HEAT-DISSIPATING DEVICE

A heat-dissipating device includes a base and a heat pipe. One side of the base is provided with an accommodating trough for accommodating the heat pipe. The heat pipe has a first heat-absorbing section, a second heat-absorbing section, a third heat-absorbing section provided between the first heat-absorbing section and the second heat-absorbing section, a first heat transfer section, and a second heat transfer section. The first, second and third heat-absorbing sections conduct the heat to the first and second heat transfer sections, and thus the heat-dissipating effect of the present invention is improved greatly.

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Description

This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan patent application number 100149716 filed on Dec. 30, 2011.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a heat-dissipating device, and in particular to a heat-dissipating which has an improved heat transfer efficiency and overcomes the problem of prior art that the heat transfer efficiency at inactive ends of the conventional heat pipe is poor.

2. Description of Prior Art

As a heat sink for dissipating the heat generated by an electronic element (such as CPU or other processing unit), a base is used as a heat-conducting part brought into thermal contact with the electronic element. When the base is brought into thermal contact with the electronic element, however, only a central region of the bottom surface of the base is brought into thermal contact with the electronic element, so that the heat transfer capacity of the base is limited. As a result, the heat generated by the electronic element cannot be transferred from the central region of the base to the whole base rapidly, which makes the heat transfer efficiency of the base undesirably low. Thus, those skilled in this industry try to propose a heat sink capable of overcoming the above problem in the conventional base.

Please refer to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C. The conventional heat sink 1 comprises a base 10 and a plurality of heat pipes 12. The base 10 has an accommodating trough 101 and a hole 102. The accommodating trough 101 is provided on one side of the base 10 for allowing the heat pipe 12 to be received therein. The hole 102 is provided on the other side of the base 10 in communication with the accommodating trough 101. The hole 102 is configured to allow a heat-generating element 14 (such as a central processing unit, a graphic chip, a south/north bridge chip or other chips capable of performing operations) to be received therein, so that the heat-generating element 14 can be adhered to the heat pipe 12.

The first heat pipe 121 is received in the central region of the base 10. A middle section 1211 of the first heat pipe 121 faces the hole 102. Both ends 1213 of the first heat pipe 121 extend toward two opposite side edges of the base 10 respectively. A middle section 1221 of the second heat pipe 122 and a middle section 1231 of the third heat pipe 123 are provided adjacent to both sides of the first heat pipe 121 to face the hole 102 respectively. Both ends 1223 of the second heat pipe 122 and both ends 1233 of the third heat pipe 123 extend toward two other opposite side edges of the base 10.

When the heat-generating element 14 generates heat, the middle sections 1211, 1221, 1231 of the first, second, third heat pipe 121, 122, 123 absorb the heat and conduct the heat to both ends 1213, 1223, 1233 of the first, second and third heat pipe 121, 122, 123. In this way, the heat can be conducted to the edge of the base 10 uniformly, and the heat transfer efficiency of the heat sink is good.

Although both ends 1213, 1223, 1233 of the heat pipes 12 are configured to increase the heat transfer efficiency of the heat pipe 12, the heat-dissipating effect of the heat sink 1 is insufficient. This is because both ends 1212, 1223, 1233 of the first, second, third heat pipes 121, 122, 123 are the portions with the worst heat transfer efficiency. Further, a portion of working fluid in the heat pipes 12 is prone to stay in both ends 1213, 1223, 1233 to become inactive ends. As a result, in practice, the heat cannot be conducted to the side edges of the base 10, which deteriorates the heat transfer efficiency. Thus, the heat-dissipating efficiency of the heat sink is poor.

According to the above, the conventional heat sink has the following problems:

(I) the ends of the conventional heat pipe become inactive ends; and

(II) the heat transfer efficiency is insufficient.

Therefore, it is an important issue for the present Inventor to solve the problems and drawbacks in prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to solve the above problems, an objective of the present invention is to provide a heat-dissipating device which has improved heat transfer efficiency (or heat-conducting efficiency) and overcomes the problem that the heat transfer effect at inactive ends of the heat pipe is poor.

