US20090038782A1

US20090038782A1 - Heat-conducting module

Info

Publication number: US20090038782A1
Application number: US12/187,741
Authority: US
Inventors: Kuo-Hsin Chen; Hsuan-Chih Lin
Original assignee: AMA Precision Inc
Current assignee: AMA Precision Inc
Priority date: 2007-08-10
Filing date: 2008-08-07
Publication date: 2009-02-12
Also published as: TW200908862A

Abstract

In a heat-conducting module and a method for manufacturing the same, the heat-conducting module includes a heat-conducting base and a heat pipe. The surface of the heat-conducting base is formed with a groove. Both sides of the groove protrude upwards to form two side walls respectively. Both of the side walls are provided with hooks respectively that are engaged with each other. The heat pipe is accommodated in the groove of the heat-conducting base and is thus covered and sandwiched by the two side walls. Via this arrangement, the connection between the heat pipe and the heat-conducting base can be firm and steady. In this way, the tight contact between the heat pipe and the heat-conducting base can be increased and the heat-conducting efficiency of the heat-conducting module can be enhanced.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat-conducting module, and in particular to a heat-conducting module for conducting the heat of a heat source.
2. Description of Prior Art
With the development of science and technology, a heat-conducting module constituted of a heat-conducting base and heat pipes has been widely used in the heat conduction of a heat-generating element such as a LED lamp or computer. The heat pipe utilizes the change in liquid and vapor phases of a working fluid to serve as a heat-transferring mechanism, thereby conducting the heat, and its heat-conducting rate is several to hundreds times the heat-conducting rate of a common metallic material. Further, such a heat-conducting module is light in weight, simple in structure and can be operated without electricity. Therefore, its practicability is pretty good.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0005584 discloses a conventional heat-conducting module, which includes a heat-conducting base and a heat pipe. The heat-conducting base is made of a cast aluminum alloy and its surface is formed with a groove. One side of the groove is formed with a side wall. The heat pipe is received and fixed in the groove. The side wall covers the outer circumferential surface of the heat pipe. Via the above arrangement, a heat-conducting module can be obtained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is to provide a heat-conducting module. The heat pipe and heat-conducting base can be combined with each other firmly, thereby increasing the contractibility therebetween and enhancing the heat-conducting efficiency of the heat-conducting module.
To accomplish the object abovementioned, the embodiment of the present invention provides a heat-conducting module including a heat pipe and a heat-conducting base for gripping the heat pipe. The heat-conducting base has a groove. Both sides of the groove protrude upwards to form a first side wall with a first hook and a second side wall with a second hook respectively. The first hook and the second hook hook each other. The heat pipe is accommodated in the groove and gripped by the first side wall and the second side wall.
Because of the tight connection between the heat pipe and the heat-conducting base, the use of harmful substances such as tin and lead may be reduced or avoided, thereby reducing the material and production cost and reducing possible environmental pollution. Additionally, the connection between the heat pipe and the heat-conducting base may be prevented from loosening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an assembled view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an assembled cross-sectional view of the present invention;

FIGS. 3 to 7 are schematic views showing the procedure of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention before being pressed;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention after being pressed;

