U.S. patent application number 12/512297 was filed with the patent office on 2011-02-03 for supporting structure with height difference and vapor chamber having the supporting structure.
Invention is credited to Chieh-Ping Chen, George Anthony Meyer, IV, Chien-Hung Sun.
Application Number | 20110027738 12/512297 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43527378 |
Filed Date | 2011-02-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110027738 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Meyer, IV; George Anthony ;
et al. |
February 3, 2011 |
SUPPORTING STRUCTURE WITH HEIGHT DIFFERENCE AND VAPOR CHAMBER
HAVING THE SUPPORTING STRUCTURE
Abstract
A vapor chamber having supporting structure with height
difference, includes a shell, tissue wick structure, working fluid
filled into the shell and supporting structure with height
difference, disposed over inner walls of the shell, accommodated in
the shell, abutted against the wick structure, and including first
corrugated piece and second corrugated piece, both of which are
connected to each other. The longitudinal distance between top and
bottom of the first corrugated piece is a first amplitude. The
longitudinal distance between top and bottom of the second
corrugated piece is a second amplitude larger than the first
amplitude. Since the second amplitude provides the shell with
greater supporting force, when the shell is pressed to make heating
element and the shell contact closely, a recessing phenomenon won't
occur to the shell, thereby, increasing the contact tightness and
promoting the thermally conductive efficiency.
Inventors: |
Meyer, IV; George Anthony;
(San Jose, CA) ; Sun; Chien-Hung; (Zhongli City,
TW) ; Chen; Chieh-Ping; (Zhongli City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HDLS Patent & Trademark Services
P.O. BOX 220746
CHANTILLY
VA
20153-0746
US
|
Family ID: |
43527378 |
Appl. No.: |
12/512297 |
Filed: |
July 30, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
431/320 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F23D 3/24 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
431/320 |
International
Class: |
F23D 3/24 20060101
F23D003/24 |
Claims
1. A vapor chamber having supporting structure with height
difference, including: a shell; a wick structure disposed over
inner walls of the shell; a working fluid filled into the shell;
and a supporting structure with height difference, which is
accommodated in the shell and is abutted against the wick
structure, and which includes: a first corrugated piece, a
longitudinal distance between a top and a bottom of which is a
first amplitude; and a second corrugated piece, which is connected
to the first corrugated piece, and a longitudinal distance between
a top and a bottom of which is a second amplitude, which is larger
than the first amplitude.
2. The vapor chamber having supporting structure with height
difference according to claim 1, wherein the first corrugated piece
is arranged a through opening, in which the second corrugated piece
is accommodated.
3. The vapor chamber having supporting structure with height
difference according to claim 2, wherein wave forms of the first
corrugated piece and the second corrugated piece are both a sine
wave.
4. The vapor chamber having supporting structure with height
difference according to claim 3, wherein the first corrugated piece
has a hole, into which a pin formed at one end of the second
corrugated piece is inset.
5. A supporting structure with height difference, including: a
first corrugated piece, a longitudinal distance between a top and a
bottom of which is a first amplitude; and a second corrugated piece
connected to the first corrugated piece, and a longitudinal
distance between a top and a bottom of which is a second amplitude
larger than the first amplitude.
6. The vapor chamber having supporting structure with height
difference according to claim 5, wherein the first corrugated piece
is arranged a through opening, in which the second corrugated piece
is accommodated.
7. The vapor chamber having supporting structure with height
difference according to claim 6, wherein wave forms of the first
corrugated piece and the second corrugated piece are both a sine
wave.
8. The vapor chamber having supporting structure with height
difference according to claim 7, wherein the first corrugated piece
has a hole, into which a pin formed at one end of the second
corrugated piece is inset.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention in general relates to a supporting
structure, in particular, to a supporting structure having height
difference and a vapor chamber having the supporting structure.
