IP Library Patent Application 11493486
Patent Application
App. No. 11/493,486

Sheet type fluid circulating apparatus and electronic device cooler structure using the same

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
11/493,486
Abstract

A sheet type fluid circulating apparatus includes: a fluid path having a closed structure provided in an inner space of a stacked flexible sheet; fluid filled in the fluid path; a fluid transport unit provided in at least a part of the fluid path of the flexible sheet to circulate the fluid in the fluid path; and a control ciruit unit for controlling the fluid transport unit. A flexible compact light-weight sheet type fluid circulating apparatus can be provided, and a circuit board or a specimen in a biomedical process can be individually and optimally cooled.

Claims (26)

1 . A sheet type fluid circulating apparatus, comprising:

a fluid path having a closed structure provided in an inner space of a stacked flexible sheet;

fluid filled in the fluid path;

a fluid transport unit provided in at least a part of the fluid path of the flexible sheet to circulate the fluid in the fluid path; and

a control ciruit unit for controlling the fluid transport unit.

2 . The sheet type fluid circulating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid transport unit has at least one displacement generator for deforming the flexible sheet by applying a voltage, and the control ciruit unit applies the voltage to the displacement generator.

3 . The sheet type fluid circulating apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the displacement generator of the fluid transport unit includes a plurality of electrodes formed on both opposite surfaces of the flexible sheet, and the fluid is moved by an electrostatic force generated by applying the voltage to the opposite electrodes from the control ciruit unit.

4 . The sheet type fluid circulating apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the displacement generator of the fluid transport unit is formed of a piezoelectric element provided on at least one surface of the flexible sheet, and the fluid is moved by a piezoelectric displacement generated by applying a voltage to the piezoelectric element from the control ciruit unit.

5 . The sheet type fluid circulating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a flux of the fluid is adjusted by controlling the fluid transport unit using a control ciruit unit.

6 . The sheet type fluid circulating apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the control ciruit unit controls at least one of an applied voltage and an applied time period to adjust the flux of the fluid.

7 . The sheet type fluid circulating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid path includes a plurality of cooling paths, a heatsink path connected to the cooling paths, and inlet and outlet paths for connecting the cooling paths with the heatsink path.

8 . The sheet type fluid circulating apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein a plurality of the cooling paths have different conductance values.

9 . The sheet type fluid circulating apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the fluid transport unit is provided in at least one of inlet and outlet sides of the cooling paths according to a plurality of the cooling paths.

10 . The sheet type fluid circulating apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an electromagnetic shield film formed on at least one surface of the flexible sheet; and

a ground section for grounding the electromagnetic shield film.

11 . The sheet type fluid circulating apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the electromagnetic shield film is formed of a conductive material using a physical deposition method or a printing method.

12 . The sheet type fluid circulating apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the conductive material is formed in a mesh shape in the electromagnetic shield film.

13 . The sheet type fluid circulating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid transport unit is a heat pipe including a vapor path provided in the fluid path and a capillary path for circulating the fluid.

14 . An electronic device cooler structure, comprising:

a heat generating portion having a plurality of heat generating sources;

a fluid circulating apparatus for cooling a plurality of the heat generating sources; and

a heatsink portion for cooling fluid in the fluid circulating apparatus,

wherein the sheet type fluid circulating apparatus according to claim 1 is used as the fluid circulating apparatus, and

wherein at least a part of the fluid paths of the sheet type fluid circulating apparatus are in contact with the heat generating sources, and a flux of the fluid flowing through the fluid path is changed based on the amount of heat generated in the heat generating sources.

15 . The electronic device cooler structure according to claim 14 , wherein the heatsink portion includes heatsink fins or an electronic cooler, and is in contact with at least a part of the fluid paths.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 24, 2008
From: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 021897/0689 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 12, 2006
From: YAMAMOTO, KENICHI; MARUYAMA, TERUO; MITSUHASHI, AKIO; SUETSUGU, DAISUKE; KURAMASU, KEIZABURO
To: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 018620/0061 →