CLIP AND HEAT SINK ASSEMBLY HAVING THE SAME

Abstract

A heat sink assembly includes a heat sink and a clip. The heat sink includes a base and a fin extending upwardly from the base. The clip is mounted on the fin and can be removed therefrom by moving upwardly along a height direction of the fin. The clip includes a resisting part contacting with a side of the fin, two locking parts respectively connected to two ends of the resisting part for securing the heat sink to a printed circuit board, and two stopping parts engaging with two opposites ends and an opposite side of the fin for preventing the clip from moving along widthwise and thickness directions of the fin. The two stopping parts are connected to the resisting part and located between the two locking parts.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to clips and, particularly, to a clip capable of being conveniently assembled to and disassembled from a heat sink, and a heat sink assembly having such a heat sink and clip.

2. Description of Related Art

A heat sink is usually placed in thermal contact with a heat generating electronic device such a central processing unit (CPU), and transfers heat through conduction away from the heat generating electronic device so as to prevent over-heating of the heat generating electronic device. Usually, a heat sink is secured to the heat generating electronic device by using a clip. Generally, the clip is secured to the heat sink by several bolts to get a heat sink assembly. In assembling and disassembling processes of the heat sink assembly, additional tools are needed, and these processes are complex and time-consuming.

What is needed, therefore, is a clip capable of being conveniently assembled to and disassembled from a heat sink, thereby to overcome the above-described problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An exemplary embodiment of a heat sink assembly for dissipating heat generated by a heat generating electronic device is provided. The heat sink assembly includes a heat sink and at least one clip. The heat sink includes a base and a fin array extending from a top surface of the base. The at least one clip is removably mounted to at least one fin of the fin array. The at least one clip includes a resisting part, two locking parts and two stopping parts. The resisting part is provided for contacting with the at least one fin of the fin array. The two locking parts are respectively connected to two ends of the resisting part, and provided for securing the base of the heat sink to a printed circuit board on which the heat generating electronic device is mounted. The two stopping parts are provided for preventing the at least one clip from moving along a widthwise direction of the at least one fin when the at least one clip is mounted to the at least one fin. Furthermore, the two stopping parts cooperate with the resisting part to prevent the at least one clip from moving along a thickness direction of the at least one fin. The two stopping parts are connected to the resisting part and located between the two locking parts. The at least one clip is mounted to the at least one fin along a top-to-bottom direction thereof, and removable therefrom along a bottom-to-top direction.

Advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present embodiment can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiment. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an isometric, exploded view of a heat sink assembly in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an assembled view the heat sink assembly of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment will now be described in detail below and with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of a heat sink assembly 100 includes a heat sink 10 and two clips 20. The heat sink 10 is configured for thermally connecting with a heat generating electronic device (not shown) on a printed circuit board (not shown). The two clips 20 are configured for securing the heat sink 10 to the heat generating electronic device by fastening the two clips 20 to the printed circuit board.

The heat sink 10 is an integral structure and made of a thermally conductive material such as copper, aluminum, or an alloy thereof. The heat sink 10 includes a base 11 and a fin array 12 extending from a top surface of the base 11. The fin array 12 is composed of a number of fins parallel and spaced with each other. The fin array 12 includes two outermost fins 121 respectively extending from two opposite ends of the top surface of the base 11. Each of the two outermost fins 121 includes an inner surface 121a and an outer surface 121b.

The two clips 20 are removably mounted on any two fins of the fin array 12. Preferably, the two clips 20 are mounted on two symmetrical fins of the fin array 12. In the present embodiment, the two clips 20 are removably mounted on the two outermost fins 121. It is to be understood that the number of the clips 20 is not limited to be two, and therefore the clips 20 are not limited to be mounted on two fins of the heat sink 10, so long as the clips 20 can stably and reliably secure the heat sink 10 to the printed circuit board on which the heat generating electronic device is mounted.

Each clip 20 is an integral structure and includes an elongated resisting part 21, two stopping parts 22 and two locking parts 23. The two locking parts 23 are respectively connected to two ends of the resisting part 21 and can be located on a same side or different sides of the resisting part 21. In the present embodiment, the two locking parts 23 are located on the same side of the resisting part 21, and are perpendicular to the resisting part 21. The two stopping parts 22 are arranged between the two locking parts 23, and can be connected to a same side or different sides of the resisting part 21. In the present embodiment, the two stopping parts 22 are connected to the same side of the resisting part 21 and spaced from each other. Specifically, the two stopping parts 22 are respectively protruded and bent from two end portions of the resisting part 21.

