Flat Heat Pipe Hollow Protrusions Prevent Deformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to create a flat heat pipe that can maintain high heat transport capacity while reducing thickness, as existing methods that decrease thickness lead to deformation and reduced heat transport capacity due to pillar obstruction of the steam passage.
Innovation Solution
A flat heat pipe design featuring a metal container with a wick structure that includes hollow protruding portions formed by embossing, providing support to the plates without obstructing the steam passage, using materials like copper or stainless steel, and maintaining a sufficient internal space height to ensure high heat transport capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If the thickness of the plate forming the container is reduced to decrease the overall thickness of the flat heat pipe, then the device thickness is reduced, but the depression or distortion of the plate is increased leading to reduced heat transport capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the plate thickness non-uniform: the plate is thinner in regions away from the protruding portions (allowing overall thickness reduction) and thicker at the protruding portions (providing local support to prevent deformation). This localized variation in thickness resolves the contradiction between reducing overall thickness and maintaining structural integrity for heat transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent embeds protruding portions within the plate structure itself, creating a nested configuration where the protrusions are integrated into the plate body. These nested protruding portions provide internal support without adding external components, allowing the plate to maintain strength against deformation while keeping the overall device thickness reduced.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the number of pillars is increased or the interval between pillars is reduced to suppress deformation of the container, then the structural stability is improved, but the flow channel for steam of working fluid is narrowed reducing heat transport capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the plate serve multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both the container wall and the support structure through its protruding portions. The protruding portions perform the support function that would otherwise require separate pillars, while the spaces between them maintain the steam flow channels. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by eliminating the need for dedicated support elements that would obstruct flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the container wall and support structure into a single integrated plate component. The protruding portions are formed as part of the plate itself rather than being separate elements. This merging allows the support function to be achieved without adding separate pillars that would narrow the steam flow channels, thus maintaining heat transport capacity while ensuring container stability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If solid pillars are provided to support upper and lower plates of the container, then the deformation of the container is suppressed, but the pillars obstruct the steam passage for working fluid reducing heat transport capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful obstructing function from the support structure. Instead of using solid pillars that block steam flow, the design uses protruding portions with through-holes that remove the obstruction while maintaining the support function. The through-holes allow steam to pass through the support structures themselves, eliminating the harmful obstruction effect while retaining container stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a porous or perforated structure in the form of through-holes within the protruding portions of the plate. These holes create a porous-like configuration that allows steam to permeate through the support structures. This porous approach enables the support elements to be permeable to steam flow, resolving the contradiction between providing structural support and maintaining unobstructed steam passages for heat transport.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design prevents deformation and maintains high heat transport capacity by allowing steam to pass through the hollow protruding portions, increasing the freedom in device design and enhancing thermal contact with heating elements.
Implementation Method 1
a technique, which disposes a wick generating a capillary action in the container or forms fine grooves on the inner wall of the container to make the working fluid efficiently flow back to the heat absorption side again
Implementation Method 2
working fluid received in the space is subjected to phase change, such as evaporation and condensation, or is moved, so that heat is transferred
Implementation Method 3
working fluid evaporated on the high-temperature portion flows to the low-temperature portion and radiates heat and is condensed, so that the heat pipe transports heat as the latent heat of the working fluid
Implementation Method 4
a hollow protruding portion protruding in a height direction of the container is formed on the first sheet-like member
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a flat heat pipe that is not easily deformed in spite of a reduction in thickness and can maintain high heat transport capacity.A flat heat pipe 100 includes a container 130 in which a cavity 130S is formed by plates 110 (110a, 110b) made of metal and disposed substantially in parallel with each other, working fluid that is enclosed in the cavity 130S, and a wick structure 150 that is inserted into the container. The wick structure 150 includes a first sheet-like member 140, and hollow protruding portions 170 protruding in a height direction of the container 130 are formed on the first sheet-like member 140.