Patent ID: 6480383
Filing Date: 2002-11-12
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
An electronic component cooling apparatus comprising:a heat sink including a radiation fin unit, said radiation fin unit including a plurality of radiation fins made of a thermally conductive material and a base made of a thermally conductive material; said base having said radiation fin unit mounted to a front surface thereof and an electronic component to be cooled mounted to a rear surface thereof; said radiation fins being arranged so as to extend in a first direction perpendicular to said front surface of said base and in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction and along said front surface of said base; said radiation fins being arranged so as to be spaced from each other at predetermined intervals in a third direction perpendicular to said first and second directions; said radiation fins having one end and an other end and each being fixed at the one end thereof to said base, said one end being positioned on one side in said first direction to said base; said base having a pair of edges that are perpendicular to said third direction, each of said pair of edges having a hook engagement; a fan unit for feeding air for cooling to said radiation fin unit; said fan unit including an impeller, said impeller having a plurality of blades and being rotated by a motor and arranged, with respect to said first direction, on an opposite side of said radiation fin unit; and a fan unit mounting frame made of a synthetic resin material and including a top plate for supporting said fan unit thereon, a pair of side plates and at least one pair of mounting legs; said top plate being arranged outside said radiation fin unit so as to define a gap sufficient to define an air flow space continuously extending on both sides in said second and third directions between said top plate and an end of each of said radiation fins positioned on the other side in said first direction; said top plate being provided with an air guide hole for guiding air drawn by said fan unit to said air flow space; said side plates being arranged so as to extend toward said base from a pair of ends of said top plate positioned on both sides in said third direction; said at least one pair of mounting legs each being connected at one end thereof to each of said side plates and provided at the other end thereof with a hook engaged with each of said hook engagements; said side plates and said at least a pair of mounting legs being formed into a shape and being dimensioned to keep said side plates and mounting legs from fully covering side surfaces of said radiation fin unit positioned on both sides in said third direction; said fan unit mounting frame including a first pivotal movement preventing engagement structure, which is engaged with said radiation fin unit to prevent said top plate from pivotally moving in said third direction, and a second pivotal movement preventing engagement structure, which is engaged with said radiation fin unit to prevent said top plate from pivotally moving in said second direction; and wherein said first pivotal movement preventing engagement structure is constituted by one or more projections fitted, in said first direction, in one or more gaps defined between adjacent two of said radiation fins.