Patent Abstract:
A heat sink clip for securing a heat sink to a heat generating electronic component includes a spring member including an elongated main body. A connecting portion is formed at one end of the main body and a first locking leg extends from the other end thereof. A second locking leg is coupled to the connecting portion of the spring member. An actuating member connects pivotally with the second locking leg. An assisting member, which is located between the actuating member and the connecting portion, includes a wedged main body. When the actuating member is rotated from a first orientation to a second orientation, the assisting member horizontally moves a distance thereby moving the actuating member to a raised level. The actuating member has teeth engaging with teeth formed on an inclined face of the wedged main body.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to clips, and more particularly to a clip which secures a heat sink to a heat generating electronic component easily and conveniently. 
     DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART 
     CPU (central processing unit) is the computing and control unit of a computer for interpreting and executing all kinds of instructions. By means of the definition, the CPU functions as the “brain” of the computer. With fast development in computer technology, advanced CPUs are made to have relatively smaller size but relatively faster operational speed. During operation of such an advanced CPU, a large amount of heat is generated. In order to dissipate the heat from the CPU, a heat sink or other cooling device is used. Oftentimes, the heat sink is secured to the CPU by a clip. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a heat sink clip in accordance with related art includes a first member  81  and a second member  82  coupled to the first member  81 . The clip secures a heat sink  84  to a retention frame  83  which surrounds a CPU  85  supported on a circuit board (not labeled). The retention frame  83  has first and second catches  831 ,  832  at opposite sides thereof. The first member  81  of the clip includes a spring portion  811  and a first leg  812  extending downwardly from an end of the spring portion  811 . The leg  812  defines a first hole  813  for engaging with the first catch  831  of the retention frame  83 . A pair of fingers  814  extends from the other end of the spring portion  811  to define a receiving slot  815  for receiving and holding the second member  82  therein. The second member  82 , which is L-shaped, includes a pressing portion  821  located above the spring portion  811  of the first member  81  for manual operations, and a second leg  822  defining a second hole  823  for engaging with the second catch  832  of the retention frame  83 . The spring portion  811  deforms to generate a spring force against the heat sink  84  for securing the heat sink  84  to the CPU  85  when the clip is mounted to the retention frame  83 . 
     In order to fix the heat sink  84  to the CPU  85 , a large force is required to operate the pressing portion  821 . Furthermore, it is difficult to manipulate the pressing portion  821  to engage the second hole  823  with the second catch  832 . 
     Therefore, it is desirable to provide a heat sink clip which can overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a heat sink clip for attaching a heat sink to a heat generating electronic component. The heat sink clip includes a spring member including an elongated main body. A connecting portion connects at one end of the main body and a first locking leg extends from the other end thereof. A second locking leg is coupled to the connecting portion of the spring member. An actuating member connects pivotally with the second locking leg. An assisting member, which is located between the actuating member and the connecting portion, includes a wedged main body operatively engaged with the actuating member. When the actuating member is rotated from a first orientation to a second orientation, the actuating member is raised by the assisting member, whereby the second locking log is lifted to have a tight engagement with retention member. 
     Other advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present heat sink clip can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present heat sink clip. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an assembled, isometric view of a heat sink clip in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded, isometric view of the heat sink clip of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded, isometric view of a heat dissipation assembly incorporating the heat sink clip of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an assembled, side view of the heat dissipation assembly of  FIG. 3 , showing the heat sink clip being in an unlocked position; 
         FIG. 5  is similar to  FIG. 4 , but shows the heat sink clip in a locked position; and 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded, isometric view of a heat dissipation assembly in accordance with related art. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-2 , a heat sink clip  1  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The heat sink clip  1  includes a spring member  10  having a first locking leg  12  thereon, a second locking leg  20 , an assisting member  30  and an actuating member  40 . 
     The spring member  10  is typically made of resilient metal material such as stainless steel and includes an elongated main body  11  defining an elongated cutout  111  therein for saving the material. The main body  11  has a V-shaped pressing portion  112  at a middle thereof. The first locking leg  12  extends downwardly from a first end of the pressing portion  112  in a direction perpendicular to the main body  11  and defines a first mounting hole  121  near a bottom thereof. A connecting portion  13 , through which a first slot  133  is defined therethrough, is formed at the other end of the main body  11 . A pair of connecting plates  131  extend upwardly from the connecting portion  13  and are located at opposite sides of the first slot  133 . Each of the connecting plates  131  has a vertical, elongated slot  132  therein. 
     The second locking leg  20  is coupled to the connecting portion  13  of the spring member  10  and includes an inverted T-shaped plate  23 . A second mounting hole  221  is defined in a bottom end of the plate  23 . A first through hole  232  is defined in a top end of the plate  23 . The top end of the plate  23  is inserted through the first slot  133  of the connecting portion  13  of the spring member  10  and projects above the connecting portion  13 . 
