Thin sheet type heat pipe

Abstract

A thin sheet type heat pipe is disclosed. The heat pipe may include a hermetically sealed container that is formed of foil sheets opposed and jointed at peripheral portions. The heat pipe may further include at least one spacer including a sheet having a fluid path and exerting a capillary force, which is movably housed in the container without bonding between the spacer and the container for maintaining flexibility to allow the container to be bent smoothly. The heat pipe may also include a working fluid enclosed in the container.

1 . A thin sheet type heat pipe comprising:
 a hermetically sealed container which is formed of foil sheets opposed and jointed at peripheral portions;   at least one spacer comprising a sheet having a fluid path and exerting a capillary force, which is movably housed in said container without bonding between said spacer and said container for maintaining flexibility to allow said container to be bent smoothly; and   a working fluid enclosed in said container.   
   
   
       2 . The thin sheet type heat pipe according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one spacer comprises a sheet and said fluid path is formed in a longitudinal direction of said sheet. 
   
   
       3 . The thin sheet type heat pipe according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one spacer comprises: a first spacer which is a sheet with a fluid path formed in a longitudinal direction of the sheet; and a second spacer which is a sheet with a fluid path formed in a direction perpendicular to the fluid path of said first spacer, said first spacer and said second spacer being arranged movably. 
   
   
       4 . The thin sheet type heat pipe according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one spacer comprises: a first spacer which is a sheet with a plurality of fluid paths formed in parallel and in a longitudinal direction of the sheet; and two third spacers which are sheets with no fluid path, said first spacer being sandwiched by said two third spacers, and said first spacer and said two third spacers being movably arranged. 
   
   
       5 . The thin sheet type heat pipe according to  claim 4 , wherein said two third spacers are different in thickness from each other. 
   
   
       6 . The thin sheet type heat pipe according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one spacer comprises one-piece spacers of at least two out of three kinds including: a first spacer which is a sheet with a fluid path formed in a longitudinal direction of the sheet; a second spacer which is a sheet with a fluid path formed in a direction perpendicular to the fluid path of said first spacer; and a third spacer which is a sheet with no fluid path, a plurality of holes being provided between said one-piece spacers of different kinds, said one piece spacers being folded at a portion at which the holes are formed in such a manner that one spacer of the one-piece spacers is superimposed on another. 
   
   
       7 . The thin sheet type heat pipe according to  claim 3 , wherein said second spacer is made of a mesh. 
   
   
       8 . The thin sheet type heat pipe according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one spacer comprises: a first spacer which is a sheet with a plurality of fluid paths formed in parallel and in a longitudinal direction of the sheet; and two fourth spacers which are sheets each having communication paths at portions corresponding to ends of the fluid paths of said first spacer and having a plurality of holes at a predetermined portion in a center part, said first spacer being sandwiched by said two fourth spacers, the foils of said container being jointed by spot welding at portions corresponding to the holes of the fourth spacers so that the spacers are movably arranged. 
   
   
       9 . The thin sheet type heat pipe according to  claim 4 , wherein said first spacer is formed of a mesh sheet. 
   
   
       10 . The thin sheet type heat pipe according to  claim 4 , wherein said first spacer is formed by wrapping a mesh around the sheet. 
   
   
       11 . The thin sheet type heat pipe according to  claim 4 , wherein said first spacer is formed of a tatami mesh. 
   
   
       12 . The thin sheet type heat pipe according to  claim 3 , wherein a surface of said first spacer, said second spacer, each of said third spacers or each of said fourth spacers is finely roughened. 
   
   
       13 . A thin sheet type heat pipe comprising:
 a hermetically sealed container which is formed of foil sheets opposed and jointed at peripheral portions;   at least one spacer which is movably housed in said container without bonding between said spacer and said container for maintaining flexibility to allow said container to be bent smoothly, exerts a capillary force, and has a fluid path;   at least one spacer which is movably housed in said container and has no fluid path; and   a working fluid enclosed in said container.   
   
   
       14 . The thin sheet type heat pipe according to  claim 13 , wherein said at least one spacer having a fluid path comprises at least two stacked spacers which have fluid paths of same shape. 
   
   
       15 . The thin sheet type heat pipe according to  claim 13 , wherein said at least one spacer having a fluid path comprises at least two stacked spacers which have fluid paths of different shape. 
   
   
       16 . The thin sheet type heat pipe according to  claim 14 , wherein said at least two stacked spacers are fixed to each other. 
   
   
       17 . The thin sheet type heat pipe according to  claim 13 , wherein said at least one spacer with no fluid path comprises stacked spacers of foil or porous sheets or stacked spacers of both of a foil sheet and a porous sheet. 
   
   
       18 . The thin sheet type heat pipe according to  claim 13 , wherein said at least one spacer with no fluid path is arranged in parallel with one surface of said at least one spacer with a fluid path, when said at least one spacer with no fluid path comprises at least two spacers, said spacers with no fluid path sandwiches said at least one spacer with a fluid path, or said at least one spacer with no fluid path is wrapped in a spiral fashion around said at least one spacer with a fluid path. 
   
   
       19 . The thin sheet type heat pipe according to  claim 13 , wherein a cross section of said fluid path has a width of from 1.5 mm to 3 mm inclusive and a height of from 0.3 mm to 1.0 mm inclusive. 
   
   
       20 . The thin sheet type heat pipe according to  claim 13 , wherein said at least one spacer with no fluid path has a thickness of from 0.05 mm to 0.15 mm inclusive.