Integrated circuit heat pipe heat spreader with through mounting holes

Abstract

A heat pipe with superior heat transfer between the heat pipe and the heat source and heat sink is provided. The heat pipe is held tightly against the heat source by mounting holes which penetrate the structure of the heat pipe but are sealed off from the vapor chamber because they each are located within a sealed structure such as a pillar or the solid layers of the casing surrounding the vapor chamber. Another feature of the heat pipe is the use of a plurality of particles joined together by a brazing compound such that fillets of the brazing compound are formed between adjacent ones of the plurality of particles so as to form a network of capillary passageways between the particles of the wick.

1 - 41 . (canceled)  
     
     
         42 . A heat pipe for spreading heat comprising: 
 a boundary structure including spaced-apart first and second plates that define an enclosed vapor chamber having a capillary structure comprising a plurality of particles joined together by a brazing compound such that fillets of said brazing compound are formed between adjacent ones of said plurality of particles so as to form a network of capillary passageways between said particles;    at least one opening defined by a surrounding portion of said first plate which is bonded to said second plate so that said opening is isolated from said vapor chamber.    
     
     
         43 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 42  comprising at least one spacer positioned within said vapor chamber and extending between and contacting said first and second plates.  
     
     
         44 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 42  wherein said spaced-apart first and second plates include confronting interior surfaces; and 
 a wick positioned upon said confronting interior surfaces including that portion of the interior surface of said first plate that forms said surrounding portion.    
     
     
         45 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 44  wherein said wick is constructed with at least two separate sections of different materials, with one section being located on said first plate interior surface and being formed of a material with higher heat conductivity than sections located on said second plate interior surface.  
     
     
         46 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 42  wherein said first and second plates each include a peripheral lip located at an edge of said boundary structure which are bonded together.  
     
     
         47 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 42  wherein said brazing compound comprises about sixty-five percent weight copper and thirty-five percent weight gold particles such that said fillets of said brazing compound are formed between adjacent ones of said plurality of particles so as to create a network of capillary passageways between said particles.  
     
     
         48 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 42  wherein said fillets are formed by capillary action of said braze compound when in a molten state.  
     
     
         49 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 42  wherein said metal particles are selected from the group consisting of carbon, tungsten, copper, aluminum, magnesium, nickel, gold, silver, aluminum oxide, and beryllium oxide.  
     
     
         50 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 42  wherein said metal particles comprise a shape selected from the group consisting of spherical, oblate spheroid, prolate spheroid, ellipsoid, polygonal, and filament.  
     
     
         51 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 42  wherein said metal particles comprise at least one of copper spheres and oblate copper spheroids having a melting point of about one thousand eighty-three ° C.  
     
     
         52 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 42  wherein said brazing compound comprises six percent by weight of a finely divided copper/gold brazing compound.  
     
     
         53 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 42  wherein said brazing compound is present in the range from about two percent to about ten percent by weight.  
     
     
         54 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 42  wherein said braze compound is selected from the group consisting of nickel-based Nicrobrazes, silver/copper brazes, tin/silver, lead/tin, and polymers.  
     
     
         55 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 42  wherein said plurality of particles comprise aluminum and magnesium and said brazing compound comprises an aluminum/magnesium intermetallic alloy.  
     
     
         56 . A heat pipe for spreading heat comprising: 
 a boundary structure including spaced-apart first and second plates that define an enclosed vapor chamber having a capillary structure comprising a plurality of particles joined together by a brazing compound such that fillets of said brazing compound are formed between adjacent ones of said plurality of particles so as to form a network of capillary passageways between said particles;    at least one opening defined by a surrounding portion of said first plate which is bonded to said second plate so that said opening is isolated from said vapor chamber; and    at least one post formed on said second plate which projects into said vapor chamber and is bonded to said first plate.    
     
     
         57 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 56  wherein said at least one post formed on said second plate comprises a flat portion that is in contact with an inner surface of said first plate.  
     
     
         58 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 56  wherein said spaced-apart first and second plates include confronting interior surfaces; and 
 a wick positioned upon said confronting interior surfaces including that portion of the interior surface of said first plate that forms said surrounding portion.    
     
     
         59 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 56  wherein said plurality of particles comprise a first melting temperature and said brazing compound comprises a second melting temperature that is lower than said first melting temperature.  
     
     
         60 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 56  wherein said brazing compound comprises about sixty-five percent weight copper and thirty-five percent weight gold particles such that said fillets of said brazing compound are formed between adjacent ones of said plurality of particles so as to create a network of capillary passageways between said particles.  
     
     
         61 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 56  wherein said fillets are formed by capillary action of said braze compound when in a molten state.  
     
     
         62 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 56  wherein said metal particles are selected from the group consisting of carbon, tungsten, copper, aluminum, magnesium, nickel, gold, silver, aluminum oxide, and beryllium oxide.  
     
     
         63 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 56  wherein said particles comprise a shape selected from the group consisting of spherical, oblate spheroid, prolate spheroid, ellipsoid, polygonal, and filament.  
     
     
         64 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 56  wherein said particles comprise at least one of copper spheres and oblate copper spheroids having a melting point of about one thousand eighty-three ° C.  
     
     
         65 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 60  wherein said brazing compound comprises six percent by weight of a finely divided copper/gold brazing compound.  
     
     
         66 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 60  wherein said brazing compound is present in the range from about two percent to about ten percent by weight.  
     
     
         67 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 60  wherein said particles comprise copper powder comprising particles sized in a range from about twenty mesh to about two-hundred mesh.  
     
     
         68 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 56  wherein said braze compound is selected from the group consisting of nickel-based Nicrobrazes, silver/copper brazes, tin/silver, lead/tin, and polymers.  
     
     
         69 . A heat pipe for spreading heat according to  claim 56  wherein said plurality of particles comprise aluminum and magnesium and said brazing compound comprises an aluminum/magnesium intermetallic alloy.