Back plate assembly for motherboard

Details Back plate assembly for motherboard Back plate assembly for motherboard

2002-03-20

2002-11-12

Thompson, Gregory (Department: 2835)

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...

For electronic systems and devices

C165S080300, C257S719000, C361S710000, C361S719000, C361S720000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06480388

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to back plate assemblies, and particularly to back plate assemblies for facilitating mounting of components onto motherboards.
2. Prior Art
Computer electronic devices such as central processing units (CPUs) frequently generate large amounts of heat, which can destabilize operation and cause damage. A heat sink placed in thermal contact with an electronic device transfers heat from the electronic device through conduction. Modern heat sinks are being made larger and larger. Therefore, a back plate is often attached on an underside of a motherboard below an electronic device mounted on the motherboard. The back plate reinforces the motherboard.
FIGS. 3-4
show a conventional back plate
1
for attachment below a motherboard
14
, the motherboard
14
having a heat sink assembly
10
secured thereon. The back plate
1
comprises a base
2
, and four U-shaped protrusions
3
extending from comers of the base
2
. Each protrusion
3
defines a cutout
4
in an outmost extremity thereof. The motherboard
14
defines four through holes (not labeled). The heat-sink assembly
10
comprises four hollow poles
12
depending from an underside thereof.
In assembly, the heat sink assembly
10
is attached on the motherboard
14
with the poles
12
extending through the through holes of the motherboard
14
. The back plate
1
is then attached to an underside of the motherboard
14
, with the cutouts
4
of the back plate
1
in communication with the corresponding through holes of the motherboard
14
. The poles
12
extend through the corresponding cutouts
4
. Screws
16
are then extended through the corresponding cutouts
4
to engage in the hollow poles
12
.
The heat sink assembly
10
and the back plate
1
are secured to the motherboard
14
with the screws
16
. The assembly process is unduly laborious. Furthermore, the back plate
1
and the motherboard
14
cannot be pre-assembled prior to attachment of the heat sink assembly
10
onto the motherboard
14
. Particularly in mass-production facilities, the assembly process is time-consuming and inconvenient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a back plate assembly which comprises a back plate pre-assembled to a motherboard.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, a back plate assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises a back plate, a plurality of posts and a plurality of clips. The back plate is attached on an underside of a motherboard for reinforcing the motherboard. The motherboard defines a plurality of through apertures. The back plate defines a plurality of through holes. Each clip comprises a round base. A star-shaped cutout is stamped in a middle of the base. A plurality of inwardly extending resilient teeth is thereby formed in the base. The teeth slant upwardly from a periphery of the base toward a middle of the cutout.
In assembly, the posts are extended through the corresponding through holes and through apertures. The clips are then placed on top ends of the posts and downwardly pushed until the clips abut the motherboard. The teeth are elastically deformed to thereby securely retain the posts in the motherboard. The back plate is thus securely attached to the motherboard.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with attached drawings, in which:


REFERENCES:
patent: 5883782 (1999-03-01), Thurston et al.
patent: 5883783 (1999-03-01), Turturro
patent: 5894408 (1999-04-01), Stark et al.
patent: 6141220 (2000-10-01), Lin

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