U.S. patent application number 14/054043 was filed with the patent office on 2015-04-16 for method of manufacturing ultra thin slab-shaped capillary structure for thermal conduction.
The applicant listed for this patent is Hao PAI. Invention is credited to Hao PAI.
Application Number | 20150101192 14/054043 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52808424 |
Filed Date | 2015-04-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150101192 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
PAI; Hao |
April 16, 2015 |
METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ULTRA THIN SLAB-SHAPED CAPILLARY STRUCTURE
FOR THERMAL CONDUCTION
Abstract
A method of manufacturing ultra thin slab-shaped capillary
structure for thermal conduction includes the steps of preparing a
slab-shaped capillary structure, forming narrow and long recessed
portions with an interval apart from each other on a surface of the
slab-shaped capillary structure by an extrusion method, and
arranging the recessed portion along the lengthwise direction of
the slab-shaped capillary structure, and installing the slab-shaped
capillary structure in a hollow plate-like housing, such that a
vapor channel is formed between each recessed portion of the
slab-shaped capillary structure and an inner wall of the plate-like
housing.
Inventors: |
PAI; Hao; (Taoyuan County,
TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
PAI; Hao |
Taoyuan County |
|
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
52808424 |
Appl. No.: |
14/054043 |
Filed: |
October 15, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
29/890.032 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28D 15/0233 20130101;
F28D 15/046 20130101; Y10T 29/49353 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
29/890.032 |
International
Class: |
F28D 15/04 20060101
F28D015/04 |
Claims
1. A method of manufacturing ultra thin slab-shaped capillary
structure for thermal conduction, comprising: (a) preparing a
slab-shaped capillary structure; (b) forming a plurality of narrow
and long recessed portions disposed with an interval apart from one
another on a surface of the slab-shaped capillary structure by an
extrusion method, and the recessed portions being arranged and
extended along a lengthwise direction of the slab-shaped capillary
structure; (c) installing the slab-shaped capillary structure of
the step (b) into a hollow plate-like housing, such that a vapor
channel is formed between each recessed portion of the slab-shaped
capillary structure and an inner wall of the plate-like
housing.
2. The method of manufacturing ultra thin slab-shaped capillary
structure for thermal conduction according to claim 1, wherein the
slab-shaped capillary structure of the step (a) is formed by a
knitted fabric, a fiber, a metal powder sintering, or a combination
thereof.
3. The method of manufacturing ultra thin slab-shaped capillary
structure for thermal conduction according to claim 1, wherein the
extrusion method of the step (b) extrudes the surface of the
slab-shaped capillary structure by a mold.
4. The method of manufacturing ultra thin slab-shaped capillary
structure for thermal conduction according to claim 3, wherein the
mold has an extruded surface opposite to the surface of the
slab-shaped capillary structure, and the extruded surface has a
plurality of narrow and long protrusions arranged with an interval
apart from one another, and a flat portion is provided for
separating each of the protrusions.
5. The method of manufacturing ultra thin slab-shaped capillary
structure for thermal conduction according to claim 4, wherein each
recessed portion of the slab-shaped capillary structure is extruded
into a V-shape, an arc shape, a rectangular shape or a trapezium
shape.
6. The method of manufacturing ultra thin slab-shaped capillary
structure for thermal conduction according to claim 5, wherein the
slab-shaped capillary structure has a partial hollow area punched
and formed thereon.
7. The method of manufacturing ultra thin slab-shaped capillary
structure for thermal conduction according to claim 5, wherein each
recessed portion of the slab-shaped capillary structure has a
penetrating hole punched and formed thereon.
8. The method of manufacturing ultra thin slab-shaped capillary
structure for thermal conduction according to claim 5, further
comprising a plurality of recesses extruded between the recessed
portions of the slab-shaped capillary structure.
9. The method of manufacturing ultra thin slab-shaped capillary
structure for thermal conduction according to claim 1, wherein the
plate-like housing of the step (c) is formed by engaging a lower
casing and an upper casing with each other vertically.
10. The method of manufacturing ultra thin slab-shaped capillary
structure for thermal conduction according to claim 9, wherein the
lower casing of the plate-like housing is extruded together with
the slab-shaped capillary structure in the step (b).
11. The method of manufacturing ultra thin slab-shaped capillary
structure for thermal conduction according to claim 1, wherein the
plate-like housing of the step (c) is formed by pressing a circular
hollow tubular member.