[0003] 2. Description of Prior Art
[0004] Currently, vapor chamber has become a thermally conductive
instrument very commonly used for electronic device. Therefore,
each industry continuously makes R&D on vapor chamber, making
vapor chamber able to reach a better performance of thermal
conduction.
[0005] According to the prior arts, a vapor chamber includes a
shell, a wick structure, a working fluid and a supporting
structure. The wick structure is disposed over inner walls of the
shell. The working fluid is filled into the shell. The supporting
structure is arranged in the shell by respectively abutting its
upper and lower ends against the wick structure. The thickness of
this supporting structure is constant, such that the supporting
forces generated by the supporting structure on every place of the
shell's side faces are all equal. The operation of this kind of
supporting structure is to provide a supporting function. When
interior of the shell is vacuumed, the supporting structure can
prevent the shell from generating recessing phenomenon due to the
influence of pressure. Furthermore, when the vapor chamber contacts
closely to a heating element, the supporting structure also can
prevent the outer surface of the shell from generating any
recessing phenomenon.
[0006] However, in terms of practical usage, this kind of vapor
chamber still has several drawbacks. For example, in order to make
the heating element contact closely to the vapor chamber, a greater
force has to be acted on the vapor chamber to make the surface of
the vapor chamber corresponding to the position of the heating
element able to contact closely to the side face of the heating
element. Therefore, the surface of the vapor chamber corresponding
to the position of the heating element needs a greater supporting
force, otherwise the surface of the vapor chamber corresponding to
the position of the heating element being going to generate a
recessing phenomenon due to too large pressure. However, in the
prior vapor chamber, since the design of the supporting structure
is to provide the supporting structure with uniformly supporting
forces in everywhere, the surface of the vapor chamber
corresponding to the surface of the heating element is easily
occurred a recessing phenomenon due to the concentrating force,
thereby, the vapor chamber unable to contact closely to the heating
element and the best thermally conductive efficiency unable to
reach either.
[0007] Accordingly, after a substantially devoted study, in
cooperation with the application of relative academic principles,
the inventor has finally proposed the present invention that is
designed reasonably to possess the capability to improve the
drawbacks of the prior art significantly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The invention is mainly to provide a supporting structure
with height difference and a vapor chamber having the supporting
structure. Since the second amplitude of the second corrugated
piece is larger to generate a greater supporting force, when the
supporting structure contacts a heating element closely, the shell
won't generate any recession, compared with the prior arts, the
invention can promote the thermally conductive efficiency by
generating an effective tightness.
[0009] Secondly, the invention is to provide a vapor chamber having
supporting structure with height difference, including a shell, a
wick structure, a working fluid and a supporting structure with
height difference. The capillary structure is disposed over inner
walls of the shell. The working fluid is filled into the shell. The
supporting structure with height difference is accommodated in the
shell and is abutted against the wick structure. The supporting
structure includes a first corrugated piece and a second corrugated
piece. The longitudinal distance between the top and bottom of the
first corrugated piece is a first amplitude. The second and first
corrugated pieces are connected to each other. The longitudinal
distance between the top and bottom of the second corrugated piece
is a second amplitude. The second amplitude is larger than the
first amplitude.
[0010] Thirdly, the invention is to provide a supporting structure
with height difference, including a first corrugated piece and a
second corrugated piece. The longitudinal distance between the top
and bottom of the first corrugated piece is a first amplitude. The
second and first corrugated pieces are connected to each other. The
longitudinal distance between the top and bottom of the second
corrugated piece is a second amplitude. The second amplitude is
larger than the first amplitude.
[0011] Compared with the prior arts, the invention has several
advantages. For example, by the second corrugated piece, the
surface of the vapor chamber corresponding to the position of the
heating element can have a greater supporting force, when the outer
surface of the vapor chamber contacts closely to the heating
element, won't occur any recession due to the pressure. Thereby,
the thermally conductive efficiency is promoted, because the outer
surface of the vapor chamber can contact more closely to the
heating element. In addition, the supporting structure can made via
an integral formation or an assembling method.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING
[0012] The features of the invention believed to be novel are set
forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention
itself, however, may be best understood by reference to the
following detailed description of the invention, which describes a
number of embodiments of the invention, taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective explosive view of a supporting
structure according to the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective outer view of a supporting structure
according to the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along a "3-3"
cross-sectional line in FIG. 2;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a locally enlarging view of "A" part in FIG.
