Abstract:
A clip ( 40 ) adapted to attach a heat sink ( 30 ) to an electronic device ( 20 ) includes a body ( 50 ) and a lever ( 70 ). The lever is fastened to the body with a pivot ( 96 ). The lever includes a pressing portion ( 74 ) and a bore ( 80 ). First and second contact points ( 76, 78 ) are defined at a lower edge of the pressing portion at different distances from the bore. The clip is initially placed in a groove ( 36 ) of the heat sink, whereupon the first contact point abuts a top surface of the groove. When the lever is fully depressed, the second contact point firmly abuts the top surface of the groove. Thus the clip securely attaches the heat sink to the electronic device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a clip, and particularly to a clip for readily securing a heat sink to a heat-generating electronic device.  
           [0003]    2. Related Art  
           [0004]    A heat sink is usually placed in contact with a heat-generating electronic device, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), for removing heat there-from. A clip is usually used to secure the heat sink to the electronic device.  
           [0005]    A conventional clip is disclosed in Taiwan Patent Application No. 83217100A01. The clip includes a pressing portion located in a slot defined between heat sink fins, for pressing the heat sink on the electronic device. A pair of arms, each with an aperture therein, depends from respective opposite ends of the pressing portion. The apertures engage with corresponding catches of a retention module. The heat sink is thereby secured to the electronic device.  
           [0006]    However, due to inherent hardness of the clip, it is laborious to secure the clip to the retention module just by hand. Thus, another kind of conventional clip has an opening defined in each arm above the aperture. A tool is inserted into one of the openings to effect assembly or disassembly. Unfortunately, this makes assembly and disassembly procedures complicated and inconvenient.  
           [0007]    Still another conventional clip is found in Taiwan Patent Application No. 86202080. A sunken central pressing portion is formed between a pair of slanted resilient portions. A leg depends from one resilient portion, with its free end bent outwardly to form a hook. A horizontal connecting portion with a through hole extends from the other resilient portion. Another leg with a handle portion is detachably engaged with the connecting portion by means of a screw and a nut. Thus the assembly procedure is easier than that of prior art. Nevertheless, the assembly procedure is still unduly cumbersome and complicated for users.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a clip which can readily secure a heat sink to an electronic device.  
           [0009]    To achieve the above object, a clip in accordance with the present invention includes a body and a lever. The lever is fastened to the body with a pivot. The lever includes a pressing portion and a bore. First and second contact points are defined at a lower edge of the pressing portion at different distances from the bore. The clip is initially placed in a groove of the heat sink, whereupon the first contact point abuts a top surface of the groove. When the lever is fully depressed, the second contact point firmly abuts the top surface of the groove. Thus the clip securely attaches the heat sink to the electronic device.  
           [0010]    Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed embodiments of the present invention with attached drawings, in which: 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a clip in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, for securing a heat sink to an electronic device retained on a socket;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the clip of FIG. 1;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is an assembled view of FIG. 1;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a clip in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention, for securing a heat sink to an electronic device retained on a socket;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a exploded view of the clip of FIG. 4; and  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is an assembled view of FIG. 4. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 shows a clip  40  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, for securing a heat sink  30  to an electronic device  20  retained on a socket  10 . The socket  10  is generally rectangular and has two opposite sidewalls  12 . A pair of external catches  14  is respectively formed on the sidewalls  12  of the socket  10 .  
         [0018]    The heat sink  30  includes a chassis  32  and a plurality of fins  34  extending upwardly from an upper surface of the chassis  32 . A groove  36  is defined through fins  34  at a center portion of the heat sink  30 .  
         [0019]    Referring also to FIG. 2, the clip  40  comprises an elongated body  50 , a lever  70 , a pivot  96  and a handle  98 . The body  50  and the lever  70  are pivotally connected using the pivot  96 . The handle  98  facilitates movement of the lever  70 .  
         [0020]    The body  50  of the clip  40  is stamped from a single plate, and includes a resilient portion  52 , first and second legs  58 ,  60 . A pair of tabs  66  depends from respective opposite longitudinal edges of the resilient portion  52 . Each tab  66  defines a hole  68  therein. The first and second legs  58 ,  60  depend from respective opposite distal ends of the resilient portion  52 . Each leg defines an opening  62  therein. A longitudinal slot  64  is defined to pass through both the resilient portion  52  and the second leg  60 .  
         [0021]    The lever  70  is also stamped from a single plate. The lever  70  includes a shaft  72  and a cam-shaped pressing portion  74 . The pressing portion  74  defines a bore  80  therethrough, corresponding to the holes  68  of the body  50 . The pressing portion  74  defines first and second contact points  76 ,  78  at a lower edge (not labeled) thereof. The first contact point  76  is closer to the bore  80  than is the second contact point  78 .  
         [0022]    Referring also to FIG. 3, in pre-assembly, the electronic device  20  is mounted on the socket  10 . The heat sink  30  is placed on a top surface of the electronic device  20 . The shaft  72  of the lever  70  is inserted into the slot  64  of the body  50 . The shaft  72  is inserted until the bore  80  of the lever  70  aligns between the holes  68  of the body  50 . The pressing portion  74  of the lever  70  is now located between the tabs  66  of the body  50 . The pivot  96  is inserted through the holes  68  and the bore  80 , for providing movable engagement of the lever  70  with the body  50 . The handle  98  is attached to a free end of the shaft  72  by conventional means.  
