Optical module shell manufacturing method, optical module and communication equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of optical communication, in particular to an optical module shell manufacturing method, which comprises the following steps of: processing a hollow square heat pipe by using a metal extruding and stretching process; a shell body is obtained through die casting of metal powder, a containing space is formed in the shell body, the containing space is used for installing a circuit mainboard, and the circuit mainboard comprises a photoelectric device generating heat; fixing the square heat pipe on a first surface, opposite to the circuit mainboard, of the shell main body; the square heat pipe is subjected to vacuumizing treatment; and the square heat pipe is filled with a medium for heat dissipation. By means of the mode, heat dissipation can be conducted on the shell body through the square heat pipe, and therefore normal work of all photoelectric devices in the optical module is guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of optical communication technology, and in particular to an optical module housing manufacturing method, an optical module and a communication device. Background Art

[0002] An optical module is an optical communication device that converts electrical signals into optical signals. However, as network performance continues to improve, the heat generated by its internal electronic components is increasing, so the heat dissipation requirements for the optical module casing are getting higher and higher.

[0003] In the prior art, heat sink fins are usually used to dissipate heat from the optical module housing. However, the heat sink fins are affected by the material and the process of being installed on the optical module housing, and the heat dissipation efficiency of the optical module housing is limited, which cannot meet the strict heat dissipation requirements of the optical module. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned defects of the prior art, an embodiment of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing an optical module, wherein a housing body has an accommodation space inside, the accommodation space is used to install optoelectronic devices, and a square heat pipe is arranged on a first surface of the housing body opposite to the optoelectronic devices. The housing body is cooled by the square heat pipe, thereby ensuring that each optoelectronic device in the optical module works normally.

[0005] On the one hand, in order to solve the above technical problems, a technical solution adopted in an embodiment of the present invention is: providing a method for manufacturing an optical module, the method comprising: using a metal extrusion and stretching process to obtain a hollow square heat pipe; using metal powder die-casting to obtain a shell body, wherein the shell body has an accommodating space inside, and the accommodating space is used to install a circuit main board, and the circuit main board includes a photoelectric device that generates heat; fixing the square heat pipe on a first surface of the shell body opposite to the circuit main board; vacuuming the square heat pipe; and filling the square heat pipe with a medium for heat dissipation.

[0006] In an optional manner, the square heat pipe is arranged on a first surface of the shell body opposite to the circuit board, including: the square heat pipe is die-cast as an insert and integrally formed with the shell body.

[0007] Optionally, the square heat pipe is formed by using an extrusion and stretching process, including: obtaining a square tube body by using a metal plate extrusion and stretching process; adding copper powder into the square tube body; installing a front cover and a rear cover at both ends of the square tube body to form a closed containing cavity; performing a high-temperature sintering treatment on the copper powder; and installing an air nozzle on the front cover, wherein the air nozzle is connected to the containing cavity and is used to evacuate the containing cavity.

[0008] Optionally, the air nozzle adopts a one-way valve structure.

[0009] Optionally, adding a medium into the square heat pipe includes: obtaining the temperature of the heating end of the photoelectric device in advance; adding distilled water to the containing cavity through the air nozzle according to the temperature of the heating end of the photoelectric device, wherein the filling amount of the distilled water is between 30% and 50% of the volume of the containing cavity.

[0010] Optionally, the square heat pipe is subjected to a vacuum treatment, comprising: obtaining the temperature of the heating end of the photoelectric device in advance; and setting the vacuum rate in the square heat pipe according to the temperature of the heating end of the photoelectric device.

[0011] Optionally, the metal plate includes copper or aluminum; the square tube body is obtained by using the metal plate extrusion and stretching process, including: obtaining a blank made of copper or aluminum; high-temperature treatment of the blank; placing the heated blank into a square stretching die to obtain a tube body blank; and post-processing the tube body blank to obtain the square tube body.

[0012] Optionally, the metal powder includes one or more of copper, aluminum, magnesium, titanium, zinc, and silver.

[0013] On the other hand, an embodiment of the present invention provides an optical module, including the optical module housing manufactured by the method of this embodiment.

[0014] In another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides an optical module, including the optical module in this embodiment.

[0015] In the embodiment of the present invention, the bottom surface of the square heat pipe is attached to the surface of the shell body. The heat generated by the photoelectric element is exchanged with the bottom surface of the square tube body through the shell body, so that the cooling medium in the accommodating cavity is heated and boiled and evaporated, thereby reducing the heat of the optical module shell, and the gaseous cooling medium rises to the top surface of the square tube body and condenses and refluxes, thereby cyclically dissipating heat and cooling the shell body, ensuring the working efficiency of the optical module. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for the specific embodiments or the prior art description. In all drawings, similar elements or parts are generally identified by similar reference numerals. In the drawings, the elements or parts are not necessarily drawn according to the actual scale.

