PLATE-TYPE HEAT TRANSPORT DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENT

Abstract

A plate-type heat transport device and electronic instrument are provided. The plate-type heat transport device includes a heat absorbing plane absorbing heat because of the evaporation of a working fluid, a heat emission plane opposing the heat absorbing plane and emitting heat because of the condensation of the working fluid, and a flow path two-dimensionally arranged between the heat absorbing plane and the heat emission plane to align with the heat absorbing plane and the heat emission plane, the flow path allowing the working fluid to flow therethrough for changing the phase of the working fluid, and the flow path being capable of two-dimensionally diffusing the working fluid by generating a capillary force in the condensed working fluid.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a heat transport device according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the heat transport device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the heat transport device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view at the line A-A of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the heat transport device being attached in contact with a display panel as a heat source.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view for illustrating when a circuit board built in an electronic instrument is a heat source.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a heat transport device according to another embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the heat transport device shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a heat transport device according to still another embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the heat transport device shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view showing enlarged part of a heat transport device according to still another embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between the recesses and the projections of the heat transport device shown in FIG. 11;

FIGS. 13A to 13C are sectional views at the lines A-A, B-B, and C-C of FIG. 12, respectively;

FIG. 14 is a drawing showing the positional relationship between the recesses and the projections of the heat transport device when a first plate is bonded on a second plate by relatively displacing them from each other in comparison with the case of FIG. 12;

FIG. 15A is a graph showing temperature changes in the vicinity of a heat source when a plurality of heat transport devices are prepared and heat with 7 watts is entered into each of the heat transport devices, and FIG. 15B is a table equivalent to the above-graph;

FIG. 16 is a front view of the two-dimensional heat source device used for experiments;

FIG. 17 is a sectional view at the line D-D of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is an enlarged view of the portion surrounded by the broken line of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a sectional view of part of a heat transport device according to still another embodiment;

FIG. 20 is a plan view thereof;

FIG. 21 is a sectional view of a modification of a communication path provided in a third plate;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of part of a plate on the heat emission side according to still another embodiment; and

FIG. 23 is a side view of a heat transport device according to still another embodiment.

Claims

1. A plate-type heat transport device, comprising: a heat absorbing plane absorbing heat due to evaporation of a working fluid;a heat emission plane opposing the heat absorbing plane and emitting heat due to condensation of the working fluid; anda flow path two-dimensionally arranged between the heat absorbing plane and the heat emission plane to align with the heat absorbing plane and the heat emission plane, the flow path allowing the working fluid to flow therethrough for changing the phase of the working fluid, and the flow path being capable of two-dimensionally diffusing the working fluid by generating a capillary force in the condensed working fluid.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the flow path includes a plurality of first regions two-dimensionally arranged at a position adjacent to the heat absorbing plane, each being a straight shape arranged in parallel with each other, and a plurality of second regions two-dimensionally arranged at a position adjacent to the heat emission plane to oppose the heat absorbing plane, each being a straight shape arranged in parallel with each other to be orthogonal to each of the first regions.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein each of the first regions has a first width while each of the second regions has a second width larger than the first width.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein the flow path is two-dimensionally scattered between the first regions and the second regions, and includes a plurality of communication paths for allowing communicating between the first regions and the second regions.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the communication paths is formed to gradually expand toward the second regions from the first regions.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the flow path includes: a plurality of grooves two-dimensionally arranged at a position adjacent to the heat absorbing plane; anda concave region arranged at a position adjacent to the heat emission plane to oppose the grooves.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the flow path includes a plurality of communication paths two-dimensionally scattered between the grooves and the concave region and allowing communicating between the grooves and the concave region.

8. The device according to claim 6, further comprising a plurality of ribs for dividing the concave region into a plurality of parts, wherein each of the ribs includes a slit for allowing communicating one part of the concave region with the adjacent part.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the flow path includes: a recess group composed of a plurality of recesses that are two-dimensionally scattered; anda projection group composed of a plurality of projections that are two-dimensionally scattered to oppose the recess group.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the recesses oppose the projections, respectively, to be relatively displaced from each other.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the recesses, each having a first length, are lengthwise and crosswise arranged while the projections are arranged to align at a slant, and wherein each of the projections has a second length longer than the first length so that at least two recesses of the recesses oppose one of the projections.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein the projections, each having a first length, are lengthwise and crosswise arranged while the recesses are arranged to align at a slant, and wherein each of the recesses has a second length longer than the first length so that at least two projections of the projections oppose one of the recesses.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the flow path includes: a recess group composed of a plurality of recesses that are two-dimensionally scattered;a projection group composed of a plurality of projections that are two-dimensionally scattered to oppose the recess group;a concave region two-dimensionally arranged at a position adjacent to the heat emission plane to align with the heat absorbing plane and the heat emission plane; anda plurality of communication paths for allowing communicating between the recess group and the concave region.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the communication paths is formed to gradually expand toward the concave region from the recess group.

15. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a clad material joined to at least one of the heat absorbing plane and the heat emission plane.

16. A plate-type heat transport device, comprising: a first plate having a heat absorbing plane absorbing heat because of the evaporation of a working fluid;a second plate arranged to oppose the first plate and having a heat emission plane opposing the heat absorbing plane and emitting heat due to condensation of the working fluid;a flow path two-dimensionally arranged between the heat absorbing plane and the heat emission plane to align with the heat absorbing plane and the heat emission plane, the flow path allowing the working fluid to flow therethrough for changing the phase of the working fluid, and the flow path being capable of two-dimensionally diffusing the working fluid by generating a capillary force in the condensed working fluid.

17. The device according to claim 16, further comprising a third plate arranged between the first plate and the second plate, the third plate having a plurality of communication paths two-dimensionally arranged between the first plate and the second plate so as to allow the working fluid to flow therethrough.

18. An electronic instrument, comprising: a heat source two-dimensionally generating heat; anda plate-type heat transport device,wherein the plate-type heat transport device includes:a heat absorbing plane thermally connected to the heat source and absorbing heat due to evaporation of a working fluid;a heat emission plane opposing the heat absorbing plane and emitting heat due to condensation of the working fluid; anda flow path two-dimensionally arranged between the heat absorbing plane and the heat emission plane to align with the heat absorbing plane and the heat emission plane, the flow path allowing the working fluid to flow therethrough for changing the phase of the working fluid, and the flow path being capable of two-dimensionally diffusing the working fluid by generating a capillary force in the condensed working fluid.

19. The instrument according to claim 18, wherein the heat source includes a display panel.