FIG. 10 is an assembled top view showing a further embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 11 is an assembled perspective view showing still a further embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The detailed description and technical contents of the present invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings are illustrative only, but not used to limit the present invention.
Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is an assembled view of the present invention and FIG. 2 is an assembled cross-sectional view thereof. The present invention is to provide a heat-conducting module, which includes a heat-conducting base 10 and a heat pipe 20.
The heat-conducting base 10 is made of aluminum, copper or other materials having high heat conductivity. In the present embodiment, the heat-conducting base 10 is a substantially flat plate. The top surface of the heat-conducting base 10 is formed with a groove 11. Both sides of the groove 11 protrude upwards to form a first side wall 12 and a second side wall 13 respectively. The length of the first side wall 12 is shorter than that of the second side wall 13. The second side wall 13 is corresponding to the first side wall 12 to form a substantial semicircle. The extending length of the second side wall 13 is larger than that of the first side wall 12. The inside of the distal end of the first side wall 12 is provided with a first hook 121. An escape groove 122 is formed on the inside of the first side wall 12 for accommodating a protruding strip 21 on the outside of the heat pipe 20, which results from gripping the heat pipe 20. The outside of the distal end of the second side wall 13 is provided with a second hook 131 corresponding to the first hook 121, thereby engaging with the first hook 121.
The number of the heat pipes 20 may be suitably selected according to the amount of heat to be dissipated. In the present embodiment, there is one heat pipe which is constituted of a copper-made hollow pipe, a wick structure received in the pipe to abut the inner wall thereof, and a working fluid received in the pipe. The interior of the heat pipe is formed with a vacuum chamber, in which the change in liquid and vapor phases is used as a heat-transferring mechanism for conducting heat. One end of the heat pipe 20 is received in the groove 11 of the heat-conducting base 10. The second side wall 13 is plastically deformed in the forming process toward the outer circumferential surface of the heat pipe 20, so that a portion of the outer periphery of the heat pipe 10 can be formed into a protruding strip 21 inserted into the escape groove 122. Therefore, the connection between the heat pipe 20 and the heat-conducting base 10 may be prevented from loosening. The first hook 121 of the first side wall 12 and the second hook 131 of the second side wall 13 can be engaged with each other, so that the heat pipe 20 can be covered and sandwiched by the two side walls 12, 13.
Please refer to FIGS. 3 to 7, which are schematic views showing the procedure for manufacturing the heat-conducting module. The second side wall 13 is pressed to cover the heat pipe 20, the first side wall is pressed to make the first hook 121 and the second hook 131 to hook each other and to grip the heat pipe 20.
First, a heat pipe 20 pierces into the groove 11 of the heat-conducting base 10 (FIG. 4). In this step, since the accommodating space enclosed by the groove 11, the first side wall 12 and the second side wall 13 is slightly larger than the dimension of the outer edge of the heat pipe 20, so that the heat pipe 20 can pierce into the groove easily. Further, the outer peripheral surface of the heat pipe 20 or the inner wall surfaces of the groove 11, the first sidewall 12 and the second sidewall 13 may be preferably applied with a heat-conducting medium (not shown), thereby increasing the tight contact between the outer peripheral surface of the heat pipe 20 and the inner wall surfaces of the groove 11, the first side wall 12 and the second side wall 13. In this way, the heat-conducting efficiency can be enhanced.
Next, the second side wall 13 is pressed by a pressing die 5 to make the second side wall 13 to cover the heat pipe (as shown in FIG. 5). In this step, a first pressing die 5 is manufactured in advance. The first pressing die 5 has a trough 51 whose shape corresponds to the second side wall 13 of the heat-conducting base 10. A semi-finished product of the heat-conducting module is disposed on a platen 8 with the trough 51 of the first pressing die 5 being exactly located above the second side wall 13 of the heat-conducting base 10. Then, the first pressing die 5 is used to press downwards the second side wall 13, so that the second side wall 13 is bent and deformed along the trough 51 of the first pressing die 5. When the second side wall 13 is bent to contact the outer peripheral surface of the heat pipe 20, it will cover the outer circumferential surface of the heat pipe 20. At this time, since the outer circumference of the heat pipe 20 is larger than the sum of the circumferences of the inner wall surfaces of the groove 11 and the second side wall 13, the outer circumferential surface of the heat pipe 20 will be compressed to form a protruding strip 21 capable of being accommodated in the escape groove 122.
Finally, a second pressing die 6 is used to press the first side wall 12, so that the first hook 121 and the second hook 131 are engaged with each other (FIG. 6). In this step, the second pressing die 6 is used to press the first side wall 12 and the first pressing die 5 (FIG. 7). The second pressing die 6 has an accommodating trough 61 matching with the outer periphery of the first pressing die 5. The left side of the accommodating trough 61 is formed with a pressing portion 62 corresponding to the outer periphery of the first side wall 12. In manufacturing, after the first pressing die 5 is pressed to a lower dead point, the second pressing die 6 is driven to move toward the first pressing die 5. Since the volume and weight of the second pressing die 6 are much larger than those of the first pressing die 5, the second side wall 13 can be pressed twice, thereby preventing the re-bounding of the second side wall 13. At the same time, the pressing portion 62 presses obliquely the first side wall 12, so that the first hook 121 of the first side wall 12 and the second hook 131 of the second side wall 13 can be connected with each other firmly. In this way, the protruding strip 21 formed on the heat pipe 20 can be positioned in the escape groove 122 of the first side wall 12 without rotating or loosening.
Please refer to FIGS. 8 and 9. FIGS. 8 and 9 are cross-sectional views showing another embodiment of the present invention before and after being pressed, respectively. In addition to the above-mentioned embodiment, the heat-conducting module of the present invention can be embodied as the present embodiment, in which the second side wall 13 is perpendicular to the heat-conducting base 10. The inside of the second side wall 13 has a plurality of V-shaped slots 132 (FIG. 8). In manufacturing, the right side surface of a trough 71 of a pre-pressing die 7 is disposed to face the outer side surface of the second side wall 13. When the pre-pressing die 7 moves downwards, the second side wall 13 will be bent and deformed along the trough 71. The bending and deformation of the second side wall 13 may be performed more easily by slots 132 (FIG. 9). Thereafter, the above-mentioned steps are repeated for a subsequent assembling process.
Please refer to FIG. 10, which is an assembled top view showing a further embodiment of the present invention. The number of the heat-conducting modules of the present invention can be properly adjusted according to the restriction of the surrounding environment and the amount of the heat to be dissipated. In the present embodiment, three heat pipes 20 of different orientations are connected on a circular heat-conducting base 10.
Please refer to FIG. 11, which is an assembled perspective view showing the external appearance of still a further embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the underside of the groove 11 of the heat-conducting base 10 has through holes 14 under the groove 11. Some heat pipes 20 pass through these through holes 14 and are perpendicular to heat pipes 20 accommodated in the groove. With a pressing action from the top being exerted between the heat pipe 20 and the heat-conducting base 10, the heat-conducting base 10 and the lower heat pipes 20 can be connected tightly with each other. In this way, the manufacturing process can be simplified greatly and the heat-conducting efficiency can be enhanced.
According to the above, the heat-conducting module and the method for manufacturing the same according to the present invention already have industrial applicability, novelty and inventive steps, and have not been seen in products of the same kind or let in public use. Therefore, the present invention conforms to the requirements for an invention patent.

Claims

1. A heat-conducting module, comprising:

a heat-conducting base having a groove, both sides of the groove protruding outwards to form a first side wall with a first hook and a second side wall with second hook respectively, and the first hook and the second hook hooking each other, and

a heat pipe accommodated in the groove, the heat pipe being gripped by the first side wall and the second side wall.

2. The heat-conducting module according to claim 1, wherein the length of the first side wall is shorter than that of the second side wall.

3. The heat-conducting module according to claim 2, wherein the inside of the first side wall has an escape groove for accommodating a protruding strip on an outer side of the heat pipe.

4. The heat-conducting module according to claim 2, wherein the inside of the second side wall has a plurality of slots.

5. The heat-conducting module according to claim 1, wherein the heat-conducting base has a through hole under the groove for accommodating an another heat pipe, wherein the through hole is perpendicular to the groove.