Patent Publication Number: US-2017367219-A1

Title: Vapor chamber structure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a vapor chamber structure, and more particularly to a thinned vapor chamber structure connected with a cooling fan. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     The current handheld devices, tablets, ultrathin notebooks, mobile devices and the like electronic apparatuses have become thinner and thinner. With the enhancement of the working performance, the power of the internal calculation unit (CPU) of the electronic apparatus is increased. With the increase of the power of the calculation unit (CPU), the heat generated by the calculation unit (CPU) is increased. The heat must be forcedly dissipated by a heat dissipation component. Otherwise, the heat can be hardly properly dissipated. Therefore, it is necessary to arrange heat dissipation components such as heat pipe, vapor chamber, heat sink, radiating fins and cooling fan in the electronic apparatus to help in dissipating the heat so as to prevent the calculation unit (CPU) from overheating to affect the working or cause burnout. 
     Moreover, the current electronic apparatus has become thinner and thinner and lighter and lighter. Therefore, the remaining space for arrangement of the heat dissipation components is quite limited. When installed, one side of the vapor chamber is attached to the heat source (the calculation unit (CPU)). The vapor chamber is secured to the heat source by means of latch device. Due to the limitation of the space, after the latch device is overlaid on the vapor chamber, the height may exceed the height of the preset arrangement space. In case the vapor chamber is directly locked on the heat source (the calculation unit (CPU)) without using the latch device, the vapor chamber will be damaged to lose its airtight state. Also, due to the limitation of the space, it is impossible to additionally install any radiating fin or cooling fan in the electronic apparatus. Therefore, it has become a critical issue how to arrange the heat dissipation components in the limited space and tightly secure the heat dissipation components on the heat source. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a thinned vapor chamber structure, which is connected with a cooling fan. 
     To achieve the above and other objects, the vapor chamber structure of the present invention includes a main body, a fan and multiple perforations. 
     The main body has a heat absorption section, a heat dissipation section and a chamber. The heat absorption section and the heat dissipation section are respectively horizontally disposed on left and right sides of the main body. The heat absorption section is attached to at least one heat source. The chamber is positioned at the heat absorption section and partially extends to the heat dissipation section. The chamber has a capillary structure and at least one perforated section. The perforated section is connected between an upper side and a lower side of the chamber. 
     The fan is disposed on one side of the heat dissipation section. 
     The perforations are formed through the parts of the main body, which parts are free from the chamber and the parts of the main body, where the perforated section is disposed. 
     The vapor chamber structure of the present invention is a very thin structure, which can be installed in a limited space and securely assembled with a heat source. After assembled, the internal chamber of the vapor chamber can still keep in an airtight state. 
    
    
     
       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 perspective exploded view of a first embodiment of the vapor chamber structure of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional assembled view of the first embodiment of the vapor chamber structure of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective exploded view of a second embodiment of the vapor chamber structure of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional assembled view of a third embodiment of the vapor chamber structure of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the third embodiment of the vapor chamber structure of the present invention, showing the processing method thereof; 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional assembled view of a fourth embodiment of the vapor chamber structure of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective exploded view of a fifth embodiment of the vapor chamber structure of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective exploded view of a sixth embodiment of the vapor chamber structure of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 9  is a sectional assembled view of the sixth embodiment of the vapor chamber structure of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  FIG. 1  is a perspective exploded view of a first embodiment of the vapor chamber structure of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is a sectional assembled view of the first embodiment of the vapor chamber structure of the present invention. As shown in the drawings, the vapor chamber structure  1  of the present invention includes a main body  11 , a fan  12  and multiple perforations  13 . 
     The main body  11  is a flat-plate body and has a heat absorption section  111 , a heat dissipation section  112  and a chamber  113 . The heat absorption section  111  and the heat dissipation section  112  are respectively horizontally disposed on left and right sides of the main body  11 . The heat absorption section  111  is attached to at least one heat source  2 . The chamber  113  is positioned at the heat absorption section  111  and partially extends to the heat dissipation section  112 . The chamber  113  has a capillary structure  114  and at least one perforated section  115 . The perforated section  115  is connected between an upper side and a lower side of the chamber  113 . The capillary structure  114  is disposed on wall face of the chamber  113  and outer circumference of the perforated section  115 . 
