Heat Pipe Wick Sealing Layout for Larger Cooling Area

Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional heat pipe structures have ineffective ends due to sealing, reducing available space for heat conduction and dissipating, leading to reduced thermal conducting efficiency and mismatched shapes with electronic device cases, causing overheating.

Innovation Solution

A manufacturing method that involves deforming and cutting an original heat pipe structure to form two subspaces with lateral peripheral structures that clamp wick ends, increasing usable heat conduction space and matching the shape to the electronic device case.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional spot-welding sealing method is used, then sealing is achieved, but the sealing region cannot include wick structure causing ineffective heat conduction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidheat conduction efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The heat pipe structure is divided into multiple sealed regions, with each region independently sealed using spot-welding. The wick structure is segmented to extend across multiple sealed regions, ensuring that at least one wick portion is included within each sealed region. This segmentation allows the sealing process to be distributed while maintaining heat conduction pathways through the wick structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the heat pipe structure are designed with different functions: some regions are optimized for sealing (with weldable surfaces), while other regions are optimized for heat conduction (with wick structure inclusion). The sealed regions are locally configured to include portions of the wick structure, ensuring that each sealed region maintains heat conduction capability while being hermetically sealed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If heat pipe structure is shrunk and sealed, then sealing is achieved, but the shape becomes triangular or irregular causing mismatch with device case

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidshape matching with device case

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The heat pipe structure is pre-formed with the desired final shape (matching the device case profile) before the sealing process. By preparing the structure in its target configuration upfront, subsequent sealing operations can be performed on already-shaped components, avoiding the need to shrink and deform the structure afterward, which would cause shape distortion and mismatch.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If traditional sealing method is used, then sealing is achieved, but available space for heat conduction is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidavailable heat conduction space

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The heat pipe structure is divided into multiple sealed regions, with each region independently sealed using spot-welding. The wick structure is segmented to extend across multiple sealed regions, ensuring that at least one wick portion is included within each sealed region. This segmentation allows the sealing process to be distributed while maintaining heat conduction pathways through the wick structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the heat pipe structure are designed with different functions: some regions are optimized for sealing (with weldable surfaces), while other regions are optimized for heat conduction (with wick structure inclusion). The sealed regions are locally configured to include portions of the wick structure, ensuring that each sealed region maintains heat conduction capability while being hermetically sealed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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

Enhances thermal conducting efficiency and allows for a larger volume heat pipe structure that fits seamlessly with electronic devices, solving overheating issues.

Implementation Method 1

The wick structure within the heat pipe structure is configured to absorb the heat generated by the electronic device while the electronic device is operated and transfer the heat to the entire heat pipe structure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

the heat is further transferred from the heat pipe structure to the case in contact with the heat pipe structure to be dissipated away

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal radiation: Thermal Radiation

Data Source

PatentUS12529527B2Manufacturing method of heat pipe structure

Publication Date: 2026.01.20 DELTA ELECTRONICS INC(CN)

AI summary

A manufacturing method of a heat pipe structure is provided. Firstly, a step S1 is performed. An original heat pipe structure is provided. The original heat pipe structure includes an enclosed space in a sealed state and an original wick structure disposed within the enclosed space. Then, a step S2 is performed. Portion of the original heat pipe structure is deformed to form a deformation portion. The deformation portion clamps portion of the original wick structure. The enclosed space is separated into two subspaces. Then, a step S3 is performed. The deformation portion is cut to separate the two subspaces to form two heat pipe structures.