Heat-dissipating device with grounding capability

Details Heat-dissipating device with grounding capability Heat-dissipating device with grounding capability

2002-12-13

2003-11-04

Chervinsky, Boris L. (Department: 2835)

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...

For electronic systems and devices

C361S704000, C361S707000, C361S709000, C361S818000, C257S706000, C257S718000, C257S719000, C257S727000, C174S016300, C165S080300, C165S185000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06643137

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a heat-dissipating device, more particularly to a heat-dissipating device with a grounding capability.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the increase in the computing speeds of central processing units (CPU) and other computing semiconductor chips, the heat generated thereby is also on the rise. In order to prevent undesired heat accumulation, which can result in chip malfunction or damage, heat-dissipating devices are widely used to achieve a heat-dissipating effect. Since the heat-dissipating devices usually include a heat-conductive and electrically conductive metal member that abuts against a heat-radiating side of semiconductor chips, when the metal member is grounded, an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effect can be achieved at the same time.
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a conventional heat-dissipating device
1
is shown to be adapted to be mounted on a circuit board
2
. The circuit board
2
includes a main body
21
with an intermediate grounding layer
22
, and a socket connector
23
mounted on a top surface of the main body
21
for mounting an electronic component
3
, such as an integrated circuit chip, on the main body
21
. The heat-dissipating device
1
includes a heat-dissipating member
11
formed with a plurality of heat-dissipating fins
111
, and a plurality of resilient members
12
connected to the main body
21
and surrounding the socket connector
23
. As shown in
FIG. 2
, the resilient members
12
are made of a bent metal material, such as copper, and are generally C-shaped. The resilient members
12
are connected electrically, such as by soldering, to grounding points
24
of the circuit board
2
using known surface mounting techniques (SMT). The grounding points
24
are connected electrically to the grounding layer
22
(see FIG.
1
). Referring again to
FIG. 1
, the heat-dissipating member
11
is further formed with a plurality of contact portions
112
corresponding to the resilient members
12
, respectively. When the heat-dissipating member
11
is secured to the socket connector
23
by means of screw fasteners
13
, the contact portions
112
abut against the resilient members
12
, respectively, thereby connecting electrically the heat-dissipating member
11
to the grounding layer
22
to achieve-a grounding effect.
However, the resilient members
12
are highly susceptible to elastic deformation after a period of use due to the C-shaped configuration thereof. Moreover, inappropriate positioning or excessive exerted forces when mounting the heat-dissipating member
11
will tend to deform the contact portions
112
. In both situations, poor electrical contact between the resilient members
12
and the heat-dissipating member
11
arises, thereby resulting in inferior electromagnetic interference shielding. Furthermore, since grounding of the heat-dissipating member
11
is achieved through the resilient members
12
, vibrations generated during delivery or use may result in detaching of the resilient members
12
either temporarily or permanently from the circuit board
2
, which can disable the electromagnetic interference shielding effect.
In addition, aside from providing a grounding effect, the resilient members
12
also provide supporting and buffering functions for the contact portions
112
. As such, the resilient members
12
must be distributed around the socket connector
23
. In practice, not only will there be a need to allocate a lot of space for the resilient members
12
, the circuit layout on the circuit board
2
must also take into consideration both the positions of the resilient members
12
and the configuration of the heat-dissipating member
11
. Increased complexity in design and difficulty in space allocation are thus encountered.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a heat-dissipating device with a grounding capability and capable of effectively shielding electromagnetic interference.
Accordingly, the heat-dissipating device of this invention is adapted for use with a multi-layer circuit board having a grounding layer and that has an electronic component mounted thereon. The heat-dissipating device comprises:
a heat-dissipating member made of a heat-conductive and electrically conductive material and adapted to be disposed on a heat-radiating side of the electronic component;
a grounding member made of an electrically conductive material, the grounding member including a grounding tail and a grounding body connected to the grounding tail, the grounding tail being adapted to pass through the circuit board to connect electrically with the grounding layer and to dispose the grounding body between the heat-dissipating member and the circuit board; and
a connecting member made of an electrically conductive material, interconnecting the heat-dissipating member and the grounding member, and adapted to be secured on the circuit board, thereby retaining the heat-dissipating member on the circuit board, the connecting member cooperating with the grounding member to make electrical connection between the heat-dissipating member and the grounding layer of the circuit board.


REFERENCES:
patent: 6071128 (2000-06-01), Brewington et al.
patent: 6075700 (2000-06-01), Houghton et al.
patent: 6205026 (2001-03-01), Wong et al.
patent: 6226185 (2001-05-01), Lin
patent: 6296520 (2001-10-01), Horng
patent: 6362977 (2002-03-01), Tucker et al.
patent: 6377474 (2002-04-01), Archambeault et al.
patent: 6442045 (2002-08-01), Goodwin et al.
patent: 6473305 (2002-10-01), Gordon et al.

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