Sheet-like heat pipe, and electronic device provided with same

1. A sheet-like heat pipe, comprising:

a container in which peripheries of sheet-like members disposed facing each other are bonded at a bonded part to form a cavity inside; and

a working liquid which is enclosed in the cavity of the container, wherein

at least one of the sheet-like members disposed facing each other is formed with protruding pieces which project outwards from the bonded part with the other sheet-like member and include a spring structure which causes the container to elastically abut a heat-generating element of an electronic device, so that the container directly contacts an entire surface of one side of the heat-generating element without the spring structure and the protruding pieces directly contacting the heat-generating element, the protruding pieces including the spring structure are formed at several locations so as to generate load in different directions on a periphery of the container which abuts the heat-generating element, and the at least one of the sheet-like members and the protruding pieces including the spring structure together form a single integral piece,

the protruding pieces project outwards from the container in a direction of extension of the container, and

the protruding pieces are abutted against and held at latching parts formed in the electronic device so that the container closely contacts, by a restoring force of the spring structure of the protruding pieces, the heat-generating element with a predetermined elastic force, and so that the container dissipates heat from the heat-generating element.

2. The sheet-like heat pipe according to claim 1 , wherein

when a maximum stress to be applied to a portion of the protruding pieces including the spring structure of the sheet-like members disposed facing each other is σmax, the sheet-like members are formed by a material including a bearing force greater than σmax.

3. The sheet-like heat pipe according to claim 2 , wherein

the protruding pieces are set to include at least a load of 100 gf generated by the spring structure.

4. The sheet-like heat pipe according to claim 1 , wherein

the protruding pieces including the spring structure are formed on an entire periphery of the container which abuts the heat-generating element.

5. The sheet-like heat pipe according to claim 1 , wherein

a positioning opening is formed in the protruding pieces.

6. The sheet-like heat pipe according to claim 1 , wherein

the sheet-like members disposed facing each other are bonded by either laser welding, seam welding, cold pressure welding, diffusion bonding, or brazing.

7. The sheet-like heat pipe according to claim 1 , wherein

at least a piece of wick structure which generates capillary force is provided in the container.

8. The sheet-like heat pipe according to claim 1 , wherein

an inside of the sheet-like members disposed facing each other to form the container is subjected to a surface treatment to allow transportation of the working liquid by a capillary force.

9. An electronic device, comprising:

the sheet-like heat pipe according to claim 1 ; and

the latching parts which latch the protruding pieces of the sheet-like heat pipe, wherein

the latching parts apply the restoring force to the spring structure of the protruding pieces to cause the container to abut the heat-generating element.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein

the protruding pieces are bent, and a bent part of the protruding pieces is elastically deformed to cause the container to elastically abut the heat-generating element at the predetermined elastic force.

11. The sheet-like heat pipe according to claim 1 , wherein the protruding pieces of one of the sheet-like members cross over the protruding pieces of the other sheet-like member in a cross-sectional view cut through both the one of the sheet-like members and the other sheet-like member.

12. The sheet-like heat pipe according to claim 1 , wherein under the predetermined elastic force, the protruding pieces bend against the restoring force of the spring structure of the protruding pieces while the container does not substantially bend.

13. The sheet-like heat pipe according to claim 1 , wherein only the container contacts the heat-generating element.

14. The sheet-like heat pipe according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined elastic force is in a range of 100 gf to 5 kgf.

15. A sheet-like heat pipe, comprising:

a container in which peripheries of sheet-like members disposed facing each other are bonded at a bonded part to form a cavity inside; and

a working liquid which is enclosed in the cavity of the container, wherein

at least one of the sheet-like members disposed facing each other is formed with protruding pieces which project outwards from the bonded part with the other sheet-like member and include a spring structure which causes the container to elastically abut a heat-generating element of an electronic device, so that the container directly contacts an entire surface of one side of the heat-generating element without the protruding pieces directly contacting the heat-generating element, the protruding pieces including the spring structure are formed at several locations so as to generate load in different directions on a periphery of the container which abuts the heat-generating element, and the at least one of the sheet-like members and the protruding pieces including the spring structure together form a single integral piece, and

the protruding pieces of one of the sheet-like members cross over the protruding pieces of the other sheet-like member in a cross-sectional view cut through both the one of the sheet-like members and the other sheet-like member.