Variable-size heat pipe

Abstract

The invention relates to a variable size heat pipe. A heat pipe comprising: a variable size heat pipe exoskeleton formed from a thermally conductive material by blow molding or additive manufacturing wherein the variable size heat pipe exoskeleton comprises: a first heat pipe exoskeleton portion having a size of a first value; and a second heat pipe exoskeleton portion having a size of a second value, the second value being different from the first value. In addition, a method of manufacturing a heat pipe includes: providing a thermally conductive material; and performing blow molding or additive manufacturing to form a variable size heat pipe exoskeleton of thermally conductive material wherein the heat pipe exoskeleton has a first heat pipe exoskeleton portion having a size of a first value and a second heat pipe exoskeleton portion having a size of a second value, the second value being different from the first value.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Aspects described herein generally relate to heat pipes, and more particularly, to heat pipes with variable dimensions. Background Art

[0002] Compared with evaporation chambers, many original equipment manufacturers prefer heat pipes because of their high cost - effectiveness, lighter weight, and ease of manufacturing. However, designers, especially thermal, mechanical, and hardware engineers, face challenges when using heat pipes, such as adapting to sharp bends, ensuring full coverage of hot spots, managing the shared heat load of multiple pipes (which increases cost, weight, and complexity), and placing electronic components near these pipes. Traditional heat pipes are typically tubular and flattened for system integration, resulting in decreased performance and requiring a thicker design to meet the heat requirement (Qmax). Additionally, their minimum bending radius limits the flexibility of wiring and the placement of components. Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a heat pipe including: a variable - sized heat pipe exoskeleton formed by blow - molding or additive manufacturing from a thermally conductive material, wherein the variable - sized heat pipe exoskeleton includes: a first heat pipe exoskeleton portion having a dimension of a first value; and a second heat pipe exoskeleton portion having a dimension of a second value, the second value being different from the first value.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a heat transfer system including: a single heat pipe as described above, operable to dissipate heat from a heat source.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of manufacturing a heat pipe, including: providing a thermally conductive material; and performing blow - molding or additive manufacturing to form a variable - sized heat pipe exoskeleton of the thermally conductive material, wherein the heat pipe exoskeleton has a first heat pipe exoskeleton portion and a second heat pipe exoskeleton portion, the first heat pipe exoskeleton portion having a dimension of a first value, the second heat pipe exoskeleton portion having a dimension of a second value, the second value being different from the first value.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of forming a heat transfer system, including: performing the method of manufacturing a single heat pipe as described above; and placing the single heat pipe adjacent to a heat source of an electronic device, wherein the single heat pipe is operable to dissipate heat from the heat source. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007] Figure 1A-1C Illustrates examples of variable - sized heat pipes according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0008] Figure 2A(2A-1, 2A-2, 2A-3, and 2A-4) and 2B (2B-5, 2B-6, 2B-7, 2B-8, and 2B-9) illustrate methods of manufacturing variable-dimension heat pipes according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0009] Figure 3 Illustrated is a method of forming a heat transfer system 300 according to aspects of the present disclosure. Detailed Description

[0010] The present disclosure is directed to a heat pipe having variable dimensions (e.g., length, width, or thickness) produced by blow molding or additive manufacturing techniques. The aspects disclosed herein overcome the limitations of existing heat pipes and enable the manufacture of heat pipes in various shapes with lengths, thicknesses, and widths that can be adjusted as needed. Additionally, the disclosed heat pipes reduce bending losses and facilitate flexible routing of the heat pipes based on system layout and component placement.

[0011] Figure 1A-1C Illustrated are examples of variable-dimension heat pipes 100 (100A, 100B, 100C) according to aspects of the present disclosure. Each of the figures shows a top view, a cross-sectional view, and an exploded portion of the cross-sectional view.

[0012] Figure 1A Illustrated is a first example of a variable-dimension heat pipe 100A according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0013] Heat pipe 100A includes a variable-dimension heat pipe exoskeleton 110A, the first heat pipe exoskeleton portion 112A and the second heat pipe exoskeleton portion 114A of which are in a T-shaped configuration with horizontal and vertical sections. Although the entire heat pipe 100A maintains a uniform thickness of 0.8 mm, its width varies.

[0014] The first heat pipe exoskeleton portion 112A is the horizontal section and has a first width value of 18 mm. The second heat pipe exoskeleton portion 114A is the vertical section and is narrower, having a second width value of 12 mm, thus differing from the first heat pipe exoskeleton portion 112A.

