U.S. patent application number 12/649617 was filed with the patent office on 2010-12-23 for ultra-thin heat pipe and manufacturing method thereof.
This patent application is currently assigned to Yeh-Chiang Technology Corp.. Invention is credited to Shu-Lung Chung, Ke-Chin LEE.
Application Number | 20100319882 12/649617 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43353270 |
Filed Date | 2010-12-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100319882 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LEE; Ke-Chin ; et
al. |
December 23, 2010 |
ULTRA-THIN HEAT PIPE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF
Abstract
An ultra-thin heat pipe and a manufacturing method thereof are
provided. The ultra-thin heat pipe includes a flat pipe body and a
powder-sintered portion. The flat pipe body has an internal wall, a
first groove set and a second groove set, wherein the first groove
set and the second groove set are disposed on the internal wall and
spaced apart from each other, and each groove of the first groove
set and the second groove set is extended along an extension
direction of the flat pipe body. The powder-sintered portion is
disposed within the flat pipe body and connects both the first
groove set and the second groove set for forming at least one vapor
channel with the internal wall.
Inventors: |
LEE; Ke-Chin; (Taipei City,
TW) ; Chung; Shu-Lung; (Taoyuan County, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RABIN & Berdo, PC
1101 14TH STREET, NW, SUITE 500
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Assignee: |
Yeh-Chiang Technology Corp.
Taipei
TW
|
Family ID: |
43353270 |
Appl. No.: |
12/649617 |
Filed: |
December 30, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/104.26 ;
29/890.03; 29/890.032 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28D 15/046 20130101;
Y10T 29/4935 20150115; Y10T 29/49353 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/104.26 ;
29/890.032; 29/890.03 |
International
Class: |
F28D 15/04 20060101
F28D015/04; B21D 53/02 20060101 B21D053/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 17, 2009 |
TW |
098120305 |
Claims
1. An ultra-thin heat pipe, comprising: a flat pipe body having an
internal wall, a first groove set and a second groove set, wherein
the first groove set and the second groove set are disposed on the
internal wall and spaced apart from each other, and each groove of
the first groove set and the second groove set is extended along an
extension direction of the flat pipe body; and a powder-sintered
portion disposed within the flat pipe body, connecting both the
first groove set and the second groove set for forming at least one
vapor channel with the internal wall.
2. The heat pipe according to claim 1, wherein the segments of the
internal wall between the first groove set and the second groove
set are smooth.
3. The heat pipe according to claim 2, wherein the shape of the
cross-section of the flat pipe body on at least one of the segments
is semicircular.
4. The heat pipe according to claim 1, wherein the first groove set
is disposed on one planar surface of the internal wall.
5. The heat pipe according to claim 1, wherein the first groove set
is disposed on one curved surface of the internal wall.
6. The heat pipe according to claim 1, wherein the grooves of the
first groove set are spaced with the same interval.
7. The heat pipe according to claim 1, wherein the powder-sintered
portion comprises a plurality of powders sintered together, and the
diameter of at least one of the powders is larger than the width of
each groove.
8. The heat pipe according to claim 1, wherein the powder-sintered
portion comprises a plurality of powders sintered together and
divided into a first sintered block and a second sintered block,
the first sintered block connects the first groove set, and the
second sintered block connects the second groove set.
9. The heat pipe according to claim 8, wherein the first sintered
block and the second sintered block are spaced apart from each
other.
10. The heat pipe according to claim 8, wherein the first sintered
block aligns with the second sintered block.
11. The heat pipe according to claim 8, wherein the first sintered
block is disposed staggered with respect to the second sintered
block.
12. The heat pipe according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of
the shell of the flat pipe body is about 0.3 millimeter (mm).
13. The heat pipe according to claim 1, wherein the distance
between any two adjacent grooves is less than 0.1 mm.
14. The heat pipe according to claim 1, further comprising: a
plurality of burnable lines disposed in the powder-sintered
portion, wherein the burnable lines are removable by burning for
increasing the number of holes of the powder-sintered portion.
15. The heat pipe according to claim 14, wherein the material of
the burnable lines is nylon or cotton.
16. The heat pipe according to claim 1, further comprising: a
working liquid partially filled in the flat pipe body.
17. A manufacturing method of ultra-thin heat pipe, comprising:
providing a pipe body having a first groove set and a second groove
set on an internal wall of the pipe body; cutting the pipe body for
forming a cut pipe body with a first end and a second end opposite
to the first end; sealing the first end of the cut pipe body;
providing a plurality of to-be-sintered powders; filling in the cut
pipe body with the to-be-sintered powders; sintering the powders
within the cut pipe body for forming a powder-sintered portion
connecting both the first groove set and the second groove set;
filling in the cut pipe body with a working liquid; vacuuming the
cut pipe body; and sealing the second end of the cut pipe body.