In order to achieve the above objective, the present invention is to provide a heat-dissipating device including a base and a heat pipe. The base has an accommodating trough. The accommodating trough is provided on one side of the base. The heat pipe is received in the accommodating trough. The heat pipe has a first heat-absorbing section, a second heat-absorbing section, a third heat-absorbing section, a first heat transfer section and a second heat transfer section. The third heat-absorbing section is provided between the first heat-absorbing section and a second heat-absorbing section. The first heat transfer section is bent outwardly from one end of the first heat-absorbing section and extends to one end of the third heat-absorbing section adjacent to the other end of the first heat-absorbing section. The second heat transfer section is bent outwardly from the other end of the third heat-absorbing section and extends to one end of the second heat-absorbing section adjacent to one end of the third heat-absorbing section. Thus, by this arrangement, the heat-dissipating device of the present invention has improved heat transfer efficiency and overcomes the problem that the heat transfer effect at inactive ends of the heat pipe is poor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is an exploded perspective view of prior art;

FIG. 1B is another exploded perspective view of prior art;

FIG. 1C is an assembled perspective view of prior art;

FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view showing a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an assembled perspective view showing a second preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the second preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an assembled perspective view showing a third preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the third preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an assembled perspective view showing a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is an assembled perspective view showing a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view showing the fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is an assembled perspective view showing a sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view showing the sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14A is an assembled perspective view showing a seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14B is a partially cross-sectional perspective view showing the seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view showing the seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The above objectives and structural and functional features of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to preferred embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings

The present invention is directed to a heat-dissipating device. Please refer to FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view showing the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The heat-dissipating device 2 includes a base 21 and a heat pipe 23. The base 21 has an accommodating trough 210. The accommodating trough 210 is provided on one side of the base 21 with a shape corresponding to that of the heat pipe 23. The way of providing the heat pipe 23 in the accommodating trough 210 is achieved by any one of tight-fitting, welding, wedging and gluing.

The heat pipe 23 is received in the accommodating trough 210. The heat pipe 23 has a first heat-absorbing section 2311, a second heat-absorbing section 2312, a third heat-absorbing section 2313, a first heat transfer section 2321, and a second heat transfer section 2322. The third heat-absorbing section 2313 is provided between the first heat-absorbing section 2311 and the second heat-absorbing section 2312. The first heat transfer section 2321 and the second heat transfer section 2322 are bent to be located outside the first heat-absorbing section 2311 and the second heat-absorbing section 2312 respectively. That is, the first heat transfer section 2321 is bent outwardly from one end of the first heat-absorbing section 2311 and extends to one end of the third heat-absorbing section 2313 adjacent to the other end of the first heat-absorbing section 2311. The second heat transfer section 2322 is bent outwardly from the other end of the third heat-absorbing section 2313 and extends to one end of the second heat-absorbing section 2312 adjacent to one end of the third heat-absorbing section 2313. By this arrangement, the heat pipe 23 is configured to have a “8” shape or “S” shape as shown in FIG. 2. In other words, the first heat-absorbing section 2311, the second heat-absorbing section 2312, the third heat-absorbing section 2313, the first heat transfer section 2321, and the second heat transfer section 2322 together form the heat pipe 23.

Please refer to FIG. 3. The first heat-absorbing section 2311, the second heat-absorbing section 2312, and the heat-absorbing section 2313 together define the heat-absorbing portion 231. The first heat transfer section 2321 and the second heat-absorbing section 2322 together define a heat transfer portion 232. One side of the heat-absorbing portion 231 opposite to the accommodating trough 210 is adhered to a heat-generating element 3 (such as a central processor, a graphic chip, a south/north bridge chip or other processing chips) for absorbing the heat generated by the heat-generating element 3 and conducting the heat to the heat transfer portion 232. In this way, the heat can be spread to the whole base 21 uniformly and rapidly. Thus, the heat transfer efficiency is increased, and the problem that the heat transfer efficiency at inactive ends of the heat pipe 23 is poor can be overcome.

Since the base 21 and the heat pipe 23 are combined with each other to form one body, the heat-dissipating device 2 of the present invention has an improved heat-dissipating effect and overcomes the problem that the heat transfer efficiency at the inactive ends of the heat pipe 23 is poor.