12. The method of manufacturing ultra thin slab-shaped capillary
structure for thermal conduction according to claim 1, wherein the
extruded slab-shaped capillary structure of the step (c) has a
thickness below 0.1 mm.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to the manufacturing process
of thin conductive components, and more particularly to a method of
manufacturing ultra thin slab-shaped capillary structures such as
vapor chambers and thin heat pipes for thermal conduction.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Since most of the present 3C electronic products come with a
light, thin, short and compact design, therefore a slim design of a
heat pipe for the heat dissipation or thermal conduction inside the
electronic products is required, and thus a ultra thin heat pipe
(with a thickness below 1.5 mm) is introduced.
[0003] Since the ultra thin heat pipe requires a thin thickness,
therefore a capillary structure in the heat pipe also requires a
thin thickness, or else a vapor channel with sufficient space
cannot be formed in the heat pipe. However, a too-thin capillary
structure cannot be filled into the gap between a mandrel and a
heat pipe wall, since the gap is relatively smaller. When a metal
powder is filled, a relatively larger resistance is produced, so
that the manufacture cannot be performed. Therefore, the powder
capillary structure can be formed only in some positions of the
conventional ultra thin heat pipe and the structure is not thin, so
that the powder capillary structure cannot be filled up easily in
the cross-section of the conventional ultra thin heat pipe, and the
capillary structure fails to provide good evaporating and
condensing surfaces and sectional transmission surface while having
a sufficient vapor channel, and the weak internal support structure
may cause a depression of the heat pipe easily and result in a
large thermal contact resistance, and thus failing to improve the
thermal conduction efficiency.
[0004] In view of the aforementioned shortcomings, the inventor of
the present invention based on years of experience in the related
industry to conduct extensive researches and experiments to provide
a feasible design to overcome the aforementioned shortcomings of
the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Therefore, it is a primary objective of the present
invention to provide a method of manufacturing ultra thin
slab-shaped capillary structure for thermal conduction, and the
thin slab-shaped capillary structure comprises a plurality of
recessed portions extruded thereon and disposed in a hollow
plate-like housing to form a vapor channel in order to have
sufficient spaces for heat exchange by evaporation and condensation
as well as the maximum capillary surface area and sectional
transmission surface, and an internal support structure with better
strength to prevent the heat pipe from being depressed or reducing
the thermal contact resistance, so that the thermal conduction
effect still can be achieved by the ultra thin heat pipe.
[0006] To achieve the aforementioned objective, the present
invention provides a method of manufacturing ultra thin slab-shaped
capillary structure for thermal conduction, and the method
comprises the following steps:
[0007] (a) Prepare a slab-shaped capillary structure.
[0008] (b) Form a plurality of narrow and long recessed portions
disposed with an interval apart from one another and formed on a
surface of the slab-shaped capillary structure by an extrusion
method, wherein the recessed portions are extended along the
lengthwise direction of the slab-shaped capillary structure.
[0009] (c) Install the slab-shaped capillary structure as described
in the step (b) in a hollow plate-like housing, so that a vapor
channel is formed between each recessed portion of the slab-shaped
capillary structure and an inner wall of the plate-like
housing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a method of manufacturing the
present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the present invention before
extrusion is applied;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the present invention after
extrusion is applied;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of an extruded
capillary structure of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a capillary structure
installed in a plate-like housing of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a capillary structure
installed in a plate-like housing of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a capillary structure
installed in a plate-like housing of another mode of the present
invention;
[0017] FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a capillary structure in
accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0018] FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a capillary structure in
accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0019] FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a capillary structure in
accordance with a fourth preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0020] FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view of a capillary
structure in accordance with a fifth preferred embodiment of the
present invention; and
[0021] FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view of a capillary
structure in accordance with a sixth preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0022] The technical contents of the present invention will become
apparent with the detailed description of preferred embodiments
accompanied with the illustration of related drawings as follows.
It is noteworthy that the drawings are provided for the purpose of
illustrating the present invention, but not intended for limiting
the scope of the invention.
[0023] With reference to FIG. 1 for a flow chart of a method of
manufacturing ultra thin slab-shaped capillary structure for
thermal conduction, the method comprises the following steps:
[0024] S1: (Refer to FIG. 2 as well as FIG. 1 for this step)
Prepare a slab-shaped capillary structure 1, wherein the
slab-shaped capillary structure 1 is one formed by a knitted
fabric, a fiber, a metal powder sintering or any combination of the
above, so as to form a thin slab-shaped member.
