THERMAL MODULE

Abstract

A thermal module includes a copper base seat, at least one U-shaped aluminum heat pipe, an aluminum radiating fin assembly and a copper embedding layer. The copper base seat has a heat absorption side and a heat conduction side. The heat absorption side or the heat conduction side is recessed to form at least one first heat pipe receiving channel. The U-shaped aluminum heat pipe has a horizontal section as a heat absorption section and two vertical sections as condensation sections. The heat absorption section is positioned in the first heat pipe receiving channel. The aluminum radiating fin assembly has multiple radiating fins. The copper embedding layer is disposed on a surface of the heat absorption section of the U-shaped aluminum heat pipe. By means of the copper embedding layer, two different materials can be directly welded.

Claims

1. A thermal module comprising: a copper base seat having a heat absorption side and a heat conduction side, any or both of the heat absorption side and the heat conduction side being recessed to form at least one first heat pipe receiving channel; at least one U-shaped aluminum heat pipe having a horizontal section as a heat absorption section and two vertical sections as condensation sections, the heat absorption section being positioned in the first heat pipe receiving channel; an aluminum radiating fin assembly having multiple radiating fins, at least one heat dissipation flow way being defined between each two adjacent radiating fins, the heat dissipation flow way being in parallel to the heat conduction side of the copper base seat, the condensation sections being passed through the radiating fins and connected therewith; and a copper embedding layer being disposed on a surface of the heat absorption section of the U-shaped aluminum heat pipe, whereby the copper base seat can be directly welded with the U-shaped aluminum heat pipe.

2. The thermal module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radiating fins and the condensation sections of the U-shaped aluminum heat pipe are connected with each other by means of welding.

3. The thermal module as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the radiating fins of the aluminum radiating fin assembly has at least one folding edge, the folding edges of the radiating fins being connected with each other by means of lap joint so as to assemble the radiating fins with each other.

4. The thermal module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the copper embedding layer has an embedding face and a contact face respectively positioned on two opposite faces of the copper embedding layer, the embedding face being inlaid in the surface of the heat absorption section of the U-shaped aluminum heat pipe, the contact face serving as an exposed surface of the copper embedding layer and being connected with a welding material layer.

5. The thermal module as claimed in claim 1, wherein both of the heat absorption side and the heat conduction side are recessed to form the first heat pipe receiving channels.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of a first embodiment of the thermal module of the present invention;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a sectional assembled view of the first embodiment of the thermal module of the present invention; and

[0014] FIG. 3 is another sectional assembled view of the first embodiment of the thermal module of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of a first embodiment of the thermal module of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional assembled view of the first embodiment of the thermal module of the present invention. As shown in the drawings, the thermal module of the present invention includes a copper base seat 1, at least one U-shaped aluminum heat pipe 2, an aluminum radiating fin assembly 3 and a copper embedding layer 4.

[0016] The copper base seat 1 has an upper side and a lower side respectively having a heat conduction side 12 and a heat absorption side 11. The heat absorption side 11 is correspondingly attached to and assembled with at least one heat source 6 to absorb and conduct the heat of the heat source 6. The heat conduction side 12 is disposed on the copper base seat 1 opposite to the heat absorption side 11. Any or both of the heat absorption side 11 and the heat conduction side 12 are recessed to form at least one first heat pipe receiving channel 121. In this embodiment, the first heat pipe receiving channel 121 is, but not limited to, disposed on the heat conduction side 12 for illustration purpose.

[0017] The U-shaped aluminum heat pipe 2 has a horizontal section and two vertical sections connected with two ends of the horizontal section. A heat absorption section 21 is disposed on the horizontal section, while a condensation section 22 is disposed on the vertical sections. The heat absorption section 21 is positioned in the first heat pipe receiving channel 121 of the copper base seat 1.

[0018] The aluminum radiating fin assembly 3 has multiple radiating fins 31. The radiating fins 31 are side by side arranged in parallel to each other. At least one heat dissipation flow way 32 is defined between each two adjacent radiating fins 31. The heat dissipation flow way 32 is in parallel to the heat conduction side 12 of the copper base seat 1. The condensation section 22 of the U-shaped aluminum heat pipe 2 is passed through the radiating fins 31 and connected therewith. The radiating fins 31 and the condensation section 22 of the U-shaped aluminum heat pipe 2 are connected with each other by means of press fit or welding.

[0019] Please refer to FIG. 3, which is another sectional assembled view of the first embodiment of the thermal module of the present invention, showing a modified embodiment of the aluminum radiating fin assembly. Each of the radiating fins 31 of the aluminum radiating fin assembly 3 has at least one folding edge 33. The folding edges 33 of the radiating fins 31 are connected with each other by means of lap joint so as to assemble the radiating fins 31 with each other.

