Flexible heat pipe

Abstract

A flexible heat pipe (10) includes a casing (12), a wick structure (20) arranged in the casing, and a working medium saturated in the wick structure. The casing includes an evaporation section (122), a condensation section (126), and a flexible adiabatic section (124) connecting the evaporation section with the condensation section. The wick structure includes a first portion (21), a second portion (23) and a third portion respectively disposed in the evaporation, the condensation and the adiabatic sections of the casing. The adiabatic section of the casing further accommodates a supporting member (30) therein for supporting the third portion of the wick structure to have an intimate contact with an inner surface of the adiabatic section.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to a heat pipe, and more particularly to a flexible heat pipe having a high heat transfer capability when it is bent.[0003]2. Description of Related Art[0004]Flexible heat pipes are traditionally used in micro-electronics to help transfer heat from heat producing products. The typical flexible heat pipe includes a casing and a wick structure contacting with an inner surface of the casing. The wick structure contains a working medium. The casing includes an evaporation section connected with a heat generating electronic component such as a CPU, a condensation section connected with a heat dissipating apparatus such as a heat sink, and a flexible adiabatic section connecting the evaporation section with the condensation section for transferring heat. The wick structure is selected from mesh wick, or fibrous wick which provides capillary force to help circulation of the working medium between...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]In ordinary use, the adiabatic section of the flexible heat pipe needs to be bent to achieve miniaturization of the electronic products. However, the wick structure may separate from the inner surface of the casing since the wick structure has a different flexibility coefficient to that of the casing. This decreases heat exchange between the casing and the wick structure and liquid transportation capability of the wick structure, which further decreases heat transfer through the flexible heat pipe. Therefore, there is a need for a flexible heat pipe which can be bent without overly decreasing its heat transfer capability.

Problems solved by technology

This decreases heat exchange between the casing and the wick structure and liquid transportation capability of the wick structure, which further decreases heat transfer through the flexible heat pipe.

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