Abstract:
An exemplary heat dissipation device includes a base and fasteners. The base includes a bottom plate, a top plate, a heat pipe, and a frame. The heat pipe is sandwiched between peripheries of the bottom plate and the top plate. The frame is sandwiched between the bottom plate and the top plate. The frame surrounds the heat pipe. The fasteners extend through the top plate, the frame and the bottom plate for fixing the heat dissipation device to a heat-generating component.

Description:
BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field 
       [0001]    The disclosure relates to heat dissipation devices in electronics, and more particularly to a heat dissipation device with a heat pipe. 
         [0002]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0003]    During operation of an electronic device such as a computer central processing unit (CPU), a large amount of heat is often produced. The heat must be quickly removed from the CPU to prevent it from becoming unstable or being damaged. Typically, a heat dissipation device is attached to an outer surface of the CPU to absorb the heat from the CPU. 
         [0004]    Conventionally, a heat dissipation device includes a solid metal base attached to the CPU, and a plurality of fins arranged on the base. The base is intimately attached to the CPU, thereby absorbing the heat generated by the CPU. Most of the heat accumulated on the base is transferred firstly to the fins and then dissipates away from the fins. Thus the heat dissipation device achieves cooling of the CPU. However, as electronics technology continues to advance, increasing amounts of heat are being generated by powerful state-of-the-art CPUs. As a result, many conventional heat dissipation devices are no longer able to effectively remove heat from these CPUs. 
         [0005]    What is needed, therefore, is a heat dissipation device which can overcome the limitations described. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is an assembled, isometric view of a heat dissipation device in accordance with a first embodiment of the disclosure. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the heat dissipation device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a base of the heat dissipation device of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a partially assembled view of the base of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a base of the heat dissipation device of  FIG. 2 , taken along a line V-V thereof. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 5 , but showing a cross-sectional view of a base of a heat dissipation device in accordance with a second embodiment of the disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-2 , a heat dissipation device  100  in accordance with a first embodiment of the disclosure is shown. The heat dissipation device  100  is used to thermally contact an electronic component (not shown) mounted on a printed circuit board (not shown) to dissipate heat generated by the electronic component. The heat dissipation device  100  includes a base  10 , a fin assembly  30  mounted on the base  10 , and four fasteners  50  extending through four corners of the base  10 . 
         [0014]    Referring also to  FIGS. 3-5 , the base  10  is substantially rectangular. The base  10  includes a bottom plate  11 , a top plate  12 , a frame  13  sandwiched between the bottom plate  11  and the top plate  12 , and a heat pipe  14  enclosed by the frame  13 , the bottom plate  11  and the top plate  12 . In particular, the bottom plate  11 , the top plate  12 , and the frame  13  together enclose a chamber (not labeled) to receive the heat pipe  14  therein. The bottom plate  11  and the top plate  12  each are integrally made of metal having good thermal conductivity. That is, each of the bottom plate  11  and the top plate  12  is a monolithic, one-piece body of metal. In this embodiment, the bottom plate  11  and the top plate  12  each are integrally made of copper. The bottom plate  11  defines four through holes  110  at four corners thereof. The top plate  12  defines four through holes  120  at four corners thereof, corresponding to the through holes  110  of the bottom plate  11 . 
         [0015]    When viewed side-on, the frame  13  has a rectangular profile corresponding to that of the bottom plate  11  and the top plate  12 . The frame  13  defines an opening (not labeled) in a center thereof. The frame  13  is made of aluminum; and in this embodiment, the frame  13  is a monolithic, one-piece body of aluminum. The frame  13  includes four supporting portions  131  formed at four sides thereof, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the supporting portions  131  are in the form of beams. The supporting portions  131  surround the heat pipe  14 . In this embodiment, each of the supporting portions  131  has a transverse width less than that of the heat pipe  14 . Each of the supporting portions  131  is sandwiched between corresponding edge portions of the bottom plate  11  and top plate  12 . The frame  13  also includes four connecting portions  133  respectively formed at four corners thereof. Each of the connecting portions  133  defines a through hole  130  therein, corresponding to the through holes  110 ,  120  of the bottom and top plates  11 ,  12 . Bottom surfaces of the supporting portions  131  and the connecting portions  133  are all coplanar to tightly contact a top surface of the bottom plate  11 . Similarly, top surfaces of the supporting portions  131  and the connecting portions  133  are all coplanar to tightly contact a bottom surface of the top plate  12 . 
         [0016]    The heat pipe  14  is a vacuum casing containing a working fluid  16  therein. In this embodiment, the heat pipe  14  is generally S-shaped. The heat pipe  14  includes a middle evaporation section  141 , two condensation sections  143  arranged at opposite sides of the evaporation section  141  and parallel to the evaporation section  141 , and two connecting sections  142  interconnecting the evaporation section  141  and the condensation sections  143 , respectively. The heat pipe  14  is flattened, to have a flat bottom wall that contacts the bottom plate  11  and a flat top wall that contacts the top plate  12 . 
         [0017]    In assembly, the bottom plate  11 , the top plate  12 , the frame  13  and the heat pipe  14  are soldered together to form the base  10 . The heat pipe  14  is enclosed by the bottom plate  11 , top plate  12  and the frame  13 . The fin assembly  30  is mounted on the top plate  12  of the base  10 . The fasteners  50  are arranged on the base  10 , and extend through the through holes  110 ,  120 ,  130  of the bottom plate  11 , the top plate  12  and the frame  13 . Since the frame  13  has high mechanical strength, the edge portions of the bottom plate  11  and the top plate  12  are supported and protected by the frame  13 , and the base  10  likewise has good mechanical strength and performance In use of the heat dissipation device  100 , the bottom plate  11  of the base  10  absorbs heat from the electronic component to which the bottom plate  11  of the base  10  is attached, and then quickly transfers the heat to the top plate  12  via the heat pipe  14  and the frame  13 . The heat is absorbed by the fin assembly  30  and subsequently dissipated to ambient air. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , a heat dissipation device  200  in accordance with a second embodiment of the disclosure is shown. Differently from the heat dissipation device  100  of the first embodiment, the bottom plate  11 , the top plate  12  and the frame  13  of the heat dissipation device  200  together form a hermetical chamber to contain working fluid  60  therein. The working fluid  60  resides between lateral outer walls of the heat pipe  14  and inner walls of the frame  13 , to enhance the heat dissipation capability of the heat dissipation device  200 . 
         [0019]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of certain embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.