Abstract:
A thermal module structure and a manufacturing method thereof. The thermal module structure includes a base and a heat pipe. The base has a first channel and a first recessed section in communication with the first channel. The heat pipe is correspondingly disposed in the first channel. According to the thermal module structure, the heat pipe can directly contact heat source and directly connect with the base without brazing. Therefore, the manufacturing cost is greatly lowered.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a thermal module structure and a manufacturing method thereof. The thermal module structure includes a base and a heat pipe. According to the manufacturing method, the heat pipe can be directly assembled with the base to contact heat source without the conventional brazing process. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    A conventional heat dissipation device or thermal module is composed of multiple heat dissipation components assembled with each other. The heat dissipation components are heat pipes, heat sinks, heat dissipation bases, etc. These heat dissipation components are generally fixedly connected with each other by means of brazing. However, as to aluminum-made heat dissipation components, it is necessary to use specific brazing means for brazing the heat dissipation components with each other. This leads to increase of manufacturing cost. 
         [0005]    Alternatively, the heat dissipation components can be fixedly connected by means of fastening members such as screws. However, the fastening members can be only used to lock some heat dissipation components (such as radiating fin assembly and heat dissipation base), while it is impossible to use screws to fix the heat pipe. 
         [0006]    Moreover, in the conventional technique, the heat dissipation base is formed with a perforation or a channel. The heat pipe is fitted through the perforation or the channel to connect with the heat dissipation base. This can solve the above problems caused by the brazing process or screws. However, a gap exists between the heat pipe and the heat dissipation base to lead to thermal resistance against transfer from the heat dissipation base to the heat pipe. Under such circumstance, the heat can be hardly efficiently conducted from the heat dissipation base to the heat pipe. 
         [0007]    According to the above, the heat dissipation components of the conventional thermal module can be hardly optimally assembled to provide better heat dissipation effect. Therefore, the conventional thermal module has the following shortcomings:
   1. The manufacturing cost of the conventional thermal module is higher.   2. The heat dissipation components of the conventional thermal module can be hardly optimally assembled.   3. The heat conduction efficiency of the conventional thermal module is poor.   
 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    A primary object of the present invention is to provide a thermal module structure in which the heat dissipation components can be more flexibly assembled. 
         [0012]    A further object of the present invention is to provide the above thermal module structure, which has better heat conduction efficiency. 
         [0013]    A still further object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method of a thermal module structure. By means of the manufacturing method, the heat dissipation components of the thermal module structure can be more flexibly assembled and the thermal module structure can provide better heat conduction effect. 
         [0014]    To achieve the above and other objects, the thermal module structure of the present invention includes a base and at least one heat pipe. The base has a first side, a second side and at least one first channel. The first side is formed with a first recessed section in communication with the first channel. 
         [0015]    The heat pipe has a first face and a second face. The heat pipe is correspondingly disposed in the first channel. 
         [0016]    The manufacturing method of the thermal module structure of the present invention includes steps of: 
         [0000]    preparing at least one heat pipe and a base having at least one channel and a board body;
 
correspondingly disposing the heat pipe into the channel of the base; and
 
forming a recessed section on one side of the base opposite to the channel by means of mechanical processing, the recessed section being in communication with the channel.
 