3;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a perspective explosive view of a vapor chamber
according to the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along a "6-6"
cross-sectional line in FIG. 5;
[0019] FIG. 7 is a locally enlarging view of "B" part in FIG.
6;
[0020] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a vapor chamber
according to the present invention when it is under
application;
[0021] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional explosive view of a supporting
structure according to another embodiment of the present invention;
and
[0022] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional assembled view of a supporting
structure according to another embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] In cooperation with attached drawings, the technical
contents and detailed description of the present invention are
described thereinafter according to a number of preferable
embodiments, not used to limit its executing scope. Any equivalent
variation and modification made according to appended claims is all
covered by the claims claimed by the present invention.
[0024] Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 respectively showing a
perspective explosive view and a perspective outer view of a
supporting structure of the invention. The invention is to provide
a supporting structure with height difference, including a first
corrugated piece 31 and a second corrugated piece 32.
[0025] According to a preferable embodiment of the invention, the
first corrugated piece 31 and the second corrugated piece 32 are
both shown as a wave configuration, but not limited to this only.
The first corrugated piece 31 has a plurality of first crest
sections 311 and a plurality of first trough sections 312, which
are respectively connected to each other by pair. The longitudinal
distance between the top of the first crest section 312 and the
bottom of the first trough section 312 is defined as a first
amplitude b.
[0026] The second corrugated piece 32 and the first corrugated
piece 31 are interconnected to each other. In this embodiment, the
second corrugated piece 32 is placed in the first corrugated piece
31. In other words, the first corrugated piece 31 is arranged a
through opening 313, in which the second corrugated piece 32 is
accommodated, however, not limited to this kind of configuration
only. In practice, the arrangement is considered according to the
position of the heating element (not shown in the figures). Namely,
the second corrugated piece 32 is arranged corresponding to the
heating element.
[0027] The second corrugated piece 32 has a plurality of second
crest sections 321 and a plurality of second trough sections 322,
which are respectively connected to each other by pair. The
longitudinal distance between the top of the second crest section
321 and the bottom of the second trough section 322 is defined as a
second amplitude c. In this case, the second amplitude c is larger
than the first amplitude b. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the
corrugated structure with two kinks of amplitudes can be formed by
constructing the first corrugated piece 31 and the second
corrugated piece 32 on a plate body or a piece body
simultaneously.
[0028] Please refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 respectively showing a
cross-sectional view along a "3-3" cross-sectional line in FIG. 2
and a locally enlarging view of "A" part in FIG. 3. From these
figures, we can clearly see that the second amplitude c of the
second corrugated piece 32 located at central part is substantially
larger than the first amplitude b of the first corrugated piece 31
surrounding the second corrugated piece 32. In addition, the wave
shapes of the first corrugated piece 31 and the second corrugated
piece 32 are all a sine wave, however, not limited to this kind of
configuration only. More specifically, the first corrugated piece
31 and the second corrugated piece 32 all include a sine wave
section and a horizontal section connected to the sine wave
section. Besides, the wave shapes of the first corrugated piece 31
and the second corrugated piece 32 can also be a trapezoid wave, a
triangular wave or a square wave, however, not limited to these
only.
[0029] Please refer to FIG. 5 through FIG. 7 separately showing a
perspective explosive view of a vapor chamber according to the
present invention, a cross-sectional view along a "6-6"
cross-sectional line in FIG. 5, and a locally enlarging view of "B"
part in FIG. 6. The invention is also to provide a vapor chamber 1
having a supporting structure 30 with height difference, including
a shell 10, a wick structure 20, a working fluid 40 and a
supporting structure 30 with height difference.
