middle frame assembly
By employing a vacuum chamber circulating cooling system with a mid-frame assembly in electronic devices, the problems of increased overall thickness and low heat transfer efficiency caused by heat spreaders are solved, resulting in more efficient heat dissipation and a simplified assembly process.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- LIZHEN HLDG (KUNSHAN) CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-07-08
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-16
AI Technical Summary
When existing heat spreaders are bonded to electronic devices as independent modules, the overall thickness of the device increases and the heat transfer efficiency is low, making it difficult to meet the market's heat dissipation needs.
The system employs a mid-frame assembly, which, together with the condenser plate, forms a vacuum cavity. The mid-frame is equipped with a capillary structure, and the condenser plate has support columns. The heat transfer medium circulates and cools the system within the vacuum cavity, shortening the heat conduction path and improving heat dissipation efficiency.
The overall thickness of the machine has been reduced, heat dissipation efficiency has been improved, the heat conduction path has been shortened, the heat dissipation effect on the heat source has been enhanced, and the overall structure and assembly process have been simplified.
Smart Images
Figure CN224368202U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of electronic technology, and in particular to a mid-frame assembly. Background Technology
[0002] With the continuous advancement and upgrading of electronic technology, the integrated circuits of electronic devices are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and the power consumption requirements of electronic devices such as chips are increasing. Therefore, heat dissipation devices need to be installed in electronic devices to reduce their temperature.
[0003] Currently, heat dissipation is usually achieved using vapor chambers. In actual use, the vapor chamber is attached to the electronic device as an independent module. This heat dissipation method increases the overall thickness of the device and slows down heat transfer, making it difficult to meet the rapidly increasing heat dissipation demands of the market. Utility Model Content
[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a mid-frame component to address the problems of current heat dissipation methods leading to increased thickness of electronic devices and difficulty in meeting market demands.
[0005] A mid-frame assembly for use in an electronic device, the mid-frame assembly comprising a mid-frame, a condenser plate, and a support column, wherein:
[0006] The middle frame and the condenser plate form a vacuum cavity. The wall surface of the middle frame facing the condenser plate is provided with a capillary structure. The vacuum cavity is filled with a heat transfer medium.
[0007] The support column is provided on the wall surface of the condenser plate facing the middle frame.
[0008] In one embodiment, the side of the support column opposite to the condenser plate abuts against the capillary structure.
[0009] In one embodiment, there are multiple support columns, which are spaced apart on the condenser plate, and a heat transfer channel is formed between two adjacent support columns.
[0010] In one embodiment, the condenser plate has a first side facing away from the middle frame and a second side facing the middle frame. The first side has a plurality of support portions and a plurality of recesses spaced apart in sequence, and the second side has protrusions that correspond one-to-one with the recesses. The recesses and the protrusions form the support columns.
[0011] In one embodiment, the first thickness of the support portion ranges from 30 μm to 80 μm.
[0012] In one embodiment, the second thickness of the heat transfer channel formed between two adjacent support columns ranges from 150 μm to 305 μm.
[0013] In one embodiment, the middle frame has a receiving cavity for accommodating the capillary structure, and the cavity wall of the receiving cavity is provided with a bearing step, which is connected to the periphery of the condenser plate.
[0014] In one embodiment, the middle frame includes a frame body with a forged through hole and a 3D-formed connecting plate. The connecting plate is installed at one open end of the forged through hole, and the connecting plate and the frame body form the receiving cavity. The connecting plate is provided with the capillary structure located inside the receiving cavity.
[0015] In one embodiment, the bearing step has a first bearing surface connected to the condenser plate, and the first bearing surface has a first groove for providing sealant or sealing foam.
[0016] In one embodiment, the supporting step further has a second supporting surface connected to the condenser plate. The second supporting surface is set at a preset angle to the first supporting surface. The second supporting surface has a second groove, which is used to set the sealant or the sealing foam.
