U.S. patent application number 12/185127 was filed with the patent office on 2010-02-04 for method for manufacturing a plate-type heat pipe.
This patent application is currently assigned to FOXCONN TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to CHUEN-SHU HOU.
Application Number | 20100028192 12/185127 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41608563 |
Filed Date | 2010-02-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100028192 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HOU; CHUEN-SHU |
February 4, 2010 |
METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A PLATE-TYPE HEAT PIPE
Abstract
A method for manufacturing a plate-type heat pipe includes
filling a cavity of a mold with a core, and filling first and
second metal powders into the injection systems of a double-mode
injection molder with opposite injection directions. The first and
second metal powders are injected into the cavity, and the first
metal powder adheres to the core and the second metal powder
adheres to the first metal powder. The resulting green piece is
removed from the mold and the core removed therefrom by thermal or
chemical reaction, resulting in a chamber in the green piece. The
green piece is heated to obtain a sintered product with a tight
outer wall constituting the sintered second metal powder and a wick
structure constituting the sintered first powder. Finally a working
fluid is injected into the chamber, and the sintered workpiece is
evacuated by vacuum and sealed.
Inventors: |
HOU; CHUEN-SHU; (Tu-Cheng,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PCE INDUSTRY, INC.;ATT. Steven Reiss
288 SOUTH MAYO AVENUE
CITY OF INDUSTRY
CA
91789
US
|
Assignee: |
FOXCONN TECHNOLOGY CO.,
LTD.
Tu-Cheng
TW
|
Family ID: |
41608563 |
Appl. No.: |
12/185127 |
Filed: |
August 4, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
419/7 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B22F 7/06 20130101; B22F
3/225 20130101; B22F 5/10 20130101; B22F 2998/10 20130101; B22F
2998/10 20130101; B22F 3/24 20130101; B22F 3/225 20130101; B22F
3/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
419/7 |
International
Class: |
B22F 7/02 20060101
B22F007/02 |
Claims
1. A method for manufacturing a plate-type heat pipe comprising:
depositing a core into a cavity of a mold, wherein the cavity is
filled; filling first and second metal powders respectively into
two injection systems with opposite directions of a double-mode
injection molder; using the double-mode injection molder to inject
the first and second metal powders into the cavity of the mold,
wherein the first metal powder securely adheres to the core and the
second metal powder securely adheres to the first metal powder,
thereby forming a green piece; removing the core from the green
piece to define a chamber therein; heating the green piece to
obtain a sintered workpiece; injecting a working fluid into the
chamber; evacuating by vacuum the sintered workpiece; and sealing
an opening end of the sintered workpiece.
2. The method for manufacturing a plate-type heat pipe as claimed
in claim 1, wherein the second metal powder sintered to form a
tight outer wall on the sintered workpiece.
3. The method for manufacturing a plate-type heat pipe as in claim
2, wherein the first metal powder is sintered to form a continuous
wick structure having a plurality of pores and lining an inner wall
of the outer wall.
4. The method for manufacturing a plate-type heat pipe as in claim
3, wherein the chamber is located at a central portion of the wick
structure.
5. The method for manufacturing a plate-type heat pipe as in claim
3, wherein a plurality of spaced supporting portions is formed in
the chamber of the plate-type heat pipe.
6. The method for manufacturing a plate-type heat pipe as in claim
5, wherein the supporting portions connect with top and bottom ends
of the wick structure of the plate-type heat pipe.
7. The method for manufacturing a plate-type heat pipe as in claim
6, wherein the supporting portions comprise a plurality of pores
communicating with pores of the wick structure.
8. The method for manufacturing a plate-type heat pipe as in claim
5, wherein the core comprises a plurality of holes and a part of
first metal powder fills the holes of the core to form the
supporting portions.
9. The method for manufacturing a plate-type heat pipe as in claim
1, wherein the first metal powder comprises a particle size
exceeding that of the second metal powder.
