Methods and devices for treating diseases and conditions that change the spacial relationship between the vertebral bodies and the intervertebral disks, or that cause instability of the vertebral column, or both, and a method and devices that allow the surgeon to access the intervertebral space to restore a more normal three-dimensional configuration of the space, with or without additionally fusing two adjacent vertebrae.

Transpedicular intervertebral disk access methods and devices

A heat spreading apparatus (20) includes a first planar body (22) for attachment to a heat generating surface and a second planar body (21) connected to the first planar body (22) defining a void therebetween. The void contains a vaporizing fluid and includes a planar capillary path (50) and a non-capillary path (32).

Thin, planar heat spreader

A solar cell module includes: two solar cells, each including an photoelectric conversion body 10a, 10b having first and second main faces and generating photogenerated carriers, a first electrode provided on the first main face, and a second electrode provided on the first or second main face and having a polarity opposite to that of the first electrode; and a wiring member 2a for electrically connecting the first electrode of one of the two solar cells to the second electrode of the other solar cell. The first electrode has a plurality of finger electrodes for collecting the photogenerated carriers generated in the photoelectric conversion body 10a and a bus-bar electrode 11a for collecting the photogenerated carriers collected by the plurality of finger electrodes. The wiring member 2a is connected onto the bus-bar electrode 11a of the one solar cell through a connection layer 13 formed of a conductive resin containing conductive material. The connection layer 13 is also in contact with the first main face of the photoelectric conversion body 10a.

Solar cell module

An apparatus for spreading the heat generated by a semiconductor device. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device, such as a CPU, is mounted to a package substrate. A cover is attached to the package substrate creating a space therebetween for accommodating the semiconductor device. The package cover includes an external top surface and an external bottom surface and an inner cavity that comprises a heat pipe. The semiconductor device is thermally coupled to the bottom external surface of the cover.

Heat pipe lid for electronic packages

A two-phase liquid cooling system has a container structure that has at least one wall with sufficient flexibility that the wall expands as the coolant vapor expands thereby maintaining the internal container pressure substantially the same as the ambient environmental pressure. Coolant boiling overshoot is reduced by allowing residual gases to remain in the cooling system. More particularly, sufficient residual gas is maintained in the system so that some of the gas dissolves in the liquid coolant when the device is not operating and is at ambient temperature. During warm-up, the residual gas comes out of solution and creates nucleation sites that initiate boiling and prevent overshoot. Additional nucleation sites can also be added to reduce overshoot by treating the inside surfaces of the container structure, for example by laser machining, to create nucleation sites.

Two-phase component cooler

The disclosure is for a heat pipe in the form of a simple foil envelope and a method of constructing such a heat pipe. Two plastic coated metal foil sheets are sealed together on all four edges to enclose a semi-rigid channeled sheet of plastic foam, and the envelope is evacuated and loaded with a suitable quantity of liquid to act as a heat pipe. Despite the use of the essentially poor thermally conductive materials such as the plastic coating on the surface of the casing and the foam plastic for the wick, the apparatus operates well as a heat spreader for an integrated circuit chip placed in contact with the envelope surface. The heat is transferred across the thin plastic coating with only a small temperature differential, and the foam plastic wick with channels efficiently transports condensed liquid back to the heat input location for evaporation.

Electrically insulated envelope heat pipe

A flat cooling plate which is assembled with individual heat pipes which are annealed, flattened tubes with sintered wicks formed within them. The completely constructed and pre-tested heat pipes are set into slots in a spacer plate which is sandwiched between two unslotted flat sheets. For assembly, bonding material is placed between the slotted plate and unslotted sheets, and the assembly is heated to the bonding material working temperature while compressed in a press in order to prevent damage from excessive internal heat pipe pressure.

Heat pipe cooling plate

The apparatus is a cooling device for an integrated circuit chip which includes a heat conductive pad for contact with the top surface of the chip and for attachment to a heat pipe to dispose of the heat. One surface of the pad is flat and contacts the circuit chip while the opposite surface of the pad is attached to a simple cylindrical heat pipe. The pad includes extensions from its sides to which a holding fixture applies force so that the pad is held tightly against the chip. The holding fixture is held on the mounting board by screws while the top of the pad which is attached to the heat pipe protrudes through a hole in the holding fixture. A finned heat exchanger is attached to an end of the heat pipe remote from the conductive pad.

Integrated circuit cooling apparatus

An apparatus is a heat conducting connection between a heat pipe and a structure such as an integrated circuit heat sink. The heat sink contains a groove with extension tabs protruding above edges of the groove so that the tabs can be bent over to hold the heat pipe in the groove which is dimensioned to give a clearance space around the heat pipe. When the tabs are bent down far enough to deform the heat pipe or a heat conductive hardening material is used to fill the clearance space, the heat pipe is fixed in place. If the tabs are bent down to barely contact the heat pipe and a heat conductive non-hardening material is used to fill the clearance space, the heat pipe can still be rotated within the groove.

Integrated circuit heat sink with rotatable heat pipe

The apparatus is a device for transferring heat across the hinged joint between the two sections of the case of a laptop computer. Two simple heat pipe cylinders are inserted into parallel cylindrical holes in a heat conductive block. One cylinder is bonded within its hole, and the other cylinder is permitted to rotate within its hole. The axis of the rotatable cylinder is located in line with the axis of the mechanical hinges which permit the panels to pivot relative to each other. A heat producing device in one panel can be then attached to one heat pipe, and a heat sink on the other panel can be attached to the other heat pipe. The heat transfer between the heat source and the heat sink is essentially that of a heat pipe except for the very short heat conductive path through the solid block and the one rotating joint.

George Anthony Meyer

Papers

Electrically insulated envelope heat pipe

Heat pipe cooling plate

Integrated circuit cooling apparatus

Integrated circuit heat sink with rotatable heat pipe

Heat pipes inserted into first and second parallel holes in a block for transferring heat between hinged devices