Thermal module with heat pipe having a sharp angled bend for increased cooling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11596084-B2
Application number	US-202117241932-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2021
Priority date	Apr 27, 2021
Publication date	Feb 28, 2023
Grant date	Feb 28, 2023

Abstract

A thermal module with a heat pipe configured with a first portion configured for contact with an edge of a plurality of fins in a fin stack, a second portion configured for contact with a side of one fin in the fin stack and a sharp angled bend is formed between the first portion and the second portion to fluidly isolate the first portion from the second portion. The first portion comprises a usable length of the heat pipe that efficiently transfers heat based on phase transitioning by the fluid. The second portion is formed from at least some of the unusable length of the heat pipe. By configuring the heat pipe such that more fins contact the usable length of the heat pipe, heat transfer from the heat pipe to the fin stack is increased.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermal module for use in a chassis for an information handling system, the thermal module comprising:
a fan for generating an airflow in the direction of a vent;
a fin stack comprising a plurality of fins distributed over a width of the fin stack, the fin stack positioned relative to the vent; and
a heat pipe comprising:
a sealed hollow tube formed from a heat conducting material with a two-phase fluid and a wicking material inside the hollow tube, wherein
a first end of the heat pipe is configured for receiving heat from a set of components, wherein heat is transferred from the set of components through the heat conducting material to change the two-phase fluid to a vapor phase; and
a second end of the heat pipe is configured with:
a first portion for contact with an edge of each fin of the plurality of fins in the fin stack, wherein the two-phase fluid condenses to a liquid phase in the first portion at the fin stack and is transported through the hollow tube back to the first end via the wicking material,
a second portion for contact with a side of one fin of the plurality of fins, and

a sharp angled bend formed in the heat pipe between the first portion and the second portion to fluidly isolate the first portion from the second portion, wherein heat transfer in the second portion comprises conduction through the heat conducting material.

2. The thermal module of claim 1 , wherein the sharp angled bend closes the heat pipe between the first portion and the second portion.

3. The thermal module of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the heat pipe is affixed to a side of the one fin.

4. The thermal module of claim 3 , wherein the second portion of the heat pipe is soldered to the side of the one fin.

5. The thermal module of claim 3 , wherein the second portion of the heat pipe is affixed to the side of the one fin with a thermally conductive adhesive.

6. The thermal module of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the heat pipe is flattened.

7. The thermal module of claim 1 , wherein the sharp angled bend comprises a crimp.

8. A method of manufacturing a thermal module for use in a chassis for an information handling system, the method comprising:
positioning a fan in the chassis;
forming a first end of a heat pipe for positioning relative to a set of components, the heat pipe comprising a sealed hollow tube formed from a heat conducting material with a two-phase fluid and a wicking material inside the hollow tube, wherein heat is transferred from the set of components through the heat conducting material to change the two-phase fluid to a vapor phase;
forming a second end of the heat pipe comprising:
a first portion for contact with an edge of each fin of a plurality of fins in a fin stack, wherein the two-phase fluid condenses to a liquid phase in the first portion at the fin stack and is transported through the hollow tube back to the first end via the wicking material,
a second portion for contact with a side of one fin of the plurality of fins, and
a sharp angled bend formed in the heat pipe between the first portion and the second portion to fluidly isolate the first portion from the second portion, wherein heat transfer in the second portion comprises conduction through the heat conducting material;
coupling the second portion of the second end of the heat pipe to the side of one fin of the plurality of fins; and
positioning the fin stack between the fan and a vent in the chassis.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein forming the sharp angled bend comprises bending the second end of the heat pipe to close the heat pipe between the first portion and the second portion.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein coupling the second portion to a side of the one fin comprises soldering the second portion to the side of the one fin.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein coupling the second portion to the side of the one fin comprises affixing the second portion to the side of the one fin with a thermally-conductive adhesive.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising flattening the second portion of the heat pipe before forming the sharp angled bend.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein forming the sharp angled bend comprises crimping the second portion of the heat pipe and bending the second portion to the sharp angle.

14. A chassis comprising:
a set of components;
a fan for generating an airflow in the direction of a vent;
a fin stack positioned between the fan and the vent, the fin stack having a plurality of fins distributed over a width of the fin stack; and
a heat pipe comprising a sealed hollow tube formed from a heat conducting material with a two-phase fluid and a wicking material inside the hollow tube, wherein:
a first end of the heat pipe is configured for receiving heat from the set of components, wherein heat is transferred from the set of components through the heat conducting material to change the two-phase fluid to a vapor phase; and
a second end of the heat pipe is configured with:
a first portion for contact with an edge of each fin of the plurality of fins in the fin stack, wherein the two-phase fluid condenses to a liquid phase in the first portion at the fin stack and is transported through the hollow tube back to the first end via the wicking material,
a second portion for contact with a side of one fin of the plurality of fins, and

a sharp angled bend formed in the heat pipe between the first portion and the second portion to fluidly isolate the first portion from the second portion, wherein heat transfer in the second portion comprises conduction through the heat conducting material.

15. The chassis of claim 14 , wherein the sharp angled bend closes the heat pipe between the first portion and the second portion.

16. The chassis of claim 14 , wherein the second portion of the heat pipe is affixed to the side of the one fin.

17. The chassis of claim 16 , wherein the second portion of the heat pipe is soldered to the side of the one fin.

18. The chassis of claim 14 , wherein the second portion of the heat pipe is affixed to the side of the one fin with a thermally conductive adhesive.

19. The chassis of claim 14 , wherein the second portion of the heat pipe is flattened and bent to form the sharp angled bend.

20. The chassis of claim 14 , wherein the sharp angled bend second portion is crimped and bent to form the sharp angled bend.

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• He Qinghong
• North Travis

Classifications

• G06F1/203

  for portable computers, e.g. for laptops · CPC title

• H05K7/20336 Primary

  Heat pipes, e.g. wicks or capillary pumps · CPC title

• H05K7/20409

  Outer radiating structures on heat dissipating housings, e.g. fins integrated with the housing · CPC title

• H05K7/20172

  Fan mounting or fan specifications · CPC title

• G06F1/20 Primary

  Cooling means · CPC title