VAPOR CHAMBER REINFORCEMENT STRUCTURE

A vapor chamber reinforcement structure includes an upper cover and a lower plate. The upper cover is recessed to form at least one channel An opposite side of the channel is protruded to form at least one raised body. The lower plate is used to contact with a heat source and has a first capillary structure. The lower plate is correspondingly mated with the upper cover to form an airtight chamber for filling a working fluid. By means of the channel and the raised body disposed on the opposite side of the channel, the channel provides larger heat contact area for the heat conduction component (heat pipe) and more secure connection ability. Also, the raised body on the opposite side of the channel enhances the structural strength of the entire vapor chamber and enlarges the condensation contact area of the vapor chamber.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a vapor chamber reinforcement structure, and more particularly to a vapor chamber reinforcement structure, which enables the vapor chamber to directly connect with heat dissipation or heat conduction components and enhances the structural strength of the entire vapor chamber.

2. Description of the Related Art

Heat pipe and vapor chamber are both often seen heat transfer members employing two-phase fluid change to work. The heat pipe mainly provides remote end heat transfer in horizontal direction, while the vapor chamber provides heat transfer between faces in vertical direction.

In order to achieve both heat transfer in horizontal direction (heat pipes6) and heat transfer in vertical direction (vapor chamber7), some manufacturers try to combine the heat pipes6with the vapor chamber7so as to achieve heat transfer in both horizontal direction and vertical direction and enhance heat transfer performance.

However, the vapor chamber7is generally made of copper material for achieving better heat conductivity. As a result, the vapor chamber7is relatively soft and the structural strength of the vapor chamber7is poor. Therefore, in the conventional combination of the heat pipes6and the vapor chamber7, it is impossible to directly assemble the heat pipes6with the vapor chamber7. In case that the heat pipes6are directly connected with the vapor chamber7, the vapor chamber7or the heat pipes6will be deformed or broken. Moreover, the connected parts of the vapor chamber7and the heat pipes6cannot be assembled by means of welding. This is because high heat will be generated in the welding process to destroy the two-phase fluid structures inside the heat pipes6and the vapor chamber7. For example, the working liquid will be burnt dry or the capillary structures will detach from the heat pipes6and the vapor chamber7. This will lead to damage of the vapor chamber7and the heat pipes6. In order to solve the above problem, the manufacturers first securely connect the heat pipes6with a base seat8and then connect the base seat8with the vapor chamber7so that the vapor chamber7and the heat pipes6can be assembled and co-used.

However, the heat pipe6has many different configurations such as circular pipe, D-shaped pipe and flat-plate pipe. Please first refer toFIG.1, which shows that a circular heat pipe6is secured on an upper surface (horizontal surface) of the base seat8by means of welding. The heat pipe6has a circular configuration so that when the heat pipe6is connected with the base seat8, the heat pipe6simply contacts the base seat8along a line or at a point. As a result, the heat contact area between the heat pipe6and the base seat8is extremely small. This leads to poor heat conduction efficiency and poor connection strength between the heat pipe6and the base seat8. Therefore, in order to enlarge the heat contact area between the heat pipe6and the base seat8, a D-shaped pipe or a flat-plate pipe with at least one planar surface is selectively used and assembled with the base seat8instead of the circular pipe. This enlarges the heat contact area between the heat pipe6and the base seat8. However, it is necessary to apply an external force to the heat pipe6for plastically shaping the heat pipe6into the D-shaped heat pipe or flat-plate heat pipe6with a planar surface and larger heat contact area so as to enlarge the heat contact area between the heat pipe6and the base seat8.

This leads to another problem that in the shaping and processing process of the heat pipe6, after the pipe wall of the heat pipe6is compressed and deformed, the capillary structure of sintered powder disposed on the inner wall face of the heat pipe6is apt to be damaged and the internal vapor passage of the heat pipe is narrowed. As a result, the inner capillary structure of the heat pipe6will be damaged to make the heat pipe6lose its two-phase fluid heat transfer function or deteriorate the two-phase fluid heat transfer function of the heat pipe6.

