Patent Publication Number: US-2023152044-A1

Title: Vapor chamber reinforcement structure

Description:
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 pipes  6 ) and heat transfer in vertical direction (vapor chamber  7 ), some manufacturers try to combine the heat pipes  6  with the vapor chamber  7  so as to achieve heat transfer in both horizontal direction and vertical direction and enhance heat transfer performance. 
     However, the vapor chamber  7  is generally made of copper material for achieving better heat conductivity. As a result, the vapor chamber  7  is relatively soft and the structural strength of the vapor chamber  7  is poor. Therefore, in the conventional combination of the heat pipes  6  and the vapor chamber  7 , it is impossible to directly assemble the heat pipes  6  with the vapor chamber  7 . In case that the heat pipes  6  are directly connected with the vapor chamber  7 , the vapor chamber  7  or the heat pipes  6  will be deformed or broken. Moreover, the connected parts of the vapor chamber  7  and the heat pipes  6  cannot 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 pipes  6  and the vapor chamber  7 . For example, the working liquid will be burnt dry or the capillary structures will detach from the heat pipes  6  and the vapor chamber  7 . This will lead to damage of the vapor chamber  7  and the heat pipes  6 . In order to solve the above problem, the manufacturers first securely connect the heat pipes  6  with a base seat  8  and then connect the base seat  8  with the vapor chamber  7  so that the vapor chamber  7  and the heat pipes  6  can be assembled and co-used. 
     However, the heat pipe  6  has many different configurations such as circular pipe, D-shaped pipe and flat-plate pipe. Please first refer to  FIG.  1   , which shows that a circular heat pipe  6  is secured on an upper surface (horizontal surface) of the base seat  8  by means of welding. The heat pipe  6  has a circular configuration so that when the heat pipe  6  is connected with the base seat  8 , the heat pipe  6  simply contacts the base seat  8  along a line or at a point. As a result, the heat contact area between the heat pipe  6  and the base seat  8  is extremely small. This leads to poor heat conduction efficiency and poor connection strength between the heat pipe  6  and the base seat  8 . Therefore, in order to enlarge the heat contact area between the heat pipe  6  and the base seat  8 , a D-shaped pipe or a flat-plate pipe with at least one planar surface is selectively used and assembled with the base seat  8  instead of the circular pipe. This enlarges the heat contact area between the heat pipe  6  and the base seat  8 . However, it is necessary to apply an external force to the heat pipe  6  for plastically shaping the heat pipe  6  into the D-shaped heat pipe or flat-plate heat pipe  6  with a planar surface and larger heat contact area so as to enlarge the heat contact area between the heat pipe  6  and the base seat  8 . 
     This leads to another problem that in the shaping and processing process of the heat pipe  6 , after the pipe wall of the heat pipe  6  is compressed and deformed, the capillary structure of sintered powder disposed on the inner wall face of the heat pipe  6  is 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 pipe  6  will be damaged to make the heat pipe  6  lose its two-phase fluid heat transfer function or deteriorate the two-phase fluid heat transfer function of the heat pipe  6 . 
     Please now refer to  FIG.  2   . In order to improve the above shortcomings existing in the conventional vapor chamber, some manufacturers form an arc-shaped channel  81  on the base seat  8 . The arc-shaped channel  81  has a configuration in adaptation to the configuration of the circular heat pipe  6 , whereby the circular heat pipe  6  can be snugly disposed in the arc-shaped channel  81 . This solves the problems that the heat contact area between the heat pipe  6  and the base seat  8  is insufficient and the heat pipe  6  is apt to be damaged when plastically shaped. In practice, with respect to the conventional vapor chambers, the heat pipes  6  and the vapor chamber  7  cannot be directly connected with each other. It is necessary to additionally use the base seat  8  so as to connect the heat pipes  6  with the vapor chamber  7 . In the case that the base seat  8  is additionally disposed between the heat pipes  6  and the vapor chamber  7 , the base seat  8  will become an indirect heat conduction structure therebetween. As a result, the heat absorbed by the vapor chamber  7  cannot be directly conducted to the heat pipes  6 . This will greatly reduce the heat conduction efficiency. Moreover, thermal resistance phenomenon will take place at the junctions between the base seat  8  and the heat pipes  6  and the junctions between the base seat  8  and the vapor chamber  7 . Therefore, the additionally arranged base seat  8  not 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 pipes  6  and the vapor chamber  7  to directly correspondingly connect with each other without additionally using the base seat  8  and causing thermal resistance. Moreover, the vapor chamber reinforcement structure can enhance the structural strength of the entire vapor chamber  7  and enlarge the internal condensation area of the vapor chamber  7  as 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. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       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: 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram of a conventional thermal module; 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic diagram of another conventional thermal module; 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the vapor chamber reinforcement structure of the present invention; and 
         FIG.  4    is a sectional assembled view of the preferred embodiment of the vapor chamber reinforcement structure of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Please refer to  FIGS.  3  and  4   .  FIG.  3    is a perspective exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the vapor chamber reinforcement structure of the present invention.  FIG.  4    is 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 cover  11  and a lower plate  12 . 