     The fan  12  is correspondingly assembled on one side of the heat dissipation section  112  of the main body  11 . The fan  12  is a centrifugal fan. The fan  12  has a fan frame body  121 . The main body  11  is correspondingly disposed on an open upper side of the fan frame body  121 . In addition, the main body  11  is formed with a window  116  in a position where the fan  12  is disposed. The window  116  serves as an air inlet of the fan  12 . The fan frame body  121  has at least one lateral air outlet  122 . 
     The perforations  13  are formed through the parts of the main body  11 , which parts are free from the chamber  113 , (such as the corners) and the parts of the main body  11 , where the perforated section  115  is disposed in the chamber  113  of the main body  11 . Under such circumstance, the chamber  113  of the main body  11  can kept airtight. 
     The main body  11  has a first board body  11   a  and a second board body  11   b . The first and second board bodies  11   a ,  11   b  are correspondingly mated with each other to respectively serve as the upper and lower sides of the main body  11 . After mated with each other, the first and second board bodies  11   a ,  11   b  together define the chamber  113 . Two ends of the perforated section  115  are respectively connected with the first and second board bodies  11   a ,  11   b.    
     The chamber  113  defined between the first and second board bodies  11   a ,  11   b  is formed in such a manner that one of the first and second board bodies  11   a ,  11   b  is formed with a first recess  117  and the other board body (the second board body  11   b ) is correspondingly mated with the first board body  11   a  to seal the first recess  117 . The first recess  117  has an outer periphery  118 . The periphery  118  and the perforated section  115  are raised structures relative to the first recess  117 . The perforated section  115  is disposed in the first recess  117 . 
     The fan  12  is connected with the main body  11  by means of riveting, adhesion, screwing or injection molding. The fan frame body  121  has multiple locating holes  123  in alignment with some of the perforations  13  of the main body  11 . When the fan  12  is connected with the main body  11  by means of riveting or screwing, the rivets or screws are passed through the perforations  13  of the main body  11  and the locating holes  123  of the fan frame body  121  to securely assemble the main body  11  with the fan  12 . 
     Please now refer to  FIG. 3 , which is a perspective exploded view of a second embodiment of the vapor chamber structure of the present invention. The second embodiment is partially identical to the first embodiment in structure and technical characteristic and thus will not be repeatedly described hereinafter. The second embodiment is mainly different from the first embodiment in that multiple radiating fins  3  are disposed in the lateral air outlet  123 . The radiating fins  3  are stacked to define at least one flow way  31  between the radiating fins  3 . 
     Please now refer to  FIGS. 4 and 5 .  FIG. 4  is a sectional assembled view of a third embodiment of the vapor chamber structure of the present invention.  FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the third embodiment of the vapor chamber structure of the present invention, showing the processing method thereof. The third embodiment is partially identical to the first embodiment in structure and technical characteristic and thus will not be repeatedly described hereinafter. The third embodiment is mainly different from the first embodiment in that two ends of the perforated section  115  are connected with the upper and lower sides of the chamber  13  by means of diffusion bonding. The perforated section  15  is a hollow collar body. Some of the perforations  13  formed on the first and second board bodies  11   a ,  11   b  are aligned with the perforated section  115  (the hollow collar body). The perforated section  115  (the hollow collar body) has a through hole  1151  passing through the perforated section  115  (the hollow collar body) between two ends thereof. The diameter of the through hole  1151  of the perforated section  115  (the hollow collar body) is larger than or equal to the diameter of the perforations  13 . Accordingly, two ends of the perforated section  115  (the hollow collar body) can be connected with the first and second board bodies  11   a ,  11   b  by means of diffusion bonding. Also, the interior of the chamber  13  of the main body  11  can keep vacuumed and airtight. 
     It should be noted that in this embodiment, the perforated section  115  can be a solid column body disposed in the chamber  113  defined by the first and second board bodies  11   a ,  11   b  in alignment with the perforations  13 . Two ends of the perforated section  115  are first respectively connected with the first and second board bodies  11   a ,  11   b . Then, the first and second board bodies  11   a ,  11   b  and the perforated section  115  are drilled to form the perforations  13  and the through hole  1151 . After drilled, the diameter of the through hole  1151  must not be larger than the diameter of the perforations  13  of the first and second board bodies  11   a ,  11   b . This is for avoiding disappearance of vacuumed and airtight state of the internal chamber  13  of the main body  11 . 
