Temperature control structure

The vapor chamber with a wick structure and integrated three-dimensional fine structures addresses the limitations of existing heat dissipation members by enhancing thermal conductivity and enabling efficient heat transport in mobile devices.

WO2025154496A1PCT designated stage expired Publication Date: 2025-07-24PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
PCT/JP2024/045463
Authority / Receiving Office
WO · WO
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2024-01-19
Filing Date
2024-12-23
Publication Date
2025-07-24

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing heat dissipation members such as heat pipes and vapor chambers have low thermal conductivity and limited thinning capabilities, leading to suboptimal cooling performance in mobile devices with high heat density.

Method used

A vapor chamber with a wick structure comprising three-dimensional fine structures that efficiently transport a working fluid, integrated with a housing made of high thermal conductivity metal sheets, utilizing additive manufacturing for miniaturization and enhanced heat transportability.

Benefits of technology

The vapor chamber achieves high thermal conductivity, large heat transport capacity, and can be thinned and miniaturized, providing efficient heat dissipation in mobile devices.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

Provided is a temperature control structure that is thin and has high heat transport properties. A vapor chamber (1), which is a temperature control structure, comprises a housing (10) in which a liquid (working fluid) is sealed in an internal space, and a wick (20) provided within the housing (10). The wick (20) has a structure in which a plurality of three-dimensional fine structures (21) capable of transporting the liquid are repeatedly formed. This configuration makes it possible to realize a temperature control structure that is thin and has high heat transport properties.
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Description

Temperature Control Structure

[0001] TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to temperature control structures such as vapor chambers.

[0002] In electronic devices equipped with heat-generating components such as ICs (integrated circuits), heat dissipation members (cooling members) are used to cool the heat-generating components. In particular, for mobile terminals such as smartphones and tablets, the terminals themselves are thin, and the heat generated by the heat-generating components is large, resulting in high heat density. For this reason, heat dissipation members used in mobile terminals are required to be small and thin, as well as have high cooling performance.

[0003] Heat pipes or vapor chambers have been known as heat dissipation components used in electronic devices. A wick is used in the heat pipe or vapor chamber to transport a working fluid. For example, the heat pipe disclosed in Patent Document 1 uses a nanoparticle layer made of silica or alumina nanoparticles as a wick to increase capillary force. Furthermore, the vapor chamber disclosed in Patent Document 2 uses two wick structures made of meshes with different mesh opening sizes to improve cooling performance.

[0004] JP 2020-67269 A International Publication No. 2018 / 003957

[0005] However, in the heat pipe disclosed in Patent Document 1, the nanoparticles that make up the wick nanoparticle layer are made of silica or alumina, which have low thermal conductivity, so the heat transport property (heat transport capacity) is low and the cooling performance is not high. Furthermore, in the vapor chamber disclosed in Patent Document 2, although high performance is achieved by using multiple wick structures made of mesh, the mesh is not completely fixed and has a certain degree of freedom, so the heat transport property is not high. Furthermore, since a thickness equal to the number of meshes required is required, there is a limit to how thin it can be made.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made to solve such problems, and has an object to provide a temperature control structure that is thin and has high heat transport properties.

[0007] To achieve the above object, one aspect of the temperature control structure according to the present disclosure includes a housing having an internal space filled with a liquid, and a wick provided within the housing, the wick having a structure in which a plurality of three-dimensional microstructures capable of transporting the liquid are repeatedly formed.

[0008] According to the present disclosure, a temperature control structure that is thin and has high heat transport properties can be realized.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a vapor chamber according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a connection portion between a first metal sheet of a housing and a plurality of microstructures of a wick in a vapor chamber according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a portion of a wick of a vapor chamber according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a wick of a vapor chamber according to the first embodiment when viewed from the Y-axis direction. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a wick of a vapor chamber according to the first embodiment when viewed from the X-axis direction. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the operation of a vapor chamber according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing how a working liquid is transported by a wick in a vapor chamber according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a vapor chamber according to a second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a portion of a wick of a vapor chamber according to the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing how a working liquid is transported by a wick in a vapor chamber according to the second embodiment.

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that each of the embodiments described below represents a specific example of the present disclosure. Therefore, the numerical values, shapes, materials, components, the arrangement and connection of the components, processes (steps), and the order of the processes shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Therefore, among the components in the following embodiments, components that are not described in the independent claims that represent the superordinate concept of the present disclosure will be described as optional components.

