U.S. patent application number 13/680085 was filed with the patent office on 2014-05-22 for structure of low-profile heat pipe.
The applicant listed for this patent is Chin-Hsing HORNG. Invention is credited to Chin-Hsing HORNG.
Application Number | 20140138057 13/680085 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50726805 |
Filed Date | 2014-05-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140138057 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HORNG; Chin-Hsing |
May 22, 2014 |
STRUCTURE OF LOW-PROFILE HEAT PIPE
Abstract
A structure of low-profile heat pipe includes a flat
heat-transfer pipe head and an elongated flat flow-guide pipe body
formed in integrity, a heat-transfer cover plate affixed to the
flat heat-transfer pipe head and the elongated flat flow-guide pipe
body, a cavity defined in between the flat heat-transfer pipe head
and elongated flat flow-guide pipe body and the heat-transfer cover
plate and holding a working fluid and defining a condensation side
at its one end remote from the flat heat-transfer pipe head and an
evaporation side at its other end within the flat heat-transfer
pipe head, and a wick structure surrounding and in communication
with the cavity.
Inventors: |
HORNG; Chin-Hsing; (KUEISHAN
HSIANG, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
HORNG; Chin-Hsing |
KUEISHAN HSIANG |
|
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
50726805 |
Appl. No.: |
13/680085 |
Filed: |
November 18, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/104.26 ;
165/104.21 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28D 15/046 20130101;
F28D 15/0233 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/104.26 ;
165/104.21 |
International
Class: |
F28D 15/04 20060101
F28D015/04; F28D 15/02 20060101 F28D015/02 |
Claims
1. A structure of low-profile heat pipe, comprising: a flat
heat-transfer pipe head; an elongated flat flow-guide pipe body
formed integral with and extended from one side of said flat
heat-transfer pipe head; an elongated recessed cavity located at a
top wall of said flat heat-transfer pipe head and a top wall of
said elongated flat flow-guide pipe body and extending along the
length of said elongated flat flow-guide pipe body, said elongated
recessed cavity defining a condensation side at one end thereof
remote from said flat heat-transfer pipe head and an evaporation
side at an opposite end thereof within said flat heat-transfer pipe
head; and a heat-transfer cover plate fixedly fastened to said flat
heat-transfer pipe head and said elongated flat flow-guide pipe
body to keep said elongated recessed cavity airtight.
2. The structure of low-profile heat pipe as claimed in claim 1,
further comprising an endless groove located at said flat
heat-transfer pipe head and said elongated flat flow-guide pipe
body in communication with and around said elongated recessed
cavity; said heat-transfer cover plate is press-fitted into said
endless groove and peripherally bonded to said flat heat-transfer
pipe head and said elongated flat flow-guide pipe body.
3. The structure of low-profile heat pipe as claimed in claim 1,
further comprising a wick structure sintered on said flat
heat-transfer pipe head and said elongated flat flow-guide pipe
body within said elongated recessed cavity and a bottom wall of
said heat-transfer cover plate corresponding to said elongated
recessed cavity.
4. The structure of low-profile heat pipe as claimed in claim 1,
further comprising a plurality of flow-guide grooves formed in said
elongated recessed cavity.
5. The structure of low-profile heat pipe as claimed in claim 1,
further comprising a working fluid sealed in said elongated
recessed cavity.
6. A structure of low-profile heat pipe, comprising: a flat base
member being a single piece member comprising an expanded head
portion, a narrow elongated body portion extended from a middle
part of one side of said expanded head portion and a peripheral
endless upright wall extending around said expanded head portion
and said narrow elongated body portion; a flat cover member fixedly
fastened to said flat base member; and an enclosed cavity defined
in between said flat base member and said flat cover member, said
enclosed cavity defining an evaporation side at one end thereof
within said expanded head portion of said base member and a
condensation side at an opposite end thereof within said narrow
elongated body portion of said flat base member and remote from
said expanded head portion.
7. The structure of low-profile heat pipe as claimed in claim 6,
wherein said flat base member further comprises an endless groove
located on an inner surface of said peripheral endless upright
wall; said flat cover member is press-fitted into said endless
groove and then fixedly fastened to said flat base member.
8. The structure of low-profile heat pipe as claimed in claim 6,
further comprising a wick structure sintered on said flat base
member and said flat cover member in communication with and around
said enclosed cavity.
9. The structure of low-profile heat pipe as claimed in claim 6,
further said flat base member further comprises a plurality of
flow-guide grooves formed in said enclosed cavity.
10. The structure of low-profile heat pipe as claimed in claim 6,
further comprising a working fluid sealed in said enclosed cavity.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to heat sink technology and
more particularly, to a structure of low-profile heat pipe that
simplifies the fabrication and enhances the heat dissipation
efficiency.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] A heat pipe design is known comprising a heat-transfer pipe
head and a heat pipe body. The heat-transfer pipe head defines
therein a recessed hole. The heat pipe body has its one end
embedded in the recessed hole of the heat-transfer pipe head.
