Abstract: A heat dissipating assembly is provided wherein a heat emitting plate is clamped to the heat receiving base of a heat sink by means of a releasable spring loaded clip. The spring loaded clip includes a pressure plate, and legs which terminate in detente elements. The legs are adapted to extend through the two plates so as to position the detente elements on one side of the heat exchanging plates, and the pressure plate on the other. The spring loading, acting on the pressure plate, serves to clamp the two heat exchanging plates between the pressure plate and the detente elements. The spring loading also serves to urge the legs laterally so that the detente elements engage firmly with an opposed side of the heat emitting plate.

Abstract: A two piece spring clip for holding a heat dissipating assembly together. The spring clip includes an elongated leaf spring member having a free end and a leg segment remote from the free end, and a separate leg member. The free end and the separate leg member define therebetween a leg engaging mechanism and are hingedly engaged with one another by the leg engaging mechanism. A bearing element is mounted on one of the free end or separate leg member. The bearing element bears on the free end or separate leg member to which it is not mounted so as to limit the arc through which the separate leg member may hingedly swing. Several bearing elements may be provided, if desired.

Abstract: A heat dissipating assembly which is releasably secured in the assembled configuration by means of a spring clip. The spring clip being configured on one end thereof with a lever or rocker arm which permits its assembly or disassembly by hand without the use of any tools. In the disassembly phase the amount of spring tension forcing the spring clip into an engagement with the adjacent structure is greater than the spring force which is required to rotate the latching component out of the latching engagement with the supporting structure. The latching component may thus be held in the rotated configuration out of latching engagement while spring tension moves it out of engaging position.

Abstract: This invention provides an improved system for removably coupling a conductive heat sink to a chip housing. The heat sink is of the type having a plurality of pins arrayed in a grid pattern and extending perpendicularly from the top surface of a generally square base. The chip housing is of the type having opposite side walls each having latching projections. The heat sink is positioned in conductive thermal communication with an exposed portion of a computer chip or other device which is securely mounted to the housing. A flexible and resilient spring clip is adapted to fit within the passages defined by the spaces between the pins on the heat sink. The flexibility of the spring clip allows portions along opposing walls of the spring clip to be stretched and guided over the latching projections. The resiliency of the spring clip provides a spring bias sufficient to retain the heat sink in conductive thermal communication with the chip element under required working conditions.

Abstract: A board retainer assembly including a cold plate with plain generally rectangular grooves for receiving the edge of a board and a board retainer. The retainer being separate from the cold wall and adapted to expand and releasably clamp the edge of a board in the groove against a thermal wall of the groove. The retainer including an elongated body adapted to be received in the groove with an elongated face engaged with the edge of the board. A resilient spring element is adapted to engage the opposite wall of the groove under the urging of a camming rod. The camming rod rotates in the space between the resilient spring element and a camming surface on the body of the retainer. The camming rod is generally oval shaped with a major and a minor axis. Rotation of the camming rod one quarter turn causes the width of the retainer to expand by an amount equal to the difference between the lengths of the major and minor axes.

Abstract: A guide for slidably accepting opposite edges of an electronic circuit board has a rotating clamp which is open to offer zero frictional resistance when the board is slid into position. The clamp is in effect a bar rotatably mounted in an elongated retainer, the bar having a camming action against the retainer so that when the bar is rotated the entire length of the bar is pressed against the board to anchor it in place.