Heat sink assembly

A heat sink assembly (10) compatible with an ATX motherboard (20) and a BTX motherboard (30), includes a heat sink and a plurality of fasteners (15) extending through the heat sink. The heat sink includes a base (12) defining a slot (1220) therein. The fastener is capable of sliding along the slot between a first position to a second position to make the heat sink assembly in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention to be adapted for use with the ATX motherboard or the BTX motherboard.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a heat sink assembly, and more particularly to a heat sink assembly compatible with both ATX motherboards and BTX motherboards.

2. Description of Related Art

A computer usually has a computer chassis that may hold a motherboard, a power supply and multiple printed circuit boards (PCBs) such as graphics cards, sound cards and network cards.

There are two dominant specifications for motherboards: one is advanced technology extended (ATX) specification; the other is balanced technology extended (BTX) specification. The motherboard mounted to the computer chassis usually has electronic components such as electric capacitors, slots for random access memory (RAM), a socket for a central processing unit (CPU) mounted on the motherboard. The CPU often generates large amounts of heat during operation, which can destabilize the electronic components and cause damage to the electronic components. Typically, therefore, a heat sink is mounted on the CPU to remove heat therefrom.

However, it can not compatible with the other type motherboard once the heat sink is manufactured for mounting on either an ATX motherboard or a BTX motherboard.

What is needed, therefore, is a heat sink assembly which is compatible with both ATX motherboards and BTX motherboards and which has better heat dissipation efficiency for electronic components.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A heat sink assembly compatible with both ATX motherboards and BTX motherboards, comprises a heat sink and a plurality of fasteners extending along the heat sink. The heat sink includes a base defining a plurality of slots therein. Each of the fasteners is capable of sliding along a corresponding one of the slots between a first position and a second position to assemble a heat sink in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, thus allowing its attachment to either an ATX motherboard or a BTX motherboard.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIGS. 1-3, a heat sink assembly10in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is configured (i.e., structured and arranged) for mounting to an ATX motherboard20(shown inFIG. 4) or a BTX motherboard30(shown inFIG. 5), to dissipate heat generated by electronic components, such as a CPU (not shown) mounted on either the ATX or BTX motherboard20,30.

The heat sink10assembly comprises a base12, a plurality of fins14mounted on the base12and four fasteners15extending through the base12. The base12has a square body (not labeled) and four ears122extending outwardly and horizontally from four corners of the body. A first straight slot1221and a second straight slot1222are symmetrically defined in each ear122. The first and second slots1221,1222communicate each other and form an included angle therebetween. The first and second slots1221,1222cooperatively form a V-shaped slot1220. The first slot1221terminates with a circular first aperture1223. The first apertures1223are located beyond front and rear sides of the fins14. The second slot1222terminates with a circular second aperture1224. The fins14are perpendicularly mounted on the body120. The first and second apertures1223,1224have diameters bigger than widths of the first and second slots1221,1222. An annular step portion121is formed by each ear122in each of the first and second apertures1223,1224.

The fasteners15corresponding to the ears122of the heat sink assembly10are used for extending through the first or second apertures1223,1224to mount the heat sink assembly10on the ATX or BTX motherboard20,30. Each fastener15comprises a screw16, a spring18and an annular pad19mounted around the screw16. The screw16comprises a circular head160having two intersecting perpendicular slots1602for receiving a screwdriver (not shown). A diameter of the head160is larger than that of the first and second apertures1223,1224of the base12. The screw16forms an elongated shaft162extending from the head160and terminating with a threaded portion164. An elongated annular recess (not labeled) is defined in a middle circumferential periphery of the shaft162such that an engaging portion163is formed at the recess. The engaging portion163has an outer diameter smaller than a width of the V-shaped slot1220of the ear122of the base12such that the engaging portion163is capable of sliding along the V-shaped slot1220of the base12. The engaging portion163has a height along a vertical direction larger than that of the base12such that the engaging portion163is capable of moving upwardly and downwardly in the first and second apertures1223,1224of the base12during installation. The spring18is dimensioned to loosely fit around the shaft162. The spring18has an outer diameter smaller than that of the first and second apertures1223,1224of the base12such that the spring18contacts the annular step portion121when installed, for exerting a spring force downwardly on the ear122when the fastener15is threadedly fastened to a retainer below the ATX or BTX motherboard20,30. The outer diameter of the spring18is larger than a width of the V-shaped slot1220such that a sliding of the screw15along the V-shaped slot1220is limited when the spring18contacts the annular step portion121. The annular pad19defines a central bore190therein. The central bore190has a diameter slightly smaller than that of the shaft162of the screw16and equal to that of the engaging portion163. A plurality of elongated slots192communicating with the central bore190are defined around the central bore190for providing elasticity to the annular pad19, whereby the annular pad19snappingly engages with the engaging portion163and abuts against a lower joint of the engaging portion163and the shaft162at a bottom of the engaging portion163after the shaft162extends through the first or second apertures1223,1224of the base12and the central bore190of the pad19to reach a position in which the engaging portion163extends beyond a bottom of the base12.

In assembly, the fins14are fixed on the base12by soldering. The spring18is fitted around the shaft162. The shaft162of each fastener15is then extended through one of the first and second apertures1223,1224of the base12. In this preferred embodiment, the screw16is extended through the first aperture1223of the base12in a manner such that the spring18is located between the head160and the step portion121of the base12. The annular pad19snaps with a bottom of the engaging portion163of the screw16and abuts against the lower joint of the engaging portion163and the shaft162at the bottom of the engaging portion163, thus preventing the fastener15from being thrown off from the heat sink assembly10during transportation. Thus, the heat sink assembly10is assembled together as shown inFIG. 2. In this position, after the heat sink assembly10together, the spring18contacts the annular step portion121of the base12and the annular pad19is located beyond the bottom of the base12.

Please referring toFIGS. 4-5, in use, the heat sink assembly10is mounted on the ATX motherboard20by extending the threaded portion164of the fastener15through the ATX motherboard20to threadedly engage with the retainer attached to the ATX motherboard20. If the heat sink assembly10is to be mounted on the BTX motherboard30, the screw16with the spring18is raised to a determined position (shown inFIG. 3), whereby a bottom end of the spring18is located above a top surface of the base12and the annular pad19abuts against a bottom surface of the base12as shown inFIG. 3. At this determined position, the fastener15is driven to slide along the V-shaped slot1220and arrive at the second aperture1224of the base12. Then the screw16and the spring18is dropped, at which point the spring18contacts the annular step portion121in the second aperture1224of the base12to meet requirements of the BTX motherboards30. The heat sink assembly10is mounted on the BTX motherboard30by extending the threaded portion164of the fastener15through the BTX motherboard30to threadedly engage with the retainer attached to the BTX motherboard30. Thus, the heat sink assembly10is securely mounted to the BTX motherboard30.

The heat sink assembly10in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention is compatible with ATX and BTX motherboards20,30. The user can freely use it according to need.