HEAT PIPE STRUCTURE
A heat pipe structure includes a hollow tube body and a plurality of capillary structures. A first region and a second region are defined in the hollow tube body. The capillary structure is disposed on the first region. A diameter of the second region is larger than a diameter of the first region.
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This application claims priority to Taiwan Application Serial Number 102110680, filed Mar. 26, 2013, the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a heat pipe structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
The body of the heat pipe is usually made of copper, and the working fluid of the heat pipe is usually water. When one end of the heat pipe is in a higher temperature and the other end of the heat pipe is in a lower temperature, the working fluid adsorbed by a capillary structure at higher temperature evaporates. The evaporated air is gathered in the pipe, and the fluid flows to the part of the heat pipe in lower temperature because of the pressure. When the gaseous fluid flows to the part in lower temperature, the gaseous fluid is condensed to the liquid fluid, and it is adsorbed by the capillary structure at the lower temperature part. Then, the liquid fluid flows back to the part with higher temperature from the part of the capillary structure with lower temperature by the capillarity. The working fluid is changed between the gaseous state and the liquid state circularly to conduct the heat, which is a principle of the heat transfer in the heat pipe.
However, the capillary structure of the heat pipe usually enclosed inside the heat pipe. The sectional shape of the heat pipe is rectangle or oval. Since the space for the air to flow in the body is narrow and resulting a large resistance of the air flow, the efficiency of the heat transfer is low. Furthermore, the outer surface of a conventional heat pipe contacts the casing of an electronic device, and the heat would conduct to the casing via the outer surface of the heat pipe, which resulting a high temperature of the easing of an electronic device.
Additionally, the space inside the body of the heat pipe that surrounded by the capillary structure is saved for the air to flow through, therefore, the strength of the body of the heat pipe is difficult to improve, and it easily deforms when an external force applied, in the production of heat pipes, the saved space for the air flow affects the yield of the heat pipe, and the yield of the heat pipe is difficult to control which is just about 60% at present. Moreover, the conventional heat pipe is no function in guiding the airflow when cooperating with a cooling fin and a fan.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA heat pipe structure is provided.
The heat pipe structure includes a hollow tube body and a plurality of capillary structures. A first region and a second region are defined. The capillary structure is disposed on the inner wall of the first region. The diameter of the second region is larger than that of the first region.
The capillary structure is disposed in part of the inner wall of the hollow tube body, therefore the hollow tube body is not fulfilled by the capillary structure. To produce the heat pipe structure of the present disclosure, a mold applies to the heat pipe body via a pressure to form a second region and a first region. The inner wall of the second region of the hollow tube body disposes no capillary structure while the inner wall of the first region of the hollow tube body disposes with the capillary structure. Thus, the second region of the hollow tube body forms a channel for the air to flow through, and the efficiency of dissipating the heat is enhanced. Additionally; the first region of the body is disposed with the capillary structure, thus the strength of the heat pipe structure is improved, and the yield of the heat pipe structure is easy to be managed. When the heat pipe structure is pressed by the external force, it is not easily deformed and damaged.
When the casing of the electronic device contacts part of the heat pipe structure, the first region is not contact the casing of the electronic device, thus the heat would not accumulate on the casing of the electronic device, and the user feels more comfortable. Further, when the heat pipe structure is used cooperating with the fan, the second region of the heat pipe forms a channel to guide the airflow, which enhance heat dissipating efficiency.
In this embodiment, the capillary structure 130 contacts the first surface 117 and the second surface 119 of the hollow tube body 110. The capillary structure 130 may be one or a combination of metal sinters, micro grooves, fibers, mental nets, or any other heat conduction elements, which is not limited herein.
Furthermore, the second region 113 of the hollow tube body 110 is divided into two subspaces 114 and 116, the subspace 114 has a diameter H1, and the subspace 116 has a diameter H2. In this embodiment, the diameter H1 of the subspace 114 is same to the diameter H2 of the subspace 116. The diameter of the second region 113 (that is the diameter H1 and H2) is larger than a diameter H3 of the first region 111. The diameter of the capillary structure 130 is approximately same to the diameter 113 of the first region 111, and thus the diameter H1 and H2 of the subspaces 114 and 116 are all larger than the diameter of the capillary structure 130, respectively. The term “approximately” above means that it allows an error in manufacturing.
