Integrated circuit heat pipe heat spreader with through mounting holes

• US 7,066,240 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2001
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aavid Thermalloy LLC (LTI Flexible Products Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thermal Corporation (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dussinger, Peter M., Myers, Thomas L.
• Primary Examiner(s): CIRIC, LJILJANA V
• Application Number:
  US09/852,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20020023742A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,875 Days
• Field of Search: 165/80.2, 165/80.3, 165/104.21, 165/104.26, 165/104.33, 165/185, 165/46, 361/700, 257/714, 257/715, 174/15.2, 174/16.3
• US Class Current: 165/104.26
• 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: H01L 23/427 Cooling by change of state, e.g. use of heat pipes by liquefied gas H01L23/445
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

The apparatus is a heat pipe with superior heat transfer between the heat pipe and the heat source and heat sink. The heat pipe is held tightly against the heat source by mounting holes which penetrate the structure of the heat pipe but are sealed off from the vapor chamber because they each are located within a sealed structure such as a pillar or the solid layers of the casing surrounding the vapor chamber. Another feature of the heat pipe is the use of more highly heat conductive material for only that part of the wick in the region which contacts the heat source, so that there is superior heat conductivity in that region.

Claims

1. A heat pipe for spreading heat comprising:

a boundary structure including spaced-apart first and second plates that define an enclosed vapor chamber;

at least one depression formed in said first plate which projects into said vapor chamber and is sealingly bonded to said second plate so as to form a bonded region;

an opening defined through said bonded region wherein the perimeter of said opening is defined within a portion of said bonded region such that said opening is isolated from said vapor chamber; and

at least one depression formed in said second plate which projects into said vapor chamber and is sealingly bonded to said first plate.

2. A heat pipe for spreading heat according to claim 1 comprising at least one spacer positioned within said vapor chamber and extending between and contacting said first and second plates.

3. A heat pipe for spreading heat according to claim 1 wherein said spaced-apart first and second plates include confronting interior surfaces;

and

a wick positioned upon said confronting interior surfaces including that portion of the interior surface of said first plate that forms a surface of said depression within said vapor chamber.

4. A heat pipe for spreading heat according to claim 1 wherein said wick is constructed with at least two separate sections of different materials, with one section being located on said first plate interior surface and being formed of a material with higher heat conductivity than sections located on said second plate interior surface.

5. A heat pipe for spreading heat according to claim 1 wherein said depression comprises an annular outer surface that is brazed to a corresponding annular edge surface in said second plate.

6. A heat pipe for spreading heat according to claim 1 wherein said first and second plates each include a peripheral lip located at an edge of said boundary structure at which said peripheral lip of said first plate is sealingly bonded to said peripheral lip of said second plate.

7. A heat pipe for spreading heat according to claim 1 wherein said at least one depression formed in said second plate comprises a flat portion that is in contact with an inner surface of said first plate.

8. A heat pipe for spreading heat according to claim 1 wherein said spaced-apart first and second plates include confronting interior surfaces;

and

a wick positioned upon said confronting interior surfaces including that portion of the interior surface of said first plate that forms a surface of said depression within said vapor chamber.

9. A heat pipe for spreading heat comprising:

a boundary structure including spaced-apart first and second plates that define an enclosed vapor chamber;

at least one hollow column having an exterior surface positioned within said vapor chamber with a first portion of said exterior surface sealingly bonded to at least one of said first and second plates, and having an open first end that opens through said first plate and an open second end that opens through said second plate so as to form at least one mounting hole that is isolated from said vapor chamber.

10. A heat pipe for spreading heat according to claim 9 wherein said spaced-apart first and second plates include confronting interior surfaces;

and

a wick positioned upon said confronting interior surfaces of said first and second plates and having a second potion of said exterior surface of said at least one hollow column disposed within said vapor chamber.

11. A heat pipe for spreading heat comprising:

a boundary structure including a first plate and a second plate arranged in spaced apart relation, each of said plates including interior confronting surfaces and a peripheral lip located at an edge of said boundary structure at which said peripheral lip of said first plate is sealingly bonded to said peripheral lip of said second plate so as to define an enclosed vapor chamber;

at least one depression formed in said first plate which projects into said vapor chamber, is spaced from said peripheral lip of said first plate, and is sealingly bonded to said second plate so as to form a bonded region;

an opening defined through said first plate depression and said second plate wherein said depression comprises an annular outer surface that is sealingly bonded to a corresponding annular edge surface in said second plate and further wherein the perimeter of said opening is defined within a portion of said bonded region such that said opening is isolated from said vapor chamber;

at least one spacer extending between and contacting said first and second plates; and

a wick positioned upon said confronting interior surfaces including that portion of the interior surface of said first plate that forms a surface of said depression within said vapor chamber.

12. A heat pipe for spreading heat comprising:

a first plate having a circumferential edge lip bounding an inner surface and at least one hollow column that is integral with said first plate and which projects outwardly relative to said inner surface;

a second plate arranged in spaced apart confronting relation to said first plate and including a circumferential edge lip bounding an inner surface and at least one opening through said second plate, said edge lips of said first and second plates being sealingly bonded together so as to define a vapor chamber;

wherein

said at least one hollow column being sealingly bonded at one end to said second plate so as to coaxially align said at least one hollow column with said at least one opening in said second plate thereby to form a mounting hole that extends through said first plate and said second plate and is isolated from said vapor chamber.

13. A heat pipe for spreading heat comprising:

a first plate having a circumferential edge lip bounding an inner surface and at least one depression which projects outwardly relative to said inner surface;

a second plate arranged in spaced apart confronting relation to said first plate and including a circumferential edge lip bounding an inner surface and at least one opening through said second plate, said edge lips of said first and second plates being sealingly bonded together so as to define a vapor chamber;

wherein

said at least one depression has an open ended tubular cross-section and an outer surface, a portion of which outer surface is sealingly bonded to said second plate so as to coaxially align said at least one depression with said at least one opening in said second plate thereby to form a mounting hole that extends through said first plate depression and said second plate and is isolated from said vapor chamber.

14. A heat pipe for spreading heat comprising:

a first plate having a circumferential edge lip bounding an inner surface and at least one depression which projects outwardly relative to said inner surface;

a second plate arranged in spaced apart confronting relation to said first plate and including (i) a circumferential edge lip bounding an inner surface, (ii) at least one depression which projects into said vapor chamber and that is sealingly bonded to said inner surface of said first plate, and (iii) at least one opening through said second plate, said edge lips of said first and second plates being sealingly bonded together so as to define a vapor chamber;

wherein

said at least one depression in said first plate has a tubular cross-section that opens at a first end and a second end and is sealingly bonded to said second plate at said second end so as to coaxially align said at least one first plate depression with said at least one opening in said second plate thereby to form a mounting hole that extends through said first plate depression and said second plate and is isolated from said vapor chamber.