U.S. patent application number 11/949684 was filed with the patent office on 2009-06-04 for flat heat pipe with multi-passage sintered capillary structure.
This patent application is currently assigned to FORCECON TECHNOLOGY Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Sin-Wei He, Ming-Cyuan SHIH.
Application Number | 20090139696 11/949684 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40674552 |
Filed Date | 2009-06-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090139696 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SHIH; Ming-Cyuan ; et
al. |
June 4, 2009 |
FLAT HEAT PIPE WITH MULTI-PASSAGE SINTERED CAPILLARY STRUCTURE
Abstract
The flat heat pipe with multi-passage sintered capillary
structure includes a flat pipe, which is a hollow pipe with a flat
cross section and two sealed ends. Two flat surfaces and two
lateral parts are defined. The flat pipe forms a heating section
and a cooling section. A hollow chase is formed within the flat
pipe. The sintered capillary structure is prefabricated into the
hollow chase and is provided with at least two coupling sides for
mating with two flat surfaces of the flat pipe. At least two flow
passages are formed at intervals onto a preset location of the
sintered capillary structure and arranged along the extension
direction of the flat pipe.
Inventors: |
SHIH; Ming-Cyuan; (Jhubei
City, TW) ; He; Sin-Wei; (Jhudong Township,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
EGBERT LAW OFFICES
412 MAIN STREET, 7TH FLOOR
HOUSTON
TX
77002
US
|
Assignee: |
FORCECON TECHNOLOGY Co.,
Ltd.
Chu Pei City
TW
|
Family ID: |
40674552 |
Appl. No.: |
11/949684 |
Filed: |
December 3, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/104.26 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28F 1/022 20130101;
F28D 15/046 20130101; F28D 15/0233 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/104.26 |
International
Class: |
F28D 15/04 20060101
F28D015/04 |
Claims
1. A flat heat pipe with multi-passage sintered capillary
structure, comprising: a flat pipe, being hollow and having a flat
cross section and two sealed ends, defining two flat surfaces and
two lateral parts, said flat pipe having a heating section and a
cooling section, and a hollow chase formed therein; a sintered
capillary structure, being prefabricated into a hollow chase of
said flat pipe, said sintered capillary structure being provided
with at least two coupling sides mated with said two flat surfaces
of said flat pipe; and at least two flow passages, formed at
intervals onto a preset location of said sintered capillary
structure and arranged along an extension direction of said flat
pipe.
2. The flat heat pipe defined in claim 1, wherein the circumference
of sintered capillary structure is filled into the inner wall of
hollow chase of the flat pipe.
3. The flat heat pipe defined in claim 1, wherein said flow
passages are formed within said sintered capillary structure.
4. The flat heat pipe defined in claim 1, wherein said flow
passages are formed between said sintered capillary structure and a
flat surface of said flat pipe.
5. The flat heat pipe defined in claim 1, wherein said flow passage
is provided with a mesh body or porous components.
6. The flat heat pipe defined in claim 1, wherein said flat piper
further comprises grooves formed on an inner wall of said hollow
chase of said flat pipe.
7. The flat heat pipe defined in claim 1, further comprising: a
space shaped between said sintered capillary structure and one end
of the cooling section, said flow passage being provided with a
connecting space at an end thereof.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not applicable.
NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT
[0003] Not applicable.
REFERENCE TO AN APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON COMPACT DISC
[0004] Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0005] 1. Field of the Invention
[0006] The present invention relates generally to a heat pipe, and
more particularly to an innovative heat pipe with a multi-passage
sintered capillary structure.
[0007] 2. Description of Related Art Including Information
Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.
[0008] With continuous improvement in the performance of computers,
heat-radiating components of higher performance are required. So,
the development of the heat pipe in heat-radiating components is of
paramount significance.
[0009] In a heat pipe structure, the working fluid is guided
rapidly by capillary structure from the cooling end to the heating
end. On the other hand, a hollow passage is used to quickly guide
vaporized working fluid from the heating end to the cooling end.