[0011] Note that each figure is a schematic diagram and is not necessarily an exact illustration. Therefore, the scales and the like do not necessarily match in each figure. Furthermore, in each figure, components that are substantially the same as those in other figures are assigned the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted or simplified. Furthermore, in each figure, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis represent the three axes of a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. In other words, the X-axis and Y-axis are orthogonal to each other and are both orthogonal to the Z-axis. Note that in this specification, the terms "up" and "down" do not necessarily refer to the upward direction (vertically upward) and downward direction (vertically downward) in absolute spatial recognition.

[0012] First Embodiment First, a vapor chamber 1 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the vapor chamber 1 according to the first embodiment, showing a cross section of a portion corresponding to line II in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a connection portion (a base portion of the microstructures 21) between the first metal sheet 11 of the housing 10 and the plurality of microstructures 21 of the wick 20 in the vapor chamber 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a portion of the wick 20 of the vapor chamber 1. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the wick 20 of the vapor chamber 1 as viewed from the Y-axis direction. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the wick 20 of the vapor chamber 1 as viewed from the X-axis direction.

[0013] 1, the vapor chamber 1 is disposed so as to be in contact with a heat-generating heat source 2. The vapor chamber 1 is an example of a heat dissipation member that dissipates heat generated by the heat source 2. In other words, the vapor chamber 1 is a temperature control structure that functions as a cooling member that cools the heat source 2. Specifically, the vapor chamber 1 is a thin heat diffusion device that diffuses the heat generated by the heat source 2. When the vapor chamber 1 is installed in a mobile terminal, the heat source 2 that is to be cooled by the vapor chamber 1 is a heat-generating component such as an IC.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vapor chamber 1 includes a housing 10, a wick 20 provided in the housing 10, and a pillar 30 provided in the housing 10.

[0015] The housing 10 is a thin, sheet-like hollow container that constitutes the exterior of the vapor chamber 1 and has an internal space. The housing 10 is made of two metal sheets. Specifically, the housing 10 is made of a first metal sheet 11 and a second metal sheet 12 that face each other. The first metal sheet 11 and the second metal sheet 12 are sheet materials made of a metal material with high thermal conductivity, such as copper or aluminum. The internal space of the housing 10 is an enclosed space in which the first metal sheet 11 and the second metal sheet 12 are hermetically sealed. The internal space of the housing 10 is, for example, a vacuum or quasi-vacuum, but is not limited thereto.

[0016] The first metal sheet 11 and the second metal sheet 12 are joined at their outer peripheral edges to form an internal space. In other words, the internal space of the housing 10 is formed by joining the first metal sheet 11 and the second metal sheet 12. As an example, the first metal sheet 11 and the second metal sheet 12 are each a rectangular flat plate, and the outer peripheral edges of the four sides of the first metal sheet 11 and the second metal sheet 12 are joined together. In this embodiment, the first metal sheet 11 and the second metal sheet 12 are copper sheets primarily composed of copper. The first metal sheet 11 and the second metal sheet 12 are overlapped and the entire periphery of the outer peripheral edges is sealed in a band shape to form the bag-shaped housing 10. The first metal sheet 11 and the second metal sheet 12 can be joined by, for example, thermal welding. The first metal sheet 11 and the second metal sheet 12 may also be joined by a joining material such as a brazing material.

[0017] A working fluid is sealed in the internal space of the housing 10. The working fluid is, for example, a liquid such as water, oil, or a refrigerant. In this embodiment, the working fluid is water. Specifically, the working fluid is pure water. The working fluid moves within the internal space of the housing 10.

[0018] The wick 20 has the function of transporting the hydraulic fluid sealed in the internal space of the housing 10. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 , the wick 20 has a structure formed by repeating a plurality of three-dimensional microstructures 21 that can transport the hydraulic fluid. Each of the plurality of microstructures 21 of the wick 20 has a three-dimensional shape that can transport the hydraulic fluid in a specific direction. In this embodiment, each of the plurality of microstructures 21 is formed so as to be able to transport the hydraulic fluid in one direction, that is, the X-axis direction.