         [0023]    In assembly, the clip  40  is placed in the groove  36  of the heat sink  30 . The openings  62  of the first and second legs  58 ,  60  receive the corresponding catches  14  of the socket  10 . The first contact point  76  of the lever  70  abuts a touching point (not visible) of a top surface of the groove  36  of the heat sink  30 . The handle  98  is then depressed. The lower edge (not labeled) of the pressing portion  74  rotates at the touching point (not visible) until the second contact point  78  of the pressing portion  74  abuts the touching point (not visible). As a result, the resilient portion  52  of the body  50  is forced upward. The first and second legs  58 ,  60  are forced inward, thereby causing the openings  62  of the first and second legs  58 ,  60 , to firmly engage the catches  14  of the socket  10 . Thus the heat sink  30  is securely attached to the electronic device  20 .  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 5 shows a clip  40 ′ in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention. The clip  40 ′ has a rod  90  for enhancing the fixing function of the clip  40 ′. The rod  90  is elongated, and ends thereof are bent toward each other to form first and second hooks  92 ,  94 .  
         [0025]    The body  50 ′ is similar to the body  50  of the clip  40 . However, a pair of vertically aligned first and second apertures  102 ,  104  is defined in the first leg  58 ′ above the opening  62 ′. A rib  106  is thus formed in the first leg  58 ′, separating the first and second apertures  102 ,  104 .  
         [0026]    The lever  70 ′ includes a shaft  72 ′, a pair of parallel flanges  86 , and a pressing portion  74 ′. The shaft  72 ′ comprises a horizontal first section  722  and a vertical second section  724 . At an inner portion of the horizontal first section  722 , the horizontal first section  722  progressively rotates along a longitudinal axis thereof until it has formed the vertical second section  724 . The first section  722  defines a pair of longitudinally aligned first and second orifices  122 ,  124  therethrough. A partition  126  is thus formed in the first section  722 , separating the first and second orifices  122 ,  124 . The flanges  86  extend upwardly from respective opposite longitudinal edges of the first section  722 , near an outer end of the first section  722 . Each flange  86  defines a bore  80 ′ therein, corresponding to the holes  68 ′ of the body  50 ′. The pressing portion  74 ′ extends arcuately and downwardly from the outer end of the first section  722 , and defines first and second contact lines  76 ′,  78 ′ on an outer surface thereof. The first and second contact lines  76 ′,  78 ′ of the lever  70 ′ have substantially the same functions as the first and second contact points  76 ,  78  of the lever  70  respectively.  
         [0027]    Referring also to FIG. 6, in pre-assembly, the second section  724  of the shaft  72 ′ is inserted into the slot  64 ′ of the body  50 ′ until the bores  80 ′ of the lever  70 ′ align between the holes  68 ′ of the body  50 ′. The flanges  86  of the lever  70 ′ are now located between the tabs  66 ′ of the body  50 ′. The first hook  92  of the rod  90  is passed under the body  50 ′ and through the first aperture  102  of the first leg  58 ′, and then pulled back to pass through the second aperture  104  of the first leg  58 ′ in an opposite direction. Thus the first hook  92  is engaged with the rib  106  of the first leg  58 ′. The second hook  94  is engaged with the partition  126  of the shaft  72 ′ in similar fashion. Then the pivot  96 ′ is inserted through the holes  68 ′ of the body  50 ′ and the bores  80 ′ of the lever  70 ′, for providing movable engagement of the lever  70 ′ with the body  50 ′. The rod  90  is now located below the pivot  96 ′. The handle  98 ′ is attached to a free end of the shaft  72 ′ by conventional means.  
         [0028]    In assembly, the clip  40 ′ is placed in the groove  36  of the heat sink  30 . The openings  62 ′ of the first and second legs  58 ′,  60 ′ receive the corresponding catches  14  of the socket  10 . The first contact line  76 ′ near the bores  80 ′ abuts a touching line (not visible) of the top surface of the groove  36  of the heat sink  30 . The handle  98 ′ is then depressed until the second contact line  78 ′ of the pressing portion  74 ′ abuts the touching line (not visible). As a result, the resilient portion  52 ′ of the body  50 ′ is forced upward. The first and second legs  58 ′,  60 ′ of the body  50 ′ are forced inward, thereby causing the openings  62 ′ of the first and second legs  58 ′,  60 ′ to firmly engage the catches  14  of the socket  10 . Simultaneously, the hook  94  of the rod  90  is forced downwardly, thereby causing the hook  92  of the rod  90  to rotatablely move upwardly. Thus the rod  90  enhances the fixing function of the clip  40 ′. The clip  40 ′ prevents the heat sink  30  from moving relative to the electronic device  20  when the assembly is subjected to vibration or shock during normal operation. The heat sink  30  can continue to efficiently remove heat from the electronic device  20 .  
         [0029]    It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the present examples and embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.