Electricity: conductors and insulators – Boxes and housings – Hermetic sealed envelope type
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-02
2002-05-07
Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Boxes and housings
Hermetic sealed envelope type
C361S707000, C361S709000, C361S719000, C257S707000, C257S719000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06384331
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a reinforcing support device for a heat sink, more particularly to a secured reinforcing support device which is secured on a computer casing to help bear the mass of a heat sink that is used to absorb and dissipate heat from a central processing unit of a computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
The development of personal computers in recent years has been very fast. With the increase in the functions and operational speed of the computer, the central processing unit is likely to generate large amounts of heat during operation thereof, which can lead to failure of the computer or damage to the electronic components. In order to dissipate the heat generated by the central processing unit during operation, a heat sink is generally mounted on the central processing unit. The same problem exists with other chip devices. In a conventional heat sink mounting structure for a chip device, a heat-conductive gel is used to adhere the heat sink directly onto the chip device, or a mechanical device is used to fasten the heat sink to the chip device. In both cases, the mass or weight of the heat sink is borne by a motherboard on which the chip device is mounted. If the heat sink is relatively heavy, the weight of the heat sink may be a significant load to the motherboard and may result in damage to the motherboard. As the latest Intel Pentium 4 (P4) central processing unit operates at a very high speed, it requires a heat sink with a relatively large heat dissipation area and consequently has a greater weight (about 0.45 kg). In view of this, Intel has required compatible computer casings to be provided with four threaded through holes for passage of threaded fasteners to secure the P4-specific heat sink thereon so that the load of the heat sink can be largely borne by the casing.
However, standard computer casings, such as ATX computer casings, are not provided with such threaded through holes for mounting of the P4-specific heat sink. Therefore, there are available heat sink device mounting structures compatible with the P4-specific heat sink for computer casings not provided with four threaded through holes. One of such structures is shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
. The heat sink device as shown includes a heat sink
61
having a plurality of fins
611
in contact with a top surface of a CPU
60
for absorbing the heat generated by the CPU
60
. The CPU
60
is mounted on an upper surface of a motherboard
64
via a socket
601
disposed below the CPU
60
. The heat sink device further includes a cooling fan
62
secured on an upper surface of the heat sink
61
to help dissipate the heat absorbed by the heat sink
61
. The heat sink
61
further has two opposite bottom edges respectively provided with grooves
612
. The structure further includes two plastic positioning seats
63
, each of which has a fastening rod
631
pivotally mounted at one end thereof and abutting against the corresponding groove
612
to thereby retain the positioning seats
63
at lower edges of the grooves
612
of the heat sink
61
. Each positioning seat
63
has a bottom wall formed with two round through holes
632
for passage of two hollow rod members
633
, each of which has a lower end forming a split tapered portion
634
that extends downwardly through a corresponding hole
641
in the motherboard
64
to abut against a bottom wall surface of a computer casing
65
. Plastic press pins
635
are inserted downwardly into the hollow rod members
633
to thereby expand the split tapered portion
634
such that the hollow rod members
633
are in tight engagement with the walls of the holes
641
in the motherboard
64
. As such, the heat sink device can be mounted above the CPU
60
via the positioning seats
63
.
Although the above-described heat sink device mounting structure enables the heat sink device to be supported on the bottom wall surface of the computer casing
65
, any undue impact or vibration may cause the press pins
635
to slip out of the rod members
633
, thereby resulting in loosening of the heat sink device on the CPU
60
or even falling of the heat sink device onto the motherboard
64
. Electronic components (not shown) on the motherboard
64
are therefore likely to be damaged.
With reference to
FIG. 3
, there is also available another type of heat sink device mounting structure in which a relatively heavy iron plate
76
is disposed between and parallel to a motherboard
74
and a bottom wall surface of a computer casing
75
. The plate
76
is provided with two pairs of mounting posts
761
projecting from an upper surface thereof for threaded engagement with two pairs of screw bolts
733
extending downwardly through holes
732
in positioning seats
73
of the heat sink device. A plurality of threaded rods
762
extend upwardly from the upper surface of the plate
76
at a peripheral portion. Upper ends of the threaded rods
762
are retained in holes
741
in the motherboard
74
. Thus, the plate
76
is suspendedly secured below the motherboard
74
, whereas the motherboard
74
is secured on the computer casing
75
through use of screw bolts
742
that engage threaded holes
743
in the motherboard
74
and internally threaded copper posts
751
provided on the bottom wall surface of the computer casing
75
. Although the plate
76
helps secure the heat sink device, it is suspended below the motherboard
74
and is not secured directly on the computer casing
75
. Thus, the load of the heat sink device and any impact thereon are substantially borne by the motherboard
74
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a secured reinforcing support device for a heat sink of a computer.
Accordingly, a secured reinforcing support device according to the present invention helps bear the mass of a heat sink used for absorbing and dissipating heat from a central processing unit of a computer. The computer further includes: a motherboard which has first upper and lower major surfaces opposite to each other in an upright direction, the first upper major surface having a loaded area and a peripheral area surrounding the loaded area, a central processing unit being mounted on the loaded area; a heat sink disposed to be spaced apart from the loaded area in the upright direction and superimposed on the central processing unit to absorb and dissipate heat therefrom; a seat mount disposed to bear and localize the heat sink in the loaded area; and a casing for housing the motherboard, including a bottom major wall surface disposed under the first lower major surface and spaced apart from the first lower major surface in the upright direction to form an accommodation space. The secured reinforcing support device includes a reinforcing support plate, a support post, an inner peripheral wall, a bracing member and a tightening shaft. The reinforcing support plate is adapted to be disposed in the accommodation space. The reinforcing support plate includes second upper and lower major surfaces opposite to each other in the upright direction and adapted to be respectively spaced apart from the first lower major surface and the bottom major wall surface. The second upper major surface includes central and surrounding areas, which are adapted to respectively correspond to and be positioned under the loaded area and the peripheral area. The central area is further adapted to support and be connected to the seat mount through the loaded area. The surrounding area includes a through hole extending downward to communicate with the second lower major surface. The support post includes a lower end adapted to be secured to the bottom major wall surface, and an upper end extending from the lower end upwardly and in the upright direction. The upper end is dimensioned to pass through the through hole so as to abut against the first lower major surface, and has a fastening bore which extends axially and towards the lower end and which defines an axis. The inner peripheral wall is adap
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Micro-Star Int'l Co., Ltd.
Oliva Carmelo
Reichard Dean A.
LandOfFree
Secured reinforcing support device for a heat sink does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Secured reinforcing support device for a heat sink, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Secured reinforcing support device for a heat sink will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2845836