10. The method for manufacturing a plate-type heat pipe as in claim
1, wherein the core is a high polymer material or waxy
material.
11. The method for manufacturing a plate-type heat pipe as in claim
1, wherein the core is removed from the green piece by thermal or
chemical reaction.
12. A method for manufacturing a plate-type heat pipe comprising:
providing a core formed by a material which is releasable by one of
thermal reaction and chemical reaction; adhering a first powder to
a surface of the core; adhering a second powder to a surface of the
first powder, where the second powder has a particle size smaller
than that of the first powder; removing the core from the first
powder so that a chamber is surrounded by the first powder; heating
the first and second powders to a temperature that the second
powder is sintered to be a tight outer wall and the first powder is
sintered to be a wick structure in the tight outer wall; injecting
working liquid into the chamber; and vacuuming and sealing the
chamber.
13. The method as claimed in claim 12, where the first powder is
adhered to the core and the second powder is adhered to the first
powder by using a double-mode injection molder.
14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the core defines a
plurality of holes therethrough and the first powder fills in the
holes.
15. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first powder has
a particle size of 50 .mu.m to 150 .mu.m, and the second powder has
a particle size of 10 .mu.m to 20 .mu.m.
16. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the core is made of
one of a polymer material and a waxy material.
17. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first and second
powders are metal powders.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing
a plate-type heat pipe, and more particularly to a method for
manufacturing a plate-type heat pipe which has a one-piece outer
wall formed by sintering metal powder.
[0003] 2. Description of related art
[0004] Generally, plate-type heat pipes efficiently dissipate heat
from heat-generating components such as a central processing unit
(CPU) of a computer. Referring to FIGS. 5-6, a conventional
plate-type heat pipe comprises a case (not labeled) formed by
stamping a metal sheet to have an engaging plate 100 and a base
plate 101 defining a trough. The case contains working fluid (not
shown) therein. A wick structure 102 is laid on an inner wall of
the base plate 101. The base plate 101 and the engaging plate 100
are assembled together by welding. However, airtightness cannot be
guaranteed by the welding. Furthermore, the welding operation may
harm the wick structure 102, thereby reducing heat transporting
capacity of the working fluid and adversely affecting heat
conductibility of the plate-type heat pipe.
[0005] It is therefore desirable to provide a method for
manufacturing a plate-type heat pipe having good heat
conductibility and overcoming the limitations described.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] A method for manufacturing a plate-type heat pipe includes
deposition of a core of a material releasable by thermal or
chemical reaction in the center of a cavity disposed in a mold,
filling first and second metal powders in the injection systems of
a double-mode injection molder with opposite injection directions,
respectively, the first metal powder size exceeding that of the
second metal powder. The first and second metal powders are
injected into the cavity of the mold, the first metal powder
securely adhering to the core and the second metal powder securely
adhering to the first metal powder, thereby obtaining a green
piece. The green piece is removed from the mold and the core
removed therefrom by thermal or chemical reaction, thereby defining
a space in the green piece. The green piece is heated to obtain a
sintered product with a tight outer wall constituting the sintered
second metal powder and a wick structure constituting the sintered
first powder. Finally a working fluid is injected into the space,
and the opened ends of the sintered product are vacuumed and
sealed, producing the final product.
[0007] Other advantages and novel features will become more
apparent from the following detailed description of preferred
embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better
understood with reference to the following drawings. The components
in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis
instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of
the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference
numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several
views.
[0009] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a plate-type heat
pipe in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention
to be formed in a mold.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a green piece for
forming the plate-type heat pipe in accordance with the first
embodiment of the present invention, wherein the green piece is
removed from the mold of FIG. 1.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a plate-type heat pipe
in accordance with a second embodiment of the present
invention.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a cross section of the plate-type heat pipe of
FIG. 3, taken along line VI-VI thereof.
