Vapor chamber and method for manufacturing the same

A vapor chamber includes a sealed flattened casing containing working liquid therein, a wick structure arranged on an inner face of the casing, a plurality of supporting posts received in the casing and at least a metallic wire connecting the supporting posts. Each supporting post defines at least a channel therein. The at least a metallic wire engagingly extends through the channels of the supporting posts. Top and bottom ends of the supporting posts engage the wick structure to reinforce a structure of the vapor chamber.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The disclosure relates to a vapor chamber and, more particularly, to a vapor chamber having a firm structure.

2. Description of Related Art

Nowadays, numerous vapor chambers are used to dissipate and transfer heat generated by electronic devices. Generally, the vapor chamber includes a plate-shape casing having a lower plate thermally contacting the electronic device. A vacuum chamber is defined in the casing. A wick structure is formed on an inner face of the casing, and a working fluid is contained in the chamber. As the electronic device is maintained in thermal contact with the lower plate of the casing, the working fluid contained in the chamber corresponding to a hotter location vaporizes into vapor. The vapor then spreads to fill the chamber, and wherever the vapor comes into contact with a cooler location of the chamber, it releases its latent heat and condenses to liquid. The liquid returns to the hotter location via a capillary force generated by the wick structure. Thereafter, the working fluid frequently vaporizes and condenses to form a circulation to thereby remove the heat generated by the electronic device.

However, the plate-shape casing of the vapor chamber is prone to deforming when subjected to an inner or outer pressure during use, which further results in the wick structure disengagement from the inner face of the casing, adversely affecting the reliability and performance of the vapor chamber.

What is needed, therefore, is a vapor chamber which can overcome the limitations described.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown inFIGS. 1-5, a vapor chamber in accordance with a first embodiment of the disclosure includes a casing11, a wick structure13formed on an inner face of the casing11and a supporting structure received in the casing11and engaging the wick structure13. Working liquid (not shown) is filled in the casing11.

The supporting structure is reticulate and includes a plurality of supporting posts30and a plurality of metallic wires20interconnecting the supporting posts30. The supporting posts30are arranged in a matrix and formed by molding and sintering metal powder. Each supporting post30is a cylinder with a circular section and defines two perpendicular channels32in two opposite ends thereof. Top and bottom faces of the supporting posts30are located at the same planes and contact top and bottom of the inner face of the wick structure13.

The metallic wires20each have a length smaller than a length and a width of the casing11. A diameter of each metallic wire20is slightly larger than a width of the channel32of the supporting post30, whereby the metallic wire20can be interferingly fitted in the channel32of the supporting post30. The metallic wires20are respectively pressed into the channels32of the supporting posts30to form the supporting structure. The metallic wires20form a grid-like structure. Spaces in the grid of the supporting structure can act as vapor passages for vaporized working liquid flowing upwardly therethrough during working of the vapor chamber. Two metallic wires20connected with the same supporting post32are not in the same plane. All of the metallic wires20at the two opposite ends of the supporting posts30are distributed in two planes parallel to each other.

A method of manufacturing the vapor chamber includes the following steps.

Firstly, as particularly shown inFIG. 2, a metal tube10is provided. The metal tube with a predetermined length is made of a material with a good thermal conductivity such as copper.

Secondly, as particularly shown inFIG. 3, the metal tube10is flattened into the rectangular plate-shape casing11and thus has two elongated openings at two opposite ends thereof.

Thirdly, an insert (not shown) is provided and inserted into the casing11. The insert has a configuration similar to that of the casing11, but is in a slightly smaller size than the casing11. Metal powder is filled between the inner face of the casing and an outer surface of the insert and then is sintered on the inner face of the casing11to form the wick structure13over the inner face of the casing11by heating the metal powder. In this embodiment of the present disclosure, the insert is a solid block made of metal and drawn from the casing11after the powder is sintered on the inner face of the casing11. In alternative embodiments of the present disclosure, the insert can be a hollow block formed by weaving meshes and simultaneously sintered on the inner face of the casing11to be a part of the wick structure13.

Fourthly, as particularly shown inFIG. 4, the supporting posts30are provided. Each supporting post30defines two perpendicular channels32along top and bottom ends thereof. The channels32in the bottom ends of the supporting posts30which are located at the same line are aligned with each other, and the channels32in the bottom ends of the supporting posts30which are located at different lines are parallel to each other. Similarly, the channels32in the top ends of the supporting posts30which are located at the same row are aligned with each other.

Fifthly, the metallic wires20are provided. The metallic wires20are respectively pressed into the channels32of the supporting posts30, whereby a combination of the supporting posts30and the metallic wires20is obtained to form the supporting structure of the vapor chamber. The supporting structure prevents the casing11from deforming due to unexpected outer or inner pressures. The supporting structure has a regular rectangular, grid-shape with the metallic wires20perpendicular to each other and each of the supporting posts30located at a conjunction of two intersecting metallic wires20.

In the following step, the assembly of the supporting posts30and the metallic wires20is placed into the casing11. The casing11is then vertically compressed by exerting a compressing force on two opposite top and bottom flat surfaces thereof to make the top and bottom surfaces of the supporting posts30tightly engage the top and bottom of the wick structure13arranged on the inner face of the casing11.

Finally, the two opposite open ends of the casing11are sealed by pressing and welding. A small port is defined in one of the two sealed opposite ends. The casing11is then filled with working liquid and vacuumed via the port. Finally, the port is sealed by pressing and welding to thus complete a manufacturing of the vapor chamber incorporating the supporting structure therein.

A second embodiment of the disclosure is similar to the first embodiment, except the configuration of the supporting structure. As shown inFIG. 6, each supporting post40of the supporting structure of the second embodiment is horizontally oriented and defines a channel42through a center thereof. The post40has flat top, bottom, front and rear faces and arced left and right faces. The channel42extends horizontally through the front and rear faces of the post40. A serpentine metallic wire50continuously extends through the channels42of the supporting posts40to make the supporting posts40arranged on the metallic wire50. Two neighboring posts40are spaced from each other a constant distance along an extending direction of the wire50. The supporting posts40attached on the metallic wire50are arranged in a matrix.