US20150176918A1

US20150176918A1 - Coaxial capillary structure and ultra-thin heat pipe structure having the same

Info

Publication number: US20150176918A1
Application number: US14/164,575
Authority: US
Inventors: Hao Pai
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-12-24
Filing date: 2014-01-27
Publication date: 2015-06-25
Also published as: TW201525402A; CN203810996U; CN104729337A

Abstract

A coaxial capillary structure and an ultra-thin heat pipe structure having the same are provided. The coaxial capillary structure is installed in an ultra-thin heat pipe and extended towards the length direction of a pipe body of the ultra-thin heat pipe, and includes: a primary transferring capillary part and a coaxially-arranged capillary part, wherein the primary transferring capillary part is composed of a plurality of fiber bundles for forming as an integral bundle, and the coaxially-arranged capillary part is formed through a plurality of weaving wires interwoven and reeled at the exterior of the primary transferring capillary part, thereby limiting each of the fiber bundles at the central portion of the coaxially-arranged capillary part for forming a compact structure. Accordingly, a better capillary transferring effect is provided.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coaxial capillary structure, especially to a coaxial capillary structure and an ultra-thin heat pipe structure having the same.
2. Description of Related Art
The main trend for developing electronic product is to be thinner, smaller and lighter, so a heat pipe installed therein and used for dissipating or transferring heat is also required to be thinner. For example, an ultra-thin heat pipe has a thickness smaller than 1.5 mm
However, the thickness of the ultra-thin heat pipe is thinned, the thickness of a capillary structure installed therein has to be thinner and narrower or there may not be enough space inside the heat pipe for forming a vapor flow channel. The capillary structure installed inside a conventional heat pipe is formed through grooves, sintering metal powders, fiber bundles, a metal net or a combination of the above. The capillary structure allows a working fluid provided in the heat pipe to perform capillary transferring, but under a situation of the pipe body of the ultra-thin heat pipe also being required to be thinner, the capillary transferring effect is not as efficient as a heat pipe which is not required to be thinned, and various tests have to be run in a certain space for achieving a balance between the capillary structure and the vapor flow channel formed inside the pipe body so as to perform the desired capillary transferring capability.
There is another type of capillary structure capable of providing a better capillary transferring effect. Take a coaxial capillary structure for example, the coaxial capillary structure is formed through a plurality of metal wires being reeled on an axle cable with a weaving manner for forming a strip-like shape, and the axle cable is removed after the weaving process is finished, so an interwoven metal wire in a hollow tubular status is obtained and used for capillary transferring. However, when being installed in an ultra-thin heat pipe, the above-mentioned hollow tubular structure has to be processed with a flattening treatment for being formed as a flat and wide capillary structure so as to be disposed in the pipe body of the heat pipe. Accordingly, the conventional coaxial capillary structure is formed through interweaving the metal wires, and slits formed between the metal wires can provide the capillary transferring effect, but the hollow tubular structure formed in the central portion becomes a flat and wide or a loosened capillary structure after being processed with the flattening treatment, thus a compact capillary structure is unable to be formed; if fibers having a smaller diameter are adopted for weaving, a larger capillary force can be obtained but the tensile strength provided for sustaining the weaving process is relatively smaller, so the wire is more likely to be broken during the weaving process, thereby being harder for production and the quality being unstable. Therefore, the capillary structure installed in the ultra-thin heat pipe still has a shortage of not providing a sufficient capillary transferring effect.
Accordingly, the applicant of the present invention has devoted himself for researching and inventing a novel structure for improving the above-mentioned shortages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is to provide a coaxial capillary structure and an ultra-thin heat pipe structure having the same, a plurality of fiber bundles substantially arranged in parallel or woven with a non-crossing manner are provided in the coaxial capillary structure, so the fiber bundles are formed as an integral bundle and arranged at the center of the coaxial capillary structure for replacing an axial cable of a conventional coaxial capillary structure; because the axle cable of the conventional coaxial capillary structure does not provide the capillary effect and the capillary structure is formed as a hollow tubular structure thereby not being able to be compactly arranged, the coaxial capillary structure of the present invention provides a better capillary transferring effect and enhance the structural compactness, and after the coaxial capillary structure of the present invention is processed with a flattening treatment for being disposed inside an ultra-thin heat pipe, a better capillary transferring effect can be provided comparing to the prior art.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a coaxial capillary structure, which is installed in an ultra-thin heat pipe and extended towards the length direction of a pipe body of the ultra-thin heat pipe. The coaxial capillary structure includes a primary transferring capillary part and a coaxially-arranged capillary part interwoven and reeled at the exterior of the primary transferring capillary part, wherein the primary transferring capillary part is composed of a plurality of fiber bundles for forming as an integral bundle, and the coaxially-arranged capillary part is formed through a plurality of weaving wires interwoven and reeled at the exterior of the primary transferring capillary part, thereby limiting each of the fiber bundles at the central portion of the coaxially-arranged capillary part for forming a compact structure.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an ultra-thin heat pipe structure having a coaxial capillary structure, which includes an ultra-thin heat pipe and an above-mentioned coaxial capillary structure, wherein a vapor flow channel is formed inside a pipe body of the ultra-thin heat pipe for allowing the coaxial capillary structure to be disposed in the pipe body of the ultra-thin heat pipe and extended towards the length direction thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the coaxial capillary structure according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view showing the coaxial capillary structure according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view illustrating the coaxial capillary structure being installed in a ultra-thin heat pipe according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view illustrating the coaxial capillary structure being installed in a ultra-thin heat pipe according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view illustrating the coaxial capillary structure being installed in a ultra-thin heat pipe according to one another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, wherein FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the coaxial capillary structure according to the present invention; and FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view showing the coaxial capillary structure according to the present invention. The present invention provides a coaxial capillary structure and an ultra-thin heat pipe structure having the same. The coaxial capillary structure 1 is installed in an ultra-thin heat pipe 2 (as shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4), and extended towards the length direction of a pipe body of the ultra-thin heat pipe 2. The coaxial capillary structure 1 includes a primary transferring capillary part 10 and a coaxially-arranged capillary part 11 enclosing the exterior of the primary transferring capillary part 10.