[0017] In the aforementioned mid-frame assembly, the arrangement of the mid-frame, condenser plate, and support columns can be considered as a heat spreader structure. This application directly utilizes the mid-frame as one component of the heat spreader. Compared to the current practice of bonding the heat spreader as an independent module to electronic devices, this reduces the overall thickness and the heat transfer distance. Heat can be conducted more quickly to the mid-frame and diffused away by the heat transfer medium within the vacuum cavity, shortening the heat conduction path, improving thermal efficiency, and thus enhancing the heat dissipation effect on the heat source. Attached Figure Description
[0018] Figure 1 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the mid-frame component provided in this application.
[0019] Figure 2 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of another mid-frame component provided in this application.
[0020] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the condenser plate provided in this application.
[0021] Figure 4 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the frame provided in this application.
[0022] Figure 5 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the middle frame provided in this application.
[0023] in:
[0024] 10. Mid-frame component; H1, first thickness; H2, second thickness;
[0025] 100. Middle frame; 110. Capillary structure; 120. Frame body; 121. Stamped through hole; 130. Connecting plate; 131. Bottom wall; 132. Side wall; 140. Receiving cavity; 150. Bearing step; 151. First bearing surface; 152. First groove; 153. Second bearing surface; 154. Second groove;
[0026] 200. Condensing plate; 210. First side; 211. Support part; 212. Recessed part; 220. Second side; 221. Protrusion;
[0027] 300, support column; 400, vacuum chamber; 500, heat transfer channel. Detailed Implementation
[0028] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.
[0029] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.
[0030] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.
[0031] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.
[0032] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.
[0033] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.
[0034] See Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the mid-frame assembly 10 according to an embodiment of this application is shown. The mid-frame assembly 10 provided in an embodiment of this application is used in an electronic device, and the mid-frame assembly 10 includes a mid-frame 100, a condenser plate 200, and a support column 300.
[0035] The middle frame 100 and the condenser plate 200 form a vacuum cavity 400. A capillary structure 110 is provided on the wall of the middle frame 100 facing the condenser plate 200. Specifically, the capillary structure 110 is formed by chemically etching or laser etching multiple intersecting grooves on the wall of the middle frame 100 facing the condenser plate 200. In this example, a mesh with the capillary structure 110 can be used, and the mesh can be fixed to the wall of the middle frame 100 by welding or other methods. The mesh can be a metal wire mesh, fiber filaments, or similar structures. It should also be noted that the side of the middle frame 100 facing away from the condenser plate 200 is used to house the heat source of the electronic device. The vacuum cavity 400 is filled with a heat transfer medium, which can be at least one of pure water, methanol, alcohol, and acetone.
[0036] A support column 300 is provided on the wall surface of the condenser plate 200 facing the middle frame 100. Through this arrangement, during operation, the heat source is conducted through the middle frame 100 to the heat transfer medium in the capillary structure 110. The heat transfer medium, after being heated and vaporized, moves towards the area away from the heat source. When the vaporized heat transfer medium comes into contact with the relatively cool condenser plate 200 during its movement, it liquefies and releases heat. It should be noted that the vaporized heat transfer medium first comes into contact with the support column 300 on the condenser plate 200 and liquefies, releasing heat, thus shortening the cooling path. The condensed heat transfer medium returns to the heat source via the capillary structure 110, repeating the cycle to cool the heat source.
[0037] In specific configurations, the condenser plate 200 and support column 300 can be made of stainless steel (model SUS316L), copper alloy, or composite titanium-aluminum alloy, but are not limited to these metal materials; other metal or non-metal materials are also acceptable. It should be noted that when the condenser plate 200 and support column 300 are made of stainless steel (model SUS316L), copper alloy, or composite titanium-aluminum alloy, they offer good thermal conductivity, facilitating rapid liquefaction of the vaporized heat transfer medium upon contact with these materials, thereby improving heat dissipation efficiency.
