Patent Publication Number: US-2011048677-A1

Title: Heat-conducting assembly for heat pipes of different diameters and heat sink having the same

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a heat-conducting assembly, and in particular to a heat-conducting assembly having heat pipes. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Since heat pipes have many advantages such as a large heat-conducting capacity, light weight, simple structure, low electricity consumption and low price, they have been widely used in the heat conduction of electronic elements. The heat pipes are capable of conducting the heat generated by electronic heat-generating elements rapidly, so that the heat accumulation in the electronic heat-generating elements can be solved. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1 , which shows the combination of heat pipes and a heat-conducting base in prior art. A heat-conducting surface  100   a  of a heat-conducting base  10   a  is provided with a plurality of through troughs  101   a . A partition  102   a  is formed between the respective through troughs  101   a , so that the heat pipes  20   a  can be arranged on the heat-conducting base  10   a  at intervals. Then, the heat-conducting surface  100   a  of the heat-conducting base  10   a  is adhered to a surface of an electronic heat-generating element (not shown), thereby conducting the heat generated by the electronic heat-generating element. 
     On the other hand, with the advancement of technology, the size and volume of the electronic element are made much smaller, the contacting area between the electronic element and the heat-conducting base  10   a  is thus reduced. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the heat-conducting surface  100   a  of the heat-conducting base  10   a  accommodates three heat pipes  20   a  approximately. However, in the heat-conducting surface  100   a , two contacting areas  100   b  and  100   b  located outside the three heat pipes  20   a  are wasted because the contacting areas  100   b  and  100   c  are too small to accommodate a heat pipe. Since the heat-conducting effect of the contacting areas  100   b  and  100   c  having no heat pipes is inferior to that of the areas having heat pipes, the heat-conducting efficiency of the whole heat-conducting surface  100   a  is reduced. 
     Therefore, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present Inventor proposes a reasonable and novel structure based on his deliberate research and expert experiences. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is to provide a heat-conducting assembly for heat pipes of different diameters, whereby the ratio of heat pipes arranged in the heat-conducting surface of the heat-conducting base can be increased and thus the heat-conducting efficiency thereof is improved. 
     The present invention provides a heat-conducting assembly for heat pipes of different diameters, which includes a heat-conducting base, a set of first heat pipes and a set of second heat pipes. The heat-conducting base has a heat-conducting surface. The heat-conducting surface is provided with a plurality of accommodating troughs. The set of first heat pipes includes at least one first heat pipe. The first heat pipe is disposed in the accommodating trough. The set of second heat pipes includes at least one second heat pipe. The second heat pipe is disposed in the accommodating trough. The diameter of the set of second heat pipes is smaller that of the set of first heat pipes. The sizes of the accommodating troughs of the heat-conducting base correspond to the diameters of the first heat pipes and the second heat pipes respectively. In this way, the ratio of the heat pipes arranged on the heat-conducting surface can be increased, and thus the heat-conducting efficiency thereof is improved. 
     The present invention provides a heat sink having a heat-conducting assembly for heat-pipes of different diameters, which includes a heat-conducting base, a set of first heat pipes, a set of second heat pipes and a plurality of fins. The heat-conducting base has a heat-conducting surface. The heat-conducting surface is provided with a plurality of accommodating troughs. The set of first heat pipes includes at least one first heat pipe. The first heat pipe has a heat-absorbing section and a condensing section. The heat-absorbing section of the first heat pipe is disposed in the accommodating trough. The set of second heat pipes includes at least one second heat pipe. The second heat pipe has a heat-absorbing section and a condensing section. The heat-absorbing section of the second heat pipe is disposed in the accommodating trough. The diameter of the set of second heat pipes is smaller than that of the set of first heat pipes. The condensing sections of the first heat pipe and the second heat pipe are penetrated by the plurality of parallel fins. The sizes of the accommodating troughs of the heat-conducting base correspond to the diameters of the first heat pipe and the second heat pipe respectively. With this arrangement, the ratio of the heat pipes arranged on the heat-conducting surface can be increased, and thus the heat-conducting efficiency thereof can be improved. 
     In comparison with prior art, according to the present invention, a plurality of heat pipes of different diameters are connected with the heat-conducting base. Further, the heat-absorbing section of the large-diameter first heat pipe and the heat-absorbing section of the small-diameter second heat pipe are arranged on the heat-conducting surface of the heat-conducting base at intervals. In this way, the ratio of the heat pipes arranged on the heat-conducting surface can be increased. That is, the number or density of the heat pipes arranged in the same heat-conducting surface can be increased, and thus the heat-conducting efficiency can be improved. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view showing the external appearance of the heat-conducting assembly in prior art; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view showing the heat-conducting assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled perspective view showing the heat-conducting assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an assembled cross-sectional view showing the heat-conducting assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view showing the external appearance of the heat sink of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view showing the operating state of the heat sink of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a view showing the second embodiment of the heat-conducting assembly of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The characteristics and technical contents of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings are illustrative only but not used to limit the present invention. 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 2 and 3 .  FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view showing the heat-conducting assembly of the present invention.  FIG. 3  is an assembled perspective view showing the heat-conducting assembly of the present invention. The present invention provides a heat-conducting assembly  1  for heat pipes of different diameters, which includes a heat-conducting base  10 , a set  20  of first heat pipes and a set  30  of second heat pipes. 
