A processing method for a flexible heat pipe

Abstract

The present invention discloses a processing method of a flexible heat pipe, wherein the flexible heat pipe comprises a flexible main body, a first metal sheet and a second metal sheet, the flexible main body is bendable, the material of the flexible main body is a flexible material, the interior of the flexible main body has an evaporation chamber, a condensation chamber, and a liquid channel and a gas channel connecting the evaporation chamber and the condensation chamber, and the evaporation chamber and the condensation chamber are both cavity structures with bottom or side openings. In this flexible heat pipe, a working liquid is poured into the interior of the flexible main body, and the working liquid circulates between the evaporation chamber and the condensation chamber through the gas channel and the liquid channel to achieve heat transfer. Since the flexible main body is made of flexible material, it can be bent with electronic devices, thereby being able to meet the heat dissipation requirements under complex working conditions such as small space and foldable electronic devices, and by setting the first metal sheet and the second metal sheet, effective heat transfer is achieved to avoid the adverse effects of poor thermal conductivity of the flexible material. This invention is used in the field of heat pipe technology.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of heat pipes, and in particular to a processing method of a flexible heat pipe. Background Art

[0002] With the development of science and technology, the performance of various high-power electronic products has been continuously improved, and the size has been continuously miniaturized, resulting in the continuous increase in the heat generated by electronic devices, while the size has become smaller and smaller, resulting in more and more concentrated energy consumption, and the heat dissipation technology has been continuously updated. At present, the heat sink composed of multiple traditional heat pipes and fans can only barely solve the heat dissipation problem of current electronic products. A high-quality and efficient thermal control system is very important to ensure that electronic products can operate stably under the development trend of miniaturization and high integration. Existing heat pipe radiators cannot fully meet the heat dissipation requirements of high power under high integration, such as the heat dissipation requirements of micro-electronic components with narrow space and foldable electronic devices (such as folding screens) under complex working conditions. Summary of the invention

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art and to provide a flexible heat pipe and a processing method thereof, which can be applicable to the heat dissipation requirements under complex working conditions such as small space and foldable electronic devices.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flexible heat pipe, comprising:

[0005] A flexible body, wherein the flexible body is bendable and made of a flexible material, wherein the flexible body has an evaporation chamber, a condensation chamber, and a liquid channel and a gas channel connecting the evaporation chamber and the condensation chamber, and the evaporation chamber and the condensation chamber are both cavity structures with open bottoms or sides; and

[0006] A first metal sheet, used for sealing the opening of the evaporation chamber;

[0007] The second metal sheet is used for sealing the opening of the condensation chamber.

[0008] Beneficial effects: In this flexible heat pipe, working liquid is poured into the flexible main body, and the working liquid circulates between the evaporation chamber and the condensation chamber through the gas channel and the liquid channel to achieve heat transfer. Since the flexible main body is made of flexible material, it can bend with the electronic device, thereby being able to meet the heat dissipation requirements under complex working conditions such as narrow space and foldable electronic devices. In addition, by setting the first metal sheet and the second metal sheet, effective heat transfer is achieved to avoid the adverse effects of the poor thermal conductivity of the flexible material. The external heating component contacts with the first metal sheet to transfer heat to the working liquid in the evaporation chamber, and the external heat dissipation component contacts with the second metal sheet, and the hot steam in the condensation chamber transfers heat to the heat dissipation component through the second metal sheet.

[0009] According to the flexible heat pipe described in the embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the outer surface of the flexible body is coated with a sealing coating to improve the sealing inside the flexible body, reduce heat loss, prevent the internal working liquid or steam from overflowing, and avoid the adverse effects of poor sealing caused by using flexible materials as the heat pipe body.

[0010] According to the flexible heat pipe described in the first embodiment of the present invention, a first boss engaging with the evaporation chamber is provided on the first metal sheet, and a second boss engaging with the condensation chamber is provided on the second metal sheet. The first metal sheet and the second metal sheet are positioned respectively by the first boss and the second boss.

[0011] According to the flexible heat pipe described in the embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, metal powder is evenly laid on the first boss, so that the surface of the first boss forms a capillary structure similar to a porous structure, which has capillary force and can absorb liquid, so that the liquid can be evenly distributed on the metal sheet, which is beneficial to uniform heating and evaporation of the liquid and improves the heat transfer efficiency.

[0012] According to the flexible heat pipe described in the embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the first metal sheet and the second metal sheet are both copper sheets, and the metal powder is copper powder, which is beneficial to heat transfer.