The working fluid 120 may be water, which is not limited herein. The liquid working fluid 120 (such as the liquid water) can be absorbed and transmitted by the capillary structure 130, and the gaseous working fluid 120 (such as the water vapor) can flow in the subspaces 114 and 116. Moreover, the accommodating space 112 in the hollow tube body 110 is vacuumized, and the pressure is less than 1 standard atmospheric pressure, and thus the boiling point of the working fluid 120 is reduced.
Since the capillary structure 130 is in the first region 111 and only disposed on the inner wall of the first region 111, the hollow tube body 110 is not fulfilled by the capillary structure 130. The second region of the hollow tube body 110 has enough space (such as the subspace 114 and 116) for the gaseous working fluid 120 to flow, and the efficiency of conducting heat is enhanced. Furthermore, the second region of the hollow tube body 110 is supported by the capillary structure 130, and thus the heat pipe structure 100 is not easily deformed and damaged when an external force applied.
In this embodiment, the mold 222 includes two concaves. When the mold 222 presses the heat pipe structure 100′ along direction D1, the mold 222 can make the hollow tube body 110′ form the second region of the body 110 in
The capillary structures 130 in the embodiments of
In this embodiment, the diameter H11 of the subspace 114 is larger than a sum diameter H13 (that is the diameter of the first region 111) of the first part 130a and the second part 130b. The diameter H12 of the subspace 116 is also larger than a sum diameter H3 of the first part 130a and the second part 130b of the capillary structure 130.
The heat pipe structure in embodiments includes following advantages.
The capillary structure is disposed on part of the hollow tube body, and thus the hollow tube body is not fulfilled by the capillary structure. In manufacturing the heat pipe structure, the mold presses the part of the hollow tube body which is not attached with the capillary structure to make a second region. Thus, the second region of the hollow tube body has enough space for the air to flow, and the heat dissipation efficiency is enhanced. Furthermore, the first region of the hollow tube body is supported by the capillary structure, the yield of the heat pipe structure is easy to be managed, and the strength of the heat pipe structure is enhanced. When an external force is applied on the heat pipe structure, the heat pipe structure is not easily deformed and damaged.
When the casino of the electronic device contacts part of the heat pipe structure, the first region of the hollow tube body which is attached with the capillary structure is not contact the casing, of the electronic device, thus the heat would not accumulate on the casing of the electronic device, and it is more comfortable for the user while operating.
When the heat pipe structure is cooperated with the fan, the convex part of the hollow tube body on where the capillary structure 130 (that is the second part) is not disposed forms a channel to guide the airflow, and thus the efficiency of the heat pipe structure is increased.
Although the disclosure has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, the disclosure is not for limiting the scope. Persons having ordinary skill in the art may make various modifications and changes without departing from the scope. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should not he limited to the description of the preferred embodiments described above.
Claims
1. A heat pipe structure, comprising
- a hollow tube body, defining a first region and a second region; and
- a plurality of capillary structures disposed on the first region, wherein the diameter of the second region is larger than the diameter of the first region.
2. The heat pipe structure according to claim 1, wherein the first region includes a first surface and a second surface, and the capillary structure is divided into a first part and a second part.
3. The heat pipe structure according to claim 2, wherein the first part contacts the first surface.
4. The heat pipe structure according to claim 3, wherein the first part is connected to the second part.
5. The heat pipe structure according to claim 1, wherein the second region is divided into at least two subspaces.
6. The heat pipe structure according to claim 5, wherein the diameter of each of the subspaces is equal or not equal to that of the first region.
7. The heat pipe structure according to claim 5, wherein the diameters of the subspaces are equal or not equal.
8. The heat pipe structure according to claim 1, wherein the capillary structure is metal sinters, micro grooves, fibers, mental nets or the combinations thereof.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 23, 2014
Publication Date: Oct 2, 2014
Applicant: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (TAIPEI)
Inventors: Ing-Jer CHIOU (TAIPEI), Cheng-Yu WANG (TAIPEI)
Application Number: 14/222,676
International Classification: F28D 15/04 (20060101);