Tunnel-plate type heat pipe

• US 5,697,428 A
• Filed: 12/02/1994
• Issued: 12/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mizutani Electric Ind. Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Actronics Kabushiki Kaisha, Hisateru Akachi
• Inventors: Akachi, Hisateru
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivell, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): ATKINSON, CHRISTOPHER MARK
• Application Number:
  US08/352,217
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 165/170, 165/104.33, 165/104.21, 165/104.14, 165/104.26, 361/702, 361/700, 257/715
• US Class Current: 165/104.21
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0233 the conduits having a particular shape, e.g. non-circular cross-section, annular F28D15/0241, F28D15/0266 take precedence

Abstract

A heat pipe comprises an unit plate having one side formed with a groove which includes a plurality of straight portions arranged in parallel with each other and a plurality of turnings, and a flat plate disposed on the one side of the unit plate.

Claims

1. A heat pipe, comprising:

at least one first plate, said at least one first plate being metal and having one side formed with a continuous groove, said groove having a substantially semicircular cross-section throughout said groove, said groove forming a continuous channel in said at least one first plate, said channel having a predetermined number of turnings and a predetermined number of portions arranged in parallel with each other, each portion interconnecting corresponding ends of adjacent turnings of said predetermined number of turnings; and

a second plate disposed on said one side of said at least one first plate,

wherein said second plate closes said channel such that said groove of said first plate serves as a tunnel to be charged with a predetermined amount of a working fluid; and

wherein said second plate is free of a through-hole that allows communication between said tunnel and an exterior of the heat pipe.

2. A heat pipe as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second plate includes a flat plate.

3. A heat pipe as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second plate has one side formed with a groove which corresponds to said groove of said at least one first plate and another side.

4. A heat pipe as claimed in claim 3, wherein said one side of said second plate is disposed to face said one side of said at least one first plate.

5. A heat pipe as claimed in claim 3, wherein said another side of said second plate is disposed to face said one side of said at least one first plate.

6. A heat pipe as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one first plate and said second plate are made of a metal with excellent heat conductivity.

7. A heat pipe as claimed in claim 6, wherein said metal includes copper and aluminum.

8. A heat pipe as claimed in claim 1, wherein said groove of said at least one first plate has a predetermined depth, a predetermined width, and a predetermined pitch.

9. A heat pipe as claimed in claim 8, wherein said groove of said at least one first plate is formed in a closed loop.

10. A heat pipe as claimed in claim 8, wherein said groove of said at least one first plate is formed in an open loop.

11. A heat pipe as claimed in claim 1, wherein said predetermined number of portions of said at least one first plate have ends extending up to the same positions on said at least one first plate.

12. A heat pipe as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first plate is formed with a through hole communicating with said groove of said first plate.

13. A heat pipe as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second plate is formed with a through hole communicating with said groove of said at least one first plate.

18. A heat pipe as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tunnel has an inner diameter as calculated in terms of a circle being smaller than 3 mm.

19. A heat pipe as claimed in claim 1, wherein said portions of said groove are in the form of at least one of a straight line, a curved line, and a polygonal line.

20. A heat pipe as claimed in claim 1, wherein said predetermined number of turnings of said groove is greater than 20.

21. A heat pipe as claimed in claim 20, wherein said predetermined number of turnings of said groove is greater than 40.

23. A heat pipe as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one first plate includes a unit plate and said second plate is a flat plate.

24. A heat pipe as claimed in claim 4, wherein flat plate is arranged between said second plate and said at least one first plate.

25. A heat pipe as claimed in claim 1, wherein a crest is formed between said portions, and wherein said second plate is a flat plate.

14. A heat pipe, comprising:

at least one first plate, said at least one first plate being metal and having one side formed with a continuous groove, said groove having a cross-section substantially in a semicircle, said groove forming a continuous channel in said at least one first plate, said channel having a predetermined number of turnings and a predetermined number of portions arranged in parallel with each other, each portion interconnecting corresponding ends of adjacent two of said predetermined number of turnings;

means for sealing said channel of said at least one first plate,

when closed by said sealing means, said groove of said at least one first plate serving as a tunnel; and

a predetermined amount of a working fluid contained in said tunnel, said working fluid having a liquid state and a vapor state which are alternately found in a longitudinal direction of said tunnel in an operating condition of the heat pipe,

wherein heat transfer is carried out at least by vibration of said predetermined amount of said working fluid in said longitudinal direction of said tunnel; and

wherein said sealing means closes said channel so that said tunnel is free from communication with an exterior of the heat pipe.

15. A heat pipe as claimed in claim 14, wherein said at least one first plate comprises two plates;

and wherein said sealing means include a side of one of said two plates.

16. A heat pipe as claimed in claim 14, wherein said sealing means include one side of a flat plate.

17. A heat pipe as claimed in claim 16, wherein said sealing means include another side of said flat plate.

22. A heat pipe, comprising:

at least one first plate, said at least one first plate being metal and having one side formed with a continuous groove, said groove having a cross-section substantially in a semicircle, said groove forming a continuous channel in said at least one first plate, said channel having a predetermined number of turnings and a predetermined number of portions arranged in parallel with each other, each portion interconnecting corresponding ends of adjacent two of said predetermined number of turnings;

a second plate disposed on said one side of said at least one first plate,

when closed by said second plate, said channel of said at least one first plate serving as a tunnel; and

a predetermined amount of a working fluid contained in said tunnel, said working fluid having a liquid state and a vapor state which are alternately found in a longitudinal direction of said tunnel in an operating condition of the heat pipe,

wherein heat transfer is carried out at least by vibration of said predetermined amount of said working fluid in said longitudinal direction of said tunnel; and

wherein said second plate is free of a through-hole that allows communication between said tunnel and an extension of the heat pipe.