Patent Application
20170142863
Computing devices may include electronic components, such as processors, that generate significant amounts of heat. As overheating may damage electronic components and potentially cause user discomfort, a computing device may utilize cooling devices, such as heat sinks and/or fans, to manage heat produced by the device.
Examples are disclosed herein that relate to insert molding a heat pipe into a molded part. One disclosed example provides a method including inserting a heat pipe into a mold, injecting a material into the mold to at least partially surround the heat pipe, allowing the material to harden into a molded part that incorporates the heat pipe, and incorporating the molded part into a computing device.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in any part of this disclosure.
As mentioned above, computing devices may utilize various devices to manage heat produced by components. For example, a computing device may use a heat pipe may be used to transfer and dissipate heat away from heat-producing components. Heat pipes are highly effective heat transfer components, but may be difficult to incorporate into devices in which space is limited, such as wearable devices. Further, heat pipes may be made from materials that are inflexible, thus complicating the incorporation of such heat pipes into flexible or movable device parts.
Accordingly, examples are disclosed herein that relate to encasing a heat pipe in a material via injection molding. Insert molding the heat pipe into an injection-molded part may help to efficiently accommodate a heat pipe into a part with limited internal volume and/or complex geometry. Further, selection of suitable materials for the molded part and/or the heat pipe may allow incorporation of the heat pipe into devices intended to flex or otherwise move.
As mentioned above, heat pipe 102 is insert molded into a part 116 that is incorporated into the device 100 after molding. The molding of the heat pipe 102 into the part 116 prior to assembly of the device 100 may facilitate use of a heat pipe in a device that has size constraints and/or a complex geometry.
The molded part 116 may be formed using any suitable molding process. For example, the molded part 116 may be produced via injection molding. In such a process, the heat pipe is placed into a mold at a desired location, and then a moldable material is injected into the mold, such that the moldable material hardens around the heat pipe 102 to form the molded part 116. In the depicted example, the molded part 116 encases a middle portion 114 of the heat pipe 102, while leaving the ends of the heat pipe 102 exposed. Molding over the adiabatic section of the heat pipe 102 may help to reduce heat loss throughout the middle portion 114 of the heat pipe 102. In the specific example of a wearable device, this may help to avoid outputting heat at regions of the device 100 that would be noticeable by a user. In other examples, any other suitable portion of, or an entirety of, a heat pipe may be molded into a molded part.
The heat pipe may be made using any suitable materials, including but not limited to copper, nickel, nickel-copper alloys, titanium, nickel-titanium alloys, stainless steel, aluminum, and other thermally conductive materials. The type of material used may be chosen based on a mold temperature being utilized, a desired thermal conductivity, and/or a type of plastic from which the molded part is made. To allow the heat pipe to be subsequently incorporated into a flexible device part, the heat pipe may include a flexible bellows section between the evaporator section and the condenser section. In other examples, the heat pipe may be formed at least partially from flexible materials, including but not limited to liquid silicon rubber, TPSiV thermoplastic elastomers, available from Dow Corning of Midland, Mich., polyurethanes, and other injection molded or laminated polymers. In other examples, any other suitable flexible or rigid material may be used, including but not limited to other commonly used plastics/resins than those mentioned above.
As mentioned above, in some examples a heat pipe may be incorporated into the molded part in an uncompleted state, for instance, in cases where a completed heat pipe may be prone to damage from thermal shock during injection molding. In some such examples, method 200 may include, at 205, sealing the ends of the uncompleted heat pipe prior to insert molding. Sealing the ends of the uncompleted heat pipe also may help to prevent contamination of the uncompleted heat pipe during molding. In other examples, such as when the uncompleted heat pipe may maintain its structure during molding without sealing the ends, the ends may remain unsealed. After molding, construction of the uncompleted heat pipe may be completed. In other examples, such as where thermal shock to the heat pipe during molding is not a significant risk, a completed heat pipe comprising a working fluid may be used for insert molding.
Method 200 further includes, at 206, inserting the heat pipe (completed or uncompleted) into a mold, and at 208, adding a moldable material into the mold and allowing the material to harden into a molded part that incorporates the heat pipe. Any suitable moldable material or materials may be used, including but not limited to poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polycarbonate, polyetherimide, polyethylene, and liquid silicon rubber. Likewise, any suitable molding process may be used, including but not limited to injection molding. In some examples, a double-shot injection molding process may be utilized, where two different molding materials are injected into the same mold. As such, method 200 may optionally include, at 210, injecting a first material into the mold to at least partially surround the heat pipe, and then injecting a second material to at least partially surround the first material. As a non-limiting example, the first, inner material may be polycarbonate, while the second, outer material may be liquid silicon rubber.
