HK1016038B - Fan attachment clip for heat sink - Google Patents

Description

Fan radiator connecting clamp plate

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a connecting clamp plate for connecting a fan and a radiator to be cooled.

Background

Some semiconductor devices generate heat during operation that must be dissipated to avoid damage to the device. Some similar devices have been limited in their ability to dissipate internally generated heat or to avoid normal or localized heat degradation and internal failures, to a large extent.

In some semiconductor devices, internally generated heat may be dissipated entirely through the housing, header or wiring assembly. However, in many semiconductor devices, it is still necessary to use a heat sink to help dissipate the internally generated heat. Various heat sink designs are available for electronic devices made up of semiconductor devices. For the purpose of the present invention, there is provided a heat sink made of metal or the like mounted on an electronic apparatus for transferring heat generated inside a semiconductor device and rapidly dissipating the heat by conduction, convection, or heat radiation.

U.S. patent 4,884,331-Hinshaw discloses a heat sink having a wide variety of uses, typically classified as a pillar fin heat sink. The fins of the heat sink are upright and the rows and columns are parallel. The heat spreader is first pressed into upright and parallel sheets and then cut transversely into columns of rows and columns.

These devices are often used properly on electronic equipment, however, in many applications it is desirable to add a fan to the heat sink to move the cool air. The preferred solution is to insert screws or connectors between the mounting holes of the fan and the heat sink fins, but this is not satisfactory because the space between the fins on the heat sink is not generally in line with the mounting holes of the fan, and the tie strap of the present invention solves these problems.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is to provide a device which makes the assembly of the fan easier.

According to the invention, the tie strap has a frame capable of being inserted between the radiator fins by a certain width, the tie strap has a reliable means for connecting and fixing the fan and the frame, the means comprising upright corner posts for engaging the fan and the frame; the frame is inserted between the fins of the heat sink and clamped in place, the rectangular shape of the frame fitting exactly the rows and columns of the heat sink.

The frame is made of elastic thin metal plate, the blades extend downwards from the frame and lean against the radiating fins of the radiator, and the blades can be inserted between gaps at the intersection of rows and columns of the radiating column fins; the blades have downwardly arcuate notches for receiving wire clamps which are used to connect the heat sink to the base.

The connecting clip of the present invention has significant advantages when it is installed between columns of transversely cut studs, the gaps between columns of transversely cut studs being narrow and of a certain size, because of which the connecting clip of the present invention always provides a better engagement and grip on the heat sink. In other respects, the extruded column row spacing is dependent on the size of the heat sink. A splice strap of one size will not be able to insert all of the heat sink extruded studs.

The transversely spaced plug-in connection clamp of the invention for the insertion of a stud has the further significant advantage that the heat sink has a very good strength in the direction of extrusion. While providing a reaction force that causes the attachment clamp plate to jam.

The connecting clamping plate can be suitable for radiators with different sizes and fans with different sizes. The tie strap of the present invention can be inserted between relatively long or short heat sink fins. On long-column-fin radiators, the tie-down cleat cannot reach the bottom, but can be firmly snapped into place.

Such a connection clip can be used on various types of fans, including fans with holes or slots in the corners. Further in accordance with the present invention, the blades of the frame have arcuate notches for clamping the Z-clip to the heat sink. The Z-shaped connecting clip is used for connecting the heat sink and the base and reliably connecting the heat sink on the electronic equipment.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description and claims.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the fan, heat sink and attachment clip of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the connecting splint of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a view of the connecting splint A-A of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the attachment clip of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a front side view of the connecting cleat of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the fan, attachment clip of the present invention, Z-spring bracket, post-on-plate heat sink, electronics and clip;

Detailed Description

The connector clip 10 of the present invention comprises a frame having a width that can be inserted between the fins of a heat sink 12, the heat sink 12 being of the type made in the aforementioned 331-Hinshaw patent having the post fins 14, 16, … 18 in one row and the same fins in other parallel rows, the rows of heat sinks being factory formed by pressing and then cut transversely into the post fins, for example: the columns 18, 20, … are in a first row and have a series of parallel columns.

The clip 10 has a width that can be inserted between the parallel fins of the heat sink. The fins 24, 26 extend downwardly from the frame, (the words "upwardly" and "downwardly" will be used hereinafter to describe the elements of the views in the drawings, with the relevant subject matter being more clearly understood depending on the view in those directions) the fins 24 and 26 are inserted into the radiator fins and then firmly rest against the radiator fins and the frame, with the sides 23, 25 of the frame being inserted between the columns of adjacent fins and the sides 27, 28 being inserted between the rows of adjacent fins.

