Heat transfer plate and heat pipe mounting structure and method

Abstract

A metal heat transfer plate and heat pipe mounting structure includes a metal heat transfer plate and heat pipes embedded in the metal heat transfer plate in a flush manner. The metal heat transfer plate and heat pipe mounting method includes the steps of punching mounting slots in a metal heat transfer plate, processing each mounting slot into a respective flanged hole, reversely stamping each flanged hole to form top and bottom protruding flanges around each mounting slot, stamping each bottom protruding flange to create an insertion chamber, and press-fitting a flat heat pipe into each mounting slot and then stamping each top protruding flange into a respective deformed top protruding flange to wrap about one respective heat pipe and to keep each deformed top protruding flange flush with the top surface of the metal heat transfer plate and each heat pipe.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A metal heat transfer plate and heat pipe mounting structure, comprising:
 a metal heat transfer plate comprising at least one mounting slot cut through opposing top and bottom surfaces thereof, a top protruding flange upwardly protruding from the top surface thereof around each said mounting slot, a bottom protruding flange downwardly protruding from the bottom surface thereof around each said mounting slot, and an insertion chamber defined in each said mounting slot within an inner wall of the respective said bottom protruding flange; and   at least one flat heat pipe respectively press-fitted into the insertion chamber in one respective said mounting slot in said metal heat transfer plate;   wherein each said top protruding flange is deformed to wrap about one said heat pipe in the respective said insertion chamber to keep each deformed said top protruding flange flush with said metal heat transfer plate and each said heat pipe.   
     
     
         2 . The metal heat transfer plate and heat pipe mounting structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said bottom protruding flange around each said mounting slot in said metal heat transfer plate has a predetermined height defined as A, each said heat pipe has a predetermined thickness defined as B, said metal heat transfer plate has a predetermined thickness defined as C, and A+C≧B. 
     
     
         3 . The heat transfer plate and heat pipe mounting structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said metal heat transfer plate further comprises at least one thin strip suspending at a bottom side of each said mounting slot for supporting each said heat pipe in the insertion chamber in one respective said mounting slot. 
     
     
         4 . The metal heat transfer plate and heat pipe mounting structure as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein each said thin strip is connected between two opposite lateral sides of one said mounting slot. 
     
     
         5 . A metal heat transfer plate and heat pipe mounting method, comprising the steps of:
 (1) punching at least one mounting slot in a metal heat transfer plate to create at least one thin strip at a bottom side of each created said mounting slot;   (2) employing stamping and extruding techniques to process each said mounting slot into a respective flanged hole having an elongated flange at one side of said metal heat transfer plate;   (3) reversely stamping each said flanged hole to form a top protruding flange and a bottom protruding flange at opposing top and bottom surfaces of said metal heat transfer plate around each said mounting slot;   (4) stamping each said bottom protruding flange to create an insertion chamber in each said mounting slot so that each created said insertion chamber is surrounded by one respective said top protruding flange and one respective said bottom protruding flange and at least one said thin strip; and   (5) press-fitting one flat heat pipe into each said mounting slot in the metal heat transfer plate to let each said flat heat pipe be supported on at least one said thin strip, and then stamping each said top protruding flange around each said mounting slot into a respective deformed top protruding flange to wrap about one respective said heat pipe and to keep each said deformed top protruding flange flush with the top surface of said metal heat transfer plate and each said heat pipe.   
     
     
         6 . The metal heat transfer plate and heat pipe mounting structure as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said metal heat transfer plate further comprises at least one extension strip extended from each said thin strip and connected to a border area of one respective said mounting slot or to another said thin strip.