The application claims the benefit of Taiwan application serial No. 111102048, filed Jan. 18, 2022, and the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a heat sink and, more particularly, to a heat sink for cooling electronic components.
In electronic products, a conventional vapor chamber is coupled to a surface of a heat source. The vapor chamber includes a chamber filled with a working fluid. The working fluid can be heated by the heat source and evaporate. The gaseous working fluid flows to a side remote the heat source and condenses after releasing heat. The condensed working fluid flows back to a side adjacent to the heat source to absorb heat again. Thus, the heat of the heat source can be carried away through continuous circulation, thereby achieving the cooling purpose.
Thus, the efficiency of evaporation and condensation of the working fluid plays an important role in the cooling effect of the vapor chamber. Therefore, a capillary structure is generally disposed in the chamber of the vapor chamber and includes a plurality of tiny holes. As a result, the capillary structure can use the capillary effect to assist in rapid return flow and condensation of the working fluid after evaporation, thereby indirectly enhancing the cooling effect of the vapor chamber. However, the holes of the capillary structure of the conventional vapor chamber have a uniform size, such that the capillary effect provided by the capillary structure is limited and, thus, requires improvement.
To solve the above problem, an objective of the present invention is to provide a heat sink. The holes of at least one metal net of the heat sink includes a capillary structure having at least two different sizes.
When the terms “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “up”, “down”, “top”, “bottom”, “inner”, “outer”, “side”, and similar terms are used herein, it should be understood that these terms have reference only to the structure shown in the drawings as it would appear to a person viewing the drawings and are utilized only to facilitate describing the invention, rather than restricting the invention.
As used herein, the term “one”, “a” or “an” for describing the number of the elements and members of the present invention is used for convenience, provides the general meaning of the scope of the present invention, and should be interpreted to include one or at least one. Furthermore, unless explicitly indicated otherwise, the concept of a single component also includes the case of plural components.
As used herein, the term “engagement”, “coupling”, “assembly”, or similar terms is used to include separation of connected members without destroying the members after connection or inseparable connection of the members after connection. A person having ordinary skill in the art would be able to select according to desired demands in the material or assembly of the members to be connected.
A heat sink according to the present invention comprises a casing having a chamber filled with a working fluid. The heat sink further comprises at least one metal net disposed in the chamber. The at least one metal net includes a plurality of first metal wires and a plurality of second metal wires. The plurality of first metal wires and the plurality of second metal wires interlace with each other and are woven to form a plurality of holes. Each of the plurality of holes is surrounded and defined by adjacent first metal wires and adjacent second metal wires. The plurality of holes has at least two different sizes.
Thus, in the heat sink according to the present invention, by providing the metal net forming holes of at least two different sizes (such as by punching or rolling the metal net), the overlapped portions can deform, and the overlapped portions may have different extents of deformation under uneven forces, such that the projections of holes surrounded by the plurality of overlapped portions present irregular shapes and form deformed holes having different sizes. Furthermore, by providing the plurality of first metal wires and/or the plurality of second metal wires of the metal net which are arranged by at least two spacings or which abut each other side by side, the plurality of holes defined and surrounded by the plurality of first metal wires and the plurality of second metal wires may have at least two different sizes. Thus, relatively larger holes may serve as the steam passages for the working fluid, whereas relatively smaller holes may provide better capillary action to absorb the working fluid. Therefore, the working fluid may have a better flow rate to increase the cooling efficacy.
In an example, the casing includes a first casing part and a second casing part. The first casing part and/or the second casing part has a receiving compartment which forms the chamber. Therefore, the casing is easy to produce and assemble.
In an example, the plurality of first metal wires and the plurality of second metal wires interlace with each other and are woven to include a plurality of overlapped portions. The plurality of overlapped portions is pressed or rolled to adjust shapes, such that projections of holes surrounded by the plurality of overlapped portions present deformed holes having irregular shapes and having different sizes. Therefore, the holes may have at least two different sizes to respectively provide a steam passage for the working fluid and a better capillary action for absorbing the working fluid.
In an example, the at least one metal net includes overlapped portions which are not punched nor rolled to adjust shapes. Therefore, the holes of the overlapped portions (which are not punched nor rolled to adjust shapes) may have a relatively large size, thereby forming better steam passages for the working fluid.
In an example, at least two adjacent first metal wires and/or at least two adjacent second metal wires form a group, such that the plurality of first metal wires and/or the plurality of second metal wires form plural groups of first metal wires and/or plural groups of second metal wires. Two adjacent first metal wires of each group and/or two adjacent second metal wires of each group have a first spacing therebetween. Two adjacent groups of first metal wires and/or two adjacent groups of second metal wires have a second spacing therebetween. The second spacing is greater than the first spacing. Therefore, the holes surrounded by the plurality of metal wires may have at least two different sizes.
In an example, the plural groups of first metal wires and the plural groups of second metal wires interlace with each other and are woven to include a plurality of overlapped portions, and the plurality of overlapped portions is pressed or rolled to adjust shapes, such that projections of holes surrounded by the plurality of overlapped portions present deformed holes having irregular shapes and having different sizes. Therefore, the holes have at least two different sizes.
In an example, at least two of the plurality of first metal wires and/or at least two of the plurality of second metal wires are woven by helically twisting or intertwining. Therefore, the plurality of metal wires may have tiny gaps therebetween, such that the hole density of the holes of the capillary structure of the plurality of metal wires becomes smaller.
In an example, the at least one metal net includes a plurality of overlapped layers of metal nets. Therefore, after the plurality of metal net layers is overlapped, a capillary structure with deformed holes of various sizes may be formed, and the hole density of the capillary structure of the plurality of metal nets becomes smaller.
