Cooling device having a slanted heat pipe

Abstract

A cooling device having a slanted heat pipe. The cooling device includes a cooling fin set, a cooling substrate and at least a heat pipe. The cooling substrate is disposed at one side of the cooling fin set. The heat pipe includes an absorption region and a dissipation region. The dissipation region is disposed on the cooling fin set, while the absorption region is affixed to the cooling substrate. The heat pipe is slanted between the cooling substrate and the cooling fin set with an altitude difference. Consequently, the dissipation region of the heat pipe is located higher than the absorption region. In this manner, both the vaporized working fluid and the condensed working fluid can transfer rapidly between one end of the heat pipe to the other end. Thus, an enhanced cooling rate is obtained.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a cooling device, and more particularly to a cooling device that has a slanted heat pipe.

The development of modern technology has rendered faster and faster central processing units for computers. As the central processing unit is operated under a faster speed, more heat is generated therefrom. In order to dissipate heat effectively, a cooling device is often used to assist the heat dissipation process of the central processing unit, such that it can perform normal operation under a working temperature.

Early cooling devices are made of aluminum extrusions, which includes a plurality of cooling fins. The cooling device is installed directly on the central processing unit or other heat sources, so as to dissipate heat generated therefrom. Later, for a faster cooling rate, a cooling fan is installed above the cooling fins. The heat generated from the heat source is then better dissipated through the convection induced by the cooling fan. However, the cooling rate of the cooling device described above is still insufficient. Therefore, a heat conducting plate or a heat pipe is used below the cooling device. By taking advantage of the working fluid and the capillary structure of the heat conducting plate or the heat pipe, the heat from the heat source is dissipated in a much faster rate.

Referring to FIG. 1, a sectional view of a conventional cooling device 10a is illustrated. As shown, the cooling device 10a is installed in a slimmed electronic device, which includes a cooling bottom substrate 1a. the cooling substrate 1a is attached to the central processing unit 51a of a motherboard 5a. A cooling fin set 3a is disposed on one side of the cooling substrate 1a. The cooling fin set 3a includes a plurality of cooling fins 31a stacked with each other. The cooling fin set 3a and the cooling substrate 1a is connected via a heat pipe 2a, thereby making the cooling substrate 1a and the cooling fin set 3a being on the same horizontal level that is commensurate with the thickness of the slimmed electronic device. The heat generated from the central processing unit 51a is then conducted first to the cooling substrate 1a. The working fluid of the heat pipe 2a is then vaporized after performing heat exchange with the cooling substrate 1a. The vaporized working fluid in the heat pipe 2a then transfers the generated heat to the cooling fin set 3a. The vaporized working fluid is then condensed back to the original liquid working fluid.

Since modern electronic devices are more and more miniaturized, the height of the cooling device 10a is also more restricted. The cooling substrate 1a and the cooling fin set 3a should remain on the same horizontal level and the heat pipe 2a should remain linear, so as to reduce the occupation of space and to satisfy the demand of miniaturization. However, the heat pipe 2a and the cooling substrate 1a being on the same horizontal level will hinder the movement of working fluid from one end of the heat pipe 2a to the other. Therefore, the cooling rate is severely limited due to the restricted available space.

In light of the above, the inventor of the present invention has developed a new cooling device that has a slanted heat pipe so as to solve the problems set forth above.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is to provide a cooling device having a slanted heat pipe. The slanted heat pipe is connected between the cooling substrate and the cooling fin set with an altitude difference, which can enhance the cooling rate of the cooling device

The present invention is also to provide a cooling device having a slanted heat pipe, which includes a cooling fin set, a cooling substrate and at least a heat pipe. The cooling substrate is disposed on a heat source. The heat pipe includes an absorption region and a dissipation region. The dissipation region is disposed on the cooling fin set, while the absorption region is affixed to the cooling substrate. The heat pipe is slanted between the cooling substrate and the cooling fin set with an altitude difference. Consequently, the dissipation region of the heat pipe is located higher than the absorption region. In this manner, both the vaporized working fluid and the condensed working fluid can transfer rapidly between one end of the heat pipe to the other end. Thus, an enhanced cooling rate is obtained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a conventional cooling device.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cooling device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the cooling device installed above a heat source, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the cooling device installed below a heat source, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cooling device, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order to better understanding the features and technical contents of the present invention, the present invention is hereinafter described in detail by incorporating with the accompanying drawings. However, the accompanying drawings are only for the convenience of illustration and description, no limitation is intended thereto.