The resisting part 21 is a rectangular sheet structure and includes a resisting surface 211 contacting with the inner surface 121a of the outermost fin 121, a side surface 212 opposite the resisting surface 211, a bottom surface 213 contacting with the base 11, a top surface 214 opposite the bottom surface 213, and two end surfaces 215. Two openings 216 are defined in the resisting part 21, through the resisting surface 211 and the side surface 212. The two openings 216 are located near the two end surface 215 respectively. In the present embodiment, each of the two openings 216 is a cutout opened from the bottom surface 213 of the resisting part 21, and is defined by two first surfaces 2161 and a second surface 2162. The two first surfaces 2161 are parallel with the two end surface 215, and the second surface 2162 is parallel with the top surface 214.

Each of the two stopping parts 22 includes a connection section 221 and a stopping section 222 connecting to the connection section 221. Each connection section 221 is bent and protruded from the resisting part 21. Specifically, each of the two connection sections 221 of the two stopping parts 22 is bent and protruded from one of the two first surfaces 2161 defining a corresponding opening 216 near a corresponding end surface 215, and extends for a suitable distance, e.g., a distance equal to a thickness of the outermost fin 121. The two stopping sections 222 straightly extend from the two connection sections 221 respectively toward each other. Each stopping section 222 is a flat plate and parallel with the resisting surface 211 of the resisting part 21.

A distance between each stopping section 222 and the resisting surface 211 is equal to the thickness of the outermost fin 121; as a result, the outermost fin 121 is limited between the resisting surface 211 and the two stopping sections 222 along a thickness direction of the outermost fin 121. A distance between two connection sections 221 of the two stopping parts 22 is equal to a width of the outermost fin 121; as a result, the outermost fin 121 is limited between the two connection sections 221 along a widthwise direction of the outermost fin 121.

Alternatively, the two stopping parts 22 can be substituted by an integral structure. For example, the two stopping sections 222 of the two stopping parts 22 are connected together so as to form an integral stopping section. It is understood that structures, locations and the number of the stopping parts 22 could potentially be varied, so long as the heat sink 10 is prevented by the stopping parts 22 from moving along a widthwise direction of the fin of the heat sink 10.

The two locking parts 23 perpendicularly extend from two opposite ends of the resisting surface 211 along a direction away from the resisting surface 211. The two locking parts 23 and the two stopping parts 22 can be located at a same side or different sides of the resisting part 21. In the illustrated embodiment, the two locking parts 23 and the two stopping parts 22 are located at the same side of the resisting part 21.

Each of the two locking parts 23 includes a bending section 231 connected to the bottom surface 213, and a locking section 232 used to engage with the printed circuit board. Each bending section 231 is positioned between one end surface 215 and a corresponding opening 216 near the one end surface 215. One end of the bending section 231 is connected to one end surface 215, and the other end thereof is connected to a corresponding first surface 2161 near the one end surface 215. Each locking section 232 is a rectangular plate, and has a through hole 230 therein for allowing a bolt to extend therethrough to secure the heat sink 10 to the printed circuit board. It is understood that structures, locations and the number of the locking parts 23 could be varied, so long as the heat sink 10 can be fixed on the printed circuit board securely by the locking parts 23.

In assembly, the two clips 20 are respectively mounted on the two outermost fins 121 from a top end of the fin array 12 to a bottom end of the fin array 12. Thus, the two clips 20 and the heat sink 10 are assembled together to obtain the desired heat sink assembly 100. Regarding the heat sink assembly 100, the connection sections 221 of the stopping parts 22 engage the left and right ends of each outermost fin 121; therefore, the two clips 20 are fixed along the widthwise direction of the outermost fins 121. At the same time, the stopping sections 222 of the stopping pars 22 and the resisting surface 211 of the resisting part 21 engage the outer and inner surfaces 121b, 121a of each outermost fin 121; therefore, the two clips 20 are fixed along the thickness direction of the outermost fins 121. Therefore, the two clips 20 are limited along the widthwise and thickness directions of the outermost fins 121, while are not limited along a height direction of the outermost fins 121. That is, the two clips 20 are removably mounted on the two outermost fins 121, wherein the two clips 20 can be removed from the heat sink 10 by moving the two clips 20 upwardly along the height direction of the two outermost fins 121.

In disassembly, the two clips 20 are moved from the base 11 to top ends of the two outermost fins 121 to thereby separate from the heat sink 10. Therefore, the heat sink assembly 100 can be assembled or disassembled conveniently due to the two clips 20 being removably mounted on the two outermost fins 121 of the heat sink 10. Apparently, in the assembling and disassembling processes of the heat sink assembly 100, no additional tool is needed and therefore the assembling and disassembling processes are greatly simplified.