Please refer to FIGS. 4 and 5, which are an assembled perspective view and an exploded perspective view of the second embodiment of the present invention respectively. The structural relationship and connection of the second embodiment are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment, so that the redundant description is omitted for simplicity. The difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment lies in that: the other side of the base 21 is connected to a heat-dissipating unit 5. In the present embodiment, the heat-dissipating unit 5 is embedded as a heat-dissipating fin set, but it is not limited thereto. Alternatively, a plurality of heat-dissipating fins is used to form a heat sink. Further, the base 21 is combined with a fan (not shown) alone, or the combination of the base 21 and the heat-dissipating unit 5 is combined with a fan, thereby increasing the heat-dissipating effect.

The way of connecting the other side of the base 21 to the heat-dissipating unit 5 may be achieved by any one of tight-fitting, welding, wedging and gluing.

Thus, the heat conducted to the base 21 from the heat pipe 23 can be dissipated to the outside rapidly via the heat-dissipating fin set, thereby achieving an excellent heat-dissipating effect.

Please refer to FIGS. 6 and 7, which are an assembled perspective view and an exploded perspective view of the third embodiment of the present invention respectively. The structural relationship and connection of the third embodiment are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment, so that the redundant description is omitted for simplicity. The difference between the third embodiment and the first embodiment lies in that: the base 21 is provided with a hole 211. The hole 211 is provided on the other side of the base 21. That is, the hole 211 is formed at the center of the other side of the base 21 and in communication with the accommodating trough 210.

Further, in the first embodiment, one side of the heat-absorbing portion 231 opposite to the accommodating trough 210 is adhered to the heat-generating element 3 directly. However, in the third embodiment, one side of the heat-absorbing portion 231 opposite to the accommodating trough 210 is connected to a heat-dissipating unit 5, and the side of the heat-absorbing portion 231 adjacent to the accommodating trough 210 is used to absorb the heat. As shown in FIG. 7, a heat-conducting piece 4 is received in the hole 211. The heat-conducting piece 4 is made of metallic piece and has excellent heat-absorbing and heat-conducting effects.

Moreover, one side of the heat-conducting piece 4 is adhered to one side of the heat-absorbing portion 231 (i.e. one side of the heat-absorbing portion 231 adjacent to the accommodating trough 210). The other side of the heat-conducting piece 4 is in flush with the other side of the base 21 and adhered to the heat-generating element 3 for conducting the heat from the heat-generating element 3 to the heat-absorbing portion 231 of the heat pipe 23. Then, the heat-absorbing portion 231 conducts the heat to the heat transfer portion 232 to thereby spread the heat on the whole base 21 uniformly and rapidly. Thereafter, the heat-dissipating unit 5 dissipates the heat from the base 21 and the heat pipe 23 to the outside rapidly, thereby improving the heat-dissipating effect of the heat-dissipating device greatly.

One side of the base 21 is connected to one side of the heat-dissipating unit 5 by means of welding, gluing or wedging. The heat-absorbing portion 231 and the heat transfer portion 232 of the heat pipe 23 are adhered to one side of the heat-dissipating unit 5. The heat-dissipating unit 5 is a heat sink or heat-dissipating fin set constituted of a plurality of heat-dissipating fins. Further, the base 21 is combined with a fan (not shown) alone, or the combination of the base 21 and the heat-dissipating unit 5 is combined with a fan, thereby increasing the heat-dissipating effect.

Please refer to FIGS. 8 and 9, which are an assembled perspective view and an exploded perspective view of the fourth embodiment of the present invention respectively. The structural relationship and connection of the fourth embodiment are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment, so that the redundant description is omitted for simplicity. The difference between the fourth embodiment and the first embodiment are as follows. In the first embodiment one side of the heat-absorbing portion 231 opposite to the accommodating trough 210 is adhered to the heat-generating element 3 directly. In the fourth embodiment, one side of the heat-absorbing portion 231 opposite to the accommodating trough 210 is connected to a heat-dissipating unit 5, and the accommodating trough 210 is a through trough in communication with the base 21.

The accommodating trough 210 is a through trough from one side of the base 21 to the other side of the base 21. The heat pipe 23 is tightly fitted in the accommodating trough 210. One side and the other side of the heat pipe 23 are in flush with one side and the other side of the base 21 respectively. One side of the heat-absorbing portion 231 adjacent to the accommodating trough 210 is adhered to the heat-generating element 3. Then, the heat-absorbing portion 231 of the heat pipe 23 transfers the heat of the heat-generating element 3 to the heat transfer portion 232 to thereby spread the heat on the whole base 21 uniformly and rapidly. Thereafter, the heat-dissipating unit 5 dissipates the heat from the base 21 and the heat pipe 23 to the outside rapidly, thereby improving the heat-dissipating effect of the heat-dissipating device greatly.