     Please now refer to  FIG. 6 , which is a sectional assembled view of a fourth embodiment of the vapor chamber structure of the present invention. The fourth embodiment is partially identical to the first embodiment in structure and technical characteristic and thus will not be repeatedly described hereinafter. The fourth embodiment is mainly different from the first embodiment in that the heat absorption section  111  has a heat absorption raised section  1111  in contact with the heat source  2 . The heat absorption raised section  1111  is directly attached to the heat source  2 . The capillary structure  114  in the heat absorption raised section  1111  can be selectively a denser capillary structure  114  with better water-containing capability. This can enhance the water-containing capability of the capillary structure  114  to avoid dry burn. 
     Please now refer to  FIG. 7 , which is a perspective exploded view of a fifth embodiment of the vapor chamber structure of the present invention. The fifth embodiment is partially identical to the first embodiment in structure and technical characteristic and thus will not be repeatedly described hereinafter. The fifth embodiment is mainly different from the first embodiment in that the fan  12  is a centrifugal fan. The main body  11  is correspondingly disposed on one side of the fan  12 . The main body  11  has a bearing cup  125  disposed in a position where the fan  12  is disposed. The fan frame body  121  of the fan  12  is disposed around the bearing cup  125 . A fan impeller  126  is rotatably connected with the bearing cup  125 . 
     Please now refer to  FIGS. 8 and 9 .  FIG. 8  is a perspective exploded view of a sixth embodiment of the vapor chamber structure of the present invention.  FIG. 9  is a sectional assembled view of the sixth embodiment of the vapor chamber structure of the present invention. The sixth embodiment is partially identical to the first embodiment in structure and technical characteristic and thus will not be repeatedly described hereinafter. The sixth embodiment is mainly different from the first embodiment in that the chamber  113  defined between the first and second board bodies  11   a ,  11   b  is formed in such a manner that the first and second board bodies  11   a ,  11   b  are respectively formed with a first recess  117  and a second recess  119 . Each of the first and second recesses  117 ,  119  has an outer periphery  118 . The periphery  118  and the perforated section  115  are raised structures relative to the first and second recesses  117 ,  119 . The perforated sections  115  are disposed in the first and second recesses  117 ,  119 . The peripheries  118  and the perforated sections  115  are mated with each other to connect the first and second board bodies  11   a ,  11   b  with each other and achieve an airtight effect for the chamber  113  defined between the first and second board bodies  11   a ,  11   b . The capillary structure  114  disposed in the first recess  117  of the first board body  11   a  is selected from a group consisting of mesh structure, sintered powder and channeled structure. Multiple bosses  120  are disposed in the second recess  119  of the second board body  11   b.    
     The vapor chamber structure of the present invention can be installed in a narrow internal space of an electronic device to effectively dissipate the heat. Moreover, the vapor chamber is directly assembled with the fan so that the fixing seat of the fan can be saved to save the arrangement space. Furthermore, the perforated section  115  in the chamber  113  serves as a locking point passing through the main body  11 . This can ensure the airtight state of the vapor chamber. In addition, the vapor chamber structure of the present invention is an ultrathin vapor chamber structure. The opposite surfaces of the first and second board bodies  11   a ,  11   b  are formed with the first recess  117  as the chamber  113  by means of etching. This will not increase the thickness itself. Also, the outer peripheries  118  of the first and second board bodies  11   a ,  11   b  and the perforated section  115  in the chamber  113  can be connected by means of diffusion bonding, welding or the like to airtight seal the chamber  113  between the first and second board bodies  11   a ,  11   b . Accordingly, the airtight state of the chamber  113  and the connection between the first and second board bodies  11   a ,  11   b  can be maintained. In addition, the peripheries  118  and the perforated section  115  can be perforated to form the through hole  1151  passing through the first and second board bodies  11   a ,  11   b  with the vacuumed and airtight state of the chamber  113  remaining unchanged. 
     The present invention has been described with the above embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in 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.