[0038] In the aforementioned mid-frame assembly 10, the mid-frame 100, condenser plate 200, and support column 300 can be considered as a heat spreader structure. This application directly utilizes the mid-frame 100 as one component of the heat spreader. Compared to the current practice of bonding the heat spreader as an independent module to electronic devices, this reduces the overall thickness and the heat transfer distance, allowing heat to be conducted more quickly to the mid-frame 100 and diffused by the heat transfer medium within the vacuum cavity 400. This shortens the heat transfer path, improves thermal conductivity, and thus enhances the heat dissipation effect on the heat source. Furthermore, placing the support column 300 on the condenser plate 200 facilitates manufacturing and allows for adjustment of the support column 300's dimensions according to the specific dimensions of the mid-frame 100.
[0039] It should also be emphasized that the middle frame 100 is equivalent to a cover plate in the current heat spreader. Removing the cover plate in the original heat spreader simplifies the overall structure and assembly process, and improves installation efficiency.
[0040] This application uses the middle frame 100 as an example for illustration. The electronic device may also include a front cover and a rear cover, which are disposed on opposite sides of the middle frame 100. In addition to the middle frame 100, the aforementioned capillary structure 110, condenser plate 200, and support column 300 can also be analogously disposed in the front cover and rear cover to achieve the purpose of enhancing heat dissipation.
[0041] To shorten the cooling path, in a preferred embodiment, the side of the support column 300 facing away from the condenser plate 200 abuts against the capillary structure 110. This arrangement facilitates the condensation of the vaporized heat transfer medium in the capillary structure 110 upon contact with the support column 300, and also improves the structural strength of the entire middle frame assembly 10, increasing its service life. It should also be noted that this application does not limit the shape of the support column 300; it can be cylindrical, spherical, or any other arbitrary shape.
[0042] To accelerate the return of the condensed heat transfer medium to the heat source, in a preferred embodiment, multiple support columns 300 are provided, spaced apart on the condenser plate 200, with a heat transfer channel 500 formed between adjacent support columns 300. With this arrangement, as the heat transfer medium returns to the middle frame 100 facing the heat source via the capillary structure 110, the liquid heat transfer medium is guided to the heat source through the heat transfer channel 500, which accelerates the flow rate of the heat transfer medium.
[0043] In specific implementations, the support column 300 can be achieved in several ways. For example, the support column 300 can be etched into the condenser plate 200 between two adjacent grooves, making the support column 300 and the condenser plate 200 an integral structure. Another example is that an independent support column 300 can be fixed to the condenser plate 200 by welding or other methods. Yet another example is that the support column 300 can be manufactured by injection molding or machining. It should be emphasized that setting the support column 300 on the condenser plate 200 is more convenient and easier to process than forming the condenser plate 200 on the middle frame 100.
[0044] Combination Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, Figure 2 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of another mid-frame component 10 according to one embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 3A schematic diagram of a condenser plate 200 according to an embodiment of this application is shown. In some embodiments, to accelerate heat dissipation efficiency, in a preferred embodiment, the condenser plate 200 has a first side 210 facing away from the middle frame 100 and a second side 220 facing the middle frame 100. The first side 210 has a plurality of sequentially spaced support portions 211 and a plurality of recessed portions 212, and the second side 220 has protrusions 221 corresponding to the recessed portions 212. The recessed portions 212 and the protrusions 221 form support columns 300. Through the above arrangement, the contact area between the first side 210 of the condenser plate 200 and the outside air is increased, accelerating the condensation of the heat transfer medium, thereby accelerating heat dissipation efficiency. In a specific configuration, the condenser plate 200 is formed by stamping to create wave-shaped sequentially spaced support portions 211 and support columns 300, which simplifies the manufacturing process of the support columns 300 and helps reduce production costs.
