat dissipation device
provided by the present invention includes a thermal conductor and
a plurality of heat pipes. The thermal conductor includes a convex
member, on which a plurality of parallel connecting parts is
formed. The heat pipes are embedded in the connecting parts. Each
of the heat pipes includes a wick structure and a working fluid
therein. In addition, each of the heat pipes is partitioned into a
heat absorbing portion and a heat dissipation portion. The heat
absorbing portion is in abutting contact with the thermal
conductor.
[0007] These and other objectives of the present invention will
become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading
the following detailed description of preferred embodiments.
[0008] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general
description and the following detailed description are exemplary,
and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as
claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] These, as well as other features of the present invention,
will become apparent upon reference to the drawings wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 shows a conventional heat dissipation device;
[0011] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of a heat dissipation device
provided in a first embodiment of the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the heat dissipation
device as shown in FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view of the heat dissipation
device as shown in FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 5 shows a cross sectional view of a heat dissipation
device provided in a second embodiment of the present
invention;
[0015] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a heat dissipation device
provided in a third embodiment of the present invention; and
[0016] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a heat dissipation device
provided in a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred
embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the
same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description
to refer to the same or like parts.
[0018] Referring to FIGS. 2-4, an exploded view, a perspective
view, and a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a heat
dissipation device are illustrated. The heat dissipation device
includes a thermal conductor 10 and a plurality of heat pipes
20.
[0019] The thermal conductor 10 is fabricated from material with
good thermal conductivity such as copper, for example. The thermal
conductor 10 includes a convex body member 11. The convex body
member 11 has a semi-circular, trapezium (as shown in FIG. 5), or
other geometric cross section. In the current embodiment, the body
member 11 has a semi-circular cross section. The curve surface of
the body member 11 is processed to form a plurality of parallel
connecting parts 12. The connecting parts 12 are in the form of
elongate trenches or channels.
[0020] Each of the heat pipes 20 includes an elongate or U-shape
circular tube, in which the wick structure and working fluid are
introduced. By the thermal conductive mechanism of the wick
structure and the gas-liquid phase transition of the working fluid,
the generated heat can be quickly dissipated. The heat pipe 20
further includes a heat absorbing portion 21 and a heat dissipation
portion 22. The heat absorbing portion 21 is conformal to the
connection portions 12 of the thermal conductor 10, such that an
abutting contact can be obtained.
[0021] Therefore, the heat pipes 20 can be uniformly embedded in
the curved surface of the thermal conductor 20. According to the
heat propagation path, the heat pipes 20 are subject to the same
amount of heat to obtain a uniform heat dissipation effect.
[0022] The heat dissipation device may further comprise a heat sink
30 mounted to the heat pipes 20. The heat sink 30 may includes a
stack of fins 31. The fins are fabricated from materials with good
conductivity such as aluminum or copper. The bottom of the heat
sink 30 is recessed to form a receiving window 32 conformal to the
body member 11 of the thermal conductor 10. On the surface of the
receiving window 32, a plurality of connecting structures 33 is
formed to receive the heat dissipation portions 22 of the heat
pipes 20.
[0023] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, third and fourth embodiments of
the present invention are illustrated. As shown, the connection
parts 12 thermal conductor 10 are in the form of elongate circular
channels, and the connecting structures 33 are also in the form of
elongate circular channels. Thereby, the heat absorbing portions 21
and heat dissipation portions 22 of the heat pipes can be connected
thereto. The structure as disclosed increase the contact area
between the heat pipes 20, the thermal conductor 10 and the heat
sink 30 (as shown in FIG. 6). Further, the surface area for heat
dissipation of the heat sink 30 is also enlarged to enhance the
overall heat dissipation efficiency.
[0024] Therefore, the present invention provides at least the
following advantages.
[0025] 1. The convex body member provides the heat propagation
paths along which the heat pipes are subject to the same amount of
heat. As a result, a uniform thermal conduction and heat
dissipation effect is obtained.
[0026] 2. The heat pipes have high thermal conduction with
fast-responding and low-resistant features, such that the heat can
be guided and dissipated away instantly to prevent the computer
from being down or operating at an abnormal temperature.
[0027] 3. The heat pipes are embedded in the thermal conductor or
the heat sink, such that the heat dissipation is enhanced.
[0028] This disclosure provides exemplary embodiments of the
present invention. The scope of this disclosure is not limited by
these exemplary embodiments. Numerous variations, whether
explicitly provided for by the specification or implied by the
specification, such as variations in shape, structure, dimension,
type of material or manufacturing process may be implemented by one
of skill in the art in view of this disclosure.
* * * * *