The connectors 30, 32, 34 and 36 are inserted to snap over the radiator support. Tabs 34 extend from the blade fold lines 38 (fig. 4) and are bent upwardly and outwardly, the tabs being lockingly engaged to the heat sink against movement away from the heat sink and into the heat sink column material when upward pressure is applied to lock the frame to the heat sink.

The connecting clamp plate is made of an elastic material, such as stainless steel or plated steel. The tie-down straps are formed from a resilient sheet material just as the blades 24 and 26 have a sheet width between the column width of the studs, with the pitch of each blade being equal to the pitch of one or more rows of studs.

The upstanding corner posts 40-43 securely engage the fan 11 on the attachment clip 10, each of which is bifurcated as best seen in fig. 2A to press upon pushing into the fan slot 44. The corner posts may also be pushed into mounting holes of the fan. Each corner post has barbs 47, 48. The barbs snap into the slots 44-46 of the fan to lock the fan and clip, in other words, the barbs insert into the holes to lock the fan and clip when the holes of the fan are replaced by slots.

The two edges 49 of the frame are curved upward reinforcing ribs, which ensure the robustness of the frame.

Each fin has an arcuate notch 50.

The arcuate notch 50 is received in a fixedly attached radiator seating clip 52 (fig. 5). The 90-HS-11 pages 15-29 of the product catalog refers to the iron-nickel wear-resistant and heat-resistant alloy, the iron-nickel wear-resistant and heat-resistant alloy semiconductor accessory, and the electronic device connected with the radiator is shown. The Z-clip 52 is clamped by the arcuate notches 50 in the blades on the adapter plate 10 and is inserted through the projections 53 on the base 54, in this form the socket assembly 54, electronics 55, heat sink 12, adapter plate 10 and fan 11 are held together.

Other embodiments are within the spirit and scope of the invention. These embodiments are covered by the following claims.

Claims (15)

1. (amendment) a connecting clip for securely connecting a heat sink having upstanding parallel fins to a cooling fan, said connecting clip comprising the following:

   a frame having a width into which the heat sink fins can be inserted;

   the means for securing the fan to the frame comprises an upstanding corner post for engaging the fan and the frame;

   the blades extend downwardly from the frame against the fins of the heat sink and have downwardly arcuate notches for receiving wire clips for connecting the heat sink to the base.
2. 2. The splice holder of claim 1, wherein said frame includes two downwardly extending blades.
3. 3. The connecting splint according to claim 1, further comprising:

   and the connecting device is used for locking between the radiating fins of the radiator and the frame.
4. 4. A cleat according to claim 3, wherein said means for locking attachment includes tabs extending from said blades, said tabs extending upwardly and outwardly along the bend line, the outwardly bent tabs of the blades being lockingly engaged to the fins against upward movement.
5. 5. The connecting splint of claim 1 wherein the frame is a resilient metal material.
6. 6. The connecting clip of claim 5 wherein said frame is formed from said resilient sheet metal.
7. 7. The connecting clip of claim 6 wherein said width of said sheet material forming said fins are adapted to be inserted between said rows of heat sink fins.
8. 8. The splice defined in claim 1, in which said blades span at least two rows of columns.
9. 9. The attachment clip of claim 1 wherein said frame has corner posts for attachment to a fan for engagement on the fan.
10. 10. The connecting brace of claim 9 wherein each of the corner posts is bifurcated.
11. 11. The connecting brace of claim 10 wherein each corner post has a barb at the top of the corner post.
12. 12. The splice defined in claim 1, in which the edges of said frame have upwardly turned ribs for reinforcing the frame.
13. 13. A tie plate for joining a heat sink having upstanding parallel fins and a fan for cooling the heat sink includes:

    a frame having a certain width capable of being inserted between the heat sink fins;

    the frame for connecting the fan comprises a corner post engaged on the fan;

    the blades are supported on the heat sink by the frame in a downward extending manner to fix the frame to the heat sink; the frame is locked between the fins of the heat sink by tabs extending from the fins, the tabs extending upwardly and being bent outwardly at fold lines and resisting upward movement to engage lock on the fins.
14. 14. The splice defined in claim 13, in which said lower portion of said blade has an arcuate notch for receiving a wire clip for connecting the heat sink to the base.
15. 15. The fitting includes:

    a heat sink having parallel fins;

    a fan for cooling the heat sink;

    a base;

    an electronic device mounted between the base and the heat sink;

    a tie strap for connecting a heat sink to a fan, comprising:

    a frame having a certain width capable of being inserted between the heat sink fins;

    a means for connecting the frame to the fan;

    a blade extends downwards from a frame and leans against a radiator fin, and the lower part of the blade is provided with an arc-shaped notch for accommodating a wire clamp for connecting the radiator and a base.