[0015] The first and second heat pipe exoskeleton portions 112A, 114A extend in different directions. Specifically, the first and second heat pipe exoskeleton portions 112A, 114A extend in orthogonal directions.

[0016] Additionally, at least one of the first and second heat pipe exoskeleton portions 112A, 114A includes a curved heat pipe exoskeleton portion 116A having a radius, which, due to the aspects disclosed herein, can be less than about 5 mm.

[0017] Figure 1BIllustrates a second example of a variable - size heat pipe 100B in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0018] The heat pipe 100B includes a variable - size heat - pipe exoskeleton 110B, which is arranged in a T - shaped configuration having horizontal and vertical sections. The vertical section is divided into an upper part and a lower part. The upper part is referred to as the first heat - pipe exoskeleton part 112B, and the lower part is referred to as the second heat - pipe exoskeleton part 114B. The first heat - pipe exoskeleton part 112B, which is the upper part, has a first thickness value of 0.8 mm. On the other hand, the second heat - pipe exoskeleton part 114B, which is the lower part, has a second thickness value of 0.6 mm, making it thinner than the upper part. This design feature makes the vertical section thinner when facing the SoC (System - on - Chip) interface.

[0019] The first and second heat - pipe exoskeleton parts 112B, 114B extend in the same direction and are end - to - end contiguous. In other words, the first and second parts of the heat - pipe exoskeleton parts 112B, 114B are aligned in the same direction and are positioned adjacent to each other at their ends.

[0020] Figure 1C Illustrates a third example of a variable - size heat pipe 100C in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0021] The heat pipe 100C includes a variable - size heat - pipe exoskeleton 110C arranged in a T - shaped configuration having horizontal and vertical sections similar to Figure 1B the heat - pipe exoskeleton 110B. The vertical section is divided into an upper part and a lower part. The upper part is referred to as the first heat - pipe exoskeleton part 112C, and the lower part is referred to as the second heat - pipe exoskeleton part 114C. The first heat - pipe exoskeleton part 112C, which is the upper part, has a first thickness value of 0.8 mm. On the other hand, the second heat - pipe exoskeleton part 114C, which is the lower part, has a second thickness value of 1 mm, making it thicker than the upper part. This design feature makes the vertical section thicker when facing the SoC (System - on - Chip) interface.

[0022] The first and second heat - pipe exoskeleton parts 112C, 114C extend in the same direction and are end - to - end contiguous. In other words, the first and second parts of the heat - pipe exoskeleton parts 112C, 114C are aligned in the same direction and are positioned adjacent to each other at their ends.

[0023] The variable size can be, for example, length, width, or thickness. Length, width, and thickness are defined in orthogonal directions.

[0024] The heat - conducting material can include copper, copper alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, titanium, or titanium alloy.

[0025] Figure 2A(2A-1, 2A-2, 2A-3, and 2A-4) and 2B (2B-5, 2B-6, 2B-7, 2B-8, and 2B-9) illustrate a method 200 for manufacturing a variable-size heat pipe 100 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The variable-size heat pipe 100 has an exoskeleton 110 formed of a thermally conductive material by blow molding or additive manufacturing. Figure 2A and Figure 2B illustrates a blow molding process.

[0026] As an overview, method 200 includes heating copper scrap 21 (or scrap of another thermally conductive material) and using air to form it into a hollow shape within a mold cavity 210. The copper scrap 21 is first placed in a hopper 22. Then, the copper scrap enters a cavity housing a rotating mandrel 23 equipped with heaters 24. These heaters 24 melt the copper and transform it into molten copper 25. The molten copper 25 flows into the mold cavity 210 under the guidance of the rotating mandrel 23. Near the die head 26, a blow pin 27 introduces air into a component called a "parison" 28, shaping the molten copper 25 into a tubular structure 230. Then the parison 28 enters the mold cavity. After the parison 28 is formed, it undergoes various processing stages 1-8 within the mold cavity 210. Further description of these stages will be made with reference to Figure 2A and Figure 2B for further description of these stages.

[0027] Figure 2A -1 illustrates stage 1, i.e., initial extrusion. This stage includes an initial setup where both mold plates 220 are in the open position. The parison 28 is a tubular plastic preform that is extruded into the mold cavity 210 to prepare for subsequent forming processes.

[0028] Figure 2A -2 illustrates stage 2, i.e., molding and shaping. In this stage, the mold plates 220 close and enclose the parison 28. The edges of the mold engage in a pinching action, effectively sealing the parison 28. At the same time, air is introduced into the interior of the parison 28 through the blow pin 27, causing the parison 28 to expand and conform to the inner contour of the mold. This action shapes the heat pipe exoskeleton 110 into the shape and size of the mold.

