Flat heat pipe with internal supporting element

Abstract

An exemplary flat heat pipe includes a flat housing, a wick, a working fluid, and a supporting element. The wick is attached to an inner surface of the housing. The working fluid is contained in the housing. The supporting element is a woven screen made of metal wires and a plurality of through holes is defined therein. The supporting element is enclosed by the wick and opposite sides thereof bias the wick against opposite portions of the housing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A flat heat pipe comprising:
 a flat housing containing a vacuum;   a wick attached to an inner surface of the housing;   a working fluid contained in the housing; and   a supporting element enclosed by the wick, opposite sides of the supporting element biasing the wick against opposite flat portions of the housing, respectively, the supporting element comprising a woven screen of metal wires in which a plurality of through holes is defined.   
     
     
         2 . The flat heat pipe of  claim 1 , wherein material of the supporting element is the same as that of the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The flat heat pipe of  claim 2 , wherein the supporting element and housing are both made of copper. 
     
     
         4 . The flat heat pipe of  claim 1 , wherein the wick defines a plurality of pores therein. 
     
     
         5 . The flat heat pipe of  claim 4 , wherein an average diameter of the through holes of the supporting element exceeds that of the pores of the wick. 
     
     
         6 . The flat heat pipe of  claim 1 , wherein the wick has a porous structure in the form of at least one item selected from the group consisting of grooves, sintered powder, screen mesh, and bundles of fiber. 
     
     
         7 . The flat heat pipe of  claim 1 , wherein a density of the through holes of the supporting element is in the range from 5˜50 mesh/inch. 
     
     
         8 . The flat heat pipe of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a top plate, a bottom plate, and two side plates adjoining the top plate and the bottom plate, and the opposite sides of the supporting element bias the wick at the top plate and the bottom plate of the housing, respectively. 
     
     
         9 . The flat heat pipe of  claim 1 , wherein the supporting element is made of a plurality of first metal wires and a plurality of second metal wires, the first metal wires are spaced from and parallel to each other, and the second metal wires are spaced from and parallel to each other. 
     
     
         10 . A flat heat pipe comprising:
 a flat housing comprising a top plate, a bottom plate facing toward and spaced from the top plate, and two side plates adjoining opposite sides of the top plate and the bottom plate;   a wick attached to inner surfaces of the top plate, the bottom plate and the side plates of the housing;   a working fluid contained in the housing; and   a supporting element received in the housing, the supporting element comprising a woven screen of metal wires, with opposite sides of the supporting element biasing the wick against the top plate and the bottom plate of the housing.   
     
     
         11 . The flat heat pipe of  claim 10 , wherein the supporting element comprises a plurality of first wires and second wires, interwoven together. 
     
     
         12 . The flat heat pipe of  claim 11 , wherein the first wires are spaced from and parallel to each other, and the second wires are spaced from and parallel to each other. 
     
     
         13 . The flat heat pipe of  claim 10 , wherein a plurality of through holes is defined in the supporting element, the wick defines a plurality of pores, and an average diameter of the through hole exceeds an average diameter of the pores of the wick. 
     
     
         14 . The flat heat pipe of  claim 13 , wherein a density of the through holes is in range from 5˜50 mesh/inch. 
     
     
         15 . The flat heat pipe of  claim 10 , wherein the wick has a porous structure in the form of at least one item selected from the group consisting of grooves, sintered powder, screen mesh, or bundles of fiber. 
     
     
         16 . The flat heat pipe of  claim 10 , wherein the supporting element is located at a middle of the housing.