         [0017]    By means of the manufacturing method of the thermal module structure of the present invention, the heat dissipation components of the thermal module structure can be more flexibly assembled and the thermal module structure can provide better heat conduction effect. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]    The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  is a perspective exploded view of a first embodiment of the thermal module structure of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a perspective assembled view of the first embodiment of the thermal module structure of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a side view of a second embodiment of the thermal module structure of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is a perspective assembled view of a third embodiment of the thermal module structure of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is a perspective exploded view of a fourth embodiment of the thermal module structure of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is a perspective assembled view of the fourth embodiment of the thermal module structure of the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  is a perspective exploded view of a fifth embodiment of the thermal module structure of the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 8  is a perspective assembled view of the fifth embodiment of the thermal module structure of the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 9  is a perspective exploded view of a sixth embodiment of the thermal module structure of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 10  is a perspective exploded view of a seventh embodiment of the thermal module structure of the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 11  is a flow chart of a first embodiment of the manufacturing method of the thermal module structure of the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 12  is a flow chart of a second embodiment of the manufacturing method of the thermal module structure of the present invention; and 
           [0031]      FIG. 13  shows the application of the thermal module structure of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0032]    Please refer to  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  FIG. 1  is a perspective exploded view of a first embodiment of the thermal module structure of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is a perspective assembled view of the first embodiment of the thermal module structure of the present invention. According to the first embodiment, the thermal module structure  1  of the present invention includes a base  11  and at least one heat pipe  12 . 
         [0033]    The base  11  has a first side  111 , a second side  112  and at least one first channel  113 . The first side  111  is formed with a first recessed section  114  in communication with the first channel  113 . 
         [0034]    The heat pipe  12  has a first face  121  and a second face  122 . The heat pipe  12  is correspondingly disposed in the first channel  113  with the first face  121  flush with the bottom of the first channel  113 . 
         [0035]    Please refer to  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  is a side view of a second embodiment of the thermal module structure of the present invention. The second embodiment is substantially identical to the first embodiment in structure and thus will not be repeatedly described hereinafter. The second embodiment is only different from the first embodiment in that in the second embodiment, the first channel  113  has an open side  1131  and a closed side  1132 . The open side  1131  has a width smaller than that of the closed side  1132 . 
         [0036]    Please refer to  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  is a perspective assembled view of a third embodiment of the thermal module structure of the present invention. The third embodiment is substantially identical to the first embodiment in structure and thus will not be repeatedly described hereinafter. The third embodiment is only different from the first embodiment in that in the third embodiment, the base  11  further has a first extension section  115 , a second extension section  116 , a third extension section  117  and a fourth extension section  118 . Each of the extension sections  115 ,  116 ,  117 ,  118  has at least one perforation  119 . 
         [0037]    Please refer to  FIGS. 5 and 6 .  FIG. 5  is a perspective exploded view of a fourth embodiment of the thermal module structure of the present invention.  FIG. 6  is a perspective assembled view of the fourth embodiment of the thermal module structure of the present invention. The fourth embodiment is substantially identical to the first embodiment in structure and thus will not be repeatedly described hereinafter. The fourth embodiment is only different from the first embodiment in that the fourth embodiment further includes a board body  13  attached to the second side  112  of the base  11 . 
         [0038]    Please refer to  FIGS. 7 and 8 .  FIG. 7  is a perspective exploded view of a fifth embodiment of the thermal module structure of the present invention.  FIG. 8  is a perspective assembled view of the fifth embodiment of the thermal module structure of the present invention. The fifth embodiment is substantially identical to the fourth embodiment in structure and thus will not be repeatedly described hereinafter. The fifth embodiment is only different from the fourth embodiment in that in the fifth embodiment, at least one hole  131  is formed on each of four corners of the board body  13 . Fastening members  2  can be passed through the holes  131  to fix the board body  13  with a substrate  3 . 
         [0039]    Please refer to  FIG. 9 .  FIG. 9  is a perspective exploded view of a sixth embodiment of the thermal module structure of the present invention. The sixth embodiment is substantially identical to the fourth embodiment in structure and thus will not be repeatedly described hereinafter. The sixth embodiment is only different from the fourth embodiment in that the sixth embodiment further includes at least one assembling section  14 . The assembling section  14  has a socket  141  and a boss  142  corresponding to the socket  141 . The socket  141  is formed on the second side of the base  11 . The boss  142  is disposed on one side of the board body  13 , which side faces the second side  112  of the base  11 . The boss  142  is fixedly inserted in the socket  141  to fix the board body  13  with the base  11 . 
         [0040]    Please refer to  FIG. 10 .  FIG. 10  is a perspective exploded view of a seventh embodiment of the thermal module structure of the present invention. The seventh embodiment is substantially identical to the fourth embodiment in structure and thus will not be repeatedly described hereinafter. The seventh embodiment is only different from the fourth embodiment in that the seventh embodiment further includes at least one assembling section  14 . The assembling section  14  has a socket  141  and a boss  142  corresponding to the socket  141 . The socket  141  is formed on one side of the board body  13 , which side faces the second side  112  of the base  11 . The boss  142  is disposed on the second side of the base  11 . The boss  142  is fixedly inserted in the socket  141  to fix the board body  13  with the base  11 . 
         [0041]    Please refer to  FIG. 11 , which is a flow chart of a first embodiment of the manufacturing method of the thermal module structure of the present invention. Also referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the manufacturing method of the thermal module structure of the present invention includes steps of: 
         [0000]    S 1 : preparing at least one heat pipe and a base having at least one channel, a heat pipe  12  and a base  11  with at least one channel (the first channel  113 ) being prepared;
 
S 2 : correspondingly disposing the heat pipe into the channel of the base, at least one end of the heat pipe  12  being correspondingly pressed into the channel (the first channel  113 ) of the base  11  to connect with the base  11 ; and
 
S 3 : forming a recessed section on one side of the base opposite to the channel by means of mechanical processing, the recessed section being in communication with the channel, a recessed section (the first recessed section  114 ) being formed on the other side of the base  11  opposite to the channel (the first channel  113 ) by means of mechanical processing, the recessed section (the first recessed section  114 ) being in communication with the channel (the first channel  113 ), a first face  121  of the heat pipe  12  being flush with a bottom of the channel (the first channel  114 ).
 
         [0042]    Please refer to  FIG. 12 , which is a flow chart of a second embodiment of the manufacturing method of the thermal module structure of the present invention. Also referring to  FIGS. 1 to 6 , the manufacturing method of the thermal module structure of the present invention includes steps of: 
         [0000]    S 1 : preparing at least one heat pipe and a base having at least one channel;
 
S 2 : correspondingly disposing the heat pipe into the channel of the base; and
 
S 3 : forming a recessed section on one side of the base opposite to the channel by means of mechanical processing, the recessed section being in communication with the channel.
 
         [0043]    The second embodiment of the manufacturing method of the thermal module structure of the present invention is substantially identical to the first embodiment and thus will not be repeatedly described hereinafter. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that after step S 2  of correspondingly disposing the heat pipe into the channel of the base, the second embodiment further includes a step S 4  of correspondingly covering the channel with a board body to seal the heat pipe in the channel. A board body  13  is connected to the side of the base  11  with the channel (the first channel  113 ) to correspondingly cover the channel (the first channel  113 ) and seal the heat pipe  12  in the channel (the first channel  113 ). 
         [0044]    In the first and second embodiments, the mechanical processing is selected from a group consisting of milling and planning. 
         [0045]    Please refer to  FIG. 13 . The base  11  of the thermal module structure  1  of the present invention is such designed that the first and second faces  121 ,  122  of the heat pipe  12  can both contact heat sources  4  to enhance heat dissipation efficiency. Accordingly, the thermal module structure can be more flexibly applied in a limited space. 
         [0046]    The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. It is understood that many changes and modifications of the above embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is limited only by the appended claims.