     The upper cover  11  has a first side  111  and a second side  112  respectively positioned on upper and lower sides of the upper cover  11 . The first side  111  and the second side  112  are also the outer side and inner side of the upper cover  11 . The first side  111  is recessed toward the second side  112  to form at least one channel  113 . The channel  113  is a structure produced (made) by means of applying an external force to the first side  111  so as to plastically deform the first side  111  or by means of other mechanical processing. The opposite side of the first side  111  is protruded to form at least one raised body  114  corresponding to the channel  113 . The raised body  114  can be a protrusion structure formed when the first side  111  is plastically deformed under the external force or produced by means of other mechanical processing (such as casting, milling, cutting or planing). The raised body  114  is selectively disposed corresponding to the channel  113  or misaligned from the channel  113 . In this embodiment, the channel  113  is selectively formed by means of punching, pressing, hammering or swaging so that the opposite side is correspondingly formed with the raised body  114 . In this case, the raised body  114  is disposed corresponding to the channel  113  as shown in  FIG.  4   . Alternatively, the channel  113  and the raised body  114  can be misaligned from each other as shown in  FIG.  5   . The raised body  114  serves to enhance the structural strength of the upper cover  11  as well as enlarge the condensation area of the second side  112 . 
     Alternatively, the raised body  114  can be formed by means of mechanical processing and misaligned from the channel  113 . The raised body  114  has the form of a rib, a protruding ring or a protruding cross. The raised body  114  is a partially segmented raised body or a continuous raised body. In this embodiment, the raised body  114  is, but not limited to, a rib for illustration purposes. 
     The upper cover  11  has a first lateral side  115  and a second lateral side  116 . One end of the channel  113  is connected with the first lateral side  115 , while the other end of the channel  113  is connected with the second lateral side  116 . That is, the channel  113  extends through the upper cover  11  from the first lateral side  115  to the second lateral side  116 . 
     The channel  113  can extend in a transverse direction of the upper cover  11  (as shown in  FIGS.  3  and  4   ) or extend in a longitudinal direction of the upper cover  11 . Alternatively, the channels  113  can extend in both the transverse direction and the longitudinal direction of the upper cover  11  to intersect and connect with each other. The longitudinal direction of the upper cover  11  is in parallel to the first lateral side  115 , while the transverse direction of the upper cover  11  is normal to the first lateral side  115 . 
     The lower plate  12  has a third side  121  and a fourth side  122 . The lower plate  12  is correspondingly mated with the upper cover  11  to form an airtight chamber  13 . A working fluid  2  is filled in the airtight chamber  13 . 
     A first capillary structure  3  is disposed on the third side  121 . 
     The channel  113  formed on the first side  111  of the upper cover  11  mainly serves as a section for receiving other heat dissipation or heat conduction member such as a heat pipe  5 . The channel  113  has a configuration in adaptation to the configuration of the heat conduction member correspondingly disposed in the channel  113 , whereby the heat conduction member can be easily assembled in the channel  113  without 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 pipe  5  for illustration purposes. The channel  113  formed on the upper cover  11  has a configuration in adaptation to the configuration of the heat pipe  5  to be disposed in the channel  113 . The circular heat pipe  5  is directly disposed in the channel  113  and assembled with the upper cover  11  without using any additional base seat to first fix the heat pipe  5 . Also, the heat pipe  5  can be connected with the upper cover  11  without 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 pipe  5  is in contact with the channel  113  by maximal area so that the heat conduction efficiency between the heat pipe  5  and the upper cover  11  is enhanced. Moreover, the heat pipe  5  keeps having a vapor passage with maximal capacity so that the two-phase fluid circulation of the heat pipe  5  is better than the heat pipe  5  with 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 structure  114  is formed on the opposite side of the channel  113  corresponding to the channel  113  or misaligned from the channel  113  so 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 body  114  of the upper cover  11 . The second capillary structure is plainly laid on the surface of the raised body  114  of the upper cover  11 . 
     In addition, multiple support columns (not shown) extend from the third side  121  of the lower plate  12  to abut against the second side  112  of the upper cover  11  or the raised bodies  114 . The first capillary structure  3  partially extends to the surfaces of the support columns, whereby the first capillary structure  3  partially 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.