Please now refer toFIG.2. In order to improve the above shortcomings existing in the conventional vapor chamber, some manufacturers form an arc-shaped channel81on the base seat8. The arc-shaped channel81has a configuration in adaptation to the configuration of the circular heat pipe6, whereby the circular heat pipe6can be snugly disposed in the arc-shaped channel81. This solves the problems that the heat contact area between the heat pipe6and the base seat8is insufficient and the heat pipe6is apt to be damaged when plastically shaped. In practice, with respect to the conventional vapor chambers, the heat pipes6and the vapor chamber7cannot be directly connected with each other. It is necessary to additionally use the base seat8so as to connect the heat pipes6with the vapor chamber7. In the case that the base seat8is additionally disposed between the heat pipes6and the vapor chamber7, the base seat8will become an indirect heat conduction structure therebetween. As a result, the heat absorbed by the vapor chamber7cannot be directly conducted to the heat pipes6. This will greatly reduce the heat conduction efficiency. Moreover, thermal resistance phenomenon will take place at the junctions between the base seat8and the heat pipes6and the junctions between the base seat8and the vapor chamber7. Therefore, the additionally arranged base seat8not only reduces the heat conduction efficiency, but also increases the thickness and volume as well as the weight of the entire vapor chamber. Moreover, the added component leads to the problem of increase of the material cost and manufacturing cost.

It is therefore tried by the applicant to provide a vapor chamber reinforcement structure, which enables the heat pipes6and the vapor chamber7to directly correspondingly connect with each other without additionally using the base seat8and causing thermal resistance. Moreover, the vapor chamber reinforcement structure can enhance the structural strength of the entire vapor chamber7and enlarge the internal condensation area of the vapor chamber7as well as lower the manufacturing cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a vapor chamber reinforcement structure, which enhances the structural strength of the vapor chamber and enables the vapor chamber to directly connect with the heat pipes without using any additional kit (component).

To achieve the above and other objects, the vapor chamber reinforcement structure of the present invention includes an upper cover and a lower plate.

The upper cover has a first side and a second side. The first side is recessed toward the second side to form at least one channel. An opposite side of the channel is protruded to form at least one raised body. The lower plate has a third side and a fourth side in contact with a heat source. A first capillary structure is disposed on the third side. The lower plate is correspondingly mated with the upper cover to form an airtight chamber. A working fluid is filled in the airtight chamber.

According to the above arrangement, the channel is formed on one side of the upper cover of the vapor chamber reinforcement structure and the raised body is formed on the other side of the upper cover corresponding to the channel. Therefore, the vapor chamber can be directly connected with an ordinary circular or arc-shaped heat pipe without using any additional assembling component or latch device. Also, the raised body structure is formed on the opposite side of the channel corresponding to the channel or misaligned from the channel so that the channel provides a larger heat contact area for the heat conduction component (heat pipe) and the raised body greatly enhances the structural strength of the entire vapor chamber and enlarges the internal condensation area of the vapor chamber. This not only avoids deformation or damage of the vapor chamber when assembled with the heat pipe, but also enhances the vapor-liquid circulation efficiency of the vapor chamber.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer toFIGS.3and4.FIG.3is a perspective exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the vapor chamber reinforcement structure of the present invention.FIG.4is a sectional assembled view of the preferred embodiment of the vapor chamber reinforcement structure of the present invention. As shown in the drawings, the vapor chamber reinforcement structure of the present invention includes an upper cover11and a lower plate12.

The upper cover11has a first side111and a second side112respectively positioned on upper and lower sides of the upper cover11. The first side111and the second side112are also the outer side and inner side of the upper cover11. The first side111is recessed toward the second side112to form at least one channel113. The channel113is a structure produced (made) by means of applying an external force to the first side111so as to plastically deform the first side111or by means of other mechanical processing. The opposite side of the first side111is protruded to form at least one raised body114corresponding to the channel113. The raised body114can be a protrusion structure formed when the first side111is plastically deformed under the external force or produced by means of other mechanical processing (such as casting, milling, cutting or planing). The raised body114is selectively disposed corresponding to the channel113or misaligned from the channel113. In this embodiment, the channel113is selectively formed by means of punching, pressing, hammering or swaging so that the opposite side is correspondingly formed with the raised body114. In this case, the raised body114is disposed corresponding to the channel113as shown inFIG.4. Alternatively, the channel113and the raised body114can be misaligned from each other as shown inFIG.5. The raised body114serves to enhance the structural strength of the upper cover11as well as enlarge the condensation area of the second side112.

