Flat heat pipe

Abstract

A flat heat pipe includes a casing and a wick structure received in the casing. The casing has a first lateral portion and a second lateral portion. Each of the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion has a C-shape configuration, and the second lateral portion has an opening facing an opening of the first lateral portion. The wick structure is attached to an inner surface of only one of the first and lateral portions of the casing. The inner surface of the other of the first and second lateral portions without the wick structure attached thereto defines a first vapor channel, and an inner surface of the wick structure defines a second vapor channel. The first vapor channel has a height greater than the second vapor channel.

1 . A flat heat pipe comprising:
 a casing having a first lateral portion and a second lateral portion opposite to the first lateral portion along a transverse direction, each of the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion having a C-shaped transverse cross section, the second lateral portion having an opening facing an opening of the first lateral portion;   a wick structure received in the casing and attached to an inner surface of only one of the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion of the casing; and   a working medium contained in the casing and saturated in the wick structure;   wherein the inner surface of the other one of the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion without the wick structure being attached thereto defines a first vapor channel, an inner surface of the wick structure defines a second vapor channel, and the first vapor channel has a height greater than the second vapor channel.   
     
     
         2 . The flat heat pipe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first vapor channel and the second vapor channel communicate at a joint between the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion. 
     
     
         3 . The flat heat pipe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the wick structure is a single-layered mesh structure formed by weaving a plurality of wires. 
     
     
         4 . The flat heat pipe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a height of the casing is below 1.2 millimeters. 
     
     
         5 . The flat heat pipe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the wick structure has a C-shaped transverse cross section with an opening of the wick structure facing the opening of the first lateral portion, the wick structure is attached to the inner surface of the second lateral portion of the casing, and the inner surface of the first lateral portion of the casing defines the first vapor channel. 
     
     
         6 . The flat heat pipe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the wick structure has a C-shaped transverse cross section with an opening of the wick structure facing the opening of the second lateral portion, the wick structure is attached to the inner surface of the first lateral portion of the casing, and the inner surface of the second lateral portion of the casing defines the first vapor channel. 
     
     
         7 . A flat heat pipe comprising:
 a casing having an upper plate and a bottom plate opposite to the upper plate;   a wick structure received in the casing and attached only to the bottom plate of the casing, the wick structure spacing from the upper plate with a vapor channel defined between the upper plate and the wick structure; and   a working medium contained in the casing and saturated in the wick structure.   
     
     
         8 . The flat heat pipe as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the wick structure is a single-layered mesh structure formed by weaving a plurality of wires. 
     
     
         9 . The flat heat pipe as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein a height of the casing is below 1.2 millimeters. 
     
     
         10 . A flat heat pipe comprising:
 a metal casing having a flat upper plate and a flat lower plate and defining an evaporator section for absorbing heat and a condenser section for releasing heat, wherein the evaporator section and the condenser section are located at opposite end portions of the metal casing, a transverse section of the metal casing having an outer surface and an inner surface;   a wick structure made of a mesh attached to a partial portion of the inner surface of the transverse section of the metal casing and extending from the evaporator section to the condenser section; and   working fluid received in the casing and saturated in the wick structure.   
     
     
         11 . The flat heat pipe as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the wick structure is attached to a lateral portion of the inner surface of the transverse section of the metal casing. 
     
     
         12 . The heat pipe as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the wick structure has a C-shaped configuration with a portion thereof attached to a top of the inner surface of the transverse section of the casing and another portion attached to a bottom of the inner surface of the transverse section of the casing. 
     
     
         13 . The heat pipe as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the casing has a height no more than 1.2 millimeters. 
     
     
         14 . The heat pipe as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the wick structure has a flat configuration and attached to a bottom of the inner surface of the transverse section the casing. 
     
     
         15 . The heat pipe as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the casing has a height no more than 1.2 millimeters.