Heat pipe, cooling unit having the heat pipe, and electronic apparatus having the cooling unit

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the invention, a heat pipe features a pipe-shaped container in which an operating fluid is sealed, and a wick provided inside the container. The container has a flat heat-receiving end portion, a heat-radiating end portion being flattened in a direction different from that of the heat-receiving end portion, and a middle portion connecting the heat-receiving end portion and the heat-radiating end portion. The middle portion has a circular cross section.

1 . A heat pipe comprising: 
 a sealed container including an operating fluid, the container comprises a heat-receiving end portion flattened in a first direction, a heat-radiating end portion flattened in a second direction differing from the first direction, and a middle portion having a non-flattened cross section and connecting the heat-receiving end portion and the heat-radiating end portion; and    a wick provided inside the container.    
   
   
       2 . A heat pipe according to  claim 1 , wherein the middle portion of the container has a circular cross section.  
   
   
       3 . A heat pipe according to  claim 1 , wherein the middle portion of the container includes an arc-shaped bent portion.  
   
   
       4 . A heat pipe according to  claim 1 , wherein the middle portion of the container includes a first opening for coupling to the heat-receiving end portion and a second opening for coupling to the heat-radiating end portion, the first opening being laterally offset from the second opening.  
   
   
       5 . A heat pipe according to  claim 1 , wherein the middle portion of the container being a conduit including an arc-shaped portion coupled to a crank-shaped portion having a first opening laterally offset from a second opening.  
   
   
       6 . A heat pipe according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat-receiving end portion of the container has two parallel heat receiving surfaces, the heat-radiating end portion of the container has two parallel heat radiating surfaces, and orientation of the heat-receiving surfaces is different from orientation of the heat-radiating surfaces in a circumferential direction of the container.  
   
   
       7 . A heat pipe according to  claim 1 , wherein the wick is situated inside the middle portion of the container.  
   
   
       8 . A heat pipe comprising: 
 a sealed container housing an operating fluid, the container comprises a heat-receiving end portion flattened in a first direction, a heat-radiating end portion flattened in a second direction different from the first direction, and an arc-shaped middle portion having a circular cross section coupled between the heat-receiving end portion and the heat-radiating end portion; and    a wick provided inside the container.    
   
   
       9 . A heat pipe according to  claim 8 , wherein the heat-receiving end portion and the heat-radiating end portion extends in directions different from each other, with the middle portion interposed therebetween.  
   
   
       10 . A heat pipe according to  claim 8 , wherein the wick is situated inside the middle portion of the container.  
   
   
       11 . A heat pipe comprising: 
 a sealed container including an operating fluid, the container comprises a heat-receiving end portion having a cross section elongated in a first direction, a heat-radiating end portion having a cross section elongated in a second direction different than the first direction, and a middle portion coupling the heat-receiving end portion and the heat-radiating end portion, the heat-receiving end portion, the heat-radiating end portion and the middle portion are arranged in-line, each of the heat-receiving end portion and the heat-radiating end portion has two surfaces substantially in parallel, and the middle portion includes a first pair of non-parallel surfaces coupled to the two respective surfaces of the heat-receiving end portion and a second pair of non-parallel surfaces coupled to the two respective surfaces of the heat-radiating end portion; and    a wick provided inside the container.    
   
   
       12 . A heat pipe according to  claim 11 , wherein each of the heat-receiving end portion and the heat-radiating end portion has a pair of edge portions extending in an axial direction of the container, the edge portions of the heat-receiving end portion are coupled to the two respective surfaces of the heat-radiating end portion with the second pair of non-parallel surfaces of the middle portion interposed therebetween, and the edge portions of the heat-radiating end portion are coupled to the two respective surfaces of the heat-receiving end portion with the first pair of non-parallel surfaces of the middle portion interposed therebetween.  
   
   
       13 . A cooling unit comprising: 
 a heat-receiving portion thermally connected to a heat generating component;    a heat-radiating portion radiating heat from the heat generating component; and    a heat pipe which conveys heat by the heat generating component from the heat-receiving portion to the heat-radiating portion, the heat pipe comprising a pipe-shaped container sealed to house a heat-conveying operating fluid and a wick, the container comprises a heat-receiving end portion having a cross section elongated in a first direction, a heat-radiating end portion having a cross section elongated in a second direction differing from the first direction, and a middle portion connecting the heat-receiving end portion and the heat-radiating end portion, the middle portion having a circular cross section.    
   
   
       14 . A cooling unit according to  claim 13 , wherein the heat-receiving portion has a supporting portion which supports the heat-radiating portion.  
   
   
       15 . A cooling unit according to  claim 13 , wherein the heat-radiating portion comprises a fan casing thermally connected to the heat-radiating end portion of the heat pipe and an impeller contained in the fan casing.  
   
   
       16 . A cooling unit according to  claim 15 , wherein the fan casing includes a peripheral wall extending in a direction perpendicular to the heat-receiving portion and thermally connected to the heat-radiating end portion of the heat pipe.  
   
   
       17 . A cooling unit according to  claim 13 , wherein the heat-receiving end portion of the container of the heat pipe has two heat receiving surfaces substantially in parallel with each other, the heat-radiating end portion has two heat radiating surfaces substantially in parallel with each other, and orientation of the heat receiving surfaces is different from orientation of the heat radiating surfaces in a circumferential direction of the container.  
   
