FLAT HEAT PIPE STRUCTURE
The instant disclosure relates to a flat heat pipe structure, which includes a flat tubing and a support member. The flat tubing has two opposed main walls and two opposed connecting walls connected thereto. The main and connecting walls cooperatively define an internal space. The inner surfaces of the flat tubing are covered with a capillary structure. The support member is disposed in the internal space of the flat tubing and has at least one support arm. The support arm extends in the longitudinal direction of the flat tubing. The support arm has two opposed surfaces abutting to the capillary structure of the main walls.
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/417,898 filed Mar. 12, 2012, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND FieldThe instant disclosure relates to a flat heat pipe structure; more particularly, to a heat-moving flat heat pipe structure having internal support member.
Description of Related ArtAs the speed of a central processing unit (CPU) increases, more heat is given off by the CPU. The conventional heat dissipating device comprised of an aluminum heat sink and a fan can no longer accommodate the operational demand of today's CPU with increased clock speed. To address this issue, more powerful and capable heat pipes and vapor chambers have been developed to work with the heat sink.
Due to adhesive characteristic of the porous capillary structure of the heat pipe and pressure differential across its walls, a support member is required to be disposed in the heat pipe, such that the tubing has enough supporting strength after being flattened. However, the conventional support member typically is very rigid and makes the tubing very difficult to bend. According to an issued Taiwan Patent (Patent #577538), a support member having saw tooth-shaped ridges is disclosed. One of the concerns is the capillary structure or the tubing may be worn and/or damaged by these saw tooth-shaped ridges. Some of other existing support members have complex structural features. When these types of support members are disposed in heat pipes, the flow of the working fluid is rerouted from its normal path, which would adversely affect the heat dissipation efficiency.
To address the above issues, the inventors strive via industrial experience and academic research to present the instant disclosure, which can effectively improve the limitations described above.
SUMMARYThe instant disclosure provides a flat heat pipe structure having a bendable support member. The support member can prevent the walls of the heat pipe from deforming inwardly and crimping at the bending portions. Thus, the heat pipe is better suited for bending.
Moreover, the instant disclosure provides a flat heat pipe structure having longitudinal passageways, where the path traveled by the working fluid is shortened.
To achieve the aforementioned objects, the heat pipe structure of the instant disclosure comprises a flat tubing and a support member. The flat tubing has two opposed flat main walls and two opposed connecting walls. The main walls are connected by the connecting walls in forming an internal space. A capillary structure is formed on the inner surfaces of the flat tubing. The support member has at least one elongated support arm disposed inside the internal space and extends longitudinally therein. Every support arm has two opposed flat surfaces abutting the capillary structure on the main walls.
Both sides of the support member are spaced apart from the connecting walls by a predetermined distance in the longitudinal direction of the heat pipe. The space created between each side of the support member and the corresponding connecting wall defines a longitudinal passageway for flowing the working fluid.
For advantages, the main walls of the flat heat pipe structure provide additional strength for the annular tubing during the flattening process. After disposing the support member inside the heat pipe structure, the heat pipe structure can be bent without crimping. Moreover, the heat pipe structure and the support member cooperatively form internal passageways for circulating the working fluid. The longitudinal passageways provide a shorter path for the working fluid to travel.
In order to further appreciate the characteristics and technical contents of the instant disclosure, references are hereunder made to the detailed descriptions and appended drawings in connection with the instant disclosure. However, the appended drawings are merely shown for exemplary purposes, rather than being used to restrict the scope of the instant disclosure.
To attain further understanding of the objectives, structural features, and functions of the instant disclosure, please refer to the detailed descriptions provided hereinbelow.
The flat tubing 10 is defined by two opposed main walls 12 and two opposed connecting walls 14. The connecting walls 14 are connected between the main walls 12 and cooperatively form an internal space 100. The opposite ends of the flat tubing 10 are welded closed to seal the flat tubing 10. A capillary structure 16 is formed on the inner surfaces of the flat tubing 10. Namely, the capillary structure 16 covers the inner surfaces of the main and connecting walls 12 and 14 for transporting the working fluid (not shown). The capillary structure 16 may be provided in various forms such as a metal mesh, grooves, or a sintered body of metal powder.
