Electrical component assembly with heat sink

• US 5,060,112 A
• Filed: 04/02/1990
• Issued: 10/22/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Cocconi, Alan G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tolin, Gerald P.
• Application Number:
  US07/503,252
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 62/418, 165/80.2, 165/80.3, 165/80.4, 165/80.5, 165/104.33, 165/185, 211/41, 357/79, 357/81, 357/82, 361/382-388, 361/395, 361/399, 361/415, 174/16.3
• US Class Current: 361/719
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/2049 Pressing means used to urge contact, e.g. springs
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/209 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20909 takes precedence

Abstract

An electrical component assembly includes a printed circuit board with a plurality of power transistors mounted in parallel, spaced-apart rows, a longitudinally-extending heat sink, and a longitudinally-extending leaf spring that presses the transistors into contact with the heat sink, thereby providing heat conduction from the transistors to the heat sink. The assembly is provided by placing two parallel rows of transistors between two parallel, spaced-apart walls of the heat sink, sliding two longitudinally-extending leaf springs into the space between the rows of transistors, and then inserting a longitudinally-extending spring spacer between the two leaf springs. The spring spacer compresses the leaf springs against the power transistors, urging the transistors into heat-conducting contact with the walls of the heat sink. Each spacer can be provided with a tapered nose for easier assembly, and the springs can be provided with vertical cuts at intervals equal to the spacing of the transistors, for providing independent force components against individual transistors.

Claims

1. An electrical component assembly comprising:

a longitudinally-extending heat sink;

a plurality of spaced-apart electrical components mounted on a printed circuit board, each component having a body portion extending outwardly therefrom; and

spring means for pressing the electrical components and heat sink into heat-conducting contact;

wherein the heat sink includes at least one longitudinally-extending wall, and the spring means presses the component body portions against the wall and comprises an elongated longitudinally-extending spring that is curved in cross-section;

wherein the heat sink further includes a longitudinally-extending second wall opposite the one heat sink wall, thereby forming a channel into which the electrical components are suspended; and

wherein the spring means further includes a slidable and removable spacer beam that compresses the elongated spring against the electrical components.

2. An assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the spring means further comprises a pair of leaf springs separated by the spacer beam.

3. An assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the spring includes a plurality of cuts defining spring segments along the longitudinal edges of the spring, thereby decoupling the spring segments such that each segment independently presses the electrical components against the heat sink wall.

4. An assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the spacer beam has a tapered nose end.

5. An assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the spring is made from spring steel.

6. An assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the force applied by the spring on each electrical component is approximately 10 pounds.

7. An electrical component assembly comprising:

a plurality of electrical components placed in a row and having coplanar vertically-extended surfaces;

a heat sink having a first wall parallel to the vertical surfaces of the electrical components, said heat sink also having a second wall and a laterally-extending cooling vane adjoining the walls; and

spring means for urging the heat sink wall and the vertically extending surfaces of the electrical components into heat-conducting contact, wherein the spring means comprises

a longitudinally-extending leaf spring having a curved surface, and

a longitudinally-extending slidable and removable spring spacer between the walls pressing laterally on the curved surface of the leaf spring, whereby the spring applies a spring force against the electrical components.

8. An electrical component assembly comprising:

a plurality of electrical components placed in a row and having coplanar vertically-extending surfaces;

a heat sink having a first wall parallel to the vertical surfaces of the electrical components and a laterally-extending cooling vane adjoining the wall; and

spring means for urging the heat sink wall and the vertically extending surfaces of the electrical components into heat-conducting contact, wherein the spring means comprises

a first longitudinally-extending curved surface,

a second longitudinally-extending curved surface parallel to the first curved surface, and

a longitudinally-extending slidable and removable spring spacer pressing laterally on the first and second curved surfaces;

wherein the heat sink further includes a second wall parallel with the first wall such that the first wall, second wall, and cooling vane define a channel into which two parallel rows of electrical components are suspended; and

wherein the spring means is located between the two parallel rows of electrical components, thereby simultaneously pressing the components against the first and second heat sink walls.