[0017] Figure 1 A flow chart showing a method for manufacturing an optical module housing according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0018] Figure 2A structural diagram of an optical module housing according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0019] Figure 3 A graph showing the relationship between the boiling point of water and vacuum and pressure.

[0020] 1. Lower shell; 2. Square heat pipe; 3. First surface; 4. Frame; 5. Accommodating cavity; 201. Air nozzle; 202. Square tube body. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0022] See also Figure 1 , Figure 1 It is a schematic flow chart of a method for manufacturing an optical module housing improved by an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the optical module housing comprises a housing body and a square heat pipe 2. The method for manufacturing an optical module housing may comprise the following steps S101 to S105.

[0023] S101: A hollow square heat pipe 2 is obtained by using a metal extrusion and stretching process.

[0024] Among them, since the shell body is a carrier for installing optoelectronic devices in the optical module, its surface is mostly flat, so the circular heat pipe can be set as a square heat pipe 2 to adapt to the surface of the shell body to achieve efficient heat dissipation effect for the shell body.

[0025] The specific manufacturing method of the square heat pipe 2 may include:

[0026] S1011: A square tube body 202 is obtained by using a metal plate extrusion and stretching process.

[0027] Among them, the square tube body 202 produced by the stretching process has more advantages than other processes (such as welding, extrusion or casting, etc.), such as high material utilization rate: the stretching process can usually minimize material waste, and there will be less scraps than casting and other methods, which can improve the overall material utilization rate. And better thermal conductivity: due to the influence of factors such as material uniformity and microstructure, the square tube body 202 produced by the stretching process has better performance in thermal conductivity, which can improve the thermal conductivity efficiency of the square heat pipe 2 and improve the heat dissipation effect of the shell body.

[0028] Specifically, in this embodiment, the metal plate may be a copper plate or an aluminum plate, and the square tube body 202 is obtained by an extrusion and stretching process, which may include:

[0029] S1011a: Obtain a copper or aluminum billet.

[0030] Among them, according to the temperature of the heating end of the photoelectric device, the volume of the accommodating cavity 5, the area of ​​the first surface 3 and other conditions, a suitable copper or aluminum alloy material is selected. The copper alloy usually uses C11000 (pure copper), while aluminum can use 6061, 6063 or other alloys. Among them, copper has higher thermal conductivity than common aluminum, stainless steel and other materials, which can improve the heat exchange efficiency of the heat pipe, and is connected to the shell body through thermal conductive glue or soldering to improve the thermal conductivity. In this embodiment, copper can be used as the stretched blank of the square tube body 202.

[0031] The selected metal sheets are cut into appropriate sizes to meet the needs of subsequent high temperature treatment or directly enter the extrusion and stretching process.

[0032] S1011b: high temperature treatment of the blank.

[0033] Wherein, the heat treatment equipment (such as a high temperature furnace) is preheated to a predetermined temperature. In this embodiment, the annealing temperature of copper is generally between 500°C and 700°C, while the heat treatment temperature of aluminum alloy is usually around 400°C.

[0034] S1011c: placing the heated blank into a square stretching die to obtain a tube blank.

[0035] Among them, the high-temperature treated blank is placed in the mold to ensure its accurate positioning so that it can be evenly stressed during the subsequent stretching process.

[0036] The blank is stretched through a die using hydraulic or mechanical pressure equipment to form a preliminary square tube 202. During the process of applying pressure, the stretching speed needs to be controlled to avoid excessive deformation or cracking of the material.

[0037] During the stretching process, the material flow needs to be monitored, and graphic observation and adjustments can be made when necessary to ensure product consistency and quality.

[0038] S1011d: performing post-processing on the tube body blank to obtain the square tube body 202.

[0039] The post-processing may include cooling, deburring, pickling or cleaning, surface treatment, etc., so as to remove impurities on the surface of the square tube 202 and ensure various properties of the surface of the square tube 202 .

[0040] S1012: Add copper powder into the square tube 202 .

[0041] According to the application requirements of the heat pipe, copper powder of appropriate particle size and purity is selected, and usually fine powder is selected to improve fluidity and sintering characteristics, and the amount of copper powder is ensured to be moderate, so as to achieve optimized density and porosity in subsequent sintering. The application requirements of the heat pipe and the amount of copper powder added can be selected according to conditions including the temperature of the heating end of the optoelectronic device, the volume of the accommodating cavity 5, the area of ​​the first surface 3, etc. The particle size and purity of the copper powder can be adjusted according to actual conditions, and are not limited in this embodiment.

