Support structure of heat-pipe multi-layer wick structure

The present invention relates in general to a support structure of a heat-pipe multi-layer wick structure, and more particularly, to a support structure allowing the multi-layer wick structure thoroughly attached to an interior surface of a heat pipe.

The heat pipe has been applied in various types of electronic products for delivering large amount of heat without consuming significant power because of the characteristics of high thermal transmission capacity, high thermal transmission speed, high thermal conduction efficiency, light weight, none mobile element, simple structure and versatile applications. The conventional heat pipe includes a wick structure attached to an interior surface of a heat-pipe body. The wick structure includes weaving mesh that has capillary effect, such that a working fluid filled in the heat-pipe body can be used to deliver heat. To improve the capillary force and the amount of heat to be transferred by the wick structure, multi-layer structure has been adapted in the heat pipe.

FIG. 1 shows a conventional weaving mesh of a wick structure 1 a which is curled into a multi-layer structure. When the curled wick structure 1 a is inserted into the heat pipe body 2 a , a sintering process is required to attach the curled wick structure 1 a to the internal surface of the heat pipe body 2 a . However, as the weaving mesh of the wick structure 1 a is typically too soft to support itself. The multi-layer portion A formed by curling process makes the attachment worse. As there provides no additional support structure, the wick structure 1 a is easily softened and collapsed due to the heat generated in the high-temperature sintering process.

To resolve the above drawbacks, a support structure of a multi-layer wick structure of a heat pipe is provided. By shrinking the tubular member of the heat pipe, the weaving meshes of each layer of the wick structure can be attached to an interior surface of the tubular member. Further, the lower-melting-point portion of the wick structure is arranged as the outermost layer to provide enhanced capillary force of the working fluid, while the higher-melting-point portion of the wick structure is arranged in the inner layers to provide better attaching effect to the interior surface of the tubular member.

Accordingly, the support structure of the multi-layer wick structure of a heat pipe includes a hollow heat-pipe tube and multiple separate layers of weaving mesh wick structure overlaying on an interior surface of the heat-pipe tube. The wick structure has a curly circular shape. The outermost layer of the wick structure has lower melting point compared to the inner layers of thereof. Thereby, the capillary force of the heat pipe is enhanced, while the mesh at the inner layers with higher melting point provides better support to the outer layers of the wick structure.

The objectives of the present invention will become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

The above objects and advantages of the present invention will be become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows an a cross sectional view of a conventional heat pipe;

FIG. 2 shows the process of winding a multi-layer wick structure;

FIG. 3 shows the open circular profile of the winded multi-layer wick structure;

FIG. 4 shows the process for inserting the wick structure into a tubular member of a heat pipe;

FIG. 5 shows the cross sectional view of the heat pipe before the tubular member is shrunk; and

FIG. 6 shows the cross sectional view of the end-product of the heat pipe.

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

Referring to FIGS. 2–6 , a support structure of a multi-layer wick structure of a heat pipe is provided. The wick structure is attached to the interior surface of a tubular member by a shrinking process performed to the tubular member.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the wick structure has an outer layer and an inner layer of weaving meshes 1 and 1 ′ overlaying each other. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the wick structure is winded into an open circle with the layer of weaving mesh 1 encircling the layer of weaving mesh 1 ′. Therefore, the outer layer 1 is preferably longer than the inner layer 1 ′.

As shown in FIG. 4 , a tubular member 2 is provided. Preferably, the tubular member 2 has an internal diameter no less than the exterior diameter of the open circle formed of the layers of weaving meshes 1 and 1 ′, such that the layers of weaving meshes 1 and 1 ′ can be easily inserted into the tubular member 2 . A cross sectional view of the tubular member 2 and the wick structure formed of the winded layers of weaving meshes 1 and 1 ′ is shown in FIG. 5 .

In FIG. 6 , a shrinking process is performed to the tubular member 2 . As shown, an external force is applied to press the tubular member 2 inwardly. Thereby, the diameter of the tubular member 2 is reduced, and the open circle made by the layers of weaving meshes 1 and 1 ′ is closed and firmly attached to the interior surface of the tubular member as shown. Thereby, a sintering process is not required for attaching the wick structure to the tubular member 2 , such that the wick structure will not be peeled from the tubular member in the subsequent annealing process.

Preferably, the inner layer 1 ′ of the wick structure has a weaving mesh with a melting point higher than that of the outer layer 1 . For example, the inner layer 1 ′ of the wick structure can be made of bronze, and the outer layer 1 of the wick structure can be made of oxygen-free copper. Moreover, the higher-melting-point inner layer 1 ′ can have the melting point higher than the temperature of the annealing process, and the lower-melting-point outer layer 1 can have the melting point lower than the temperature of the annealing process. Therefore, during the high-temperature annealing process, the higher-melting-point weaving mesh of the inner layer 1 ′ can provides sufficient support to the lower-melting-point weaving mesh of the outer layer 1 when the outer layer 1 starts melting at the operation temperature higher than its melting point, such that the lower-melting-point weaving mesh of the outer layer 1 is not easily softened and peeled from the interior surface of the tubular member 2 .

By the above process, the wick structure does not need to be curled into a close circle before being inserted into the tubular member 2 . The insertion is thus easier. By the shrinking process of the tubular member 2 , the wick structure can be easily attached to the interior surface thereof. Further, as the outer layer 1 has a lower-melting-point mesh compared to that of the inner layer 1 ′, the capillary force of the heat pipe is enhanced, while the higher-melting-point mesh at the inner layers 1 ′ provides better support to the outer layers of the wick structure.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art the various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.