Patent ID: 8215377

Claim:
A heat transfer device, having extended and non-extended states, comprising: a flexible layer with an outer surface and an inner surface; a backing layer with an outer surface and an inner surface facing the inner surface of the flexible layer; a rigid separator portion disposed between the inner surface of the flexible layer and inner surface of the backing layer, the rigid separator portion having an inner surface and an outer surface; a sealed chamber defined within the inner surfaces of the flexible layer, the backing layer, and the rigid separator portion; an evaporable working liquid contained within the sealed chamber, the working liquid being expandable when exposed to heat to expand a volume of the sealed chamber, the flexible layer having a non-extended state, the flexible layer having an extended state when the working liquid is exposed to heat to expand the volume of the sealed chamber, at least a portion of the flexible layer configured to receive heat and to transfer received heat within the sealed chamber to an area cooler than the portion of the flexible layer that receives heat; and a clamping plate disposed over the flexible layer, the clamping plate secured to the rigid separator portion with an edge of the flexible layer therebetween, the clamping plate having an inner surface facing the flexible layer, an outer surface facing away from the flexible layer, and a thickness between the inner and outer surfaces including an inner edge that defines a window over the flexible layer in the non-extended state, such that the flexible layer in the non-extended state is located entirely between the outer surface of the clamping plate and the sealed chamber, the window is configured to allow the flexible layer to extend through the window into the extended state when the working liquid is exposed to heat to expand the volume of the sealed chamber.