The support member 20 is preferably made of high temperature resistant and bendable material, such as copper. The support member 20 has at least one support arm 21 disposed in the internal space 100 of the flat tubing 10. For the instant embodiment, the support member 20 has three support arms 21 arranged in parallel to each other. Each support arm 21 extends along the longitudinal direction or the long axis of the flat tubing 10. At least one support arm 21 has two opposed flat surfaces, namely, a top surface and a bottom surface, for the orientation shown in
The opposite sides of the support member 20 extending in the longitudinal direction of the flat tubing 10 are spaced apart from the connecting walls 14 by a predetermined distance. In other words, the support arms 21 do not touch the connecting walls 14. The spaces formed between the support arms 21 and the connecting walls 14 along the longitudinal direction of the flat tubing 10 serve as internal passageways 101. The passageways 101 are in communication with both ends of the flat heat pipe structure 1. One end of the flat heat pipe structure 1 being the evaporator section for absorbing heat, and the other end being the condenser section for giving up latent heat of vaporization. At the condenser section, the working fluid changes from a vapor state to a liquid state. These longitudinal passageways 101 provide the shortest distance that the working fluid has to travel between opposite ends of the flat heat pipe structure 1, thus greatly raising the heat dissipation efficiency. It is worth noting the support arms 21 of the support member 20 may also be arranged touchingly to the respective connecting walls 14, for preventing the connecting walls 14 from deforming inwardly and crimping after bending.
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Based on the foregoing descriptions, the main walls 12 provide additional strength for the annular tubing during the flattening process. The instant disclosure is especially suitable in cases where a heat pipe is required to be bent. A smooth surface can be maintained at the bent portion of the flat heat pipe structure without crimping. Especially for large sized flat heat pipe structure, a smooth surface can be maintained across the main walls 12. Moreover, after the support member has been disposed in the flat heat pipe structure, the heat pipe structure can still be bent as needed. In addition, the formation of longitudinal passageways provides a short path for transporting the working fluid.
The descriptions illustrated supra set forth simply the preferred embodiments of the instant disclosure; however, the characteristics of the instant disclosure are by no means restricted thereto. All changes, alternations, or modifications conveniently considered by those skilled in the art are deemed to be encompassed within the scope of the instant disclosure delineated by the following claims.
Claims
1. A heat dissipation device, comprising:
- a flat tubing having two opposed main walls and two connecting walls connected thereto, wherein the main walls and the connecting walls form an inner surface of the flat tubing, the inner surface at least partially encloses an internal space of the flat tubing, and a first capillary structure is disposed on the inner surface; and
- only one support arm disposed in the internal space, wherein the support arm extends along a longitudinal direction of the flat tubing, the support arm has a first longitudinal surface, a second longitudinal surface opposite the first longitudinal surface, a first side surface connected to the first longitudinal surface and the second longitudinal surface, and a second side surface opposite the first side surface and connected to the first longitudinal surface and the second longitudinal surface, at least one of the first longitudinal surface and the second longitudinal surface contacts the first capillary structure, and a second capillary structure is disposed on the first side surface and the second side surface.
2. The heat dissipation device of claim 1, wherein the support arm includes a first end and a second end longitudinally opposite the first end, and
- the first longitudinal surface, the second longitudinal surface, the first side surface, and the second side surface each extends continuously from the first end to second end.
3. The heat dissipation device of claim 1, wherein the support arm is spaced from the connecting walls, and wherein the support arm and the first and second connecting walls cooperatively define at least one longitudinal passageway in the internal space.
4. The heat dissipation device of claim 3, wherein the support arm and the first and second connecting walls cooperatively define at least two longitudinal passageways on opposite sides of the support arm.
5. The heat dissipation device of claim 3, wherein the second capillary structure and the first capillary structure are arranged in the at least one longitudinal passageway.
6. The heat dissipation device of claim 1, wherein the first capillary structure and the second capillary structure include one of a metal mesh, grooves, and a sintered metal powder.
7. The heat dissipation device of claim 1, wherein the support arm includes at least one bend.
8. The heat dissipation device of claim 1, wherein the second capillary structure is disposed only on the first side surface and the second side surface.
9. The heat dissipation device of claim 1, wherein the flat tubing including the two opposed main walls and two connecting walls is a unitary structure.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 12, 2020
Publication Date: Jun 11, 2020
Inventors: Leilei LIU (Hui Zhou City), Xuemei WANG (Hui Zhou City)
Application Number: 16/789,183