Patent ID: 7674037

Claim:
A performance testing apparatus for a heat pipe comprising: an immovable portion having a cooling structure defined therein for cooling the heat pipe needing test; a movable portion capable of moving relative to the immovable portion and having a cooling structure defined therein for cooling the heat pipe; a receiving structure located between the immovable portion and the movable portion for receiving the heat pipe therein; at least a temperature sensor attached to at least one of the immovable portion and the movable portion for thermally contacting the heat pipe in the receiving structure for detecting temperature of the heat pipe; and an enclosure enclosing the immovable portion and the movable portion and having sidewalls thereof slidably contacting at least one of the immovable portion and the movable portion to thereby guide the movable portion to have an accurate movement toward and away from the immovable portion; wherein the cooling structures of the immovable portion and the movable portion each have an inlet and an outlet extending through a hatch defined in one of the sidewalls of the enclosure; wherein the receiving structure is a channel defined between the immovable portion and the movable portion; and wherein the channel is cooperatively defined by two face-to-face cooling grooves defined in the immovable portion and the movable portion respectively.