The primary transferring capillary part 10 is composed of a plurality of fiber bundles 100 being substantially arranged in parallel or woven with a non-crossing manner so as to form an integral bundle, and the fiber bundles 100 can be made of metal fibers, or a non-metal material such as glass or carbon fibers as long as the design of the capillary material structure and the weaving can achieve a better match. Because each of the fiber bundles 100 is formed as an integral bundle through being substantially arranged in parallel or woven with a non-crossing manner, and the fiber bundles 100 are allowed to be tightly adjacent to each other for forming a minimum volume, thereby providing an excellent capillary transferring effect between the fiber bundles 100.
The coaxially-arranged capillary part 11 is formed through a plurality of weaving wires 110 being reeled at the exterior of the primary transferring capillary part 10 with an interweaving manner, and the weaving wires 110 can be made of metal wires such as copper wires, or a non-metal material such as glass or carbon fibers as long as the design of the capillary material structure and the weaving can achieve a better match; the material of which the weaving wire 110 is made can be the same or different from the material of which the fiber bundle 100 of the primary transferring capillary part 10 is made. Because of being formed through a coaxially arranging manner, the coaxially-arranged capillary part 11 is enabled to be reeled at the exterior of the primary transferring capillary part 10 with an interweaving manner, and the primary transferring capillary part 10 is able to be limited at the central portion of the coaxially-arranged capillary part 11 thereby forming a compact structure, and slits formed between the fiber bundles 100 of the primary transferring capillary part 10 are able to be more compact, so an excellent capillary transferring effect and a better heat transferring effect can be provided between the fiber bundles 100.
As shown in FIG. 2, according to this embodiment provided by the present invention, the outer diameter of each of the fiber bundles 100 is smaller than the outer diameter of each of the weaving wires 110, so the outer portion of the coaxial capillary structure 1 is formed with fibers having a relatively larger diameter, a better tensile strength is provided during the weaving process and the situation of wires being broken is less likely to happen during the weaving process, thereby providing an easier production and stable quality. It is understood that the outer diameter of each of the fiber bundles 100 can be the same as the outer diameter of each of the weaving wires 110, because the fiber bundles 100 are formed through being substantially arranged in parallel or woven with a non-crossing manner, under a situation of the total amounts of the fibers being the same, the provided woven structure is still formed with a minimum volume and cross sectional area, thereby occupying the minimum space of a vapor flow channel and providing the minimum flow resistance; so with the structure having the fiber bundles 100, the central portion of the coaxial capillary structure 1 is enabled to be more compact for enhancing the capillary transferring effect.
Please refer to FIG. 3, which is a cross sectional view illustrating the coaxial capillary structure being installed in a ultra-thin heat pipe according to one embodiment of the present invention; the pipe body of the ultra-thin heat pipe 2 is processed with a flattening treatment for obtaining a desired thickness (mostly smaller than 0.6 mm), and formed with a bottom wall 20 and a top wall 21 corresponding to each other and spaced with an interval, and two lateral edges 22 surrounding the outer periphery of the top and the bottom wall 21, 20, thereby forming a vapor flow channel 23 defined by the top and the bottom wall 21, 20 and the two lateral edges 22. The above-mentioned coaxial capillary structure 1 can also be processed with a flattening treatment for being able to be disposed at an inner side of the vapor flow channel 23 and to be in contact with an inner wall of the lateral edge 22 at any side of the pipe body. Because the outer portion of the coaxial capillary structure 1 is formed through the coaxially-arranged capillary part 11, the coaxially-arranged capillary part 11 is able to be in direct contact with the inner wall of the pipe body (i.e. any of the lateral edges 22 or a partial portion of the top and the bottom wall 21, 20), thereby allowing a liquid-state working fluid condensed at other portion of the inner wall of the pipe body to be collected in the coaxial capillary structure 1, and the liquid-state working fluid is enabled to be guided into the primary transferring capillary part 10, so the slits oriented in a linear status and formed between the fiber bundles 100 enable the liquid-state working fluid to be rapidly returned or to be rapidly transferred to a heating portion (i.e. the vaporization portion) of the ultra-thin heat pipe.
Please refer to FIG. 4, if the width of the pipe body of the ultra-thin heat pipe 2 is wide or the amount of working fluid required to be transferred is large, two inner sides of the vapor flow channel 23 can both be provided with the above-mentioned coaxial capillary structure 1 for being respectively in contact with the inner walls of the two lateral edges 22 of the pipe body. As such, the vapor flow channel 23 can be formed at a reserved space between the two coaxial capillary structures 1, and the liquid-state working fluid is allowed to be collected in any of the coaxial capillary structures 1 so as to perform the capillary transferring through the coaxial capillary structure 1.
Please refer to FIG. 5, the coaxial capillary structure 1 can also be disposed at the center of the vapor flow channel 23 and be in contact with a partial portion of the top and the bottom wall 21, 20 of the pipe body.
Accordingly, with the above-mentioned structure, the coaxial capillary structure and the ultra-thin heat pipe structure having the same are provided.
According to the coaxial capillary structure and the ultra-thin heat pipe structure having the same provided by the present invention, the fiber bundles 100 are substantially arranged in parallel or woven with a non-crossing manner, so under a situation of having the same diameter, the smallest pore and the greatest capillary force can be provided by the present invention; and under a situation of having the same amounts of the fibers, the occupied volume is minimum, so the occupied space of the vapor flow channel 23 is minimum and a smallest flow resistance is provided. Thus, the present invention provides a capillary structure capable of forming a better capillary transferring effect and a better heat transferring effect in a very small space such as the interior of the ultra-thin heat pipe.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the foregoing preferred embodiment, 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

