Clip for securing heat sink to electronic device package

Details Clip for securing heat sink to electronic device package Clip for securing heat sink to electronic device package

2000-09-25

2001-10-16

Tolin, Gerald (Department: 2835)

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...

For electronic systems and devices

C361S707000, C361S717000, C361S718000, C361S719000, C257S718000, C257S719000, C165S080200, C411S508000, C411S509000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06304452

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for securing a heat sink to an electronic device package, and particularly to a clip that secures a heat sink to an electronic device package.
2. The Related Art
A heat sink for dissipating heat generated by an electronic device package is usually mounted in contact with the package, whereby it conducts the heat away from the package and dissipates the heat by radiation and convection. Various means have been used for putting heat sinks in intimate thermal contact with electronic device packages. For instance, a heat sink may be attached to an electronic device package by an adhesive. However, a heat sink attached in this manner often peels away from the package during transportation, resulting in failure of the assembly. Furthermore, it is extremely difficult to remove such a heat sink from the electronic device package.
To solve the above problem, clips are used to attach a heat sink to an electronic device package. For example, referring to
FIGS. 5 and 6
, a conventional clip device is composed of a plurality of fasteners
1
. Each fastener
1
has a body
14
for being securely received in a slot
22
defined in a heat sink
2
, and a latch
16
extending from the body
14
. In assembly, the body
14
of each fastener
1
is respectively received in the corresponding slot
22
of the heat sink
2
. The latch
16
of the fastener
1
elastically engages with a corresponding bottom edge of an electronic device package
3
. Thus the heat sink
2
is attached to the electronic device package
3
by the clip. However, this conventional clip device limits horizontal displacement of the heat sink
2
merely by means of limited friction between the surfaces of the various movable parts. Thus the heat sink
2
easily slides off in a horizontal direction. In addition, the clip device is easily damaged due to over distortion during assembling of the heat sink
2
to the package
3
or during disassembling thereof.
Therefore, an improved means of securing a heat sink to an electronic device package is desired, to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a clip that readily attaches a heat sink to an electronic device package, and is readily detached therefrom.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a clip which securely attaches a heat sink to an electronic device package.
To achieve the above-mentioned objects, a clip in accordance with the present invention comprises a pin and a leaf spring. The pin includes a columnar body, an expanded head formed at a top end of the body, and a cone-shaped plug formed at a bottom end of the body opposite the head. A slot is defined through the plug and a bottom portion of the body to enable the plug to elastically deform. The plug is thus adapted for extending through the heat sink and engaging with a printed circuit board. A flange extends perpendicularly from the body between the head and the plug. The leaf spring includes a base, with an opening defined therein for extension of the pin therethrough. A pair of inflexed prolongations extends progressively downwards from opposite corners of the base. The width of each prolongation is less than half that of the base from which it extends.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings, in which:


REFERENCES:
patent: 5384940 (1995-01-01), Soule et al.
patent: 5730210 (1998-03-01), Kou
patent: 5870286 (1999-02-01), Butterbaugh et al.
patent: 6104614 (2000-08-01), Chou et al.
patent: 6212074 (2001-04-01), Gonsalves et al.

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