     The assisting member  30 , which is typically made of plastic material, has a wedged main body  31  which has a width slightly smaller than the spacing between the connecting plates  131  of the connecting portion  13  for disposing of the main body  31  between the connecting plates  131 . The main body  31  includes a first end portion  35  and a second end portion  36  having a size smaller than that of the first end portion  35 . Thus, an inclined top surface  33  is formed between the first end portion  35  and the second end portion  36 . The inclined top surface  33  is inclined from the second end portion  36  towards the first end portion  35 . A pair of protrusions  34  extend laterally outwardly from opposite sides of each of the first and second end portions  35 ,  36 , so as to prevent the main body  31  from slipping off from the connecting portion  13  of the spring member  10 . A plurality of teeth  331  is formed over the inclined top surface  33 . A second slot  333  is vertically defined through the main body  31  from the first end portion  35  to the second end portion  36  of the main body  31 . The second slot  333  extends through a middle of the teeth  333 . 
     The actuating member  40  is also made of plastic material, having a handle portion  42  at one end thereof and a round rotating portion  43  at the other end thereof. The rotating portion  43  has a rounded shape and comprises a plurality of teeth  431  arranged on a circumferential surface thereof. The teeth  431  correspond to the teeth  331  of the assisting member  30 . A second through hole  432  is defined through the rotating portion  43 . Also in the rotating portion  43 , a third slot  433  is defined across the second through hole  432 . A diameter of the second through hole  432  is substantially equal to that of the first through hole  232  of the second locking leg  20 . A width of each of the second slot  333  and the third slot  433  is slightly greater than a thickness of the plate  23  of the second locking leg  20 . The third slot  433  extends through a middle of the teeth  431 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the assisting member  30  is arranged on the connecting portion  13  of the spring member  10 , between the connecting plates  131  wherein the second slot  333  of the assisting member  30  corresponds to the first slot  133  of the connecting portion  13 . The actuating member  40  is then supported on the inclined top surface  33  of the assisting member  30  to ensure that the teeth  431  engage with the teeth  331 . The top end of the plate  23  of the second locking leg  20  passes successively through the first slot  133  of the connecting portion  13  and the second slot  333  of the assisting member  30 , and enters into the third slot  433  of the actuating member  40 . Thereafter, a pin  45  is inserted through the elongated slots  132  of the connecting plates  131 , the second through hole  432  of the actuating member  40  and the first through hole  232  of the second locking leg  20  to thereby pivotally secure the second locking leg  20  and the actuating member  40  to the connecting plates  131  of the spring member  10 . The actuating member  40  is located in a direction substantially perpendicular to the spring member  10  and projects laterally outwardly from the main body  11  of the spring member  10 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-5 , the heat sink clip  1  is illustrated to secure a heat sink  60  to a retention frame  50  surrounding a heat generating electronic component  70  (such as a CPU) supported on a circuit board (not labeled). The heat sink  60  defines a locating groove  61  in a middle portion thereof for accommodating the main body  11  of the spring member  10 . The retention frame  50  defines two first and second catches  51 ,  52  at two opposite sides thereof, corresponding to the first and second mounting holes  121 ,  221  of the first and second locking legs  12 ,  20 , respectively. 
     In assembly, the main body  11  of the heat sink clip  1  is placed in the locating groove  61  of the heat sink  60 . The first and second mounting holes  121 ,  221  of the first and second locking legs  12 ,  20  loosely receive the first and second catches  51 ,  52  of the retention frame  50 , respectively, as shown in  FIG. 4 . Being in a horizontal position, the handle portion  42  of the actuating member  40  is located at a left side of the spring member  11 . As located between the connecting plates  131  of the spring member  10 , the rotating portion  43  of the actuating member  40  engages with the main body  31  of the assisting member  30  near the second end portion  36  (shown in  FIG. 2 ) thereof, wherein the second end portion  36  is lower than the first end portion  35 . The first end portion  35  (shown in  FIG. 2 ) of the assisting member  30  is located at a right side of the spring member  10 . At this moment, the heat sink clip  1  is located at an unlocked position. 
     Then, the handle portion  42  of the actuating member  40  is rotated in a clockwise direction, and the teeth  431  on the rotating portion  43  enter into engagement with the teeth  331  formed on the inclined top surface  33  of the assisting member  30 . As a result, the assisting member  30  moves linearly and horizontally from the right side towards the left side of the spring member  10 . Due to the height difference between the first end portion  36  and the second end portion  35  of the assisting member  30 , the actuating member  40  is pushed to move upwardly along the elongated slots  132  whereby the second locking leg  20  is driven to move upwardly in a direction perpendicular to the retention frame  50  to motivate the heat sink clip  1  to firmly engage with the retention frame  50 . At this stage, the heat sink clip is located at a locked position, as shown in  FIG. 5 . The handle portion  42  of the actuating member  40  is located horizontally at the right side of the spring member  11 . The rotating portion  43  of the actuating member  40  engages with the main body  31  of the assisting member  30  near the first end portion  35  thereof. The second end portion  36  of the assisting member  30  is located at the left side of the spring member  10 . The first and second mounting holes  121 ,  221  of the first and second locking legs  12 ,  20  firmly receive the first and second catches  51 ,  52  of the retention frame  50  therein, whereby the heat sink  60  is maintained in intimate thermal contact with the CPU  70  for dissipating heat generated by the CPU  70 . 
     When the heat sink clip  1  is disassembled, the handle portion  42  of the actuating member  40  is operated in a counterclockwise direction whereby the heat sink clip is released. 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8