[0019] The multiple microstructures 21 are formed at a regular interval in the direction in which the working fluid is transported. Specifically, the multiple microstructures 21 are repeatedly formed at regular intervals along the X-axis direction. The pitch of the multiple microstructures 21 is, for example, 10 μm or more and 100 μm or less. In other words, the interval between two adjacent microstructures 21 in the X-axis direction is 10 μm or more and 100 μm or less. Note that the pitch of the multiple microstructures 21 is not limited to 10 μm or more and 100 μm or less. In addition, in this embodiment, the microstructures 21 are arranged in multiple rows in the Y-axis direction. In other words, the multiple microstructures 21 are arranged two-dimensionally along each of the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.

[0020] The multiple microstructures 21 constituting the wick 20 all have the same shape and size. Each of the multiple microstructures 21 has a three-dimensional shape on the order of microns and a surface shape that transports the working fluid by surface tension. The surface shape of each of the multiple microstructures 21 is an uneven shape formed by overlapping fine horizontal stripe structures. The microstructure 21 includes multiple horizontally striped grooves 22. Specifically, each of the multiple microstructures 21 has multiple horizontally striped grooves 22 formed therein. The multiple grooves 22 are fine grooves with a groove width of several microns. The pitch of the multiple grooves 22 is smaller than the pitch of the microstructures 21. Specifically, the pitch of the multiple grooves 22 is 1 μm or more and 10 μm or less. Note that the pitch of the multiple grooves 22 is not limited to 1 μm or more and 10 μm or less. For example, the groove width and pitch of the grooves 22 may be on the order of nanometers, less than 1 μm.

[0021] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the shape of each microstructure 21 in front view is polygonal. Specifically, the shape of each microstructure 21 in front view is triangular or trapezoidal. Also, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, each microstructure 21 is plate-shaped, having a first surface 21a and a second surface 21b facing each other, and has a constant thickness.

[0022] Each of the multiple microstructures 21 is inclined at a constant inclination angle. Therefore, the first surface 21a and the second surface 21b of the microstructure 21 are inclined surfaces. The multiple microstructures 21 are inclined so as to fall in the direction in which the working fluid is transported. In this embodiment, each microstructure 21 is inclined so that the first surface 21a is on the upper side. Furthermore, all of the multiple microstructures 21 are inclined at the same inclination angle. The inclination angle of each of the multiple microstructures 21 is, for example, 30 degrees or more and 70 degrees or less, but is not limited to this.

[0023] In this embodiment, a plurality of grooves 22 are formed on each of the first surface 21a and the second surface 21b of the microstructure 21, but as long as the grooves 22 are formed on the first surface 21a, which is the upper surface, the grooves 22 do not have to be formed on the second surface 21b, which is the lower surface. Also, in this embodiment, each of the first surface 21a and the second surface 21b of the microstructure 21 is an inclined surface, but as long as the first surface 21a, which is the upper surface, is an inclined surface, the second surface 21b, which is the lower surface, does not have to be an inclined surface.

[0024] The wick 20 configured in this manner is provided within the housing 10. Specifically, the wick 20 is provided on the inner surface of at least one of the first metal sheet 11 and the second metal sheet 12. As shown in Fig. 1 , in this embodiment, the wick 20 is provided only on the first metal sheet 11 of the first metal sheet 11 and the second metal sheet 12. In other words, a plurality of microstructures 21 that constitute the wick 20 are provided on the first metal sheet 11.

[0025] The wick 20 is preferably integrated with the housing 10. Specifically, when the wick 20 is provided on the first metal sheet 11, the wick 20 is preferably integrated with the first metal sheet 11. In this case, the multiple microstructures 21 that make up the wick 20 are integrated with the housing 10 (first metal sheet 11).

[0026] The plurality of microstructures 21 includes a metal. Specifically, the plurality of microstructures 21 is made of a material containing a metal as a main component. For example, the plurality of microstructures 21 is made of a metal material with high thermal conductivity, such as copper or aluminum. Note that the plurality of microstructures 21 may also be made of a material other than a metal, such as a resin material.

[0027] The wick 20 can be fabricated by an additive manufacturing (AM) method. That is, the plurality of microstructures 21 can be fabricated by the AM method. In this embodiment, the plurality of microstructures 21 are fabricated by a 3D printer.

[0028] Furthermore, when the multiple microstructures 21 are integrated with the housing 10, the housing 10 and the microstructures 21 can be integrally manufactured using a 3D printer. For example, when the housing 10 and the microstructures 21 are made of copper, the housing 10 and the microstructures 21 can be easily integrally manufactured using a 3D printer that uses metal AM technology.