18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:
flattening the cut pipe body for forming a flat pipe body.
19. The method according to claim 17, before the step of filling in
the to-be-sintered powders, further comprising: inserting a stick
into the cut pipe body, wherein the stick has two non-curved
surfaces corresponding to the first groove set and a second groove
set.
20. The method according to claim 19, after the step of sintering
the powders, further comprising: removing the stick out of the cut
pipe body.
21. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of providing
the pipe body comprises: providing an empty pipe material; and
using a mold pillar having a first tooth set and a second tooth set
to groove the empty pipe material for forming the first groove set
and the second groove set.
22. The method according to claim 21, wherein an extension
direction of each tooth of the first tooth set and the second tooth
set is identical with an extension direction of each groove of the
first groove set and the second groove set.
Description
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Taiwan application
Serial No. 98120305, filed Jun. 17, 2009, the subject matter of
which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention relates in general to a heat pipe, and more
particularly to an ultra-thin heat pipe and a manufacturing method
thereof.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Heat pipe has high thermo-conducting capacity. The liquid
filled in the heat pipe is evaporated on the hot region of the heat
pipe to form vapor. The vapor then moves along the vapor channel of
the heat pipe towards the cold region at high speed. As the vapor
arrives at the cold region, it is immediately condensed to form
liquid, which can be affected by capillary attraction so as to move
back to the hot region. By this working principle, heat can be
rapidly transmitted from the hot region to the cold region.
[0006] However, electronic products at present are of small size
and function at either high speed or efficiency, the solutions to
heat-dissipating problem are in urgent need. Thus, a new heat pipe
design with more excellent efficiency for satisfying the
requirements of the electronic products is definitely needed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an
ultra-thin heat pipe with groove structure and great
thermo-conducting capacity and a manufacturing method thereof for
solving the inefficiency problem of the conventional heat pipe.
[0008] The invention achieves the above-identified object by
providing an ultra-thin heat pipe, which includes a flat pipe body
and a powder-sintered portion. The flat pipe body has an internal
wall, a first groove set and a second groove set. The first groove
set and the second groove set are disposed on the internal wall and
spaced apart from each other, and each groove of the first groove
set and the second groove set is extended along an extension
direction of the flat pipe body. The powder-sintered portion is
disposed within the flat pipe body and connects both the first
groove set and the second groove set for forming at least one vapor
channel with the internal wall.
[0009] The invention achieves the above-identified object by
further providing a manufacturing method of ultra-thin heat pipe.
The manufacturing method includes the steps of: providing a pipe
body having a first groove set and a second groove set on an
internal wall of the pipe body; cutting the pipe body for forming a
cut pipe body with a first end and a second end opposite to the
first end; sealing the first end of the cut pipe body; providing a
plurality of to-be-sintered powders; filling in the cut pipe body
with the to-be-sintered powders; sintering the powders within the
cut pipe body for forming a powder-sintered portion connecting both
the first groove set and the second groove set; filling in the cut
pipe body with a working liquid; vacuuming the cut pipe body; and
sealing the second end of the cut pipe body.