Please refer to FIGS. 10 and 11, which are an assembled perspective view and an exploded perspective view of the fifth embodiment of the present invention respectively. The structural relationship and connection of the fifth embodiment are substantially the same as those of the third embodiment. The difference between the fifth embodiment and the third embodiment are as follows. According to the present embodiment, the heat-dissipating unit 5 shown in the third embodiment is modified as a cover 27. That is, one side of the base 21 is connected to a cover 27. The cover 27 is provided with a first side 271 and a second side 272 opposite to the first side 271. The first side 271 is adhered to one side of the base 21 for closing the heat pipe 23.

In practice, according to the installation space and the demand for heat-dissipating or heat-conducting effect, a user can make the second side 272 of the cover 27 to be adhered to the heat-dissipating unit (such as a heat sink not shown in the figure) or a heat-conducting pipe (not shown). In this way, the heat absorbed by the cover 27 can be dissipated to the outside or conducted to a remote place to thereby achieve an excellent heat-dissipating effect.

Please refer to FIGS. 12 and 13, which are an assembled perspective view and an exploded perspective view of the sixth embodiment of the present invention respectively. The structural relationship and connection of the sixth embodiment are substantially the same as those of the fifth embodiment, and thus the redundant description is omitted herein for simplicity. The difference between the sixth embodiment and the fifth embodiment are as follows. The cover 27 is provided with a plurality of heat-dissipating fins 274. The heat-dissipating fins 274 extend axially from the second side 272 of the cover 27 for dissipating the heat of the cover 27 coming from the heat pipe 23 to the outside rapidly. Further, a fan (not shown) may be assembled to the heat-dissipating fins 274 to improve the heat-dissipating effect greatly.

In addition to transfer the heat along a horizontal direction of the base 21, the heat pipe 23 can also transfer the heat in a vertical directions of the base 21 toward the cover 27. In this way, the heat transferred to the cover 27 can be dissipated to the outside rapidly via the heat-dissipating fins 274, thereby increasing the heat-dissipating effect greatly.

Please refer to FIGS. 14A, 14B and 15, which are an assembled perspective view, a partially cross-sectional view, and an exploded perspective view of the seventh embodiment of the present invention respectively. The structural relationship and connection of the seventh embodiment are substantially the same as those of the sixth embodiment. The difference between the seventh embodiment and the sixth embodiment are as follows. In the present embodiment, one side of the heat pipe 23 is planar, and the other side of the heat pipe 23 is non-planar. Further, the accommodating trough 210 has a closed side 2102 with a shape corresponding to the shape of the non-planar side. As shown in FIG. 15, the accommodating trough 210 is provided with an open side 2101 and a closed side 2102 opposite to the open side 2101. The open side 2101 and the closed side 2102 together define the accommodating trough 210. The heat-absorbing portion 231 of the heat pipe 23 has a first side surface 2315 and a second side surface 2316 opposite to the first side surface 2315.

The heat transfer portion 232 has a third side surface 2324 and a fourth side surface 2325 opposite to the third side surface 2324. The first side surface 2315 and the third side surface 2324 are located on the planar side of the heat pipe 23. The first side surface 2315 is adhered to the heat-generating element 3 directly. The second side surface 2316 and the fourth side surface 2325 are provided on the non-planar side of the heat pipe 23. In the present embodiment, the second side surface 2316 and the fourth side surface 2325 are adhered to the closed side 2102 to form a heat pipe with a D-shaped cross section.

In practice, according to the user's demand, the none-planar side (i.e. the second side surface 2316 and the fourth side surface 2325) of the heat pipe 23 may be configured to have a D-shaped, semi-curved, or rectangular cross section, and then the shape of the closed side 2102 of the accommodating trough 210 is adjusted accordingly. In other words, the shape of the closed side 2102 corresponds to the shape of the combination of the second side surface 2316 and the fourth side surface 2325.