[0029] Figure 2A-3 illustrates stage 3, i.e., cooling and demolding. After a cooling period allowing the material to solidify and cure, the mold plates 220 are reopened. The now-cured heat pipe exoskeleton 110 is removed from the mold while maintaining its structural integrity and dimensional accuracy.

[0030] Figure 2A -4 illustrates stage 4, i.e., post-extraction processing. After extraction, the heat pipe exoskeleton 110 undergoes further processing. In this example, the heat pipe exoskeleton 110 has a T-shaped configuration.

[0031] Figure 2B - Figure 5 illustrates Stage 5, namely, the inspection of the heat pipe exoskeleton 110 after removal from the mold. If the heat pipe exoskeleton 110 passes the inspection, the entire heat pipe exoskeleton 110 is flat and maintains a uniform thickness, except for certain areas designed with different dimensions. The heat pipe exoskeleton 110 has a hollow structure with a sealed end 116 and two unsealed ends 118 (118.1 and 118.2) to facilitate the insertion of the core. The number of sealed and unsealed ends may vary based on the specific design specifications of the heat pipe.

[0032] Figure 2B - Figure 6 illustrates Stage 6, namely, the insertion of the core. The core 120 is inserted into the unsealed ends 118.1, 118.2 of the heat pipe exoskeleton 110, aligned with their respective axial directions. During this process, each unsealed end 118 is filled with a powdered heat-conductive material (such as copper powder) and then undergoes sintering to produce the porous structure that forms the core 120.

[0033] Figure 2B - Figure 7 illustrates Stage 7. In this stage, the gravity-side unsealed end 118.2 of the heat pipe exoskeleton 110 is sealed. The other unsealed end 118.1 remains open for subsequent processing. More specifically, a working fluid (such as water) is introduced into the inner cavity of the heat pipe exoskeleton 110 via the unsealed end 118.1, and then the structure is hermetically sealed to encapsulate the working fluid.

[0034] Figure 2B - Figure 8 illustrates Stage 8, in which the heat pipe 100 is tested and inspected to ensure its functionality and integrity.

[0035] Figure 2B - Figure 9 illustrates the heat pipe 100 after testing and inspection. The illustration includes a top view and a side view of the heat pipe 100. The horizontal section of the heat pipe 100 is characterized by a first width W1 and a first thickness T1, while the vertical section has a second width W2 and a second thickness T2. The first width W1 is different from the second width W2, and similarly, the first thickness T1 is different from the second thickness T2.

[0036] The disclosed heat pipe 100 with variable dimensions can be manufactured in any of a variety of shapes. These shapes include, but are not limited to, alphabetic characters such as B, C, E, F, H, I, J, L, M, N, P, S, T, U, V, W, Y, Z, and numbers, including 3, 7, 9, and others. This variability in shape allows for adaptable integration into various applications and systems.

[0037] Figure 3Illustrated is a method of forming a heat transfer system 300 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0038] Steps 310 - 330 outline a process for fabricating a single heat pipe 100. Step 310 includes providing a thermally conductive material. During step 320, a manufacturing process such as blow molding or additive manufacturing is used to form a heat pipe exoskeleton 110 having variable dimensions and made of the thermally conductive material. In step 330, a core 120 is formed within this exoskeleton 110.

[0039] Step 340 includes placing the single heat pipe in proximity to a heat source of an electronic device. This configuration allows the heat pipe 100 to effectively dissipate heat from the heat source, thereby contributing to the overall efficiency of the heat transfer system. It is not necessary to provide multiple heat pipes as in known systems. According to aspects disclosed herein, a single heat pipe 100 is sufficient.

[0040] The disclosed variable - dimension heat pipe overcomes the limitations of prior heat pipes by providing design flexibility in shape and thickness. This heat pipe facilitates the placement of CPU core area components (CPU, memory, and power supply) on a printed circuit board (PCB) without being constrained by traditional heat pipe routing. It effectively eliminates the evaporation chamber dead zones on the motherboard and reduces heat pipe bending losses, thereby improving thermal efficiency. The heat pipe provides excellent coverage of the hot spots of a system - on - a - chip (SoC) and has better performance than a dual - heat - pipe thermal design.