[0025] S2: (Refer to FIGS. 2 and 3 as well as FIG. 1): Form a
plurality of narrow and long recessed portions 100 with an interval
apart from one another on a surface 10 of the slab-shaped capillary
structure 1 by an extrusion method, wherein the intervals can be
equidistant or not equidistant, and the recessed portions 100 are
extended and arranged along the lengthwise direction of the
slab-shaped capillary structure 1 as shown in FIG. 4. In a
preferred embodiment of the present invention, a mold 3 is used for
extruding the surface 10 of the slab-shaped capillary structure 1
in the extrusion method, and the other surface of the slab-shaped
capillary structure 1 is set on a workbench 31, and the extrusion
by the mold 3 forms each recessed portion 100 on the surface 10 of
the slab-shaped capillary structure 1, wherein the mold 3 has an
extruded surface 30 opposite to the surface 10 of the slab-shaped
capillary structure 1, and the extruded surface 30 has a plurality
of narrow and long protrusions 300 disposed with an interval apart
from one another, and each protrusion 300 is separated by a flat
portion 301, such that the mold 3 can form a plurality of recessed
portions 100 with an interval apart from each other on the extruded
surface 30 opposite to a surface 10 of the slab-shaped capillary
structure 1. In addition, the extruded slab-shaped capillary
structure 1 has a thickness below 0.1 mm, and each recessed portion
100 is in an arc shape.
[0026] S3 (Refer to FIG. 5 together with FIG. 1): Finally, install
the slab-shaped capillary structure 1 of the step S2 into a hollow
plate-like housing 2, so that a vapor channel 12 can be formed
between of each recessed portion 100 of the slab-shaped capillary
structure 1 and an inner wall of the plate-like housing 2 as shown
in FIG. 6. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
plate-like housing 2 is formed by engaging a lower casing 20 and a
upper casing 21 vertically, such that the plate-like housing 2 is
hollow and capable of receiving the slab-shaped capillary structure
1, and the lower casing 20 has an inner wall 200, and the upper
casing 21 also has an inner wall 210, and the other surface 11 of
the slab-shaped capillary structure 1 is attached flatly onto the
inner wall 200 of the lower casing 20, and the surface 10 abuts the
inner wall 210 of the upper casing 21, so that the vapor channel 12
is formed between each recessed portion 100 of the slab-shaped
capillary structure 1 and the inner wall 210 of the upper casing 21
to provide sufficient space for heat exchange and thermal
conduction. It is noteworthy that the slab-shaped capillary
structure 1 of the step S1 together with the lower casing 20 of the
plate-like housing 2 are set on a workbench 31, and then the lower
casing 20 and the upper casing 21 are combined to complete
assembling the slab-shaped capillary structure 1 of Step 3 and the
plate-like housing 2 after the step S2 is completed.
[0027] With reference to FIG. 7 for another preferred embodiment of
the present invention, the plate-like housing 2 can also be in a
circular hollow tubular shape formed by pressing and provided for
receiving the slab-shaped capillary structure 1. In FIGS. 8 to 10,
each recessed portion 100 of the slab-shaped capillary structure 1
can be in a V-shape, a rectangular shape, or a trapezium shape, and
its cross-sectional shape can be increased or decreased gradually
along the lengthwise direction of the slab-shaped capillary
structure 1.
[0028] In FIG. 11, a penetrating hole 101 is punched and formed on
each recessed portion 100 of slab-shaped capillary structure 1, or
a partial hollow area 102 is punched and formed on the slab-shaped
capillary structure 1, and the hollow area 102 acts as a low flow
resistance area for expanding the vapor channel 12 formed in the
plate-like housing 2 of the slab-shaped capillary structure 1, so
that the occupied area can be determined according to actual needs.
Each penetrating hole 101 is conducive to the thermal conduction
effect. In FIG. 12, a plurality of recesses 103 can be extruded
between each of the recessed portions 100 to provide a mutual
transmission between adjacent vapor channels 12.
[0029] In summation of the description above, the present invention
achieves the expected objectives and overcomes the drawbacks of the
prior art, and the invention complies with patent application
requirements, and is thud duly filed for patent application.
[0030] While the invention has been described by means of specific
embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made
thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the
scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.
* * * * *