   
       18 . A cooling unit according to  claim 13 , wherein the middle portion of the container includes an arc-shaped portion.  
   
   
       19 . A cooling unit according to  claim 13 , wherein the middle portion of the container includes a first portion for coupling to the heat-receiving end portion and a second portion for coupling to the heat-radiating end portion, the first portion being laterally offset from the second portion.  
   
   
       20 . A cooling unit according to  claim 13 , wherein the middle portion of the container being a conduit including an arc-shaped first portion coupled to a second portion having a first opening laterally offset from a second opening.  
   
   
       21 . A cooling unit according to  claim 13 , wherein the heat-radiating portion includes a plurality of heat radiating fins arranged with regular intervals and thermally connected to the heat-radiating end portion of the heat pipe.  
   
   
       22 . A cooling unit comprising: 
 a heat-receiving portion adapted to be thermally connected to a heat generating component;    a heat-radiating portion adapted to radiate heat from the heat generating component; and    a heat pipe for conveying the heat of the heat generating component from the heat-receiving portion to the heat-radiating portion, the heat pipe comprising a container formed as a sealed conduit including a heat-conveying operating fluid and a wick inside the container, the container comprises a flat heat-receiving end portion having a cross section elongated in a first direction, a flat heat-radiating end portion having a cross section elongated in a second direction different than the first direction, and a middle portion connecting the heat-receiving end portion and the heat-radiating end portion and having a circular cross section, the middle portion bent into an arc.    
   
   
       23 . A cooling unit according to  claim 22 , wherein the heat-receiving end portion and the heat-radiating end portion extend in directions different from each other, with the middle portion interposed therebetween.  
   
   
       24 . A cooling unit comprising: 
 a heat-receiving portion thermally connected to a heat generating component;    a heat-radiating portion adapted to radiate heat from the heat generating component; and    a heat pipe which conveys heat from the heat-receiving portion to the heat-radiating portion, the heat pipe comprising a sealed, pipe-shaped container including a heat-conveying operating fluid and a wick housed inside the container, the container comprises a flat heat-receiving end portion with a cross section elongated in a first direction, a flat heat-radiating end portion having a cross section elongated in a second direction differing from the first direction, and a middle portion connecting the heat-receiving end portion and the heat-radiating end portion, the heat-receiving end portion, the heat-radiating end portion and the middle portion are arranged in-line, each of the heat-receiving end portion and the heat-radiating end portion has two surfaces substantially in parallel, and the middle portion has a first pair of non-parallel surfaces coupled to the two respective surfaces of the heat-receiving end portion, and a second pair of non-parallel surfaces coupled to the two respective surfaces of the heat-radiating end portion.    
   
   
       25 . A cooling unit according to  claim 24 , wherein each of the heat-receiving end portion and the heat-radiating end portion includes a pair of edge portions extending in an axial direction of the container, the edge portions of the heat-receiving end portion are coupled to the two respective surfaces of the heat-radiating end portion with the second pair of non-parallel surfaces of the middle portion interposed therebetween, and the edge portions of the heat-radiating end portion are coupled to the two respective surfaces of the heat-receiving end portion with the respective first pair of non-parallel surfaces of the middle portion interposed therebetween.  
   
   
       26 . An electronic apparatus comprising: 
 a housing having a heat generating component;    a heat-receiving portion contained in the housing and thermally connected to the heat generating component;    a heat-radiating portion adapted to radiate heat from the heat generating component; and    a heat pipe which conveys the heat from the heat-receiving portion to the heat-radiating portion, the heat pipe comprising a pipe-shaped container in which a heat-conveying operating fluid is sealed, and a wick provided inside the container, the container comprises a flat heat-receiving end portion, a heat-radiating end portion being flattened in a direction different from that of the heat-receiving end portion, and a middle portion connecting the heat-receiving end portion and the heat-radiating end portion and having a circular cross section.    
   
   
       27 . An electronic apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the middle portion of the container of the heat pipe is bent into an arc shaped portion.  
   
   
       28 . An electronic apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the housing has an exhaust port, the heat-radiating portion includes a fan casing thermally connected to the heat-radiating end portion of the container, the fan casing includes an outlet and contained in the housing with the outlet opposed to the exhaust port.  
   
   
       29 . An electronic apparatus comprising: 
 a housing including a heat generating component and a heat-receiving portion thermally connected to the heat generating component;    a heat-radiating portion to radiate heat of the heat generating component; and    a heat pipe which conveys the heat from the heat-receiving portion to the heat-radiating portion, the heat pipe comprises a pipe-shaped container in which a heat-conveying operating fluid is sealed, and a wick provided inside the container, the container having a flat heat-receiving end portion, a heat-radiating end portion being flattened in a direction different from that of the heat-receiving end portion, and a middle portion connecting the heat-receiving end portion and the heat-radiating end portion, the heat-receiving end portion, the heat-radiating end portion and the middle portion are arranged in-line, each of the heat-receiving end portion and the heat-radiating end portion has two surfaces substantially in parallel, and the middle portion has two first non-parallel surfaces connecting with the two respective surfaces of the heat-receiving end portion, and two second non-parallel surfaces connecting with the two respective surfaces of the heat-radiating end portion.