Heat sink assembly and method of attaching a heat sink to an electronic device on a motherboard

• US 20040264135A1
• Filed: 06/27/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: MacGregor, Mike G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,158,381 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/704
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/40 Mountings or securing means for detachable cooling or heating arrangements heating H01L23/345; fixed by friction, plugs or springs
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

A heat sink assembly is coupled to a motherboard and an electronic device on the motherboard. The heat sink assembly includes a heat sink with an opening extending through the heat sink, and a pin that extends through the motherboard and the opening in the heat sink to couple the heat sink to the electronic device and the motherboard. A member within the opening in the heat sink is positioned between the heat sink and the pin. A method of securing a heat sink to a motherboard and an electronic device on the motherboard includes thermally coupling a heat sink to an electronic device, securing the heat sink to a motherboard using a pin that extends through an opening in the heat sink, and positioning a member between the pin and the heat sink within the opening in the heat sink.

Claims

1. A heat sink assembly that is coupled to an electronic device and a motherboard, the heat sink assembly comprising:

a heat sink that includes an opening;

a pin extending through the motherboard and the opening in the heat sink to couple the heat sink to the electronic device and the motherboard; and

a member within the opening in the heat sink, the member being between the heat sink and the pin.

2. The heat sink assembly of claim 1, wherein the member is a bushing that is pressed into the opening in the heat sink.

3. The heat sink assembly of claim 2, wherein the pin is pressed through an opening in the bushing.

4. The heat sink assembly of claim 1, wherein the member is plastic.

5. The heat sink assembly of claim 1, wherein the member has a lower thermal conductivity than the pin and the heat sink.

6. The heat sink assembly of claim 1, wherein the member has a lower Modulus of Elasticity than the pin and the heat sink.

7. The heat sink assembly of claim 1, wherein the member is partially within the opening in the heat sink.

8. The heat sink assembly of claim 1, wherein the pin includes a head that is larger than the opening in the heat sink.

9. The heat sink assembly of claim 8, wherein the head of the pin engages the heat sink.

10. The heat sink assembly of claim 1, wherein the pin includes a body that is cylindrical, and the opening in the heat sink is cylindrical.

11. A method comprising:

thermally coupling a heat sink to an electronic device;

securing the heat sink to a motherboard using a pin that extends through an opening in the heat sink; and

positioning a member between the pin and the heat sink within the opening in the heat sink.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising wave soldering the pin to the motherboard.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein positioning a member between the pin and the heat sink within the opening in the heat sink includes pressing a bushing into the opening in the heat sink.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein positioning a member between the pin and the heat sink within the opening in the heat sink includes pressing the pin through an opening in the bushing.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein positioning a member between the pin and the heat sink within the opening in the heat sink includes positioning the entire member within the opening in the heat sink.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein positioning a member between the pin and the heat sink within the opening in the heat sink includes placing a member that is more elastic than the pin and the heat sink between the pin and the heat sink to alleviate stress between the pin and heat sink.

17. A computer system comprising:

a motherboard;

an electronic device coupled to the motherboard;

a heat sink that includes an opening;

a pin extending through the motherboard and the opening in the heat sink to couple the heat sink to the electronic device and the motherboard; and

a member within the opening in the heat sink, the member being between the heat sink and the pin.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the member has a lower thermal conductivity than the pin.

19. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the member has a lower Modulus of Elasticity than the pin.

20. The computer system of claim 17, further comprising a chassis, the motherboard being attached to the chassis.