Flat Heat Pipe Ineffective Portion Removal Method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat pipes have an ineffective reducing section that reduces their heat transfer efficiency and occupies excessive space, particularly in compact devices like smart watches and smartphones, due to the need for a long sealed section to prevent leaks.
Innovation Solution
A method involving flattening wick-free zones in a flat heat pipe, sealing them, and cutting off the cut-away sections to remove the ineffective portion, thereby shortening the heat pipe and enhancing heat transfer efficiency while saving space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a long reducing section is sealed to prevent heat pipe leakage, then reliability is improved, but the ineffective portion increases and heat transfer efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sealing function from the reducing section by providing a separate sealing structure at the end of the heat pipe. The reducing section is cut off to remove the ineffective portion, while the sealing structure remains to prevent leakage. This separates the sealing function from the heat transfer function, allowing the heat pipe to have both high reliability and high heat transfer efficiency.
2Reliability
If a long reducing section is used to prevent leakage, then reliability is improved, but the occupied space increases and device compactness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sealing function from the reducing section and implements it through a separate sealing structure. This allows the reducing section to be shortened or completely removed, significantly reducing the occupied space while maintaining leak prevention capability through the dedicated sealing structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat pipe is segmented into distinct functional sections: an effective heat transfer section with wick structure and an ineffective reducing section. The sealing structure is positioned at the end of the heat pipe to seal the working fluid. This segmentation allows the reducing section to be minimized while maintaining both sealing reliability and compact dimensions.
3Reliability
If a long reducing section is sealed, then reliability is improved, but the effective length for heat transfer decreases and heat transfer efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sealing function from the reducing section and implements it through a separate sealing structure positioned at the end of the heat pipe. This allows the reducing section to be shortened or removed entirely, maximizing the effective length available for heat transfer while maintaining sealing reliability through the dedicated sealing structure.
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
This method significantly reduces the ineffective portion of the heat pipe, increasing heat transfer efficiency and allowing for more compact designs in electronic devices by minimizing the occupied space.
Implementation Method 1
at least one wick structure formed on an inner wall surface thereof
Implementation Method 2
With the two-phase conversion between vapor and liquid inside it
Implementation Method 3
sealing the flattened flatten-out zone by welding
Data Source
AI summary
A method of removing ineffective portion of flat heat pipe is disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing a flat heat pipe; flattening out at least one wick-free flatten-out zone of the flat heat pipe and then sealing the flattened flatten-out zone by welding; and cutting off a cut-away section but reserving a remainder section of the flattened and sealed flatten-out zone, so that an ineffective portion is removed from the flat heat pipe. After being processed with the above method, the flat heat pipe can have effectively increased heat transfer efficiency and save a lot of space.