Heat sink fastener

Details Heat sink fastener Heat sink fastener

2002-05-30

2002-11-05

Paumen, Gary (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With supporting means for coupling part

Coupling part or mating part extending into panel opening

C439S485000, C411S503000, C411S512000, C411S513000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06475030

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a heat sink fastener, and more particularly to a fastener that is easy to equip to an IC heat sink and has the advantages of long use life.
2. Related Art
Based on the unceasing development of the scientific techniques, many helpful electrical products are used to improve our lives, wherein currently the computer and its peripheral instruments bring the most significant effects to people. A CPU, the main core of a computer and vital for data processing, computation, etc. generally generates a quantity of heat much greater than other components. Thus how to quickly and effectively dissipate the heat to prevent the CPU from experiencing heat damage is of major importance in this field. Therefore, the heat sink for heat dissipation is applied on the CPU.
Conventionally, the heat sink is made of metal material with good heat conductivity and is mounted on the surface of the CPU, whereby the heat generated from CPU is conducted to the heat sink. Usually, the heat is further dissipated to air by a cooling fan (not shown) mounted above the heat sink. To avoid the heat sink falling from the CPU, heat sink fasteners are applied to secure the heat sink on the CPU.
With reference to
FIG. 5
, a conventional fastener (
50
) for a heat sink (not numbered) comprises a flat portion (
51
) and a leg portion (
52
) integrally and downwardly formed along a flange of the flat portion (
51
). The free end of the leg portion (
52
) is integrally formed with a rib (not numbered) parallel to the flat portion (
51
), whereby the lateral view of the fastener (
50
) is a substantially &Ggr; shape. The distance between the flat portion (
51
) and the free end of the leg portion (
52
) is corresponded to the total thickness of the heat sink, the IC and the IC socket. When the fastener (
50
) is applied to the heat sink, the flat portion (
51
) is slipped into a groove defined in the heat sink, and the leg portion (
52
) together with the rib will collectively clip the heat sink, the IC and the IC socket.
However, for an operator, such a fastener (
50
) is not convenient to equip to the heat sink since the fastener (
50
) easily falls from the heat sink.
With reference to
FIG. 6
, another conventional type of the fastener (
60
) has the structure like a screw. The fastener (
60
) comprises a head portion (
62
), a pillar (
61
) lengthwise extending from the head portion (
62
), a spring (
64
) winded around the pillar (
61
) and a hook (
63
) integrally formed at the free end of the pillar (
61
). To assemble the fastener (
60
) to the heat sink (
65
), the pillar (
61
) is inserted into a through hole (
67
) defined in a wing (
66
) extending from the heat sink (
65
). The pillar (
61
) further extends into an opening (
69
) defined in the substrate (
68
), whereby the hook (
63
) is secured to the bottom surface of the substrate (
68
) to make the heat sink (
65
) tightly contact with the CPU (not numbered).
However, if the pressing force applied to the fastener (
60
) is not uniform when the fastener is installed to the heat sink (
65
), the pillar (
61
) is easy to deform or snap.
To overcome the shortcomings, a heat sink fastener in accordance with the present invention obviates or mitigates the aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a fastener that is easy to equip to a heat sink and tightly secures the heat sink to a substrate on which an electrical component contacted with the heat sink is mounted.
Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5791850 (1998-08-01), Mundt et al.
patent: 6061240 (2000-05-01), Butterbaugh et al.
patent: 6334750 (2002-01-01), Hsieh
patent: 6364344 (2002-04-01), Hudd et al.
patent: 6364688 (2002-04-01), Fraley et al.
patent: 6409446 (2002-06-01), Schwarz

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