Abstract:
A thermal cooling system in which a clamp assembly clamps a heat dissipating device to a generating device in the chassis of an electrical device. The clamp assembly ensures that the heat dissipating device exerts a relatively high, constant, uniform pressure on the heat generating device to ensure maximum heat transfer from the heat generating device to the heat dissipating device.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
         [0001]    The disclosures herein relates to a thermal cooling system and method for electronic devices, such as computers.  
           [0002]    Many electronic devices, such as computers, contain heat generating devices, such as chips, processors, etc., that are disposed in a crowded area in the chassis of the device and thus cause an excessive amount of heat to accumulate in the chassis, which can cause failure of one or more of the devices.  
           [0003]    Therefore, what is needed is a system and method for dissipating heat from a heat-generating device according to which the heat dissipating device exerts a relatively high, constant, uniform pressure on the heat generating device to ensure maximum heat transfer.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0004]    One embodiment, accordingly, provides a clamp assembly that clamps the heat dissipating device to the heat generating device. The clamp assembly ensures that the heat dissipating device exerts a relatively high, constant, uniform pressure on the heat generating device to ensure maximum heat transfer from the heat generating device to the heat dissipating device. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]    [0005]FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an embodiment of a computer system.  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 2 is an enlarged, partial, isometric view illustrating a portion of the computer system of FIG. 1 with a frame of a clamp assembly.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 but depicts a heat dissipating unit, a portion of which extends over the frame.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIGS. 4 and 5 are enlarged isometric views illustrating a clamp of the clamp assembly of FIG. 2.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 6 is an enlarged isometric view illustrating the clamp assembly in an assembled clamped position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0010]    An embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in FIG. 1 in connection with a computer, referred to, in general, by the reference numeral  10 , which can be in the form of a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a desktop computer, a tower computer, a server, or the like. The computer  10  includes a chassis  12  in which a motherboard  14  is mounted. A processor  16  is connected to the motherboard  14 , and a plurality of memory modules  18 , and two input/output (I/O) devices  20  are mounted on the motherboard. Two buses  16   a  and  16   b  are also provided on the motherboard  14  and connect the processor  16  to the memory modules  18  and to the input/output devices  20 , respectively. A power supply  22  is connected to the motherboard  14 , and a pair of cable assemblies  24   a  and  24   b  connect the motherboard to a hard drive unit  26  and a disk drive unit  28 , respectively. It is understood that other components, electrical traces, electrical circuits and related devices (not shown) are provided in the chassis  12 . Since these are all conventional, they will not be described in any further detail.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 illustrates a frame  30  surrounding the processor  16  of FIG. 1. The frame  30  is rectangular in shape and includes several spaced mounting posts which receive fasteners to mount the frame to the motherboard  14 . The walls  30   a ,  30   b ,  30   c  and  30   d  of the frame  30  are equally spaced from the corresponding edges of the processor  16 , and two hooks  32  and  34  are formed on the opposite walls  30   a  and  30   c , respectively, and extend in opposite directions. An upright pivot rod  36  extends from the center portion of the wall  30   d  of the frame  30 .  
         [0012]    Referring to FIG. 3, a heat dissipating device  40  has a curved arm  42  one end of which extends from a finned unit  44  that rests on the motherboard and is attached to the motherboard in any conventional manner. A base  46  is formed at the other end portion of the arm  42  and rests on the frame  30 . To this end, two flanges  46   a  and  46   b  extend from opposite corners of the base  46  and rest on corresponding portions of the upper surface of the frame  30 . Fins are provided on the upper surface of the arm  42 , and the arm is formed integrally with the finned unit  44  and the base  46 .  
         [0013]    A clamp  50  is depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5, and is formed by a plate  52  having two opposed hooks  54  and  56  extending from its opposite sides. The hooks  54  and  56  extend in opposite directions and are adapted to engage the hooks  32  and  34 , respectively, of the frame  30  (FIG. 2), as will be described in detail. A flange  58  projects outwardly from the plate  42  and has a slot  58   a  formed there through for receiving the rod  36  (FIG. 2). As shown in FIG. 5, the underside of the plate  52  has a curved, raised portion  52   a  and a flat surface  52   b  formed at the outer portion of the raised surface, for reasons to be described.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 depicts the clamp  50  in its clamped position in which it clamps the base  46  of the heat dissipating device  40  into an intimate engagement with the processor  16 . To attain this clamped position, the clamp  50  is positioned relative to the frame  30  so that the rod  36  of the frame extends in the slot  58   a  of the clamp, and so that the hooks  54  and  56  of the clamp are angularly spaced from the hooks  32  and  34  respectively, of the frame. The clamp  50  is then pivoted relative to the frame  30  so that the hooks  54  and  56  move towards the hooks  32  and  34 , respectively. This pivotal movement continues until the hooks  54  and  56  engage the hooks  32  and  24 , respectively. During this pivotal movement, the raised portion  52   a  on the plate  52  engages and cams the end portion of the arm  42  and the base  46  downwardly against the processor  16 . In the clamped position of the clamp  50  shown, the flat plate surface  52   b  engages the upper surface of the end portion of the arm  42 . The engagement of the hooks  54  and  56  with the hooks  32  and  34 , respectively, maintain the clamp  50  in its clamped position.  
         [0015]    As a result of the above, the clamp  50 , and therefore the corresponding end portion of the arm  42  and the base  46 , exert a relatively high, constant, uniform pressure on the processor  16  to ensure maximum heat transfer from the processor to the arm  42 . The heat is further transferred, via the remaining portion of the arm  42  to the finned unit  44  of the heat dissipating unit  40 . It is understood that a fan, or the like can be associated with the computer chassis  12  for removing this heat from the finned unit  44 , in a conventional manner.  
         [0016]    It is understood that variations may be made in the foregoing without departing from the scope of the disclosed embodiments. For example, the above embodiment is not limited to a computer, but is equally applicable to any electrical device containing a heat generating device. Also, the heat dissipating device  40  can be clamped to any other heat generating device that may be present in the chassis  12  or in any electronic device. Further, the frame  30  does not have to surround the processor  16 , but can take any position relative to the processor as long as it is proximate to the processor and can receive the clamp  50  and enable it to exert the above clamping action. Still further, the heat dissipating unit  40 , including the arm  42 , the finned unit  44 , and the base  46  can take shapes other than the ones disclosed above. It is understood that the spatial references referred to above, such as “upper”, “lower”, “downward”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, etc. are made for the purposes of example only and are not intended to limit the specific orientation of the particular structure involved.  
         [0017]    Because other modifications, changes, and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the embodiments disclosed herein.