Heat pipe assembly and method

Abstract

A heat transfer system includes a housing, an annealed heat pipe coupled to the housing, and a heat source coupled to the housing. The heat pipe exerts a biasing force in a direction toward the heat source when the heat pipe is in thermal communication with the heat source.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat transfer system comprising:
 a housing;   an annealed heat pipe coupled to the housing; and   a heat source coupled to the housing, wherein the heat pipe is configured to exert a biasing force in a direction toward the heat source when the heat pipe is in thermal communication with the heat source.   
     
     
         2 . The heat transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat pipe has a curved profile. 
     
     
         3 . The heat transfer system of  claim 2 , wherein the heat pipe has a J-shaped curved profile. 
     
     
         4 . The heat transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat pipe includes a bellows. 
     
     
         5 . The heat transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the heat pipe includes a flattened cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         6 . The heat transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat pipe includes a first end and a second, opposite end, wherein the second end is fixed to the housing and the first end is movable to different positions with respect to the second end. 
     
     
         7 . The heat transfer system of  claim 6 , wherein the housing includes a first mounting wall and a second, opposite mounting wall spaced from the first mounting wall, wherein the first and second mounting walls define an interior cavity therebetween in the housing, wherein the second end of the heat pipe is fixed to the second mounting wall. 
     
     
         8 . The heat transfer system of  claim 7 , wherein the first end of the heat pipe is disposed inside the interior cavity, and is spaced from both the first and second mounting walls. 
     
     
         9 . The heat transfer system of  claim 7 , wherein the heat source is in direct contact with the first mounting wall. 
     
     
         10 . The heat transfer system of  claim 6 , further comprising at least one adjustable fastener configured to pull the first end of the heat pipe toward the heat source. 
     
     
         11 . The heat transfer system of  claim 6 , further comprising a heat plate, wherein the first end of the heat pipe is coupled to the heat plate, wherein the heat source is disposed between the heat plate and the first mounting wall. 
     
     
         12 . The heat transfer system of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one fastener that is configured to both couple the heat plate to the housing and to adjust pressure on the heat source. 
     
     
         13 . The heat transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one portion of the heat pipe is out of plane with respect to a different portion of the heat pipe when the heat pipe is in thermal communication with the heat source. 
     
     
         14 . The heat transfer system of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one portion is out of plane with respect to the different portion in an unstressed state of the heat pipe. 
     
     
         15 . The heat transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat pipe is a first heat pipe, further comprising a second heat pipe, wherein the first and second heat pipes each include an evaporator region that is coupled to the heat source so as to receive heat from the heat source and to move the heat away from the heat source. 
     
     
         16 . The heat transfer system of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second heat pipes each include a condenser region that is fixed to the housing. 
     
     
         17 . The heat transfer system of  claim 15 , wherein the first heat pipe is configured to move heat away from the heat source in a first direction, and the second heat pipe is configured to move heat away from the heat source in a second, opposite direction. 
     
     
         18 . The heat transfer system of  claim 17 , wherein the first heat pipe and the second heat pipe each have a J-shaped profile. 
     
     
         19 . The heat transfer system of  claim 18 , wherein the J-shaped profiles face in opposite directions. 
     
     
         20 . A heat transfer system comprising:
 a housing;   a first annealed heat pipe coupled to the housing, the first heat pipe having an evaporator region and a condenser region;   a second annealed heat pipe coupled to the housing, the second heat pipe having an evaporator region and a condenser region;   a heat source coupled to the housing;   a heat plate, wherein the evaporator regions of the first and second heat pipes are both coupled to the heat plate;   wherein the evaporator region of the first heat pipe is positioned relative to the heat source so as to remove heat from the heat source and to direct the heat in a first direction, and wherein the evaporator region of the second heat pipe is positioned relative to the heat source so as to remove heat from the heat source and to direct the heat in a second direction different from the first direction.   
     
     
         21 . A heat transfer system comprising:
 a housing;   a first annealed heat pipe coupled to the housing, the first heat pipe having an evaporator region and a condenser region, wherein the evaporator region and the condenser region of the first heat pipe are out of plane with respect to one another in an unstressed state of the first heat pipe;   a second annealed heat pipe coupled to the housing, the second heat pipe having an evaporator region and a condenser region, wherein the evaporator region and the condenser region of the second heat pipe are out of plane with respect to one another in an unstressed state of the second heat pipe;   wherein the evaporator regions of the first and second heat pipes extend parallel to one another, and wherein the condenser regions of the first and second heat pipes extend parallel to one another.   
     
     
         22 . A heat transfer system comprising:
 a housing;   a heat pipe coupled to the housing; and   a heat source coupled to the housing, wherein the heat pipe is configured to exert a biasing force in a direction away from the heat source when the heat pipe is in thermal communication with the heat source.