[0029] 1 , the pillars 30 are columnar structures for maintaining the internal space of the housing 10, and are provided between the first metal sheet 11 and the second metal sheet 12. In other words, the pillars 30 enable the housing 10 to maintain a thin internal space.

[0030] 2, a plurality of pillars 30 are provided within the housing 10. Therefore, the distance between the first metal sheet 11 and the second metal sheet 12 is maintained at a constant length by the plurality of pillars 30. The distance between the first metal sheet 11 and the second metal sheet 12 is, for example, 100 μm to 1000 μm. In this embodiment, the distance between the first metal sheet 11 and the second metal sheet 12 is 250 μm.

[0031] Next, the operation of the vapor chamber 1 configured as above will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the operation of the vapor chamber 1, and corresponds to the cross-section of Figure 1. In Figure 6, solid arrows indicate the movement path of the working fluid, and dashed arrows indicate the movement path of heat. Figure 7 is a diagram showing how the working fluid is transported by the wick 20 in the vapor chamber 1.

[0032] 6, the vapor chamber 1 is placed in contact with the heat source 2. Specifically, the vapor chamber 1 is placed so that the heat source 2 is in contact with the first metal sheet 11. By placing the vapor chamber 1 in contact with the heat source 2, the heat source 2 is cooled as follows.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 6 , when heat source 2 generates heat, the working fluid sealed in the internal space of housing 10 of vapor chamber 1 is heated by heat source 2 and vaporizes into a gas. The vaporized working fluid then moves through the internal space of housing 10 in a direction toward thermal equilibrium, diffusing heat and uniformly distributing the heat within housing 10. In this embodiment, the working fluid is water, and heat source 2 is located on the first metal sheet 11 side. Therefore, water (working fluid) is heated by heat source 2 and evaporates into water vapor. This vapor flow then moves toward a lower temperature within the internal space of housing 10 (the direction opposite heat source 2), dissipating heat through second metal sheet 12 and first metal sheet 11, uniformizing the heat, and dissipating heat from second metal sheet 12 to the outside. Thus, the portion of vapor chamber 1 that comes into contact with heat source 2 is the vaporization portion (evaporation portion) where the working fluid vaporizes.

[0034] The vaporized and thermally diffused working fluid is cooled. This causes the vaporized working fluid to condense, and the working fluid is re-liquefied. The liquefied working fluid is then transported by the wick 20 and flows back toward the heat source 2. In this embodiment, the working fluid is water, so the water vapor is thermally diffused, cooled, condensed, and liquefied back into water. The working fluid that has returned to water moves along the wick 20 toward the heat source 2.

[0035] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7 , fine grooves 22 are formed on the first surface 21 a (upper surface) of the microstructure 21 constituting the wick 20. When the working fluid that has condensed and returned to a liquid contacts the first surface 21 a of the microstructure 21, the working fluid spreads along the first surface 21 a of the microstructure 21 due to capillary action caused by the fine grooves 22 and moves toward the top of the microstructure 21. That is, the working fluid moves up the first surface 21 a, which is the inclined surface of the microstructure 21. Then, the working fluid that has moved to the top of the microstructure 21 climbs over the top of the microstructure 21 and moves to the adjacent microstructure 21. That is, the working fluid moves spontaneously by climbing over multiple microstructures 21 in sequence. In this embodiment, the working fluid is transported in the direction in which the microstructure 21 is tilted. Specifically, the working fluid moves toward the negative side of the X-axis direction.

[0036] In this way, in the vapor chamber 1, the working liquid repeats a cycle of evaporation → diffusion → condensation → reflux, thereby diffusing the heat generated by the heat source 2 and cooling the heat source 2. As a result, the temperature inside the device in which the heat source 2 is installed can be reduced.

[0037] As described above, according to the vapor chamber 1 of this embodiment, the wick 20 provided within the housing 10 has a structure in which multiple three-dimensional microstructures 21, each capable of transporting the working fluid, are repeatedly formed.

[0038] This allows the working fluid to move spontaneously due to the multiple microstructures 21 that make up the wick 20, enabling the working fluid to be transported with high efficiency. Therefore, it is possible to realize a vapor chamber 1 that is thin and has high heat transport properties.