[0041] In addition, the disclosed heat pipe increases the battery capacity and extends the battery life in an electronic device. By minimizing its overlap on the motherboard, it reduces the reserved area for the underlying higher components, thereby optimizing space utilization. The heat transfer efficiency (“Qmax”) of the heat pipe exceeds that of a dual - heat - pipe system, contributing to the improvement of the overall device performance.

[0042] One property of this heat pipe is that its shape is not restricted, enabling flexible integration into various electronic device designs, including workstations, desktops, and servers. Compared with a dual - heat - pipe system, this design offers the potential for weight reduction and also provides a cost - effective alternative to existing heat pipes and evaporation chambers. Its adaptability makes it a better solution for managing distributed hot spots in CPU, GPU, and VR components, giving it broad applicability and effectiveness in thermal management.

[0043] The technology of the present disclosure can also be described in the following examples.

[0044] Example 1. A heat pipe, comprising: a variable-size heat pipe exoskeleton formed by blow molding or additive manufacturing from a heat-conductive material, wherein the variable-size heat pipe exoskeleton comprises: a first heat pipe exoskeleton portion having a size of a first value; and a second heat pipe exoskeleton portion having a size of a second value, the second value being different from the first value.

[0045] Example 2. The heat pipe according to Example 1, wherein the size is length, width, or thickness, and the length, the width, and the thickness are defined in orthogonal directions.

[0046] Example 3. The heat pipe according to any one of Examples 1-2, wherein at least one of the first heat pipe exoskeleton portion and the second heat pipe exoskeleton portion comprises a curved heat pipe exoskeleton portion having a radius of less than about 5 mm.

[0047] Example 4. The heat pipe according to any one of Examples 1-3, wherein the heat pipe exoskeleton is formed by blow molding.

[0048] Example 5. The heat pipe according to any one of Examples 1-4, wherein the heat pipe exoskeleton is formed by additive manufacturing.

[0049] Example 6. The heat pipe according to any one of Examples 1-5, wherein the first heat pipe exoskeleton portion and the second heat pipe exoskeleton portion extend in different directions.

[0050] Example 7. The heat pipe according to any one of Examples 1-6, wherein the first heat pipe exoskeleton portion and the second heat pipe exoskeleton portion extend in orthogonal directions.

[0051] Example 8. The heat pipe according to any one of Examples 1-7, wherein the first heat pipe exoskeleton portion and the second heat pipe exoskeleton portion extend in the same direction and are end-to-end contiguous.

[0052] Example 9. The heat pipe according to any one of Examples 1-8, further comprising: a core formed within the heat pipe exoskeleton.

[0053] Example 10. The heat pipe according to any one of Examples 1-9, wherein the heat-conductive material comprises copper, copper alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, titanium, or titanium alloy.

[0054] Example 11. A heat transfer system, comprising: a single heat pipe according to any one of Examples 1-10, operable to dissipate heat from a heat source.

[0055] Example 12. A method of manufacturing a heat pipe, comprising: providing a heat conductive material; and performing blow molding or additive manufacturing to form a variable-dimension heat pipe exoskeleton of the heat conductive material, wherein the heat pipe exoskeleton has a first heat pipe exoskeleton portion and a second heat pipe exoskeleton portion, the first heat pipe exoskeleton portion having a dimension of a first value and the second heat pipe exoskeleton portion having a dimension of a second value, the second value being different from the first value.

[0056] Example 13. The method according to Example 12, wherein the dimension is a length, a width or a thickness, and the length, the width and the thickness are defined in orthogonal directions.

[0057] Example 14. The method according to any one of Examples 12-13, wherein at least one of the first heat pipe exoskeleton portion and the second heat pipe exoskeleton portion includes a curved heat pipe exoskeleton portion having a radius of less than about 5 mm.

[0058] Example 15. The method according to any one of Examples 12-14, further comprising: performing blow molding to form the variable-dimension heat pipe exoskeleton.

[0059] Example 16. The method according to any one of Examples 12-16, further comprising: performing additive manufacturing to form the variable-dimension heat pipe exoskeleton.

[0060] Example 17. The method according to Example 12, further comprising: sealing one end of the heat pipe exoskeleton and leaving any other end of the heat pipe exoskeleton unsealed; and inserting a core into each unsealed end of the heat pipe exoskeleton in a respective axial direction.

[0061] Example 18. The method according to Example 17, wherein inserting the core into the heat pipe exoskeleton includes: filling each unsealed end of the heat pipe exoskeleton with a powder of the heat conductive material; and sintering the powder to form a porous structure, thereby forming the core.