Thus, the key to this technology is the capillary structure and
flow passage.
[0010] Currently, the capillary structure in a heat pipe is
generally divided into a wire mesh, a powder sintered body and a
groove. As for the wire mesh, the complicated manufacturing process
requires processing the wire mesh into rolls and then plugging the
wire mesh into the heat pipe, thus leading to higher manufacturing
costs. Moreover, a gap exists between the wire mesh and heat pipe,
so the heat flow in the passage may be blocked at the bending
section, leading to degraded heat-insulating performance. The
typical powder sintered body faces the same disadvantages as those
for the aforementioned wire mesh. The powder sintered bodies are
regularly distributed onto the inner wall of heat pipe to define a
single passage. However, it is found that the single-passage space
or capillary structure (powder sintered body) cannot help to
improve the heat-radiating efficiency.
[0011] Thus, to overcome the aforementioned problems of the prior
art, it would be an advancement in the art to provide an improved
structure that can significantly improve efficacy.
[0012] Therefore, the inventor has provided the present invention
of practicability after deliberate design and evaluation based on
years of experience in the production, development and design of
related products.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The sintered capillary structure is prefabricated into a
hollow chase of the flat pipe, so the objects to be sintered are
placed into the flat pipe. Some core materials are combined to form
a flat heat pipe with the multiple-passage sintered capillary
structure, presenting simple manufacturing and
cost-effectiveness.
[0014] Based on the structural feature that the sintered capillary
structure is provided with at least two coupling sides for mating
with two flat surfaces of the flat pipe, an excellent heat transfer
effect could be achieved between the sintered capillary structure
and flat pipe. The flat pipe could be supported more stably by the
sintered capillary structure. Moreover, when the flat pipe is bent,
the sintered capillary structure could bend accordingly to ensure
smooth flow in the passage. Any flat surface of the flat pipe could
contact the heat-radiating object for heat transfer, thus improving
the flexibility of installation and preventing error of
installation with improved applicability.
[0015] Based on the feature that the sintered capillary structure
is provided at least with two flow passages, the vaporization space
of the flow passage and guide area could be expanded to improve
greatly the heat transfer and radiation effect of the flat heat
pipe.
[0016] As a space is shaped between the sintered capillary
structure and one end of the cooling section, the flow passage is
provided with connecting space at the end. Thus, when the working
fluid in flow passage is vaporized at different rates, the
connecting space W2 could assist in achieving uniform temperature
and improving the heat-radiation efficiency.
[0017] Although the invention has been explained in relation to its
preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other
possible modifications and variations can be made without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter
claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the preferred embodiment
of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the preferred embodiment of
the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of a first application of the
flow passage configuration of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of a second application of the
flow passage configuration of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of the flow passage
configuration of the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of the application of the flow
passage configuration of the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 7 shows a sectional view of the application of the flow
passage of the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 8 shows another sectional view of the application of
the flow passage of the present invention which is provided with a
mesh body.
[0026] FIG. 9 shows a sectional view of the application of the
inner wall of the hollow chase of the present invention which is
provided with a groove.
[0027] FIG. 10 shows a schematic view of another application of the
sintered capillary structure of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0028] The features and the advantages of the present invention
will be more readily understood upon a thoughtful deliberation of
the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the
present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0029] FIGS. 1-2 depict preferred embodiments of a flat heat pipe
with multi-passage sintered capillary structure. The embodiments
are only provided for explanatory purposes with respect to the
patent claims.
[0030] The flat heat pipe comprises a flat pipe 10, which is a
hollow pipe with a flat cross section and two sealed ends, defining
two flat surfaces 11 and two lateral parts 12. The flat pipe 10
comprises a heating section 13 and a cooling section 14. A hollow
chase 15 is formed within the flat pipe. The heating section 13 can
be located at the end or middle section of the flat pipe 10, and
the cooling section 14 at one or two ends of the flat pipe 10.
