Heat sink fastening mechanism for use with electrical connector

A fastening mechanism for retaining a heat sink upon the CPU includes a fastening seat surrounding the connector, and a pair of fastening clips. The fastening seat includes four alignment posts at four corners, and the pair of fastening clips are attached at two corresponding diagonal corners. Each fastening clip includes a mounting section secured to the corresponding post, a latching section for temporarily holding the heat sink, and a resilient arm for upwardly urging the heat sink. Each alignment post is equipped with a screw nut and a coil spring so as to reinforce the downward pressing forces against the heat sink for assuring reliable connection between the CPU and the contacts of the electrical connector for better electrical transmission and intimate contact between the CPU and the heat sink for efficient heat dissipation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a heat sink fastening mechanism, and particularly to the heat sink fastening mechanism for use with an electrical connector which receives a CPU (Central Processing Unit).

2. Description of Related Arts

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0115282 discloses a heat sink fastening seat for use with an electrical connector receiving a CPU wherein the heat sink is downwardly pressed by the corresponding coil springs against the CPU thereunder. Anyhow, the heat sink may be tilted during fastening the nut to the corresponding screw on one side.

It is desired to provide heat sink fastening mechanism for temporarily and gently holding the heat sink in position upon the CPU before the heat sink is completely retained upon the CPU by fastening the screw nuts to the corresponding screws to have the CPU fully endure the forces exerted by the spring.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To achieve the above object, a fastening mechanism for retaining a heat sink upon the CPU includes a fastening seat surrounding the connector, and a pair of fastening clips. The fastening seat includes four alignment posts at four corners, and the pair of fastening clips are attached at two corresponding diagonal corners. Each fastening clip includes a mounting section secured to the corresponding post, a latching section for temporarily holding the heat sink, and a resilient arm for upwardly urging the heat sink, Each alignment post is equipped with a screw nut and a coil spring so as to reinforce the downward pressing forces against the heat sink for assuring reliable connection between the CPU and the contacts of the electrical connector for better electrical transmission and intimate contact between the CPU and the heat sink for efficient heat dissipation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIGS. 1-8, an electrical connector assembly for connecting a CPU500and a PCB (printed circuit board)400, includes an electrical connector300mounted upon the PCB300for receiving a CPU or electronic package500, and a fastening mechanism100for retaining a heat sink200upon the CPU500. The electrical connector300includes an insulative housing301and a plurality of contacts (not shown) in the housing. The CPU500is positioned upon the housing301to mechanically and electrically connect to the contacts (not shown). In this embodiment, the CPU500is retained by an insulative retainer600which is used to precisely load the CPU upon the electrical connector300.

The fastening mechanism100includes a metallic fastening seat1surrounding the electrical connector300and a pair of fastening clips2. The fastening seat1defines four corner regions11, and four alignment posts12extending upwardly from the four corner regions11, respectively. Each alignment post12includes an upstanding section122extending upwardly from the corresponding corner region11, a retaining section121outwardly protruding from a lower position of the upstanding section122to form a ring, and a screw section123at an end of the upstanding section122. The two fastening clips2are respectively located two opposite diagonal corner regions11. Each fastening clip2includes a mounting section21retained to the corresponding corner region11under the retaining section121, a deflectable latching arm22extending upwardly from an outer end of the mounting section21, a resilient/spring arm23extending curvedly from an inner end of the mounting section21, and a pair of reinforcement ribs24on an jointing area of the mounting section21and the latching arm22.

The mounting section21is perpendicular to the latching arm22, and includes a first beam211and second beam212with a notch213therebetween. The spring arm23unitarily extends from a free end of the first beam211. The lower portion of the alignment post12is snugly received within an inner end of the notch213while the retaining section122downwardly restrains the mounting section21so as to retain the fastening clip2at the corresponding corner region11.

The latching arm22includes a latching section221to downwardly abut against the heat sink200. The latching section221forms a step structure to form two spaced pressing surfaces2211for complying with two different thickness CPUs500. Each latching arm22further includes an upwardly oblique guiding face223for easily downwardly loading the heat sink200. The oblique guiding face223also provides an operation area for outwardly deflecting the latching arm22to remove the heat sink200therefrom.

The spring arm23constantly upwardly urges the bottom face of the heat sink200whereby the spring arm23will push the heat sink200upwardly automatically when the latching arm22is outwardly deflected to release the heat sink200. In this embodiment, the two fastening clips2are respectively located at two diagonal corner regions11so as to ease assembling and/or disassembling the heat sink200with regard to the fastening mechanism100.

The heat sink200includes a base plate3and a main body4formed on the base plate3. The base plate3defines four corner regions31with corresponding through holes32through which the four alignment posts12extend. Notably, the spring arms23upwardly abut against the bottom surface of the base plate3.

Each alignment post12is equipped with a securing unit5for securing the heat sink200thereto. The securing unit5includes a screw nut51to secure to the screw section123of the corresponding alignment post12, and a coil spring52surrounding the screw nut51. In this embodiment, the screw nut51extends through the corresponding through hole32to secure to the screw section123of the corresponding alignment post12which also extends through the same through hole32. Notably, because the bottom end of the coil spring52downwardly presses the upper surface of the corner region11so as to assure the reliable mechanical and electrical connection between the CPU500and the contacts (not shown) of the electrical connector300, and maximize heat dissipation between the CPU500and the heat sink200. In this embodiment, the retainer600includes four retaining latches610respectively engaged within the corresponding recesses33of the heat sink200for minor retention therebetween that may help loading/unloading the heat sink200with regard to the fastening mechanism100. The retainer600further forms cutouts620to allow the corresponding spring arms23extending therethrough for reaching the heat sink200.