Alternatively, the raised body114can be formed by means of mechanical processing and misaligned from the channel113. The raised body114has the form of a rib, a protruding ring or a protruding cross. The raised body114is a partially segmented raised body or a continuous raised body. In this embodiment, the raised body114is, but not limited to, a rib for illustration purposes.

The upper cover11has a first lateral side115and a second lateral side116. One end of the channel113is connected with the first lateral side115, while the other end of the channel113is connected with the second lateral side116. That is, the channel113extends through the upper cover11from the first lateral side115to the second lateral side116.

The channel113can extend in a transverse direction of the upper cover11(as shown inFIGS.3and4) or extend in a longitudinal direction of the upper cover11. Alternatively, the channels113can extend in both the transverse direction and the longitudinal direction of the upper cover11to intersect and connect with each other. The longitudinal direction of the upper cover11is in parallel to the first lateral side115, while the transverse direction of the upper cover11is normal to the first lateral side115.

The lower plate12has a third side121and a fourth side122. The lower plate12is correspondingly mated with the upper cover11to form an airtight chamber13. A working fluid2is filled in the airtight chamber13.

A first capillary structure3is disposed on the third side121.

The channel113formed on the first side111of the upper cover11mainly serves as a section for receiving other heat dissipation or heat conduction member such as a heat pipe5. The channel113has a configuration in adaptation to the configuration of the heat conduction member correspondingly disposed in the channel113, whereby the heat conduction member can be easily assembled in the channel113without using any other fixing member or base seat. This not only saves the manufacturing cost, but also prevents the heat conduction member from failing to tightly attach to the vapor chamber and avoids any gap between the heat conduction member and the vapor chamber, which will cause thermal resistance. In this embodiment, the heat conduction member is, but not limited to, a heat pipe5for illustration purposes. The channel113formed on the upper cover11has a configuration in adaptation to the configuration of the heat pipe5to be disposed in the channel113. The circular heat pipe5is directly disposed in the channel113and assembled with the upper cover11without using any additional base seat to first fix the heat pipe5. Also, the heat pipe5can be connected with the upper cover11without welding process. Therefore, the cost for the material is saved and the thermal resistance caused by the gaps between numerous connected components is avoided. In addition, the heat pipe5is in contact with the channel113by maximal area so that the heat conduction efficiency between the heat pipe5and the upper cover11is enhanced. Moreover, the heat pipe5keeps having a vapor passage with maximal capacity so that the two-phase fluid circulation of the heat pipe5is better than the heat pipe5with other configuration.

By means of the vapor chamber reinforcement structure of the present invention, the vapor chamber can be directly connected with an ordinary circular or arc-shaped heat pipe without using any additional assembling component or latch device. Also, the raised body structure114is formed on the opposite side of the channel113corresponding to the channel113or misaligned from the channel113so that the structural strength of the entire vapor chamber is enhanced and the condensation contact area is enlarged.

This not only avoids deformation or damage of the vapor chamber when assembled with the heat pipe, but also enhances the transformation efficiency of the two-phase fluid in the vapor chamber so as to promote the heat conduction effect.

A second capillary structure (not shown) is further disposed on the raised body114of the upper cover11. The second capillary structure is plainly laid on the surface of the raised body114of the upper cover11.

In addition, multiple support columns (not shown) extend from the third side121of the lower plate12to abut against the second side112of the upper cover11or the raised bodies114. The first capillary structure3partially extends to the surfaces of the support columns, whereby the first capillary structure3partially connects with the second capillary structure.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a vapor chamber structure, which has enhanced structural strength and can be directly connected and assembled with heat pipes or other heat dissipation or heat conduction components. An external force is applied to one side of the vapor chamber to plastically deform the upper cover and form the channel.

The heat dissipation or heat conduction component is directly received in the channel and correspondingly assembled with the upper cover. The raised body is formed on the opposite side of the channel corresponding to the channel or misaligned from the channel so that the structural strength of the vapor chamber is enhanced and the condensation contact area is also enlarged. The raised body not only enhances the structural strength of the vapor chamber, but also enlarges the condensation area to enhance the vapor-liquid circulation efficiency. The present invention improves the shortcoming of the conventional vapor chamber that the vapor chamber cannot be directly assembled with those heat dissipation or heat conduction components with no planar surfaces. Also, the present invention enhances the structural strength of the vapor chamber and promotes the vapor-liquid circulation efficiency of the vapor chamber.

The present invention has been described with the above embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in such as the form or layout pattern or practicing step of the above embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.