[0039] The vapor chamber 1 constructed in this way has very high thermal conductivity, a large heat transport capacity, and can be made thin and compact. Furthermore, the heat transport efficiency is not easily reduced, and the flat, large surface area allows for instantaneous heat diffusion.

[0040] Next, a vapor chamber 1A according to embodiment 2 will be described with reference to Fig. 8 and Fig. 9. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the vapor chamber 1A according to embodiment 2. Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a portion of the wick 20A of the vapor chamber 1A according to embodiment 2.

[0041] As shown in Figure 8, the vapor chamber 1A of this embodiment has a wick 20A composed of multiple microstructures 21A, similar to the vapor chamber 1 of embodiment 1 above, but the wick 20A of this embodiment has a different shape of the microstructures 21A than the wick 20 of embodiment 1 above.

[0042] Specifically, while the multiple microstructures 21 of the wick 20 in the first embodiment have multiple horizontally striped grooves 22 formed therein, as shown in FIG. 9 , the microstructure 21A of the wick 20A in the present embodiment has multiple vertically striped grooves 22A formed therein. The surface shape of each of the multiple microstructures 21A is an uneven shape formed by overlapping fine vertically striped structures. The multiple grooves 22A are formed on each of the first surface 21a and the second surface 21b of the microstructure 21A. In the present embodiment, each of the multiple microstructures 21A also has a three-dimensional shape on the order of microns, and the surface shape of each microstructure 21A is a shape that transports the working fluid by surface tension. The multiple grooves 22A are fine grooves with a groove width of several microns. The pitch of the multiple grooves 22A is, for example, 1 μm or more and 10 μm or less, but is not limited thereto. Note that each of the multiple microstructures 21A constituting the wick 20A all have the same shape and size.

[0043] In this embodiment, the wick 20A also has the function of transporting the working fluid sealed in the internal space of the housing 10, and has a structure formed by repeating a plurality of three-dimensional microstructures 21A capable of transporting the working fluid. Each of the plurality of microstructures 21A of the wick 20A has a three-dimensional shape that can transport the working fluid in a specific direction. In this embodiment, each of the plurality of microstructures 21A is also formed to be able to transport the working fluid in one direction, the X-axis direction.

[0044] The plurality of microstructures 21A are formed at a regular interval in the direction in which the working fluid is transported. Specifically, similar to the first embodiment, the plurality of microstructures 21A are repeatedly formed at regular intervals along the X-axis direction. As in the first embodiment, the pitch of the plurality of microstructures 21A is, for example, 10 μm or more and 100 μm or less, but is not limited thereto. Also in this embodiment, the microstructures 21A are arranged in multiple rows in the Y-axis direction.

[0045] In this embodiment, the shape of each microstructure 21A in front view is also polygonal. Specifically, the shape of each microstructure 21A in front view is triangular or trapezoidal. Furthermore, each microstructure 21A is plate-shaped and has a constant thickness.

[0046] In this embodiment, each of the multiple microstructures 21A is inclined at a constant inclination angle so that the first surface 21a is the upper surface. However, unlike the above-mentioned embodiment 1, the multiple microstructures 21A are inclined so as to fall on the side opposite to the direction in which the working fluid is transported. The multiple microstructures 21A are all inclined at the same inclination angle. As an example, the inclination angle of each of the multiple microstructures 21A is greater than or equal to 30 degrees and less than or equal to 70 degrees, but is not limited to this. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the microstructures 21A are formed so as to also face the top of the first metal sheet 11.

[0047] In this embodiment, the microstructures 21A are also made of a metal material with high thermal conductivity, such as copper or aluminum, and are integrated with the housing 10 (first metal sheet 11). The microstructures 21A may also be made of a material other than metal, such as a resin material. The housing 10 and the microstructures 21A can be manufactured integrally using a 3D printer.

[0048] The vapor chamber 1A in this embodiment operates in the same manner as the vapor chamber 1 in the above-described embodiment 1. In other words, the vapor chamber 1A also can diffuse the heat generated by the heat source 2 and cool the heat source 2 by repeating a cycle of vaporization → diffusion → condensation → reflux of the working fluid.