     The bottom surface of the heat-conducting base  10  acts as a heat-conducting surface  11 . The heat-conducting surface  11  is provided with a plurality of accommodating troughs  110 . A partition  111  is formed between the respective accommodating troughs  110 . Further, a fixing wing  121  extends from each side of a top surface  12  of the heat-conducting base  10 . The fixing wing  121  is used to fix the heat-conducting base  10 . 
     The set  20  of first heat pipes includes two first heat pipes  21 ,  22 . The first heat pipe  21  is formed into a U shape and has a heat-absorbing section  211  and two condensing sections  212 . The condensing sections  212  extend vertically from both ends of the heat-absorbing section  211 . Similarly, the other first heat pipe  22  is also formed into a U shape and has a heat-absorbing section  221  and two condensing sections  222 . In the present embodiment, the two first heat pipes  21 ,  22  are of the same diameter. However, in practice, the set  20  of first heat pipes may includes the first heat pipes  21 ,  22  of different diameters. 
     The set  30  of second heat pipes also includes two second heat pipes  31 ,  32 . The second heat pipe  31  is formed into a U shape and has a heat-absorbing section  311  and two condensing sections  312 . The condensing sections  312  extend vertically from both ends of the heat-absorbing section  311 . Similarly, the other second heat pipe  32  is also formed into a U shape and has a heat-absorbing section  321  and two condensing sections  322 . In the present embodiment, the two second heat pipes  31 ,  32  are of the same diameter. However, in practice, the set  30  of second heat pipes may includes the second heat pipes  31 ,  32  of different diameters. It should be noted that the diameter of the set  30  of second heat pipes is smaller that of the set  20  of first heat pipes (especially the diameter of the heat-absorbing section). 
     Please refer to  FIG. 4 , which is an assembled cross-sectional view showing the heat-conducting assembly of the present invention. The set  20  of first heat pipes and the set  30  of second heat pipes includes heat pipes of different diameters respectively. In the present embodiment, the small-diameter second heat pipes  31 ,  32  are arranged between the large-diameter first heat pipes  21 ,  22  in such a manner that the first heat pipes  21 ,  22  and the second heat pipes  31 ,  32  are staggered on the heat-conducting surface  11  of the heat-conducting base  10 , thereby increasing the ratio of the heat pipes arranged on the heat-conducting surface  11 . That is, the number or density of the heat pipes arranged on the limited heat-conducting surface  11  can be increased. 
     Further, the accommodating troughs  110  of the heat-conducting base  10  are sized to correspond to the diameters of the set  20  of first heat pipes and the set  30  of second heat pipes respectively. The heat-absorbing sections  211 ,  221 ,  311 ,  321  of the first heat pipes  21 ,  22  and the second heat pipes  31 ,  32  are coated with a binding agent respectively. A die (not shown) is used to press the heat-absorbing sections  211 ,  221 ,  311 ,  321  so as to form a heat-absorbing plane  210 ,  22 ,  310 ,  320  thereon respectively. The heat-absorbing planes  210 ,  220 ,  310 ,  320  are located at a level higher than that of the heat-conducting surface  11  of the heat-conducting base  10 , or are in flush with the heat-conducting surface  11  of the heat-conducting base  10 . Then, after the heat-absorbing sections  211 ,  221 ,  311 ,  321  are fixed into the accommodating troughs  110  of the heat-conducting base  10  by the binding agent, the heat-conducting assembly  1  can be formed completely. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 5 , which is a schematic view showing the external appearance of the heat sink of the present invention. The heat-conducting assembly  1  is further assembled with a plurality of fins  40 . The condensing sections  212 ,  222 ,  312 ,  322  of the first heat pipes  21 ,  22  and the second heat pipes  31 ,  32  are penetrated by the fins  40  that are arranged at intervals and parallel to one another. In this way, the heat-conducting assembly  1  is assembled with the fins  40  to form the heat sink  2 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 6 , which is a schematic view showing the operating state of the present invention. As shown in this figure, a circuit board  50  is provided with an electronic heat-generating element  51 . The heat sink  2  is used to dissipate the heat generated by the electronic heat-generating element  51 . The heat-conducting surface  11  of the heat-conducting base  10  is adhered to the electronic heat-generating element  51 . The heat generated by the electronic heat-generating element  51  is conducted rapidly from the heat-conducting base  10  and the heat-absorbing sections of the set  20  of first heat pipes and the set  30  of second heat pipes to the condensing sections thereof. Then, the heat is dissipated to the outside by the fins  40  with the aid of its large heat-dissipating area. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 7 , which shows the second embodiment of the heat-conducting assembly of the present invention. The difference between the present embodiment and the first embodiment lies in the arrangement of the set  20  of first heat pipes and the set  30  of second heat pipes. In the present embodiment, the heat-absorbing sections  311 ,  321  of the small-diameter second heat pipes  31 ,  32  are disposed in an outer portion of the heat-conducting base  10 , while the heat-absorbing sections  211 ,  221  of the large-diameter first heat pipes  21 ,  22  are disposed in an inner portion of the heat-conducting base  10 . However, those skilled in this art may appreciated that the diameters and the arrangement of the set  20  of first heat pipes and the set  30  of second heat pipes can be changed according to practical demands. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to the foregoing preferred embodiments, 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.