Vapor chamber with sintered grooved wick

• US 6,880,626 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2003
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thermal Corporation (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thermal Corporation (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rosenfeld, John H., Lindemuth, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCKINNON, TERRELL L
• Application Number:
  US10/606,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20040069455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 165/104.26, 165/104.21, 165/104.33, 165/185, 361/700, 257/714, 257/715, 174/15.2
• US Class Current: 165/104.26
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2999/00 Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/22 for producing castings from a slip
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 7/004 comprising at least one non-porous part
• 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: Y10T 29/49353 Heat pipe device making

Abstract

A heat pipe heat spreader is provided having a substantially L-shaped enclosure with an internal surface and a plurality of post projecting from the surface. A working fluid is disposed within the enclosure, and a grooved wick is formed on at least a portion of the internal surface. The grooved wick includes a plurality of individual particles having an average diameter, and including at least two lands that are in fluid communication with one another through a particle layer disposed between the at least two lands that comprises less than about six average particle diameters. A method for making a grooved heat pipe wick on an inside surface of a heat pipe container a layer of sintered powder between adjacent grooves that comprises no more than about six average particle diameters.

Claims

1. A heat pipe heat spreader comprising:

an enclosure having an internal surface and a plurality of post projecting from said internal surface wherein said posts are (i) arranged in a selected pattern that is more dense in one portion of said internal surface, and (ii) coated with a sintered wick powder;

a working fluid disposed within said enclosure; and

a grooved wick disposed on at least a portion of said internal surface and including a plurality of individual particles having an average diameter, said grooved wick including at least two spaced-apart lands that are in fluid communication with one another through a particle layer disposed between said at east two spaced-apart lands that comprises less than about six average particle diameters.

2. A heat pipe according to claim 1 wherein said said particle layer comprises a thickness that is less than about three average particle diameters.

3. A heat pipe according to claim 1 wherein said particles are formed substantially of copper.

4. A heat pipe according to 1 wherein six average particle diameters is within a range from about 0.005 millimeters to about 0.5 millimeters.