Heat-transfer mechanism including a liquid-metal thermal coupling
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsRichard Lidio Blanco, Jr., Douglas L. Heirich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of a heat-transfer mechanism are described. This heat-transfer mechanism includes a first heatpipe having a first end and a second end, and a second heatpipe having a third end and a fourth end. Moreover, a heatpipe coupler is thermally coupled to the second end of the first heatpipe and the third end of the second heatpipe. This heatpipe coupler includes a housing surrounding a cavity and a liquid metal contained within the cavity, thereby providing a thermal path from the first end of the first heatpipe, which is configured to couple to a condenser, to the fourth end of the second heatpipe, which is configured to couple to an evaporator.
Claims19
A heat-transfer mechanism, comprising:
- a first heatpipe having a first end and a second end;
- a second heatpipe having a third end and a fourth end;
- and
- a heatpipe coupler thermally coupled to the second end of the first heatpipe and the third end of the second heatpipe, wherein the heatpipe coupler includes:
- a housing surrounding a cavity, wherein the housing includes a body and end seals, wherein one of the end seals is rigidly coupled to the first heatpipe and another of the end seals is rigidly coupled to the second heatpipe
- a liquid metal contained within the cavity, thereby providing a thermal path from the first end of the first heatpipe, which is configured to couple to a condenser, to the fourth end of the second heatpipe, which is configured to couple to an evaporator;
- wherein said housing further comprises an additional seal that divides the cavity into two compartments that each include a portion of the liquid metal, and wherein said seal is configured to allow rotation of the two compartments of the housing with respect to each other.
A method for transporting heat from an evaporator to a condenser, comprising:
- transporting heat from the evaporator at a first end of a first heatpipe to a second end of the first heatpipe;
- thermally coupling the heat from the second end of the first heatpipe to a third end of a second heatpipe via a heatpipe coupler, wherein the heatpipe coupler includes a housing surrounding a cavity that contains a liquid metal for thermally coupling the heat from the second end of the first heatpipe to a third end of a second heatpipe, wherein the housing includes a body and end seals, wherein one of the end seals is rigidly coupled to the first heatpipe and another of the end seals is rigidly coupled to the second heatpipe and an additional seal that divides the cavity into two compartments that each include a portion of the liquid metal, and wherein said seal is configured to allow rotation of the two compartments of the housing with respect to each other;
- and
- transporting heat from the third end of the second heatpipe to the condenser at a fourth end of the second heatpipe.
A portable electronic device, comprising:
- an integrated circuit;
- a heat-transfer mechanism;
- and
- a condenser, wherein the heat-transfer mechanism includes:
- a first heatpipe having a first end, which is thermally coupled to the condenser, and a second end;
- a second heatpipe having a third end and a fourth end, which is thermally coupled to the integrated circuit;
- and
- a heatpipe coupler thermally coupled to the second end of the first heatpipe and the third end of the second heatpipe, wherein the heatpipe coupler contains:
- a housing surrounding a cavity, wherein the housing includes a body and end seals, wherein one of the end seals is rigidly coupled to the first heatpipe and another of the end seals is rigidly coupled to the second heatpipe
- a liquid metal contained within the cavity, thereby providing a thermal path from the condenser to the evaporator;
- wherein said housing further comprises an additional seal that divides the cavity into two compartments that each include a portion of the liquid metal, and wherein said seal is configured to allow rotation of the two compartments of the housing with respect to each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.