Heat Spreading Module With Variable Thickness Heat Pipe
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable electronic devices face challenges in reducing thickness while maintaining effective cooling, as existing heat pipe configurations require large sizes or diameters to handle CPU heat, leading to potential dry-out issues due to limited working fluid capacity and increased device thickness.
Innovation Solution
A heat spreading module with a metal plate and heat pipe configuration where the heated portion is flat and thinner, and the heat dissipation portion is thicker, allowing heat transfer to both the heat pipe and metal plate, reducing device thickness and preventing dry-out by moderating heat input and enhancing cooling performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a heat pipe with large size or large diameter is used to transfer CPU heat, then the heat transfer capacity is sufficient, but the device size or thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the heat dissipation function into two separate components: a heat pipe for active heat transfer and a metal plate for heat spreading. This segmentation allows the heat pipe to be smaller in size while the metal plate handles the heat distribution, thereby reducing overall device thickness while maintaining sufficient heat transfer capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from relying solely on the heat pipe's one-dimensional heat transfer capability to a two-dimensional heat dissipation system by introducing a metal plate. This dimensional expansion allows heat to spread across a larger area, reducing the need for a large-diameter heat pipe and thus reducing device thickness.
2Length of stationary object
If the heat input portion is a flattened portion with limited space, then the device thickness is reduced, but the amount of working fluid retained is small causing dry-out
Solution Approach 1:
The invention separates the heat reception function (flattened heat input portion for thinness) from the heat dissipation function (thicker heat dissipation portion for working fluid capacity). This segmentation allows the heat pipe to maintain a compact profile for thinness while having a thicker section with sufficient working fluid volume to prevent dry-out.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat pipe is designed with non-uniform thickness: a thin flattened portion at the heat input end for maintaining device thinness, and a thicker portion at the heat dissipation end for retaining sufficient working fluid. This local quality variation resolves the contradiction between thinness and dry-out prevention.
3Power
If almost all CPU heat is transferred to the heat pipe, then the heat pipe requires large heat transfer capacity, but this increases device size
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the heat transfer path into two parallel channels: heat transfers to both the heat pipe and the metal plate simultaneously. This segmentation reduces the heat burden on the heat pipe, allowing it to be smaller in size while the metal plate handles the remaining heat dissipation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the heat dissipation functions of the heat pipe and metal plate into a cooperative system. Both components work together to dissipate CPU heat, combining their respective strengths to achieve effective heat management without requiring either component to be oversized.
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 module achieves both reduced device thickness and enhanced cooling capability by efficiently transferring heat from the CPU to both the heat pipe and metal plate, preventing dry-out and maintaining effective heat dissipation performance.
Implementation Method 1
a heat pipe is attached along a metal plate with which a heating element is brought into close contact, and heat of a heated region of the metal plate with which the heating element is brought into close contact is transferred to a place on the metal plate apart from the heated region by the heat pipe
Implementation Method 2
a working fluid is contained inside the copper tube
Implementation Method 3
heat of a heated region of the metal plate with which the heating element is brought into close contact is transferred to a place on the metal plate apart from the heated region
Data Source
AI summary
In a heat spreading module for a portable electronic device configured such that a heat pipe is attached along a metal plate with which a heating element is brought into close contact, and heat of a heated region of the metal plate with which the heating element is brought into close contact is transferred to a place on the metal plate apart from the heated region by the heat pipe, the heat pipe is configured such that a container is formed of a pipe, a portion of the container arranged on the heated region is a heated portion, and a portion of the container apart from the heated region is a heat dissipation portion that dissipates heat to the metal plate, and the heated portion is formed in a flat shape, and the heat dissipation portion is formed to be thicker than the heated portion having the flat shape.