[0042] S1013: Install a front cover and a rear cover at both ends of the square tube body 202 to form a closed accommodating cavity 5.

[0043] Among them, suitable front cover and rear cover are designed and manufactured according to the size of the square tube body 202. The front cover and rear cover can be made of the same material as the square tube body 202, usually copper or aluminum alloy.

[0044] The front cover and the rear cover can be fixed to the tube body by welding, brazing or mechanical connection to ensure the strength and sealing performance of the connection. To avoid gas leakage during high-temperature sintering, the entire accommodating cavity 5 must be a closed structure.

[0045] S1014: performing high temperature sintering treatment on the copper powder.

[0046] Among them, a proper sintering furnace is selected and the sintering temperature is set. For copper powder, the usual sintering temperature is between 900°C and 1200°C.

[0047] The square heat pipe 2 filled with copper powder is placed in a sintering furnace, ensuring sufficient space for the metal powder to heat and flow.

[0048] The sintering temperature is gradually increased to the set temperature and maintained at a constant temperature to help the copper powder fully fuse and form a dense metal structure. During the sintering process, the copper powder particles partially melt and agglomerate under the action of high temperature to form a larger and denser copper block, which can connect the upper and lower ends of the inner wall of the accommodating cavity 5. Since the sintered copper powder usually leaves certain pores, these pore structures can effectively enhance the heat transfer performance of the square heat pipe 2. At the same time, the liquid heat dissipation medium will rise or move along the pores of the copper block, thereby accelerating the circulation of the medium inside the heat pipe.

[0049] After sintering, the temperature of the heat pipe is slowly cooled to avoid material stress caused by rapid temperature drop. After cooling, the size and quality inspection are carried out to ensure that the product meets the design standards.

[0050] S1015: Install an air nozzle 201 on the front cover, wherein the air nozzle 201 is connected to the accommodating chamber 5 and is used to evacuate the accommodating chamber 5 .

[0051] Please refer to Figure 2 , wherein, according to the design requirements of the square heat pipe 2, a suitable material of the air nozzle 201 (usually metal or high temperature resistant plastic), shape of the air nozzle 201 and connection method (such as threaded connection, welding) are selected. In this embodiment, the air nozzle 201 can be cylindrical and mounted on the front cover by welding.

[0052] The gas nozzle 201 may be a one-way valve, and its specific structure may refer to the one-way valve structure in the prior art. The one-way valve allows the gas or liquid in the receiving chamber 5 to be extracted, and blocks the external gas from entering the receiving chamber 5. After vacuuming, the air pressure in the receiving chamber 5 is lower than that in the outside, and the external gas cannot enter, thereby inhibiting the gas in the receiving chamber 5 from overflowing, and also achieving the effect of sealing the receiving chamber 5.

[0053] S102: Obtain a shell body by die-casting metal powder.

[0054] The metal powder includes one or more of copper, aluminum, magnesium, titanium, zinc and silver. The metal powder is filled in a mold and die-cast to obtain the shell body.

[0055] The housing body has a containing space inside, and the containing space is used to install the optoelectronic device. The optoelectronic device is installed on the circuit main board, and the circuit main board is installed in the containing space.

[0056] S103: Disposing the square heat pipe 2 on the first surface 3 of the housing body opposite to the optoelectronic device.

[0057] The shell body includes an upper shell and a lower shell 1, which are formed by die casting. When the upper shell cover is arranged on the lower shell 1, a storage space is formed between the two. The circuit main board is installed in the lower shell 1, and the square heat pipe 2 is arranged on the first surface 3 of the lower shell 1. The connection method between the square heat pipe 2 and the first surface 3 can be soldering, thermal conductive adhesive bonding, screw installation and die casting. Among them, the first surface 3 can be rectangular, and the shape of the heat pipe can be square. The length of the heat pipe is the same as the length of the circuit main board, so that the bottom surface of the heat pipe can completely cover the first surface 3 to enhance the heat exchange efficiency.

[0058] Among them, in one embodiment of the present invention, the edge of the first surface 3 may be symmetrically provided with two frames 4, and the heat pipe is located between the two frames 4. The frame 4 may be integrally formed with the shell body, and the heat pipe is installed between the two frames 4 to protect the side of the heat pipe. In one implementation, the frame 4 may be installed on the shell body, and a heat dissipation material such as copper may be used to dissipate heat from the shell body.

[0059] Among them, when the square heat pipe 2 and the shell body are formed as an integrated unit by die casting, during the die casting process, the inside of the heat pipe needs to maintain normal pressure. After the die casting is completed, the square heat pipe 2 is vacuumed to avoid the risk of explosion during the die casting process and improve the yield rate of the optical module shell in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] S104: performing a vacuum process on the square heat pipe 2.