[0020] The copper embedding layer 4 is disposed on the surface of the heat absorption section 21 of the U-shaped aluminum heat pipe 2. The copper embedding layer 4 has an embedding face 41 and a contact face 42 respectively positioned on two opposite faces of the copper embedding layer 4. The embedding face 41 is inlaid in the surface of the heat absorption section 21 of the U-shaped aluminum heat pipe 2. The contact face 42 serves as an exposed surface of the copper embedding layer 4 and is connected with a welding material layer 5. By means of the copper embedding layer 4, the non-copper-made U-shaped aluminum heat pipe 2 and the non-copper-made aluminum radiating fin assembly 3 can be successfully, directly and securely connected with the copper base seat 1. Alternatively, by means of the welding material layer 5, the connection effect between the copper base seat 1 and the U-shaped aluminum heat pipe 2 can be enhanced.

[0021] Alternatively, a second heat pipe receiving channel can be disposed on the copper base seat 1. The first heat pipe receiving channel is disposed on the copper base seat 1 and transversely extends. The second heat pipe receiving channel is disposed on the copper base seat 1 and longitudinally extends. The first heat pipe receiving channel 121 is disposed under the second heat pipe receiving channel. The first and second heat pipe receiving channels 121 transversely and longitudinally intersect each other.

[0022] The second heat pipe receiving channel enables more U-shaped aluminum heat pipes 2 to be arranged on the copper base seat 1. In this embodiment, the U-shaped aluminum heat pipes 2 are divided into two sets. One of the two sets is first U-shaped aluminum heat pipe 2a disposed in the first heat pipe receiving channel 121, while the other of the two sets is second U-shaped aluminum heat pipe disposed in the second heat pipe receiving channel. The second U-shaped aluminum heat pipe is disposed above the first U-shaped aluminum heat pipe 2a to longitudinally overlap and intersect the first U-shaped aluminum heat pipe 2a for longitudinally conducting the heat of the copper base seat 1. Accordingly, more room per unit volume is provided for arranging more heat pipes. The copper embedding layer 4 is disposed on the heat absorption sections 21 of the first and second U-shaped aluminum heat pipes 2a, whereby the first and second U-shaped aluminum heat pipes 2a can be correspondingly directly connected with the first and second heat pipe receiving channels 121 by means of welding. Also, by means of the copper embedding layer 4 disposed on the first and second U-shaped aluminum heat pipes 2a, the transversely and longitudinally intersecting and overlapping sections of the first and second U-shaped aluminum heat pipes 2a can be directly welded with each other to enhance the connection thereof.

[0023] In addition, the copper embedding layer 4 is embedded in the surfaces of the first and second U-shaped aluminum heat pipes 2a in such a manner that a copper layer is attached to the outer surface of a material to be welded with the copper material by means of mechanical processing. A copper sheet is attached to and overlaid on the outer side of a non-copper material to be welded with the copper material. Then, by means of mechanical processing of punching, hammering, impacting, rolling and embossing, the copper sheet intrudes the outer surface of the non-copper material under external force and is securely overlaid on the outer surface of the non-copper material. Alternatively, the copper embedding layer 4 can be formed on the outer surface of the non-copper material by means of electroplating or spraying to enhance the welding ability of the non-copper material with the copper material.

[0024] In manufacturing of the conventional thermal module, the copper base seat and the copper pipe and the aluminum radiating fins are connected with each other. The copper material has better heat conduction efficiency. However, the total weight of the thermal module is quite heavy. In addition, the cost for the copper material is very high. Also, the copper pipe and the aluminum radiating fins must be connected by means of welding. However, the copper material cannot be directly welded with the aluminum material. It is necessary to first deposit a nickel coating on the section of the radiating fins, which section is to be connected with the copper base seat, by means of chemical nickel deposition so that the copper heat pipe and the aluminum radiating fins can be successfully welded and connected. The environmental pollution caused by the process of chemical nickel deposition has been gradually stressed and required to improve. Therefore, the present invention provides a thermal module, in which the copper heat pipe is replaced with aluminum heat pipe so as to reduce the total weight of the thermal module. In addition, a copper embedding layer is applied to the surface of the connected sections of the aluminum heat pipe, the aluminum radiating fins and the copper base seat, whereby the aluminum heat pipe, the aluminum radiating fins and the copper base seat can be welded and connected with each other. The present invention employs the copper embedding layer instead of the chemical electroplated nickel so as to improve the problems of the conventional thermal module that the weight is too heavy and the copper material and the aluminum heat dissipation/conduction components cannot be directly welded with each other.

[0025] The present invention has been described with the above embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in such as the form or layout pattern or practicing step of the above embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.