Spring loaded heat pipe connector for hinged apparatus package

• US 6,078,499 A
• Filed: 08/31/1998
• Issued: 06/20/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mok, Lawrence Shungwei
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui, Tung Minh
• Application Number:
  US09/143,196
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 361/687, 361/688, 361/700, 361/704, 361/707, 361/709, 174/15.2, 165/86, 165/80.2, 165/80.3, 165/80.4, 165/185
• US Class Current: 361/679.52
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops

Abstract

An improved primary to secondary heat pipe thermal transfer connector for a hinged electronic apparatus package is achieved through the use of a thermal transfer block with a sleeve positioned on the hinge centerline of a hinged apparatus package and in a groove in the thermal transfer block. The primary heat pipe end is fused into the thermal transfer block and all secondary heat pipe ends are fused into the sleeve. The contact interface between the thermal transfer block and the sleeve is spring loaded.

Claims

1. A heat pipe connector for moveable thermal transfer between primary and secondary heat pipe segments in a hinged apparatus package,

comprising in combination:

a sleeve member having an outside surface and a central inside opening,

said sleeve member being positioned with said central inside opening aligned along the centerline of the hinge of said apparatus package,

a thermal transfer block having a groove on a first surface thereof

said groove having accommodation dimensions for said outside surface of said sleeve member,

said thermal transfer block having a heat pipe end accommodating bore in the material of said block that is approximately parallel to said groove,

force means adapted to apply pressure to said block and operable to force said groove and said outside of said sleeve in contact each other,

an end of a primary heat pipe having a fused connection to said block inside said bore, and,

at least one end of at least one secondary heat pipe having a fused connection to said sleve inside said inside opening.

2. The heat pipe connector of claim 1 wherein said force means is a spring.

3. The heat pipe connector of claim 1 wherein said force means is applied to a surface of said block that is parallel to said groove.

4. The heat pipe connector of claim 1 wherein said at least one secondary heat pipe is a secondary heat pipe end in fused contact inside said inside opening in each end of said sleeve.

5. In heat dissipation in an electronic apparatus package wherein heat is generated in a first portion of said package that is to be dissipated in a second portion of said package that is attached to said first portion through a hinge,

a thermal transfer structure comprising:

a primary heat pipe having a first end attached by fusion to a source of heat in a said first portion of said package,

at least one secondary heat pipe each having a first end attached by fusion to a heat dissipator member in said second portion of said package,

a sleeve member having an outside surface and a central inside opening,

said sleeve member being positioned with said central inside opening aligned along the centerline of said hinge,

a thermal transfer block having a groove on a first surface thereof,

said groove having accommodation dimensions for said outside surface of said sleeve member,

said thermal transfer block having a heat pipe end accommodating bore in the material of said block that is approximately parallel to said groove,

force means adapted to apply pressure to said block and operable to force said groove and said outside of said sleeve in contact each other,

a second end of said primary heat pipe having a fused connection to said block inside said bore, and,

at least one second end of said at least one secondary heat pipe having a fused connection to said sleeve inside said inside opening.

6. The heat pipe connector of claim 5 wherein said force means is a spring.

7. The heat pipe connector of claim 6 wherein said force means is applied to a surface of said block that is parallel to said groove.

8. The heat pipe connector of claim 5 wherein said at least one second end of at least one secondary heat pipe includes first and second secondary heat pipe ends positioned in fused contact inside said inside opening in each end of said sleeve.

9. A thermal transfer structure between a locallized heat source located in the base of a portable computer package and a heat dissipation element located in a hinged cover of said portable computer package,

comprising:

a sleeve member having an outside surface and a central inside opening,

said sleeve member being positioned with said central inside opening aligned along the centerline of the hinge of said portable computer package,

a thermal transfer block having a groove on a first surface thereof

said groove having accommodation dimensions for said outside surface of said sleeve member,

said thermal transfer block having a heat pipe end accommodating bore in the material of said block that is approximately parallel to said groove,

force means adapted to apply pressure to said block and operable to force said groove and said outside of said sleeve toward each other,

a primary heat pipe having a first end with a fused connection to said localized heat source and with the remaining second end thereof having a fused contact to said block inside said bore, and,

at least one secondary heat pipe each having at least one first end in a fused connection inside said inside opening of said sleeve and having the remaining end thereof in fused connection to said heat dissipator.

10. The portable computer thermal transfer structure of claim 9 wherein said locallized heat source is the central processing unit of said computer.

11. The portable computer thermal transfer structure of claim 10 wherein said force means is a spring.

12. The portable computer thermal transfer structure of claim 11 wherein said spring is applied to a surface of said block that is parallel to said groove.

13. The portable computer thermal transfer structure of claim 12 wherein there is a secondary heat pipe end in fused contact inside said inside opening in each end of said sleeve.

14. An apparatus for transferring the heat acrossed the hinged cover of a portable computer comprising:

a primary heat pipe having a first end attached by fusion to a heat spreader on said central processing unit in said base of said portable computer,

at least one secondary heat pipe each having a first end attached by fusion to a heat dissipator member in said cover of said portable computer,

a sleeve member having an outside surface and a central inside opening,

said sleeve member being positioned with said central inside opening aligned along the centerline of said hinge of said cover,

a thermal transfer block having a groove on a first surface thereof,

said groove having accommodation dimensions for said outside surface of said sleeve member,

said thermal transfer block having a heat pipe end accommodating bore in the material of said block that is approximately parallel to said groove,

force means adapted to apply pressure to said block and operable to force said groove and said outside of said sleeve toward each other,

the second and remaining end of said primary heat pipe being attached by fusion in said bore in said block, and,

each second and remaining end of each said secondary heat pipe being attached by fusion inside said inside opening at an end of said sleeve.