Fastener for a heat-radiator on a chip

Details Fastener for a heat-radiator on a chip Fastener for a heat-radiator on a chip

2002-07-09

2003-12-23

Wilson, Neill (Department: 3679)

Expanded, threaded, driven, headed, tool-deformed, or locked-thr

Headed fastener element

Having resilient securing structure on shank

C411S544000, C411S552000, C411S913000, C165S080300, C024S453000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06666640

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a fastener, and more particularly to a fastener with a resilient member for installing a radiator on a chip in a computer.
2. Description of Related Art
Referring to
FIGS. 7 and 8
, a conventional fastener (
5
), by which a radiator (
20
) to lower the temperature of an operating chip (
30
) is installed on a main board (
40
), has a leg (
50
). A cone-shaped foot (
51
) of which a maximum diameter is larger that of the leg (
50
) is formed at a bottom end of the leg (
50
). A channel (
52
) is defined at a joint of the leg (
50
) and the foot (
51
). The channel (
52
) enables the foot (
51
) to be compressed, whereafter the foot (
51
) is narrow enough to be inserted through apertures (
41
) in the main board (
40
). A neck (
53
) is formed at a top end of the leg (
50
) and a head (
54
) is formed at a distal end of the neck (
53
). Two bow arms (
55
) are oppositely provided at two sides of the neck (
53
) and each has a fixed end adjacent the head (
54
) and a free end adjacent the leg (
50
).
The heat-radiator (
20
) has a plurality of first apertures (
21
) respectively aligned with a plurality of the second apertures (
41
) defined in the main board (
40
). When a user uses the fastener (
5
) to assemble the heat-radiator (
20
) on the main board (
40
), the foot (
51
) is compressed to pass through one of the first apertures (
21
) and the respective second aperture (
41
), and afterwards recovers to its original size whereby the fastener (
5
) is secured below/above the apertures (
21
,
41
). At the same time, the bow arms (
55
) are compressed to push against a top surface of the heat-radiator (
20
). Thus, the heat-radiator (
20
) is fastened on the main board (
40
).
However, the fastening effect of the conventional fastener is not satisfactory because the bow arms (
55
) each have only a small contact area with the top surface of the heat-radiator (
20
) and the fastener (
5
) does not effectively fasten. Furthermore, a heat radiator fitted with a cooling fan may suffer from vibrations coming from the fan during operation.
Another fastener (
1
′) for overcoming the disadvantages in the above one is illustrated in
FIGS. 5 and 6
. The fastener (
1
′) has a leg (
10
′). A cone-shaped foot (
11
′) of which a maximum diameter is larger than that of the leg (
10
′) is formed at a lower end of the leg (
10
′). A channel (
12
′) is transversally defined through a joint of the leg (
10
′) and the foot (
11
′). A head (
13
′) is formed at an upper end of the leg (
10
′). Two bow arms (
14
′) are oppositely formed at two sides of the leg (
10
′) each with a first end fixed on a bottom face of the head. A ring (
15
′) is formed on second ends of the bow arms (
14
′) with an opening (
16
′) for the leg (
10
′) to extend therethrough.
When the heat-radiator (
20
) is installed on the main board (
40
) by the fasteners (
1
′), the foot (
11
′) and the lower end of the leg (
10
′) are compressed to become small enough to pass through the apertures (
21
,
41
), and then they recover to their original sizes whereby the fastener (
1
′) will not be unintentionally released from the apertures (
21
,
41
). At the same time, the ring (
15
′) is pushed by the heat-radiator (
20
) towards the head (
13
′) to compress the bow arms (
14
′) whereby resiliency of the bow arms (
14
′) urges the ring (
15
′) back against a top surface of the heat-radiator (
20
), as well as pulling up the foot (
1
′) against the bottom face of the main board. Because a bottom face of the ring (
15
′) fully contacts the heat-radiator (
20
) and there is a large contact area, the heat-radiator (
20
) is tightly mounted on the main board (
40
) by the fastener (
1
) without any possibility of loosening. Furthermore, the large contact area can help to eliminate vibrations of a cooling fan installed on the main board (
40
) during operation.
However, the fastener (
1
′) generally made up of a plastic material will be softened under a high temperature caused by the chip (
30
) during operating, and the resiliency to fasten the heat-radiator (
20
) is weakened.
Therefore, the invention provides an improved fastener for a heat-radiator to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The main objective of the invention is to provide a fastener that has a resilient member provided thereon for installing a heat-radiator on a main board further securely.


REFERENCES:
patent: 6301113 (2001-10-01), Guerrero
patent: 6334750 (2002-01-01), Hsieh
patent: 6496372 (2002-12-01), Davison et al.
patent: 6526634 (2003-03-01), Hsieh

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