Heat pipe

Claim 2

A heat pipe comprising: a. a hollow envelope having a sealed wall structure, said wall structure including a heat input zone and a heat output zone; b. capillary means contiguously disposed on at least a portion of the inner surface of said wall structure, said portion including said heat input zone and said heat output zone; c. a working medium within said envelope vaporizable below the operating temperature of said heat pipe; and d. a vapor duct mounted within said envelope, said vapor duct having a larger end adjacent to the boundary between said heat input and said output zones and contiguous with said capillary means, and a narrower end located adjacent to the enclosed end of said heat pipe in said heat output zone.

Claim 3

A heat pipe as described in claim 1 wherein said vapor duct comprises: a. a tubular structure having a flared end adjacent to the boundary between said heat input and said heat output zones, the Outer edge of said flared end being contiguous with said capillary means, and a narrower end located at a point adjacent to the enclosed end of said heat pipe in said heat output zone; and b. said tubular structure having a uniform diameter substantially smaller than the inside diameter of said capillary means at all points except at said flared end.

Claim 4

A heat pipe as described in claim 2 wherein said vapor duct includes: a. a rim around said narrower end of said vapor duct which extends outwardly and is curved to form a lip around said narrower end of said vapor duct; and b. a configuration of the end of said heat pipe in said heat output zone forming a reentrant arch of rotation about a point located adjacent to and coaxially with the center of said vapor duct at said narrower end.

Claim 5

A heat pipe as described in claim 2 wherein said vapor duct is attached to said capillary means at said flared end, and radial braces extend from said capillary means to said vapor duct adjacent to said narrower end of said vapor duct.

Claim 6

A heat pipe comprising: a. a hollow envelope having a sealed wall structure, said wall structure including a heat input zone, a heat output zone, and an adiabatic zone between said heat input and said heat output zones; b. capillary means contiguously disposed on at least a portion of the inner surface of said wall structure, said portion including said heat input, said heat output, and said adiabatic zones; c. a working medium vaporizable below the operating temperature of said heat pipe; and d. a vapor duct mounted within said envelope, said vapor duct having a larger end adjacent to the boundary between said adiabatic and said heat output zones, extending into said adiabatic zone, and contiguous with said capillary means, and a narrower end located adjacent to the enclosed end of said heat pipe in said heat output zone.

Claim 7

A heat pipe comprising: a. a hollow envelope having a sealed wall structure, said wall structure including a heat input zone, a heat output zone, and an adiabatic zone between said heat input and said heat output zones; b. capillary means contiguously disposed on at least a portion of the inner surface of said wall structure, said portion including said heat input, said heat output, and said adiabatic zones; c. a working medium vaporizable below the operating temperature of said heat pipe; and d. a vapor duct mounted within said envelope, said vapor duct having a larger end adjacent to the boundary between said adiabatic and said heat output zones, extending into said adiabatic zone, and contiguous with said capillary means, and a narrower end located adjacent to the enclosed end of said heat pipe in said heat output zone.

Claim 8

A heat pipe as described in claim 5 wherein said vapor duct comprises: a. a tubular structure having a narrower end adjacent to the enclosed end of said heat pipe in said heat output region, a flared end terminating in a cylindrical tube having a diameter approximately equal to the inside diameter of said capillary means, said cylindrical tube extending through said adiabatic zone; and b. said tubular structure having a uniform diameter substantially smaller than the inside diameter of said capillary means at all points within said heat output zone except at said flared end.

Claim 9

A heat pipe as described in claim 6 wherein said cylindrical tube at the flared end of said vapor duct is attached to said capillary means within said adiabatic zone.

Claim 10

A heat pipe as described in claim 6 wherein said vapor duct includes: a. a lip around said narrower end of said vapor duct; and b. a configuration of the end of said heat pipe in said heat output zone forming a reentrant arch of rotation about a point located adjacent to and coaxially with the center of said vapor duct at said narrower end.