When the heat sink 10 is required to be fixed on the printed circuit board, the two clips 20 are located at the top surface of the base 11, the two locking parts 23 are fixed on the printed circuit board by extending bolts through the through holes 230 and the printed circuit board to threadedly engage with a back plate at a bottom of the printed circuit board. As a result, the heat sink 10 is fixed on the printed circuit board to have an intimate contact with the heat generating electronic device.

It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A clip adapted for securing a heat sink to a printed circuit board having a heat generating electronic device thereon, the heat sink comprising a base and a plurality of fins extending from a top surface of the base, the clip comprising:

a resisting part adapted for contacting with a fin of the heat sink when the clip is mounted to the fin;

two locking parts respectively connected to two ends of the resisting part, and configured for securing the base of the heat sink to the printed circuit board when the clip is mounted to the fin; and

two stopping parts configured for preventing the clip from moving along a widthwise direction of the fin when the clip is mounted to the fin, the two stopping parts being connected to the resisting part and located between the two locking parts, the two stopping parts cooperating with the resisting part adapted to prevent the clip from moving along a thickness direction of the fin when the clip is mounted to the fin, the clip being adapted for being mountable to and removable from the fin along a height direction of the fin.

2. The clip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two locking parts are located at one of a same side or different sides of the resisting part.

3. The clip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two locking parts are perpendicularly connected to the two ends of the resisting part.

4. The clip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two stopping parts are located at one of a same side or different sides of the resisting part.

5. The clip as claimed in claim 4, wherein the two stopping parts are respectively protruded and bent from two portions of the resisting part.

6. The clip as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the two stopping parts comprises a connection section and a stopping section connecting to the connection section, the connection section being perpendicular to the resisting part.

7. The clip as claimed in claim 6, wherein the resisting part comprises a resisting surface adapted for contacting with the fin, a bottom surface adapted for contacting with the top surface of the base, and two end surfaces.

8. The clip as claimed in claim 7, wherein two cutouts are opened from the bottom surface of the resisting part and located near the two end surfaces, respectively, each cutout is defined by two first surfaces parallel with the two end surfaces and a second surface interconnected between the two first surfaces.

9. The clip as claimed in claim 8, wherein the two connection sections of the two stopping parts are respectively bent and protruded from the two first surfaces near the end surfaces.

10. The clip as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of the two locking parts comprises a bending section connected to the bottom surface, and a locking section adapted to engage with the printed circuit board.

11. The clip as claimed in claim 10, wherein one end of the bending section of each of the two locking parts is connected to one end surface, and another other end thereof is connected to a corresponding first surface near the one end surface.

12. A heat sink assembly adapted for dissipating heat generated by a heat generating electronic device on a printed circuit board, the heat sink assembly comprising:

a heat sink comprising a base and a fin array extending from a top surface of the base; and

at least one clip removably mounted on at least one fin in the fin array, the at least one clip comprising:

a resisting part contacting with a side of the at least one fin;

two locking parts respectively connected to two ends of the resisting part, and configured for securing the base of the heat sink to the printed circuit board; and

two stopping parts engaging with opposite ends of the at least one fin for preventing the at least one clip from moving along a widthwise direction of the at least one fin, the two stopping parts being connected to the resisting part and located between the two locking parts, the two stopping parts also contacting with an opposite side of the at least one fin for preventing the at least one clip from moving along a thickness direction of the at least one fin, the at least one clip being removable from the at least one fin by moving upwardly along a height direction of the at least one fin.

13. The heat sink assembly as claimed in claim 12 further comprising another clip, the at least one clip and the another clip being removably mounted on two symmetrical fins of the fin array.

14. The heat sink assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one clip and the another clip are removably mounted on two outermost fins of the fin array.

15. The heat sink assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein each of the two stopping parts comprises a connection section and a stopping section connecting to the connection section, the connection section being bent and protruded from the resisting part.

16. The heat sink assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the resisting part comprises a resisting surface contacting with the side of the at least one fin of the fin array, a bottom surface contacting with the top surface of the base, and two end surfaces.

17. The heat sink assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein two cutouts are opened from the bottom surface of the resisting part and located near the two end surfaces, respectively, and each cutout is defined by two first surfaces parallel with the two end surfaces and a second surface interconnected between the two first surfaces.

18. The heat sink assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein the two connection sections of the two stopping parts are respectively bent and protruded from the two first surfaces near the end surfaces.

19. The heat sink assembly as claimed in claim 18, wherein each of the two locking parts comprises a bending section connected to the bottom surface, and a locking section adapted to engage with the printed circuit board.

20. The heat sink assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein one end of the bending section of each of the two locking parts is connected to one end surface, and another other end thereof is connected to a corresponding first surface near the one end surface.