Patent Publication Number: US-2012043057-A1

Title: Heat-dissipating module

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a heat-dissipating module, and in particular to a heat-dissipating module, whereby the manufacturing procedure is simplified with fewer working steps and reduced cost. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     The electronic element (such as a central processor) in a modern electronic device (such as a notebook computer) often generates a great amount of heat during its operation, which results in the rising of the temperature of the electronic element. If the heat is not dissipated properly, the heat may be accumulated in the electronic element, so that the electronic element will be over-heated and operate unstably. Even, the electronic device may crash. Since the working speed of the electronic elements is raised continuously, the electronic elements generate greater amount of heat than before. Therefore, heat-dissipating modules used for dissipating the heat generated by the electronic devices become more and more important. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1 . A conventional heat-dissipating module  1  used in a notebook computer, a screen or a compact electronic device comprises a base  10 , a plurality of heat pipes  11  and a heat-dissipating fin set  12 . The base  10  has a raised portion  101  protruding from one surface of the base  10 . The other surface of the base  10  abuts against a heat-generating element (such as a central processor). The raised portion  101  is provided with a plurality of semi-circular troughs  103  for receiving and fixing the heat pipes  11 . Each of the heat pipes  11  has a heat-absorbing end  111  and a heat-releasing end  112 . The heat-releasing end  112  is disposed through the heat-dissipating fin set  12 . The heat-absorbing end  111  abuts tightly against the trough  103 . By this arrangement, the heat generated by the heat-generating element can be first conducted to the base  10  and then to the heat-absorbing ends  111  and the heat-releasing ends  112  of the heat pipes  11 . Finally, the heat is conducted from the heat-releasing ends  112  of the heat pipes  11  to the heat-dissipating fin set  12  connected thereto for rapid heat dissipation. 
     The conventional heat-dissipating module  1  really achieves a heat-dissipating effect, however, another problem arises. During the manufacturing of the heat-dissipating module  1 , the base  10  and the raised portion  101  have to be made by a press-forming process, which consumes more materials for press-forming the base  10 . Furthermore, since the raised portion  101  has to be made to protrude from the base  10  by the press-forming process, the manufacture of the heat-dissipating module  1  becomes more complicated with additional working steps. Further, the total thickness and weight of the base  10  plus the raised portion  101  are so increased that the finished heat-dissipating module  1  does not conform to the requirements for a lightweight design and has an increased cost. 
     According to the above, the conventional heat-dissipating module has drawbacks as follows: (1) increased cost; (2) uneasy to manufacture; and (3) unable to conform to the requirements for a lightweight design. 
     Therefore, it is an important issue for the present Inventor and manufacturers in this art to solve the problems of prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In order to solve the above problems, a primary objective of the present invention is to provide a heat-dissipating module, in which a base is integrally connected with at least one heat pipe, thereby reducing the cost. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to provide a heat-dissipating module, whereby the manufacturing procedure is simplified with fewer working steps. 
     A further objective of the present invention is to provide a heat-dissipating module which conforms to the requirements for a lightweight design. 
     A still further objective of the present invention is to provide a heat-dissipating module which has an excellent heat-dissipating effect. 
     In order to achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a heat-dissipating module including: a base having a heat-absorbing surface and a heat-conducting surface opposite to the heat-absorbing surface; and at least one heat pipe having a heat-absorbing portion and a heat-dissipating portion, the heat-absorbing portion having a planar surface and a non-planar surface, the planar surface abutting against the heat-conducting surface to be integrally connected therewith, thereby forming the heat-dissipating module. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a conventional heat-dissipating module; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing a heat-dissipating module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 3  is a partial cross-sectional view showing the heat-dissipating module according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The above-mentioned objectives, structural and functional features of the present invention will be described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof and the accompanying drawings. 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The present invention is directed to a heat-dissipating module  2 . In the present embodiment, the heat-dissipating module  2  includes a base  20  and at least one heat pipe  30 . The base  10  has a heat-absorbing surface  201  and a heat-conducting surface  202  opposite to the heat-absorbing surface  201 . The heat-absorbing surface  201  abuts tightly against a heat-generating element (such as a central processor), thereby absorbing the heat generated by the heat-generating element (not shown) and conducting the heat to the heat pipe  30  for heat dissipation. 
     The heat pipe  30  is connected onto the heat-conducting surface  202  of the base  20  and arranged thereon at intervals or adjacent to each other. In the present embodiment, the heat pipes  30  are arranged on the heat-conducting surface  202  at intervals. The heat pipe  30  has a heat-dissipating portion  301  and a heat-absorbing portion  303 . The heat-absorbing portion  303  has a planar surface  3031  and a non-planar surface  3032 . The planar surface  3031  abuts tightly against the heat-conducting surface  202  to be integrally connected thereto, thereby forming the heat-dissipating module  2 . The planar surface  3031  and the non-planar surface  3032  define an accommodating space  3035 . The accommodating space  3035  and the heat-absorbing portion  303  enclose a D shape or an arched shape as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     A heat-dissipating space  32  is defined between each of the heat-absorbing portions  303 , so that a working fluid flowing in the heat-dissipating space  32  can rapidly heat-exchange with the respective heat pipes  30 , thereby increasing the heat-dissipating effect. Further, different auxiliary heat-dissipating performances can be predetermined in the heat-dissipating space  32  according to the user&#39;s demands. For example, the pitch between the heat pipes  30  may be adjusted and thus the width of the heat-dissipating space  32  is adjusted accordingly. That is to say, the width of the heat-dissipating space  32  may be smaller than, equal to or larger than the width of the heat pipes  30 , thereby generating different auxiliary heat-dissipating performances. 
     Furthermore, since the planar surface  3031  of the heat-absorbing portion  303  of the heat pipe  30  abuts tightly against the heat-conducting surface  202  of the base  20  to be integrally connected therewith, the cost is reduced while the heat-dissipating effect is improved to an excellent extent. On the other hand, the manufacturing procedure is simplified with fewer working steps. Also, the base  20  can be made lightweight. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 2  again. The heat-dissipating module  2  further comprises a heat sink  4  having a plurality of heat-dissipating fins  41 . The heat-dissipating portions  301  of the heat pipe  30  are disposed through the heat-dissipating fins  41  to be integrally connected therewith. 
     According to the above, in comparison with prior art, the present invention has advantages effects as follows: (1) reduced cost; (2) simplified manufacturing process with fewer working steps; (3) excellent heat-dissipating effect; and (4) light in weight. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to the foregoing preferred embodiment, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details thereof. Various equivalent variations and modifications can still occur to those skilled in this art in view of the teachings of the present invention. Thus, all such variations and equivalent modifications are also embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.