During application of the heat sink, the heat-transfer pipe head is
attached to the surface of an electronic component to absorb waste
heat. When the heat-transfer pipe head absorbs heat energy from the
electronic component, it heats the heat pipe body, causing
vaporization of a fluid at one end of the heat pipe body and
release of heat energy at the other end of the heat pipe body by
condensation of the vapor. However, the heat pipe body and
heat-transfer pipe head of this design of heat pipe must be
separately made and then joined together. In consequence, the
fabrication of this design of heat pipe requires much labor and
time and can cause a defective product problem. Following the
market trend of the electronic industry toward a low profile
design, the vertical installation space in an electronic device for
heat pipe must be minimized. Further, it is the market trend to
create electronic products having a low profile. In consequence,
the vertical installation space in an electronic device for heat
pipe must be minimized. However, according to the aforesaid prior
art heat pipe design, the heat pipe body has its one end embedded
in the recessed hole of the heat-transfer pipe head. This design
does not allow significant reduction of the vertical thickness of
the heat pipe, restricting the range of applications. Further, if
the bonding tightness between the heat pipe body and the recessed
hole of the heat-transfer pipe head is insufficient, the heat
transfer efficiency will be affected, lowering the performance of
the heat pipe. Further, more of the working fluid cannot be
accommodated due to the limited volume of the heat pipe body,
resulting in poor cooling effect.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention has been accomplished under the
circumstances in view. It is one object of the present invention to
provide a structure of low-profile heat pipe, which simplifies the
fabrication, increases the yield, and enhances the heat dissipation
efficiency.
[0006] To achieve this and other objects of the present invention,
a low-profile heat pipe comprises a flat heat-transfer pipe head,
an elongated flat flow-guide pipe body formed integral with and
extended from one side of the flat heat-transfer pipe head, an
elongated recessed cavity located at the top wall of the flat
heat-transfer pipe head and the top wall of the elongated flat
flow-guide pipe body and extending along the length of the
elongated flat flow-guide pipe body and defining a condensation
side at its one end remote from the flat heat-transfer pipe head
and an evaporation side at its other end within the flat
heat-transfer pipe head, a heat-transfer cover plate fixedly
fastened to the flat heat-transfer pipe head and the elongated flat
flow-guide pipe body to keep the elongated recessed cavity
airtight, a plurality of flow-guide grooves formed in the elongated
recessed cavity, a working fluid sealed in the elongated recessed
cavity, and a wick structure sintered on the flat heat-transfer
pipe head and the elongated flat flow-guide pipe body within the
elongated recessed cavity and the bottom wall of the heat-transfer
cover plate corresponding to the elongated recessed cavity.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a structure of low-profile
heat pipe in accordance with a first embodiment of the present
invention.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line C-C of FIG.
1.
[0009] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the structure of low-profile
heat pipe in accordance with the first embodiment of the present
invention.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a schematic exploded view of the first embodiment
of the present invention, illustrating an application status of the
structure of low-profile heat pipe.
[0011] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a structure of low-profile
heat pipe in accordance with a second embodiment of the present
invention.
[0012] FIG. 6 is an elevational view, partially cutaway of a
structure of low-profile heat pipe in accordance with a third
embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line D-D of FIG.
6.
[0014] FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the structure of low-profile
heat pipe in accordance with the third embodiment of the present
invention.
[0015] FIG. 9 is a schematic drawing illustrating an application
status of the structure of low-profile heat pipe in accordance with
the third embodiment of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 10 is an exploded view of a structure of low-profile
heat pipe in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present
invention.
[0017] FIG. 11 is an exploded view of a structure of low-profile
heat pipe in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0018] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a structure of low-profile heat pipe
10 in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention
is shown. The structure of low-profile heat pipe 10 comprises a
flat heat-transfer pipe head 1, an elongated flat flow-guide pipe
body 2 formed integral with and extended from one side of the flat
heat-transfer pipe head 1, an elongated recessed cavity 3 located
at the top wall of the flat heat-transfer pipe head 1 and the top
wall of the elongated flat flow-guide pipe body 2 and extending
along the length of the elongated flat flow-guide pipe body 2, a
plurality of flow-guide grooves 6 formed in the elongated recessed
cavity 3, an endless groove 33 located at the flat heat-transfer
pipe head 1 and the elongated flat flow-guide pipe body 2 in
communication with and around the elongated recessed cavity 3, a
heat-transfer cover plate 4 press-fitted into the endless groove 33
and fixedly fastened to the flat heat-transfer pipe head 1 and the
elongated flat flow-guide pipe body 2 by welding to keep the
elongated recessed cavity 3 airtight, a wick structure 5 sintered
on the wall of the flat heat-transfer pipe head 1 and elongated
flat flow-guide pipe body 2 within the elongated recessed cavity 3
and the bottom wall of the heat-transfer cover plate 4
corresponding to the elongated recessed cavity 3, and a working
fluid 34 sealed in the elongated recessed cavity 3. Further, the
elongated recessed cavity 3 defines a condensation side 31 at its
one end remote from the flat heat-transfer pipe head 1 and an
evaporation side 32 at its other end within the flat heat-transfer
pipe head 1.