[0010] Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention
will become apparent from the following detailed description of the
preferred but non-limiting embodiments. The following description
is made with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an ultra-thin heat pipe
according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing one cross-section of the
ultra-thin heat pipe in FIG. 1;
[0013] FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrams showing a powder-sintered portion
having two sintered blocks;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the grooves located on the
curved surfaces of the internal wall;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a manufacturing
method of ultra-thin heat pipe according to a preferred embodiment
of the invention;
[0016] FIG. 7A is a diagram showing a round pipe body;
[0017] FIG. 7B is a diagram showing an empty pipe material;
[0018] FIG. 7C is a diagram showing a mold pillar;
[0019] FIG. 7D is a diagram showing the cut of the pipe body;
[0020] FIG. 7E is a diagram showing a stick with non-curved
surfaces;
[0021] FIG. 7F is a diagram showing the stick of FIG. 7E being
inserted into the cut pipe body;
[0022] FIG. 7G is a diagram showing the to-be-sintered powders
disposed within the cut pipe body of FIG. 7F;
[0023] FIG. 7H is a diagram showing a working liquid partially
filled in the cut pipe body of FIG. 7G;
[0024] FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 are diagrams showing the round pipe body
pressed by external force in different directions.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0025] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an
ultra-thin heat pipe according to a preferred embodiment of the
invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing one cross-section of the
ultra-thin heat pipe in FIG. 1. The ultra-thin heat pipe includes a
flat pipe body 1 and a plurality of grooves 2. The grooves 2 are
spaced with the same interval, disposed on the internal wall of the
flat pipe body 1 and each extended along an extension direction of
the flat pipe body 1, wherein the extension direction is, for
example, the longitudinal direction of the flat pipe body 1, as
shown in FIG. 1. The grooves 2 are divided into two groove sets 3
that are spaced apart from each other. The two groove sets 3 face
to each other, wherein one of the groove sets 3 is disposed on the
upper planar surface of the internal wall on the straight segment
of the flat pipe body 1 while the other one is disposed on the
lower planer surface of the internal wall. The flat pipe body 1 has
two smooth segments 101 located between the two groove sets 3. The
shape of the cross-section on each smooth segment 101 is, for
example, semicircular, and the thickness on the smooth segments 101
of the flat pipe body 1 is smaller than that of the rest segments
of the flat pipe body 1, such as the groove sets 3. Preferably, the
material of the flat pipe body 1 is metal, such as copper,
aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, nickel, etc., the thickness of
the shell of the flat pipe body 1 is about 0.3 millimeter (mm), and
the distance between any two adjacent grooves 2 is about 0.1
mm.
[0026] The ultra-thin heat pipe further includes a powder-sintered
portion 4. The powder-sintered portion 4 is disposed within the
flat pipe body 1 and connects both the upper groove set 3 and the
lower groove set 3 for forming at least one vapor channel with the
internal wall. In FIG. 2, the powder-sintered portion 4 includes a
plurality of powders that are sintered together as a whole and
connected both the upper and lower groove sets 3, forming two vapor
channels 6 with the smooth segments 101. Preferably, the powders
forming the powder-sintered portion 4 are sintered copper powders,
aluminum powders, nickel powders, or nano-carbon powders. Besides,
the diameter of at least one of the powders is preferably larger
than the width of each groove 2.
[0027] Preferably, a plurality of burnable lines can be disposed in
the powder-sintered portion 4. The burnable lines are removable by
burning for increasing the number of holes within the
powder-sintered portion 4. The material of the burnable lines can
be nylon or cotton.
[0028] After sintered, the structure of the powder-sintered portion
4 contains a lot of small channels (holes) similar to capillary
vessels that transport liquid by capillary attraction force.
Because the size of each powder for sintering is larger than the
width of each groove 2, the small channels (holes) within the
powder-sintered portion 4 are able to receive a larger amount of
liquid (condensed liquid), and the resistance for the liquid to
flow in the powder-sintered portion 4 is reduced, enhancing the
thermo-conducting efficiency of the heat pipe.
[0029] FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrams showing a powder-sintered portion
having two sintered blocks. The powder-sintered portion 4 is
divided into two sintered blocks 41 and 42 that are spaced apart
from each other. The sintered block 41 connects the upper groove
set 3, and the sintered block 42 connects the lower groove set 3.
In FIG. 3, the sintered block 41 aligns with the sintered block 42,
and a gap 61 is located between the two sintered blocks 41 and 42
and connected the vapor channels 6. In FIG. 4, the sintered block
41 is disposed staggered with respect to the sintered block 42, and
the two vapor channels 6 connect to each other directly.
[0030] The groove sets 3 are located on the planar surfaces of the
internal wall of the flat pipe body 1, for example, however the
invention is not limited thereto. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the
grooves located on the curved surfaces of the internal wall. As
shown in FIG. 5, the groove sets 3 are disposed on the curved
segments 103' of the flat pipe body 1, and two smooth and straight
segments 101' are located between the curved segments 103'. Two
sintered blocks 41' and 42' are disposed within the flat pipe body
1 in accordance with the groove sets 3 to form a single vapor
channel 6' with the upper and lower straight segments 101'.
[0031] As the ultra-thin heat pipe functions, the liquid filled in
the flat pipe body 1 is evaporated on the hot region (not shown) of
the heat pipe to form vapor. The vapor then moves along the vapor
channels 6, 6' of the heat pipe towards the cold region (not shown)
at high speed. When the vapor arrives at the cold region, it is
immediately condensed to form liquid. The condensed liquid is then
affected by capillary attraction of the powder-sintered portion 4
and moves back to the hot region by the small channels (holes)
within the powder-sintered portion 4. By this working principle
along with the design of the powder-sintered portion 4, the vapor
channels 6 and 6', heat is rapidly transmitted from the hot region
to the cold region with excellent efficiency.