What is claimed is:

1. A coaxial capillary structure, which is installed in an ultra-thin heat pipe and extended towards the length direction of a pipe body of the ultra-thin heat pipe, including:

a primary transferring capillary part, composed of a plurality of fiber bundles for forming as an integral bundle; and

a coaxially-arranged capillary part, formed through a plurality of weaving wires interwoven and reeled at the exterior of the primary transferring capillary part, thereby limiting each of the fiber bundles at the central portion of the coaxially-arranged capillary part for forming a compact structure.

2. The coaxial capillary structure according to claim 1, wherein each of the fiber bundles and each of the weaving wires are made of metal material or non-metal material of glass or carbon fibers.

3. The coaxial capillary structure according to claim 1, wherein the material of which the fiber bundles are made is the same or different from the material of which the weaving wires are made.

4. The coaxial capillary structure according to claim 1, wherein the outer diameter of the fiber bundles is smaller than the outer diameter of the weaving wires.

5. An ultra-thin heat pipe structure having a coaxial capillary structure, including:

an ultra-thin heat pipe, having a vapor flow channel formed inside a pipe body thereof; and

a coaxial capillary structure, installed in the pipe body of the ultra-thin heat pipe and extended towards the length direction thereof, and including:

6. The ultra-thin heat pipe structure according to claim 5, wherein the pipe body of the ultra-thin heat pipe is formed with a bottom wall and a top wall corresponding to each other and spaced with an interval, and two lateral edges surrounding the outer periphery of the top and the bottom wall, the above-mentioned vapor flow channel is defined by the top and the bottom wall and the two lateral edges.

7. The ultra-thin heat pipe structure according to claim 6, wherein the coaxial capillary structure is disposed at the center of the vapor flow channel and only in contact with a partial portion of the top and the bottom wall.

8. The ultra-thin heat pipe structure according to claim 6, wherein the coaxial capillary structure is disposed at an inner side of the vapor flow channel and in contact with an inner wall of any of the lateral edges.

9. The ultra-thin heat pipe structure according to claim 8, furthering including one more coaxial capillary structure, and the one more coaxial capillary structure is disposed at another inner side of the vapor flow channel and in contact with an inner wall of the other lateral edge.

10. The ultra-thin heat pipe structure according to claim 5, wherein each of the fiber bundles and each of the weaving wires are made of metal material or non-metal material of glass or carbon fibers.

11. The ultra-thin heat pipe structure according to claim 10, wherein the material of which the fiber bundles are made is the same or different from the material of which the weaving wires are made.

12. The ultra-thin heat pipe structure according to claim 10, wherein the outer diameter of the fiber bundles is smaller than the outer diameter of the weaving wires.