[0061] In order to allow the medium to boil within a preset temperature, the inside of the square heat pipe 2 needs to be evacuated so as to more effectively exchange heat with the square heat pipe 2 .

[0062] The vacuum rate is set according to the temperature of the heating end of the photoelectric device. For specific settings, please refer to Figure 3 .

[0063] S105: Adding a medium for heat dissipation into the square heat pipe 2 .

[0064] The heat dissipation medium is used for heat exchange with the square heat pipe 2 and can be a cooling medium such as distilled water, ammonia, ethylene glycol, etc.

[0065] During the filling process, the interior of the square heat pipe 2 is kept in a vacuum state, and the heat dissipation medium is injected into the interior of the square heat pipe 2 through an injection device to ensure that the amount of the medium reaches the design standard.

[0066] After the medium is injected, the opening of the heat pipe is sealed to ensure that the medium does not leak and to maintain the vacuum rate inside the square heat pipe 2.

[0067] In the optical module housing made by the embodiment of the present invention, the bottom surface of the square heat pipe 2 is attached to the surface of the housing body. Heat is exchanged between the housing and the bottom surface of the square tube body 202, so that the cooling medium in the accommodating cavity 5 is heated and boiled and evaporated, thereby reducing the heat of the optical module housing, and the gaseous cooling medium rises to the top surface of the square tube body 202 and condenses and refluxes, thereby cyclically dissipating heat and cooling the housing body, ensuring the working efficiency of the optical module.

[0068] Furthermore, the present invention provides an optical module, wherein a housing of the optical module is manufactured by using the manufacturing method of the optical module housing in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0069] In addition, the present invention further provides a communication device, which uses the optical module in the embodiment of the present invention to transmit information.

[0070] It should be noted that the above embodiments illustrate the present invention rather than limit it, and that those skilled in the art may devise alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference symbol between brackets shall not be construed as a limitation on the claims. The word "comprising" does not exclude the presence of elements or steps not listed in the claims. The word "one" or "an" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. The present invention may be implemented by means of hardware comprising a number of different elements and by means of a suitably programmed computer. In a unit claim enumerating a number of devices, several of these devices may be embodied by the same hardware item. The use of the words first, second, and third, etc. does not indicate any order. These words may be interpreted as names. The steps in the above embodiments, unless otherwise specified, should not be understood as limitations on the order of execution.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an optical module housing, characterized in that: The method comprises: The hollow square heat pipe is obtained by using metal extrusion and stretching technology; The housing body is obtained by die-casting metal powder, wherein the housing body has an accommodation space inside, and the accommodation space is used to install a circuit main board, and the circuit main board includes a photoelectric device that generates heat; Fixing the square heat pipe on a first surface of the housing body opposite to the circuit board; Performing a vacuum treatment on the square heat pipe; The square heat pipe is filled with a medium for heat dissipation.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The square heat pipe is arranged on a first surface of the housing body opposite to the circuit board, comprising: The square heat pipe is used as an insert and is integrally formed with the shell body by die casting.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The method of forming the square heat pipe by using an extrusion and stretching process comprises: The square tube body is obtained by adopting the metal plate extrusion and stretching process; Adding copper powder into the square tube; A front cover and a rear cover are respectively installed at two ends of the square tube to form a closed accommodating cavity; Performing high temperature sintering treatment on the copper powder; An air nozzle is installed on the front cover, and the air nozzle is communicated with the accommodating cavity and is used for vacuuming the accommodating cavity.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The metal plate includes copper or aluminum; the square tube body is obtained by extrusion and stretching the metal plate, including: Get a copper or aluminum billet; High temperature treatment of the blank; The heated blank is placed in a square drawing die to obtain a tube blank; The tube body blank is post-processed to obtain the square tube body.

5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that: Adding a medium into the square heat pipe includes: Pre-acquire the temperature of the heating end of the photoelectric device; According to the temperature of the heating end of the photoelectric device, distilled water is added into the containing cavity through the air nozzle, wherein the filling amount of the distilled water is between 30% and 50% of the volume of the containing cavity.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The square heat pipe is subjected to a vacuum treatment, comprising: Pre-acquire the temperature of the heating end of the photoelectric device; The vacuum rate in the square heat pipe is set according to the temperature of the heating end of the photoelectric device.

7. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The air nozzle adopts a one-way valve structure.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The metal powder includes one or more of copper, aluminum, magnesium, titanium, zinc and silver.

9. An optical module, characterized in that: The optical module housing comprises the optical module housing manufactured by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A communication device, characterized in that: Comprising the optical module as claimed in claim 9.

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