[0032] The manufacture of the ultra-thin heat pipe disclosed above
can be achieved by existing instruments. The groove sets can be
formed on the internal wall of a pipe body first. Then, fill in the
pipe body with to-be-sintered powders. After that, sinter the
powders within the pipe body for forming a powder-sintered portion
connecting the groove sets. Finally, flatten the pipe body for
forming a flat pipe body. The manufacturing method of ultra-thin
heat pipe is further elaborated in the following.
[0033] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a manufacturing
method of ultra-thin heat pipe according to a preferred embodiment
of the invention. As shown in FIG. 6, the manufacturing method
begins from step S01. In step S01, a pipe body having two groove
sets on an internal wall of the pipe body is provided. Referring to
FIG. 7A, a round pipe body 100 is shown. The grooves 2 of the
groove sets 3 can be formed by different manners. Referring to FIG.
7B and FIG. 7C, an empty pipe material 10 and a mold pillar 12 are
shown. The mold pillar 12 has two tooth sets 121, wherein an
extension direction of each tooth 123 of the tooth sets 121 is
identical with an extension direction of each groove 2 of the
groove sets 3 (shown in FIG. 7A). The empty pipe material 10 is
grooved by the mold pillar 12 to form the pipe body 100 with the
two groove sets 3 (shown in FIG. 7A).
[0034] Next, as shown in step S02 of FIG. 6 and FIG. 7D, the pipe
body 100 is cut for forming a cut pipe body 100' with a first end
100a' and a second end 100b' opposite to the first end 100a'.
[0035] Then, as shown in step S03 of FIG. 6 and FIG. 7D, the first
end 100a' of the cut pipe body 100' is sealed.
[0036] Next, as shown in step S04 of FIG. 6, a plurality of
to-be-sintered powders are provided. Preferably, the diameter of
the to-be-sintered powders is larger than the width of each groove
of the groove sets, such that the powders will not be trapped
within the grooves 2 (shown in FIG. 7A), maintaining the clearance
of the grooves 2.
[0037] Then, as shown in step S05 of FIG. 6, FIG. 7E and FIG. 7F, a
stick 14 is inserted into the cut pipe body 100', wherein the stick
14 has two non-curved surfaces 14a corresponding to the two groove
sets 3.
[0038] Next, as shown in step S06 and FIG. 7G, fill in the cut pipe
body 100' with to-be-sintered powders. As the stick 14 occupies
partial space within the cut pipe body 100', the powders can be
maintained at the predetermined locations corresponding to the two
groove sets 3.
[0039] Then, as shown in step S07 and FIG. 7G, the powders within
the cut pipe body 100' are sintered for forming a powder-sintered
portion 4 having two sintered blocks 41 and 42 connecting the two
groove sets.
[0040] Next, as shown in step S08, the stick 14 is removed out of
the cut pipe body 100'.
[0041] Then, as shown in step S09 and FIG. 7H, the cut pipe body
100' is partially filled in with a working liquid 16, such as
water, which is used for conducting heat by evaporating and
condensing.
[0042] Next, as shown in step S10 and FIG. 7H, the cut pipe body
100' is vacuumed. That is, the air within the cut pipe body 100' is
withdrawn out of the cut pipe body 100'.
[0043] Then, as shown in step S11, the second end 100b' of the cut
pipe body 100' (shown in FIG. 7D) is sealed for forming a round
pipe body.
[0044] Next, as shown in step S12, the cut pipe body 100' is
flattened for forming a flat pipe body.
[0045] FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 are diagrams showing the round pipe body
100' pressed by external force in different directions. As shown in
FIG. 8, the external force is applied to the round pipe body 100'
on the locations in accordance with the groove sets 3 so as to
deform the round pipe body 100' as well as reduce the distance
between the two groove sets 3. The round pipe body 100' can be
pressed till the two sintered blocks 41 and 42 in contact with each
other to form a single powder-sintered portion 4, as shown in FIG.
2. Or the sintered blocks 41 and 42 can be kept apart, as shown in
FIG. 3 or FIG. 4.
[0046] As shown in FIG. 9, the external force is applied to the
round pipe body 100' on the locations in accordance with the smooth
segments 101. After flattened the round pipe body 100', a flat pipe
body similar to the flat pipe body 1 of FIG. 5 is thus
produced.
[0047] While the invention has been described by way of example and
in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the
invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended
to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and
procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should
be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such
modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.
* * * * *