[0045] To ensure structural strength while achieving a thinner and lighter condenser plate 200, the first thickness H1 of the support portion 211 is specifically in the range of 30μm-80μm. It should be noted that when the first thickness H1 of the support portion 211 is less than 30μm, the support portion 211 is too thin, resulting in low structural strength and increased processing difficulty; when the first thickness H1 of the support portion 211 is greater than 80μm, the support portion 211 is too thick, leading to an overall thicker middle frame assembly 10, which is detrimental to achieving a thinner and lighter middle frame assembly 10. For example, the specific value of the first thickness H1 of the support portion 211 can be 35μm, 40μm, 45μm, 50μm, 55μm, 60μm, 65μm, 70μm, or 75μm. This application does not specifically limit the specific value of the first thickness H1 of the support portion 211; it can be selected within the range of 30μm-80μm.
[0046] To facilitate faster condensation of the heat transfer medium, the second thickness H2 of the heat transfer channel 500 formed between two adjacent support columns 300 ranges from 150 μm to 305 μm. With this configuration, when the first thickness H1 of the support portion 211 ranges from 30 μm to 80 μm, the combined thickness of the support portion 211 and the heat transfer channel 500 ranges from 230 μm to 325 μm.
[0047] With the above settings, when the second thickness H2 of the heat transfer channel 500 is less than 150 μm, the space occupied by the heat transfer channel 500 is too small, and the vaporized heat transfer medium cannot be condensed and liquefied in time, affecting the heat dissipation efficiency of the middle frame assembly 10. When the second thickness H2 of the heat transfer channel 500 is greater than 305 μm, the thickness of the heat transfer channel 500 is too large, and the velocity of the vaporized heat transfer medium flowing from the support column 300 to the capillary structure 110 is too slow, affecting the heat dissipation efficiency of the middle frame assembly 10.
[0048] For example, the second thickness H2 of the heat transfer channel 500 can be 160μm, 170μm, 180μm, 190μm, 200μm, 220μm, 240μm, 260μm, 280μm, 300μm, 302μm or 304μm. This application does not specifically limit the specific value of the second thickness H2 of the heat transfer channel 500, and it can be selected between 150μm and 305μm.
[0049] To facilitate the connection between the middle frame 100 and the condenser plate 200, in a preferred embodiment, the middle frame 100 has a receiving cavity 140 for accommodating the capillary structure 110. The cavity wall of the receiving cavity 140 is provided with a bearing step 150, which is connected to the periphery of the condenser plate 200. Specifically, the bearing step 150 and the periphery of the condenser plate 200 are sealed together by welding, including but not limited to laser welding and diffusion welding. It should also be noted that the connection method between the bearing step 150 and the condenser plate 200 is not limited to welding; they can also be connected by adhesive bonding, specifically dispensing adhesive. This arrangement increases the contact area between the middle frame 100 and the condenser plate 200, thereby increasing their connection strength.
[0050] Combination Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the frame 120 in one embodiment of this application. Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the middle frame 100 in one embodiment of this application. In some embodiments, in order to facilitate the design of the middle frame 100, specifically, the middle frame 100 includes a frame body 120 having a forged through hole 121 and a 3D-formed connecting plate 130. The connecting plate 130 is installed at one open end of the forged through hole 121, and the connecting plate 130 and the frame body 120 form a receiving cavity 140. The connecting plate 130 is provided with a capillary structure 110 located inside the receiving cavity 140.
[0051] In the specific configuration, the connecting plate 130 is located within the forging through hole 121. The connecting plate 130 includes a bottom wall 131 and a side wall 132 disposed on the bottom wall 131. The side wall 132 abuts against the hole wall of the forging through hole 121. The end of the side wall 132 facing away from the bottom wall 131 has a height difference from the frame 120, thus forming a load-bearing step 150 between the frame 120 and the connecting plate 130. In actual operation, the connecting plate 130 is printed in the hole wall of the forging through hole 121 using 3D printing, which is simple to operate and easy to produce.
[0052] In another embodiment, the middle frame 100 has a receiving cavity 140 for setting capillary structure 110. The cavity wall of the receiving cavity 140 is provided with a bearing step 150. The bearing step 150 is connected to the periphery of the condenser plate 200. Specifically, the receiving cavity 140 and the bearing step 150 can be formed on the middle frame 100 by etching process.