[0031] A sintered capillary structure 20 is made of metal powder or
grains. The sintered capillary structure 20 is prefabricated into a
hollow chase 15 of the flat pipe 10 and is provided at least with
two coupling sides 21 for mating with two flat surfaces 11 of the
flat pipe 10.
[0032] At least two flow passages 30 are formed at intervals onto
preset locations of the sintered capillary structure 20 and
arranged along the extension direction of flat pipe 10.
[0033] Referring to FIG. 2, the circumference of sintered capillary
structure 20 is filled into the inner wall of hollow chase 15 of
the flat pipe 10.
[0034] FIG. 2 depicts a structural pattern with two flow passages
30, wherein the flow passages 30 are formed within the sintered
capillary structure 20. FIG. 3 depicts the application view of a
plurality of flow passage 30. In the preferred embodiment, the flat
surface 11 of the flat pipe 10 is expanded so that the flat pipe 10
is used as a soaking plate for heat-radiation of LED lamps.
[0035] Said flow passage 30 is also formed between the sintered
capillary structure 20 and lateral part 12 and/or flat surface 11
of the flat pipe 10. Referring to FIG. 4, the sintered capillary
structure 20 only allows two coupling sides 21 to be fixed with two
flat surfaces 11 of the flat pipe 10. No sintered capillary
structure 20 is arranged onto the inner wall of two lateral parts
12 of the flat pipe 10. The flow passage 30 is also formed between
two sides of the sintered capillary structure 20 and inner wall of
two lateral parts 12 of the flat pipe 10. FIG. 5 depicts the change
of structural pattern in FIG. 4, wherein the sintered capillary
structure 20 is additionally provided with a flow passage 30.
[0036] Referring to FIG. 6, the flow passage 30 in the sintered
capillary structure 20 is also offset at flat surface 11 of the
flat pipe 10.
[0037] Referring to FIG. 7, the flow passage 30 is designed with
other cross sections (e.g. diamond-shaped cross section).
[0038] Referring to FIG. 8, the flow passage 30 is provided with a
mesh body 40 (e.g. metal mesh grid) or porous components.
[0039] Referring to FIG. 9, grooves 50 are formed on the inner wall
of hollow chase 15 of the flat pipe 10, so that the coupling area
of sintered capillary structure 20 and hollow chase 15 could be
further expanded to provide a more stable state of sintered
capillary structure 20, and also to improve the heat transfer
efficiency between the flat pipe 10 and sintered capillary
structure 20.
[0040] The flat heat pipe of the present invention is shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2. As the flat pipe 10 is provided with two flat
surfaces 11 and the sintered capillary structure 20 is provided
with two coupling sides 21, any flat surface 11 of the flat pipe 10
contacts the heat-radiating object (e.g. CPU) for heat transfer,
thus improving the flexibility of installation. When the flat
surface 11 absorbs heat energy, the heat energy will be directly
transferred to the sintered capillary structure 20 for vaporization
of working fluid. Next, the heat energy is guided via flow passage
30 to the cooling section 14 of the flat pipe 10, then the cooled
working fluid will be transferred back to the heating section 13
through the sintered capillary structure 20.
[0041] Referring to FIG. 10, the flat pipe 10 is in a semi-finished
state, wherein one end of the heating section 13 is closed, and one
end of the cooling section 14 is opened. The internal flow passage
30 permits forming of sintered capillary structure 20 through the
core rods 60 arranged alternatively. A structural pattern with a
spacing W is shaped between the sintered capillary structure 20 and
one end of the cooling section 14, so that the flow passages 30 are
provided with connecting space W2 at the end. Thus, when the
working fluid in flow passages 30 is vaporized at different rates
since various regions of the flat pipe 10 are heated to different
extent, the connecting space W2 could assist in achieving uniform
temperature and improving the heat-radiation efficiency.
* * * * *