[0019] Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 3 again, during application of
the structure of low-profile heat pipe 10, attach the bottom wall
of the flat heat-transfer pipe head 1 to the surface of the
electronic component A to be cooled, and then attach a heat sink B
to the top wall of the heat-transfer cover plate 4 corresponding to
the condensation side 31 of the elongated recessed cavity 3. During
operation of the electronic component A, the flat heat-transfer
pipe head 1 absorbs heat energy from the electronic component A and
transfers absorbed heat energy to the working fluid 34 in the
evaporation side 32 of the elongated recessed cavity 3, causing
vaporization of the working fluid 34. The vapor condenses back into
a liquid at the condensation side 31 of the elongated recessed
cavity 3 and is absorbed by the wick structure 5, releasing the
latent heat. The working fluid 34 then returns to the evaporation
side 32 of the elongated recessed cavity 3, and evaporates at the
evaporation side 32 once more and repeats the cycle.
[0020] In the aforesaid first embodiment of the present invention,
as shown in FIG. 3, the condensation side 31 and evaporation side
32 of the elongated recessed cavity 3 are equal in width. In a
second embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5, the
evaporation side 32' of the elongated recessed cavity 3 has a
relatively larger width than the condensation side 31 for
accommodating a relatively larger amount of the working fluid 34 to
enhance the heat transfer efficiency of the structure of
low-profile heat pipe 10.
[0021] FIGS. 6-8 illustrate a structure of low-profile heat pipe 20
in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.
According to this embodiment, the structure of low-profile heat
pipe 20 comprises a flat base member 7 and a flat cover member 8.
The flat base member 7 is a single piece member comprising an
expanded head portion 71, a narrow elongated body portion 72
extended from a middle part of one side of the expanded head
portion 71, a peripheral endless upright wall 73 extending around
the expanded head portion 71 and the narrow elongated body portion
72, and an endless groove 74 located on the inner surface of the
peripheral endless upright wall 73. The flat cover member 8 is
press-fitted into the endless groove 74 and fixedly fastened to the
flat base member 7 by welding. Thus, an enclosed cavity 9 is
defined in between the flat base member 7 and the flat cover member
8. Further, a working fluid 93 is sealed in the enclosed cavity 9.
Further, the enclosed cavity 9 defines an evaporation side 91 at
its one end within the expanded head portion 71 of the flat base
member 7, and a condensation side 92 at its other end within the
narrow elongated body portion 72 of the flat base member 7 and
remote from the expanded head portion 71. Further, a plurality of
flow-guide grooves 6 are formed in the flat base member 7 within
the enclosed cavity 9, and a wick structure 5' is sintered on the
flat base member 7 and the flat cover member 8 in communication
with and around the enclosed cavity 9.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 9 and FIGS. 6-8 again, during application
of the structure of low-profile heat pipe 20, attach the bottom
wall of the expanded head portion 71 of the flat base member 7 to
the surface of the electronic component A to be cooled, and then
attach a heat sink B to the top wall of the heat-transfer cover
member 8 corresponding to the condensation side 92 of the enclosed
cavity 9. During operation of the electronic component A, the
expanded head portion 71 of the flat base member 7 absorbs heat
energy from the electronic component A and transfers absorbed heat
energy to the working fluid 93 in the evaporation side 91 of the
enclosed cavity 9, causing vaporization of the working fluid 93.
The vapor condenses back into a liquid at the condensation side 92
of the enclosed cavity 9 and is absorbed by the wick structure 5',
releasing the latent heat. The working fluid 93 then returns to the
evaporation side 91 of the enclosed cavity 9 through the wick
structure 5', and evaporates at the evaporation side 91 once more
and repeats the cycle.
[0023] FIG. 10 illustrates a structure of low-profile heat pipe in
accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention. This
fourth embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid third
embodiment with the exception that the flat base member 7 further
comprises a transition portion 75 connected between the expanded
head portion 71 and the narrow elongated body portion 72 and
reducing in width gradually from the expanded head portion 71
toward the narrow elongated body portion 72 to enhance flowability
of the working fluid 93.
[0024] FIG. 11 illustrates a structure of low-profile heat pipe in
accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention. This
fifth embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid fourth
embodiment with the exception that the width of the transition
portion, referenced by 76 is smoothly curved and reducing in
direction from the expanded head portion 71 toward the narrow
elongated body portion 72.
[0025] In conclusion, the invention provides a structure of
low-profile heat pipe 10;20 that has the advantages and features as
follows:
[0026] 1. When the flat heat-transfer pipe head 1 of the structure
of low-profile heat pipe 10 or the expanded head portion 71 of the
flat base member 7 absorbs heat energy from the electronic
component A, it directly transfers absorbed heat energy to the
working fluid 34;93, causing vaporization of the working fluid
34;93.
[0027] 2. The structure of low-profile heat pipe 10;20 can be
configured subject to user's or designer's demand, having the
characteristics of low thickness, ease of fabrication and low
manufacturing cost.
[0028] 3. The volume of the cavity 3;9 of the structure of
low-profile heat pipe 10;20 can be determined subject to the
designer's demand for accommodating a large amount of working fluid
34;93.
* * * * *