According to the above, the present invention has the following advantageous features:

(I) it has an improved heat transfer efficiency;

(II) the problem that the heat transfer effect at inactive ends of the heat pipe is poor is overcome; and

(III) it has an improved heat-dissipating effect.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the foregoing preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details thereof. Various equivalent variations and modifications can still occur to those skilled in this art in view of the teachings of the present invention. Thus, all such variations and equivalent modifications are also embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A heat-dissipating device, including:

a base having an accommodating trough, the accommodating trough being provided on one side of the base; and
a heat pipe received in the accommodating trough, the heat pipe having a first heat-absorbing section, a second heat-absorbing section, a third heat-absorbing section, a first heat transfer section, and a second heat transfer section, the third heat-absorbing section being provided between the first heat-absorbing section and the second heat-absorbing section, the first heat transfer section being bent outwardly from one end of the first heat-absorbing section and extending to one end of the third heat-absorbing section adjacent to the other end of the first heat-absorbing section, the second heat transfer section being bent outwardly from the other end of the third heat-absorbing section and extending to one end of the second heat-absorbing section adjacent to one end of the third heat-absorbing section.

2. The heat-dissipating device according to claim 1, wherein the first heat-absorbing section, the second heat-absorbing section and the third heat-absorbing section together define a heat-absorbing portion, the first heat transfer section and the second heat transfer section define a heat transfer portion.

3. The heat-dissipating device according to claim 2, wherein the base is further provided with a hole, the hole is provided on the other side of the base and in communication with the accommodating trough.

4. The heat-dissipating device according to claim 3, wherein a heat-conducting piece is received in the hole, one side of the heat-conducting piece is adhered to one side of the heat-absorbing portion, the other side of the heat-conducting piece is adhered to a heat-generating element.

5. The heat-dissipating device according to claim 2 wherein the accommodating trough is a through trough from one side of the base to the other side of the base, one side and the other side of the heat pipe are in flush with one side and the other side of the base respectively.

6. The heat-dissipating device according to claim 2, wherein the base is connected to a cover, the cover is provided with a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, the first side is adhered to one side of the base to close the heat pipe.

7. The heat-dissipating device according to claim 6, wherein the cover is provided with a plurality of heat-dissipating fins extending axially from the second side.

8. The heat-dissipating device according to claim 4, wherein one side of the base is connected to a heat-dissipating unit, the heat-dissipating unit is a heat sink or heat-dissipating fin set having a plurality of heat-dissipating fins.

9. The heat-dissipating device according to claim 2, wherein the other side of the base is connected to a heat-dissipating unit, the heat-dissipating unit is a heat sink or heat-dissipating fin set having a plurality of heat-dissipating fins.

10. The heat-dissipating device according to claim 5, wherein the other side of the base is connected to a heat-dissipating unit, the heat-dissipating unit is a heat sink or heat-dissipating fin set having a plurality of heat-dissipating fins.

11. The heat-dissipating device according to claim 1, wherein the first heat-absorbing section, the second heat-absorbing section, the third heat-absorbing section, the first heat transfer section, and the second heat transfer section together form the heat pipe.

12. The heat-dissipating device according to claim 2, wherein the accommodating trough is provided with an open side and a closed side, the open side and the closed side together define the accommodating trough.

13. The heat-dissipating device according to claim 11, wherein the heat-absorbing portion has a first side surface and a second side surface, the heat transfer portion has a third side surface and a fourth side surface opposite to the third side surface, the second side surface and the fourth side surface are adhered to the closed side.

14. The heat-dissipating device according to claim 12, wherein the second side surface and the fourth side surface enclose a D-shaped cross section, the shape of the closed side corresponds to the shape of the combination of the second side surface and the fourth side surface.

15. The heat-dissipating device according to claim 1, wherein the heat pipe is formed into a “8” shape or “S” shape.

16. The heat-dissipating device according to claim 1, wherein the shape of the accommodating trough corresponds to the shape of the heat pipe.

17. The heat-dissipating device according to claim 1, wherein the heat pipe is received in the accommodating trough by any one of tight-fitting, welding, wedging and gluing.

Patent History
Publication number: 20130168056
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 1, 2012
Publication Date: Jul 4, 2013
Applicant: ASIA VITAL COMPONENTS CO., LTD. (New Taipei City)
Inventor: Chun-Ming Wu (New Taipei City)
Application Number: 13/409,110
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Utilizing Capillary Attraction (165/104.26)
International Classification: F28D 15/04 (20060101);