[0049] In this case, as shown in FIG. 9 , in the vapor chamber 1A of this embodiment, multiple vertically striped grooves 22A are formed on the first surface 21a of the microstructure 21A constituting the wick 20A. Therefore, the working fluid that condenses and returns to liquid spreads along the first surface 21a of the microstructure 21A due to capillary action caused by the microscopic grooves 22A and moves to adjacent microstructures 21A. In other words, as shown in FIG. 10 , the working fluid spontaneously moves sequentially through the multiple microstructures 21A. In this embodiment, the working fluid is transported in the direction opposite to the direction in which the microstructure 21A is tilted. Specifically, the working fluid moves toward the negative side of the X-axis direction.

[0050] As described above, the vapor chamber 1A of this embodiment, like the vapor chamber 1 in embodiment 1 above, has a structure in which the wick 20A provided within the housing 10 is formed by repeating multiple three-dimensional microstructures 21A, each of which can transport the working fluid.

[0051] This allows the working fluid to move spontaneously through the microstructures 21A that make up the wick 20A, enabling highly efficient transport of the working fluid, thereby achieving a thin vapor chamber 1A with high heat transport properties.

[0052] (Modifications) Although the vapor chamber according to the present disclosure has been described above based on the first and second embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to the first and second embodiments.

[0053] For example, in the above-described first and second embodiments, the vapor chamber 1 is disposed in contact with the heat source 2, but this is not limiting. In other words, the vapor chamber 1 and the heat source 2 do not have to be in contact with each other. In this case, an air layer may exist between the vapor chamber 1 and the heat source 2, but it is preferable to insert a thermally conductive sheet such as a graphite sheet between the vapor chamber 1 and the heat source 2.

[0054] In addition, in the first and second embodiments, the wick 20 is provided on the first metal sheet 11 of the housing 10, but this is not limiting. For example, the wick 20 may be provided on the second metal sheet 12.

[0055] In the first and second embodiments, the first metal sheet 11 and the second metal sheet 12 constituting the housing 10 have a rectangular shape in plan view, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the first metal sheet 11 and the second metal sheet 12 may have a circular shape in plan view, a polygonal shape other than a rectangle, or another shape. In addition, the first metal sheet 11 and the second metal sheet 12 have the same size, but may have different sizes.

[0056] In addition, the present disclosure also includes forms obtained by applying various modifications to the above-described embodiments that would occur to those skilled in the art, and forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of the embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure also includes any combination of two or more claims from the multiple claims set forth in the claims at the time of filing, provided that there is no technical contradiction. For example, when a dependent claim set forth in the claims at the time of filing is made into a multiple claim or multiple multiple claims that cite all of the superordinate claims within the scope of the technical contradiction, the present disclosure also includes all combinations of claims included in that multiple claim or multiple multiple multiple claims.

[0057] The temperature control structure such as a vapor chamber according to the present disclosure is thin and has high cooling performance, and can therefore be used in a variety of electrical devices, including mobile terminals such as smartphones and tablets.

[0058] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1, 1A Vapor chamber 2 Heat source 10 Housing 11 First metal sheet 12 Second metal sheet 20, 20A Wick 21, 21A Microstructure 21a First surface 21b Second surface 22, 22A Groove 30 Pillar

Claims

1. A temperature control structure comprising a housing with a liquid enclosed in an internal space and a wick provided in the housing, wherein the wick has a structure in which a plurality of three-dimensional fine structures capable of transporting the liquid are repeatedly formed.

2. The temperature control structure according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of fine structures have a surface shape for transporting the liquid by surface tension.

3. The temperature control structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the liquid is water.

4. The temperature control structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the liquid is oil.

5. The temperature control structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the front view shape of each of the plurality of fine structures is a triangle or a trapezoid.

6. The temperature control structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the surface of the plurality of fine structures includes a plurality of grooves in a transverse stripe shape.

7. The temperature control structure according to claim 6, wherein the pitch of the plurality of grooves is 1 μm or more and 10 μm or less.

8. The temperature control structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of fine structures are inclined at an inclination angle of 30 degrees or more and 70 degrees or less.

9. The temperature control structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pitch of the plurality of fine structures is 10 μm or more and 100 μm or less.

10. The temperature control structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of fine structures contain a metal.

11. The temperature control structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of fine structures are manufactured by a 3D printer.

12. The temperature control structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the housing and the plurality of fine structures are integrally manufactured by a 3D printer.

13. The temperature control structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the internal space of the housing is a vacuum or a quasi-vacuum.

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