In some examples, the molded part may be formed such that the ends of the heat pipe remain exposed, e.g. outside of the molded part. In other examples, the heat pipe may be fully embedded into the molded part, and the ends of the heat pipe may be exposed once the molded part has been formed. In instances where an uncompleted heat pipe was molded into the part, method 200 may include, at 212, completing the construction of the heat pipe. This may include unsealing the uncompleted heat pipe if it was previously sealed, and also may include various processes related to adding a working fluid and sealing the heat pipe. Method 200 further includes, at 218, incorporating the molded part into a computing device.
An insert molded heat pipe according to the present disclosure may be implemented in any suitable device. Examples include but are not limited to wearable computing devices such as head-mounted display devices, band devices, watches, etc.
Any suitable type of heat pipe may be used in the head-mounted display device 300. For example, the heat pipe 302 may take the form of a two-phase heat pipe that cycles a working fluid from liquid to vapor to transfer heat from the heat source 308 toward the heat dissipation region 310. As another example, the heat pipe 302 may take the form of a single-phase heat pipe conduit loop. It will be understood that the heat pipe 302 may have any suitable size and shape. It further will be understood that a device may include more than one insert molded heat pipe.
Another example provides a method comprising inserting a heat pipe into a mold, injecting a material into the mold to surround the heat pipe and allowing the material to harden into a molded part that incorporates the heat pipe, and incorporating the molded part into a computing device. The method may additionally or alternatively include sealing ends of the heat pipe prior to inserting the heat pipe into the mold. In this example, the ends of the heat pipe may be additionally or alternatively located outside of the molded part. The method may additionally or alternatively include after allowing the material to harden into the molded part, opening the ends, filling the heat pipe with a working fluid, and resealing the ends of the heat pipe. Incorporating the molded part into the computing device may additionally or alternatively include incorporating the molded part into a wearable computing device. The wearable computing device may additionally or alternatively include a head-mounted display device. The molded part may additionally or alternatively be incorporated into the head-mounted display device in a position that extends at least partially from a heat-producing component located adjacent a front of the head-mounted display device toward a heat dissipation region located toward a rear of the head-mounted display device. Injecting the material into the mold may additionally or alternatively include injecting a first material into the mold to coat the heat pipe, and then injecting a second material different from the first material to surround the first material. The first material may additionally or alternatively include polycarbonate, and the second material may additionally or alternatively include liquid silicon rubber.
Another example provides a computing device, comprising a heat-producing component, a heat dissipation region, and a molded part comprising a heat pipe, the molded part extending at least partially from the heat-producing component to the heat dissipation region. The computing device may additionally or alternatively include a wearable device. The computing device may additionally or alternatively include a head-mounted display device. The heat-producing component may additionally or alternatively be located adjacent a front of the head-mounted display device, and wherein the heat dissipation region is located toward a rear of the head-mounted display device. The molded part may additionally or alternatively include a flexible portion. The molded part may additionally or alternatively include a polycarbonate material surrounding the heat pipe, and a liquid silicon rubber material surrounding the polycarbonate material. The heat pipe may additionally or alternatively include a metal material.
Another example provides a method comprising forming a heat pipe, sealing ends of the a heat pipe, inserting the heat pipe into a mold, injecting a material into the mold and allowing the material to harden into a molded part that incorporates the heat pipe while leaving the ends of the heat pipe exposed, opening the sealed ends of the heat pipe, filling the heat pipe with a working fluid, resealing the ends of the pipe to form a heat pipe, and incorporating the molded part into a computing device. Incorporating the molded part into the computing device may additionally or alternatively include incorporating the molded part into a wearable computing device. The wearable computing device may additionally or alternatively include a head-mounted display device. The molded part may additionally or alternatively be incorporated into the head-mounted display device in a position that extends at least partially from a heat-producing component located adjacent a front of the head-mounted display device toward a heat dissipation region located toward a rear of the head-mounted display device.
It will be understood that the configurations and/or approaches described herein are exemplary in nature, and that these specific embodiments or examples are not to be considered in a limiting sense, because numerous variations are possible. The specific routines or methods described herein may represent one or more of any number of processing strategies. As such, various acts illustrated and/or described may be performed in the sequence illustrated and/or described, in other sequences, in parallel, or omitted. Likewise, the order of the above-described processes may be changed.
The subject matter of the present disclosure includes all novel and nonobvious combinations and subcombinations of the various processes, systems and configurations, and other features, functions, acts, and/or properties disclosed herein, as well as any and all equivalents thereof.