[0013] According to the flexible heat pipe of the first embodiment of the present invention, a through hole connected to the evaporation chamber or the condensation chamber is provided on the flexible body, and a liquid filling pipe is connected to the through hole, through which working liquid is poured into the flexible body.

[0014] According to the flexible heat pipe described in the first embodiment of the present invention, there are two gas channels, which are respectively arranged on both sides of the liquid channel. The use of two gas channels improves the efficiency of gas flow and thus improves the efficiency of heat transfer.

[0015] According to the flexible heat pipe described in the embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of sawtooth structures are evenly distributed from one end to the other end on the inner circumferential wall surface of the liquid channel, and the sawtooth structures are inclined toward the end where the condensation chamber is located. The liquid channel adopts the above-mentioned asymmetric pipe structure so that the liquid has a unidirectional flow characteristic in the liquid channel, that is, the liquid channel has directionality, which enables the liquid to flow quickly from the condensation chamber to the evaporation chamber along the liquid channel, thereby improving the efficiency of heat transfer.

[0016] According to the flexible heat pipe described in the embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, a compensation chamber is provided between the liquid channel and the evaporation chamber, and the compensation chamber is used to collect liquid to facilitate the liquid to flow into the evaporation chamber, so that the liquid can enter the evaporation chamber more easily.

[0017] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for processing a flexible heat pipe, comprising the following steps:

[0018] S1. Printing a flexible body by a 3D printer, using a flexible material as the printing material, wherein the flexible body has an evaporation chamber, a condensation chamber, and a liquid channel and a gas channel connecting the evaporation chamber and the condensation chamber, wherein the evaporation chamber and the condensation chamber are both cavity structures with open bottoms or sides, and the flexible body has a through hole communicating with the evaporation chamber or the condensation chamber;

[0019] S2. Processing a first metal sheet and a second metal sheet, wherein the first metal sheet has a first boss, metal powder is evenly laid on the first boss, and the first metal sheet is sintered so that the metal powder is bonded to the first boss, and the second metal sheet has a second boss;

[0020] S3. Install the first metal sheet and the second metal sheet so that the first metal sheet seals the evaporation chamber and the second metal sheet seals the condensation chamber, apply a sealing coating on the outer surface of the flexible body, and connect the external liquid filling tube to the through hole;

[0021] S4. Injecting working liquid into the interior of the flexible body through the filling tube, and performing vacuum treatment through the filling tube;

[0022] S5. Seal the opening of the liquid-filled tube.

[0023] Beneficial effects: The processing method of this flexible heat pipe adopts a 3D printing method to manufacture a flexible main body, and the printing material adopts a flexible material, so that the flexible main body has a certain flexibility and is bendable, and can meet the heat dissipation requirements under complex working conditions such as narrow space and foldable electronic devices. The processing and installation of the first metal sheet and the second metal sheet are beneficial to the transfer of heat, wherein the sintering metal powder is treated on the first metal sheet to give it a certain capillary force, which can make the liquid evenly distributed on the first boss, which is beneficial to the uniform heating and evaporation of the liquid and improve the heat transfer efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the external structure of a flexible heat pipe according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the flexible heat pipe according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a flexible heat pipe according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 is a working principle diagram of a flexible heat pipe according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 5 is a partial enlarged view of the liquid channel of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure numerals: heating end 100, heat dissipation end 200, flexible body 10, evaporation chamber 11, condensation chamber 12, liquid channel 13, serrated structure 131, gas channel 14, compensation chamber 15, first metal sheet 20, first boss 21, metal powder 211, second metal sheet 30, second boss 31, liquid filling tube 40. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] This section will describe in detail the specific embodiments of the present invention. The preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings. The purpose of the accompanying drawings is to supplement the description of the text part of the specification with graphics, so that people can intuitively and vividly understand each technical feature and the overall technical solution of the present invention, but it cannot be understood as a limitation on the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0032] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that descriptions involving orientations, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., and orientations or positional relationships indicated are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0033] In the description of the present invention, "several" means one or more, "more" means more than two, "greater than", "less than", "exceed" etc. are understood as not including the number itself, and "above", "below", "within" etc. are understood as including the number itself. If there is a description of "first" or "second", it is only used for the purpose of distinguishing the technical features, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying the relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0034] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly defined, terms such as setting, installing, connecting, etc. should be understood in a broad sense, and technicians in the relevant technical field can reasonably determine the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific content of the technical solution.

