Glass fiber heat pipes and wicks for heat pipes

Abstract

An elongated heat pipe or vapor chamber is described. In examples, the heat pipe may include a tubular body comprising a hollow glass tube or fiber. The heat pipe may further include a wick within the tubular body and a working fluid within the tubular body. The wick may be made of glass, polymer, metal, etc. The wick may be an elongated cylinder disposed within the tubular body and, some cases, may be bonded to an inner floor of the tubular body. In examples, the wick may have an outer diameter substantially equal to an inner diameter of the tubular body. In examples, the wick may have a substantially cross-shaped cross section or may have a helical shape.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat pipe comprising:
 a tubular body comprising one of glass or polymer;   a wick bonded to an inner surface of the tubular body; and   a working fluid within the tubular body.   
     
     
         2 . The heat pipe of  claim 1 , wherein the wick comprises a glass cylinder comprising features etched into an interior surface of the glass cylinder. 
     
     
         3 . The heat pipe of  claim 1 , wherein the wick comprises a polymer cylinder comprising pores defined within polymer cylinder. 
     
     
         4 . The heat pipe of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of space between a top surface of the wick and an inner top surface of the tubular body is in a range of 2:1 to 3:1. 
     
     
         5 . The heat pipe of  claim 1 , wherein the wick comprises a cylinder having an outer diameter substantially equal to an inner diameter of the tubular body. 
     
     
         6 . The heat pipe of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the wick comprises features etched into an interior surface of the cylinder; and   the wick comprises one of glass or polymer.   
     
     
         7 . The heat pipe of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the interior surface or an exterior surface of the wick is treated with a sol-gel process or a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. 
     
     
         8 . The heat pipe of  claim 5 , wherein the wick comprises a polymer cylinder comprising a plurality of pores defined within a wall of the polymer cylinder. 
     
     
         9 . A wearable device comprising one or more electronic components, wherein the one or more electronic components include at least one heat pipe, wherein the at least one heat pipe comprises:
 a tubular body comprising one of glass or polymer;   a wick bonded to an inner surface of the tubular body; and   a working fluid within the tubular body.   
     
     
         10 . The wearable device of  claim 9 , wherein the wick comprises a glass cylinder comprising features etched into an interior surface of the glass cylinder. 
     
     
         11 . The wearable device of  claim 9 , wherein the wick comprises a polymer cylinder comprising a plurality of pores defined within polymer cylinder. 
     
     
         12 . The wearable device of  claim 9 , wherein a ratio of space between a top surface of the wick and an inner top surface of the tubular body is in a range of 2:1 to 3:1. 
     
     
         13 . The wearable device of  claim 9 , wherein the wick comprises a cylinder having an outer diameter substantially equal to an inner diameter of the tubular body. 
     
     
         14 . The wearable device of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the wick comprises features etched into an interior surface of the cylinder; and   the wick comprises one of glass or polymer.   
     
     
         15 . The wearable device of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the interior surface or an exterior surface of the wick is treated with a sol-gel process or a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. 
     
     
         16 . The wearable device of  claim 13 , wherein the wick comprises a polymer cylinder comprising pores defined within a wall of the polymer cylinder. 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 providing a tubular body comprising one of glass or polymer;   forming a wick;   bonding the wick to an inner surface of the tubular body;   evacuating an interior of the tubular body; and   charging the tubular body with a working fluid.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein bonding the wick to the inner surface of the tubular body comprises one of thermal fusing, welding, or spot welding. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the wick comprises glass and the method further comprises, prior to bonding the wick to the inner surface of the tubular body:
 etching an inner surface of the wick to a surface roughness of 20 to 80 microns; and   applying a sol-gel process or a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process to at least one of the interior surface or an exterior surface of the wick of the wick.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the wick comprises a polymer sheet and the method further comprises, prior to bonding the wick to the inner surface of the tubular body:
 extruding the polymer sheet; and   stretching the polymer sheet to define a plurality of pores within the polymer sheet.