Flexible Heat Pipe

Abstract

A flexible metal heat pipe coated or covered with a layer of plastic material to provide the heat pipe the flexibility required in a process to bend the heat pipe without damaging the heat pipe due to over-concentrated stress at a particular section of the heat pipe.

1 . A flexible heat pipe with a metal outer wall thereof tightly coated or covered with a layer of plastic material; a plasticity of the coated layer wrapping up and confining the heat pipe to function as best supportive mold in bending and adjusting curvature of the heat pipe; and a metallic structure of the heat pipe supporting the plastic layer coated on the heat pipe to maintain a final shape of the heat pipe. 
   
   
       2 . The flexible heat pipe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein curvature and shape of the flexible heat pipe is adjusted by a summary bending device or by manual. 
   
   
       3 . The flexible heat pipe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a vaporization section and a condensation section of the heat pipe are not coated with the layer of plastic material for both sections to maintain their optimal heat transfer contact. 
   
   
       4 . The flexible heat pipe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the layer of the plastic material has Teflon, PU, PP, nylon, rubber, resin, or a plastic compound that delivers plasticity and elasticity at the same time. 
   
   
       5 . The flexible heat pipe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, a method to coat the layer of the plastic material is applicable to a round or a flat heat pipe, and also applicable to a heat pipe which wick structure is groove, mesh, fiber, powder sintering or any combination of them without affecting the existing property of the heat pipe. 
   
   
       6 . The flexible heat pipe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, a surface of the heat pipe is roughened by using a sandblasting, plating or any other chemical erosion method and is tightly coated with the plastic material by using injection molding, hot melting, cast polishing, and casting mold tools. 
   
   
       7 . The flexible heat pipe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, a solidified adhesive or other adhesive paste is sprayed on the surface of the heat pipe to improve adhesion strength between the coated layer and the metallic body of the heat pipe. 
   
   
       8 . The flexible heat pipe as claimed in  claim 1  wherein, the heat pipe allows final shaping at a customer's end and is available in module to improve flexible application of the heat pipe.