[0053] To enhance the sealing between the middle frame 100 and the condenser plate 200, specifically, the bearing step 150 has a first bearing surface 151 connected to the condenser plate 200. The first bearing surface 151 has a first groove 152, which is used to hold sealant or sealing foam. In practice, the number of first grooves 152 is not limited; there can be one or more. When there are multiple first grooves 152, they are spaced apart. The shape of the first grooves 152 is also not limited; they can be any shape such as circular or rectangular.
[0054] More specifically, the supporting step 150 also has a second supporting surface 153 connected to the condenser plate 200. The second supporting surface 153 is set at a preset angle to the first supporting surface 151. In a specific configuration, the second supporting surface 153 is set at 90° to the first supporting surface 151 so that the second supporting surface 153 and the first supporting surface 151 connect to the vertical corners in the condenser plate 200. The second supporting surface 153 also has a second groove 154, which is used to install sealant or sealing foam to increase the sealing performance between the middle frame 100 and the condenser plate 200. In a specific configuration, the second groove 154 is similar to the first groove 152, and will not be elaborated further here. It should be noted that both the first groove 154 and the second groove 152 can be formed by etching.
[0055] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.
[0056] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A mid-frame assembly, the mid-frame assembly being disposed in an electronic device, characterized in that, The middle frame assembly includes a middle frame (100), a condenser plate (200), and a support column (300), wherein: The middle frame (100) and the condenser plate (200) form a vacuum cavity (400). The wall surface of the middle frame (100) facing the condenser plate (200) is provided with a capillary structure (110). The vacuum cavity (400) is filled with a heat transfer medium. The support column (300) is provided on the wall surface of the condenser plate (200) facing the middle frame (100).
2. The mid-frame assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support column (300) abuts against the capillary structure (110) on the side opposite to the condenser plate (200).
3. The mid-frame assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of support columns (300) is multiple, and the multiple support columns (300) are spaced apart on the condenser plate (200), and a heat transfer channel (500) is formed between two adjacent support columns (300).
4. The mid-frame assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The condenser plate (200) has a first side (210) facing away from the middle frame (100) and a second side (220) facing the middle frame (100). The first side (210) has a plurality of support portions (211) and a plurality of recessed portions (212) spaced apart in sequence. The second side (220) has protrusions (221) that correspond one-to-one with the recessed portions (212). The recessed portions (212) and the protrusions (221) form the support column (300).
5. The mid-frame assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first thickness (H1) of the support (211) ranges from 30μm to 80μm.
6. The mid-frame assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The second thickness (H2) of the heat transfer channel (500) formed between two adjacent support columns (300) ranges from 150 μm to 305 μm.
7. The mid-frame assembly according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The middle frame (100) has a receiving cavity (140) for setting the capillary structure (110), and the cavity wall of the receiving cavity (140) is provided with a bearing step (150), which is connected to the periphery of the condenser plate (200).
8. The mid-frame assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The middle frame (100) includes a frame body (120) with a forged through hole (121) and a 3D-formed connecting plate (130). The connecting plate (130) is installed at one open end of the forged through hole (121), and the connecting plate (130) and the frame body (120) form the receiving cavity (140). The connecting plate (130) is provided with the capillary structure (110) located inside the receiving cavity (140).
9. The mid-frame assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The bearing step (150) has a first bearing surface (151) connected to the condenser plate (200), and the first bearing surface (151) has a first groove (152) for setting sealant or sealing foam.
10. The mid-frame assembly according to claim 9, characterized in that, The bearing step (150) also has a second bearing surface (153) connected to the condenser plate (200). The second bearing surface (153) is set at a preset angle to the first bearing surface (151). The second bearing surface (153) has a second groove (154). The second groove (154) is used to set the sealant or the sealing foam.