Clip for heat sink

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a clip, and more particularly to a clip for securely and readily attaching a heat sink to an electronic device.

2. The Related Art

Many electronic devices generate a lot of heat during normal operation. The heat must be quickly removed to avoid instability or damage being caused to the device. Generally, a heat sink is mounted on a top surface of the electronic device, for removing heat therefrom. Various clips are used to mount the heat sink to the electronic device.

A conventional clip includes a pressing portion, and a pair of legs depending from respective opposite ends of the pressing portion. Each leg defines an aperture for engaging with a corresponding catch formed on a socket on which the electronic device is supported, whereby the heat sink is attached to the top surface of the electronic device.

However, this type of the clip has some disadvantages. For example, it requires the use of a tool during the assembly and disassembly procedures. This is inconvenient for users.

Furthermore, heat sinks these days are being made larger and larger. As a result, conventional clips are being made longer and longer. Long clips are prone to deformation during installation of the heat sink or subsequent operation of the electronic device. Thus large heat sinks in particular can not be securely fastened by conventional clips.

Another conventional means of mounting a heat sink to an electronic device utilizes a pair of clips attached on respective opposite sides of a heat sink. However, the pressing point of the clip, which acts on the heat sink, usually does not coincide with the center of the clip. Therefore, an eccentric moment can occur between the pressing point and the center of the clip. This may cause the heat sink to be dislodged from the electronic device when the system is subjected to shock or vibration during normal operation.

Examples of conventional clips are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,600,540 and 5,602,719, and Taiwan Patents Nos. 268622, 246982 and 303949.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a clip for readily and securely attaching a heat sink to an electronic device.

To achieve the above object, a clip for securing a heat sink to an electronic device includes a vertical base, a pair of vertical handles and a horizontal pressing portion. The handles extend outwardly from opposite ends of the base. The base defines a slot for receiving a catch of a retention module. The slot includes first and second portions, and a neck portion therebetween. Upper limits of all three portions are colinear. The first portion has a vertical width greater than that of the second portion. A triangular protrusion is formed in the base at the neck portion, such that the vertical width of the neck portion is less than that of both the first portion and the second portion. The pressing portion extends inwardly from a top edge of the base. A pair of resilient tabs depends from the pressing portion, for abutting against a groove of a heat sink. The catch is initially received in the first portion of the slot, and then slidably moved over the triangular protrusion to be received in the second portion. Due to the difference invertical widths of the first and second portions, the tabs are thereby elastically deformed. Thus the heat sink is firmly pressed and secured to the electronic device.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed embodiment of the present invention with attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a pair of clips in accordance with the present invention, for securing a heat sink to an electronic device;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one clip of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partly assembled view of FIG. 1, showing a catch of a retention module received in a first portion of a slot defined in the clip; and

FIG. 4 is a fully assembled view of FIG. 1, showing the catch of the retention module received in a second portion of the slot defined in the clip.

Referring to FIG. 1, a heat sink 30 includes a chassis 32 , a pair of grooves 36 defined in an upper surface of the chassis 32 , and a plurality of fins 34 extending upwardly from the upper surface of the chassis 32 between the grooves 36 . An electronic device 40 and a pair of U-shaped retention modules 60 are mounted on a printed circuit board 70 . The retention modules 60 are disposed on respective opposite sides of the electronic device 40 , to define a space (not labeled) for receiving the heat sink 30 therein. Each retention module 60 forms an identical catch 62 on an outer sidewall thereof.

Referring also to FIG. 2, a clip 10 of the present invention is formed from a single plate. The clip 10 includes a vertical base 12 , a vertical pair of handles 16 , and a horizontal pressing portion 18 . The handles 16 extend perpendicularly outwardly from respective opposite ends of the base 12 . The pressing portion 18 extends perpendicularly inwardly from a top edge of the base.

The base 12 defines a slot 14 in a central portion thereof. The slot 14 includes a first portion 142 , a second potion 146 , and a neck portion 144 between the first portion 142 and the second portion 146 . Upper limits of the first portion 142 , the neck portion 144 , and the second portion 146 are colinear. A lower limit of the first portion 142 is lower than a lower limit of the second portion 146 . Thus the first portion 142 has a vertical width greater than that of the second portion 146 . The base 12 forms a triangular protrusion 13 at a lower limit of the neck portion 144 , thereby rendering the minimum vertical width of the neck portion 144 less than the vertical width of both the first portion 142 and the second portion 146 . The first portion 142 and the second portion 146 are each dimensioned to correspond to the horizontal width of the catch 62 of the retention module 60 .

A pair of tabs 22 is stamped downwardly at an inner edge of each pressing portion 18 . The tabs 22 are generally arcuate for resiliency and are dimensioned to be received in the groove 36 of the heat sink 30 .

Referring also to FIG. 3, in assembly, the heat sink 30 is placed on a top surface of the electronic device 40 . The clips 10 are placed on the respective retention modules 60 . The catch 62 of each retention module 60 is initially received in the first portion 142 of the slot 14 of the corresponding clip 10 . The tabs 22 of the each clip 10 are received in the corresponding groove 36 of the heat sink 30 .

Referring also to FIG. 4, the outermost handle 16 of each clip 10 is then pushed inwardly, such that the catch 62 of the retention module 60 slides over the triangular protrusion 13 of the slot 14 and proceeds to be retained in the second portion 146 . Because the vertical width of the second portion 146 is less than that of the first portion 142 , the catch 62 now exerts force on the clip 10 such that the tabs 22 of the clip 10 elastically deform. The tabs 22 thereby resiliently abut a bottom surface of the groove 36 of the heat sink 30 .

Thus the clips 10 firmly press the heat sink 30 onto the electronic device 40 . The triangular protrusion 13 of each clip 10 in cooperation with the resilient abuttal of the tabs 22 against a bottom surface of the groove 36 of the heat sink 30 operate to firmly retain the catch 62 of the retention module 60 in the second portion 146 of the slot 14 . Thus the heat sink 30 is firmly and readily secured to the electronic device 40 .

In disassembly, each clip 10 is disengaged from the catch 62 of the retention module 60 . The now outermost handle 16 of each clip 10 is pushed inwardly such that the catch 62 of the retention module 60 slides over the triangular protrusion 13 of the slot 14 and proceeds to be retained in the first portion 142 . Because the vertical width of the first portion 142 is greater than that of the second portion 146 , the catch 62 now no longer exerts force on the clip 10 . Thus the tabs 22 of the clip 10 elastically deformand return to their original state. The clips 10 are then easily removed from the retention module 60 , and the heat sink 30 is readily detached from the electronic device 40 .

It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the present example and embodiment is to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.