In an example, the plurality of first metal wires and/or the plurality of second metal wires of one of the plurality of overlapped layers of metal nets are aligned with the holes of another of the plurality of overlapped layers of metal nets. Therefore, the number of holes per unit area can be increased.
In an example, the plurality of metal nets has different meshes. Therefore, the number of holes per unit area can be increased.
In an example, the plurality of metal nets is overlapped in a vertical direction and is misaligned from each other by an angle in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. Therefore, non-traditional square or rhombic holes may be formed to produce high-density capillary holes of composite shapes.
In an example, the heat sink further comprises at least one supporting member which is sandwiched between a surface of the at least one metal net and an inner wall of the casing. Therefore, collapse or deformation of the surface of the casing resulting from the surface pressure or interior vacuum force (a negative pressure) can be avoided.
In an example, the at least one supporting member includes a plurality of supporting members spaced from each other, and each of the plurality of supporting members is sandwiched between the surface of the at least one metal net and the inner wall of the casing. Therefore, the working fluid can flow through the gap between two adjacent supporting members, such that the gas-liquid phase change can be uniformly proceeded in the chamber, thereby providing a better gas-liquid phase change efficiency in the casing.
In order to make the above and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention clearer and easier to understand, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the elements designated by the same reference numeral in various figures will be deemed as identical, and the description thereof will be omitted.
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In this embodiment, the casing 1 may include a first casing part 1a and a second casing part 1b. The first casing part 1a may include a receiving compartment 11 which forms the chamber S. The receiving compartment 11 may be formed by punching, casing, bending or etching. The present invention is not limited in this regard. An annular ledge 12 may be formed around a periphery of the receiving compartment 11. A passage hole 13 extends through the annular ledge 12 and intercommunicates with the receiving compartment 11. The passage hole 13 can be used to suck the air in the chamber S and to fill a working fluid L into the chamber S. The passage hole 13 may be sealed after filling the working fluid L to avoid loss of the working fluid L in the gaseous state.
The second casing part 1b may be made of a material the same as or different from the material of the first casing part 1a. The second casing part 1b may be coupled to the first casing part 1a by adhesion or welding. For example, the annular ledge 12 of the first casing part 1a is coupled with the second casing part 1b by brazing or laser welding. In this embodiment, the second casing part 1b may include a coupling portion 14 along a periphery of the second casing part 1b. The coupling portion 14 may be coupled with the annular ledge 12 of the first casing part 1a, such that the second casing part 1b and the first casing part 1a jointly form the chamber S. The second casing part 1b further includes a sealing portion 15 that may be aligned with the passage hole 13 of the first casing part 1a, and solder can be used to seal the passage hole 13.
In another embodiment, the receiving compartment 11 and the passage hole 13 may be formed on the second casing part 1b and communicate with each other, the sealing portion 15 is disposed on the first casing part 1a and is aligned with the passage hole 13, and solder is used to seal the passage hole 13. Alternatively, each of the first casing part 1a and the second casing part 1b includes the receiving compartment 11 and the passage hole 13 intercommunicating with the receiving compartment 11. The two passage holes 13 are aligned with each other, and solder is used to seal the two passage holes 13, providing the same function and effect. The present invention is not limited in this regard.
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In another embodiment, at least two adjacent first metal wire 21a and/or at least two adjacent second metal wire 21b may abut each other side by side. When two first metal wires 21a and/or two adjacent second metal wires 21b abut each other, a spacing may be formed between the circular peripheries. A gap formed by the spacing may also provide a capillary action for the working fluid L. Based on this principle, in other embodiments, at least two first metal wires 21a and/or at least two second metal wires 21b are woven by helically twisting or intertwining. The present invention is not limited in this regard.
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It is worth mentioning that the metal net 2 (whose overlapped portions 23 are punched or rolled) or the plurality of first metal wires 21a and/or the plurality of second metal wires 21b (which are arranged by at least two spacings) disclosed in each of the above embodiments is applicable to the example of the plurality of overlapped metal layers 2. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the examples disclosed by the figure of each embodiment.
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In view of the foregoing, in the heat sink according to the present invention, by providing the metal net 2, 2a, 2b forming holes 22 of at least two different sizes (such as by punching or rolling the metal net 2, 2a, 2b), the overlapped portions 23 can deform, and the overlapped portions 23 may have different extents of deformation under uneven forces, such that the projections of holes 22 surrounded by the plurality of overlapped portions 23 present irregular shapes and form deformed holes 22a, 22b having different sizes. Furthermore, by providing the plurality of first metal wires 21a and/or the plurality of second metal wires 21b of the metal net 2 which are arranged by at least two spacings or which abut each other side by side, the plurality of holes 22 defined and surrounded by the plurality of first metal wires 21a and the plurality of second metal wires 21b may have at least two different sizes. Thus, relatively larger holes may serve as the steam passages for the working fluid L, whereas relatively smaller holes may provide better capillary action to absorb the working fluid L. Therefore, the working fluid L may have a better flow rate to increase the cooling efficacy.
Although the present invention has been described with respect to the above preferred embodiments, these embodiments are not intended to restrict the present invention. Various changes and modifications on the above embodiments made by any person skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention are still within the technical category protected by the present invention. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention shall include the literal meaning set forth in the appended claims and all changes which come within the range of equivalency of the claims. Furthermore, in a case that several of the above embodiments can be combined, the present invention includes the implementation of any combination.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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111102048 | Jan 2022 | TW | national |