[0035] Reference Figure 1 The embodiment of the present invention provides a flexible heat pipe, which is flat as a whole, and has two ends, a heating end 100 and a heat dissipation end 200. The heating end 100 generally places a heat generating component, such as a chip, etc.; the heat dissipation end 200 generally places a heat dissipation device, such as an electric fan. A liquid filling pipe 40 is provided at one end, and the liquid filling pipe 40 is connected to the inside of the heat pipe for filling with working liquid.

[0036] Reference Figure 2 The flexible heat pipe of this embodiment includes a flexible body 10, a first metal sheet 20 and a second metal sheet 30. The flexible body 10 is bendable, and the material of the flexible body 10 is a flexible material. The flexible body 10 has an evaporation chamber 11, a condensation chamber 12, and a liquid channel 13 and a gas channel 14 connecting the evaporation chamber 11 and the condensation chamber 12. The evaporation chamber 11 and the condensation chamber 12 are both cavity structures with open bottoms or sides. The first metal sheet 20 is used to seal the opening of the evaporation chamber 11, and the second metal sheet 30 is used to seal the opening of the condensation chamber 12.

[0037] In the flexible heat pipe of this embodiment, working liquid is poured into the flexible body 10, and the working liquid circulates between the evaporation chamber 11 and the condensation chamber 12 through the gas channel 14 and the liquid channel 13 to achieve heat transfer. Since the flexible body 10 is made of flexible material, it can be bent with the electronic device, so as to meet the heat dissipation requirements under complex working conditions such as small space and foldable electronic devices. In addition, by setting the first metal sheet 20 and the second metal sheet 30, effective heat transfer is achieved to avoid the adverse effects caused by the poor thermal conductivity of the flexible material, wherein the external heating component contacts with the first metal sheet 20 to transfer heat to the working liquid in the evaporation chamber 11, and the external heat dissipation component contacts with the second metal sheet 30, and the hot steam in the condensation chamber 12 transfers heat to the heat dissipation component through the second metal sheet 30.

[0038] It is understandable that the flexible material can be made of different materials as long as it is flexible and can be bent to a certain extent, for example, it can be soft rubber material, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyester (PET), polyimide (PI) or polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) and the like.

[0039] In this embodiment, the upper bottom surface and the lower bottom surface of the evaporation chamber 11 are both open, and two first metal sheets 20 are provided correspondingly to seal the two openings. Similarly, the upper bottom surface and the lower bottom surface of the condensation chamber 12 are both open, and two second metal sheets 30 are provided correspondingly to seal the two openings of the condensation chamber 12. Specifically, the first metal sheet 20 and the second metal sheet 30 are both copper sheets or other metal sheets with good thermal conductivity.

[0040] It is understandable that the evaporation chamber 11 can be set to be open only on one bottom surface or side surface, and the first metal sheet 20 can be set at the corresponding position, which can be set according to actual needs such as the position of the heating element. Similarly, the open position of the condensation chamber 12 can be set as needed, not limited to the form shown in the figure.

[0041] In this embodiment, a first boss 21 is provided on the first metal sheet 20 to be engaged with the evaporation chamber 11, and a second boss 31 is provided on the second metal sheet 30 to be engaged with the condensation chamber 12. The first metal sheet 20 and the second metal sheet 30 are positioned respectively by the first boss 21 and the second boss 31 for installation and assembly. The first metal sheet 20 and the second metal sheet 30 are bonded to the flexible body 10 by special glue, and sealing needs to be ensured during bonding.

[0042] Among them, metal powder 211 is evenly laid on the first boss 21, so that the surface of the first boss 21 forms a capillary structure similar to a porous structure, which has capillary force and can absorb liquid, so that the liquid can be evenly distributed on the metal sheet, which is conducive to the uniform heating and evaporation of the liquid and improves the heat transfer efficiency. Specifically, the metal powder 211 is copper powder or other metal powders with good thermal conductivity, which is sintered at high temperature to melt the copper powder and bond it to the first boss 21 of the first metal sheet 20. The second metal sheet 30 is in contact with the condensation chamber 12, and the condensation chamber 12 is mainly hot steam, so the second metal sheet 30 does not need to be sintered with the metal powder 211.