Referring to FIG. 2, a cooling device having a slanted heat pipe of the present invention is illustrated. As shown, the cooling device includes a cooling fin set 1, at least a heat pipe 2 and a cooling substrate 3. The cooling fin set 1 includes a plurality of cooling fins 11 stacked with each other. The heat pipe 2 includes an absorption region 21 and a dissipation region 22. The dissipation region 22 is connected to the cooling fin set 1, while the absorption region 22 is extended to connect with the cooling substrate 3. In this particular embodiment of the present invention, the dissipation region 22 is bent in L-shape. A heat conducting piece 4 is disposed on the heat pipe 2 corresponding the cooling substrate 3. One end of the heat pipe 2 is then sandwiched and affixed between the cooling substrate 3 and the heat conducting piece 4.

Referring to FIG. 3, the present invention is characterized in that the cooling substrate 3 and the cooling fin set 1 are not disposed on the same horizontal level, which renders a altitude difference therebetween. Therefore, the heat pipe 2 is slanted. The dissipation region 22 of the heat pipe 2 is higher than the absorption region 11 of the heat pipe 2.

Referring to FIG. 4, when the cooling device 10 is installed in a slimmed electronic device, such as a laptop computer or a slimmed multimedia mainframe, it is installed below the central processing unit 5, such that the heat conducting piece 4 contacts the central processing unit 5.

In this manner, the heat generated from the central processing unit 5 is transferred to the cooling substrate 3 and the heat pipe 2 through the heat conducting piece 4. The heat pipe 2 can perform heat exchange with the heat conducting piece 4 and the cooling substrate 3 simultaneously. After the heat exchange between heat pipe 2 and the cooling substrate 1, the vaporized working fluid will transfer from the cooling substrate 3 to the cooling fin set 1 along the upwardly slanted heat pipe 2. According to the Archimedes principle, the vaporized working fluid will rapidly move up to the cooling fin set 1 to perform heat exchange (see the solid arrows in FIG. 4). The cooling fin set 1 will then condense the vaporized working fluid in the heat pipe 2 back to the liquid state. Since the heat pipe 2 is slanted downward from the cooling fin set 1 to the cooling substrate 3, the working fluid can rapidly flow back to the absorption region 11 of the heat pipe 2 for continuously performing heat exchange.

Referring to FIG. 5, the cooling substrate 3 is installed above the central processing unit 4, which makes the heat conducting piece 4 contacting the central processing unit 5. The heat pipe 2 is slanted between the cooling substrate 3 and the cooling fin set 1 with an altitude difference. Therefore, the dissipation region 22 of the heat pipe 2 is located higher than that of the absorption region 11.

Referring to FIG. 6, the top view of the heat pipe 2 shows that the heat pipe 2 is straight. The cooling substrate 3 and the cooling fin set 1 are located on a straight line. The heat pipe 2 is also slanted between the cooling substrate 3 and the cooling fin set 1 with an altitude difference, making the dissipation region 22 of the heat pipe 2 higher than the absorption region 11 without occupying extra space within the electronic device.

In summary, the slanted heat pipe 2 makes an altitude difference between the cooling substrate 3 and the cooling fin set 1. Consequently, the dissipation region 22 of the heat pipe 2 is located higher the absorption region 11. In this manner, both the vaporized working fluid or the condensed working fluid will be transferred rapidly from one end of the heat pipe 2 to the other end, so as to enhance the overall cooling rate of the cooling device 10.

Since, any person having ordinary skill in the art may readily find various equivalent alterations or modifications in light of the features as disclosed above, it is appreciated that the scope of the present invention is defined in the following claims. Therefore, all such equivalent alterations or modifications without departing from the subject matter as set forth in the following claims is considered within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cooling device having a slanted heat pipe, comprising: a cooling fin set; a cooling substrate disposed at one side of the cooling fin set; at least a heat pipe comprising an absorption region and a dissipation region, the dissipation region being disposed on the cooling fin set, the absorption region being affixed to the cooling substrate, which is characterized in that: the heat pipe is slanted between the cooling substrate and the cooling fin set with an altitude difference, thereby making the dissipation region of the heat pipe higher than the absorption region.

2. The cooling device as recited in claim 1, wherein a heat conducting piece is securely fastened on the heat pipe corresponding the location of the cooling substrate, thereby sandwiching one end of the heat pipe between the cooling substrate and the heat conducting piece.