[0062] Example 19. The method according to Example 18, further comprising: sealing any unsealed end on the gravity side of the heat pipe exoskeleton; adding a working fluid to the inner cavity of the heat pipe exoskeleton; and hermetically sealing the heat pipe exoskeleton with the working fluid therein.

[0063] Example 20. A method of forming a heat transfer system, comprising: performing the method of manufacturing a single heat pipe according to any one of Examples 12-19; and placing the single heat pipe adjacent to a heat source of an electronic device, wherein the single heat pipe is operable to dissipate heat from the heat source.

[0064] Although the foregoing has been described in connection with exemplary aspects, it is to be understood that the term "exemplary" merely means an example, and not the best or optimal. Accordingly, this disclosure is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents that may be included within the scope of this disclosure.

[0065] Although specific aspects have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various alternative and / or equivalent implementations may be substituted for the specific aspects shown and described without departing from the scope of the present application. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific aspects discussed herein.

Claims

1. A heat pipe comprising: A variable-size heat pipe exoskeleton, wherein the variable-size heat pipe exoskeleton is formed by blow molding or additive manufacturing of a heat-conducting material, wherein the variable-size heat pipe exoskeleton comprises: a first heat pipe exoskeleton portion having a dimension of a first value; and A second heat pipe exoskeleton portion has a dimension of a second value, the second value being different from the first value.

2. The heat pipe according to claim 1, wherein: The dimension is length, width or thickness, and the length, the width and the thickness are defined in orthogonal directions.

3. The heat pipe according to claim 1, wherein: At least one of the first heat pipe exoskeleton portion and the second heat pipe exoskeleton portion includes a curved heat pipe exoskeleton portion having a radius less than about 5 mm.

4. The heat pipe according to claim 1, wherein: The heat pipe exoskeleton is formed by blow molding.

5. The heat pipe according to claim 1, wherein: The heat pipe exoskeleton is formed by additive manufacturing.

6. The heat pipe according to claim 1, wherein: The first heat pipe exoskeleton portion and the second heat pipe exoskeleton portion extend in different directions.

7. The heat pipe according to claim 1, wherein: The first heat pipe exoskeleton portion and the second heat pipe exoskeleton portion extend in orthogonal directions.

8. The heat pipe according to claim 1, wherein: The first heat pipe exoskeleton portion and the second heat pipe exoskeleton portion extend in the same direction and are adjacent end to end.

9. The heat pipe of claim 1, further comprising: A core is formed within the heat pipe exoskeleton.

10. The heat pipe according to claim 1, wherein: The thermally conductive material includes copper, copper alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, titanium or titanium alloy.

11. A heat transfer system comprising: The single heat pipe of claim 1, operable to remove heat from a heat source.

12. A method for manufacturing a heat pipe, comprising: Provide thermally conductive materials; and Blow molding or additive manufacturing is performed to form a variable-size heat pipe exoskeleton of the heat conductive material, wherein the heat pipe exoskeleton has a first heat pipe exoskeleton portion and a second heat pipe exoskeleton portion, the first heat pipe exoskeleton portion has a size of a first value, the second heat pipe exoskeleton portion has a size of a second value, and the second value is different from the first value.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein: The dimension is length, width or thickness, and the length, the width and the thickness are defined in orthogonal directions.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein: At least one of the first heat pipe exoskeleton portion and the second heat pipe exoskeleton portion includes a curved heat pipe exoskeleton portion having a radius less than about 5 mm.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising: Blow molding is performed to form the variable-size heat pipe exoskeleton.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising: Additive manufacturing is performed to form the variable-size heat pipe exoskeleton.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising: sealing one end of the heat pipe exoskeleton and leaving any other end of the heat pipe exoskeleton unsealed; and A core is inserted into each unsealed end of the heat pipe exoskeleton in a corresponding axial direction.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein: Inserting the core into the heat pipe exoskeleton comprises: Filling each unsealed end of the heat pipe exoskeleton with a powder of the thermally conductive material; and The powder is sintered to form a porous structure, which forms the core.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: sealing any gravity-side unsealed ends of the heat pipe exoskeleton; adding a working fluid into the inner cavity of the heat pipe exoskeleton; and The heat pipe exoskeleton having the working fluid therein is hermetically sealed.

20. A method of forming a heat transfer system, comprising: Performing the method of manufacturing a single heat pipe as described in claim 12; and placing the single heat pipe adjacent to a heat source of the electronic device, Wherein the single heat pipe is operable to dissipate heat from the heat source.

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