[0043] In some of the embodiments, a through hole connected to the condensation chamber 12 is provided on the flexible body 10, and the through hole is connected to the external liquid filling tube 40. The working liquid is poured into the flexible body 10 through the liquid filling tube 40, and the working liquid can be directly water. In addition, the inside of the heat pipe can be evacuated through the liquid filling tube 40, which can reduce the pressure inside the heat pipe, reduce the boiling point of the working liquid, and make the liquid evaporate more easily to form steam, so that the heat pipe can work normally at a lower temperature. After the liquid injection and vacuum treatment are completed, the inlet of the liquid filling tube 40 is sealed to make the inside of the heat pipe in a sealed state. It can be understood that the liquid filling tube 40 can be set at the other end and connected to the evaporation chamber 11, as long as it can achieve the injection of the working liquid.

[0044] In some embodiments, the outer surface of the flexible body 10 is coated with a sealing coating, which can ensure the sealing inside the flexible body 10, reduce heat loss, and prevent the internal working liquid or steam from overflowing, thereby avoiding the adverse effects of poor sealing caused by using flexible materials as the heat pipe body.

[0045] Reference Figure 3 to Figure 5 In this embodiment, there are two gas channels 14, and the two gas channels 14 are respectively arranged on both sides of the liquid channel 13. The use of two gas channels 14 improves the efficiency of gas flow, thereby improving the efficiency of heat transfer.

[0046] In some of the embodiments, a plurality of serrated structures 131 are evenly distributed on the inner circumferential wall surface of the liquid channel 13 from one end to the other end, and the serrated structures 131 are inclined toward the end where the condensation chamber 12 is located. The liquid channel 13 adopts the asymmetric pipe structure so that the liquid has a unidirectional flow characteristic in the liquid channel 13, that is, the liquid channel 13 has directionality, which can enable the liquid to flow quickly from the condensation chamber 12 to the evaporation chamber 11 along the liquid channel 13, thereby improving the efficiency of heat transfer.

[0047] In some embodiments, a compensation chamber 15 is provided between the liquid channel 13 and the evaporation chamber 11 . The compensation chamber 15 is used to collect liquid to facilitate the liquid to flow into the evaporation chamber 11 , so that the liquid can enter the evaporation chamber 11 more easily.

[0048] Reference Figure 4 The flexible heat pipe of this embodiment works as follows: the heating end 100 outside the heat pipe corresponds to the internal evaporation chamber 11, the heat dissipation end 200 corresponds to the internal condensation chamber 12, the external heating component is placed on the heating end 100, contacts the first metal sheet 20, and transfers heat to the working liquid in the evaporation chamber 11 through the first metal sheet 20. The working liquid absorbs heat and evaporates to form steam, which flows to the condensation chamber 12 through the gas channels 14 on both sides. The hot steam in the condensation chamber 12 passes through the second metal sheet 30 to transfer heat to the external heat dissipation component, and the steam releases heat to form liquid again. The working liquid flows to the evaporation chamber 11 through the liquid channel 13 and the compensation chamber 15. This cycle is repeated to achieve heat transfer, so that the heat of the heating component at the heating end 100 is transferred to the heat dissipation end 200, and the heat dissipation of the heating component is achieved.

[0049] The flexible heat pipe of this embodiment is flat as a whole and adopts a flexible main body 10. It can be suitable for heat dissipation requirements under complex working conditions such as narrow space and foldable electronic devices. It also adopts two gas channels 14 and a liquid channel 13 with an asymmetric pipe structure to achieve high-speed flow of steam and liquid and realize efficient heat transfer.

[0050] The embodiment of the present invention further provides a method for processing a flexible heat pipe, comprising the following steps:

[0051] S1. The flexible body 10 is printed by a 3D printer, and the printing material used is a flexible material, specifically a soft rubber material. If other non-flexible materials are used as printing materials, the bendability of the flexible body 10 cannot be achieved. The flexible body 10 has an evaporation chamber 11, a condensation chamber 12, and a liquid channel 13 and a gas channel 14 connecting the evaporation chamber 11 and the condensation chamber 12. The evaporation chamber 11 and the condensation chamber 12 are both cavity structures with open bottoms or sides, and the flexible body 10 has a through hole connected to the evaporation chamber 11 or the condensation chamber 12;

[0052] S2. Processing the first metal sheet 20 and the second metal sheet 30, wherein the first metal sheet 20 has a first boss 21, metal powder 211 is evenly laid on the first boss 21, and the first metal sheet 20 is sintered so that the metal powder 211 is bonded to the first boss 21, and the second metal sheet 30 has a second boss 31;

