Method of manufacturing tunnel-plate type heat pipes

• US 5,737,840 A
• Filed: 07/09/1996
• Issued: 04/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1995
• 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): Cuda, Irene
• Application Number:
  US08/678,525
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 29/890.032, 29/890.03, 165/104.26
• US Class Current: 29/890.032
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/046 characterised by the material or the construction of the capillary structure
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/022 with multiple channels
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2250/04 Communication passages between channels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4935 Heat exchanger or boiler making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49353 Heat pipe device making

Abstract

A tunnel-plate type heat pipe is manufactured out of a tube having capillary parallel tunnels defined by partitions through shaping both ends of the tube, forming recesses in the partitions in the vicinity of each end of the tube, closing both ends of the tube to form a capillary tunnel container, cleaning the capillary tunnel container, and charging the capillary tunnel container with a predetermined amount of working fluid.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a heat pipe out of a tube having capillary parallel tunnels defined by partitions, comprising the steps of:

shaping ends of the tube;

forming recesses in the partitions in the vicinity of each of said ends of the tube;

closing said ends of the tube to form a capillary tunnel container;

cleaning said capillary tunnel container; and

charging said capillary tunnel container with a predetermined amount of a predetermined working fluid.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said forming step is carried out according to a method producing no fin including electric discharge machining, ultrasonic machining, and laser machining.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said forming step includes:

forming first holes from a surface of the tube, said first holes having the diameter smaller than twice the diameter of the capillary parallel tunnels; and

closing openings of said first holes.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first holes are alternately formed at each of said ends of the tube.

5. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said openings closing step is carried out with a solder.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said openings closing step is carried out further with means for reducing said openings of said first holes.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said openings closing step is carried out further with a plate.

8. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said forming step includes forming two second holes from at least one edge of the tube, each of said two second holes communicating with all of the capillary parallel tunnels.

9. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said forming step includes forming two third holes from opposite edges of the tube, each of said two third holes communicating with 2/3 the capillary parallel tunnels.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said recesses extend from 3 to 10 mm from said ends of the tube, respectively.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said recesses are arranged on every other partition.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said recesses are arranged on every several partitions.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said closing step is carried out by one of welding, soldering, and crushing.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein said crushing is carried out with non-crushed portions corresponding to 1 to 3 mm from the deepest position of said recesses.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said predetermined working fluid includes a bi-phase condensative fluid.

16. A method of manufacturing a heat pipe out of a tube having capillary parallel tunnels defined by partitions, comprising the steps of:

shaping ends of the tube;

forming recesses in the partitions in the vicinity of each of said ends of the tube, said forming step including forming first holes from a surface of the tube, said first holes having the diameter smaller than twice the diameter of the capillary parallel tunnels, and closing openings of said first holes;

closing said ends of the tube to form a capillary tunnel container;

cleaning said capillary tunnel container; and

charging said capillary tunnel container with a predetermined amount of a predetermined working fluid.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein said forming step is carried out according to a method producing no fin including electric discharge machining, ultrasonic machining, and laser machining.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein said said first holes are alternately formed at each of said ends of the tube.

19. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein said openings closing is carried out with a solder.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said openings closing step is carried out further with means for reducing said openings of said holes.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein said openings closing step is carried out further with a plate.

22. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein said forming step includes forming two second holes from at least one edge of the tube, each of said two second holes communicating with all of the capillary parallel tunnels.

23. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein said forming step includes forming two third holes from opposite edges of the tube, each of said two third holes communicating with 2/3 the capillary parallel tunnels.

24. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein said predetermined working fluid includes a bi-phase condensative fluid.

25. A method of manufacturing a heat pipe out of a tube having capillary parallel tunnels defined by partitions, comprising the steps of:

shaping ends of the tube;

forming recesses in the partitions in the vicinity of each of said ends of the tube;

crushing end portions of the tube;

closing said ends of the tube to form a capillary tunnel container;

cleaning said capillary tunnel container; and

charging said capillary tunnel container with a predetermined amount of a predetermined working fluid.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein said recesses extend from 3 to 10 mm from said ends of the tube, respectively.

27. A method as claimed in claim 26, wherein said recesses are arranged on every other partition.

28. A method as claimed in claim 26, wherein said recesses are arranged on every several partitions.

29. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein said crushing step is carried out with non-crushed portions corresponding to 1 to 3 mm from the deepest position of said recesses.

30. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein said predetermined working fluid includes a bi-phase condensative fluid.