[0030] According to a preferable embodiment, the interior of the
shell 10 is formed as an accommodation space; the wick structure 20
is disposed over inner walls of the shell 10; and the working fluid
40 is filled into the shell 10.
[0031] Please refer to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 for detail. It can be seen
from these figures that the top and lower sides of the supporting
structure 30 with height difference are respectively abutted
against the wick structure 20. Since the second amplitude c is
larger, the second corrugated piece 32 at central part is abutted
by the shell to generate a small amount of elastic deformation,
while there is no elastic deformation generated at the surrounding
of the second corrugated piece 32, namely, at the first corrugated
piece 31. Therefore, the shell 10 corresponding to the position of
the second component 32 will have a stronger supporting force.
[0032] Please refer to FIG. 8 showing a cross-sectional view of a
vapor chamber according to the present invention when it is under
application. When the shell 10 contacts closely to a heating
element 60 with its second component 60, the shell 10 won't
generate any recessing phenomenon, because of the supporting force
of the second component 10, even when a force is applied to make
the shell 10 contacted closely with the heating element 60. In this
case, the thermally conductive efficiency is further promoted,
because the surface of the shell 10 can be more compactly contacted
with the heating element 60. In addition, in this embodiment, the
vapor chamber 1 is overlapped over the heating element 60; however,
this is not the only option, because the vapor chamber 1 can
contact closely to the heating element 60 from a lower position.
Moreover, in order to make the vapor chamber 1 and the heating
element 60 contacted to each other more tightly, a fastener (not
shown in the figure) is sometimes needed to supply pressure to the
both heating element 60 and vapor chamber 1.
[0033] Please further refer to FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 respectively
showing a cross-sectional explosive view and a cross-sectional
assembled view of a supporting structure according to another
embodiment of the present invention. Besides an integral formation,
the supporting structure 30 supplied by the invention can also be
made by an assembling manner. In so doing, the first corrugated
piece 31 is arranged a hole 314, while a pin 323, formed at one
side of the second corrugated piece 32, is insect into the hole
314, to thereby assemble the first corrugated piece 31 and the
second corrugated piece 32 together. In terms of machining
difficulty, this kind of manufacture is easier because, in an
integral formation, it has to calculate the deformation rate of
materials first and the mold's design is more difficult. During an
integral formation, after the first corrugated piece 31 is stamped
and the second corrugated piece 32 is going to be stamped, it has
to consider that the stamp of the second corrugated piece 32 won't
deform or damage the first corrugated piece 31, so it is more
difficult relatively. By contrast, in an assembling method, the
first corrugated piece 31 and the second corrugated piece 32 are
manufactured separately and then assembled, so its difficulty is
lower.
[0034] In addition, a ventilation hole d is separately arranged on
the first crest section 311, the first trough section 312, the
second crest section 321 and the second trough section 322. The
function of this ventilation hole d is to reduce the resistance,
when the working fluid 40 (shown in FIG. 6) is vaporized and
flowing upwardly, thereby, the thermally conductive efficiency
being increased.
[0035] Accordingly, through the constitution of aforementioned
assemblies, a supporting structure with height difference and a
vapor chamber having the supporting structure according to the
invention are thus obtained.
[0036] Summarizing aforementioned description, the supporting
structure with height difference according to the invention is an
indispensably design for a vapor chamber indeed, which may
positively reach the expected usage objective for solving the
drawbacks of the prior arts, and which extremely possesses the
innovation and progressiveness to completely fulfill the applying
merits of new type patent, according to which the invention is
thereby applied. Please examine the application carefully and grant
it as a formal patent for protecting the rights of the
inventor.
[0037] However, the aforementioned description is only a number of
preferable embodiments according to the present invention, not used
to limit the patent scope of the invention, so equivalently
structural variation made to the contents of the present invention,
for example, description and drawings, is all covered by the claims
claimed thereinafter.
* * * * *