[0053] S3. Install the first metal sheet 20 and the second metal sheet 30, so that the first metal sheet 20 seals the evaporation chamber 11, and the second metal sheet 30 seals the condensation chamber 12, apply a sealing coating on the outer surface of the flexible body 10, and connect the external liquid filling tube 40 to the through hole;

[0054] S4. Injecting working liquid into the interior of the flexible body 10 through the filling tube 40, and performing vacuum treatment through the filling tube 40;

[0055] S5. The pipe opening of the liquid filling tube 40 is sealed. The specific operation is: punching the liquid filling tube 40 to deform it so as to seal it, and finally further sealing the pipe opening of the liquid filling tube 40 by spot welding.

[0056] The processing method of the flexible heat pipe of this embodiment adopts a 3D printing method to manufacture the flexible body 10, and can print out a liquid channel 13 with a serrated structure 131. The printing material adopts a flexible material, so that the flexible body 10 has a certain flexibility and is bendable, and can meet the heat dissipation requirements under complex working conditions such as narrow space and foldable electronic devices. The first metal sheet 20 and the second metal sheet 30 are processed and installed, which is beneficial to the transfer of heat. The sintered metal powder 211 is processed on the first metal sheet 20 to have a certain capillary force, which can make the liquid evenly distributed on the first boss 21, which is beneficial to the uniform heating and evaporation of the liquid and improve the heat transfer efficiency.

[0057] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Various changes can be made within the knowledge scope of ordinary technicians in the technical field without departing from the purpose of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for processing a flexible heat pipe, characterized in that: Flexible heat pipes include: A flexible body, wherein the flexible body is bendable and made of a flexible material, wherein the flexible body has an evaporation chamber, a condensation chamber, and a liquid channel and a gas channel connecting the evaporation chamber and the condensation chamber, and the evaporation chamber and the condensation chamber are both cavity structures with open bottoms or sides; and A first metal sheet, used for sealing the opening of the evaporation chamber; A second metal sheet, used for sealing the opening of the condensation chamber; The following steps are also included: S1. The flexible body is printed by a 3D printer, and the printing material used is a flexible material. The flexible body has the evaporation chamber, the condensation chamber, and the liquid channel and the gas channel connecting the evaporation chamber and the condensation chamber. The evaporation chamber and the condensation chamber are both cavity structures with open bottoms or sides, and the flexible body has a through hole connected to the evaporation chamber or the condensation chamber; S2. Processing the first metal sheet and the second metal sheet, wherein the first metal sheet has a first boss, metal powder is evenly laid on the first boss, and the first metal sheet is sintered so that the metal powder is bonded to the first boss, and the second metal sheet has a second boss; S3. Install the first metal sheet and the second metal sheet so that the first metal sheet seals the evaporation chamber and the second metal sheet seals the condensation chamber, apply a sealing coating on the outer surface of the flexible body, and connect the external liquid filling tube to the through hole; S4. Injecting working liquid into the interior of the flexible body through the filling tube, and performing vacuum treatment through the filling tube; S5. Seal the opening of the liquid-filled tube.

2. The method for processing a flexible heat pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer surface of the flexible body is coated with a sealing coating.

3. The method for processing a flexible heat pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first metal sheet is provided with the first boss engaged with the evaporation chamber, and the second metal sheet is provided with the second boss engaged with the condensation chamber.

4. The method for processing a flexible heat pipe according to claim 3, characterized in that: Metal powder is evenly spread on the first boss.

5. The method for processing a flexible heat pipe according to claim 4, characterized in that: The first metal sheet and the second metal sheet are both copper sheets, and the metal powder is copper powder.

6. The method for processing a flexible heat pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible body is provided with a through hole connected to the evaporation chamber or the condensation chamber, and the through hole is connected to the liquid filling tube.

7. The method for processing a flexible heat pipe according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: There are two gas channels, and the two gas channels are respectively arranged on both sides of the liquid channel.

8. The method for processing a flexible heat pipe according to claim 7, characterized in that: A plurality of sawtooth structures are evenly distributed on the inner circumferential wall surface of the liquid channel from one end to the other end, and the sawtooth structures are inclined toward the end where the condensation chamber is located.

9. The method for processing a flexible heat pipe according to claim 7, characterized in that: A compensation chamber is provided between the liquid channel and the evaporation chamber.

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