[0013] FIG. 5 is an exploded, cross-sectional view of a related
plate-type heat pipe.
[0014] FIG. 6 is an assembled view of FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] Referring to FIGS. 1-2, a method for manufacturing a
plate-type heat pipe 30 in accordance with a first embodiment of
the present invention comprises deposition of a core 20 of a
material releasable by thermal or chemical reaction into a cavity
(not shown) of a mold 10, filling the cavity, injecting a first
metal powder with particle diameter from 50 .mu.m to 150 .mu.m and
a second metal powder with particle diameter from 10 .mu.m to 20
.mu.m, respectively into two injection systems with opposite
injection directions of a double-mode injection molder (not shown),
utilizing the double-mode injection molder to inject the first and
second metal powders into the cavity of the mold 10, such that the
first metal powder securely adheres to the core 20 and the second
metal powder securely adheres to the first metal powder, thereby
providing a green piece, removing the green piece from the mold and
removing the core 20 from the green piece by thermal or chemical
reaction, thereby defining a chamber 35 in the green piece, heating
the green piece at a high temperature to obtain a sintered product
with a tight outer wall 31 constituting the sintered second metal
powder and a wick structure 33 constituting the sintered first
metal powder, injecting a working fluid (not shown) such as water,
alcohol, methanol, or the like into the chamber 35, evacuating by
vacuum the sintered workpiece, and sealing the ends of the sintered
workpiece to obtain the final product.
[0016] The core 20 is a high polymer or waxy material. After the
core 20 is removed, the green piece defines the chamber 35 to
receive the working fluid (not shown) therein. In this embodiment,
the wick structure 33, formed integrally, can transport the working
fluid continuously.
[0017] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a method for manufacturing a
plate-type heat pipe 40 in accordance with a second embodiment of
the present invention comprises deposition of a core (not shown) in
a cavity of a mold (not shown) wherein the core defines a number of
vertical holes therethrough, the holes being arranged in a matrix
consisting of three rows and six columns, filling the cavity of the
mold, injecting a first metal powder with particle diameter from 50
.mu.m to 150 .mu.m and a second metal powder with particle diameter
from 10 .mu.m to 20 .mu.m, respectively into two injection systems
with opposite injection directions of a double-mode injection
molder (not shown), utilizing the double-mode injection molder to
inject the first and second metal powders into the cavity of the
mold such that a part of the first metal powder fills the vertical
holes of the core and another part of the first metal powder
securely adheres to the core and the second metal powder securely
adheres to the another part of the first metal powder, thereby
obtaining a green piece, removing the green piece from the mold and
removing the core from the green piece by thermal or chemical
reaction, defining a chamber 45 in the green piece by the removed
core, heating the green piece at a high temperature to obtain a
sintered workpiece with a tight outer wall 41 constituting sintered
second metal powder, a wick structure 43 constituting sintered
first metal powder, and eighteen supporting portions 47 also
constituting sintered first metal powder, injecting a working fluid
(not shown) such as water, alcohol, methanol, or the like into the
chamber 45, evacuating by vacuum the sintered workpiece, and
sealing the ends of the sintered workpiece to obtain the final
product.
[0018] In this embodiment, there are eighteen supporting portions
47 disposed in the chamber 45 formed by removing the core from the
green piece. The supporting portions 47 are parallel to each other
and connect with top and bottom ends of the wick structure 43 to
enhance the stability of the plate-type heat pipe 40. The
supporting portions 47 include a plurality of pores which
communicate with the pores of the wick structure 43. Thus, the
working fluid returns to the bottom of the tight outer wall 41 of
the plate-type heat pipe 40 from the wick structure 43 and the
supporting portions 47 when the plate-type heat pipe is in use and
vapor condenses into liquid in the top of the tight outer wall
41.
[0019] It is believed that the present embodiments and their
advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and
it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or
sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples
hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary
embodiments of the invention.
* * * * *